When it comes to potential plumbing problems one can experience, it’s safe to say they can surely vary in terms of severity. Some of the time, you may have a slow drain that can be cleared up in a matter of minutes by a qualified plumber. However, other times, there can be those instances where you have a collapsed sewer line and are looking at an extensive repair project to get it back up and running. Nonetheless, the point I’m trying to make here is that plumbing problems come in all shapes and sizes. Furthermore, to add one more layer to that, the timeliness of repairs is also a factor worth monitoring as well, since there are definitely going to be some that require immediate assistance.

Here at Stine-Nichols Plumbing, one of our major departments focuses solely on residential plumbing services. Installing water heaters, repairing sewer lines, drain cleaning, faucet services, you name it! And just as I mentioned above, we definitely come across our fair share of plumbing emergencies too. There is often little time to waste on these types of jobs and as such, is a big reason why we always encourage homeowners to have a local plumber they can count on in the event of an emergency popping up. During these times, you probably aren’t going to want to find yourself calling a bunch of phone numbers in a panic.

Throughout the course of this week’s blog post, we’ll be taking a peek at a few plumbing emergencies worth looking out for. As you can likely guess, it’s important to get a plumber out ASAP on these types of problems. The longer you let them sit, the worse they typically end up getting.

Broken Pipes

Water damage is the perfect example of something capable of causing a significant financial toll in a hurry. Unsurprisingly, whenever you have a broken pipe in one way or another, it has the ability to cause serious water damage, thus categorizing it as an emergency. What might this entail?

Frozen Pipes Bursting in the Winter – Kansas City is no stranger to some cold winters. As a company offering both residential and commercial plumbing services, we receive plenty of calls during the winter months about frozen pipes. Simply put, when water freezes, it expands in volume. And when this occurs inside of your pipes, the expansion can put pressure on your pipes, thus potentially leading to cracks. 

Old Age – As is true about many other plumbing components, pipes aren’t necessarily built to last forever. While there are definitely some that are better than others, the truth is all pipes will eventually need replaced due to the daily wear and tear. Not all piping is always readily visible, as some of your lines could be behind the wall, in the ceiling or underground, so if you ever notice anything out of the ordinary (or even an unusually high water bill), it’s never a bad idea to have an experienced plumber take a look.

TIP: Whenever a pipe bursts, it’s no surprise that this is a situation with the ability to escalate quite quickly. With that being said, make sure you and any other occupants of the house know where the main shut-off valve is. While this won’t eliminate the damage completely, it will limit the damage it continues to cause.

Collapsed Sewer Line

We briefly mentioned sewer lines above, but it goes without saying that a collapsed or broken sewer line would always classify as a plumbing emergency. Luckily, with advanced sewer inspection cameras available nowadays, plumbers are able to get a real-time view inside the line and pin-point where the problem resides. This prevents homeowners from having to invest in unnecessary repairs and simplifies the process for the plumbers actually making the repair. 

What causes sewer lines to fail? The truth is you can experience sewer line issues as a result of a number of different factors. Particularly in older homes with larger trees, it’s fairly common for tree root infiltration to be the cause behind sewer line troubles. In addition, just as we mentioned above, the pipes themselves can be to blame. The pipes could simply be too old and in need of being replaced. The sewer line could be built out of materials that were once popular, but have since been proven to not nearly be as effective as they once were thought to be (polybutylene is a perfect example of that). Or the issues could be connected back to the original installation. If the person who installed it made a mistake at some point, that could be causing the problems. Long story short, there are many different factors that can be responsible for broken sewer lines.

Flooded Basements

Hopefully you never have to deal with a flooded basement, but there is no denying that it’s a situation capable of being considered an emergency! While a pipe burst or water heater leak can lead to significant water damage, most of the time flooded basements occur during or right after a heavy rainfall. When it comes to plumbing-related matters, a sump pump is going to be one of your best friends in preventing and limiting the damage of a flooded basement. Many homeowners already have a sump pump installed in their basement and the core mission of them is fairly straightforward. Typically installed in a sump pit, these devices are designed to collect water in the pit, kick on when the water reaches a certain level and remove the water away from your foundation through the discharge pipe. 

One of the most common mistakes homeowners make in regards to their sump pump is not testing it and making sure it’s ready to go. While not every homeowner will find themselves using their sump pump on a routine basis, you definitely want the peace of mind that it will work when it’s needed. Fortunately, testing your sump pump is a rather easy process that can be completed simply by pouring water into the pit. Then, you’ll want to make sure it turns on correctly and removes the water without any leaks. In addition, it’s always a smart move to inspect the pump, pit and discharge lines too. Whether that be to make sure the pump is standing up properly or remove any debris that may have accumulated, a general inspection never hurts. Before we move on though, one final point on the topic of sump pumps is to make sure you also have a battery backup installed too. If the power happens to go out during a storm, you don’t want to also lose your sump pump. The battery backup will alleviate any concern of this happening!

Emergency Plumbing Services in Kansas City

Having been in the plumbing industry for quite some time, our team at Stine-Nichols Plumbing understands that emergencies can occur at any time of the day. As such, we always strive to provide timely service to get your plumbing system back up and running in as little time as possible. Whether that be a pipe leaking, failing sewer line, water heater issues or anything else, we have you covered for both routine jobs and emergency situations! If you’re ever interested in requesting a free quote for a potential project or need assistance ASAP, don’t hesitate to give us a call at (816) 348-3481. We currently service the entire Kansas City area, including many of the surrounding cities.