7-plumbing-donts

The 7 Don'ts of Plumbing that Every Homeowner Should Know

1. Don’t block water supply valves or sewer cleanouts.

If you have a plumbing emergency, the last thing you want to do is fight with 100 under-the-sink cleaners, artificial plants, furniture, waste-baskets and other household items to access various water valves as water spews into your home.

2. Don’t close a tap too tightly.

When you close taps tightly, seals wear down faster. Be gentle with your plumbing fixtures to prevent the most common household leaks.

3. Don’t cut into walls, ceilings or floors blindly.

You may be surprised to find out how many pipes are in the walls, ceilings and floors of your home. Don’t ever cut into something in your home without knowing what’s behind there. Aside from rupturing pipes, you could also be getting the shock of your life.

4. Don’t attempt a do it yourself plumbing fix on a Sunday or holiday.

When easy plumbing fixes take a turn for the worse, having a plumber out after normal business hours can cost you more than your little project was budgeted for.

5. Don’t pour hot water into your toilet.

Toilet bowls are usually very cold. A drastic change in temperature can crack the bowl.

6. Don’t store things near your water heater.

Most people know enough not to store things near a furnace, but your water heater gives off an immense amount of heat as well. Be careful not to store anything too close to your water heater to prevent fires.

7. Don’t pour fats, coffee grinds or cooking oils into your drains.

These waste materials can build up in your pipes, or in sewer pipes, causing blockages, backups, and sewer overflows. A little mindfulness can save you a lot of money over the life of your home.

replace old plumbing

Is it Time for Your Old Plumbing to be Replaced?

As the old saying goes, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

The age of your pipes is a factor in their eventual failing, but performance is everything. Each home has a different water supply. A home with more acidic water may wear out your pipes much faster than a home fed by a clean natural spring nearby.

Signs Your Pipes are Failing:

·         Your water has an odor

Your water supply should never smell. Most of the time, any odor coming from your pipes is indicative of bacteria growth. When pipes begin to scale, bacteria can start to gather and fester. This is a good sign a section of your plumbing may need to be replaced. A less common cause of odor is methane in the water supply. Methane is flammable and is not a welcome guest in any pipe system. Lastly is chlorine. If you smell chlorine, it’s not a sign that your pipes are failing, but it may be a motivating factor for improving your water conditioning system. Chlorine is actually recommended by the EPA to prevent the spread of bacteria and disease, but too much of is generally unpleasant.

o   If your water has an odor, you should have your water tested by a plumber. Contact Jersey Plumbing services today for a quick and easy water test. (908) 281-7101

·         Cloudy or colored water

Dark water is an indication of corrosion in your pipes. As your pipes rust, the particles will be swept into the water supply, resulting in tinted water. Pipes with corrosion problems are more likely to clog, which can result in a burst pipe.

Cloudy water is almost always a result of air bubbles, which is not a problem. Occasionally, cloudy water is from mineral or sediment deposits. Water with a lot of sediment is more prone to clogging your pipes. In rare cases, cloudy water can be a sign of methane gas, which may or may not have an odor.

o   If your water is discolored, you should have your water tested by a plumber. Contact Jersey Plumbing services today for a quick and easy water test. (908) 281-7101

·         Water Stains or a Musty Smell

When your pipes start to leak behind the walls or in the ceilings, it may not become apparent until there are brown water stains on your walls/ceilings or a musty smell in any room of the house. When something smells “musty” what you actually smell are the waste products of mold. (Essentially, you smell mold farts.) Mold grows only in moist areas, so if you smell their byproduct, or see signs of mold on your walls/ceilings/floors, there’s a good chance you have a leak somewhere.

o   If your notice any of these, you will want to get a plumber immediately. Water damage gets more expensive to repair for every minute that it’s left to sit and seep into your home. Contact Jersey Plumbing Service at (908) 281-7101

 

 

Call Today!(908) 281-7101

Would you like to have your pipes professionally assessed? Contact Jersey Plumbing Service Today!

Jersey Plumbing Service
PO Box 7371
Hillsborough, NJ 08844
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Fax: 1-908-647-1517

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