What Is Drain Tile?

June 6th, 2013 Posted in Sump Pumps and Ejector Pumps
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As the stormy summer months approach, many homeowners begin to think of the potential for water damaged basements or flooded out yards. This can be a recurring annual concern, especially, if such problems have been experienced in the past. A sump pump system is a common method used to keep your basement dry.  Another solution for a homeowner to consider would be the installation of drain tile.

Drain tile is a modern, effective, way to directly address the water saturation in the soil surrounding your home by collecting and diverting excess water elsewhere. A tile drainage system is a plumbing system that installs below-ground pipes of perforated PVC to move water away from the structure of your home.  The type of system that is best for you depends on a correct evaluation of your individual problem. For instance, is it primarily your basement floor that is flooding? Does this happen only after a heavy rainfall or at even the slightest amount of rain? Maybe you’d simply like to stop the large pooling of water in your yard and over your driveway that seems to happen too frequently?

The main difference in placement of the drain tile is whether or not it is inside or outside of the home. Today, most homes have exterior drain tile, or footing drains, installed around the outside of the foundation during construction. However, in existing homes, usually an interior system of drain tile is installed above, within or under the concrete slab. It is possible to install an exterior drainage system for an existing home, but it is more costly since it requires digging around the home’s foundation. Your local plumbing professional can help you determine what type of drain tile installation would most effectively and economically address your specific needs.

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Do Your Pipes Sweat?

June 6th, 2013 Posted in Water Line Repair
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As summer approaches and the days become more humid, the process of changing our closets over to readily available summer wear instead of winter, requires storing them away in a safe, dry space, until changing seasons require their retrieval. Often times this ‘safe, dry place’ is the basement. Safety is often a condition gleaned from experience. Memories of a damp basement with wet cardboard boxes in storage and wet laundry are vividly recalled by anyone who has had such an experience.

When a leaky water line goes too long unnoticed it can create quite a bit of damage. However, when no source of leakage is found, and a further exhaustive search for a loose fitting or joint returns void, where do you look for next for the source of water? If the basement was not flooded and the damage to your stored goods was minimal, that source of water may not be from inside the pipes, but outside. Your water pipes may be “sweating!”

When it is hot and humid, the water is colder inside the pipe than out, drops of water condensation form along and under the plumbing pipes; so much so, that they can actually drip as though there was a small leak in that pipe.

Self-adhesive tapes of pipe insulation can be purchased to wrap around the pipes, effectively catching the drips, to help control the moisture. Make sure to wipe the pipes dry before applying and to cover the fittings and joints as well. Should you still discover a problem with excessive water, make sure that you call to your local plumbing professional.

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Sump Pumps – Do You Need One?

June 6th, 2013 Posted in Sump Pumps and Ejector Pumps
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What is a sump pump? Do you have one? Do you need one? As the summer season begins, with its corresponding share of thunderstorms, this question is often heard as concerns rise about potential flooding. Sump pumps are generally used in areas where basement flooding can be a problem or where the water table is so high that it is at or above the foundation of a home.

A sump pump removes water that has accumulated in a sump basin (typically a plastic, metal or concrete container measuring 2 ft. across by 2 to 3 ft. deep) in the basement of some homes. The sump pump sends the water away from the house where it will no longer pose a problem, such as to a storm drain or drain field. Some older homes may have a sump pump that discharges its water into the sewer system but this is no longer acceptable by most municipal plumbing codes.

Sump pumps are usually wired into your standard electrical system, although they should probably have a backup system in the event of power failure (such as a battery backup or generator) since the sump basin may overflow if the water retained reaches a certain level without being pumped. Sump pumps may be pedestal, where the motor is mounted above the sump, or submersible where the motor is sealed entirely inside the sump. Sump pumps can be automatic or manual, and vary as to the amount of horsepower, maximum height the pump will remove water, number of motor phases and voltage, as well as the type of water level sensing switch.

Your local plumbing professional can make sure that you are equipped with the appropriate system to meet your individual needs. Sump pumps need to be maintained and should be inspected yearly to avoid problems that could decrease its efficiency.

 

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Confused About Remedies for Clogged Drains or Blocked Sewer Pipes?

June 6th, 2013 Posted in Clearing Clogged Pipes
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There are several remedies available today to help you with your clogged drain or blocked sewer pipe, but which one should you use? Of course, a drain cleaner would be a first choice for the average homeowner. However, that could be anything from a chemical compound to a handheld auger, from a home remedy to an airburst cleaner, from an electric drain cleaner to a high-pressure water sewer jetter, or, finally, an enzymatic drain cleaner.

Consumer product drain cleaners are chemical compounds that are either alkaline (in solid or liquid form) or acidic (liquid) in composition. Their main function is to open drain clogs of either hair or grease that typically lie close to the drain opening. They are less effective for clogs that are farther down the line, such as that which occurs in toilets or main sewer drains. Augers, manual or electric, are often used for those more problematic clogs, but the estimated distance of the clog and the augers potential damage to ceramic surfaces can be a concern.

Airburst cleaners can also break up clogs that are farther from the drain opening and are faster acting than typical chemicals; however, they work best in “standing water” situations and are ineffective on main sewer drains. High-pressure hydro-jetting is effective for most large clogs in drains and sewer lines and can be done by a professional plumber.  Enzymatic drain cleaners are used to maintain clear drains, since they consist of bacteria and enzymes that react to dissolve forming residue.

If you have concerns about your plumbing drainage system that go beyond the quick and easy, consumer product solution, it is always best to have your local plumbing professional inspect your system to ensure that all is in good working condition.

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What’s That Banging Noise In Your Plumbing?

June 6th, 2013 Posted in Water Heaters
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Many people, even if they are homeowners, tend to ignore the occasional banging and groaning of their plumbing pipes, especially if their home is older. Certainly, the systems in older homes tend to make more noise. but, more than likely, it could be something simple that is easily resolved before becoming a real nuisance.

There are several possible causes and solutions to the noises you hear coming from your pipes. You can do several things to try and narrow it down. If turning on the water creates the noise, then chances are a pipe is clanging against another object. Most of the time, you can track down the location of the problem by following the sound and vibration. A pipe could have become loose, striking a wall, or another pipe. The offending noise can then be silenced by creating a buffer with a piece of wood, rubber hosing, tape or insulation.

Sometimes, hot water will create a rumble of steam through your system, an indication to lower the temperature on your hot water heater. Pipes also have air chambers that cushion a shock effect that’s created when running water is suddenly turned off. These chambers can fail or become waterlogged, causing a “water hammer” sound. You can possibly clear this yourself by opening up the noisy faucet with the water turned off, to let it completely drain, so that the chamber can refill with air, restoring the cushion.

As always, whenever you have a concern about the plumbing in your home, it is a good idea to have your system inspected by your local plumbing professional to make sure that everything is functioning properly.

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