Welcome to Plumbing Tips

Avoiding Frozen Pipes

If you live in an area where the temperatures drop to chilling weather, you’ve probably encountered the problem of frozen pipes. If you want to avoid frozen pipes for the next winter season, try these suggestions:

• If you leave your outdoor hoses connected, freezing water may expand and cause fixtures inside your home to break from freezing water. Disconnect the outdoor hoses to be safe.

• Insulate your exposed pipes in colder areas of the home, like basements and crawlspaces. Heat tape or thermostat controlled heat cable around your pipes can keep your pipes from freezing.

• If you have outdoor faucets, turn off the interior shut-off valve to those faucets. Don’t forget to drain out any water which could form ice.

Underground Leak and Line Detection

Finding a leak in your plumbing, locating other lines, or finding the exact location of your septic tank doesn’t have to involve disruptive digging to your landscape. When your plumber employs underground leak and line detection, he’s using high-tech equipment over the surface of the ground to locate the source of the plumbing problem.

Regardless of whether you have metal pipes or non-metal pipes, your plumber can find the leak in your plumbing. He can also use this technology to avoid gas lines or find them as well. Even better, most weather conditions will allow your plumber to use underground leak and line detection.

Liquid Waste Hauling

For commercial businesses which produce a lot of grease or liquid waste, it makes sense to hire a professional to handle the collection and proper disposal of these products. A plumbing professional who specializes in liquid waste hauling can do the job for you. All you have to do is schedule regular maintenance times or call them for a pick-up when you need liquid waste hauling taken care of.

Make sure you go with a plumbing service that does a thorough job. A reputable plumbing professional will not only pump out any waste for you, but will clean out your trap and scrape away any deposit residues. A reputable plumbing professional will also follow all government regulations and make sure the waste goes through proper disposal at a regulated facility.

Environmentally Friendly Drain Maintenance

If you’re interested in a greener, healthier environment, see if your local plumber has an environmentally friendly drain maintenance program for your place of business. By using a non-toxic formula, your local plumber can schedule regular maintenance with you to flush out your plumbing system. This type of cleaner has powerful microorganisms to counteract clogged lines. Capable of converting organic waste into non-harmful carbon dioxide and water, these sustainable cleaning agents get rid of unwanted odors in your plumbing system. Check to see if your local plumber has an environmentally friendly drain maintenance program with approval for use in areas where food is processed as well.

Backflow Certification

If you own a business, legislation likely requires you to get your backflow meter tested and certified annually. It’s a necessary task to get your backflow meter checked because if you don’t, you could face hefty fines and a possible suspension of your business. In addition, when you get backflow certification, you can you have the confidence that the water at your place of business is clean and free of contaminants. Contact a plumbing professional with experience in the area of backflow certification. Your plumbing professional should not only be able to test your backflow system, but will be able to install your meter, certify it, and find ways to make sure you comply with your local legislation.

Avoid Having A Plumbing Problem On Cold Weather Days

When the temperatures plummet and cold weather days set in, you need to take measures to avoid having a plumbing problem. Ensure your plumbing will stand up to the chill. If you follow our plumbing advice for the winter season, your pipes will have a better chance of avoiding a plumbing problem on the cold weather days:

• Sealing leaks around your windows and doors will help trap the heat inside your home and keep your indoor pipes from suffering extreme drops in temperature.

• Since your water heater needs to expend more energy to keep up with hot water needs in the winter, give it a little maintenance by flushing it out to remove any sediment build-ups. Your water heater will work more efficiently and you’ll help maintain its lifespan.

• Take our plumbing advice and clear out any leaves and debris from your downspouts to make sure draining is easy when the freezing water thaws out.
  

High Pressure Water Jetting For Plumbing Maintenance

If you have a business and your plumbing is plagued by grease, debris, sludge, and other materials, you might want to consider high pressure water jetting as a method of plumbing maintenance. Using a cable is effective to break through tree roots and other solid obstructions. However, when it comes to grease and other slimy products, high pressure water jetting is a more effective form of plumbing maintenance. High pressure water jetting uses water sprayed with a great deal of force through your plumbing. It works by pushing debris out of pipes and pulverizing solid objects like tree roots. It is an effective, timely, and environmentally safe form of plumbing maintenance.

Video Camera Line Inspection

When your plumbing gets an obstruction and there is no easy way to tell what the problem is, consider using video camera line inspection.

Video camera line inspection can be used to assess these and other situations:

• Collapsed pipes requiring repair or replacement.
• Misaligned pipes shifted due to soil or temperature conditions.
• Object obstructions blocking the pipe water flow.
• Poor seals on pipes causing leaking seals.
• Pipes damaged by tree roots.

Take Advantage of Scheduled Maintenance as a Plumbing Service

If your commercial business counts on plumbing to run smoothly at all times in order to operate effectively, consider signing up for a scheduled maintenance as part of your plumbing service. A plumbing professional will work with you to maintain your plumbing on a regular basis. With a scheduled maintenance, you’ll get the benefit of avoiding emergency plumbing situations which could shut your business down or bog you down with unnecessary interruptions and loss of income. Check to see if the plumbing service offers you additional benefits like courtesy plumbing inspections and on site advice on how to solve persistent plumbing problems.