Homeowner guide
What is urgent, what can wait, and what is quietly costing you
Nobody wants to call a plumber for something that turns out to be nothing. Here is how we sort it ourselves, with the problems that matter more in a house built sixty years ago flagged as such.
- Call now vs. call this week
- The quiet problems that do damage
- What you can check yourself first
- When it is a system, not a fixture
The short version
Start here
Work down the list. Most situations are answered in the first two rows.
Shut it off and call now
Active flooding, a burst line, sewage backing up, no water at all, or the smell of gas near a water heater.
Immediate
Call this week
Water at the base of a toilet, a damp basement wall, a water bill that jumped, or a drain that has clogged more than once.
Soon
Worth mentioning at the next visit
A slow bathroom sink, a dripping faucet, a toilet that occasionally runs, or slightly low pressure at one fixture.
Not urgent
Check yourself first
A single slow drain — try a plunger and clear the stopper. Low pressure at one faucet — clean the aerator before calling.
Free
The quiet ones
A running toilet, a weeping supply line under a cabinet, and a slow leak inside a wall all do real damage while making no noise.
Deceptive
General guidance for Florissant-area homes. Every house is different — call if you are unsure.
Detail
What matters more in an older Florissant home
Repeat drain clogs
In this housing stock a recurring clog is usually cast-iron scale or roots in a clay lateral. Both have defined fixes, and neither is cabling.
Rusty water at first draw
In a house with original galvanized supply, this is the pipe itself. It does not improve and it is not a fixture problem.
Water at a toilet base
Sixty-year-old subfloor has already seen decades of humidity. Waste water reaching it is a fast path to a floor repair.
Anything in a finished lower level
Split-levels put living space where water goes. The same leak costs several times more down there than in an unfinished basement.
Backups after heavy rain
Strongly suggests the lateral. Worth a camera rather than a third clearing.
A shutoff that will not turn
Not an emergency today, but it guarantees one later. Worth replacing on a scheduled visit.
The honest answer
What you can check before calling
None of this is us talking ourselves out of work. It is faster for both of us if the easy causes are ruled out.
For low pressure at one faucet, unscrew the aerator and rinse the screen — that fixes it more often than not. For a single slow drain, try a plunger and pull the stopper to clear hair before assuming the line is blocked. For a suspected leak, shut off every fixture and watch the water meter for fifteen minutes; if it moves, call. And find your main shutoff before you ever need it, then make sure it actually turns — in a house this age, a seized main valve is common and finding out during an emergency is the worst possible timing.
Common questions
What homeowners ask us
When should I call a plumber immediately?
Active flooding, a burst pipe, sewage backing up, no water at all, or a gas smell near a water heater. Shut off the water or gas first, then call.
Why does my drain keep clogging?
In Florissant's older housing it is usually cast-iron scale inside the house or roots in a clay lateral outside. A camera inspection tells you which.
My water bill jumped but I see no leak. What now?
Shut off every fixture and watch the meter. If it is still moving, you have a hidden leak — often a toilet, a supply line, or a service line in the yard.
Is rusty water an emergency?
Not an emergency, but not nothing. In an original 1960s home it usually means galvanized supply pipe is deteriorating, and that is a repipe conversation.
Can I use a drain chemical first?
We would rather you did not. They rarely reach the clog, and in sixty-year-old cast iron they damage pipe that is already thinned.
Free estimate
Get a real number for your home
Guides are for planning. For an actual price, tell us what you have and we will give you a firm number.
Related: emergency plumber, drain cleaning, leak detection, shutting off your water, low water pressure
Got a plumbing problem that is not getting better on its own?
Call for anything urgent, or send the form and we will get back to you within one business day with a real number.