Plumbing Services in Hammond 54015 — Eco-Friendly Products

When to call a professional

Not sure if it is time to get help? If any of these sound familiar, it is worth a call.

• Water pressure that's dropped noticeably over the past year — if your shower used to rinse shampoo in 10 seconds and now it takes 30, you've likely got a buildup of scale in your supply lines or a failing pressure-reducing valve, both common in Hammond's hard-water homes.
• A water heater that's Quality Service old and making popping or rumbling sounds when it heats — that's sediment buildup at the bottom of the tank, and it means the unit is working harder and less efficiently; left alone it will corrode through the tank wall and flood your basement.
• Slow drains that used to clear on their own but now need plunging once a week — the blockage is building up deeper in the line, and it will eventually stop completely, usually when you've got a house full of guests or right before you leave for vacation.
• Damp spots on the ceiling below a bathroom, or on the basement floor under a water heater — both are active leaks that will get worse fast, and the water damage is already happening even if you can't see it yet.
• A sewer smell that comes and goes, especially in the basement or near floor drains — it's usually a dry P-trap that's lost its water seal, but it can also be a cracked vent stack or a failing wax ring under a toilet, and all of them let sewer gas into your home.
• Rust-coloured water when you first turn on the tap in the morning, especially in older Hammond homes with galvanized supply lines — it's iron oxide from corroding pipes, and it means those lines are nearing the end and will start leaking within a year or two.
• Toilets that run constantly or refill on their own every 20 minutes — a failing flapper valve is letting water leak from the tank into the bowl, wasting 200+ gallons a day and adding $30-$50 to your water bill every month.
• Ice buildup on the exterior wall where your water heater vent exits the house, or condensation inside the vent pipe — both indicate a venting problem that can cause carbon monoxide to back up into your home, and it's more common in Hammond's older homes where the original B-vent was never updated when the high-efficiency heater was installed.