Tips from Your Plumber for Making a Plumbing Plan for Your Home in Spring Branch, TX

7/30/2020

Photo By By Monkey Business Images at Shutterstock

Emergency Preparedness Plans

The first emergency plan, of course, is to keep our number handy! After that, a plunger can sometimes beat a plumber to clear minor slowdowns. It can make a tough clog worse, though, so be careful. Feel free to call us for advice, as well as to come on over and clear drains, leaks, and overflows 24/7. Your plumber can make sure slow drains are taken care of before they become emergencies, too. To help prevent overflows, find out where the main shutoff is and check to see if any sinks or toilets don’t have one.

Keeping Your Drains Flowing and Not Leaking

To cover this item, let’s check for leaky P-traps under the sink, make a note of any slow running drains as we mentioned, and make sure your sink drains close so you can fill the sink if you want. There are a lot of ways that drains can start to clog, from hair and shampoo residue in the bathroom to grease and rice expanding in the P-trap in the kitchen. You may want to have your plumber run our video camera down to inspect and review any slow drain problems.

Faucets, Fixtures, and Appliance Connections

Leaky faucets often need simple repacking which will save headaches and water bills, and your plumber can do these during a routine visit for other issues. This is a common problem on the hot water side of the faucet, and if you’re having to use force to shut off the water, that’s a job for the plumber as well. For all your appliances, connections and hoses should be reviewed for leaks and cracks, and you may want to replace the ones on your washer with high-grade stainless steel mesh hoses for longevity and peace of mind. Your garbage disposal is a special case, it may have connection leaks or leaks from other sections that suggest it’s time for a change. If you have an ice maker, how’s that tubing doing?

Plentiful Hot Water and Flood Avoidance

How old is your water heater? Is it having any trouble with leaks, overflow valve releases, or expansion tank failure? Your plumber should check these and review the capacity of your heater to make sure you have enough hot water for your family. Mention it to your plumber if you’re seeing evidence of rust in your hot water, you really don’t want to deal with a major leak. And if you need an anode heating element for an aging electric water heater, we can help with that too.

Potential Problems in Your Piping

Let’s look for signs of hidden pipe leaks that have bled through walls and ceilings and left stains, and check for visible leaks or buildup on outside of pipe joints. Do you have any pressure issues in your shower or elsewhere? Tell your plumber. You might have build-up in your water supply pipes, especially if they’re older. Look for drain leaks as well as incoming issues, though they aren’t usually under pressure they can still spring a leak.

Any Remodeling Plans?

If you have plans to update the house with a new kitchen or bathroom or expand it with extra living space like an in-law apartment, let’s talk. Your licensed professional is ready to advise on the plumbing and get the work done for you. We have extensive experience with new and old homes in the area and we know how to update and connect with the plumbing in area homes.

Reasons for Repiping

There are many reasons why you might want to have your plumber do a wholesale repiping of your home. For one, it’s more efficient than piecemeal repairs, but the most notable reason is existing pipe materials. Lead is a big problem in many cases, and some older PVC materials get brittle and should be replaced as well. Cast iron pipe can corrode over time and get thin which puts you at risk of leaks and breaks in your water lines, and so forth. Let’s review your home’s age and plumbing materials and see if that’s something you should put on your list for the future.

Under Pressure: Your Incoming Water Lines

We like to make sure you have a fully functioning water shutoff on your incoming line. Let’s also talk about any pressure issues and look for signs of possible leaks outside that are showing up as grass watered from below and money sent to the water department that you shouldn’t have to spend.

Your Sewer’s Status and Future

Your sewer has always been the big question mark for homeowners, but fortunately, it’s much easier these days for your plumber to check the status of the line to the street and also to do something about it if needed. Our video camera makes short work of inspecting your sewer line and in fact most pipes in your home, and rather than dig up your yard, many sewer problems are solved by patching and relining the existing pipe. It’s only if there are tree root intrusions and other damage that things get complicated. Let’s talk about the age of your sewer line and any drain backups you’ve been seeing, especially in your basement.

A Spring Branch, TX Area Essential: Sump Pumps

Let’s check out the function and capacity of this essential sentry against basement flooding and review the cleanliness of the sump in which it sits. The line to outside should be evaluated and power source double-checked for reliability.

Homeownership Is Easier When You Have a Handle on Your Plumbing

At bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of West Houston, TX we not only rush to your home in Spring Branch 24/7 when you’ve got an emergency, we help you plan for the future as well. Let us help you check out what you’ve got, make a list of projects to consider and issues to address, and help you relax and enjoy your property. Call us at 346-262-0129.