Plumbing is a major part of your home’s infrastructure, and every homeowner is going to need qualified residential plumbing services from time to time. Plumbing companies do everything from tying your home into the municipal sewage mains to adding new water lines to a workshed, but the most common plumbing needs are for drains that aren’t flowing properly or sewer lines that are backing up into the home.
Some plumbing problems can be corrected by the homeowner using an ordinary plumber’s plunger, but other problems require more specialized approaches such as forcing a plumber’s snake through the line, replacing broken pipes, or installing new sewer lines.
Home Plumbing Inspections
If you have not located the source of a clogged drain or blocked sewer line, you can schedule a home plumbing inspection with your local home plumbing services company. During the inspection, workers will check your drains and P-traps, verify that your water lines are in good condition, and examine faucets and valves to make sure they are working properly. You will then be notified of the problems that have been located and can choose to repair or replace any defective parts of your plumbing system.
1. Drains and Faucets
Clogged drains are the most common type of plumbing services. From toy cars to washcloths, drains can become clogged with any number of items. Small children often put toys and other interesting things inside toilet bowls and flush them away. Unfortunately, most of these items are too rigid to go around the bowl’s P-trap, and end up getting stuck in the drain between the bowl and the sewer line. To be fair, drains can be clogged for other reasons as well, including grease buildup, broken sewer lines, and nonfunctioning septic systems.
It is sometimes difficult to identify the source of a clogged drain without a household plumbing inspection, especially when the problem is under the home foundation or somewhere outside the walls of the house. Rooter services can eliminate a majority of sewer line clogs, but some situations require more in-depth operations, up to and including sewer line repair and replacement.
Another common household problem is a plumbing valve that has stripped and no longer works properly. In some cases the water will not turn on, and in others there is always a constant drip or flow. While some faucet systems can be repaired or have washers replaced, it can be time-consuming to repair rather than replace. Some plumbing valves –specifically those used in showers or tubs- cannot be removed from the line and must be repaired or replaced in place. This requires specialized tools and plumbing experience, and should be done by a trained professional.
2. Sewer Services
Like clogs, a lot of different things can happen to your sewer lines. They can be clogged, blocked, broken, crushed, and flooded. A common problem is to have a sewer line penetrated by tree roots, at first blocking the flow of sewage, and then destroying the sewer line. Traditionally, repairing a sewer line problem involved digging a ditch, repairing the line or replacing pipe, and then filling the trench afterward. The process was often destructive, causing damage to driveways, landscaping, and lawns. Inside the home, it was often necessary to cut out a section of your foundation slab, and then rapport it after the repair.
A more modern approach is to use trenchless sewer services. This type of repair causes less damage to your home and property, can be completed with fewer workers, and typically takes a fraction of the time to complete. Instead of a long trench, holes are dug at each end of the line being replaced and then special underground equipment is used to assess and repair the damages. Trenchless sewer lines can go straight under asphalt or concrete without causing any damages or shutting down walkways and drives.
Other Home Plumbing Services
Clogged drains and sewer lines are the most common plumbing services, but there are many others, as well. Water heater repair and replacement is going to affect every home eventually because water heaters deteriorate with time. Water lines may break or rattle in the walls. Or maybe your house is being renovated and you want to rejuvenate your bathrooms during the remodel. Even your outdoor landscape sprinklers need to be installed by qualified plumbers who can calculate the pressure requirements for each irrigation zone.
If you haven’t had to replace a wax toilet ring yet, it will happen eventually. When the wax ring becomes damaged, your toilet may even leak directly onto your bathroom floor. The first symptom of a wax ring deteriorating is when the toilet begins to rock or wobble every time someone sits on it. Untreated, the wobble will become more and more pronounced, and eventually the rin will give way and raw sewage will begin to drain.
DIY Plumbing
There are some jobs you can do yourself, but there are also times when only a plumbing professional can solve the problem. Plumbing plungers can remove semi-rigid items that are lodged in the drain, for example, and trying to use a snake without any training can severely damage porcelain toilet bowls, separate PVC joints, or even make clogs worse. Unless you are comfortable with your plumbing knowledge, the best advice is to call a plumber and get the job done right the first time.
Hiring a professional is even more important when it comes to plumbing problems inside your walls or above ceilings. These spaces are also commonly used for electric wiring, and a mistake in cutting through the drywall could cause accidental electrocution.
Every homeowner is going to need residential plumbing services occasionally. It is pretty easy to accidentally dig over a plumbing or sewer line, and exterior lines are vulnerable to tree roots penetrating the pipes as trees grow. Valves wear out. Plumbing is important for your family’s safety, convenience, and health, so make a habit of hiring a plumbing service as soon as a problem develops instead of waiting on a small problem to create a major issue.
Ehret Co. Plumbing & Heating
Ehret Co. Plumbing & Heating provides 24/7 household plumbing services for homes and multifamily buildings. We pride ourselves on our professional and quality work. Contact us through our online contact form or call us at 510-528-4292 for residential plumbing services any time, any day of the week.
