AFFORDABLE PLUMBING SERVICE IN Brandon, MS

What Are the Most Common Plumbing Issues in Brandon?

Brandon is home to various potential plumbing issues, ranging from everyday maintenance and repair demands to problems caused by the area’s water composition. Once you know the common plumbing issues, you can better recognize them as they develop in your home and stay on top of them before minor plumbing problems turn into disasters. Some of the most common local plumbing issues include:

Hard Water Deposits and Buildup

Mississippi has very hard water, far above the average hardness level of most other states. Minerals in the water, such as calcium and magnesium, determine water hardness. These minerals leave behind white, cloudy deposits on faucet taps, around fixtures, and on protruding surfaces inside of your plumbing system. Hard water deposits, if your home doesn’t have a water softener or the deposits aren’t frequently treated, can lock up water valves, interfere with the movement of mechanical parts, and affect the flow of water throughout your system. As a result, low water pressure and slow drains are common issues.

Hard water deposits can also build up inside your water heater’s tank. If you hear rattling sounds near the bottom of your tank, those are mineral deposits clanking inside the tank and causing potential damage. They make your heater less efficient and limit its lifespan. Calling us to have your tank regularly drained to remove those deposits is essential for maintaining your heater and extending its lifespan. 

Our plumbers can help drain your water heater, install water softeners, and more.

Plumbing Leaks

Plumbing leaks can develop from a wide range of problems. For example, something as simple as a worn or broken washer can cause a plumbing leak. However, leaks can also indicate a loose connection, a misaligned fixture, or even the start of a pipe crack. Leaks are common in Brandon because the minerals from the city’s hard water corrode the seals like o-rings and gaskets in your fixtures more quickly than soft water. We recommend having our plumbers investigate every new leak as soon as possible. Then, we can investigate the cause of the leak and resolve it before the leak turns into spraying water or another plumbing emergency.

Day-to-Day Wear and Breakage

Like anywhere else in the United States, Brandon homes see day-to-day wear in their plumbing systems, such as worn pipes and fixtures, outdated appliances, and broken water heaters. Many homeowners, especially if they have homes in Brandon’s older neighborhoods, choose to upgrade their home’s plumbing with modern-day pipe materials, smarter and more water-efficient appliances, and new showers. Our plumbers can assess your home’s current plumbing systems and file the appropriate permits.

Stormwater Drainage

Brandon, Mississippi, and the surrounding area receive far more than the average annual rainfall across the United States, with approximately 56 inches of rain every year. This extensive amount of rain can potentially overwhelm the city’s drainage systems, leading to slow drainage, standing water, and other related problems. Rankin County is one of the 31 areas in Mississippi required to have a stormwater runoff management program that meets the EPA’s standards. Extensive runoff and overwhelmed drainage systems can cause complications in the city’s water treatment processes. Contaminants such as greases, chemicals, and waste are potentially introduced to source water. Sewer overflows can also lead to raw sewage, and stormwater runoff being leaked around manhole covers and overwhelmed pipes.

How Does the Water in Brandon Affect Your Plumbing?

Brandon’s water supply is regularly tested for contaminants and currently meets all federal and state requirements regarding safe and healthy drinking water. As a result, residents don’t have to worry about unsafe levels of metals, potentially radioactive material, microorganisms, or other contaminants. But Mississippi does have a high concentration of minerals dissolved in the water, including calcium and magnesium. The water is considered “hard water” with a state average of 174 ppm. Hard water can leave scale deposits in fixtures, faucets, and mechanical parts in dishwashers and washing machines. Very hard water can even narrow inner pipe diameters and seize localized water valves.

However, the water in Brandon has recently undergone water leak repairs, leading to a precautionary boil water alert. Whenever water systems lose pressure, there is a risk that contaminants can enter the system and reach individual residents. In the event of a pressure loss or at the conclusion of a boil alert warning, we recommend that you flush your taps and throw out your current ice to minimize your exposure to potentially contaminated water.

How Much Does Plumbing Usually Cost in Brandon?

