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3 DIY Care And Maintenance Tips For Your Plumbing Pipes

admin • Nov 24, 2017

Plumbing pipes have many functional roles in a plumbing system. Some are used to supply water from the water mains to the plumbing system, and then to distribute it to the entire house including the bathrooms, storage tanks, water heaters etc. Other pipes are used to drain waste water from various installations like sinks, toilets, showers etc, and also to drain flood water from the ground. Plumbing pipes are made from a variety of materials including copper, plastic/PVC, concrete, galvanized steel, cast iron etc. Regardless of their material construction or type, all pipes — like all the other components of a plumbing system — require regular inspection and routine maintenance. The following DIY hacks will go a long way in boosting the health of your plumbing piping system and possibly avoid emergency plumbing situations.

 

Leakage Control

One of the most common plumbing faults comes in the form of pipe leakages. Pipes leak due to physical damage or wearing out of their physical cover. Others leak at the joints due to detachment or the loosening of their joints or elbows with each other or with other plumbing installations. Pipe leakages can cause all kinds of problems depending on the nature and severity of the damage. Some leakages might appear pretty harmless especially if the leak is just dripping. Others can be quite severe if the surface tear is big and the leak is in a critical plumbing area like the sewer system. You can try to fix the minor leak in the former case but you will need to call a professional Woodbridge sewer and drain plumber to fix the latter case. The rule of thumb is that all leaks, big and small, should be handled the same — fast repairs. It starts with a routine and thorough DIY inspection of the piping system to check for leaks and if you find any, repair the pipes ASAP.

 

Unclogging Pipes

Another very common and incredibly problematic piping problem is clogging. Clogging occurs when water flow in a pipe or piping system is inhibited by insolvent waste. It can happen if a solid object gets lodged or trapped inside a pipe. The most common cause of clogging is the buildup of grease and gunk around piping bends or joints. As the blocked water accumulates, the piping system suffers backflow, which can be quite messy and hazardous especially if the clog is in a sewer system or drainage system. A simple DIY remedy for clogging is to use a plunger and to pour hot water into the drain pipe to melt the grease. You can also use an enzyme drain cleaner provided it’s not chemical-based.

 

Pipe Sleeves & Antifreeze Drip-On

Pipe sleeves are important pipe protection covers that are used to reinforce pipe joints and bends. They are installed on critical piping sections to prevent various piping faults and hazards ranging from physical damages to surface breakages, all of which can lead to leaks and even pipe bursts. Inspect and replace old and worn-out sleeves with new high quality ones. And to prevent pipes from freezing and even bursting due to pressure buildup in extremely cold weather, you should leave your taps or faucets barely on so that the water can continue flowing albeit in very small and spaced drops. Commonly referred to as the antifreeze drip on, this is not an industry recommended solutions but it’s still a highly effective hack to curb frozen water pipes.

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HOW TO CLEAN YOUR SUMP PUMP IN WOODBRIDGE, VA

By Plumbing Information • 25 May, 2021
Woodbridge, VA homes need sump pumps to prevent flooding. Flooding is very common in areas with heavy rainstorms like Woodbridge, VA. One of the most effective ways of preventing flooding is by installing a sump pump in your basement. A sump pump is a mechanical device used to pump floodwater away from the house. Its usually installed in a hole called a sump pit in the corner of your basement. When the basement starts to flood, the sump pump starts pumping the water automatically when it reaches a certain level. A sump pump requires electrical energy to operate. This is why the device presents serious problems during a rainstorm. Because as you very well know, power blackouts usually occur when there is a rainstorm in Woodbridge, VA. That is why you are advised to install a main electrical sump pump and a backup battery powered sump pump. The battery powered sump pump will kick in automatically when the main sump pump fails. One of the most important care and maintenance activities for a sump pump is regular cleaning. You can clean your sump pump on your own or you can request Woodbridge plumbing services for a professional wash. Company reviews are found at https://goo.gl/maps/BpfP3oystQbf4doV8. Read on to learn how to clean your sump pump properly in Woodbridge, VA. GET THE NECESSARY CLEANING SUPPLIES The first thing that you should do when preparing to clean your sump pump is to get all the necessary cleaning supplies. To clean your sump pump in Woodbridge, VA, you will need: · A bucket · A garden hose · A plastic scraper · A pair of protective gloves · A large plastic sheet Woodbridge-plumberYou will wear the protective gloves at all times to protect your hands from germs and other contaminants in the gray water where the sump pump resides. The plastic scraper will come in handy when removing all the dirt from the surface of the sump pump. And you will use the large plastic sheet to cover and protect the ground where all the cleaning will be taking place. If all of this sounds like too much, or too involved of a process for you to undertake, call 4FastPlumber. They can handle this for you with no problem. UNPLUG THE SUMP PUMP After assembling all the necessary cleaning supplies in Woodbridge, VA, you can now unplug the sump pump or turn off the power on the circuit breaker. You are now ready to remove the sump pump from the sump pit for cleaning. Before you remove the sump pump, make sure that no one is using any plumbing appliances that can drain into the sump pit. Also ensure that there is no basement water draining into the sump pit. CLEAN THE SUMP PUMP Take the sump pump outside your house in Woodbridge, VA and lay it on the large plastic sheet. Use your garden hose to clean all the dirt and sludge from the surface of the device. You will also use the plastic scraper to remove any caked debris from the surface of the sump pump. You should also drain and rinse the check valve. Leave the sump pump to dry and then reattach the discharge pipe. DRAIN AND CLEAN THE SUMP PIT Use a shop vac to drain any standing water from the sump pit in Woodbridge, VA. Clean out any other debris that might have accumulated in the sump pit before reinstalling the sump pump. REINSTALL THE SUMP PUMP Reinstall the sump pump and reconnect it to the power source. It’s now standing ready for use in the event of your basement flooding.

