Plumber Tips: The Necessity of Regular Plumbing Inspections | Helotes, TX
Plumbing repairs and restorations can be expensive, especially when there is flooding in your home. Thankfully, there are ways to prevent costly plumbing emergencies. First, you need to hire a licensed plumber in Helotes, TX, for a regular plumbing inspection to avoid paying for expensive repairs. With regular plumbing maintenance, a plumber can check for any potential issues that may cost you a lot of money.
We’ll discuss plumbing inspections in this article, what happens during the inspection and when to schedule it. We’ll also talk about common plumbing problems in homes and what you can do about them. Lastly, we’ll give you helpful tips to conserve water so you can save more money.
When to Schedule the Plumbing Inspection
As experienced plumbers, we highly recommend that you schedule plumbing maintenance or inspection regularly and not just when there are repairs that need to be done. Also, please make sure that you only hire a licensed plumber to ensure that the job is completed right the first time.
Never hire an unqualified plumber for plumbing inspections as they may not have the proper training and experience to get the job done. Also, they may not have the right tools to perform the job correctly. Most importantly, since they are not licensed, they don’t have plumbing insurance. Should they get injured, you will have to shoulder the medical expenses. Contact bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of San Antonio if you need help with inspections. Our team of professional plumbers are licensed and highly skilled when it comes to repairs, installations and maintenance.
We recommend that you get a plumbing inspection every two years or more, depending on the condition of your plumbing. If your pipes are several decades old, you may want to consider getting them replaced. Talk to us to help you make an informed decision on what type of pipes are suitable for your home.
Are There Trees Near Your Home?
If there are trees near your home, consider hiring a professional to check if the tree roots will pose a threat to your plumbing. Tree roots are attracted to moisture and water, so if there is a minor crack or damage in the pipes, chances are these trees will penetrate the pipes. When not addressed, it will only result in a costly plumbing disaster.
If you just moved into a new home, we also recommend checking the plumbing first. Better yet, check the plumbing during the home inspection. You can’t afford to move into a new home with plumbing issues. Otherwise, you will only end up paying for more repairs.
Those who own a commercial property in Helotes, TX, must also get a plumbing inspection, especially when the building is already old. You need the inspection to ensure that the pipes are still in good condition. Don’t worry, bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of San Antonio caters to residents and businesses in the area. There’s no plumbing job we can’t do — whether it’s for a minor installation or a major commercial plumbing repair, we can help. Aso, we operate 24/7 to help customers needing emergency services.
What to Expect During the Inspection
During a plumbing inspection, a professional plumber would check the condition of your entire plumbing. Don’t worry, he will have a plumbing checklist to ensure he doesn’t miss anything. He will check for running toilets, water pressure, drain lines, water heater, plumbing fixtures, and pipes. Inform the plumber if you think there might be issues with your plumbing system so he can also check it for you.
The goal of the plumbing inspection is to ensure that all issues are addressed promptly, and your home plumbing is in excellent shape. It’s one of the most effective ways to avoid costly plumbing emergencies. However, it’s also essential to hire the right professional for the job. Choose an established plumbing company that can give you guarantees and those that offer emergency services. Make sure that they only employ licensed and highly experienced professionals to get the job done. Remember, flooding can damage the structural foundation of your home. But you can prevent this by hiring the right man for the job.
Don’t Ignore Minor Plumbing Problems
In addition to getting regular plumbing inspections, homeowners must also learn how to properly care for their plumbing. It’s crucial to know the basics of plumbing, such as knowing what not to throw down the drain or flushing the water heater tank at least once a year to remove the sediment buildup in the tank. Also, make sure that you insulate the pipes during winter to avoid frozen pipes. Pipes can freeze, expand and burst. But you can prevent this by protecting your plumbing. If there are issues, please don’t hesitate to contact a licensed plumber for assistance.
When there are issues with your plumbing, like a running toilet, please make sure you take care of it. Running toilets can waste hundreds of gallons of water, and this will reflect in your water bill. If there is high water pressure, get a water pressure regulator to help you regulate the water pressure in your home. Otherwise, it will only strain the pipes and eventually lead to pipes leaking. Also, when your water bills have suddenly skyrocketed, there might be a leak somewhere in your plumbing. Contact a plumber for professional leak detection.
Thankfully, plumbing emergencies don’t occur overnight. They happen when the homeowner neglects minor issues. Are you having problems with your plumbing? Please don’t hesitate to contact us today! We are more than happy to help.
