How to Fix Burst Water Pipes

Burst water pipes are the most common plumbing emergencies for homeowners and commercial building owners alike. Aside from a broken pipe, water escape is another outcome of a split pipe emergency plumbing situation. Water leaking out of a cracked pipe must be dried quickly to prevent mold growth and expensive damage to walls, ceilings, floors and indoor belongings. Emergency plumbers report that burst pipes are more common during winters, and result usually from frozen pipes that have not be thawed in time.

Avail of the following emergency steps on how to fix burst water pipes:

1. Close main water shutoff valve to stop water supply to damaged pipe, and contact your local emergency plumber.

2. Let water pressure drop by opening a faucet at the end of the burst pipe.

3. Try to detect leak source along pipe – i.e. from where water was escaping. Place a bucket under the damaged section to collect water leaking out. If the source of the leak turns out to be a pinhead hole jump to step 5.

4. Apply a pipe clamp or make one by wrapping the damaged section of pipe with rubber and clamping with a pipe-sleeve clamp, an adjustable hose clamp or a C-clamp. Jump to step 7.

5. Pinhead holes can be temporarily sealed by inserting in a pencil and breaking off tip.

6. Dry pipe and cover pinhead hole with gapless tape. Secure rubber over the layer of tape for added pressure.

7. By now your SOS plumber should arrive to the rescue. Let the emergency plumbing service professional replace the damaged section with a new pipe.

Applying emergency plumbing repair to a burst pipe is an effective way to damage control the situation, conserve gallons of water and reduce costs significantly. If you are doubtful about conducting steps 2-6 alone, then simply close the water shutoff valve and call in the plumber. Shutting main water valves in times of water related plumbing emergencies conserves gallons of scarce water that will otherwise flood your home.

How to Use a Plumbing Snake

Almost everyone knows how frustrating a clogged drain can be. Clogged drains are one of the most common occurrences in a home. Fortunately, a plumber’s snake can be a great tool to have in the event of a plugged drain.

A plumbing snake is a flexible auger used to remove clogs in pipes that cannot be removed with a plunger. Most snakes contain a coiled metal wire with space between the coils at the end. The other end is attached to a device with a crank that rotates the wire as it moves down into the pipe.

The auger end of the wire digs into the clog much like a corkscrew, allowing recovery of the item creating the clog when the snake is pulled out. Also, a clog can be removed when the end of the snake breaks up the clog, permitting it to pass through the drain. Before using a plumbing snake, it is important to understand how to use one.

The following is a guide on how to use a plumbing snake:

1. Set Up: Before using a plumber’s snake, make sure you have towels and a bucket to collect any water that may run over on the floor. Put on gloves because the snake cable can get dirty and slimy.

2. Access the Drain: Remove the drain cover

3. Feed in the Plumbing Snake: Start with the smallest snake that you have. If it does not work, use a larger one. Feed the snake’s head into the drain. Rotate it a bit in a clockwise direction as you slide it through the pipe. Be careful not to damage sinks, toilets, and pipes.

4. Locate the Clog: Keep feeding in the snake while rotating until you hit the blockage. Keep repositioning the grip within a couple of inches of the entry way to the pipe as you feed the snake into the drain.

If you cannot locate the obstruction, run the snake in through the branch pipe. If there does not seem to be a clog in the branch pipe, the blockage may be in the main waste and vent stack, or in the sewer line. You will have to call a plumber.

5. Collect the Clog: Once you have reached the blockage, rotate the head of the snake until you can feel it latch on to the clog. Once you have a good hold, withdraw the snake out of the drain. You can also push the snake and chew away at the clump until the snake is driven through it. If it is a thick and solid clump, then use the snake to gnaw away at the clog. When you pull the blockage back, it may start to become messy. This is where a bucket and towels becomes necessary.

6. Eliminate Remaining Debris: You will have to get rid of the remaining pieces in the drain. You can do this by running hot water down the drain for a few minutes to wash away any remaining debris.

Plumbing snakes are a great tool to unclogging a drain. Used properly, it can help you avoid an expensive plumbing bill.

