Advantages of PEX Plumbing

April 20th, 2012 Posted in Plumbing Maintenance
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Do you need to repair or replace the hot or cold water supply lines in your Northern Virginia home?  Whether you plan to handle the job yourself or hire professional Northern Virginia plumbers, you should understand your options.  Two of the most common types of plumbing pipe in use today are PEX and copper piping.

Most homeowners are familiar with copper piping, but you may not have heard of PEX.  PEX is cross-linked polyethylene piping which means it is made out of plastic.  PEX has proven to be an excellent alternative to traditional copper piping for residential hot and cold water supply lines.

PEX can withstand hot and cold temperatures and, unlike copper, PEX can expand a little which means it is less likely to burst in below freezing temperatures.  PEX is flexible and easy to work with.  It can be bent around corners so fewer fittings are needed.  No soldering or messy glues are needed with PEX piping.

Connections and fittings are installed using a simple crimping tool.  For some homeowners, the cost of the specialized crimping tool is a disadvantage to PEX tubing.  Another disadvantage of PEX is that it cannot be installed outdoors.  Copper or PVC are good choices for outdoor potable water supply lines.

PEX is much less expensive than copper piping and is also less labor intensive.  Its ease of installation makes it a great choice for homeowner and plumbing professionals alike.   Many plumbers still prefer to use copper piping because they are familiar with it and have been working with it for years.  Copper is still an excellent choice, but don’t be surprised if your plumber recommends using PEX piping for your next plumbing repair.

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Broken Pipe Repairs

April 8th, 2012 Posted in Plumbing Maintenance
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A broken pipe is a serious plumbing problem especially if it is a pressurized water line or drain line that’s hidden behind the walls or buried underground.  Broken pipes can be caused by many different things but one of the most common is a frozen pipe.  Since water expands when it freezes, a frozen pipe is a real problem.  As the water freezes inside the pipe it will expand and the pipe will crack or burst.  As soon as the weather warms up and the pipe thaws, look out!

A broken pipe can be a small leek or a steady spray of water.  In either event, you will need to call a reputable local plumber to fix the leak as quickly as possible.  A leaking or broken pipe can cause severe damage to walls, floor and ceilings as well as causing water damage to your personal property.

In addition, a leaky pipe wastes a lot of water and damp or wet walls, ceilings, floors, insulation, and other areas promote mold and mildew growth.  You need to get any broken or leaking pipes fixed as quickly as possible.  While waiting for the plumber to arrive, you should turn off the main water supply inside your home. If the break is in the water supply line, try turning off the water supply at the street.

A professional plumber has the expertise to locate a broken or leaking water line that’s hidden in the walls and to repair the broken line quickly while doing as little damage to your walls, floors and ceilings as possible.

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Protect Your Investment With Hi-Tech Video Camera Inspections

March 2nd, 2012 Posted in Plumbing Maintenance
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Because drains and pipes are hidden underneath your home or business, they are easy to forget. However, drains and pipes eventually clog and over time are likely to deteriorate. In these cases, the concept out of sight, out of mind, can cause serious issues. You’re in luck – you no longer have to wait until something expensive breaks and causes expensive damage to your investment.

Video camera inspections of pipes, drain and sewer lines and septic tanks are preventative maintenance steps that can save you money and grief. Technology has improved so much that your plumber can use high tech video cameras to take images of the inside of drains, pipes and sewer lines to identify not only debris and dirt that requires cleaning, but fractured pipes, collapsed drains and tree roots just waiting to cause future damage.

For business owners, downtime caused by water or sewage damage can interrupt service and negatively impact profits. Leveraging regular camera inspections can pinpoint problem areas and help you prevent these potential financial catastrophes.

For home owners (and new home buyers), the financial loss and emotional strain caused by water or sewage damage to home and property can be devastating. Making  video camera inspections of your plumbing a part of your regular home maintenance can prevent heartache.

You can expect 3 basic steps in a video camera inspection of your drain lines, sewer lines, and septic system. First, the plumbing contractor will find an access point to insert the camera. Second, he or she will view and identify trouble areas inch by inch along the path of the camera as it is pulled or pushed through the line. Last, your plumber will provide a report including video footage that details the condition of your drain lines and sewer lines.

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Water Conservation Tips

February 20th, 2011 Posted in Plumbing Maintenance
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These days, everyone is looking for ways to save a few dollars on their monthly bills.  Taking a few steps to conserve water will not only save you money, but it’s good for the environment too.  Here are a few suggestions for reducing your water bills at home.

A dripping faucet can waste hundreds of gallons of water each day which can add up to thousands of gallons of water each year.  If it’s a hot water faucet, your water heater is working overtime to keep all that water warm. Replace or repair any leaking faucets or showerheads.  If you are not comfortable doing the work yourself, call your local plumber about a faucet repair or replacement.

If you replace your faucets or shower head, consider installing low flow fixtures.  Prior to 1992, some shower heads had flow rates of over 5 gallons per minute, more than twice the rate of modern low flow shower heads.  If your old faucet is working fine, you can conserve water and save money by simply installing a low flow aerator.  These are very inexpensive, easy to install, and made to fit most types of faucets.

If your toilet is constantly “running”, check the float and flapper valves and replace them as needed.  Once again, you can save substantially on your water usage by installing a new low flush toilet to replace that older model.

Make sure your dishwasher is full before running it.  A half empty dishwasher wastes a lot of hot water.  The same goes for clothes washing.  Wait until you have a full load before running the washer and remember, most clothes can be washed in cold water.

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Preventative Maintenance For Your Plumbing

February 20th, 2011 Posted in Plumbing Maintenance
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Plumbing is one of those things that most people take for granted until a problem arises.  However, there are a few things you can do to help your plumbing last longer and to save you money on expensive repairs. 

Flushing your water heater annually can help extend its life, save you money on energy costs, and maintain the water heater’s capacity.  Over time, a layer of sediment builds up on the bottom of a water heater.  This sediment makes the water heater work harder to heat the water and takes up space in the tank, reducing its capacity.  In some cases, bacteria grows in the sediment and causes the hot water to smell bad. 

Clogged drains are a common source of plumbing problems.  Grease and hair are the two main causes and keeping grease and hair out of your drains will go a long way toward keeping them trouble free.  Consider installing a screen over shower drains to limit the amount of hair that goes down the drain.  Drain screens are available at your local home improvement store. 

Most grease goes down the kitchen sink drain.  First, Pour or scrape grease into a jar and dispose of it in the trash.  Some grease will still make its way down the drain, so be sure to use plenty of hot water and soap when washing the dishes.  Also, you can help keep your drains flowing freely by pouring hot, soapy water down the drain on a regular basis.  Avoid using caustic chemicals as these can harm the insides of your pipes.

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