Basic Types of Backup Sump Pumps

August 7th, 2012 Posted in Sump Pumps and Ejector Pumps
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Many experts agree that a backup sump pump is an excellent way to ensure that your basement or home is protected against flooding and damage to the foundation.  A sump pump is designed to protect your home and foundation against water by collecting the water and pumping it safely away from your home.  Sump pumps are installed in a sump basin or well below the level of the basement floor.

There will typically be some sort of drainage system installed around the perimeter of the basement that drains into the sump basin.  The drainage system collects water around the foundation and directs it to the sump basin.

The sump pump is activated by a float switch when the water level in the well reaches a certain height and pumps the water out of the basin and safely away from your home through a discharge pipe.  Most primary sump pumps are used infrequently.  As a result, they can fail at the worst possible time which is when the water level is rising.

If the sump pump system is not used often, the pump intake can become clogged by debris that accumulates in the unused sump basin. In addition, the float switch can become stuck, the discharge line can become clogged, or the pump itself can fail.   Another problem with a primary sump pump is that it is wired into the household electrical system and if the power goes out during a storm, the sump pump will not operate.

A backup sump pump addresses these problems.  The backup sump pump is also installed in the sump basin and set to operate if the water level in the basin gets higher than it should.  If the primary sump pump fails, the backup sump pump will take over before the water level reaches your basement.

In addition, backup sump pumps do not rely on household electricity and are not affected by power outages.  Some backup sump pumps are battery operated while others use water pressure to operate.  A battery operated sump pump needs regular battery maintenance, but can be easily installed in almost any type of sump pump configuration.  Water powered backup sump pumps need less maintenance, but are a little trickier to install, especially in finished basements where access to plumbing may be problematic.

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Water Heating Energy Saving Tips

August 3rd, 2012 Posted in Water Heaters
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In most homes, a surprisingly large amount of energy is devoted to water heating.  According to EPA estimates, about 25% of the energy usage in a typical home is spent on heating water.  Installing a tankless water heater can result in significant energy savings, but the initial cost can be very high.  If you’re not ready to invest in a tankless water heating system just yet, there are some effective, lower cost solutions that can help you reduce your energy bill without a loss of water heating performance.

Replacing your existing storage type water heater can result in significant energy savings.  Energy efficient storage type water heaters are more widely available than they were just ten to fifteen years ago.  You can reduce your energy consumption for water heating by about 7% by installing an Energy Star qualified water heater.

Sizing the water heater properly can also save big on energy usage.  Installing a water heater that is too large increases energy losses due to standby heat loss.  Choose the smallest size water heater that will provide sufficient hot water for your needs.  Compare the first hour ratings to see how much hot water the water heater can deliver during periods of peak demand.

Installing an insulation blanket on your water heater is a low cost way to minimize standby heat loss.  Depending on how well your water heater is insulated, you can save as much as 9% on water heating energy costs with an insulation blanket.

Heat traps installed in the inlet and outlet pipes can reduce convective heat loss.  Heat trap should be installed by an experienced plumber and the most cost effective time to install them is during a water heater replacement.

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How To Repair a Leaky Water Line

August 2nd, 2012 Posted in Water Line Repair
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If you have noticed unusually high water bills this summer for no apparent reason, you may have a leaky water line.  A high water bill is usually the first sign of a leaky water service line.  Check along the route where the water line is buried to see if you have a soft or damp spot in the yard.  If so, that is the likely spot for the leak.

You can confirm a leaking water line by turning off the water where it enters the house and check the meter reading at the curb.  Check the meter again in an hour or two.  If the reading has changed, then your water service line is leaking.

Repairing a water service line involves finding the leak, digging up the pipe at the source of the leak, repairing the pipe, then filling the hole back in.  Some homeowners may have the skills necessary to do the job, but for most a water line repair is a job for your plumber.

Before you try to tackle a water line repair yourself, see what kind of pipe you are dealing with.  You can check where the water line is connected to the meter or where it enters your home, but keep in mind that sometimes copper pipe is used for a few feet where the water line enters the house and some other type of pipe is used for the rest of the water line.

If your water line is polybutylene or galvanized steel, you are probably better off replacing the entire line rather than trying to repair it.  Galvanized steel water lines corrode from the inside out and if yours is leaking in one location, it won’t be long before it starts leaking somewhere else.  Likewise, polybutylene pipe is notorious for becoming brittle and failing after about 10 to 15 years.  If your polybutylene water line is leaking, replace the whole line with copper or PVC pipe.

