Plumbing in Connecticut splits between old city services and the wells and septic systems of the hill towns. Galvanized pipe clogs from the inside and stains a sink the color of rust. Cast-iron stacks in three-families crack in the wall and print a stain on the ceiling below. Stone foundations leak groundwater into boiler rooms every March. Say whether you are on a well or a street, because the rest of the story depends on it.
A gurgle in a drain is often a vent, not a clog you already snaked. Sump pumps in high water near rivers and the Sound run for weeks, and a discharge line that dumps at the wall only moves the puddle. Hose bibs left charged will split, and you will meet the split in the thaw. Septic patches that stay soggy, or a bleach smell in a low corner of the yard, belong in the call. Do not skip them because the toilet still flushes.
Laterals from an old house to the street can belly and hold grease. A new disposal on an old kitchen stack finds the weak fitting. Pressure tanks and well pumps fail on their own schedule, often when a storm has already knocked the power out. Know where the main shutoff is. Valves that have sat for decades may weep the first time they turn. That is still better than an open pipe.
Old metal service lines still enter cellars, especially in the older cities and boroughs. Do not sand them. Note the color of the metal and any change in the water after street work. A leak at a radiator valve is heat piping. A leak under the lavatory is supply or waste. Those get mixed up when the ceiling below is simply wet. Say what fixture is nearest.
Name the town, the water source, and the symptom: leak, clog, no hot water, freeze, or backup. Mention the ceiling stain and any recent remodel. A fuel smell is the tank, not the drain. Keep the systems straight and the call is shorter. Call the number on this page.