Burst pipe? What to do in the first 15 minutes
A pipe just burst. Here's what to do right now, in order, from shutting off the water and killing power to wet areas to drying out and calling a plumber.
The blog
Plumbing answers from a Huntsville plumber.
Straight answers to the plumbing questions people ask us most, including plenty you can handle yourself.
Emergencies
How to keep your pipes from freezing in North Alabama
How to protect crawlspace, garage and outside pipes before a hard freeze in North Alabama, and what to do if a pipe freezes anyway.
How to shut off the water to your house
Where the main water shutoff usually is in North Alabama homes, how to close a gate or ball valve, and what to do when yours won't budge.
Is it a plumbing emergency, or can it wait until morning?
How to tell a real plumbing emergency from one that can wait, and what to do tonight to keep a small problem from getting bigger before morning.
No water in the house? What to check first
No water anywhere in the house has a short list of real causes: outages, shutoffs, frozen lines, or a valve. Work through them in order.
Water leaking through the ceiling? What to do right now
Water coming through the ceiling means a pipe, a drain, or the roof. How to stop it safely, protect the room, and work out what's above that spot.
Your plumbing after a storm or power outage: what to check
What still works during a power outage, what to check after a storm, and when a downed tree or floodwater means calling a plumber first.
Water heaters
How long do water heaters last? When to repair and when to replace
Tank water heaters commonly last about 8 to 12 years. How to find your heater's age, which problems are worth fixing, and when to replace it.
No hot water? What to check before you call a plumber
No hot water? What to check on a gas, electric, or tankless water heater, what you can safely reset yourself, and when to stop and call.
Replacing a water heater: what to expect, start to finish
What happens on install day when you replace a water heater, from shutting off the old one to filling the new tank and checking for leaks.
Tank or tankless: which water heater makes sense for your house?
An honest look at tank vs tankless water heaters: upfront cost, hot water supply, gas and venting needs, hard water upkeep, and who each one suits.
Water heater leaking from the bottom: what it means
Water under your water heater? How to tell a leaking tank from a drain valve, relief valve, or loose fitting, and what to shut off right now.
What size water heater do you need?
How to size a tank water heater by peak-hour demand and first hour rating, plus what tankless sizing looks like instead.
Why your water heater pops and rumbles (and how flushing helps)
Popping or rumbling from a water heater usually means sediment in the bottom of the tank. Why it happens and how to flush a tank heater safely.
Drains & sewer
Hydro jetting vs. snaking a drain: which one do you need?
Snaking clears most one-off clogs fast. Jetting scours the whole pipe for grease and roots. How to tell which job needs which tool.
Septic trouble signs for homes in Limestone and Madison counties
Slow drains, gurgling, and soggy ground over the drain field are common septic warning signs in rural Limestone and Madison county homes.
Signs your main sewer line is clogged
When several drains back up at once, the clog is usually in the main sewer line. The signs to watch for, what causes it, and what to do right now.
Slow drain? What's worth trying and what to skip
Most slow drains are a hair or grease clog within a foot or two. What actually clears them, what to skip, and when it points to a bigger problem.
Toilet won't unclog with a plunger? What to try next
When a plunger doesn't clear a clogged toilet, hot water, dish soap, and a toilet auger usually will. Here's the order to try them, and what to skip.
Why does my house smell like sewer?
The usual cause is a dry drain trap in a shower or floor drain nobody uses. Other causes, how to find the source, and how to tell it from a gas leak.
Fixtures
Garbage disposal humming but not spinning? Try this first
A disposal that hums but won't spin is almost always jammed. How to free it safely with the hex key, reset it, and tell when it's time to replace it.
Leak under the kitchen sink? How to find where it's coming from
A leak under the kitchen sink can come from the supply lines, the faucet, or the drain. Emptying the cabinet and testing each part finds it fast.
Toilet leaking at the base: what it means and how to fix it
Water at the base of a toilet often isn't the base at all. Here's how to tell condensation and loose bolts from a failed wax ring, and fix it.
Why your toilet keeps running, and how to fix it
A running toilet is usually a leaky flapper or a water level set too high. How to tell which one, fix it yourself, and know when to call a plumber.
Water & leaks
Boil water notice lifted? How to flush your pipes, ice maker, and more
Once a boil water notice is lifted, flush the taps, dump the ice, swap the filters, and check the water heater. Here's the order to do it in.
High water bill? How to check for a hidden leak
Rule out normal use first, then run a simple meter test and a toilet dye test to find out if a hidden leak is behind your high water bill.
Is the water hard in Huntsville? What it does to your plumbing
Huntsville water is moderately hard or hard depending on which source reaches you. How to check yours, what scale does, and if a softener is worth it.
Low water pressure in your house: the usual causes
Weak water at one faucet or the whole house? The usual causes of low water pressure, how to test it with a cheap gauge, and when to call a plumber.
Signs of a slab leak, and how one gets fixed
A slab leak shows up as a warm spot, a high bill, or the sound of running water with everything off. Here's how it gets fixed.
Toilet tank or pipes sweating? Why it happens in an Alabama summer
Condensation on pipes and toilets is normal in an Alabama summer. How to tell it apart from a real leak and stop it from damaging your home.
Water leak in Huntsville: call Huntsville Utilities or a plumber?
The water meter marks the line. Before it or in the street, call Huntsville Utilities. After it, including your yard and house, call a plumber.
Pipes
Cast iron drain pipes: how long they last and signs they're failing
Cast iron drain pipe is common in older Huntsville homes. How it fails, the signs to watch for, and why a camera matters more than the age.
Galvanized pipes in older homes: when it's time to repipe
How to tell if your house has galvanized water pipe, the signs it's failing, and when a partial or whole-house repipe makes sense in older homes.
Polybutylene pipes: how to tell if you have them and what to do
How to spot polybutylene pipe (look for the PB2110 stamp), why it fails at the fittings, what it means for insurance, and how a PEX repipe works.
Homes & rentals
A plumbing checklist for rental turnovers
A room-by-room plumbing checklist for landlords and property managers to run between tenants, before small problems become repairs.
New to Huntsville? Plumbing to check in your first week
Just moved to Huntsville, Madison, Decatur, or Athens? Here's the plumbing to check and set up in your first week in the house.
Pipe burst in your apartment? What to do before maintenance gets there
A burst pipe in a rental means a call to maintenance first, then a search for a shutoff, then protecting your own stuff. Here's the order.
Plumbing decisions to make before a kitchen or bathroom remodel
The plumbing choices worth settling before demo starts on a kitchen or bathroom remodel, from moving fixtures to permits and rough-in timing.
Plumbing to check before you buy a house in North Alabama
What to look at before you buy: pipe material, water heater age, old leaks, the crawlspace, septic, and when a sewer camera inspection is worth it.
What is a backflow preventer, and does yours need testing?
A backflow preventer keeps water from flowing back into your drinking supply. What it does, the common types, and who requires testing.