“Is this plumbing problem serious, or can I just leave it alone?”

That is probably the question we hear more often than anything else.

And honestly, it is the right question. Not every dripping faucet needs an emergency plumber. A slow drain does not automatically mean you need your whole drain line replaced. And if someone tells you that every old pipe in your Burbank home needs to be replaced immediately, get a second opinion.

Burbank has a lot of older housing, and the city itself notes that older homes are more likely to have outdated plumbing and other building systems. Some homes were built decades before today’s plumbing standards existed.

That does not mean your house is a ticking time bomb. It does mean certain plumbing problems deserve more attention than others.

Here is our quick gut-check for the common ones.

1. A drain that keeps clogging

One slow drain is usually not a crisis.

A bathroom sink that drains slowly may simply have hair, soap buildup, or debris around the stopper. That is something a homeowner can often deal with without calling a plumber.

But when the same drain keeps clogging after you’ve cleared it, pay attention.

The same goes for multiple fixtures. If the kitchen sink, bathroom sink, shower, or toilet are all draining slowly, the problem may be farther down the line.

Try this first

• Remove and clean the sink stopper.
• Clear obvious hair and debris.
• Use a plunger appropriate for the fixture.
• Run plenty of water afterward and see whether the problem returns.

If the clog keeps coming back, that is when we would rather diagnose the actual cause than keep throwing drain cleaner at it.

2. A toilet that runs constantly

This one is usually less dramatic than homeowners think.

If your toilet keeps running after you flush, the problem is often inside the tank. A worn flapper, fill valve, or other tank component can allow water to keep flowing.

You do not necessarily need a new toilet.

That is one of those situations where we would rather replace the failed part than sell you something you don’t need.

A good rule is simple: if the toilet works properly but the tank does not stop refilling, have the internal components checked before replacing the entire fixture.

And if your Burbank home was built before 1994, there is another reason to pay attention to the toilet and other plumbing fixtures. California has water-conservation requirements that can apply to older properties when alterations are made. Burbank’s current building materials specifically address water-conserving fixtures in homes built on or before January 1, 1994.

3. Low water pressure

Low water pressure can be caused by something simple, but don’t assume the faucet is the problem.

Start by checking whether the issue affects one fixture or the whole house.

If the pressure changed suddenly throughout your home, we would not ignore it.

There may be a restriction, a failing pressure-related component, or another plumbing problem that needs diagnosis.

4. Leaking faucets and pipes

A faucet that drips once every few seconds may not look like a big deal.

But water does not need to be dramatic to cause trouble.

A leak underneath the kitchen sink, around a toilet, or behind a wall deserves more attention because the damage can continue when you are not looking.

One job that sticks with us is a small-looking leak that had been ignored because the homeowner could only see a little moisture. The visible water was not the real problem. By the time the area was opened up, the surrounding material had been exposed to moisture for much longer than the homeowner realized.

That is why we tell people to look beyond the drip.

If you can see water where it should not be, find out where it is coming from before assuming it will go away.

5. Old plumbing in older Burbank houses

This is where Burbank homes can be different from a newer subdivision.

The City of Burbank describes much of its housing stock as older, with homes built before 1980 more likely to have outdated building systems.

So if you own an older home, you may eventually run into aging supply lines, worn shutoff valves, outdated fixtures, or drain problems that simply come with the age of the plumbing.

But here’s the truth: old does not automatically mean bad.

We do not recommend replacing something just because it has been there for a long time. We look at its condition, what it is doing, and whether there is evidence of an actual problem.

That distinction can save a homeowner a lot of money.

6. Water heater problems

No hot water is obviously a problem. But there are warning signs before a water heater completely stops doing its job.

Pay attention if you notice:

• Water around the tank
• Hot water running out unusually quickly
• Strange noises from the unit
• Temperature problems
• A recurring issue with the pilot or heating system, depending on the type of heater

If you see water leaking from the tank itself, don’t keep resetting things and hope for the best. The source of the leak matters.

A small repair and a failing tank are two very different conversations.

The Burbank Plumbing Gut-Check

Before calling a plumber, ask yourself these four questions:

1. Is it getting worse?
A minor drip that has stayed the same for months is different from a leak that suddenly increased.

2. Is more than one fixture affected?
Multiple drains or fixtures acting strangely can point to a larger plumbing issue.

3. Is water getting somewhere it shouldn’t?
If yes, do not ignore it just because the amount looks small.

4. Has the same problem already come back?
If you’ve unclogged the same drain three times, the goal should be finding out why it keeps happening.

That last one is particularly important. Temporary fixes are fine when they solve the problem. They are not a solution when you have to repeat them every few weeks.

When You Should Actually Call a Plumber

Not every plumbing annoyance needs a service call.

But some situations are worth getting checked rather than guessing.

Call Burbank Plumbing for professional help when you have a persistent leak, repeated drain backups, multiple fixtures with reduced flow, a suspected hidden leak, or a water heater that is leaking or no longer working properly.

For repairs or replacements, local requirements matter too. Burbank currently enforces the 2025 California Building Code with local amendments, including the California Plumbing Code.

We have been serving Burbank homeowners since 2010, and our approach is straightforward: figure out what is actually wrong, explain the options, and fix what needs fixing.

No reason to turn a loose valve into a whole-house plumbing project.

What to Do Next

If you have one of these problems, start with the simple question: Is the problem minor and isolated, or is it persistent, spreading, or causing water damage?

If it is minor, there may be something you can safely handle yourself.

If it keeps coming back or you cannot identify the source, that is when it makes sense to have a plumber take a look. You do not need to wait until a small plumbing problem becomes an emergency.

If you are unsure, make a note of what is happening, when it started, and whether other fixtures are affected. That information can make the diagnosis much easier when you call.