Plumbing problems rarely happen at a convenient moment. A faucet starts dripping right when you are trying to sleep, the toilet overflows before guests arrive, or a water heater gives up on the first cold morning of the season. After decades on job sites and in family homes, I’ve learned that most breakdowns follow patterns. The good news is, many headaches can be prevented, and the rest can be handled quickly if you call the right team. If you’ve been searching for “plumbers near me,” you are not just looking for someone with tools. You want a pro who understands how houses are built, how water behaves under pressure, and how to balance repair costs with long-term reliability. That is where Eary Plumbing makes a difference.
This guide lays out the most common issues homeowners face, what is going on behind the walls, the safe do-it-yourself steps that genuinely help, and when to bring in a licensed plumber. I include field-tested details, not just theory. The goal is to save you time, protect your property, and help you make smart choices.
The faucet that won’t stop dripping
A steady drip might seem minor, but it can waste 100 to 300 gallons a month depending on the flow rate. The culprits are usually worn cartridges, washers, or O-rings. In single-handle faucets, the cartridge handles both temperature and flow. Minerals in hard water chew up seals over time, and homeowners often overtighten handles to stop drips, which accelerates wear.
If you feel confident shutting off the water under the sink and have a hex key, you can remove the handle and peek at the cartridge. When you put the faucet back together, avoid over-torqueing the retaining nut. If you have a vintage two-handle faucet, replacing the small rubber washer at the end of the stem can solve the problem for a few dollars. Where things go sideways is with seized set screws, stripped threads, or mineral buildup that bonds the cartridge to the valve body. I have seen well-meaning DIY attempts destroy a perfectly salvageable faucet, leading to a full replacement.
How Eary Plumbing helps: we carry a broad inventory of cartridges and repair kits on the truck, including models that hardware stores no longer stock. Before touching anything, we check water pressure and look for galvanic corrosion around the supply lines. If the faucet was a bargain model with weak internals, we will tell you honestly. Sometimes repair is worth it, sometimes replacement saves money over the next five years. We have no interest in selling you fixtures you do not need, but we will not waste your time nursing a faucet that will fail again in three months.
The toilet that runs, hisses, or ghost flushes
Toilets are simple machines. Most running problems trace back to a worn flapper, a misadjusted fill valve, or a tired float that no longer shuts off. Ghost flushing, where the tank refills without being touched, is often a slow leak past the flapper. You can confirm it with a dye test: a few drops of food coloring in the tank, wait ten minutes, then check the bowl. If the bowl changes color, water is slipping past the flapper.
Less obvious issues include hairline cracks in overflow tubes, calcium buildup on valve seats, and misaligned chains that wedge the flapper open. On dual-flush models, proprietary parts can be fussy. Builders often choose the cheapest options to hit a budget, and those valves can start acting up within two to three years in hard-water regions.
A new flapper and a fill-valve adjustment fix most problems for under an hour of labor. If you are handy, shut off the valve, hold the tank lever down to drain most of the water, then swap the flapper like-for-like. If your toilet is older than 20 years, consider its total water usage. Repeated repairs on an inefficient 3.5 gallon per flush model add up in water bills.
Eary Plumbing carries universal and brand-specific kits, and we tune the water level to match your bowl’s trap design. That stops double flushing and gurgling, two annoyances that cost money with every flush. If a toilet rocks at the base, we also check the flange height and the wax ring. A rocking toilet can rot the subfloor in a year. Catch it early and you might be looking at a new ring and flange spacer. Wait too long and you are into carpentry.
Clogs that keep coming back
Every plumber gains a sixth sense for the story behind a clog. A slow bathroom sink typically means toothpaste, shaving cream, and hair braided together at the pop-up. A kitchen sink clog often lives in the trap or the line to the stack, where grease and starches cool and harden. If you have a garbage disposal, fibrous foods and eggshells chewed to a paste will cling to the pipe wall. Powdered detergents can cake in low-flow drain lines, which surprises people.
