Plumbing in Massachusetts splits between old city and town services and the wells and septic systems of the outer towns. Galvanized lines clog from the inside and stain fixtures the color of rust. Cast-iron stacks in triple-deckers crack in the wall and show up as a ceiling stain one floor down. A frozen ell on a north wall is a February phone call from Worcester County to the hill towns. Say whether you are on a well or a street main.
A slow drain that gurgles may be a vent, not a clog in the trap you already cleaned. A sump that runs all spring is groundwater under the floor. High water tables near rivers and salt marshes push water at basement floors. Hose bibs that were left charged will split, and the split hides until the thaw. Look at the meter or the well tank before you describe the pressure.
Well pumps, pressure tanks, and septic fields fail on their own calendar, separate from the fixtures. A bleach smell or a soggy patch in the yard is a clue you should mention, not a detail to skip. Town sewer laterals from an old house to the street can belly and hold grease for years. Kitchen stacks that were fine for a light household struggle after a remodel adds a disposal. Tell the caller what changed.
Lead and old metal service lines still turn up when a street job or a low-pressure complaint forces a look at the pipe entering the cellar. Do not scrape or sand mystery pipe. Note the color of the metal and whether the water has changed taste after work in the street. Shutoff valves that have not turned in decades may weep when you finally close them. Know where the main shutoff is before a fitting lets go on a holiday night.
Say the town, well or street water, and whether the problem is a leak, a clog, no hot water, or a freeze. Mention the ceiling stain, the sound in the wall, and any fixture that recently changed. A drip at a radiator valve is heat piping, and a drip under a sink is supply or waste. Those are different calls only if you describe them clearly. Call the number on this page.