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10 Most Common Plumbing Issues

Plumbing issues in your home come in all kinds of shapes and sizes, from the relatively minor and inexpensive -- like a dripping faucet or running toilet, all the way up to a major sewer system backup.

Below are the 10 most common problems, what causes them, and how they can be fixed.
  • Clogged bath or shower drain
  • Dripping faucets
  • Slow draining sink
  • Running toilet
  • Clogged toilet
  • Leaky pipes
  • Low water pressure
  • Jammed garbage disposal
  • Faulty water heater
  • Sewer system backup
1. CLOGGED BATH OR SHOWER DRAIN

Slow draining bathtubs and shower drains generally get blocked by clogs of hair and soap scum that build up on the walls of the drain. The problem will generally get worse over time, if it’s not dealt with properly. The problem can be prevented or minimized by buying a drain guard to catch hair and other items. The average homeowner can tackle this, but it requires the correct tools.

2. DRIPPING FAUCETS

Slow draining bathtubs and shower drains generally get blocked by clogs of hair and soap scum that build up on the walls of the drain. The problem will generally get worse over time, if it’s not dealt with properly. The problem can be prevented or minimized by buying a drain guard to catch hair and other items. The average homeowner can tackle this, but it requires the correct tools.

3. SLOW DRAINING SINK

This problem is normally caused by a blockage that is restricting water flow. Your kitchen sink drain may contain things like congealed fat and food remnants. In a bathroom sink, the blockage is more likely to be caused by knotted hair and soap scum.

If the problem isn't tackled, then it will likely worsen over time, and eventually, the drain can become completely blocked.

Note: Chemicals can cause damage to your drainage pipes, so we recommend not resorting to this method to help clear out drains in your home. Shower drains are prone to getting clogged by hair and soap scum. The problem can be especially acute if the users have longer hair which causes large knots. There are drain strainers you can get that can help to prevent problems from developing by catching the hair before it goes down the drain.

4. RUNNING TOILET

A running toilet can lose up to 200 gallons of water each day. The most common culprit is a faulty flapper valve that controls the water that passes from the tank to the bowl. This is a fairly straightforward fix with a toilet repair kit available at any hardware store. If the flapper isn’t the issue, it may be the toilet fill valve that needs to be replaced.

5. CLOGGED TOILET

This problem is normally caused by a blockage that is restricting water flow. Your kitchen sink drain may contain things like congealed fat and food remnants. In a bathroom sink, the blockage is more likely to be caused by knotted hair and soap scum.

If the problem isn't tackled, then it will likely worsen over time, and eventually, the drain can become completely blocked.

Note: Chemicals can cause damage to your drainage pipes, so we recommend not resorting to this method to help clear out drains in your home. Shower drains are prone to getting clogged by hair and soap scum. The problem can be especially acute if the users have longer hair which causes large knots. There are drain strainers you can get that can help to prevent problems from developing by catching the hair before it goes down the drain.

6. LEAKY PIPES

Leaky pipes can be more than just a nuisance, they can cause damage to your floors, walls, and furniture. The dampness can encourage mold to grow, as well as attract bugs. Leaks almost always happen at the pipe joints. Tape, compounds, and fillers can often provide a temporary fix, but for something more permanent replace a piece of pipe or the related fittings.

Leaks are more common in the winter when water can freeze, expand, and cause pipes to burst. Here are some other common areas where you can find leaks in your home.

7. LOW WATER PRESSURE

If your water trickles out of the tap this may be a result of low water pressure. This is often a problem in older homes. Low water pressure can be caused by leaking pipes that have become broken, worn, or corroded over time. More often than not, it's caused by a build-up of sediment and mineral deposits on aerators. You can soak the aerator in vinegar to clean it. If it's the shower that's the problem, then you need to either soak the showerhead in vinegar or simply replace it.

If the low water pressure seems to be throughout the whole house, that is usually due to a bad pressure regulating valve (PRV) that may need to be replaced or adjusted with the help of a licensed plumber.

8. JAMMED GARBAGE DISPOSAL

Garbage disposals are very useful appliances, but they do get jammed. Running them without water, disposing of certain food substances such as potato peels or corn husks, or allowing silverware to get inside can all cause problems. It’s best to throw as much as you can into the garbage and not put things down the garbage disposal.

If you flip the switch on your disposal and aren’t hearing it turn on, try hitting the reset button on the bottom of the unit under your sink. If you hear it turn on and it is buzzing, but nothing is moving, then you can try and use the key that comes with the garbage disposal, or a 1/4 inch Allen wrench to move it back and forth to free the motor of debris or items that are jammed in it.