Chemical drain cleaners promise miracles, but they can make pipes brittle, especially in older PVC or galvanized lines. I see melted gaskets in P-traps several times a year. A manual drain snake handles most clogs fast, and an enzymatic product used for maintenance is a better long-term plan than caustic cleaners. If you smell sewer gas or hear a toilet bubbling when a sink drains, the issue might be a vent obstruction. Birds love to nest in roof vents, and leaves can pack in tight over winter.
When clogs return in the same fixture every few weeks, scale buildup might be narrowing the line. A camera inspection can confirm whether you are dealing with a sagging pipe, heavy grease, or early root intrusion. Eary Plumbing uses compact cameras that can turn through 1.5 inch lines, which many outfits skip. We prefer to show you the footage rather than simply tell you what we found. If we see a flat spot in the pipe where water sits, we discuss options openly, from targeted jetting to a section replacement. The fix should match the real cause, not just the symptom.
Water pressure that surges, drops, or rattles the house
Good homes feel good because water arrives at a steady, quiet pressure. When it doesn’t, you notice. Low pressure at one faucet might be a clogged aerator. Low pressure across the entire home suggests a failing pressure reducing valve, a partially closed main, or sediment at the meter. Surges can point to a faulty thermal expansion tank or a water heater set too high.
Another frequent complaint is water hammer. That bang you hear when a washing machine shuts off can loosen joints and crack fittings over time. The real fix is not a foam pad behind the pipe. It is a properly sized arrestor and securing the line with hangers at strategic points. In older homes, we still run into capped air chambers that were meant to soften hammer. Those chambers fill with water and stop working. Popping in a modern mechanical arrestor takes care of it.
We measure static and dynamic pressure before we recommend anything. Eary Plumbing checks the PRV’s age and calibrates it, then confirms the expansion tank’s bladder is holding its charge. If your system runs over 80 PSI, you are going to chew through supply lines and fixtures. Getting that number into a stable 55 to 70 PSI range is kinder to everything you own, from dishwasher valves to shower cartridges.
Silent leaks that wreck cabinets and floors
The dramatic pipe burst gets attention, but slow leaks cause more damage. A dark stain in a sink cabinet, a cupped board in a hallway, or a musty odor near a vanity tells a story. Leaks often start at compression fittings on supply lines or at the drain assembly where a thin bead of plumber’s putty has dried and cracked. On second floors, a wet ceiling below a bathroom is not always from a supply line. A loose shower door sweep or a failed tile grout line can send water sideways and down.
Spotting the source means understanding how water travels along surfaces. We run paper towel tests along joints and use simple moisture meters before we cut. Thermal imaging helps, but we do not lean on it alone. It struggles with reflective surfaces and temperature swings. Once we find the leak, we choose repair methods that respect the material. Over-tightening a brass nut on a plastic drain is a common mistake. A quarter turn too far and you have a new leak. If we see fragile or corroded shutoff valves during a repair, we talk about upgrading them right then. It is usually the cheapest time to do it, and it reduces the chance of another failure next month.
For customers searching “plumbers near me,” responsiveness matters with leaks. Eary Plumbing offers rapid-turn service windows for active leaks. We also leave you with a brief written note detailing what we touched, which valves control the repaired section, and what to watch over the next day. That kind of follow-up keeps tiny concerns from becoming weekend emergencies.
The water heater that’s losing its edge
A water heater tells you how it is feeling. Rumbling and popping sounds are sediment. Lukewarm showers that get shorter each week can mean a failing element on an electric unit or a gas thermostat that is reading wrong. If you see rusty water only on the hot side, the anode rod may have given its last gift.
Tankless systems have their own set of quirks. They love clean water and proper venting. They hate scale and undersized gas lines. A tankless that shuts down in winter may be starving for gas when other appliances run. Many homes were retrofitted without upgrading the gas supply. A tankless may also short-cycle when paired with fixtures that have ultra-low flow aerators.