Plumbing costs can vary significantly from one project to the next. For example, a simple repair for a constantly running toilet with a misaligned flapper may cost just $150, while repiping an old corroded pipe system can total over $1,000. But the timing of plumbing emergencies, unique factors in your home’s plumbing systems, and multiple other factors go into the cost. Our plumbers can give you a more specific estimate as soon as they arrive and assess your current plumbing problem. However, some cost factors to consider include:

Cost Factor: How Quickly Do You Need Services?

We offer 24/7 services, so we can be at your property in the event of an emergency, even when the emergency happens overnight, during the weekend, or on federal holidays. However, getting fast service outside of business hours can result in an additional surcharge. Plumbing projects can also become more expensive if you’re doing renovations or improvements that need to be completed on a strict deadline.

Cost Factor: How Old or Complex Is Your Home’s Plumbing System?

Older homes have unpredictable plumbing systems. They might be clearly outlined in the home’s blueprints or not comply with modern codes and standards. Older plumbing systems may also not have parts still in production because the manufacturer is out of business or stopped focusing on that product line. As a result, you may need to pay extra for hard-to-find parts, or we may need to replace more of the plumbing system to make up for missing parts. 

Old systems are also more likely to have extensive problems. For example, a single leak may indicate a worn washer, or it may indicate an extended length of corroded, weak pipe.

Cost Factor: How Big Is the Project?

The bigger the plumbing project is, the more it will cost. There are lots of different reasons for this. More extensive repairs and improvements will require more components, and each additional part is a new line item on your final bill. More complex projects will also require more labor hours and more extensive permits and inspections. Each of these additional tasks or line items adds to the final cost.

Can Better Plumbing Save You Money in Brandon?

Better plumbing is a great investment for every homeowner in Brandon. Primarily, proactive plumbing maintenance and repairs can keep small plumbing problems from turning into major emergencies. By catching leaks, water damage, clogs, and sewage malfunctions early, our plumbers can help you avoid the extra fees of emergency service calls and costs due to more extensive materials and labor. Better plumbing can also help protect your home from water damage, sewage contamination, and hard water buildup in your appliances and pipes.

Better plumbing can also help you save money every month by reducing your total water bill. Common plumbing problems such as leaks, dripping faucets, and constantly running toilets add up to gallons of wasted water every month. By hiring our plumbers to replace your toilet tank’s flapper, address small leaks, and inspect your plumbing, you can cut down on monthly utilities and use less water. In addition, switching to water-efficient appliances, showerheads, and taps can reduce your water bill even further. 

Some plumbing installations can help you save money in other ways, too. If you decide to install a water softener in your home, for example, you’ll need less soap to wash your laundry and dishes properly. A water softener can also help manage minerals in hard water, leading to fewer deposits and less buildup that might have otherwise damaged your plumbing.

When Should You Call the Water Utility Company in Brandon vs Hire a Plumber?

Brandon’s Water and Sewer Division handles maintenance for the city’s distribution system. This includes distribution mains, service lines, and more. If you notice leaking, standing, or pool water in public areas, we recommend notifying the division and staying away from the affected area. The Water and Sewer Division is also responsible for sewer mains and systems throughout the city, so they should also be notified of sewer problems, especially if more than your house is affected.

Any water problem that seems to impact more than just your property — such as changes in water pressure, changes in water clarity, or other problems — the city should be notified.

However, for problems that seem to affect only your house, contact our plumbers as soon as possible. Once we arrive at your home, we can assess the problem and figure out its underlying causes. Then we can contact the city as needed or create a plan to resolve the plumbing problem.

When Do You Need Permits for Plumbing Service in Brandon?

In Brandon, homeowners and licensed plumbers who modify a residence’s plumbing system must apply for a permit related to the project. This is required any time your home’s plumbing system will be enlarged, altered, or repaired. Our plumbers will handle the permitting process and the submission of all related plans or inspection requirements. As a general rule, repiping, extensive repairs, installing new fixtures, and similar projects require a permit. However, minor repairs such as replacing washers or addressing clogs can be handled promptly.