Common Plumbing Problems — What They Mean
Most plumbing calls start with a symptom, not a diagnosis: a clogged drain, a burst pipe, no hot water, a toilet that runs on its own. These pages explain the common plumbing problems White Plains homeowners face — the likely causes, what is safe to check yourself, and when to call a plumber. If water is actively flowing where it shouldn't, skip the reading and call (914) 344-8475.
Clogged Drain
A clogged drain is usually caused by whatever has been going down it: grease and food in kitchen lines, hair and soap in bathroom drains, and roots or buildup in main sewer lines.
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Burst Pipe
If a pipe bursts, close your main water shutoff valve immediately — that single step stops most of the damage.
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Leaking Pipe
A leaking pipe can be a loose fitting that takes minutes to fix or a pinhole in corroding copper that is quietly rotting a wall from inside.
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No Hot Water
No hot water almost always traces back to the water heater: a tripped breaker or failed element on an electric unit, a pilot or gas-control problem on a gas unit, or a tank that has failed entirely.
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Running Toilet
A running toilet — one that refills on its own, hisses, or never quite stops — is almost always a worn flapper, a failing fill valve, or a water level set too high.
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Low Water Pressure
Low water pressure has two very different versions: one fixture is weak (usually a clogged aerator or a failing valve at that fixture), or the whole house is weak (usually aging galvanized pipe, a pressure-reducing valve problem, a partially closed main valve, or a hidden leak).
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Sewer Backup
If sewage is coming up through a floor drain, tub or toilet, stop running water anywhere in the house — every flush and load of laundry adds to the backup.
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Flooded Basement
Basement water in White Plains homes comes from three main sources: groundwater overwhelming or outliving a sump pump, a plumbing failure like a burst pipe or leaking water heater, or a sewer backup.
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Frozen Pipes
A frozen pipe announces itself as a faucet that gives a trickle or nothing at all during a cold snap.
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Slow Drains
A slow drain is a drain on its way to a full clog — something is narrowing the pipe, and it will not widen on its own.
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Gas Line Concerns
If you smell gas — a rotten-egg or sulfur odor — leave the house immediately, do not touch light switches or appliances, and from outside call 911 or Con Edison's gas emergency line.
What to Do →Dripping Faucet
A dripping faucet is almost always a worn cartridge, washer or O-ring inside the faucet body — a small part, but the drip rarely fixes itself and usually accelerates as the seal wears.
What to Do →A note on safety: if you smell gas, leave the house and call 911 or your gas utility from outside — read our gas line safety page afterward. For burst pipes and sewer backups, shut off the main water valve first and call us second.
Find Our White Plains Location
Nord Vex Plumbing White Plains
100 S Broadway, White Plains, NY 10601, United States
Phone: (914) 344-8475
Email: Info@nordvexplumbingwhiteplains.com
Hours: Open 24 Hours, 7 days a week
Our shop is on South Broadway in downtown White Plains. The surrounding neighborhoods and Westchester communities listed on this site are service areas — we come to you.
Call (914) 344-8475Need a plumber in White Plains?
Tell us what the plumbing is doing — leaking, clogged, no hot water — and we will talk through the next step. Open 24 hours for emergencies.