5 Facts About Your Plumbing System Every New Homeowner Should Know

Purchasing a house is a milestone for anyone, regardless of whether or not it’s a first home or a fifth home. First-time homebuyers should understand some important things when considering the plumbing system. It’s important to know some basic plumbing in order to understand if something is a good deal or not.

The Big Benefits Of An Emergency Plumber

Here are five vital pieces of information regarding plumbing for a new home…

1. Leaking Pipes Are The Leading Cause Of Plumbing Issues

Understanding this piece of information is important, you may not always see or notice a leak, especially if it’s a slow leak. Plumbing systems may not initially show a leak, however, over the course of time a leak can cause serious damage to the home and to your wallet. Thus, it’s vital to know what you need to look for and how to prevent a pipe from leaking.

Calcium deposits typically show up as white or pink on pipes if they’re leaking. This is a pretty good way to tell if you have a problem. If you see blue or green stains, you’re looking at mold that can be caused by excessive moisture that is likely from a leak. Always check your cabinets and basement each month to ensure that there are no leaks. If you do see the start of a leak, it’s far easier to repair while it’s new than if it’s done extensive damage.

2. Leaky Toilets Aren’t Usually Found Until A Water Bill Comes

Since the toilet has a base that has a tight seal, it isn’t always obvious that it’s leaking. Always keep an eye on the water bill in order to note any sudden increase in charges. If you see a sudden increase, there may be a leak somewhere. Check your flooring and underneath of the toilet. Listen for water that is running continuously. It’s not always easy to make sure it’s not a toilet leak. Call in the professionals if you suspect a leak.

3. When You Find A Problem, Use The Shutoff Valve

Whenever there are plumbing issues, you’ll want to find the shutoff valve for your water supply. This can stop any large issues before you have a flood. You may have to be without water for a time while the issue is repaired, however, it will beat having a flood in the basement or elsewhere. If you can’t find the valve, check in the garage or the basement. Keep in mind that if there is a puddle of water you should watch for any live wires so that you don’t electrocute yourself.

4. Prevention Is A Necessity

It’s important to understand some preventative measures for your plumbing. Having some basic knowledge can be a great boon to keeping your plumbing in proper order. All exposed pipes should be covered to prevent freezing and bursting. Check your pipework by looking inside of cabinets, basements, crawlspaces, and garages. When it comes to plumbing, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

5. Drain Cleaners Aren’t Always Best

Drain cleaner should be sparingly used at best. It works as long as it’s used with caution. It’s poisonous and must be kept out of reach of children as well as pets. It also can damage pipes, it can damage drains and it can leave a worse mess than before. Always consider what is best for the plumbing. Drain cleaners are sometimes overkill and can do more damage so avoid this.

We hope these plumbing tips have been helpful. If you’re having an issue with your plumbing and you feel it’s beyond your ability to fix then please give us a call.

How to Prepare your Home for the Winter to Avoid a Plumbing Emergency

Today's Frozen Pipes Are Tomorrow's Plumbing Emergency

Plumbing emergencies are something many people don’t want to deal with because it can result in a lot of damages and cost a lot of money to deal with. This is why it is wise for people take steps to reduce the risks of having to deal with an emergency.

Winter is a season when many people end up calling us for emergency plumbing services. The good thing is you can reduce the risks before the weather gets too cold. Below are some tips that will go a long way in helping you when preparing your home for the winter season. We know that if you follow these tips you will go a long way towards protecting your property.

Plumbing tips For Winter

Winterize Outside Faucets

The faucets are exposed to the elements, making it important to winterize them. Start by disconnecting and draining the water hoses, then shutting off the water supply to the outside spigots if there is a separate shutoff valve. If you have an outdoor kitchen faucet, use the same process. When the water left inside the faucet freezes, it will result in a buildup of pressure and this could result in the bursting of the pipe inside or underneath the home. Do this and you will not have to start dealing with burst pipes.

Insulate Water Pipes In Unheated Areas

Water lines that run through the attic, crawl spaces, or garage are prone to freezing when there is a drop in temperature. Adding a layer of insulation is a good idea. You can wrap them using a heat tape, foam sleeves, or newspaper. If you are looking for even more protection, then ensure the garage door is shut down during the cold days to protect the pipes inside the garage.

Check Your Furnace

If your furnace breaks down you will have to live without heat until the problem is fixed, and this will leave the water pipes vulnerable to freezing temperature. You should make sure that your heating system is in good condition before winter comes.

Open Cabinets

If outside is very cold, there are rooms in your home that will be colder than others, and when you leave the cabinet doors open, warm air will be able to circulate around the pipes. This can seem like a small thing, but it has a lot of impact.

Call a plumber when you need help

Consult a Local Plumber

It is a good idea to talk to a professional plumber who will help you with more tips to avoid problems during the winter. Call Plumbing Emergency Rescue to speak with a plumber near you.

The Hidden Dangers Of Leaky Water

A tiny leak or a small occasional drip may seem like no big deal; it’s not really harming anything, right? However, what many homeowners don’t know is the hidden dangers of leaky water, and how even the smallest drips or leaks can translate into a hazardous situation. At Plumbing Emergency Rescue, our professionals are well-versed in the dangers of leaking water, which is why we are available to call on 24 hours per day to fix these leaks before they turn into a more serious problem.

Leaky water will most commonly come from sinks, hot water heaters, or toilets, and perhaps even a combination of the three. Typically, they will first present themselves as an occasional drip difficult to spot, but the water accumulation they provide should be ceased all the same. Because these fixtures are those used within a household more often than any other throughout the course of any given day, they are given more opportunities to break down or malfunction, with leaks just being one common method of doing so. Continue reading →

How to Keep Your Pipes From Cracking or Clogging

As the weather begins to get cold here in the Long Island/New York City area you need to attend to all of your exposed pipes by adding insulation to them. Pay particular attention to pipes located in crawl spaces and the outside walls of your residence. Taking this step will help ensure that your pipes continue to function throughout the winter.

When concerned with plumbing, you need to know what can cause noisy pipes. This is important because it can mean the difference between an annoying noise and flooding in your house. Do your research to distinguish between the different noises and hire a professional if any serious risk is posed.

Do not pour grease or oil down any of your household drains. Put them in containers and place in the fridge until they are solid, then throw them away. If you pour them down the drain, they can solidify in cold pipes. These solid masses will clog your pipes and are very difficult to remove.

Make sure that you disconnect all hoses outside your house when the fall season hits. This is important to reduce the chance of freezing, which can cause damage to the connecting pipes. Disconnect all of your water hoses and store them safely to put your family in the best position for the fall.

We hope these tips provide you some much needed insight on how to keep your home’s pipe from cracking or clogging. However, if you do have damage to your pipes that need to be repaired please use the information on this site, www.plumbingemergencyrescue.com as your main resource.

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