The plumbing system in your Staten Island home goes well beyond just the toilets and sinks. You depend on every aspect of this system for comfort and convenience, and that includes things like water heaters, gas lines, and piping. So when something goes wrong with your plumbing in Staten Island, you need a reliable plumber who can get to your home fast.
There are many common plumbing issues plaguing Staten Island homeowners, from clogged toilets to dripping faucets. However, living in New York City does present an added challenge, due to the many multi-families, attached row houses and apartment buildings here, where the scale is amplified, particularly in a high-rise.
Thus, the piping has to be larger and the quantity of pipes increased to better serve individual bathroom lines or multiple lines of apartments. The height of a building can also make a difference for residents, where things can get tricky with tenants who live in the penthouse or other top-floor apartments, where enough water pressure isn’t always generated.
To address these unique NYC issues, you need a licensed plumberwho is skilled and experienced in these types of plumbing issues. Here are some of the most common plumbing issues in Staten Island.
1. Dripping Faucets
Dripping faucets are annoying, to be sure, but they also waste a lot more water than you realize, driving up your water bill if left unchecked. Water that comes into your home is under pressure to move efficiently through the piping system. When switching off the tap, washers form a water-tight seal to prevent water from coming out. But over time, those washers wear down, get stiff, start to tear or become dislodged, leading to a small trickle of water that is allowed to seep out.
If you’re handy, you can replace the washer yourself, but with a highly worn or corroded seal you will need access to more specialized tools, which is why you should let a professional plumber handle this.
2. Low Water Pressure
Low water pressure is when water trickles from the tap even when turned on full power. This problem could stem from your own piping system, or from the municipal water supply, which is always a possibility in NYC boroughs. There could also be a break in a main line. But the most common cause is owed to deposit and sediment build-up on the faucet aerators. Mineral deposits start collecting on inner surfaces of aerators and shower heads, resulting in clogged screens and a slower flow. Many kitchen faucets have aerators you may be able to unscrew and clean, but when it comes to shower heads and bathroom faucets, these are not nearly as easy to remove and clean. It’s best to call a plumber if you experience a significant, sudden reduction in water pressure.
3. Running Toilet
When the flapper valve (that’s the thing that grants water permission to pass from the tank to the bowl) doesn’t fit right, your toilet will run constantly. Then, the float gets imbalanced or the fill tube gets loose. However, that’s just one reason for the running. There could be more complicated reasons, which is why you need a plumber to address it. If you don’t, you’ll start to see higher than normal water bills.
4. Leaky Pipes
Leaks, a costly nuisance, occur at joints. As a temporary fix, you could try adding commercial joint fillers and fitting compounds, but eventually you will need a more permanent repair involving the replacement of some of the pipe or fittings. You could realistically replace a leaky U-joint under your sink as a DIY job, but take note: it’s a very messy job. Might as well leave that up to a professional so you don’t have to worry about clean-up.
5. Slow or Clogged Drains
Whether you have a complete or partial clog, your first thought is to reach for a plunger at first. This may work initially but it won’t be a long-term fix. Commercial drain cleaners and clog removers can be safe for the occasional use, but you shouldn’t overuse them because they contain caustic materials that lead to corrosive damage to your pipes.
Contact Tidal Plumbing NYC
Have you been experiencing any of the above plumbing issues in Staten Island? Please contact usat 718-505-9300 or email us at [email protected]. We cater to all five boroughs of New York City as licensed master plumbers and certified backflow testers for residential and commercial properties.
