Mar 13 2006
A Senior Spokesman from A-Affordable Plumbing Inc, stated “If in a area that is prone to fires or earthquakes evacuation of the premises may be necessary. Prior to evacuation, shut off the gas if premise home uses gas. The main shut off valve is located outside of your home on the main gas pipe coming into your gas meter. Be sure and shut off all of the other utilities to your home. Any gas or electric hot water heater, pumps from a/c units, swimming pools, Jacuzzi’s, water wells, should also be shut off from gas and power to protect from ruptured plumbing or electrical surge damage. This will also protect compressors. Damaged electrical lines and transformers that supply power to the premises cause serious surge damage. This affects your plumbing, a/c, pumps, ect.”
Winter Time Protective Measures - Disconnect outdoor water hoses. Wrap outdoor pipes with pipe insulation or even heat tape, home improvement stores will be happy to assist with options. Turn off the irrigation system and drain water from the lines. Take special note of where the main water cut-off valves are located. In the event of a damaged water line, shutting off the water immediately will reduce the chances of water damage to the rest of the premises and avoid large water utility bills.
If away from home for long periods of time in the winter, consider shutting off the main water supply and hiring a plumber to drain the water system from premises to avoid freezing water pipes. Outdoor Jacuzzi’s or hot tubs, water wells, be sure and insulate all plumbing lines and drain the plumbing if not used.
Clogged Drains - Plumbers get more calls to open clogged drains than any other service. Many such calls could be prevented by greater care in the use of drains. The most-used drain is the one in the kitchen sink and that is the drain most often clogged. Kitchen sink clogs are usually caused by liquid fats, emulsified by warm dishwater and carried through the pipes. The water cools as it proceeds to the main sewer and leaves fatty deposits all along the way.
A film of grease forms inside the inner pipe wall until the clogging becomes present. Coffee grounds and bits of food add to accumulation layers until the pipe becomes clogged. Toilets, bathtubs, showers are usually the next clog plumbing problems that frequently arise. Foreign objects, toiletries, female products, hair, small pieces of bars of soap or all of the above cause the most frequent clogging problems. The 2 best remedies for these problems are to use a rubber plunger or call a licensed plumber. A professional plumber will address the problem with rooter and seek out other problems like cracked sewer pipes with roots growing internally.