Considering we’ll be celebrating Halloween this week, we thought it would only be fitting to have a blog post designed specifically around the many ways in which plumbing can occasionally be a little scary! As we’ve mentioned on numerous occasions previously, plumbing problems can pop up any day of the week and at any time of the day. Some of these problems might not require immediate attention, while others could be categorized as an emergency and will need to be addressed right away. However, depending on the severity of the problem, a handful of these can be a tad bit scary for homeowners to deal with (particularly if you’re unsure of what’s causing the issue).
If this is your first time stopping by our plumbing blog, welcome to Stine-Nichols Plumbing. We are a residential, commercial and new construction plumbing company based out of North Kansas City, MO. Our blog is designed to serve as a resource for homeowners and businesses trying to navigate and better understand their plumbing system. As evidenced by the opening paragraph above, this week’s blog post will analyze some unique situations where your plumbing system may seem a little scary!
Ghost Flushing
Just as its name suggests, a perfect starting point for a blog post all about scary plumbing problems would have to be ghost flushing, right? So…what exactly are we referring to when we say ghost flushing? In short, ghost flushing is a unique situation where your toilet will seemingly flush at random times, even though no one is using it. Before you worry any and start to think that your home may be haunted, keep reading! The solution is rather straightforward and contrary to its name, ghost flushing is not actually caused by a ghost, so that’s good news!
If it’s not a ghost, then what is causing the toilet to flush out of nowhere? Well…the issue actually resides in the toilet’s tank and this event is wasting water in the process too. A common cause behind many toilet issues is the flapper. It’s a rather inexpensive component and is responsible for acting as a barrier between the toilet’s tank and bowl. When opened, water is allowed to transfer from tank to bowl. A flapper isn’t built to last forever and over time, they can deteriorate. When its seal isn’t water-tight, water can slowly leak down from the tank into the bowl. Once enough water has leaked out, the toilet is forced to flush to fill back up the tank, hence the term ghost flushing.
Even though a faulty flapper is usually the most common reason for ghost flushing, it’s not the only one. If you take a look inside a toilet’s tank, you’ll notice there are a number of components that make up the anatomy of a toilet. Each of these pieces serve a unique purpose, but they all can easily break down as a result of the daily wear and tear, thus causing issues with how your toilet functions. In the case of this topic, the fill tube could be another reason for ghost flushing.
Plumbing Emergencies
While it can certainly be scary when you can’t pin-point the exact cause of a plumbing problem, it can also be a little worrisome simply as a result of the severity of a particular plumbing problem. With this, we’re referring to plumbing emergencies! These situations require you to act quickly in an effort to avoid letting the problem get even worse than it already is. So…what are some examples of different plumbing emergencies?
Flooded Basement – This first situation probably doesn’t need much of an explanation, as there’s no denying that a flooded basement could cause some serious damage in a hurry. The reason I’ve mentioned it here though is because there are ways to limit the odds of this occurring. In terms of plumbing, one of the best safety tools for this would be a sump pump. Assuming it’s installed correctly and functioning properly, a sump pump can be excellent at preventing water damage. By the way, don’t forget about the importance of having a battery back-up installed, in the event that you lose power during a storm, and make sure to regularly test the sump pump as well to ensure it’s always ready to go.
Water Heater Going Out – It likely won’t cause as much damage as a flooded basement, but having a water heater that’s stopped working could be considered an emergency since you don’t want to wait very long to get it replaced. Unless you want cold showers and to wash the dishes in cold water, you’ll want to get your water heater replaced as quickly as possible.
Bursted Pipes – Given that we’re headed into the winter season, one thing that homeowners need to be aware of is how to best prepare your plumbing system for the colder weather. As we highlighted on a recent blog post HERE, the colder temperatures can create some unique problems for your plumbing system with one of those being frozen pipes, which can then burst from the added pressure. As a result, it’s always best for homeowners to follow best practices to avoid this from occurring. Add insulation to exposed pipes in unheated parts of your home. Leave cabinet doors under sinks open and let faucets drip when it’s extremely frigid. All in all, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
Sewer Line Failure – The final plumbing emergency that can definitely be quite scary is any serious issue with the sewer line. Unsurprisingly, the sewer line is one of many integral plumbing pieces that homeowners need working on a daily basis. What makes it different from several of the other plumbing components, like faucets, toilets and water heaters, is the fact that it’s buried underground and not something you can easily get eyes on. This forces you to look out for warning signs of a sewer line issue and then act accordingly. If you suspect there may be an issue brewing, your local plumber should have the ability to run an inspection camera to see what exactly is going on inside your sewer line. This will make the repair process that much easier, as you’ll know where the repairs are needed too!
If you’re a first-time homeowner, plumbing issues can be scary, especially if you’ve never dealt with them before and even more so if it’s an emergency situation. Fortunately, a little maintenance and proactive thinking can help you stay ahead of the game to limit the odds of issues occurring!
Professional Plumbing Services in Kansas City
When you have a reliable, local plumbing company that you can call in times of need, plumbing problems don’t have to be scary and can get resolved in a timely manner. Here at Stine-Nichols Plumbing, our team of experienced professionals possess the skills necessary to get any plumbing problem taken care of effectively and efficiently.
Thank you for checking out our blog post covering a few potentially scary plumbing issues! If you ever have an issue on your hands that is plumbing-related, you’re always welcome to give us a call at (816) 348-3481 and we’ll get to the bottom of it! We hope you enjoy your Halloween tomorrow and have a wonderful holiday season in the months ahead. Stay tuned to our plumbing blog for more tips and tricks for managing your home’s plumbing system!