From Drip To Drain: When To Call The Plumber | Arlington, TX
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Arlington, TX knows its share of the plumbing woes, from clogged drains to broken disposals and faucet leaks. Those who are familiar with home ownership should become knowledgeable enough to understand that when the going gets tough, it’s time to send in the plumber.
Drips are one of the greatest nuisances plaguing homeowners in i and beyond. In fact, just simply imagining that annoying sound of even the tiniest bit of water coming straight from your drain is enough of a nightmare. That constant plopping noise of the water drop hitting the basin of your sink can easily distract your day and set you off enough so that you decide to take action. That said, exploring the most common problems dripping faucets have is crucial prior to seeking the services of a professional plumber.
The question is, where can we start? One of the major concerns of this common problem is that it can be traced right back to something going wrong with the 0 ring. In fact, the 0 ring is the reason you have the ability to turn off your faucet without worrying over a leak or a drip. That said, when the 0 ring starts to wear out, then that simply means all you have to do is get it replaced when you see evidence that it has been worn, torn, or damaged somehow.
A valve seat that has been worn due to the collection of rust and sediment can be another potential culprit. Erosion around the valve seat happens when these sediments collect within, thus resulting in a leak that drips straight from the faucet. You should have it professionally cleaned by your Arlington, TX plumber once a year or so to ensure that you don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on a brand new faucet or sink set.
A washer that has worn out its welcome can pose a threat that leads to a dripping faucet. In fact, the washer works together with the aforementioned valve seat in that it hits against it to get it to open up and bring forth the water you need. Unfortunately, this type of repetitive friction will eventually wreak havoc on both the washer and the valve seat, thus causing them to wear down quickly to the point where one or both may need to be replaced by a plumber.
When you choose to have a brand new washer installed, the best thing you can do is to have the plumber come and look at the inside of your faucet to measure its size and circumference. This is how the size of your brand new washer can be best determined. From there, your Arlington, TX plumber can give you an overview of the services needed, the work that needs to be done, and the equipment and tools that are going to be used during the installation process. From there, you should have a faucet free of drips, which can save you much money on your monthly water bill in the long run.
The most covert faucet leaks occur in not-so-obvious places, such as around the base of the sink. In fact, they go undetected for so long until one day you happen to receive your next water bill and notice a sudden increase in your monthly expenses. You may notice that, over time, much of your hard-earned money goes to make up for what water you could be losing if something isn’t done right away to address the issue. Leaks that happen underneath the sink are the most difficult to detect and may require you to have your drain connections tightened by a plumber to avoid the massive overflow that can cause your p-trap to erupt.
But these are not the only issues that can be readily addressed by the plumber. In fact, there is so much more than meets the eye. And with a professional on your side, there is much to gain in the long run.
Consider the state of your garbage disposal. Perhaps you’ve noticed just how much you’ve come to rely on this handy little device with its convenient ability to dispose of the solid food in a clean and tidy manner. You may have come to know that you can count on your garbage disposal to rid the sink of leftover food without the hassle or the fuss. And with this device, you have come to say good-bye to over-scraping your dinner plates prior to loading the dishwasher.
But like any other machine, your garbage disposal is subject to aging, wear and tear, as well as breakdowns that can happen at any given time. And when this happens, you may have to thoroughly scrape off your plates before loading them into the dishwasher for a while.
But the good news is that this won’t last forever. A good plumber can come out and inspect the unit, then make an assessment as to what’s wrong with it prior to beginning a work order. Making sure that the disposal is plugged in is the key to determining if there is even a problem to begin with. If it is plugged in but the unit doesn’t turn on, then you know you have a problem in need of the attention of a good plumber. And every qualified plumber from Benjamin Franklin Plumbing is qualified to target the source of your problem and conquer it.
The inner flywheel of your garbage disposal may be jammed if you turn it on, hear the usual humming noise, but see that it’s not grinding up your food as it normally would. In this case, the plumber may need to take a good look at it to see how the flywheel is displaced and see if something like a piece of jewelry or silverware is jammed inside. And if that proves to be the case, then the contractor can simply shut off the power supply by turning off the switch, fix it with a wrench, then reset it. By then, your garbage disposal should be right back to grinding away solid food just as before.
