Avoid House Flooding With Service Plumbing for Leaky Pipes

PlumbingIf you live in an area where it rains regularly, your home is at risk for flooding. To avoid these situations, it’s important to follow a few simple steps that will help protect your home from flood damage.

First, make sure to check your water heater and water lines for leaks or breakage. This can save you time and money by preventing costly repair bills.

Pipe Wraps

A house service line is a piping system that runs from the water main to all the fixtures in a home. It should be protected from freezing temperatures, which can cause the pipes to burst or break.

Insulating exposed pipes with foam insulation or newspaper can help prevent frozen pipes from bursting or breaking. You can also use an electrical heat tape to protect unheated areas of your home where pipes can be found.

The right type of pipe insulation will depend on what material the pipe is made of. Plastic pipes should be wrapped with automatic heat tape, which is insulated with heavy rubber around the wires.

Pipe wraps are cheaper and less visible than pipe collars, so they can be used for a variety of applications. They are especially useful when a pipe is too tight to be fitted with a pipe collar.

Plumber’s Epoxy

When a pipe leaks, it can be a big problem for residential and commercial property owners. Leaks can cause rusty, moldy or musty odors, damage to the drywall and flooring and can even lead to flooding inside a home.

One temporary fix for leaking pipes is plumber’s epoxy. It is a two-part, hand-moldable putty with a soft consistency that can be pushed into the damaged areas to form a watertight seal.

This two-part putty can be used on steel, copper, brass, masonry, plaster, brick, concrete, wood and ceramics. It can also be drilled, tapped, filed and sanded.

A good plumber’s epoxy will have WRAS approval to prevent contamination of drinking water when it is used on domestic pipes. It will have a high-quality resin that is non-toxic and resistant to shrinkage. It can be applied to dry or wet surfaces and will last for years.

Pipe Tape

The threads of pipes carrying water to and from your home’s fixtures and appliances are prone to becoming clogged with mineral deposits over time. This can cause a pipe to crack or burst, which can lead to massive flooding and significant water damage.

A common way to seal these threaded connections is with thread seal tape, a tough adhesive tape made of PTFE. This tape is a hydrophobic, non-stick, and non-wetting material. It is also resistant to high temperatures, making it suitable for use on metals such as galvanized steel and stainless steel.

A wide range of PTFE tapes are available to fit most pipe threads. They are available in various colors, widths, thicknesses, and densities to match different piping materials. Tapes that are higher in density prevent excess stretching during assembly, which can cause a leak path.

Water Heater

If you have a leaky pipe, it’s important to call in a professional plumber as soon as possible. This will ensure that the pipe is repaired properly and will avoid further damage to your home.

If your water heater has a leak or is old and not functioning properly, you may be at risk of house flooding. However, there are some steps you can take to minimize the amount of water that enters your home.

First, you should turn off the water supply to your home. This will prevent your home from getting flooded and reduce the risk of electrocution. You can also try using a shop vac to remove standing water from the area.

Why Replacing Worn-Out Plumbing Pipes is Essential

Plumbing

Your home is dependent on properly working plumbing, drainage, and water lines. Without them, you wouldn’t have access to clean, safe, drinkable water or be able to easily dispose of wastewater.

When they’re worn out, pipes can develop leaks or a variety of other problems. Having the pipes replaced is essential to ensure your home’s plumbing system runs smoothly and safely.

Corrosion

When metal comes into contact with water, it loses electrons and becomes vulnerable to chemical reactions. This can cause corrosion, which can lead to rust and other forms of damage.

Corrosion is a common problem in all metal plumbing systems. It happens for a number of reasons, including dissimilar piping materials, impurities in metal castings, localized stresses, and differences in the environment (e.g., temperature, oxygen, or salt concentration).

Uniform corrosion – This is the most common type of corrosion in residential and commercial buildings. It occurs when the anodic and cathodic sites move from place to place on the metal surface.

Erosion corrosion – This is more likely in hot water pipes. It occurs near elbows and changes in pipe sections where high-velocity turbulence is common.

In order to avoid erosion corrosion, there are a number of important factors to consider, including regular flushing of the little-used tubes, runs, filtration of supply water, avoiding stagnant flow, and controlling temperatures during operation. It is also critical that water velocities do not exceed 3 m/s for cold water and 2 m/s for hot water.

Leaks

A leaking pipe is not only damaging to your home and plumbing, but it can also waste a lot of water. The EPA estimates that 10% of homes have leaks that waste 90 gallons or more per day.

Some leaks are not obvious, which is why homeowners may not realize that they have a problem. They can occur when pipes crack over time or if they are exposed to outside weather conditions.

Another common cause of a leak is a clog, which can occur when debris, hair, food, or chemicals get stuck in the pipe and become blocked. This can lead to overflowing or even bursting pipes, causing costly damage.