High Pressure Water Drain Jetting For Clogs

High Pressure Water Drain Jetting For Clogs

For many people, the science behind new technologies that have been developed to clean sewer drains couldn’t be more mundane. Not many homeowners care much about methods to unblock a badly clogged drain until it becomes necessary for them to use the technology for themselves. High pressure water drain jetting is a relatively recent development that allows drain cleaners to literally blast obstructions out of your drains, but it doesn’t just consist of a hose that sprays a stream of water. Instead, high pressure water drain jet systems are sophisticated pieces of equipment that often cost tens of thousands of dollars.

That’s not to say that hiring someone to use this equipment on your clogged drains will cost an arm and a leg, however. You’ll likely spend less than two hundred dollars to have your sewer drains professionally cleaned with a high pressure jet system, but there is no better way to eliminate blockages. While a simple drain snake can take care of smaller clogs from simple obstructions and tree roots, the high-pressure water jet is able to blast away layers of grease, scaling, debris, dirt and even rocks that may have built up in the pipe over time.

High pressure water jetting is not meant to be utilized by anyone but trained professionals who have experience using the equipment. Because the water is forced from the jet at such a high pressure, it is easily capable of seriously injuring anyone who uses the equipment incorrectly. If you have your drains serviced with a high pressure jet, make sure that you and your family stay well away from the equipment while it is being used.

In spite of its potential danger to inexperienced users, though, high pressure water jetting is safe and quiet enough to be used inside of your home if necessary. The jetting system itself is usually a large unit towed by a hitch, but the line is often hundreds of feet long and can be taken into any building safely. As long as the specially designed tip of the jet hose is well inside of the drain pipe before the system is turned on, it is very safe to use.

High pressure water jetting isn’t the right choice for every kind of clog. Simpler clogs can often be fixed by a less expensive sewer snake or other means. If your drain has significant problems from layers of heavy built up debris and grease, however, the drain jet is the best option. Although it is slightly more costly, a professionally applied high pressure drain jetting can make your blocked pipes look and operate like new again.

Plumbing and Drain Cleaning For Apartment Buildings

Plumbing and Drain Cleaning For Apartment Buildings

Many plumbing companies offer services for residential buildings and other smaller structures, and if you were to look in the phone book you would likely find dozens of plumbers in your area who could do a competent job fixing anything in your home. Drain cleaning and plumbing in larger structures, however, like apartment buildings, nursing homes, hotels and industrial complexes, simply can’t be handled by your average mom-and-pop plumbing company.

Apartment buildings, in particular, can run into problems like main sewer lines clogged by grease and debris, and specialized, expensive drain cleaning equipment is often needed to take care of this kind of maintenance.

If you are an apartment building or rental property manager who needs to take care of maintenance for a complex with many units, it’s very important to remember that most plumbing companies will not have the equipment or experience to properly clean your drains or handle other large projects. While you have fewer options regarding which plumbing or drain cleaning company you go with, however, you will still have several local options to choose from when it comes to servicing your apartment or rental complex.

Initially, start your search by phoning local drain cleaning companies and asking them if they are equipped to handle large sewer lines that are fed by multiple lateral lines from other units. In apartment buildings, a common problem is layers of grease building up in the sewer line and causing clogs (especially if the apartments themselves are set up with garbage disposals in the kitchen sinks).

In this case, nothing less than a sophisticated, specialized high-pressure water jetting system will do when it comes to cleaning the main line. Regular sewer snakes and augers simply can’t handle these kinds of jobs.

Secondly, ask for references from other clients from any drain cleaning or plumbing company you are considering for your apartment complex. If the company is professional and does quality work, they will have no problem providing you with a list of clients who can vouch for their service. It’s also important to make sure that you ask whether the company’s employees are paid by commission or by the hour. While not all commission workers are dishonest, these type of workers are more likely to overestimate the amount of work that needs to be done in order to get a larger paycheck.

Finding a competent and professional drain cleaning and plumbing company for your apartment building shouldn’t be too time consuming. Just use common sense, research local companies before settling on one, and keep track of the work they are doing and what kind of fees they are charging. The vast majority of apartment drain cleaning companies are very competent and professional, and it’s a vital service that you can’t do without.