Troubleshooter

Problems With Sewer Pipe Drainage

by 1 Comment

Washing machine drain pipe.Pitch on a sewer pipe is a measure of how far a pipe should fall over a certain distance on a horizontal run. A proper pitch is what allows the contents of the pipe to keep moving. If you’re experiencing problems with waste leaving your home, this might be an issue and you should call us. Proper pitch on a sewer pipe is between 1/8th of an inch and ½ inch per foot. For example a four foot long pipe should be ½ inch higher on the front than the end of the pipe.

Many plumbing problems can occur if your pipes weren’t installed with the proper pitch. Water will just sit idle in a pipe that’s completely level. Furthermore, if the water is not moving enough or moving in the proper direction, back-ups will occur far more frequently. This isn’t even the worst of it .

Older homes where drainage and sewer pipes are cast iron may have the worst case scenario. Cast iron rusts when sitting under water. Over time a cast iron pipe full of water will simply rot out through the bottom causing a major sewer leak.

If you have frequent back-ups call us immediately. We’ll have one of our dependable plumbers come out to see that your pipes have the proper pitch for your home.

Ask Us About Slab Leaks

by 2 Comments

You hear water running in your home but just can’t find it. You know it’s not in your head. Perhaps you have had an unusually high water bill or maybe your entire house is full of water. NE Dallas, it’s time to call your plumber!

The process of locating a slab leak is a complicated one, requiring expensive and highly specialized equipment. The knowledge and skills required to use this type of gear doesn’t come in a bag along with rented equipment.

There’s generally a three-step process for slab leak location. Assuming there is a leak that has been isolated to the inside of the home and no evidence of a leak can be found above ground, it is time to locate the leak underground. 

  1. Locate the pipe. We electronically locate the pipe and mark the ground with masking tape so we know exactly where the pipe is located underground and roughly how deep it is.
  2. Listen along the length of the pipe with geophones. We use a geodesic headset which is a very powerful stethoscope with a separate microphone for each ear so that we can listen directionally.
  3. Measure the temperature of the floor along the length of the pipe to find the hot spot.
    This applies only to hot water slab leaks.

These steps come as second nature to any of our plumbers. Those without the skills and training to use this type of equipment, along with a full understanding of the processes involved, should not be allowed to start breaking into the slab. Our plumbers undergo continuing education, it’s an advantage you have with us over a handyman or less-qualified company. We’ll take care to detect and repair your leak while we respect your property.

Give us a call immediately at (972) 424-6479 to have one of our licensed, qualified plumbers come out to determine your next course of action.

An Expensive Solution To A Frozen Bathroom

by 3 Comments

My daughter called me early the other morning. Her master bathroom is poorly insulated from her garage, and although the water was flowing easily through the water pipe to the rest of her home, water wasn’t running out of her bathroom faucets – did she have a leak? More than likely, I told her, she had a frozen pipe!

Municipal fountain iced over.North Texas, we just had the coldest weather we’ve had in twenty years this February. I’m sure my daughter, (who knows the dangers of frozen pipes by the way), isn’t the only one who didn’t consider that this year was a different situation than years past. Those single digit and below temperatures can really stop things up tight, potentially causing some significant damage when pipes decide to thaw.  [Read more…] about An Expensive Solution To A Frozen Bathroom

Is Your Plumbing Leak Bad Enough To Call A Plumber?

by 3 Comments

Inside parts of faucet handle.You’ve asked this question before, I’m sure. Believe me when I tell you we understand that you’d rather fix a plumbing leak yourself instead of spending the money on a plumber. So many times we’re called out to jobs that were quite intensive – and expensive – because the call was delayed for that reason.

That sentiment is not new, and it doesn’t hurt our feelings! But we’re regular people, too. We have families. We get it. Fortunately, we’re all capable of doing our own plumbing repairs. We’ve learned a few things over the years that might help you make a smart decision before you end up with more trouble that you bargained for.

  • If your downstairs floor becomes unusually warm in a spot you never noticed before, call us, and read our previous post You Have a Slab Leak, Now What?
  • If water damage is evident at the base of your rocking toilet, again, call us.
  • If you notice standing water under your sinks, pay attention to where it is originating. A bowl only helps for a short while! Where the leak is originating will make a difference in the time it takes to repair. The more damage, however, the more it will cost you in drywall or cabinetry, etc.
  • Leaking faucet handles at the base can drip down inside cabinets and rot out materials all around the sink. Don’t let that go. Talk to Debi, Dorothy or one of the guys and get some advice about reliable brands for replacement. You don’t want to use anything that will have plastic parts inside. We can usually get you on the schedule within 24 hrs.

Whatever you do, don’t attempt gas line repairs yourself. A gas line repair may look simple, but this is not do-it-yourself territory. Our licensed plumbers participate in regular continuing education to stay up-to-date on the most effective repair techniques and code changes. You want to make your home as safe as possible for your family.

We hope this post has caused you to think about whether or not your plumbing leak is really bad enough to call the plumber. When in doubt, call! 972-424-6479

Photo Credit: jronaldlee on Flickr made available through a Creative Commons License

Running Water?

by 3 Comments

When you hear water running and can’t figure out where it’s coming from, or you walk on the floor and it feels unusually warm – don’t ignore those symptoms. You have a problem and it’s time to call your Plano plumber.

We will locate and repair that leak for you. Call us right away because running water under the slab can cause foundation problems that can be very costly.