If you’re like everyone else you know, you probably spend an inordinate portion of your day pondering the intricacies of slab leak diagnosis and location. Or to put it another way … what are the warning signs of needing plumbing repair under the slab? And how do you find the location of the leak?
The warmer weather is enjoyable, but it’s only a matter of time before the heat of summer will arrive. Here’s something to keep in mind in the meantime. Plano Texas plumbers, and southern plumbers in general, have some of our most difficult and dangerous work in the extreme heat.
Summer time is here and most of us have begun watering our lawns, washing our vehicles, and catching up on landscaping projects. Some of us are finding out quickly that this winter’s hard freeze is still reeking havoc on our home’s plumbing systems.
Some of the most common instances of pipes bursting due to a hard freeze are ironically the most preventable. A burst pipe in a wall can cause a lot of damage along with a huge mess in a hurry. Outside faucets (hose bibs) are the most vulnerable fixture in a home due to freezing. They invariably protrude from outside walls and most people will not discover that they froze up until the following spring.
Outside faucets must be frost-proof in order to be up to code. The washer that closes the valve seats up against an opening must be placed far enough back so that the water doesn’t get near the outside where it can freeze, bursting the pipe due to expansion. Read More→
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!
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→
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.
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
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