Factors For HVAC Contractor - Guidelines
Find The Plumber That Does The Job Right
Have you ever had a plumbing problem that you felt you couldn't solve on your own? Was the problem just over your head? Were you afraid of what might happen if you mess with things you don't understand? Read on to find out how to become more confident about solving problems next time your plumbing goes wrong.
On very cold winter nights, allow your faucets to trickle slightly, especially if your pipes are located in a crawlspace. The running water prevents the pipes from freezing as quickly as they would otherwise. You can catch the water and use it for other household needs to prevent wasting it.
You need to winter-proof your house. You have to make sure you switch of the master circuit breaker or the shut-off valve before you leave your house. Since one small hole or congested water can quickly freeze and cause pipes to break and expand, you need to drain and open all outdoor and household water lines.
When concerned with plumbing, you need to know what can cause noisy pipes. This is important because it can mean the difference between an annoying noise and flooding in your house. Do your research to distinguish between the different noises and hire a professional if any serious risk is posed.
If you have a clogged drain, don't use cleaning chemicals to try to clear the clog. These harsh chemicals can corrode your metal pipes leading to leaks and broken pipes over time. Instead, stick to a plunger or make use of a plumbing snake to clear them.
Check your gas water heater periodically to make sure the pilot flame is lit. The correct color for this flame should be blue. The tip of the flame should be yellow. If you find that you are only seeing a yellow flame, you may need to call a professional for safety reasons.
If you have any water in your dishwasher that should not be there, check the connection on your kitchen sink. Your hose must run in a hill pattern to avoid water mixing. Think of the St. Louis Arch -- start from your sink, go uphill with the hose, and then down before connecting to the dishwasher. This way, only pressurized water can travel through the hose. Leakage won't be an issue.
To make sure there is no accident or sudden rush of water when you tackle a plumbing project, make sure you are ready for a cleanup. If you go into the work with a huge stack of towels and blankets ready to absorb water, the prospect of needing to actually do it will keep you alert enough to avoid triggering the accident in the first place.
Make sure that any exposed pipes in your home are insulated, especially those found in crawl spaces on the outside walls of your home. This will help keep them from freezing and causing you tons of problems. Frozen pipes can often be devastating and leave you with problems that are expensive to fix and no water in the middle of winter.
Have you tried patching your pipe with the store-bought patching kits only to have that section of your plumbing continue leaking? Replacing the damaged pipe is a more permanent solution than patching. First, you must shut off the main water valve, and drain the water from the damaged section. Cut out the damaged section of the copper pipe, leaving about an inch of extra pipe on both sides of the damaged area. Remove corrosion from inside the pipes with a wire brush. Apply flux to the replacement pipe and the remaining pipe. Slide the piece of replacement pipe into place with couplings. Apply solder all around the joint, and use a propane torch to solder the replacement section into place.
The most important plumbing tip you need to know is Commercial Plumbing -- how to turn off your home's main water supply. Once the water is shut off, you can investigate problems and figure out how to resolve them. Walk the family through the house and show them where all the water shut-off valves are, and how to use them.
Sometimes low pressure in water lines can be fixed just by cleaning sediment out of the aerator. Take apart the faucet, and clean the aerator with vinegar and a small brush. After rinsing the aerator, put it back together and reinstall it. Removing obstacles in aerators should improve the water pressure.
If you cannot turn off your main water valve before leaving on vacation, turn off the individual valves for the toilets, sinks, and washing machine. If the valves do not look like they are in good working order, then leave them on and that will be something that you need to have changed when you return.
To better the efficiency of the water heater, see what size a tank your household requires. If you are aware of how many people and appliances will be using hot water, you can determine the appropriate capacity.
Always keep a trash bin in the bathroom so that you can dispose of cotton swabs, facial pads, and hair. Do not put these materials in the toilet as they can cause clogs over time and disrupt your water flow. These items will not dissolve or break down when submerged in water.
Never pour grease of any kind down your kitchen drains, especially grease from animal sources, which tends to harden rather quickly. The grease can congeal in your pipes and cause disastrous clogs and back-ups. It's better to dispose of grease in the trash to keep your drains flowing well.
Mold growing at the base of your toilet can indicate that condensation is forming on your toilet bowl thanks to room temperature versus bowl and water temperature, or that you have a leak in the wax seal around your toilet. To replace the wax seal, turn off the water to the toilet, disconnect from the water supply and then lift the toilet and replace the ring. The real trick is setting the toilet back down on the ring correctly. Buy an extra ring in case you mess up and to avoid having to run to the hardware store in the middle of the job.
Are you searching for a simple tip to inspect your home for slow leaks in your plumbing system? Simply take a reading on your water meter before bedtime. Upon waking the next morning, without using any water overnight, take another reading. If the reading has changed, you will know that somewhere in your plumbing system you have an undetected, slow leak.
Remove all foreign objects from your drain, before you clean the area with chemicals. These objects include all kitchen utensils, fruit pits and certain types of metal objects. These cannot be flushed down your drain and could damage your unit significantly, if you put them through the garbage disposal.
Plumbing is actually a serious thing, and when you know what the issues are and how to deal with them, you are that much closer to fixing them. Use the tips that you have read, and you can fix the problem by yourself or with the help of a professional, easily and successfully.
Victoria plumbing company installs free hot water tanks for veterans in annual draw
A Vancouver Island plumbing company has found a unique way to give back to veterans: giving thanks by giving tanks.
Every Remembrance Day, Wade Roberts Plumbing holds a draw and selects three former members of the Canadian Forces to receive free hot water tanks, and each tank has a story.
Zack Jilg is a plumber and gas fitter for the company, and he was one of the driving forces behind the idea.
Jilg's best friend, Private Chadwick James Horn, was killed in Afghanistan in September 2008. Each of the free hot water tanks the company installs also comes with a plaque honouring the memory of a fallen Canadian soldier.
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Jilg made sure he was the one to install the tank bearing Horn's plaque.
"He was really charismatic," Jilg said of his fallen friend.
"He boosted my confidence in myself. I owe a lot to him."
Owner Wade Roberts says he knows hot water tanks are expensive and that they can make a difference in people's lives.
"Somebody who may be on a fixed income may find that a tough pill to swallow," he said.
The plumbing company plans to hold the draw every Remembrance Day. Anyone can submit a vet's name to the company year-round to enter the draw.
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1X3j2dUMkQqZ4ImAJ3qmoXo7Yp3HIN9bCIShITqsPUPg/edit?usp=sharing