9. FAULTY WATER HEATER

You may not discover a problem with your water heater until you are in the shower and the water suddenly goes cold. There are multiple issues that can cause a water heater to fail. The pilot light may go out, the build-up of sediment in the tank can also cause problems. Sometimes the water heater is old and not functioning well or has a leak.

10. SEWER SYSTEM BACKUP

Sewer system backups are, frankly, a nightmare. They are smelly, nasty, inconvenient, and can be expensive to fix. If you have multiple drains and toilets not working and a bad odor of human waste, this is likely your problem.

Responsibility for fixing the issue really depends on the location of the blockage. If it is on your property, then it's your problem. If it's out on the public road, then your local utility company should fix it. Unfortunately, you may have to pay for a plumber just to locate the blockage, though it's often worth calling your utility company first, as they won't charge you if it's their issue.

There are three common causes for a sewer system backup. You can have root intrusion, pipe belly, or pipe misalignment.

We’ve listed the 10 most common issues that occur in your home and can result in the need for plumbing work. You can prevent or minimize problems from occurring if you know the types of things that most often go wrong with the plumbing in your home.

Some issues may require the help of a professional plumber. If you feel you are in over your head with a plumbing problem or have tried to fix something and it didn’t take care of the issue, don't hesitate to reach out to us. We'd be happy to help!
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Any Hour Services

1374 West 130 South, Orem, UT 84058

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Pricing FAQ

A:

The prices you are quoted come out of our pricing guide. We have looked at the most common tasks we are asked to perform and figured out the average time to perform the task, the cost of the materials, and the cost associated with running a drain business that is able to stand behind that work.

To calculate the cost of your drain project, your plumber will determine the tasks needed. Each task has a price associated with it, which your plumber will add together to arrive at your total. This method allows us to identify and rule out unnecessary tasks, prioritizing fairness and transparency (while saving you money).

Our pricing method is not influenced by the neighborhood someone lives in but is designed to be fair and transparent. When we designed our pricing guide, we asked ourselves, “What does it take to perform this task?” NOT, “How much can we get a person to pay?” This commitment to honest, clear pricing reflects our respect for our clients.

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A:

When you charge by the hour, you can only give a price after the job is finished. We don’t want you to have to wait until the end of the job to find out how much it costs.

We believe there are too many variables that make “charging by the hour” more of a win for the company than for the homeowner. There are the things that a homeowner has no control over but ends up paying the price for anyway: if a technician has to leave the job to get a part, if technicians work more slowly, if the job takes longer than expected, etc. With “charging by the hour,” there’s no accountability on the plumbing company to have their trucks stocked better, train their technicians better, or run their business more efficiently.

Our commitment to a fair and transparent pricing model is unwavering. We believe in doing right by everyone involved: the homeowner, the technician, and the company. This is not just a business decision, but a moral one, ensuring that everyone is treated with the fairness and respect they deserve.

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A:

The staff answering our phones and scheduling appointments are not technicians. They do not understand how the plumbing in your home works or how to price the work you need help with.

Our process involves a comprehensive on-site assessment by our technicians to ensure no crucial details are missed. This thorough approach that looks at all variables is how we can provide you with a price that remains unchanged from the start to the completion of the work: the price we give you before the begins is what the cost will be after the work is performed. Here at Any Hour Services, we believe in honest pricing.

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Requesting a quote is simple. Contact Any Hour Services, and we will assess your needs, providing a transparent estimate for the repairs.

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Yes, you can request a quote online, and our team at Any Hour Services strives to respond promptly to all inquiries.

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A:

It costs $269 to inspect your sewer main line with our sewer camera equipment. If you’d like to see what the inside of your sewer line looks like, our sewer supervisors have high-definition cameras to show you a live video of the inside your sewer main line.

Residential, owner occupied special:
$29 drain clear / rooter service. Unclog any drain, including the sewer mainline, as long as it has an easily accessible cleanout.

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A:

It costs $269 to inspect your sewer main line with our sewer camera equipment. Below you will find a couple internet specials to help you save. If you’d like to see what the inside of your sewer line looks like, our sewer supervisors have hi definition cameras to show you a live video of the inside your sewer main line.

Residential Special:
$149 live camera inspection. High-definition camera is set down your drain so you can inspect the condition of your sewer mainline. Need an easily accessible clean-out.

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A:

If you are looking to replace your sewer main line, one of our sewer supervisors will come to your home and inspect your sewer main line with a high-definition camera and show you what options are available. The visit doesn’t cost you anything, so call us if you have questions about replacing your sewer main line.

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Yes, in addition to our coupons, we offer senior discounts and military discounts. You can receive 5% off or any special promotions we may be running, whichever is greater. You can ask your drain technician to show you your savings.

