We know home repairs can be expensive, and sometimes it can be difficult to admit that it’s time to replace your plumbing fixtures or other damaged areas in your home. While repairing a broken picture frame or a damaged closet can wait, drain repairs and other plumbing problems are more serious, and avoiding them can lead to unintended consequences.
If you’re wondering how long you can put off your home’s plumbing repairs, the answer is — as long as you’re willing to tolerate the risks that come with waiting. What are the risks you face? These are the chances you take by putting off your home’s plumbing repairs.
Rising Utility Costs
The biggest risk to your home is rising utility costs, usually due to hidden leaks or dripping faucets. Even small leaks that don’t seem harmful add up as the days go by, and the longer you wait, the higher your utility bills get as your compromised system puts more pressure on your plumbing system.
This leads to you needing more extensive repairs or replacements compared to the initial cost of the repair you might have had if you didn’t wait. Shutting off the water or other appliances affected by your compromised systems can help, but if you have internal issues, this will do little to prevent you from incurring extensive utility bills.
Unnecessary Damage
In addition to rising costs, waiting will also cause unnecessary damage to your plumbing fixtures and other parts of your home. The water pressure within your pipes and water lines can build up and cause additional damage to your system. Lead pipes might burst, leading to water damage that ruins your furniture and ceilings and thousands of dollars worth of damages that you could have avoided.
Sewage Backup
Talk about a mess. Sewage backups are problems that no homeowner wants to endure, and they can often start from smaller issues like a clogging toilet or a bathtub that won’t drain as quickly as you’d like. Ignoring these minor issues might seem worthwhile until your drains erupt with sewage in and around your home. Not only is it a disgusting thing to endure, but sewage backups also expose your family to harmful toxins that put your health at risk. There’s no good to a sewage backup, which means there’s no good in ignoring the signs that indicate you might have one.
Exposure to Harmful Mold and Bacteria
In addition to sewage, mold and bacteria also pose health risks to your family in a much quieter way. While a sewage backup is as clear as day, mold and bacteria can slowly build up and create moisture around your tub, sinks, and toilets. Unaware of any problems, you likely won’t know until you or your family members begin to feel respiratory issues or irritated eyes and skin.
On top of the health scares, you’ll face extensive hospital bills and damages to your home. Mold will rot wood and affect your home’s structural integrity. When your home starts to deteriorate, the only thing you can do is rebuild the section, costing you much more than if you simply decided to get rid of the mold beforehand.
Don’t Hold Off on Plumbing Repairs — Get the Help You Need From a Professional
At Dan’s Dain Services, we know how important it is not to let plumbing repairs go bad. We have experienced times when homeowners have called for one repair, only for us to identify a deeper problem within their drains or plumbing fixtures. Don’t let your plumbing repairs take your wallet for a spin. Reach out to our professional plumbers near Medina, Ohio, for a drain pipe replacement or repair, or get maintenance to keep drains and other household appliances running as good as new.
