Annoying House Quirks Your Plumber Can Actually Fix

Every house has its quirks. Usually after you have lived there a while, you get used to these quirks and just write them off as things you can't really change. But can you? In the case of plumbing, at least, many of those quirks may actually be small, underlying issues that your plumber can address. Take a look.

Hot Water Heater Rumbling

If your hot water heater is noisy but still warms the water, it's tempting to just ignore the noise. But actually, that noise is a really easy problem to get rid of. Your plumber just needs to flush the tank to remove mineral deposits. It will take less than a half hour, and it will not only make your tank quieter, but also more efficient.

Gurgling Toilets

Does your toilet make a gurgling or bubbling noise when you flush it? This is a sign of a blockage in one of your sewer vents. If air cannot escape properly through the sewer vents, it has to go somewhere else, and that somewhere else is typically out through the toilet bowl. A plumber can easily unclog the vent and then put a new cap on the vent to help prevent future clogs.

A Toilet That Runs Mysteriously

Some people refer to this as the "ghost flush." A few even believe that an actual ghost is flushing their toilet when it just starts filling out of nowhere! The real culprit, though, is a leaky toilet tank. Either the plastic flapper or the fill pipe itself is letting water slowly seep from the toilet into the bowl. When the water level drops low enough, the water has to kick back on to fill up the tank. A plumber can typically fix this by replacing the flapper or repairing the pipe, so you won't need a whole new toilet.

Hot Showers After Flushing the Toilet

Do you have a shower that gets really hot if someone flushes the toilet? This just means you have an outdated mixing valve in your shower. Your plumber can replace this valve with one that automatically cuts down the amount of hot water sent through if the supply of cold water goes down (such as due to a toilet flush.) Finally, you can stop worrying about getting scalded in the shower!

If your home has other strange plumbing quirks, it is worth asking the plumber about them. Often, they are easier to fix than you might think. Contact a plumber today to get started.