Water Leaks and Plumbing Repairs in Your Oklahoma City Home
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that 11,000 gallons of water are wasted each year from running toilets, dripping faucets and other plumbing leaks in the home. Most of these leaks are easily fixed and could save you hundreds of dollars on your water bill. A certified plumber has the knowledge and skills to troubleshoot and fix any leaks in your home.
Pooling water is an obvious sign that there is a leak in your plumbing. Often, leaks are much less noticeable but may end up costing you hundreds of dollars in wasted water each year. Water damage can destroy your floors, ceilings, walls, and property. Finding and repairing leaks takes the skill of a professional plumber.
There are many reasons that leaks occur. Inferior workmanship and poor construction of piping and fittings can be an issue. More often, inadequate maintenance of drains, toilets, pipes, showers, and sinks are to blame for problems. Corrosion, old or weak parts, and loose fittings also play a part in plumbing issues in the home.
One of the most common ways that water is wasted in the home is by a running toilet. If your toilet makes noise when not in use, you will want to have it checked out. This is an obvious sign that your toilet is not working properly and could be costing you money on your utility bill. A good way to test your toilet for leaks is to place a drop of food coloring in the toilet tank. If color shows up in the tank after 15 minutes without flushing, you have a leak.
Dripping faucets on your sinks, shower, or tub not only waste water, it can cost homeowners large amounts of money each month. Even a slow drip will make a difference in your water bill. Inspect your faucets and ask a plumber to repair any that are dripping or pooling. A qualified plumber will check faucet washers and gaskets for wear and replace them if necessary.
Your home’s water meter can be used to determine if there is a leak in your home. Check your meter, then don’t flush your toilet, run the faucet, or use any water for two hours. After this time, check the meter again. If it does not read exactly the same, you know you have a leak. Pay attention to your water bill. An unexplained increase or sudden spike in your water bill is another indication that there is a plumbing problem in your home.
If you notice swampy or unexplained wet areas in your grass, especially near your main water line, you could have an underground leak. A plumber has specialized equipment that will allow him to assess the situation and make repairs as needed. Video cameras can be sent down the pipes to determine where the leak is. This technology allows the plumber to locate the problem without digging up large areas of your yard.
While some leaks may be easy to spot, others require the expertise of a certified plumber. It is a good idea to have a plumber make routine checks on your plumbing system. Annual maintenance will ensure that any issues are found quickly before the problem gets worse.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6586244
Simple Remedies That Will Help Your Oklahoma City Plumbing Problems
One of the reasons why you need to hire professional Oklahoma City plumbers when installing the plumbing system of your house is because a professionally installed system will rarely experience problems. In most cases, it can take years before you start to see some problems with it. The problem that you need to think of is what should be done when you start to see some minor damages in your plumbing system. That is what this article will be showing you. Read on to understand more about the remedies that you can do in order to minimize the problems that you will experience with your plumbing system.
If you start to notice that there is a leaking pipe in your house, the first and most important thing that you need to do is to find where the leak is. Once you’ve found where the problem is, place a mark in its location in order to easily find it when you shut down the water source. You may also want to observe the leaking pipe for a few minutes, and take note of all the details that you have noticed. Write it down in a paper for future use.
Once you are done with this step, the next thing that you need to do is to shut down the source of the water. Keep in mind that some plumbing system use several water sources, and you need to shut everything down in order to stop the leaking pipes temporarily. This will prevent the problem from worsening, and will make it easier for you to clean the mess before you start repairing it.
The next thing that you need to do is to examine the damage more carefully, and try to determine whether it can be solved with a simple application of sealant. Another thing that you may want to check is the nuts that connect the pipes of your plumbing system. Make sure that they are firmly attached. If not, then you may want to use thread seal tape to keep the nuts tightly snugged around the pipes.
If these steps didn’t solve the problem, then it is more likely that you are dealing with a bigger problem that is not visible. For instances like these, the best thing that you can do is to contact professional plumbing services to help you fix your plumbing problems.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6563490
Types Of Pipes
Plumbing is part of many remodeling projects, whether the plan is to install a small clean-up sink in a garage or the project is a bathroom addition or a complete kitchen or bathroom remodel. Whether you are doing the remodel yourself or you are hiring a contractor, you will need to make some decisions about pipes. If you have a contractor, s/he will be able to guide you in choosing the most appropriate pipe for your project.