Common Plumbing Problems in Homes
Get in touch with bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of San Antonio when you see the warning signs below:
Slow Drains
Food particles or grease are likely stuck in the pipes when the drains are slow. Remember, this is the first symptom of a major drain clog. You need to address this issue right away to avoid problems associated with drain clogs such as smelly drains, pest infestation and water damage. Our advice? Contact a licensed plumber in Helotes, TX, for professional drain cleaning. We have state-of-the-art tools that help us check the interior of the pipes. Our team doesn’t use chemical drain cleaners to clean your pipes because we know they are harmful. As a homeowner, it’s also important that you install drain covers to catch hair, debris, and food particles in the drain. To help you manage food waste, we suggest that you consider installing a garbage disposal. And please make sure that you only hire a licensed professional to help you install the appliance.
Leaky Pipes
Leaky pipes are caused by several things: mineral buildup, clogs, high water pressure, corrosion, or frozen pipes. If there are leaks in your plumbing, please contact us immediately. Otherwise, you may only end up with a flooded home. And as mentioned, please make sure that you take time to protect your pipes when the temperature starts dropping. If you have an old water heater tank, we suggest that you insulate that too to conserve energy and money.
Clogged Toilet
The last thing a homeowner wants is a clogged toilet. It can be stressful thinking that the toilet doesn’t flush. Your bathroom will have unpleasant smells when you don’t take care of the problem. You can prevent this by doing best toilet practices, such as not throwing dirt or anything in the toilet. You should only flush human waste in the toilet. Inform your family members so that they are aware of this too.
Dripping Faucets
Dripping faucets can be annoying, especially when you hear dripping water in the middle of the night. You can always call a plumber in Helotes, TX, if you need help fixing these, or you can also do this on your own so long as you have the right plumbing tools and experience. When in doubt, contact a professional instead.
No Hot Water
How long have you been using your water heater? If your water heater is more than 10 years old, we highly suggest that you consider getting a new one. Inefficient water heaters will only cost you more money down the road. Get in touch with us to help you decide what type of water heater to install for your home.
If you want to save more money, we suggest that you consider getting a tankless water heater. With the conventional water heater, you will need to constantly heat the water, whereas, with the tankless water heater, you heat the water only when you turn on the shower or the tap. That means there’s no standby heat loss. You get to save more money in the long run.
Tankless water heaters also can be mounted on the bathroom wall, which means there’s no need to reserve a space in the basement. You also don’t have to worry about a water heater tank leaking in the basement with the tankless water heater installed. Tankless water heaters also last twice as long compared to a traditional water heater. The only downside is that they are more expensive than tankless water heaters. However, you do get to save money in the long run with energy savings.
Some homeowners prefer to repair their plumbing. This is okay so long as it doesn’t include complex steps and you know what you’re doing. Make sure that you also have the right tools. Otherwise, contact a plumber in Helotes, TX, for assistance.
For major installations, though, you will need to only work with a licensed professional for this. Never attempt DIY plumbing to prevent costly repairs.
Helpful Tips to Conserve Water at Home
Switch to low-flow showerheads – A regular showerhead can dispense about 2.5 gallons of water per minute, and the low-flow showerhead can dispense less water. You can save money when you cut your shower by a few minutes and install low-flow showers in your home. For installation, please make sure that you only work with a licensed plumber.
You can also consider installing a smaller bathtub to save more water. A bigger tub may be preferable but imagine how many gallons of water you’d need to fill it up. Call one of our plumbing professionals if you need help deciding what type of plumbing fixtures to install for your home.
Run the dishwasher and washing machine on full load – Avoid running these appliances when they’re only half full if you want to conserve more water. Better yet, consider replacing them with an energy-efficient dishwasher and washing machine. Both use less water than the regular dishwasher and washing machine. Please make sure that you only work with a licensed plumber in the area for installation. Also, use stainless steel braided hoses for your washing machine as the latter is less susceptible to damage.
Fix a leaky toilet – You can check for a toilet leak by putting a few drops of food coloring in the toilet tank. Wait for at least 15 minutes, and then check the toilet bowl. If you see the food coloring in the toilet bowl, there is a leak in your plumbing. Please get in touch with one of our plumbers for help.
Use the toilet properly – Please don’t use the toilet as a trash can, or you’ll waste a lot of water every time you flush something other than human waste. You’re wasting about 7 gallons of water per flush. Instead, consider switching to low-flow or dual flush toilets to save water. Contact a licensed plumber in Helotes, TX, for the installation.
Contact bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of San Antonio
Do you need a plumber in Helotes, TX? We can help! Our plumbers at bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of San Antonio can take care of any plumbing job, big or small. Call us if you need plumbing repairs, installation and maintenance. We’ll quickly dispatch a professional to your home or business. Also, we’re available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Contact us today for an appointment.
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