Household plumbing systems are often under-appreciated until they start to malfunction. Unfortunately, most homeowners lack enough understanding of plumbing to know when their pipes have actually been sending early warnings of trouble for quite some time. The good news is that when you know what to watch for, you can spot the signs of plumbing problems early and have the issues addressed before they lead to disaster. Here are a few key indications that you should call a local plumbing repair contractor.

Rusty, Dirty Water

The water coming out of your faucets shouldn't be cloudy or dirty whether you use a well or the municipal water supply. If you turn on the water and you're seeing what looks like rust-colored water, that's a sign that you need to reach out to a plumber.

In most cases, the appearance of rust in your water is a sign that your plumbing lines are corroding. As the water passes through those corroding pipes, some rust dissolves and stains the water, giving you the discoloration that you see from the faucet. 

Left unaddressed, you'll end up with pipes that crack or corrode all the way through, creating leaks in your incoming water lines. This can be damaging to your home and costly in the wasted water. As soon as you see this kind of discoloration in your water supply, call your plumber right away.

Loud Banging

If you start noticing a loud banging noise every time you turn off a water fixture, that sound is what's known as a water hammer. Usually, this noise is the result of excessive pressure in your water lines which is rattling the pipes. If you ignore this noise, you'll find that the pipes actually end up damaged over time.

The affected pipes are actually being rattled and moved. This will lead to loose pipe connections, damaged joints, and more. It's in your best interest to reach out to a plumber as soon as possible when you hear a water hammer issue developing. The sooner your plumber can address the water pressure issue, the safer your pipes will be.

Foul Odors

Your home's drains see a lot of stuff flow through them, and sometimes that can lead to residue building up inside the pipes. When that happens, bacteria can lead to foul odors that can be hard to trace and nearly impossible to get rid of. In some cases, this odor comes along with the presence of drain flies. 

If your drains smell foul and you've tried everything to get rid of the odor, reach out to a local plumber. He or she can hydro flush the lines and clean all of the residue from the inside of the pipes, eliminating the bacteria that causes the smell.