Pipe Gripes - HELP Plumbing, Heating, Cooling and Electric

Get a Plumbing Tune-Up

Although we usually associate the term “tune-up” with cars, your residential plumbing system also requires some tuning up from time to time.

Having a qualified professional perform a plumbing tune-up in your home helps ensure the continued functioning and safety of your plumbing system with key maintenance and inspection services. Additionally, getting a plumbing tune-up can save you money by reducing your water bills and detecting minor problems before they grow into costly repairs.

An annual plumbing tune-up should include the following services:

• Changing of faucet aerators
• Testing of shut-off valves, supply tubes, traps, drains, systems
• Dye testing of toilets
• Testing of emergency shut-offs
• Labeling of emergency shut-offs
• Checking of water and gas pressure
• Adjustment of water and gas pressure as necessary
• Checking of hose bibs

Plumbing tune-up services such as changing aerators on faucets, dye testing on toilets and water pressure adjustment can help reduce your household water consumption, while testing and labeling of emergency shut-offs and gas pressure testing services are important for safety. Having the components of your plumbing system checked for leaks and blockages helps prevent plumbing emergencies, such as flooding.

Before hiring a plumber to perform a tune-up on your home plumbing system, it’s a good idea to make sure this contractor bears the Technician Seal of Safety, which ensures that employees are adequately trained, background-checked, and drug-tested. Also check that the plumbing company is Green Screened to verify their expertise in and adherence to green plumbing practices.

For a comprehensive plumbing tune-up from a reputable and experienced plumber, schedule service with Thompson Plumbing, Heating & Cooling. You might also consider joining our Energy Savings Club to get the best value on our plumbing and HVAC services. Energy Club members receive a free home plumbing tune-up, as well as a home water efficiency evaluation. Call 513-333-HELP for more information.

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Pipe Gripes is written & published by Thompson Plumbing Heating & Cooling

Plumbing Tips for Renters

It’s important that any plumbing problem you encounter is fixed as expediently as possible to avoid a costly plumbing disaster.

However, as a renter there are some limits to your ability to address these problems yourself.

Contact your landlord about plumbing problems. Many renters neglect to inform their landlord about minor and major plumbing problems because they are afraid the landlord will say that it’s the renter’s fault. Keep in mind that your landlord is legally required to keep their rental property in livable condition. Plumbing problems caused by normal use are also the landlord’s responsibility. Nevertheless, you’ll need to get permission from your landlord before hiring a plumber.

Read your lease. You will want to call your landlord about a backed-up septic tank or in-wall leak. But you might be able to address some minor problems such as a leaky faucet or slow-running drain by yourself. It’s important to check your lease before doing anything major like snaking a drain or even pouring clog-freeing chemicals down the drain. These actions may be forbidden according to your rental agreement.

Prevent clogs. The number-one plumbing issue encountered by both renters and homeowners is clogged drains. To avoid the whole hassle of dealing with landlords and plumbers, it’s best to prevent these clogs from occurring in the first place. Hair is the number one culprit for clogged shower drains. Be sure to install a hair-catcher if one’s not already in place. And never pour grease or oil down the kitchen sink. If you cause a clog with this kind of negligence, you will probably have to pay for it yourself!

Take legal action, if necessary. If your landlord refuses to fix a major plumbing problem, or the landlord’s neglect of a plumbing issue causes you property damage or injury, consider talking to a lawyer. You might be able to force the landlord to pay for a plumber or for your damages if you use the proper legal channels. Start your research by looking into your state’s rent withholding and repair-and-deduct laws.

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Pipe Gripes is written & published by Thompson Plumbing Heating & Cooling

Why Replace My Galvanized Pipes?

Galvanized Pipes in Older Homes

In most homes that are over fifty years old, the plumbing system will include galvanized piping. In fact, many homes that are even newer than half a century can still have this type of piping.

Galvanized piping was created and placed in these homes because it was believed they would not rust. The steel of galvanized pipes are covered in a thin layer of zinc that is meant to protect them from corrosion. Unfortunately, that is not the case. They often corrode from the inside out, leaking decay into the home's water. Over decades, this rust can continue to build up and corrode inside the pipes, causing blockages and leaks as well as issues with appliances and water contamination.

Galvanized pipes are much cheaper than copper or PVC to install. However, they are far less durable and have a great number of disadvantages. Some insurance companies will not even offer homeowner's insurance to people with galvanized piping.

Are Your Pipes Clogged With Rust?