There are many types of pipe, and some are more appropriate for specific jobs than others. To help you with the decisions, here is an overview of the main types of pipe used in residential remodeling.
Plastic Pipe
PVC (polyvinyl chloride) can be used only for cold water. PVC is most often used to carry water from the main supply to a home. If you decide to use PVC, be sure that the pipe you choose is approved for drinking water.
ABS (acrylonitrite-butadiene-styrene) is use for waste removal, drain and venting, primarily in bathrooms. It is a rigid plastic pipe that can be connected to several kinds of metal pipe. If you are considering this kind of pipe, you will need to check with your contractor or your local building codes office because ABS is not permitted in some localities.
PEX can be used to carry both hot and cold water. It is often used for interior water pipes in residential plumbing.
CPVC (chlorine-polyvinyl-chloride) is generally used to carry hot water, and is often used as a substitute for copper pipe.
Metal Pipe
Cast Iron is used in some parts of the country for drainage. It is very strong and very durable. The challenge in using cast iron is that it is hard to cut and it is very heavy. If your project involves replacing cast iron pipe, a good choice is PVC because it can be joined with cast iron.
Copper is a good choice for both hot and cold water supply lines, and is very corrosion-resistant. It is light and durable, but costs more. If you are replacing copper pipe, a good choice is CPVC.
Galvanized steel is not used much today because it will corrode over time and because it is hard to work with. It was used in the past for water supply lines.
If you are doing the plumbing work yourself, you might want to use plastic pipe because it is easier to work with. The key to using plastic pipe, which is also less expensive, is to wrap plastic pipes tightly to prevent the escape of noise because plastic pipe can be very noisy.
With this information, you should be able to make some informed choices about the type of pipe best suited for your specific project needs.
The Dangers of Chemical Drain Cleaners
If you’ve ever had a slow drain in one of the sinks in your home, you might think it’s better to use a chemical drain cleaner than to hire a plumber. After all, using a drain cleaner is easier and many times is all you need to take care of minor drain clogs. However, there are many precautions you need to take when using chemical drain cleaners that those TV commercials don’t tell you about - otherwise you could harm not only your skin but your pipes as well!
When using chemical drain cleaners, there are certain precautions you should always take to protect yourself and your plumbing system. For instance:
Avoid the Seriously Harmful Chemicals
Obviously, any time you’re dealing with chemicals you want to be careful to avoid the ones that carry serious risks. Unfortunately, it can be hard to determine which chemicals are seriously harmful as opposed to just mildly harmful. When choosing a chemical drain cleaner, avoid ones that use acid or lye - these chemicals are extremely potent and can severely damage your waste water and septic systems, damage PVC pipes and even seriously burn your skin.
If it gets to the point where you absolutely have to use harsh chemicals to clear out your drains, you’re probably better off hiring a plumber. That said, if you decide to go ahead with it yourself, make sure you take the right precautions! Always, always, ALWAYS wear protective gloves and safety goggles and make sure the room you’re in is well ventilated. When you’re not using the chemicals, store them on a high shelf or in a locked closet so your kids can’t reach them.
Always Read Labels Carefully
As we said before, a lot of the caustic chemicals that can be used to clear out clogged drains can also severely burn your skin or damage your pipes and septic system. Before you go around pouring drain cleaning chemicals into your pipes, make sure they are safe for whatever you want to use them for. Also make sure you read all the warning labels so you know what to do in case you accidentally spill or ingest the chemicals.
Don’t Mix Chemicals
It doesn’t take a genius to know that when you mix chemicals, they tend to react. Sometimes these reactions are simple things like color changes - sometimes they end in violent explosions! When chemical drain cleaners mix, they tend to have the latter effect, releasing toxic gases and fumes into the air and sometimes erupting in a scalding volcano of chemicals. Not only can this pose an immediate personal danger to anyone involved, but they can also make the drains impossible to clean manually in the future.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6536087