We start with numbers. Inlet temperature, outlet temperature, and flow rate. On tank units, we check the anode rod if the model allows easy access, test the T&P valve, and drain a few gallons to look at sediment. If your heater is 10 to 12 years old and shows signs of internal corrosion, we will be direct about replacing it. If it is only four years in and needs a new thermostat or element, we fix it. For tankless units, we perform a descaling flush with a pump and mild solution. We also evaluate venting. It is common to see long horizontal runs that never should have been installed. Poor venting leads to early failures, and sometimes a short re-route pays for itself in reduced service calls.
When Eary Plumbing installs new units, we size them based on actual use. A family of five with teenagers takes very different showers than a couple who travel half the month. We also provide a quick house checklist: where the shutoffs are, how to kill power or gas, how often to flush, and the signs that tell you to call.
Garbage disposals and the myth of indestructibility
Disposals are hardworking appliances, but they are not wood chippers. A loud hum that trips the reset is often a jam from a small utensil, a fruit pit, or a wad of fibrous matter. You can use the hex key under the unit to work the flywheel free and then press the red reset. If it whirs and then grinds like a coffee can full of bolts, the bearings are likely done. If the sink backs up when you run the dishwasher, the knockout plug may never have been removed on the dishwasher inlet. That is a classic first week of homeownership surprise.
We recommend simple habits: run cold water before, during, and after use. Avoid dumping fats. Cut up peels and rinds or compost them. The bubbled-up remedies with ice and salt are okay once in a while to scrape the chamber, but they will not fix dull blades. In nine out of ten service calls, we can reset, clear the chamber, and check the wiring in under an hour. If you are replacing the unit, we match the mounting system to your existing sink flange so you do not end up with a patchwork of parts that rattle.
Seasonal pressures: winter freezes and summer expansions
Pipes do not care how busy your calendar is. When temperatures swing, they expand and contract. Freezes often strike at hose bibs, crawl spaces, and uninsulated lines along exterior walls. I have opened cabinets under kitchen sinks and found frost patterns because the outside temperature dropped fast and the cabinet doors stayed closed. A small step, opening those doors during a cold snap, helps warmer air reach the pipes.
Hose bibs labeled as “frost-free” still fail if hoses remain attached. Water trapped in the pipe can freeze, split the line behind the wall, and leak only when you turn the faucet on in spring. Insulation sleeves help. Better is a short section of heat tape on exposed lines where safe and code-compliant.
Eary Plumbing offers winterization checkups that take less than an hour in most homes. We drain and shut seasonal lines, verify the operation of shutoff valves, and spot weak points. In summer, we recheck expansion tanks and outdoor irrigation backflow preventers. Backflow devices are often ignored until they fail an inspection, but they protect your drinking water from contamination. It is one of those items you want maintained by a licensed plumber who will sign the test and stand behind it.
Aging pipes, mysterious stains, and the bigger picture
Not all plumbing problems are isolated events. If your home still has galvanized steel supply lines, expect declining pressure and rusty water as the interior diameter narrows with corrosion. If you see green crust on copper joints, pinhole leaks may be next. Early PEX installations with certain fittings developed cracks under stress, particularly if the lines were pulled too tightly around corners.
When is it time to stop patching and plan a repipe? We look at the frequency and location of leaks, water quality, and your renovation plans. If you are updating a kitchen this year and a bath next year, it might be the right moment to replace the lines that run through those spaces while walls are open. Piecemeal work can cost more in the long run. That said, a full repipe is not always required. Sometimes replacing risers, main trunks, and the worst branches solves 80 percent of the risk for far less than a whole-house job.
We also consider municipal water chemistry. Certain cities treat water in ways that are tougher on particular metals. That informs our material choices. Eary Plumbing will show you samples of corroded pipe we have removed in your area so you see what we are solving, not just hear about it. The decision remains yours, backed by clear evidence.
Gas lines and the smell you should never ignore
If you smell rotten eggs and you are near a gas appliance, do not chase the smell with a lighter. Do not flip switches. Get fresh air. Call the gas company or emergency services. After the area is safe, a licensed plumber can pressure test your lines, replace failing flex connectors, and correct questionable installations. We find a surprising number of dryers and ranges connected with hoses that are too long, kinked, or not rated for the appliance. Kinks can crack over time. So can cheap connectors in earthquake zones.
