Top 5 Plumbing Problems in Youngsville

There are many issues that can occur with plumbing systems, but here’s my list of the top 5 plumbing problems in Youngsville, LA and the plumbing services needed to fix these problems.

1. Clogged toilets and other drain lines.

The issue: things are flushed down the toilet that shouldn’t be flushed. Feminine hygiene products, “flushable” wipes, dental floss, kitty litter, you name it, I’ve seen it. Another major problem is older homes built prior to the 1970s in Youngsville have cast iron drain pipes, which rust and get scaly on the inside over time. Eventually, channel rot sets in where the bottom of the cast iron pipe rots away. All of this hinders the free flow of human waste and toilet paper, as well as feminine hygiene products and wipes. Add in tree roots that enter open joints in terracotta clay pipe in many yards of older homes, and the result is toilet clogs, and slow draining tubs and showers, kitchen sinks, and washing machine drain lines.

The fix: obviously only put human waste and toilet paper in the toilet. Put a closed trash can in the bathroom for feminine hygiene products and wipes. And absolutely don’t put grease and food down the kitchen sink drain. Do your best to keep hair out of lavatory and tub/shower drains.

2. Dripping faucets.

The issue: the public water supply from Magnolia and Milton water systems that serve Youngsville is treated with chlorine to keep users safe, but it also has minute amounts of natural calcium, magnesium and other minerals that pass through the filter systems to the plumbing fixtures in your home. All of these things in the water, over time, build up inside faucets and water heaters, and weaken the rubber washers in the plumbing fixtures. Combine this with cheaply made fixtures and heavy use, and the result is drips.

The fix: first buy good quality plumbing fixtures. Second, use water filtration systems for your entire home. Third, hire experienced plumbers such as Todd with Master Drain Services who knows that washers need to be lubricated before fixtures are installed.

3. Water leaks.

The issue: water pipes leak for a variety of reasons, typically because of corrosion at joints and freezing pipes.

The fix: hire an experienced licensed plumber who knows not to mix different kinds of water pipes, and to use the correct transitions when necessary. All good plumbers know pipe joints will corrode and leak when different metals touch, such as copper and galvanized pipe. The other important fix is to make sure all pipes exposed to the weather are well insulated to protect them from freezing temperatures. These fixes are extremely important especially when your water heater is in the attic. A leak in the attic could be very annoying and very expensive.

4. Water heater problems.

The issue: water heaters aren’t made like they once were. The average lifespan of a natural gas and electric regular tank type water heater is 10 years nowadays. Gas control valves, electric elements and anode rods have shorter life spans than in the past.

The fix: water heaters are mechanical appliances that need regular maintenance. They need to be flushed once a year and inspected for corrosion. Areas around water heaters need to be kept clean and free of dust and debris as water heaters nowadays require more air flow and have sensors to keep them operating correctly.

5. Dripping tub faucets and shower heads.

The issue: much like dripping kitchen sink and lavatory faucets, the problem is weakened and worn out rubber washers. And sometimes its malfunctioning rubber diaphragms inside of single handle cartridges in the tub/shower valve.

The fix: again, much like kitchen and lavatory faucets, a whole house water filtration system will help clean the water and extend the life of washers and rubber diaphragms for tub/shower valves. And like was said already, using an experienced plumber who knows that washers need to be lubricated when tub/shower valves are installed is critical.

These are my top 5 plumbing problems in Youngsville. There are many more, but these are the top 5.

Location: Youngsville, LA