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No, as long as you live in our service area, our drain technicians can come to your home and help. We service homes from North Ogden, South to Nephi. West from the Tooele/Grantsville area, east to the Park City Heber area.

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No, our drain technicians don’t quote a price until they have seen your drain issue. Once they quote a price, it doesn’t change, no matter how long it takes. At any time you want to add more tasks, your drain technician will let you know how much it would cost to perform the extra work.

When it comes to our drain clearing specials, if we can not clear your clogged drain, you don’t pay us.

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A:

You can pay for the the drain work we perform with cash, check, or any major credit card. We collect, in full, upon completion of the project. If you would like to make monthly payments, we do have many financing options available through 3rd party finance companies, OAC. Your drain technician can talk to you about your options.

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Pricing FAQ

A:

Our pricing is fair and transparent. It’s based on a fixed-price guide that considers the time, materials, and costs of running a reliable home services business. We don’t charge by the hour or inflate prices based on your neighborhood. We ask ourselves, “What does it take to get the job done?,” not “How much can we charge?”

Before we price your plumbing job, our licensed plumber will perform an in-home assessment to evaluate the tasks required. We only charge for what’s necessary—no fluff, no extra costs. This allows us to pinpoint areas where we can save you money without sacrificing quality.

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A:

Hourly rates can be unpredictable, leaving you unsure of the final cost until the job is done. We believe in upfront, fixed pricing based on the work itself—not guesswork. You won’t pay for delays or mistakes, and we hold ourselves accountable to ensure there are no surprises.

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A:

We prefer to price based on the job and not what other companies charge. Hourly rates can lead to unexpected costs for homeowners, making the final price unpredictable. By pricing the work itself, we make sure you’re only paying for what’s actually needed—keeping things fair and efficient.

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Water heater replacements vary. Often, older units require updates to meet safety standards. Common items missing from many water heaters are flexible gas lines, expansion tanks, earthquake straps, gas sediment trap, upgrade exhaust venting, etc.

For an accurate quote, one of our licensed plumbers will inspect your existing system and provide a FREE estimate.

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A:

Our phone staff are not licensed plumbers, so they can’t quote prices that would be accurate to your project’s needs. A trained plumber needs to see the job firsthand to give you a clear, upfront price. Quotes over the phone are a guess, and we prefer transparency over uncertainty.

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A:

Ballpark prices can be misleading. Until we see the job, we can’t quote your final estimate accurately. Other companies may give an estimate range, but that often leads to additional costs and surprises later. Instead, we focus on giving you a fair price once a licensed plumber can assess the job properly.

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A:

We have a small dispatch fee to send our plumber to your home. Our plumbers will arrive in a truck stocked with thousands of parts. They’ll have everything they need to start your plumbing project while they’re at your home, unless the situation is unusual. They’ll perform a thorough evaluation of your plumbing system and explain what they’ll need to do to complete the work you called for. They’re not going to charge you by the hour, they will give you a total price, with options, before any of the work begins.

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There are several large plumbing projects that we are willing to show you what options are available and the visit doesn’t cost you anything; basement finishes, water heater install/replacements, water softener installs/replacement, repiping, tankless water heater install/replacement etc. This is not a complete list so call us if you have questions about your project.

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You will pay a little more to get a plumber to your home after hours but they do not charge more for the work you want them to perform. Our prices come directly from our pricing guide. We do not have a different set of plumbing prices for doing work in the evenings or on weekends. The price for the plumbing work you need done will be the same regardless of the time of day.

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No, our plumbers run calls on Saturdays and charge the same price as they would any other day of the week. We do not have a different set of plumbing prices for work performed on Saturdays. We are closed on Sundays.

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A:

No, as long as you live in our service area, our plumbers can come to your home and help. We service homes from North Ogden, South to Nephi. West from the Tooele/Grantsville area, east to the Park City Heber area. Here is a full list of Utah Cities we service.

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A:

No, our plumbers don’t quote a price until they have seen your plumbing project. Once they quote a price, it doesn’t change, no matter how long it takes. At any time, you want to add more tasks to your plumbing project, your plumber will let you know how much it would cost to perform the extra work.

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A:

Yes, in addition to our coupons, we offer senior discounts and military discounts. You can receive 5% off or any special promotions we may be running, whichever is greater. You can ask your plumber to show you your savings.

Call Now

A:

You can pay for your plumbing service with cash, check, or any major credit card. We collect, in full, upon completion of the project. If you would like to make monthly payments, we do have many financing options available through 3rd party finance companies, OAC. Your plumber can talk to you about your options when they give you pricing options for the HVAC work you want completed.

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