Q&A for How to Troubleshoot Plumbing Problems

I would recommend using a professional who has a variety of tools, because there can be different types of blockages and a homeowner is going to struggle and have to rent or buy all sorts of different things that a professional has them in their arsenal already.

There may be a blockage in the toilet's u-bend or in your soil stack. However it could also be linked to the sewer on your street having fat build up restricting flow from your property. Call a plumber out to have a look at your drainage and soil stack. If they determine there is nothing wrong in your property, then you need to talk to your local council about the sewers as they may need to be cleaned by specialists.

It is called water hammer, and is generally caused by high pressure. It means your main's pressure is quite high and may need a pressure reducer fitted after your stopcock; this needs to be installed by a qualified person. Another cause may be loose fitted pipework. Call a plumber out to have a look and they can make the judgement on what needs to be done.

The sprayer may be faulty. If the sprayer's valve is stuck open, the faucet will not work.

It could be caused by too many appliances plumbed into too small diameter of pipe. Call a plumber out to have a look at the drainage system, and they can determine what needs to be done to resolve the problem.

This generally is because the flush valve is not sealing tight. If the water does not completely stop at some point, it is simple enough and cheap enough to replace. Even a tiny trickle will eventually add up to a larger water bill.

More than likely it will not change much, if any at all. It will only affect the hot water supply in any account. On homes with a well pump, the pressure is controlled by a device that turns the well pump on and off at set limits, namely, on at 30 psi and off at 50 psi. A pressure tank sustains this pressure for water distribution.

You don't. It's called a slab leak because the pipe is in the concrete and must be repaired by a plumber. Shut off the water at your line access from a city meter or, if it's a well pump, switch off the breaker and turn off the main valve.

It is most likely clogged somewhere in the pipes. Perhaps try getting a pipe cleaner and sticking it down into the pipes to see if you hit a clog.

If the smell is constant or frequent, it is probably sewer gas. Check the trap under the sink. If this only happens occasionally, and it is in a kitchen sink with a disposal, try cutting up some lemons and putting them in the disposal while it runs.

Call a plumber and an electrician ASAP. There might be water leakage in the shower lines that is getting into the electrical work and shorting it out. This is extremely dangerous. If you have an electric water heater, it may be drawing too much power when it heats your water.

Check your stop angle valve or replace a fill valve. Close and open your stop angle valve to check if there is any problem with a gasket.

You could have a leak in the bladder of the pressure tank. There is an air relief on the top of the tank. If you open it and water comes out, you have a leaky bladder.

It depends on your water system. Well water has more minerals which can cause staining, especially in a white tub. Bath tubs don't typically have a sediment trap in the faucets, where as kitchen and bathroom sinks do.

You might have a clogged drain. Try snaking it or pouring a cap of bleach down there and waiting for a few minutes before turning the tub on; it should get rid of all the gunk stuck in there. Otherwise, you may want to find a drain cleaner like Drano.

It is because the 2 toilets share a water line, so it is not something to be worried about.

If it is only the toilet water, check the toilet tank. Sometimes water can cause rust in the tank, depending on the area you live in. If it is happening in more than one toilet, check your sink water also by filling a glass and letting it sit to see if there is sediment in the water.

It sounds like you have a partial clog in the waste pipe coming from the second floor. Baby wipes and tampons can get hooked on the side of pipes. If the waste eventually goes down, it could just be an issue of hard stools. There could also be an object stuck that fell into one of the toilets and was flushed and got caught in the waste pipe. You can purchase an auger to try to unclog it yourself, or call a plumber.

If you have multiple lines cracking and leaking, then you probably need a plumber to diagnose the problem.

It is likely that you need a new fill valve (also known as a ballcock); this controls the flow of water into the tank.

You need to change the faucet cartridge.