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4 Plumbing Basics Homeowners Should Know

12769895_sEvery homeowner should know plumbing basics so that there’s less mystery when water problems do occur. Gravity and pressure are two of the most fundamental concepts of plumbing, which is comprised of two separate subsystems.  The supply system allows fresh water in, while the drainage system forces waste water out. Knowing that water seeks its own level helps demystify plumbing systems. Below are some of the most important plumbing basics for homeowners to know.

1. Main Shut-off Valve

It’s a good idea to know where the main shutoff valve is in case of an emergency. Water coming into your home is under pressure, measured by a meter, which is usually in close proximity with the main shutoff valve. Knowing how to shut off this valve quickly can save your property from a flood caused by a broken pipe. 

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How to Snake a Drain: Tips from a Master Plumber

How to Snake a DrainIf you’ve got a plugged drain, then one of the first things you’re likely looking for is how to snake a drain. While this can be a somewhat complicated process for someone who has never known how to snake a drain, once you get the hang of it you’ll find that it’s easier than you thought. Let’s take a look at the simple steps and then cover a few essential tips.

Step 1:

First, put the end of the snake into the opening of the drain. Then turn the handle on the drum that houses the coiled-up drain snake. This gets the auger working so it can work itself down the drain.

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How to Unblock a Toilet Easily & Quickly

How to Unblock a ToiletClogged toilets are an unfortunate fact of life. Fortunately, most blockages can be dealt with quickly and easily using very basic tools. Here are 6 steps to help you unblock a toilet:

1. Stop Flushing!

If you flush the toilet once and it doesn’t clear the bowl, it is tempting to flush again. Resist this temptation! If a blockage is preventing your toilet from flushing, pumping more water into the bowl will only cause it to overflow all over the floor. Instead, turn off the water supply to the toilet (there should be a valve close to the toilet) or open the top of the toilet and lift up the float arm to prevent any more water flowing into the bowl.

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At-Home Methods for Clearing a Clogged Shower Drain

Clogged Shower DrainA clogged shower drain is the bane of every homeowner’s existence. Shower bases that are stubbornly slow to drain can leave you paddling around in a couple of inches of water every time you take a shower. Drains can also become completely blocked, rendering the shower unusable.

There are several techniques that you can use to clear a clogged shower drain. Next time you experience this annoying problem, why not give one of the following a try?

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What to Do When Your Water Heater is Leaking

Water Heater is LeakingThere is usually no reason to panic when your water heater starts leaking. It is a common problem faced by households and can be fixed without the help of a licensed plumber most of the time. When you find that your water heater is leaking, the first thing you should do is identify the source and cause of the leakage. It may be a worn out valve, faulty connection or corroded tank. Once you have determined what is causing the problem, fixing the water heater is a matter of changing the setting or repairing or replacing the faulty components. You may need a screw driver and an adjustable wrench for this job.

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Troubleshooting Your Kitchen Sink Plumbing Issues

Kitchen Sink Plumbing IssuesA blocked kitchen sink is a problem everyone faces at one time or another. For those who do dishes in the sink, it can be highly frustrating when the water refuses to drain away, or takes much longer than usual. It is often the result of large amounts of food scraps and other waste matters accumulating and getting stuck in the drainpipe. Clogged drainpipes are not the only kitchen sink plumbing issue you have to deal with from time to time. Other problems include leaking faucets, leaking drain baskets and broken garbage disposal units.

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What Kind of Problems Can a Plumbing Drain Camera Inspection Detect?

Even for professional plumbers, it can be difficult to detect what’s really going on in your plumbing system with the naked eye. How do you know what’s going on out of sight, below ground? That’s where plumbing camera inspection comes in. In order to diagnose the true cause of your plumbing issues, you need a plumbing company who has the right knowledge and the right technology to see what’s happening below ground level.

What is a Drain Camera Inspection?

Drain cameras have a small camera and light mounted on a flexible cable, which is fed into a home’s drain system to help provide insight regarding the health of their pipes, as well uncover the source of any existing issues. Our cameras have video recording capability, so you have access to a real-time walk-though of your drain system.

The best part of using a camera inspection is that it is a non-invasive method of getting to the source of the issue. No need to dig unnecessary holes or damage walls; the camera cable is simply fed into your home’s “cleanout” which allows for sewer access. A plumbing video camera inspection can help uncover those hard to identify problems that can occur out of plain sight. Here are some of the problems that a drain camera inspection can discover:

A plumbing video camera inspection can help discover those hard to identify problems that can occur out of plain sight. Here are some of the problems that a video plumbing inspection can discover:

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How to Fix a Leaky Toilet

Leaky ToiletFew things can cause more inconvenience in the bathroom than a leaky toilet. It makes the floor wet, spongy and slippery. If left unattended for a long time, it can permanently damage the floor. People have been known to slip on such a floor and hurt themselves. A leaking toilet is usually the result of nuts, bolts, rubber gaskets and spud washers in the toilet tank, deteriorating over time due to the action of minerals present in water and oxygen present in the air.

Fixing a leaky toilet is not difficult if you don’t mind doing some manual work. It mostly involves fixing loose nuts and bolts or replacing the corroded or worn out components with new ones. The first step is to determine the point where leakage is occurring and then take action accordingly.

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Exterior Foundation Waterproofing Techniques

Foundation WaterproofingBasement waterproofing is the only solution to keep water from getting into your basement and causing major structural damage, as well as mold, decay, and other moisture-related issues. Interior and/or exterior foundation waterproofing is required when ground water builds up in the soil raising the water table. This process causes hydrostatic pressure to occur and push against the walls and floors of your basement. Unless your basement is properly waterproofed, the water will force its way in through cracks in the foundation walls, openings caused by expansion and contraction of the footing-foundation wall joint and up through the floor cracks.

As foundation waterproofing is necessary anytime a structure is built below or at ground level, which is the vast majority of cases, the industry has developed various foundation waterproofing techniques. Although interior waterproofing can also help solve part of the problems, it cannot prevent by itself severe damage. Exterior foundation waterproofing remains the only method recognized by the International Building Code as adequate for the prevention of wicking and molding of building materials.

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