How do I know if my house is leaking water?

One of the first signs of water trouble is your water bill. Try to remember what your bill is every time it comes in the mail. If you see an noticeable increase from one bill to the next, you may be leaking water somewhere.

Other signs to look for are:

• Puddles outside your home in your yard
• The sound of running water when no faucets are open, no toilets are flushing, and no appliances are on

What do I do if I suspect my house is leaking water?

If you suspect that you are losing water somewhere, you’ll want to look into it asap. We’re constantly seeing articles in the media about Winnipeg Water & Waste sending Winnipeg homeowners huge bills for thousands of dollars (even though logic says that it’s literally impossible to use that much water).

The first thing you want to do is try and figure out where the leak is coming from. Flush toilets, run faucets and listen for excessive running water after they’re turned off. Go for a walk around your house and inspect the ground. Look for wet spots in the grass.

Next, you’ll want to call a Winnipeg plumber. They’re the ones who will be able to tell you what’s up. A professional plumber should be able to not only locate the leak, but also give you an estimate for fixing it.

What are the most common reasons sump pumps fail?

Sump pumps are great and can save you thousands of dollars by avoiding a basement flood, but they can also fail from time to time. It’s important to keep your sump pump in excellent working condition with regular checkups and maintenance.

One of the more common reasons sump pumps fail is due to the switch. From time to time, your sump pump might move inside the basin, causing the float that operates the switch to become lodged against its side. Or, you could have debris floating around that can interfere with the pump switch action.

Remember to always check that your sump pump switch and float arm can move freely without interruption. Unfortunately, sump pumps have a limited life, even if you’ve never used it. At the very least, make sure that it turns on before the spring melt happens.

If you have an electric sump pump, it might fail in the event of a power outage. There are non-electric sump pumps that you could get as a backup.

How do I fix a clogged garbage disposal?

Before getting into this, please note that we are not responsible for any injuries or damage that may occur when you are attempting to fix anything at all.

Now with that disclaimer out of the way, if your garbage disposal is clogged, you can try inserting an Allen wrench into the bottom of the disposer and cranking it to help free up the clog.

However, if it doesn’t free up after that, do not use your disposal. You could run the risk of damaging the motor or your electrical system.

Why do I have low water pressure?

If you’re experiencing low water pressure, it could be one of several things.

• You could have a defective or partially closed shut off valve
• A water line could be crimped
• If you have galvanized pipes, deposits could build up

One thing to do if you have low water pressure is to ask your neighbors about theirs. If everyone is experiencing low pressure, it could be something not related to your house.

If they don’t have low pressure, at least you then know that it’s something with your house.

How do I decide which Winnipeg plumber to use?

This is a great question, and one that you should pay attention to.

Unfortunately, not all plumbers are equal. There are several things to consider.

• If your plumbing problem is not an emergency, you have time – time to do some research. Even if you don’t have a plumbing problem, you could always research plumbers in Winnipeg all the same because then you’ll have your go-to plumber.
• Check that the plumber is licensed by the city of Winnipeg. There are a lot of people who present themselves as professional plumbers but are really not. If anything goes wrong, you’re on the hook because they won’t have the proper insurance.
• Do they have any online reviews? If so, are the reviews positive or negative? Did the plumbing company do anything to resolve the issue?
• Ask for references or testimonials. Any respectable plumber will have no problem putting you in touch with existing clients.
• Get an estimate…for free. Most plumbers won’t charge for an estimate, so don’t pay for one. Get several estimates. Think about how fast they responded; how detailed the estimate was; and, how you perceived them.

Have a question about plumbing? Ask us!