Can Your Plumbing Repair Wait or is it an Emergency?

Posted on December 11, 2019 by weilhammerplumbing

Is your plumbing repair an emergency situation? Or can it wait? Continue reading to find out what constitutes a plumbing emergency and what doesn’t, including certain plumbing repairs that can be done on your own.

Indianapolis Plumbing Service and Repair 317-784-1870

Dealing With Plumbing Problems

When something in your plumbing system breaks down, you often wonder whether or not it’s considered an emergency. Sometimes you don’t have enough money to put towards a repair until your next paycheck, or you simply don’t have the time to add in a plumbing appointment to your busy schedule. The best way to determine if a plumbing repair is an emergency is to contact a professional Indianapolis master plumber for free, over-the-phone advice you can trust.

Plumbing Repair Emergencies

A plumbing repair emergency is a break down in your plumbing system that will pose serious injury or health complications, such as gas leaks, or one that will pose serious destruction to your property, such as flooding or fires. Below is a list of standard plumbing emergencies. If your home or building experiences any of the emergencies listed below, or ones similar, you must contact a licensed plumber immediately, even if in the middle of the night.

Plumbing Emergencies:

⚠ Major Water Leaks that Can’t Be Stopped By Main Water Shutoff
⚠ Gas Leaks
⚠ Lingering Gas Smell
⚠ Flooding (i.e. carpets, floors, basement, lawn, etc.)
⚠ Condensation on Walls (“sweaty” or wet walls)
⚠ Large Amounts of Standing Water in Lawn
⚠ Burst Pipes
⚠ Frozen Pipes
⚠ Sump Pump Problems and Defects

Minor Plumbing Repairs

A minor plumbing repair is not an emergency situation. Instead, it is a break down in your plumbing system that needs to be fixed, but in the meantime, should not pose serious injury or health complications, nor destruction to your property. However, a minor plumbing repair can evolve into a plumbing emergency if it is neglected over a period of time. Below is a list of non-plumbing emergency examples. If your home or building experiences any of the breakdowns listed below, or ones similar, you must contact a licensed plumber if you cannot repair it yourself. See our blog, “3 Household Plumbing Repairs You Should Know How to Do” for some help.

NON-Plumbing Emergencies:

✅ Moderate Leaks that Can Be Stopped with Main Water Shutoff Valve (i.e. water heater, water softener, cabinet pipes, etc.)
✅ Clogged Toilet or Drain
✅ Running Toilet
✅ No Hot Water
✅ Small Water Leaks (i.e. faucet, shower head, sink, etc.)
✅ Broken Plumbing Fixture

Contact a Trusted Indianapolis Master Plumber

Contact Weilhammer Plumbing Company at 317-784-1870 for home plumbing repairs and plumbing emergencies in Indianapolis, Indiana and its surrounding counties. Our state-licensed Indianapolis master plumbers have been in the plumbing business for over 100 years because we have earned the trust of thousands of Hoosiers all across the city as a result of our professional service and outstanding results. Request a free estimate or advice, today.

These Bad Habits Can Cause Plumbing Problems at Home

Posted on April 15, 2015 by weilhammerplumbing

When it comes to residential plumbing, a professional would advise against a long list of bad habits that lead to costly repairs and problems. Among this long list of bad habits, there are a few that tend to cause the most issues with a home’s plumbing. Continue reading to learn which bad habits your plumber wants you to stop!

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Toilets

So many of us are guilty of using the toilet as a garbage receptacle. The occasional goldfish is not going to cause any problems with your toilet and plumbing, however, actual trash or garbage is not a good idea. Cotton swabs, cotton balls, feminine hygiene applicators, razor cartridges, toilet paper tubes, hairbands, shower caps, paper bags, newspaper, plastic materials, and more are common items flushed down residential toilets on a daily basis. All of this trash can clog the toilet, as well as, cause major blockages in your home’s plumbing, leading to costly repairs and replacements. Do not use your toilet as a trashcan! Simply place a trash can near your toilet to thwart you from this bad habit.

