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Start by locating and carefully testing your main and fixture shutoff valves before any plumbing emergencies happen. Clear simple sink clogs safely with a standard plunger or a manual hand snake. If temperatures drop below freezing in Merced, never use an open flame to thaw frozen pipes. Apply warm towels instead to prevent fire hazards while you wait for a local professional to arrive.

A persistent drop in water pressure throughout your house indicates critical scale buildup inside the supply pipes. Unexplained spikes in your utility bills also point to hidden leaks that require immediate attention. If you own a pre-1970s home in CA with original galvanized supply lines, schedule a repiping project before the aging lines fail entirely. Recurring sewer backups demand a full replacement of the lateral line.

Ignoring hard water buildup on your fixtures accelerates corrosion and narrows pipe interiors. Using harsh chemical drain cleaners in older homes ruins galvanized pipes. Additionally, leaving your irrigation system on a winter schedule during the hot Merced summer stresses underground lines in the heavy clay soil. Always address minor drips immediately, as extreme summer heat causes materials to expand and worsens small leaks.

Heavy mineral scale or white crust around joints indicates the original plumbing installation ignored local hard water chemistry. Recurring slow drains or inconsistent water pressure point to severely corroded pipes. You should also look for foundation cracks or damp floors. CA has expansive clay soils that shift significantly between wet and dry seasons, causing underground pipes to fail if the initial installation lacked proper support.