In most cases, galvanized piping in the home will last no more than 40 years. The flow of water through these pipes will eventually be completely blocked off due to rust and mineral deposit accumulation.

If you own an older home and have noticed the water pressure is gradually decreasing, you are likely to have galvanized piping. One telltale sign is red water. If you turn on a faucet where the water has not been used lately and red water initially flows out, then you know the pipes are rusted inside and need to be replaced.

Can I Replace Only the Effected Pipes?

Because galvanized pipes and others such as brass and copper are not compatible, it is advisable to replace all galvanized pipes in the home at the same time. In places where the copper pipes and the steel of the galvanized pipes meet, corrosion will occur much more quickly. Although some joining techniques claim to reduce this problem, it is still very common.

In the long run, it is much more cost efficient to remove all galvanized pipes from the home and replace them with more modern piping.

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Pipe Gripes is written & published by Thompson Plumbing Heating & Cooling

 

(Photo via Flickr)

Commonly Used Plumbing Abbreviations

Not sure what the plumber means by “ASTM pipe”? Shopping for faucets and don’t know the difference between a “BC” finish and a “BN” finish? To help you out, we’ve put together this handy glossary of some commonly used plumbing abbreviations.

API         American Petroleum Institute

ASME    American Society of Mechanical Engineers

ASTM    American Society for Testing Materials

BC           Brushed Chrome finish

BN          Brushed Nickel finish

CP           Polished Chrome

CSST      Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing

CW         Continuous Weld (small diameter pipe production method)

DWV      Drainage, waste, and vent systems to remove wastewater

ECO        Energy Cut Off

EF Energy Factor               A measure of water heater efficiency

ERW       Electric Resistance Weld pipe (most common pipe production method)

FHT        Female Hose Thread

FIP          Female Iron Pipe connection

FMPX    Female pipe swivel connection

GPF        Gallons per Flush

GPH       Gallons per Hour

HT           Hose Threads

HVAC    Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning

IPS          Iron Pipe Size (outside diameter)

ISO         International Standards Organization

JTU         Jackson Turbidity Unit

kPa         Kilopascal (a metric unit for pressure)

LDO        Lint, Dust, and Oil

LP           Liquid Propane (a fuel for water heaters)

MHT      Male Hose Threads (threads on outside of connection)

MIPC     Male Iron Pipe Connection

NPS        National Pipe Straight threads standard

P & T Relief Valve      Pressure and Temperature Relief Valve

PE           Polyethylene plastic material (can also mean “plain-end” pipe)

PHCCA  Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors Association

PSIG      Pounds per Square Inch Gauge

SAE        Society of Automotive Engineers standard (thread size used for nuts and bolts)

SJ            Slip Joint

SMLS     Seamless pipe

SN          Satin Nickel finish

TBE         Threaded Both Ends

T & C      Threaded and Coupled pipe

TDS        Total Dissolved Solids

TO          Threads Only

TPI          Threads per Inch

T & S      Tub and Shower

ULF        Ultra Low Flush (used to describe < 1.6 GPF toilets)

WH         White finish

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Pipe Gripes is written & published by Thompson Plumbing Heating & Cooling

Summer Pipe Maintenance

Not only is summer known as the home-buying season, it’s also a better time of year to check out your plumbing and make sure everything is in working order. Better to fix it now, than when the temperatures are freezing.

If you are looking to buy a home, a sewer inspection is always a good idea. Repairing any part of an underground sewer can be very expensive, making it a possible portion of your buying decision.

Whether you’re checking things out at your home, or one you’re thinking about buying, check the garbage disposal and the dishwasher for leaks. If you can, take a look at washing machine hoses to see if they are old or torn.

Check the water heater. The first four numbers of the serial number are the month and year it was made; if it’s more than 15 years old, it probably needs to be replaced. If there are any signs of rust on the water tank, problems are just around the corner.

In the bathroom, check around the bottom of the toilet for any signs of water damage. Flush the toilet to see how fast it goes. Also, check for lose (or leaky) tiles by pressing on the ones that come in contact with the bathtub. If the tiles feel soft, there could be water damage.

Next, turn on the water in the bathtub and in the kitchen sink. If the water pressure reduces a good amount, the piping may need to be replaced due to calcium and mineral deposits.

Check the basement, if there is one, and look at any exposed pipes for signs of needed repairs. It’s also a good idea to walk around the front and backyards; if there are any pools of standing water, there are broken pipes somewhere that need to be fixed. 

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Pipe Gripes is written & published by Thompson Plumbing Heating & Cooling