Nothing lasts forever. Just like your windows or your roof, your plumbing will eventually need to be replaced. At some point over the years, it will rust, corrode, deteriorate, and need to be upgraded.
Ignoring the signs that your bathroom plumbing needs to be replaced can lead to many health and safety risks, along with a host of home maintenance issues. You could face leaks or floods and serious damage to your home.
To avoid potential problems, look for these warning signs that it’s time to upgrade your plumbing system.
1. Low Water Pressure
Low water pressure can leave your head full of shampoo during your shower. But it’s also a sign that you have faulty plumbing lines that need to be repaired or replaced.
If the pipes are clogged, you may be able to fix the problem by dissolving the sludge and then running your faucets. However, if this doesn’t work, you likely have corroded pipes that need to be replaced. Over the years, galvanized steel pipes will degrade and become more narrow, causing low water pressure. You’ll notice this issue most frequently in the shower, though it might be noticed in the sinks, tub, or toilet refill rate.
A slow water trickle is a bad sign you shouldn’t ignore. You may require full pipe replacement.
2. Mould
Of course, you don’t want to leave mould in your home. Mould will not only smell bad and leave an unsightly appearance in your bathroom, but it can also cause irreparable damage to your plumbing.
If you have discovered mould in your bathroom, you likely have a leak in your water heater or somewhere in your plumbing system.
3. Strange Noises
Your plumbing system should function like a well-oiled machine. You shouldn’t be hearing whistling in the faucet, hammer noises in your pipes, or knocking sounds coming from the water heater.
Not only are these noises frustrating to deal with, but they indicate the need for drain repairs.
4. Bad Smell
A bad smell coming from your bathroom—an odour that can’t be eliminated with air fresheners—is a bad sign. You may have damaged hardware or corroded pipes. It’s time to take a closer look at your drainage system.
5. Poor Water Quality
Is your water suddenly a different colour? Your water should never come out black or brown. This indicates corrosion in your water heater or pipes. Alternatively, cloudy or white water indicate air is coming through your plumbing.
Alternatively, if your water smells rusty or foul, you may be dealing with bacteria or corrosion in your water heater, in which case it will need to be replaced.
6. Faulty Hardware
Faulty hardware is one of the smallest plumbing issues you can encounter, but it still needs to be fixed. If metal bits are falling off your faucet or showerhead, it could lead to health and safety risks—not to mention making your bathroom look dingy and outdated.
Though replacing hardware is a relatively easy plumbing task, you can request the help of a plumber if you encounter problems.
7. Drainage Issues
Does it take half an hour for your shower or tub to drain? This indicates you have drainage issues. Standing water can mean you either have a clog in your drainage system or water may not be going where it should be routed to.
If flushing your drains with a cleaner doesn’t help your drainage issues, or the problem comes back almost immediately, it’s time to replace your drainage hardware. When it comes to bathroom plumbing problems, you shouldn’t procrastinate. Call a local plumber to evaluate your system and upgrade your plumbing.
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