Are You Really Ready for These Common Plumbing Emergencies?
Everyone always expects the worst to happen to others. And while a plumbing issue may not be the worst thing they can think of, it’s definitely not high on their list of things they want to happen. As such, it’s no surprise that most people don’t expect a plumbing emergency to sprout up. And these things often happen at the most inopportune times possible. This is why there’s no better time like the present for homeowners to familiarize themselves with the ins and outs of the three most common plumbing emergencies.
Clogged and Overflowing Toilet
The first and most common plumbing issue involves an overflowing toilet. Any home’s toilets work very hard every day to safely remove waste from the house, so it’s not a big surprise that toilets will clog once in a while. But clogs aren’t the only things that can cause a toilet to overflow. A malfunction can cause this, too, although it’s not as common as a clog.
If a toilet does overflow, the first thing homeowners should do is locate the water shutoff valve behind the toilet and stop the flow of water to the fixture. This will allow them to address the situation without worrying about further water damage. Most clogs can be remedied by a plunger, but tough clogs may need the help of a professional plumber who will probably use a plumber’s snake or a hydro-jet.
Sewer Line Backups
Next on the list are sewage backups. These mishaps can be hard for homeowners to identify because they happen out of sight and, as a result, out of mind. Residential plumbing systems include incoming lines for water to the house and outgoing lines for sewage to leave the home. But when obstructions clog those outgoing lines, they can cause sewage to back up into the home.
It’s important for homeowners to be aware of signs of a sewage backup. These signs include gurgling drains or toilets, foul smells coming from the drains, dirty water coming up from the drains, and multiple drain clogs. Continuing to use the plumbing when there’s a drain clog can simply make matters worse, so it’s a good idea for homeowners to call a professional if they think they have a sewage backup.
Broken Pipes
It doesn’t have to be freezing outside to make a pipe burst. High water pressure and weak joints can cause this, as can corroded pipes. Even a hairpin leak in a pipe can cause extensive damage to a home if it’s not caught early. Burst pipes are easier to notice because they generally make more of a mess than a pinhole leak. But since a burst pipe will drain massive amounts of water until it’s addressed, it can do as much damage as a pinhole leak in a short amount of time.
These three common plumbing issues can happen at any time in any home, old or new. But calling a professional plumber can help get things sorted quickly, which can help homeowners avoid costly damage to their home or plumbing system.
About Super Plumbers
The friendly techs at Super Plumbers have over 10 years of experience in Tyler, TX. They offer 24-hour emergency service and a 100% satisfaction guarantee. For expert plumbing service, call today.
Communities like Tyler, TX know that plumbers bring safe water to all communities, especially those affected by flooding and hurricanes. Having a strong plumbing infrastructure in place in your home is crucial at all times but especially important during times of crisis, when sewage can back up into drinking water systems and deposit viruses, bacteria, and parasites into your water sources.
Dirty water, perhaps backed up through clogged drains can soak your walls, floors, and carpet and result in the growth of toxic black mold. When this happens, it is time to call in a plumbing superhero to restore order and hygiene to your plumbing infrastructure.
Superhero Plumbers Prevent Health Issues Due to Unclean Water
Infection can be the result of drinking, bathing, washing in, or cooking with dirty water. Unclean water can cause all kinds of dangerous health issues that can even be fatal.
1. Water-borne parasites such as blood flukes and guinea worms are found in pools of standing water.
2. Sewage carries microbes that can cause severe illnesses such as giardiasis, cyclosporiasis, and amoebiasis.
3. Bacteria in sewage and stale water can cause poisoning by such bacteria as s botulism, cholera, E. coli, dysentery, salmonella, and typhoid fever.
4. Viral infections such as coronavirus, Hepatitis A, poliovirus, and SARS are also spread through dirty water and wet surfaces.
5. Algae infections that grow in water can enter through wounds in the skin and cause severe systemic illnesses.
Superhero plumbers can make sure that your drains are clean and that the pipes in your home are not leaking or creating still pools of water that can cause mosquito and rat infestations.
