Some plumbing leaks are noticeable, while others are very difficult to detect, unless you have a good idea of what to search for. Leaks that are hard to see or find can cause a lot of damage, far more than the leaks that are noticeable. Many people don’t realize that plastic parts are found in many of the faucets and handles on the market, and these parts can easily crack when they are used frequently.

When such parts crack or become damaged, then water leaks can occur. These types of leaks can accumulate in a specific area. In turn, you’ll have to perform a thorough inspection in order to see if damage has occurred.

Here’s what to look for:

. Paint that is peeling
. Drywall that is bulging
. Mildew or mold, especially in a place that should be completely dry
. Mineral deposits
. Insects
. Sagging wood behind the wall
. Floor tiles that are loose or buckling

There are cases in in which leaks won’t be from drains or sinks. They can sometimes be because of the shut-off valves, which can be found behind the sink or just underneath it. If these valves are damaged, then you should replace them right away.

Valves need to be replaced when damaged. This is because the leak will only get worse as time goes by. In turn, more damage will end up occurring.

It is important to protect your home from leaks because doing so will save you cash. As soon as problems are discovered, then you’ll want to solve them right away. Signs such as rust around valves, drains and fixtures are indicates that moisture is going to places where it doesn’t belong.

Inspect your home. Look in places such as under the washer, under the sink or under your dishwasher. Don’t forget to search around fixtures in your bathroom.

Don’t attempt to fix leaks and damage yourself. Having leaks and plumbing damage isn’t anything to be embarrassed about. Always contact a professional plumber to handle all of your repairs.

Have you ever been awakened in the middle of the night by a persistent dripping sound and not sure of what it is? Do you know what to do if you discover a pipe has a leak or is broken? What should you do if you know that your sewer line is clogged and is causing an unpleasant odor in your neighborhood? Fortunately, you don’t need to know all the answers, you just need to take advantage of emergency plumber services.

A reliable and honest emergency plumber can help with all of your plumbing needs and can do so in a professional and efficient way. Listed below are a few situations for which an emergency plumber can help.

1. Sewer Line Replacement – This is not a job for anyone with a weak stomach or for an amateur. This is a full scale emergency and you need a full scale emergency plumber to assist you. An emergency plumber can handle this unsanitary and extremely complex situation with the utmost care and professionalism. The emergency plumber understands the urgency of the situation and will work to rectify the problem as efficiently as possible so you and your neighbors can get on with your daily lives with a minimum of distraction.

2. Leaking Pipes – If you have ever been awakened to the sound of a dripping noise in the middle of the night you know how unnerving and stressful that can be. You may wonder right away if the leak is going to be costly or how much damage it may cause to your place of dwelling. An emergency plumber will show up in the middle of the night, if necessary, as soon as possible to diagnose the problem and identify the solution. The best thing is that the emergency plumber will come up with a quick fix solution, so as to minimize the problem, until a permanent and reasonable solution can be implemented.

3. Backed up Garbage Disposal – We all enjoy the convenience of having a garbage disposal in our kitchen sinks because it makes the preparation of a meal so much easier. However, when we lose the use of the garbage disposal it can really throw a wrench into our plans and make cooking a real headache. Once again it is time to turn to the services of an emergency plumber. The plumber will get the problem solved and get your kitchen plans back on track in the least amount of time possible.

So whether you have leaky or broken pipes, a sewer line in dire need of replacement or a clogged up garbage disposal, you need to take advantage of the services provided by an emergency plumber. These plumbers stand ready to help you with the most frustrating, disgusting or mind boggling plumbing situations that a person could face. Do yourself a favor and find a plumbing professional in your local area so that when a plumbing emergency should arise you will be prepared to deal with it head on.

Faucets are an integral aspect of any house and they are used on a daily basis. That is why it is essential to keep all the faucets in a home in good working condition. There are many different problems that can plague faucets. At times they leak and they may make noise at other times.

