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Reasons To Consult Your Local Plumbing Service | Katy, TX
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Sometimes we don’t think about plumbing until an incident occurs and we’re scrambling for emergency service. It’s highly preferable to develop a good working relationship with your local plumbing service and keep up on maintenance to avoid an emergency. Professional plumbers in Katy, TX, can offer assistance with routine inspections, repairs, remodeling projects, and plumbing upgrades that can benefit your household.
Water Softeners
Water softeners offer a wide range of benefits. Hard water contains a high concentration of minerals, such as calcium and magnesium. The mineral content can leave deposits and residue on plumbing fixtures and build-up inside pipes. It doesn’t damage plumbing directly, but years of hard water residue can reduce the functional lifetime of pipes, fixtures, and appliances. The excessive minerals can also dry out your skin and hair or make laundry feel harsh, scratchy, and stiff. You may even notice that soaps and shampoos aren’t as effective as they should be. A water softener contains resin beads covered in sodium ions. Magnesium and calcium ions are exchanged with sodium ions as water flows over and through the beads. Plumbing services include installing water softener units and regular upkeep, such as refilling salt and cleaning the tanks.
Water Shut-off Valves
Some things a plumbing service does on a routine basis are maintenance tasks to make sure everything is working properly. Checking the main water shutoff valve is important because it’s the best line of defense for your home in case of a plumbing emergency. If a fixture leaks or a pipe breaks, surprising large amounts of water can pour into your home in a surprisingly short time. It’s a good idea to have shut-off valves on individual showers, sinks, and toilets as well. If you don’t have localized shut-off valves, a plumbing service can install them for you. These valves let you turn off the water supply faster if something breaks, and you can also use the water in the rest of the house even if one fixture doesn’t work.
Common Plumbing Problems
Plumbing services also help homeowners prepare their plumbing for winter. The weather in Katy, TX doesn’t bring freezing temperatures very often, but they do occur. Exposed outdoor pipes are at risk of freezing and need to be insulated. Low water pressure can have several causes. It isn’t always easy to find the problem, but a plumbing company probably has plenty of experience with this common problem. Although you can still use most of your appliances and fixtures, routine tasks can take more time. Certain appliances need steady water pressure to work properly. Washing machines and dishwashers are especially vulnerable to inadequate water pressure. The hot water tank may be the issue if you only have difficulty with hot water, but not if it affects cold water too. One possible cause of low water pressure is a hidden leak. It’s important to catch it early because it could be causing water damage and encouraging mold growth as well. Your plumbing company has tools to find problems in pipes that aren’t easily accessed, such as those inside walls or underground. Small cameras can actually provide real-time video footage from inside pipes to locate cracks, clogs and other issues.
Upgraded Fixtures
Plumbing services don’t always need to focus exclusively on necessities and purely practical concerns. You can also consider new fixtures or appliances that may be more convenient or make life easier for someone in the household. Touchless fixtures are usually seen in commercial buildings, but they’re starting to become more common in private residences too.
Minimizing contact with plumbing fixtures, such as toilets and faucets, can reduce the spread of bacteria and other contaminants. Such fixtures are also useful for cleaning up after working in the garden, cooking, and other tasks that might leave your hands messy. You can wash your hands without getting the faucet dirty. Touchless fixtures are also good for people with arthritis or other conditions that make grasping small objects difficult or painful.
Water Conservation
If you choose to install new fixtures, it’s also an opportunity to save water. WaterSense-certified fixtures use less water than traditional fixtures. Toilets installed before 1993 use about 2 more gallons of water per flush than current toilets. New toilets, even fixtures that aren’t WaterSense-certified, use about 1.28 to 1.6 gallons for each flush. Dual-flush toilets use even less water, although they do require some maintenance. The manufacturer should include a recommended maintenance schedule, and your local plumbing service provider can take care of it for you.
Faucets are responsible for over 15% of average household water use. A standard faucet uses 2.2 gallons per minute, while a more efficient faucet can use less than 1.5 gallons per minute. That can add up to over 700 gallons of water saved each year. WaterSense showerheads use less than 2.5 GPM of water and save up to 4 gallons of water per day over a traditional showerhead. Aerating showerheads mix air and water together to create high-intensity pressure with less water.
Aerating showerheads mix air with the water flow to increase pressure and provide a sense of fullness while using less water. A rain-style showerhead also called a rainhead, is designed to produce a wide, gentle spray. It’s less pressure than a normal shower, but it spreads water over a much wider area. Some fixtures even contain speakers to play music during a shower.
Contact bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of West Houston when you need reliable plumbing service in Katy, TX. The licensed plumbers at Bluefrog are happy to answer questions, provide repair, maintenance, and installation services. They can also help you find solutions to plumbing problems or changes to make life more convenient.
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