It’s almost always easier to make sure a problem doesn’t happen in the first place than it is to react to it after it happens. This counts double when it comes to plumbing. Leaks, overflow, and other unaddressed plumbing problems can lead to major structural damage, health issues, and more.

Here are seven of the most important signs that it’s time to call a plumber before a small problem becomes a big, stinky one.

Low water pressure

You may have a water pressure problem if your shower water doesn’t come out forcefully enough, or your toilet take its time flushing. Low water pressure can be caused by clogs, leaks, or incorrectly sized pipes. No matter the cause, it’s an annoying issue that a professional plumber can easily solve.

Frozen pipes

Frozen pipes? In Dallas? Not common, but not unheard of. No matter what, though, if it’s happened to you, it’s time to call a plumber. Frozen pipes can easily be sussed out. Signs include visible frost on exposed pipes, odd clanking noises or smells when the tap is on, and the complete stoppage of water running anywhere in your home.

Visible water

Not all visible water is bad, and we know that. Water coming out of your shower head after you turn it on? Okay. Water in a glass on your bedside table? Totally fine. Water pooling around the base of your toilet for no reason? Seeping up from the floor? Stains on your ceiling? Not okay, not fine, not good. When you see water where it shouldn’t be, it’s time to call a professional to help you find where it’s coming from.

Dripping faucets

Did you know that, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, a leak that makes 1 drip per second can waste as much as 3,000 gallons of usable water each year? Not only are dripping faucets bad for the environment, they’re a considerable unnecessary expense on your water bill. Dripping faucets are commonly caused when the interior parts of the faucet, such as the o-ring or washers, wear out.

Water that isn’t clear

Clear water is great. When the water running in your home is anything but clear, it can be indicative of an underlying problem. For instance, brown water can be a sign of iron in your water or issues with your heater. Blue or green water can mean that there are corroding copper pipes in your home. Getting problem pipes replaced will solve these problems in most cases.

Hearing water going through your pipes when you aren’t using any

The sound of water moving through your pipes when no one is actually using water is a sign that you have a leak. This, along with visible water pooling, can lead to a lot of headaches to both your home and your water bill if not taken care of.

Slow drains

A slow drain is, in most cases, a clogged drain. If any drain is slow, the easiest way to fix it is by calling a professional. Don’t resort to using chemical drain cleaners because, in many situations, they can cause corrosion and damage to the pipe which will cost more to fix in the long run than just a basic drain cleaning.

Don’t worry – just because you notice one or multiple of these signs, it doesn’t mean it’s the end of the world. It just means that it’s time to call professions like the ones employed at Benjamin Franklin Plumbing® of Dallas.