Stopped up pipes and clogged drains come with their own set of problems, and these problems can be a major headache for homeowners everywhere, even in Arlington, TX. Yet there are so many subtle signs that point to this that all of us can take for granted, such as the belch and gurgle of a sink drain or the burbling noise of a flushing commode. In fact, if you happen to notice these signs, you may want to take action right away. Not doing so could lead to other problems down the road, such as severe backup problems that wreak further havoc on your plumbing system and can have you pouring hundreds of dollars down the drain in repairs.
Believe it or not, any water that leaks from around the base of your toilet is a sign that you have a clogged drain somewhere in your home. In fact, you may want to pay attention if your toilet is slow to flush, or won’t flush at all, as these could be some of the greatest signs that you have a problem with a clog in your drain.
Bad odors which emanate from your drains provide the hardest evidence that there is something wrong lurking in the caverns of your drain system that needs to be addressed immediately and without question. These could stem from rotting food particles that are somehow trapped, solid waste that’s stuck, or, in some cases, a mouse or rat that has tried to come into your home and died in the process.
Drains that are slow can be, well, draining, to say the least. Yet some homeowners are grossly tempted to thwart the system by trying a variety of DIY measures, such as vinegar and baking soda, liquid Draino, or the consistent use of a plunger day in and day out. Home remedies like Draino may run the risk of eroding your pipes, thus causing far more harm than good and resulting in hours and hours of expensive repair work. But this can be avoided, and calling on a professional to fix your plumbing by clearing your drains is the antidote to further problems.
In your yard, you may have noticed a variety of water puddles surfacing suddenly, which may be the result of heavy rains in your area. But if you’ve witnessed no bad weather of that sort, this may be an omen that there is something wrong with the drainage inside your home. In fact, this could be traced to one central culprit that’s responsible for your woes, and that culprit is often within your drains. Since water travels in and out of your home, it does make sense that a clog is the primary reason for these puddles, and sadly, that is the case almost every time.
To get to a clogged drain, the plumber will use a video camera to check for the source of the problem. If your problem lies within your pipes, it may be time to have them professionally cleaned as well. Rust from any pipe has a way of building up, and, much like the sediment from your drinking water, has a nasty way of choking the life out of your drains.
Video camera inspections can detect so many impediments which can be the source of any drain clog. Take, for example, a tree root that has grown from your ground. This root can seep into your drain and cause the worst type of blockage ever, which can be a hassle for every homeowner in Arlington. Yet, this is something that the plumber can not only visually inspect but can remove with the use of hydro-jetting technology, which uses up to 35,000 psi of pure water to clear the toughest of debris right from your drains and pipes. This method is used in cases where a mechanical snake is ineffective, such as in the case of hardened grease, oil, or soap residue. It is safe in that it uses no harsh chemicals yet can get your drains back to normal in no time.
Traditional methods that employ a mechanical snake can be used to yank out more tangible items. These include hair that is stuck, lost jewelry items, and toilet paper. All that is needed is for the plumber to use the snake to delve deep into your drain and grab the debris, thus yanking it out and clearing the drains once again.
There are certain preventive measures that can be taken in an effort to reduce the likelihood that your drains will face this type of problem. One is to have a routine plumbing inspection scheduled where the plumber can check for any remaining debris that has been left over as the result of loosened grease or other issues. Another is to make sure that a grease trap can be installed in your kitchen sink, which can trap grease, oil, soap, and other residue before it makes its way into your pipes and in the sewers.
Kitchen remodeling may help to pave the way as far as sink and drain problems are concerned. Plus, it can help to add value to the equity of your home. If you decide to have your kitchen remodeled, you may need to plan for an extended amount of time and money to be spent. But the money spent is actually an investment, and can many personal rewards for both you and your family in the long run.
During a major project like this, you can expect to be able to work with your plumber to consider options regarding repiping your plumbing, along with new sink and fixture installation options and the option of a good water filtration system. In fact, the latter allows you and your guests to enjoy the added bonus of fresh, clean water that’s right for drinking, cooking, and cleaning.
Whatever the issue is, whether it’s a necessity or something that adds value to your home, a good plumber can help. Simply call or visit the website today. Qualified professionals at Benjamin Franklin are there to answer your questions about all plumbing services.