A plumbing emergency can arise out of any number of circumstances. Old pipes burst, sewage lines get backed up, a water heater goes bad or maybe even explodes "to infinity and beyond!"(can happen when the thermostat and temperature pressure relief valve - A.K.A. "T&P valve" or "PT valve" malfunction) With this in mind, it is important to be aware of the many different things that should be done in order to prevent plumbing emergencies, or at least minimize their potential for occurring. Here are 3 common things to consider in order to prevent problems from arising in an untimely manner.
- Flush out your water heater tank once or twice a year - this will help eliminate mineral build up. Do this by connecting a garden hose to the drain valve at the bottom of the heater and running the hose to the outside of your house, then open the valve to allow incoming water to push the sediment out of the heater. If you have not done this in the past there may be an over abundance of sediment and the drain valve may get plugged up. This can be corrected by removing the factory drain valve and installing a full port ball valve with a hose adapter. Call your trusted plumber to do this correctly if you are unsure of how to do this.
- Do Not use Drain Cleaners – although they are promoted everywhere, in reality they corrode the pipe in your house and wear them away prematurely leading to cracked pipes, pin holes, and lead to costly repairs. Rather than using such cleaners you can hire a plumber to use a “snake” – a machine that sends a cable spiraling through the pipes to clear the blockage and allow water to flow freely. Or, if you are so inclined, you can get a small cable from your local hardware store (usually up to 25’ on a hand crank model) that you can run through the drain yourself. If the blockage is too deep in the line or too thick then your trusted Phoenix plumber is the best and truly least expensive option over destroying the piping in your home with chemicals.
- Once a quarter check your water meter – make sure that no water is being used in the house (dishwashers, clothes washing, toilets flushing, etc.) then look at your water meter for 2 minutes to confirm that it is not still showing water running through it. If it is, you know you have a leak somewhere that you can take care of early on and prevent it from bursting and causing potentially large water damage inside walls and the rest of the house.
Call your favorite Phoenix emergency plumber for additional plumbing emergency prevention tips.
