Water pressure that suddenly drops, a toilet that never stops running, pipes that bang when a faucet closes. These guides explain the likely causes in order, how to narrow it down, and when a plumber is the right call.
Common plumbing problems
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Low Water Pressure in One Faucet or Shower: Kitchen Sink, Bathroom, Shower
When only one faucet or shower is weak, the cause is almost always at that fixture: a clogged aerator or showerhead, a partly closed shutoff…
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Low Water Pressure in the Whole House: Causes and Fixes
When every faucet has weak pressure, the cause is on the supply side: a partly closed valve, a failing pressure regulator, old pipes, a leak…
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Pipes Banging When You Turn Off the Water (Water Hammer)
A loud bang when a faucet, toilet or washing machine shuts off is water hammer. What causes it, how to fix it with arrestors or…
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Toilet Keeps Running: Flapper, Fill Valve and Float Fixes
A running toilet is almost always a leaking flapper or a fill valve set too high. How to do the dye test, adjust the float…
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Toilet Won’t Flush All the Way (But Is Not Clogged)
A weak or incomplete flush is usually low water in the tank, a flapper closing too early, a loose chain or clogged rim jets. If…
Before you start
Start by asking whether the problem is in one fixture or the whole house. One fixture usually points to that fixture (an aerator, a valve, a flapper). The whole house points to the supply: the main shutoff, the pressure regulator, a leak, or the utility side.