Some plumbing problems in a home are not necessarily an emergency; you can typically wait to have that slow drain in the bathtub looked at when it's convenient or may live with a dripping tap for some time before you have it fixed. However, there are times when you want to get a plumber to your home as quickly as possible, even right away. Note when it's good to call emergency plumbers in to protect your home and to avoid allowing damage to get worse.

1. When a septic tank has obviously backed up or is leaking

Very often a septic tank backing up or leaking will mean overflowing toilets in the house or a very mushy yard. You may step onto your lawn and notice that it's very wet, with the water even coming up and over your shoes. You may also see a puddle or soft spot forming near the septic tank or insects collecting in this area. Ignoring this problem can mean the leak or backup getting even worse as it's unlikely to fix itself. Call for emergency repairs so the backup doesn't mean added pressure on your home's foundation and the damage to your property becomes extensive.

2. When a toilet keeps flushing without letup

Typically this problem is a leak inside the mechanisms of the toilet tank; the water drains out and in turn, the toilet thinks it should start flushing what is in the bowl, so that the tank can fill up again. This leak also will not fix itself no matter how many times the toilet flushes. Turn off the valve to the water supply to this toilet and then have an emergency plumber inspect the inside of the tank to replace the needed parts, so you can use the toilet without wasting water.

3. Muddy or foul water from the taps

When water gets muddy, this often means there are leaks in the pipes outside your home and this is allowing dirt and other sediment to make its way into those pipes. Foul odours or a bad taste to your water can also mean that something is leaking into the pipes inside or outside the home; in some cases this can be a sign of a gas leak around the hot water heater. You don't want to ignore this problem as this too will not go away, and contaminated water is very unsafe for drinking as well as bathing. Call an emergency plumber to trace the problem and replace the pipes as soon as possible.

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