With the cold weather, icy roads and snowstorms, there are many unpleasant things to deal with in the winter. Maintaining your home can also be challenging in the winter especially when it comes to protecting your plumbing in cold temperatures. If you don’t want to be left without water, leakages, and cold water then read the following 3 winter plumbing issues and how to avoid them.
As many people have found out from the recent superstorm Sandy, serious basement flooding is no laughing matter. When water gets into your basement, it causes a lot of financial and emotional stress, and in extreme cases can alter your life. And while there isn’t a lot you can do if a megastorm comes calling, you can prevent basement flooding from regular heavy rain or melting snow if you follow some basic guidelines.
Seal Up Holes
Holes and cracks in the foundation of a home are some of the primary culprits when it comes to basement leaks and flooding during storms. It’s important to have a proper home inspection when you first purchase a home, and also have the foundation checked for problems if you’ve been living in your house for a while.
Basement windows are another area where water may get in, especially if they have older wooden frames that have rotted. If you have older basement windows, consider an upgrade to vinyl or aluminum to keep water out.
We all experience a clogged drain in our homes from time to time. Our first instinct is to grab the plunger and solve the problem ourselves. After all, professional plumbing services can be expensive, and we can save some time by just handling it right away. However, what appears to be a simple clogged drain may be more serious than that, and a plumbing expert may be required so that the problem does not become any worse than it is. Listed below are just a few drain repair services that would be best left to a professional plumber.
If you live anywhere that has running water, you know how troublesome it is when drains become sluggish and slow, or even completely blocked. It can certainly put a damper on your daily activities, depending on which drain is affected.
It’s wise to keep some basic drain cleaning equipment on hand, for when these inevitable clogs and back ups threaten to disrupt your day. Here are some good choices:
Technology has greatly improved the diagnosis of any plumbing problems in your home. One of the ways that technology has benefited plumbers is with video inspection.
Plumbers no longer have to rely on their wealth of experience or guesswork to figure out exactly what is going in inside your pipes. With plumbing camera inspection, it’s all right there for everyone to see.
Despite your best preventative efforts, every homeowner has to face a clogged drain every now and again. When you think of how often the various drains in the typical home are used, you’d think it would happen even more than it does.
The Plunger
Even though calling in a professional plumber will solve your clogs, it probably isn’t necessary for minor clogs. Whether it’s in the kitchen, bathroom or laundry room, be prepared and keep it simple.
A standard-issue plunger is definitely one of the most unglamorous pieces of equipment you’ll use in your DIY efforts. However, it is one of the simplest and most effective pieces of equipment you will use, and it works for most small to medium clogs in sinks, tubs, showers or toilets.
As far as home plumbing is concerned, your bathroom is the premier room in the house. The tub and shower, sink and toilet all have important plumbing elements to consider.
Naturally, calling a qualified plumber is your best bet when you encounter serious plumbing issues in your bathroom. However, if you follow some expert bathroom plumbing tips, you may be able prevent such problems in the first place, or at least limit the damage before a plumber arrives.
Here’s a scenario that happens all too often….potential homebuyers shop around for that perfect home, make an offer, get a mortgage approval, get a home inspection and become homeowners.
Then, two months or five months or eight months down the road, they are on the phone with a plumber because there is an inch of water in the laundry room or there is some other plumbing-related issue.
If the home passed its inspection with flying colours just a short time ago, how can there possibly be any problems with the plumbing?
With over 10 years in the plumbing repair industry, we’ve seen many plumbing issues small and large. Here are the top 5 plumbing and drain services ExpressRooter performs for homeowners like you:
1. Leaks
We’ve all had a leaky faucet, drain pipe or toilet in our home at some point in our lives. Express Rooter’s plumbers are often called to residential homes to stop leaks fast. This is where our 24 hour emergency services come in handy! If you find a leak and can’t stop it yourself, contact us right away before the leak can cause extensive – and expensive – damage to your floors or walls. A call to a plumber can save you money in the long run.
ExpressRooter President Marcin Wroblewski recently had the opportunity to learn about Rheem Canada’s Condensing Tankless Water Heater. Impressed by the unit’s serviceability, engineered design, high quality and ease of installation, Marcin introduced the unit to Mike Holmes, and the rest is history!
The Rheem Condensing Tankless Water Heater will be featured on an upcoming episode of Holmes Makes it Right, where it opened up a new world of possibilities for one lucky homeowner. The energy efficiency of the unity and space savings make it a great choice for tight spaces.