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Causes of Sewer Line Failures

August 2nd, 2012 Posted in Uncategorized
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A sewer line typically gives good service for decades, but many older sewer lines, especially those made from clay, cast iron, or Orangeburg pipe, will eventually need to be replaced.  Orangeburg pipe is made from a fibrous material and was used for sewer laterals in millions of homes until the late 1960s.  It is notorious for deforming and collapsing after about 20 to 40 years of use.

Cast iron and clay pipes will usually last longer than Orangeburg, but all of these pipes share a common problem – they all have joints where tree roots can enter.  Some of these sewer laterals will collapse or break due to ground shifting or other causes, but the most common problem in all of these sewer lines is damage due to tree root infiltration through the joints. Proper installation can minimize the problem but over time the ground can shift which causes the joints to loosen slightly and provides an entry point for tree roots.

Once inside the sewer line, tree roots collect paper, grease, and other debris and cause the pipe to clog.  The clogs can be removed by your plumber or sewer-septic professional using an auger or high pressure hydro-jetting, but this is only a temporary solution.   Unless the tree is removed or the roots are treated with a herbicide, the roots will grow back and another clog will form.

Dealing with these clogs is a hassle, but an even bigger problem is that over time, the tree roots will expand and damage the pipe.  The expanding tree roots cause the joint to separate which allows more tree roots to enter, and eventually the tree roots can grow large enough to cause the pipe to crack or fracture.  When this happens, replacement or relining of the sewer line will be necessary.

Your plumber or sewer septic professional can use a video camera to inspect the inside of your sewer line and evaluate the extent of the damage.  Based on what they see, they can advise you on your sewer line repair or replacement options.

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Common Toilet Repairs

August 2nd, 2012 Posted in Toilets
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Is there anything more frustrating than a toilet that does not work right?  Considering how often they are used and the fact that we do very little maintenance on our toilets until something goes wrong, it’s a wonder that they work as well as they do and break down so infrequently.

The vast majority of toilets in the U.S. are standard flush toilets that rely on gravity and water pressure to get the job done.  When you turn the flush lever, it opens a flapper valve at the bottom of the toilet tank that lets the water in the tank flow into the bowl and flush the waste down the drain.

Releasing the handle allows the flapper valve to close so the tank can refill with water.  A tank fill valve handles the job of refilling the tank with water.  The fill valve is operated by either a ball float at the end of a wire rod or a cylindrical float on the fill valve.  As the tank gets full, the float rises and activates a shutoff valve that stops the water from flowing into the tank.  At this point the toilet is ready for another flushing.

Most of the parts that make a toilet work are inside the toilet tank.  Carefully remove the lid and watch what happens inside the tank when you flush the toilet.  If the flush handle turns easily but nothing happens, the chain connecting the handle and the flapper valve has either broken or detached.  Re-connecting the chain will fix this problem.

If the toilet “runs” constantly or has “ghost flushes” you could have a leaky flapper valve, a bad fill valve, a leaking float, or the fill valve could be adjusted improperly.  If you are unable to tell which one of these is causing the problem, call your local plumber.  Your plumber will be able to easily identify the cause of the problem and quickly repair your toilet.

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Clearing Clogged Drains With Hydro Jetting

August 2nd, 2012 Posted in Clearing Clogged Pipes
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For decades, plumbers have been clearing clogged drains using a plumbing auger, a flexible metal cable with a cutting head on the end.  The plumbing auger is fed into the clogged pipe and spun at high speed by an electric motor. The auger cuts through whatever is blocking the pipe such as tree roots, grease, paper products, and other debris.

Drain augers work great for clearing many types of clogged pipes, but they have some limitations.  In many cases, they cannot completely clear the clog.  Instead, they punch a hole in the clog which allows the pipe to drain, but the part of the clog left behind will collect debris and a new clog will eventually form.

High pressure hydro jetting is a more recently developed tool for clearing clogged drains.  Hydro jetting uses a spray nozzle and high pressure water (about 3,000 to 4,0000 psi) to cut through tough clogs and blast away the debris that accumulates on the inside of drain pipes.

Hydro jetting is effective on most types of clogs including tree roots.  Unlike a traditional drain auger, hydro jetting will remove the entire clog and flush away the debris.  The high pressure water will scour the inside of the pipe and leave it in almost like new condition.  Restaurants and other businesses often use regular hydro jetting to keep their drain lines free of grease and other clog causing material.

Regular, routine hydro jetting is probably overkill for most residential applications, but it can be a great way to clear a persistent clog and get your drain lines flowing freely again.

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