Your plumber can also help you deal with any mold or mildew growing in your home by addressing the source of moisture that is feeding it and allowing it to grow.
How Water Conservation Helps Prevent Disease and Mold
When you live in a damp, humid areas, it is important to aid plumbers by practicing proper water conservation. The reduced use of water helps prevent the development of all kinds of terrible health problems:
1. Using less water minimizes the amount of toxic mold and mildew that can grow because using less water reduces the chances of it taking hold and spreading.
2. The installation of low-flow toilets and showerheads reduces the risk of pipes bursting due to high water pressure.
3. Reducing the risk of water pooling due to leaks and attracting disease-bearing creatures such as harmful protozoa, mosquitos, and rats.
4. Low flow water is easier to purify through the use of a UV filter. Reducing your consumption of water is also good for the environment.
Instead of turning the tap on every time, you need water, you can find creative ways to recycle it, such as collecting rainwater in barrels and using it to water your plants.
Greywater that contains soap can be recycled and be thrown on the parts of your property where you need to kill invasive weeds or keep pests away.
Indoor plumbing plays an important role in every household nowadays. Unfortunately, the only time most people think of plumbing in Tyler, TX when they experience a problem.
However, have you ever stopped to think that toilets, sewer systems, and pipes were also used in ancient civilizations?
Brief History of Indoor Plumbing
Plumbing was an idea that originated from the need of sanitation. Also, Proper waste disposal was something yet to be tackled.
This is where people figured out that there was a better method to deal with waste and distribute water.
The art of plumbing goes way back to the Indus Valley Civilization. This was as early as 2700 BC.
The Mesopotamians, Persians, and Greek were also gifted plumbers. In Greece, King Minos was the first to create water supply systems. They used clay tubes covered with glass. Also, they had a toilet wash and a canal to flood a storm sewer.
The Roman and Egyptian Invention
The Romans first built public and private toilets, sewage, and internal waterworks in 312 BC. The distribution system was designed to clean wastewater disposal as well as supply clean water.
Over the centuries, the Romans built hundreds of waterworks throughout the Roman Empire. Also, the first known latrines date back to the Roman Empire. The use of lead pipe inscriptions helped to prevent water theft.
Nevertheless, the Romanian Empire collapsed, and this also led to the fall of their plumbing glory days. Rome’s water supply stagnated for years after this collapse, and other countries also followed suit.
The Egyptians, on the other hand, developed copper pipes that were used to build sewage and irrigation systems. They also built elaborate bathrooms inside the pyramids as they believed that the dead deserved to have the same amenities just like the living.
The Qin Dynasties Hin China, Persia in the Middle East and the Maya used various forms of water heating, toilet water supply, and global plumbing cooling. Maya’s used porous limestone as a means to filter water.
Modern Plumbing Advances
Thanks to the ancient civilizations, you can now enjoy running water in your kitchen and even take a shower without having to worry. Some of the advances that have been made in modern plumbing include:
· Smart Toilets
You can now find smart toilets that can read your sugar levels as well as weight in your urine to provide health tips. Modern toilets can also mask bathroom noises with water jets meant to act as sound camouflage.
What’s more, you don’t need toilet paper with the new toilets thanks to waterjet technology. With just a wave of the hand, you can automatically close the toilet seat or flush the toilet.
· Cool Shower Technology
Back in the day, having a shower and a tub in the same place was considered cool. However, with recent advancements, you can now have a standalone tub specifically designed to suit your taste and needs.
Modern showers also come with LCD panels that allow you to control the water temperature and pressure. Furthermore, you can now enjoy singing in the shower, thanks to the inbuilt Bluetooth connectivity.
It’s amazing how much plumbing has evolved since the early years. Indoor plumbing started with the need to have sanitation and safety. This has been carried through to the modern homes, where you can now take pride in your beautiful showers, faucets, and bathrooms.
Texas isn’t the kind of state that necessarily gets covered in snow in the winter, so when summer does arrive here, it’s not the huge seasonal change that it might be in other parts of the country.
The days are going to get longer, and the temperature may go up a little, but there are other bigger changes that the season brings.