If you suspect a leak, it is best to have it investigated by a professional. They can determine the source of the problem and fix it before any further damage is caused. This will prevent unnecessary expenses and time from being spent on repairs and cleanup.

Poor Water Pressure

Poor water pressure can make showering difficult, cause washing machines and dishwashers to perform poorly, and slow down the water flow of a garden hose. It can also increase your utility bills.

Low water pressure is a common problem in older homes with plumbing pipes that haven’t been replaced. This is because they were built using outdated technology that doesn’t provide adequate flow rates for modern home appliances and systems.

If you’re a homeowner with old, cast iron, or galvanized plumbing, mineral buildup in the pipes may be causing a water pressure issue. This can be treated with chemicals, but if left unchecked, it can lead to corrosion on the inside of the pipes themselves.

Another possible reason for your low water pressure is a problem with your main supply line, which can be repaired by a plumber or the city water department. If your home is connected to a municipal water system, talk to your neighbors and ask if they’re experiencing similar problems.

Cost

The cost of replacing worn-out plumbing pipes isn’t exactly glamorous, but it’s essential for your home’s safety and comfort. Besides water and sewer lines, your plumbing system includes fixtures like sinks, toilets, showers, and washing machines.

The lifespan of these items varies based on how they’re used and installed. However, pipes usually last decades, while fixtures typically only need to be replaced about every 10 years or so.

Cast iron drain pipes, for example, are durable and designed to last 80 to 100 years. But despite their long life spans, they’re prone to damage from tree roots that pierce them and clog them.

Replacing these pipes requires digging up the floor and trenching out the old line and installing a new one. The process may take a week or more depending on the number of fixtures and how extensive the job is.

 

Unblock Your Clogged Drain in Minutes

Plumbing

Drains are a busy part of your home, carrying hair, food particles and waste water. When they get clogged, they can be a headache and cost you money.

Luckily, there are many ways to unclog your drains without calling a plumber. One way is to use a homemade cleaner made with baking soda, salt and vinegar.

Plunger

Plungers are one of the simplest and most effective household tools for dealing with drain clogs. However, it’s important to use the right plunger for your specific plumbing fixtures.

Generally speaking, plungers come in two different forms: cup plungers and flange plungers. Standard cup plungers are ideal for sinks and tubs, while flange plungers are the best option for toilets.

A plunger works by creating a seal around the drain. This creates vacuum and allows water to be forced down onto the clog.

To get the seal, suck out some air using your hand and push down hard on the handle. Do this until you see a strong, even seal.

Once you have a seal, pull the rubber flange out from the inside of the cup plunger and insert it into the overflow opening on your sink or tub.

With this seal in place, push down on the plunger with gentle but firm thrusts to force water down into the clog. Continue to do this 15 to 20 times.

Plumber’s Snake

A Plumber’s Snake (sometimes called a Drain Snake) is the tool that you want to have at your disposal when a plunger can’t break through your clog. It can be a simple hand-held device or a more powerful electric model that is rented from your local hardware store.

How it works is fairly straightforward: Push the end of the coiled-up snake into the drain opening and turn the handle on the drum that contains the snake. Continue to push until you feel resistance.

Once you feel it resisting, rotate it against the blockage until you feel it move freely through the pipe. This is usually a sign that it has reached the obstruction.

As it descends, the rotating tip will either break up the clog as it moves down the pipe or grab hold of it so that you can pull it out. If it doesn’t break up the clog, crank a little harder and give the wire a wiggle to loosen it.

Wire Coat Hanger

A wire hanger is an incredibly useful tool for a variety of things. It’s a cheap and easy way to hang your dry cleaning, but it’s also an essential tool for unclogging drains when they get blocked.

A wire coat hanger can unclog a drain by straightening it out and fishing the clogged debris out of the drain. To do this, you’ll need to remove the drain cover and insert your hanger hook first into the drain, wiggle it around and pull it up regularly.

Other upcycled wire hanger uses include a reusable ribbon holder, a pair of fairy wings and a giant bubble wand! Check out these DIY ideas below, and don’t forget to share your own clever upcycled hanger tricks with us in the comments. We can’t wait to see what you come up with!

Chemicals

Chemical drain cleaners are a popular choice for clogged sinks, tubs and showers. They can clear clogs made from hair, grease or food buildup, says Jackson.

However, they also can corrode plumbing and damage septic systems. They can also pose a danger to you and your family by burning skin and eyes, creating noxious fumes and releasing toxic chemicals if splashed.

They can also eat through clothing and cause explosions. And, if used improperly, they can contaminate the water you and your family drink or bathe in.

Fortunately, there are several non-toxic solutions that can unblock your clogged drain in minutes. One natural option is a combination of baking soda and vinegar. Start by pouring a half cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by a half cup of vinegar. The mixture will react with the clog and create a “mini volcano.