Drips, running toilets, jammed disposals, sump pumps that won't quit. These are the small problems people put off, and they're also the ones that turn into flooded basements and scary water bills. Here's how to handle the everyday stuff.
Why does my faucet keep dripping?
Nine times out of ten it's a worn-out washer or cartridge inside the faucet. Every time you turn the tap, that little rubber piece compresses, and over the years it just gives out. A drip might seem like nothing, but it can waste hundreds of litres a month and you'll see it on your water bill. The fix is usually quick, I take the faucet apart, swap the worn part, and you're done. Don't try cranking the handle tighter, that just chews up the seat and makes it worse. If your faucets are old and this keeps happening, it might be time to replace them.
Why does my toilet keep running?
Almost always the flapper. That rubber seal at the bottom of the tank warps or gets coated in mineral deposits, so water leaks into the bowl nonstop and the fill valve keeps topping up the tank. You can test it, put food colouring in the tank, wait 15 minutes without flushing. Colour in the bowl means the flapper's leaking. A running toilet can waste hundreds of litres a day, and on a metered bill that adds up fast. The fix is cheap and quick. Sometimes it's the fill valve or the chain length, but I'll sort it out in one visit.
My garbage disposal is jammed. What should I do?
First, turn it off and don't stick your hand in there, I mean it. Most disposals have a reset button underneath; try that first. If it hums but doesn't spin, there's something wedged in the flywheel. Unplug it (or flip the breaker), then use the hex wrench that came with it in the socket on the bottom to work the jam free. Tongs to pull out whatever's stuck. What jams them? Grease, potato peels, bones, fibrous stuff like celery. If the motor's burned out or it's leaking from the housing, replacement runs $250–$500 installed. Market range, final price confirmed in your free estimate.
Why is my sump pump running all the time?
In spring or after heavy rain, that's normal, the water table's high and the pump's doing its job. But if it's running constantly in dry weather, something's off. Could be a stuck float switch, a check valve that's failed and letting water flow back into the pit, or the pump is undersized for the inflow. A pump running nonstop burns out fast, and then you've got no protection when you actually need it. I see this a lot after DIY installs where the check valve went in backwards. Get it checked before it quits on you, a flooded basement costs way more than a service call.
Small problems don't stay small. If something in your house is dripping, running, humming, or grinding and it shouldn't be, that's the time to call, not after the water's on the floor.
https://conceptsplumbing.ca | Book your free estimate: https://calendly.com/conceptsinc/plumbing-estimate-service
Free Estimates. Honest Solutions. Concepts Plumbing (705) 715-1513