For families with children, for example, the kids are now off for two months, and that means spending more quality time at home or possible plans for a vacation. This can mean more water consumption during the season as kids use the hose and sprinklers on occasion.
Of course, less frequent rainfall can also means you use your own home’s water supply more frequently as well. But there are a few things you can do during the season to help offset the heavier water usage.
Put A Cover On Your Pool
If you own a swimming pool, you already have a ready source of water based entertainment that, once filled, shouldn’t make big demands of your existing water supply.
But you can still do better, especially if you decide to get a cover for your pool and use it. When not in use, a covered pool loses far less water to evaporation in a dry environment, meaning that you don’t need to use as much water replenishing your levels.
You also save on maintenance as a covered pool doesn’t get contaminated by leaves from trees or droppings from birds.
Make A Toy Carwash
If you’ve got some vehicles for your children—or other toys—that can stand to get wet, a fun water-based activity that doesn’t use a lot of water is to create a mud pit and car wash.
Get two containers, one with dirt and water, and another with water, and let your children have fun running the toys through the mud.
The second phase is where they can restore the toys to a clean condition. Since it’s outdoors, they can make all the mess they like, and the toys themselves clean up easily. Whether it’s cars, dolls, or action figures, this can be quite a diverting activity for kids without demanding huge amounts of water.
Get A Rain Barrel In Your Yard
If you’re planning on letting the kids have water fun in the yard, that’s no reason to let your water bills go up.
You can offset the need to use the hose and sprinklers more frequently by just having a rain barrel!
Plants can’t normally absorb the huge volumes of water that fall during a typical rainstorm, so much of it is lost before the plants can make use of it.
A rain barrel means gallons of free water. And while it’s not potable for cooking or drinking, it’s an excellent way to keep your plants hydrated without paying more on your water bill.
Nothing is more frustrating for a homeowner than dealing with a water leak.
These unexpected issues require immediate professional attention and often result in secondary repairs to fix any damage or mess caused by the leak.
If you’re currently stressing out over a water leak in your home, take a look through the following professional tips and advice to get peace of mind and learn how to deal with annoying plumbing leaks:
Ways to Prevent Water Leaks
The best way to protect your home from the damages of a plumbing leak is by preventing the leak from happening in the first place.
Here are some tips and tricks for preventing water leaks in your home:
Invest in annual drain cleaning to keep debris and grease out of the pipes.
Schedule regular drain inspections to make sure the pipes are maintaining their integrity.
Never use chemical drain cleaners in the drains because it corrodes the pipes.
Never use your pipes for anything other than their real purpose, for example, do not use the pipes to hang clothes or support any storage.
Make sure minor leaks are repaired right away to prevent them from becoming bigger problems.
If you experience frequent water leaks, consider investing in repiping to save money in the long run.
How do Professionals Find the Source of the Leak?
Plumbing leaks are often difficult to locate since the pipes are often situated in the walls or under the floor. This means that professionals are often the best source for finding water leaks.
Some of the most effective professional plumbing leak detection methods include:
Dig and Drill: If the leak is obvious, and we have a good idea of the location, we will use the dig and drill method. This involves digging and drilling into your floor or walls to uncover the leak.
This method is invasive. However, it gives us the unique opportunity to quickly repair the leak since the issue is already exposed.
Meter Testing: Using a special tool to measure the water pressure in your pipes, we can tell if there is a leak.
Once we measure your water pressure, we will compare it to a healthy pipe for reference.
Infrared Technology: An infrared camera is a vital part of our leak detection toolkit. It’s an advanced camera that allows us to take multiple pictures of the pipes at different angles.
That way, we can spot any potential leaks.
What are the Effects of Water Leaks in the Home?
For many homeowners, water leaks are a minor annoyance. However, the issues created by plumbing leaks can cause serious issues in your home.
For example, some of the most significant effects of water leaks include:
Higher than normal water bills.
Mold growth in the home.
Rot and damage of your personal property, support beams, or other parts of the home.
Health concerns from mold.
And more!
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Great plumbers. Very friendly and helpful. Stable workforce They've been our "go-to" plumbers for years.
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