PLUMBING HELP & TROUBLESHOOTING
What’s Going Wrong With Your Plumbing?
Start with the symptom. Learn what may be causing leaking pipes, pressure problems, running toilets, frozen pipes, loss of water and other common plumbing problems.
START HERE
What are you noticing?
START WITH THE SYMPTOM
You Don’t Need to Know What’s Broken Yet.
Plumbing problems often show themselves somewhere other than where they actually begin. Water beneath a cabinet might come from a drain connection, faucet, supply line or seal. Weak water pressure could affect one fixture or the entire home for very different reasons.
The guides below are organized around what you can actually observe. Start with the problem that most closely matches your situation, then work through the likely causes and appropriate next steps.
PLUMBING PROBLEM FINDER
Choose the Problem You’re Experiencing
Each guide focuses on symptoms, possible causes, safe checks and signs that professional attention may be needed.
01
→
LEAKS
Understand leaking pipes →
Leaking Pipe
Water stains, damp cabinets, dripping connections or unexplained moisture around your home’s plumbing.
02
→
URGENT
What to do about a burst pipe →
Burst Pipe
Sudden water release, rapidly spreading moisture or significant loss of water from a damaged pipe.
03
→
COLD WEATHER
Learn about frozen pipes →
Frozen Pipes
Little or no water during freezing weather, frost on exposed piping or concern about a pipe freezing.
04
→
WATER PRESSURE
Diagnose low water pressure →
Low Water Pressure
Weak flow at one fixture, several fixtures or throughout the home can point to very different plumbing issues.
05
→
WATER PRESSURE
Understand high water pressure →
High Water Pressure
Excessive pressure can place unnecessary stress on fixtures, valves, supply lines and household plumbing.
06
→
TOILETS
Find the cause of a running toilet →
Running Toilet
A toilet that continues filling, cycles by itself or constantly sends water into the bowl.
07
→
FIXTURES
Troubleshoot a leaking faucet →
Leaking Faucet
Dripping from the spout, water around the faucet base or moisture beneath the sink when the faucet is used.
08
→
WATER SUPPLY
Find out why you have no water →
No Water
No water at one fixture or throughout the property? The location of the problem is an important first clue.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR PLUMBING
The Symptom and the Cause Aren’t Always in the Same Place.
Your home’s plumbing is a connected system. Water enters the property, moves through supply piping and valves to fixtures and appliances, and then leaves through a separate drainage system.
That matters when troubleshooting. A problem at one fixture may be isolated to that fixture, while the same symptom across several areas of the home can indicate something further upstream in the plumbing system.
01
One fixture or the whole home?
Check whether the symptom occurs in only one location or at several fixtures.
02
Constant or only during use?
A leak that appears only while water is running provides a different clue from a continuous leak.
03
Did anything recently change?
Freezing weather, recent repairs, new appliances or sudden pressure changes can help narrow the cause.
HOME PLUMBING SYSTEM
Supply lines, valves, fixtures and connected equipment all work together.
BEFORE REACHING FOR THE TOOLS
Four Useful Things to Check First
01
Find the Water Source
If water is visible, determine where it first appears rather than assuming the nearest pipe or fixture is responsible.
02
Check Other Fixtures
Testing another faucet, toilet or fixture can help determine whether the problem is isolated or affecting a larger area.
03
Know Your Shutoff
Knowing the location of fixture shutoffs and the home’s main water shutoff can be important if a leak becomes more serious.
04
Document What You See
Photos, unusual sounds and information about when the problem occurs can make professional diagnosis more efficient.
PLUMBING EMERGENCY?
Stop the Water Before You Start Diagnosing the Damage.
If water is actively escaping and can be shut off safely, stop the water supply first. Move people and valuables away from the affected area and seek help if the situation is beyond a minor controllable leak.
KNOW YOUR HOME
Understanding Your Plumbing Can Prevent Bigger Surprises.
Beyond troubleshooting individual problems, knowing what is installed in your home can help you make better decisions about maintenance, repairs and future upgrades.
The age of your home, piping materials, previous renovations, water pressure and the condition of valves and connections can all influence how the plumbing performs over time.
PLUMBING GUIDE
→
How to Identify Poly-B Plumbing
Not sure whether the grey pipes in your home are Poly-B? Learn where to look, how to check for PB2110 markings, what fittings and connections may look like, and how Poly-B differs from PEX.
Read the Poly-B identification guide →
Why this matters
Knowing what is installed in your home can make maintenance,
diagnosis and future plumbing decisions much easier.
WHEN TROUBLESHOOTING ISN’T ENOUGH
Found the Problem? Proflow Can Handle the Repair.
These guides are designed to help you understand what may be happening. They are not a substitute for professional diagnosis when a plumbing problem involves concealed leaks, damaged piping, recurring failures or work beyond a safe homeowner check.
STILL NOT SURE WHAT’S CAUSING IT?
Describe What You’re Seeing. We’ll Help With the Next Step.
Proflow provides plumbing services throughout Vancouver, the Lower Mainland and our British Columbia service areas.