5 IMPORTANT THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR ARLINGTON, VA DRAINAGE & SEWER SYSTEM

By Drains & Clogs • 25 May, 2021
Arlington, VA does not suffer many sewer line problems. But when they do occur, the residents and business owners in the city really face the music. The drainage and sewer system is the backbone of the plumbing system. This critical section of the plumbing system is responsible for removing all liquid waste or wastewater from the house. This means that you should take all the necessary care and maintenance measures to ensure that the drainage and sewer system in your house in Arlington, AV is always in excellent condition. The drainage and sewer system starts in the kitchen and bathroom and ends in the municipal sewer system or in your private septic tank in Arlington, VA. It includes:Arlington emergency plumbing · All the drainage fixtures including the sinks, showers, toilets, faucets etc · All the drains including the sink drains, shower drains, toilet drains, bathtub drains, floor drains etc · All the drainage pipes · All the underground sewer lines · The main sewer line · The private septic tank You should put in all the effort you can to ensure that all these parts of the drainage and sewer system are always in good working condition. Here are a few important things that you should always remember about your drainage and sewer system in Arlington, VA. YOU CAN PREVENT CLOGS BY BEING RESPONSIBLE Clogs are the most common plumbing problems in every drainage and sewer system in Arlington, VA. Clogs are mainly caused by careless waste disposal habits. You can prevent clogs from occurring in your drainage and sewer system by adopting responsible waste disposal habits. Use the following tips to prevent clogs in your drainage and sewer system in Arlington, VA: · Do not flush solid waste in the toilet · Keep hair out of your shower drains · No solid food remnants in your sink drains · No soap remnants in your shower drains FREQUENT CLOGS ARE TROUBLE Although clogs are very common in every drainage and sewer system in Arlington, VA, they can indicate a more serious problem in your plumbing system. Frequent clogs are a sign of big trouble in your drainage and sewer system. Frequent clogs indicate that you might have: · A broken sewer line · A leaking sewer line · Serious tree root infiltration in your sewer system · A huge clog in your sewer lines · Imminent sewer backup in your house If you start experiencing frequent clogs in your drainage and sewer system, call an Arlington emergency plumber to come and check out your sewer system before things get worse. TREE ROOTS CAN CAUSE SERIOUS SEWER PROBLEMS All that beautiful vegetation cover in your compound in Arlington, VA is super nice and aesthetically pleasing. But those huge trees can ruin your underground sewer lines. Tree roots follow sewer lines for the promise of moisture and nutrients. They try to force their way through and if they succeed, you have a serious sewer problem on your hands. REGULAR CAMERA INSPECTIONS ARE CRUCIAL To avoid serious drainage and sewer line problems, hire 4 Fast Plumber Arlington to conduct sewer cameras inspections regularly. These inspections will reveal any existing or pending faults in your underground drainage and sewer lines, thereby enabling you to implement the necessary repairs before all hell breaks loose. The plumbing company can also be found at https://www.hotfrog.com/business/va/arlington/4-fast-plumber-arlington.

Why You Should Not Postpone Plumbing Repairs In Arlington, VA

By admin • 21 Sep, 2019
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