In certain situations, it may be possible to fix or repair them, but there may be times when it is important to completely replace them. Faucet repair is an essential component of bathroom maintenance. One of the more common plumbing problems is a dripping faucet and one of the easiest issues to fix also. Despite that, many individuals ignore it and over time the issue continues to get worse.

Cost Factor

That also means that regular maintenance and additional expenses can help to resolve these types of issues. Aside from the money that you would need to spend on a brand new faucet, just remember that when a leaky faucet is left unattended you could end up wasting a lot of money on water. Also, the water that is wasted from the hot water faucet adds to your expenses to pay to heat water up before it leaks out into the drain.

Steps To Replace A Faucet

In general, you can fix a water faucet by just repairing the seat or replacing the washer. There are some basic steps that you need to follow, no matter what kind of faucet needs to be repaired:

– Turn the water supply off and then remove the handle from the faucet that holds the main part of the faucet together. There is a small screw that holds it in place and may have a plastic disc or button that needs to be unsnapped.

– Now take the hand off and check out the faucet assembly. Take the packing nut off with an adjustable wrench. Then twist the stern or spindle out.

– Take the screw out that is holding the washer in place. Penetrating oil can be used to loosen the nut if necessary. Check out the screw and stem and if necessary replace it.

– Get a new washer with the exact specifications as the old one to replace it. Hot water faucets required special washers. Ones that are used for cold water faucets have a tendency to become over-expanded and are not well-suited for this purpose.

Fasten your new washer onto the faucet stem. Then reinstall the whole assembly in the reverse order that you took it off.

– First, get the handle reinstalled and then replace the button or disc. Turn the water supply on and check the faucets for any leaks.

If you cannot fix your faucet on your own, give Plumbing Emergency Phoenix a call in Phoenix, AZ to have them replace it. Also, check to see if you have any other leak faucets in ay of your other bathroom to see if they also need to be repaired or replaced.

Gas leaks are very common in our home. They can be very dangerous due to the increased chances of them causing a fire, explosion or even carbon monoxide poisoning. They can go unnoticed for a long period of time because some of them, such as carbon monoxide is colorless and also odorless. Below are the leading causes of these leaks and how to fix them.

Common Causes Of Gas Leaks.

• Faulty Piping.

Piping from outside gets the gas into the home by crisscrossing under it, to connect the appliances, to the source. This piping can, with time, become faulty and lose its seal or even break off due to wearing off. This will, therefore, cause a gas leak.

• Poor Ventilation.

Carbon dioxide, along with natural and propane gas, can leak in the home due to poor ventilation or malfunctioned exhaust fans. Carbon monoxide can also leak into the home if the chimney is clogged. It is odorless, unlike natural gas and propane, hence a person may fall asleep and never wake up due to this.

Checking For A Gas Leak.

Gas leaks can occur in many places in the home. The most common areas are where pipes join together at the fittings, such as flex lines, tees, regulators and valves. These should be checked regularly. Also, these leaks can come from black iron piping corrosion that is not appropriately protected. When you smell something that gas a sulphur type smell such as those of rotten eggs near the gas pipes, you should call a plumber as soon as possible to fix it.

Gas leaks are hazardous and should be taken care of as soon as you smell that something is wrong. Calling a plumber is the best thing to do after noting that there is a leak since they will conduct proper testing to locate it, do repairs and inspections.

To ensure that every drain in the house is functioning the way it should, routine drain cleaning is essential. When it comes to large drains, basement drains and sewer lines, it is suggested that inspections be done every 2-3 years, depending on the presence of tree root systems and the age of the pipes. Adhering to such a schedule will help make certain that the pipes and drain system can last as long as possible.

There is a wide range of reasons why a drain could become clogged. However, most clogs are attributable to buildups of hair, grease, dirt and grime.

