High Water Bills Can Be A Sign Of A Leak

May 27th, 2014 Posted in Water Line Repair
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If your water bill has increased over recent months, it may be a sign of a water leak in your home. Not all leaks are immediately apparent; they may be inside your toilet, under your home or even in your walls. A slow leak can cause your water bill to rise, and it is only a matter of time before that slow leak becomes a major one. If your water bill is higher than normal, it is time to investigate the reasons why before major water damage occurs.

Sneaky Leaks

There are several places where plumbing can leak water without you necessarily noticing. Even a small drip or leak can add up to gallons of water lost every day. Some common leaks that go undetected include:

  • Toilets. Although a running toilet is usually noticeable, there are minor leaks that can be almost silent. Two of the most common toilet leaks are due to either a leaking stopper valve or a fault ball cock valve.
  • Interior pipes. Most of your plumbing runs in between walls and under floors, making it hard to detect leaks. These can be the most damaging, as they may be causing water damage to your home without you knowing it is happening.
  • Exterior water supply lines. It is possible that water is leaking out into the ground before it ever even gets into your home. A small leak in your water line will eventually result in a burst pipe if not found and repaired.

Of course, there are many reasons your water bill may have increased which may not involve a leak, such as higher usage and rate hikes. However, if nothing else has changed, you may want to call your local plumber to schedule a professional leak inspection on your plumbing before the problem gets worse.

Posted on behalf of Seagraves Plumbing Septic & Sewer 

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Burst Frozen Water Lines

January 16th, 2014 Posted in Water Line Repair
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Unusually cold winter weather can often result in an unpleasant surprise for unwary homeowners:  a burst water line.  Water expands when it freezes and the outside air temperature gets cold enough, your water supply line or the water lines in your house can burst if the water in the line freezes.   The problem is more common in areas that usually don’t experience extremely cold temperatures.  In northern states, water pipes are usually installed such that they are not susceptible to freezing since cold weather is the norm.

In warmer climates, less care is taken to protect water pipes against freezing and as a result, a period of unusually cold weather can result in an outbreak of broken water pipes.  If you are concerned about your water pipes freezing, there are few steps you can take to help prevent it from happening.

First, if cold weather is expected, leave a faucet running very slowly.  Moving water takes longer to freeze than still water so even a trickle of water though your pipes can help prevent the water from freezing.  In addition, leaving a faucet slightly open allows any pressure to dissipate in the pipes between your faucet and the frozen spot.  This can also help prevent a burst pipe.

Leave kitchen and bath room cabinets open to allow warm air to circulate around the pipes, especially if they are located on an exterior wall.  If your water pipes run through an unheated garage, basement, attic, or crawlspace, consider installing pipe insulation or electric heating tape to prevent the pipes from freezing.

Finally, if you have a sprinkler irrigation system, water feature, spa or swimming pool, be sure to properly drain and winterize the system in the fall to prevent water freezing in the pipes and cracking them.

Posted on behalf of Seagraves Plumbing

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Damage Caused By Leaky Pipes

December 3rd, 2013 Posted in Water Line Repair
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You may think that dripping or leaky pipe is just an annoyance, one that can wait for water line repairs. However, by just putting a drip pan underneath and waiting to get it repaired, you may be setting yourself up for bigger plumbing problems. A drip or small leak can quickly become a large problem if not fixed, and cause extensive damage that’s both costly and possibly dangerous.

Small Drips Can Lead To Big Problems

Many times, a small drip is only a small problem and easily fixed. A worn out washer or old pipe sealer just needs to be replaced, and the problem is gone. However, there are other times a small leak or drip can lead to bigger and more expensive problems if they’re left unattended. By ignoring it or just putting a bandage on the problem, it can become a burst pipe that can cause significant damage to your home.

Pipes rarely burst when we expect it. A small drip can become a gushing water pipe when you are at work or worse, gone for the weekend. The damage can be extensive when this happens, including:

–        Home water damage. A burst pipe can ruin flooring, ceilings, walls and many other items in your home. This can cost thousands of dollars in damage in a very short period of time.

–        Mold problems. A dripping pipe can cause excess moisture in your home and lead to high humidity and mold problems. Once mold is present in your home, it can cause health problems and be difficult to remove from your home.

Don’t wait to get a drip or leak fixed. Call a professional to get the problem resolved right away and avoid expensive and possibly dangerous damage to your home.

Posted on behalf of Seagraves Plumbing

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Thawing a Frozen Water Pipe

December 20th, 2012 Posted in Water Line Repair
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If you live in an area that experiences particularly cold winters, your water pipes could be vulnerable to freezing. Turning your faucet on and finding that nothing is coming out suggest that a section of the pipe has frozen and action should be taken as quickly as possible to thaw the pipe and prevent it from bursting. Whether you do it yourself or call out a plumber to fix the problem for you, thawing a frozen pipe will significantly cheaper than water line repairs due to a burst water pipe.

Whether you are able to effectively thaw the pipe yourself will usually depend on your ability to identify the frozen section and the accessibility of that section of pipe. One of the simplest and most effective DIY methods is through the use of a hairdryer. Remember to leave the faucet connected to the frozen pipe open and heat the pipe from the faucet slowly moving back towards the blockage. This way as the ice begins to melt it is able to run freely out of the pipe.

A heat lamp or portable heater work in a similar way to the hairdryer and work particularly well for thawing pipes running through small spaces. This is another safe and effective DIY method.

Electric heating tape is another technique that should be considered. You wrap it around the frozen pipe and plug it in and the electrical elements inside will heat the pipe. This is also an effective preventative measure and can be left on the pipe and simply turned on whenever you feel the pipe is at risk of freezing again.

If the pipe is not easy to reach or you are unsure of the exact location of the freeze, your best option is to call out for the services of a reputable plumber. They will do the job properly and professionally and be able to give you tips on how to prevent it from freezing over again in the future.

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