Most plumbing disasters send up a flare before they happen. Here are the five signs Stephan tells Silverton and Salem area homeowners to watch for, so a small problem gets caught while it is still small.
1. Your water bill jumped for no reason
A silent leak behind a wall or under a slab can run for weeks before you see a stain. Often the first clue is a water bill that climbs while your habits have not changed. If the number looks off, it is worth a leak detection visit before the damage shows up.
2. Water pressure is dropping
Pressure that slowly fades, or a faucet that used to blast and now trickles, can point to a leak, corrosion inside the pipe, or a failing supply line. It rarely fixes itself. A quick pressure test tells us what is going on.
3. Rusty or discolored water
Brown or rusty water, especially from the hot side, often means the water heater or the pipes themselves are corroding from the inside. That is a sign a water heater or a repipe conversation is coming.
4. Drains that keep clogging
One slow drain is a clog. Every drain in the house draining slowly at once is usually the main line, and that is a different, bigger problem. Repeat clogs have a cause worth finding during drain cleaning rather than clearing again and again.
5. The sound of running water when nothing is on
If you hear water moving inside the walls with every fixture off, something is leaking. Shut off the main if you can and call. This is the one on the list most likely to turn into a flood.
When in doubt, make the call
None of these guarantee an emergency, but all of them are worth a look before they become one. If you are seeing any of them around Silverton or the Salem area, call 971-462-4688 and we will help you sort out whether it can wait.