Many homeowners turn to commercial drain cleaning products as a means to solve this type of issue. It is admittedly a convenient, cost-effective answer. All that must be done is to purchase the product, pour some down the drain and allow it to sit. However, there are health concerns involved in such methods. Chemical products of this sort are corrosive and can harm skin that is put into contact with them. Fumes emitted from the products are also potentially dangerous, particularly to those with sensitive respiratory systems.

Nobody wants to be confronted by an emergency clog. It is also possible for the main sewer line to develop problems due to things such as tree root infiltration and the convergence of a series of other drains. If there is a particular drain in the house that is prone to clogs, this could be indicative of a more significant issue in the main sewer. Professional assistance is necessary in such scenarios.

Modern drain cleaning techniques are very efficient and can work wonders. Water jets that utilize high pressure levels can make a big difference in residential and commercial drains. However, not all local cleaning companies have invested in this type of equipment. As such, it really does pay to conduct a bit of research to identify drain cleaning professionals in the local area able to provide a high level of service at a great price. The difference in functionality after a thorough drain cleaning is conducted will more than make up for the inconvenience of doing this type of legwork. Emergency clogs will be a thing of the past, provided routine maintenance and cleaning is performed.

While a lot of homeowners and renters are vaguely aware of the existence of “sump pumps,” a lot of us aren’t exactly clear on what they are and what they do. The term tends to come up mainly in the context of a sump pump failure, and that lends the entire subject a scary aura. But rest assured, an effective sump pump is a really good thing to have! To learn the fundamentals about what a sump does, why it’s important, and even how to fix basic sump issues, just read on!

Sump pumps come in a range of different types. Some are permanently mounted in your home while others are portable. There are certain fundamentals that are common to all varieties of sump pump.

All sump pumps have the same purpose: They’re intended to prevent flooding by getting rid of any excess water collecting in the lowest level of your home. They also all run on electricity (though some may get that electricity from an independent generator).

Not every home has a sump pump. It’s a good idea to poke around and figure out whether or not you have one BEFORE you have a flood to deal with. If your home has a basement, look for a circular cover set into your floor, a little smaller than a manhole. This is where you’ll find a built-in sump pump if you have one.

Sump pumps can fail for a number of different reasons. One of the most common failures is simply losing access to the electricity the pump needs to run. This can get all too dangerous, because the same sort of extreme weather that might create a flood risk is also likely to knock out your home’s connection to the electrical grid. This is why a battery backup for your sump pump makes a great investment.

Your sump pump might also be knocked out of action by debris buildup. In most cases, you can fix this yourself by cleaning the pump out.

A lot of sump pump designs are triggered by a float switch, not unlike the float in the water tank of a toilet. If the switch breaks or gets jammed, your sump pump might not turn on at the right times. This is another problem that’s usually within most homeowner’s do-it-yourself capabilities.

Another handy preventative investment is a sump pump alarm. This will let you know when your pump starts and stops. It can be a good idea to install one because most pumps are extremely quiet when they’re working and entirely silent when they’re not. You don’t want to wait until your basement starts flooding to find out your sump pump is broken.

A sump pump, like all the other parts of your home’s plumbing system, can develop problems that you don’t feel comfortable or capable of fixing yourself. When you have such a situation, calling in a professional plumber to repair or replace your pump is the right choice. We strongly recommend investing in a battery backup and an alarm for your sump pump; they cost far less than cleaning up an undetected flood caused by a failed sump pump.

If your sump pump is crying out for professional help and it’s located anywhere in the Frisco, TX area, call Smith and Son Plumbing. They have decades of experience (operating since 1970) with every sort of plumbing issue, and they’d be happy to help you out.

Whether you’ve just purchased your house or you’re a longtime homeowner, plumbing is one of the most common parts of the home to forget about. It’s all too easy to take for granted that you’ve got working pipes until something goes wrong. What might seem like a sudden disaster on your end has actually taken a long time to build up, and there are plenty of warning signs you may have missed.

We’ve put together a list of some surefire signs that something is amiss with your plumbing. These issues might seem small, but even just one of them is reason enough to get in touch with a professional plumber right away. The longer you go without addressing these tiny plumbing problems, the sooner they might balloon into something much bigger.