Garbage Disposals

Another area that we tend to use as a trash can even though we shouldn’t is the kitchen sink garbage disposal. Yes this appliance can shred soft, non-fibrous foods, but that doesn’t mean it’s an industrial shredder that can manage all your other garbage as well! Items like plastic wrap, fruit peels, egg shells, flowers, fruit and vegetable cores, and more are commonly tossed down residential garbage disposals, only later to cause major damage to the appliance and the home’s plumbing.

Drains

Aside from trash, people tend to have a bad habit of pouring harmful or toxic chemicals down bathroom and kitchen sink drains. Bathtubs, showers, outdoor sinks, kitchen sinks, and bathroom sinks have drains that can clog, but this does not mean reach for the harsh drain cleaning solution right away. Try other forms of clog-clearing before resorting to toxic drain cleaners, such as drain snakes. These chemicals can cause plumbing pipes to corrode and deteriorate, leading to leaks and major damages.

Outdoor Hoses

Forgetting or neglecting to disconnect your garden hose from the outside spout before wintertime can cause some major problems with your home’s plumbing as well. This allows moisture from the inside of the hose to enter the home, eventually freezing, leading to frozen or burst plumbing pipes. This is not an easy or inexpensive fix, but can be avoided with a little annual reminder and initiative.

Weilhammer Plumbing Co. Inc.

Weilhammer Plumbing Company 317-784-1870

Call Weilhammer Plumbing Co. Inc. at 317-784-1870 the next time you need a master plumber in Indianapolis, Indiana. Owner, Mark Weilhammer, is a state-licensed master plumber with over 50 years of experience in the plumbing industry. He and our team of licensed plumbing contractors are eager to answer your questions about plumbing repair and more. We offer residential and commercial properties a wide range of plumbing services, including septic tanks, water heaters, sump pumps, water softeners, slab leaks, and more! Call 317-784-1870 for superior plumbing repair services in Indianapolis, IN today.

When is DIY Plumbing Repair a Bad Idea?

Posted on January 14, 2015 by weilhammerplumbing

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Homeowners feel good about themselves when they discover a problem and repair it without having to shell out money for a repair service. And fortunately, there are several things men and women can do on their own when it comes to making repairs in their homes. But in other cases, a do-it-yourself approach is not the right answer.

One of the most complex and vital components of any home is their plumbing system. Home plumbing is used every day, from toilet flushing to dish-washing, so naturally problems are likely to occur.

Some can be fixed with a DIY attitude, while others will require the services of a master plumber. Continue reading to learn the difference!

When DIY Works

There are several problems that can happen to a residential plumbing system that can be fixed on your own. A clogged toilet or drain can be solved with a simple snaking and some drain cleaner. A clogged kitchen sink drain just needs some cold running water and a good garbage disposal run. If a pipe bursts, you can surely shut off the main water valve on your own to stop any further flooding. So there are many plumbing repairs a novice or hands-on homeowner can do themselves; but what about more serious plumbing problems? This is when DIY is a bad idea.

When DIY Does Not Work

So let’s stick with the example of burst pipes. Sure you can turn the water shut-off valve and stop the flow of water in your plumbing, but the pipes are going to need some professional attention. And not just any professional attention, master plumber-level attention. Trenchless pipe replacement and pipe repair are complex and technical projects that require extensive education, training, knowledge, and experience. It also requires the proper tools and diagnostic equipment that only a professional plumbing company would retain. Implementing a serious plumbing repair on your own can result in more damage and costlier repairs.

Aside from pipe repair, flooding and water damages are certainly not something homeowners are not interested in doing themselves, and they shouldn’t anyway. Other serious plumbing repairs that should be handled by a master plumber include septic and sump pump problems, water heater repairs, water softeners issues, slab leaks, frozen pipes, water leaks, and more. These require specialized methods of diagnostics and repair that, again, only a master plumber can provide.

Weilhammer Plumbing Co. Inc.

Weilhammer Plumbing Indianapolis Indiana 317-784-1870

Call Weilhammer Plumbing Co. Inc. at 317-784-1870 for master plumber repair services in Indianapolis, Indiana. Owner and master plumber, Mark Weilhammer, has more than 60 years of experience in the plumbing industry. In fact, we have been a family owned and operated Indianapolis plumbing company for more than 100 years! We offer a wide range of plumbing services for residential and commercial properties. You can trust you are getting the fairest prices and most honest service for plumbing repair in Indianapolis, IN.