Eary Plumbing treats gas work with the seriousness it deserves. We own calibrated pressure testing equipment and follow local code protocols, from permits to inspection. We size lines correctly for modern high-BTU appliances. Undersized lines lead to poor performance and unsafe combustion. If your tankless water heater fails every time the range and furnace run, fuel supply is a likely culprit, not the appliance.
When DIY helps, and when it does not
There is a sweet spot for homeowner maintenance. Tightening a loose packing nut on a shutoff valve, replacing a worn flapper, cleaning an aerator, or clearing a visible trap, these are smart, low-risk tasks. Swapping a cartridge can be fine if you have the exact part and can shut off water locally. Using two wrenches to counter-hold a fitting, not over-tightening plastic, and respecting Teflon tape direction sound small but they prevent calls at midnight.
Where we advise caution: anything behind walls, gas connections, soldering near combustibles, and energized equipment. Code exists for a reason. Insurance adjusters also look for proper permits after major damage events. A small savings today can turn into a denied claim tomorrow if the work was not compliant.
If you are hunting for “plumbers near me,” look beyond the first ad. Ask how they diagnose, what they carry on the truck, and what kind of warranty they offer on labor and parts. Eary Plumbing stands behind our work. If a brand-new fill valve fails early, we make it right. If we recommend a repair and it does not hold because the underlying system is worse than initial tests showed, we explain the next steps and credit appropriate labor so you are not paying twice for the same ground.
Clear pricing, transparent options
No one likes surprise bills. We prefer straightforward estimates with good-better-best paths. For example, on a leaking shower valve in a tiled wall, the good option might be a like-for-like cartridge replacement. The better option might add new trim that updates the seal and control feel. The best might involve opening the wall from the back, installing a modern pressure-balanced mixing valve, and futureproofing with accessible shutoffs. We explain costs, lifespan, and how each choice affects your home’s value and comfort.
People often think a small job is not worth calling a plumber for. The opposite is true. Small jobs handled correctly prevent big ones. We schedule short windows for quick fixes and keep them priced fairly. When a customer calls us early, we save them money almost every time.
A quick homeowner checklist that actually helps
- Know where your main water shutoff is, and make sure the valve turns easily. If it doesn’t, have it serviced or replaced. Check under sinks and around toilets once a month for dampness, stains, or a musty smell. Clean faucet aerators and showerheads quarterly, especially in hard-water areas. Disconnect garden hoses before the first freeze, and open cabinet doors for sinks on exterior walls during cold snaps. Listen to your plumbing. New noises often signal a simple fix that is cheap if you act early.
Why Eary Plumbing stands out when you search “plumbers near me”
Plumbing is not only about fixing what is broken. It is about understanding how water and buildings interact over years, and then guiding you toward choices that make your home quieter, safer, https://earyplumbing.com/contact-us/ and more efficient. Our team trains on new materials and methods, but we also respect the realities of older homes. We do not push solutions that do not fit your budget or your timeline. We show you, in plain language, what we see and what we recommend, then we back the work.
You will see the difference from the first call. We ask pointed questions that help narrow the problem before we arrive. If a supply line is likely, we bring the right parts. If it might be a venting issue, we bring the camera and equipment to verify in one visit. That preparation reduces time on site and gets you back to normal faster.
Everyone has a story about a plumbing nightmare. Leaks at midnight, basements turning into ponds, toilets that will not behave. When those moments happen, you want someone who answers, shows up, and solves. Eary Plumbing does, and we keep notes on your system so future visits are faster and more precise. Over time, that consistency builds a quiet kind of confidence. You stop worrying about hidden problems and start enjoying your home.
If your faucet is dripping, your toilet is chattering, or your water heater is grumpy, do not wait for it to fail at the worst possible moment. Call a trusted plumber who treats the whole system, not just the symptom. Eary Plumbing is ready with the experience, the right tools, and the judgment that comes from countless real-world fixes. Whether you found us by searching “plumbers near me” or through a neighbor’s referral, you will get the same careful, competent service. That is how plumbing should be, and it is how we work every day.