1. No Water From Your Sink

This one might seem obvious, but it’s no joke: If your sink doesn’t let out any water when the knobs are turned, something is wrong! There could be many reasons for the lack of water flow, from a blocked main to a major leak somewhere in the pipes. Whatever the cause, it’s sure to lead to stress in a busy household. You should call a plumbing company immediately upon noticing this.

2. Constant Toilet Overflow

Listen, we all know that clogged and overflowing toilets happen. If you’ve flushed a lot of waste at once, it’s totally normal and understandable for a clog to happen. In these cases, you can just grab the plunger and get to work. Generally speaking, the problem will take care of itself after a few pushes off the plunger, and you don’t need to worry about it further.

Where an overflowing toilet becomes more problematic is when it happens all the time and for no apparent reason. For example, if you’re flushing down only a small amount of waste, or even no waste at all, and the toilet still struggles as though you’ve clogged it, something is wrong. In many cases, this might mean there’s a problem with backup deeper within the piping that your sewage runs through. Just using a plunger won’t be much help with an issue like that, but a professional plumber can take care of it in a snap. Be sure to get in touch with a professional who has access to high-quality drain clearing materials.

3. No Hot Water

Here’s a nightmare scenario: You hop in the shower one morning, flip the switch and prepare for some nice, warm water, only to be met with a freezing cold stream. There’s nothing more uncomfortable than a cold shower, and you’ll also be unable to perform other important household functions like washing the dishes. If you’re having trouble getting hot water from your faucets, there’s probably something going on with your water heater. Your house may be in need of a water tank or heater upgrade, or you may just need to get the pilot light up and running again. Either way, you should contact a plumber to check it out and determine what’s depriving you of warm water.

Give Us A Call Today

When it comes to something as vital as plumbing, you need a group of professionals you can rely on. Our team of experts can provide the highest quality of service for all your plumbings upgrades, repairs, and other needs. Call us today to get all the details and schedule an appointment.

Your plumbing system is one of the most important systems in your home. If you do not keep it properly maintained, a number of issues can arise and cause you problems. One of the most annoying issues of a plumbing system is a leaking toilet. A leak increases your water consumption, thus increasing your water bill. Some typical sounds associated with a silent leak are sounds coming from the toilet when it is not being used, needing to keep the handle pressed down to completely empty the tank, water that runs down the sides of a toilet when it is not being flushed and runs even when the handle has not been pressed down. These can point towards a leak; however, you may have a leak even if you cannot hear it or see it. This type of leak is called a silent toilet leak. In order to diagnose this type of leak, you will need to perform one of the following tests.

* The Dye Test

This test is very popular among homeowners. To perform this test, you will need to purchase a dye kit from your local plumbing supplier or your water company. The dye supplied is typically red in color. Once the dye has been purchased, you are ready to begin the leak test. Remove the water tank cover and any product that colors the water, such as a toilet cleaning tablet. In order to do this test, you will need completely clear water. Next, place enough dye in the tank to create a deep red color. Wait thirty minutes and verify if the water changed color. If the water has turned even a light pinkish color, you have a silent leak.

* Shut Off the Water to the Toilet
another way to determine if you have a silent leak is to turn off the water to the toilet at bedtime. In the morning, check the water level in the tank. If there is less water in the tank than there was when you went to bed, you have a silent toilet leak.

Toilet leaks can cause you to waste a lot of water. In fact, some homeowners lose as much as 500 gallons of water each day due to a leaky toilet. This not only increases your water bill but also is not good for the environment. There are several reasons for a leaky toilet, including a worn out ball or flapper, a crack or hole in the overflow tube, the gasket under the flush valve is damaged or a new washer or seat is needed for the ballcock.

