ProblemsClogged toilet or main sewer line? How to tell before you pay for the wrong fixCheck your other drains. If one toilet is clogged but every other fixture in the house drains normally, it's almost always a plain toilet clog, and…Read →ProblemsGarbage disposal leaking from the bottom? What it means (usually: time for a new one)Water dripping straight down from the underside of the metal housing, not from a hose or a fitting nearby, means the disposal's internal seal has failed.…Read →ProblemsHow do I know if I have a slab leak? (Louisville warning signs)A slab leak is a water line leaking under the concrete foundation your house sits on, and it almost always shows up before you ever see…Read →ProblemsMy basement is flooding. Here's what to do right now.Do these in order. Don't step into standing water until you know nothing electrical is sitting in it: outlets, a furnace, a washer, an extension cord.…Read →ProblemsNo hot water? Here's what's actually wrong (gas and electric)No hot water usually means one failed part, not a dead tank. On a gas heater it's most often the pilot or a bad thermocouple, a…Read →ProblemsSmell gas in your house? Do this right now (and who to call: plumber or LG&E)Leave first, figure it out second. Don't flip a light switch, light a flame, or unplug anything on your way out, because the danger is a…Read →ProblemsTankless water heater problems: error codes, the 'cold water sandwich', and the flush that fixes most of itNine times out of ten, a tankless water heater that's throwing error codes, swinging between hot and cold, or losing hot-water flow is dealing with scale.…Read →ProblemsTree roots in your sewer line: the warning signs, and what actually gets rid of themWatch for slow drains all over the house rather than just one, gurgling that shows up in more than one fixture, backups that get worse right…Read →ProblemsWater heater leaking? What to do right now (and when a leak means replacement)Two shutoffs, then breathe. Kill the heat first: turn the gas dial to OFF, or flip the water heater breaker on an electric unit, because a…Read →ProblemsWhy do my drains gurgle? (What that sound is really telling you)A gurgling drain almost always means air is getting trapped where water should be flowing freely — and that points to a venting or partial-clog problem,…Read →ProblemsWhy do my pipes bang or hammer when I shut the water off?That bang or hammer when a faucet, toilet, or appliance shuts off is called water hammer — fast-moving water slamming to a stop with nowhere to…Read →ProblemsWhy does my hot water run out so fast?If you're still getting hot water but it runs out faster than it used to, your tank usually isn't dead — something is eating into its…Read →ProblemsWhy does my house smell like sewer? (and the free fix to try first)A sewer smell in the house is almost always sewer gas sneaking past a drain that should be sealed — and the number one cause is…Read →ProblemsWhy does my water smell like chlorine? (And what actually fixes it)That bleach or swimming-pool smell is almost always the water utility's disinfectant, not a problem with your plumbing. Louisville Water and utilities like it keep a…Read →ProblemsWhy is my ceiling leaking below the upstairs bathroom? (Shower, tub, or toilet: how a plumber finds it)A ceiling stain or drip below an upstairs bathroom is almost always one of four things: the wax ring under the toilet, the tub or shower…Read →ProblemsWhy is my faucet dripping, and does it actually matter?A dripping faucet is almost always a worn part inside the faucet — usually a cheap washer, O-ring, or cartridge — not a sign your plumbing…Read →ProblemsWhy is my garbage disposal humming but not spinning?A garbage disposal that hums but won't spin almost always has a jammed flywheel — something is wedged between the spinning plate and the grind ring,…Read →ProblemsWhy is my outdoor faucet leaking? (And whether a frost-free hose bibb is worth it)Where the water shows up tells you what's wrong. A drip from the spout after you shut it off is a worn washer. Water seeping around…Read →ProblemsWhy is my toilet flushing weakly or not fully?A weak flush usually means the bowl isn't getting enough water fast enough to pull everything down — and the two cheapest things to check first…Read →ProblemsWhy is my water brown or discolored? (and is it safe?)Brown or rusty water almost always comes down to two free questions: is it the hot side, the cold side, or both, and is it just…Read →ProblemsWhy is my water heater rumbling or popping? (and what to do about it)That rumbling, popping, or crackling is almost always sediment. Hard-water minerals settle into a crusty layer on the bottom of the tank, water gets trapped underneath…Read →ProblemsWhy is my water pressure suddenly low? (Louisville plumber's checklist)Low water pressure usually traces to one fixable thing, not your whole plumbing. If it's just one faucet, it's almost always a clogged aerator (a free…Read →ProblemsWhy is there water around the base of my toilet?Water pooling at the base of a toilet has one big giveaway: when it shows up. If it appears right after you flush and it's dirty…Read →ProblemsWhy is there water under my sink? (P-traps, dishwasher lines, washer boxes, and shutoff valves)Water under a sink almost always comes from one of five places: the P-trap and its slip joints, the supply lines and shutoff valves, the faucet…Read →ProblemsWhy isn't my sump pump working (or running constantly)?A sump pump that won't run and one that never shuts off are opposite problems with a short list of causes each. If it's dead-silent, start…Read →ProblemsWhy won't my bathtub drain? (Hair at the stopper, the tub shoe, and when it's not the tub at all)Most of the time, a bathtub that drains slow or not at all is hair and soap scum caught at the strainer and the trap arm…Read →ProblemsWhy won't my toilet stop running? (usually a $10 part)A toilet that never stops running is almost always leaking water from the tank into the bowl, and the fill valve keeps topping it off to…Read →ProblemsWhy your drain keeps clogging (bellied pipes, buildup, roots, and the fix that finally sticks)A drain that clogs over and over isn't bad luck, and it usually isn't your family's fault either. Something inside the line is catching or narrowing:…Read →ProblemsWhy your toilet keeps clogging (and when an old low-flow toilet is the real culprit)A toilet that clogs once ate something it shouldn't have. A toilet that clogs every week has a standing reason, and there are really only four:…Read →ProblemsWhy Your Washing Machine Drain Overflows (And What Actually Fixes It)Nine times out of ten, that standpipe behind your washer is overflowing because lint, soap scum, and fabric fibers have narrowed the drain line until it…Read →ProblemsWhy your water heater's pilot light won't stay lit (thermocouple, drafts, and when to call)Hold the button and the pilot lights, let go and it dies: that's the classic sign of a worn thermocouple, the little copper sensor that sits…Read →
