When to Stop Your Repair and Call an Emergency Plumber

Some plumbing problems around the house can be addressed on your own, with a few everyday tools and a bit of knowhow. However, even seemingly simple plumbing repairs can be more complicated than you realize, and not addressing those repairs properly can cause damage to the home's pipes and connectors. To ensure you don't do any further damage to your home's plumbing pipes, and so you know that the job will get done right, consider when you want to stop with your DIY plumbing repairs and call an emergency plumber, and why this might be necessary.

Your auger is stuck

An auger, or plumbing snake, can clear many everyday clogs in the home. However, if you're not sure of how to use this tool properly, you might send it too deeply into the pipe, or hit some debris that is wedged firmly in the pipes, and the auger may get stuck. Never try to force the cable of the auger back out of the toilet or drain, as this can easily dislodge pipes or damage connectors between pipes. You might also pull the clogged material closer to the drain, or cause it to become even more wedged in the pipe! If your auger is stuck, leave it alone and call an emergency plumber to address the situation.

Pipes come out of position

If you're trying to perform some plumbing repair work, and any of the pipes come out of position, you need to have a plumber address this problem before continuing. Pipes need to run at a particular angle in order for water and waste to move through them; if that angle is too steep or not steep enough, those pipes are likely to clog.

Pulling pipes out of position also usually means that you've pulled hangers and other hardware away from the wall, so that the pipes aren't held in place properly, and will start banging around. This can cause damage to the wall materials and to the pipes themselves. Don't assume you can just push pipes back where they belong, but have a plumber realign them for you.

You find rust or corrosion

Once plumbing pipes begin to rust or corrode, they need to be replaced. That rust can get into your drinking water, which is very  unhealthy. Corroded pipes can also allow for water leaks and mould, which is damaging and also unhealthy. A plumber should assess the reason for the rust and note if just some pipes need replacing, or if an entire section of the home's plumbing needs new pipes.