Because silent leaks cannot be heard or seen, many homeowners do not know they have a leak until they get a huge water bill or experience a serious plumbing issue. One of the most important maintenance tests that a homeowner can perform is a silent leak test using one of the methods described above. Performing this test will ensure that your toilet is running properly, improve your water conservation efforts and keep your water bills low.

A water heater is one of those appliances you use daily. This is why you should perform key maintenance tasks. By doing this, you will be making sure your water heater runs for many years to come, and save money on costly repairs. When the water heater breaks down, you will be inconvenienced because you have to find other options, which can take a lot of time. Here are some tips that are going to help keep the hot water working well.

Lowering the temperature setting on the water heater
The default setting of most water heaters is over 10 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature recommended by most professional lumbers is between 115 and 120 degrees. When you set the lower temperature for your water heater, you are reducing the chances of the water heater overheating, and you can also expect to see up to 5% savings on your energy bill.

Inspecting the temperature and pressure relief valve
This is the safety valve on the water heater. When the water heater is heating water even after it has reached the set temperature, then it can result in an explosion because there has been a lot of pressure building up inside. To prevent this, the water heater is going to expel excess pressure and temperature through a valve, and the water heater is going to run normally. The three steps of inspecting the valve are;

– Lifting the T & P lever partway then allowing it to snap back.
– You should expect to hear gurgling noise because the valve is sending water to the drain.
– If it doesn’t do anything, then you should make an effort of contacting a professional so the valve can be replaced.

Performing a mini-flush on the water heater
Sediment is going to build up in the water heater tank over time. The sediment can cause the tank to corrode and also reduce the efficiency of your water heater. How often you are going to flush dependence on the hardness and acidity of the water in the area. Below is a simple guide to use in flushing a water heater.

– Shut off the power if you have an electric water heater because safety always comes first.
– Put a bucket under the drain valve or connecting a hose running to a safe place outside
-Open the drain valve of the water heater carefully turning it in a counter-clockwise manner. The water is very hot, and it can easily result in a person getting burned if they are not careful.
– After emptying one to two gallons, turn the valve clockwise to shut it down.

If the water heater hasn’t been maintained regularly, then you can expect to deal with a corroded valve, and it is not going to properly operate. If you don’t feel confident doing this, then you should call a professional plumber to do it for you.
While you can do a lot to prevent the water heater from breaking down, you will still need a professional to do a water heater inspection at least once a year.

Plumbing emergencies can crop up at any time of day or night; during such times, you need to be able to call in a qualified and reputable plumbing professional to rescue the situation. Often times, when disaster strikes people tend to throw everything they have learnt over time, opting for a quick and mostly cheap fix.

However, when it comes to plumbing, calling in the first name you see on online search results or phone directory may not work out well especially in the long run; a cheap and quick fix now may result into costly repairs further down the line.

Here are some useful tips on how to find the right 24 hour plumber to help you through a plumbing emergency.

24 Hour Service

First and foremost, you need to make sure that you are dealing with a 24 hour plumbing service. After a water pipe bursts and starts dumping gallons of water into your basement or any other part of your home, you have no time to waste calling plumbers that are closed for business, or too far away to come in during the middle of the night. In most cases, you will find that 24 hour plumbing services operate locally.

Customer Answering Service

The first sign of a plumbing service’s dedication to offering the best services to their customers is a helpful answering service. When you call the plumber’s number, do you get the helpful voice of a professional that understands the pressing nature of your emergency, or do you get an answering machine?

Of course the best services will have a knowledgeable and helpful professional answering all their calls.

Cost

As a rule of thumb, any price estimate you get over the phone is most likely going to be a base price; it is likely to go up, once the plumber comes to your house and takes stock of the sort of damage they need to fix. Furthermore, the cheapest repair option usually turns out to be the costliest in the long run. As such, avoid going choosing plumbers based on price alone, even during emergencies, instead considering how much value you get from their specific services.

While you might not have the time to properly vet each and every plumbing service available to you, using the tips above in mind when looking to hire a 24 hour plumbing service during an emergency will increase your chances of making the right hire.