Category: Residential Plumbing Services

Every single drain and pipe in your home leads to one place: the main sewer line to your home. This critical drain line allows all the water—and all the other stuff you put down the drain—to flow out of your home and into the sewer. Main sewer line repair and replacement are some of the very last things you ever want to experience.

And that begs the question. Is there a way to avoid such a fate?

Over time, pipes can break down and rupture, and the main sewer pipe is no exception. However, knowing some of the top causes of main line damage can certainly help! To give you a chance to prevent this from happening to you, here are the top four reasons you could end up needing to repair or replace your main sewer line.

Flushing Un-flushable Debris

Some items, like toilet paper, are perfectly fine to flush down the toilet. Others, not so much.

Many people use their toilets to get rid of some truly bizarre things. Sometimes, someone’s toddler shoves a bunch of Barbies down there just to see what happens. If enough un-flushable objects make it all the way to the main line, they can cause serious damage by blocking your plumbing system’s ability to drain.

At that point, sewer line repair is next to inevitable.

A Sagging Sewer Line

Unless you oversaw the construction of your home, you probably can’t keep this problem from happening, but it doesn’t hurt to discuss it.

If the main sewer line is not laid properly (and sometimes even if it is), the soil beneath it may sink in certain spots. When soil compaction occurs, the pipe may sag. Here’s why this is a problem. When the main line forms a belly, water and waste can build up. When debris and material build up, erosion and blockages can occur.

Unfortunately, sewer line sags are difficult to detect without professional equipment. If you suspect you need sewer line repair, call a plumber to diagnose the problem first.

Roots

Trees are pretty amazing. They are also a plumber’s worst nightmare. That’s because tree roots stretch deep down into the soil searching for a source of water. When tree roots find a home’s sewer line, they sometimes press against the pipe until it breaks.

Homes with older ceramic sewer lines are more likely to have problems with tree roots, but with proper sewer line repair using more modern materials, you can ensure it never happens again.

Grease

You know you are not supposed to, but you do it anyway. We are probably all guilty of pouring grease down the drain at some point, but here’s a friendly reminder of why you should avoid it at all costs.

When you pour hot grease or oil down the drain, you might think that it can make it to where it needs to go. But as it travels down your plumbing, it cools and solidifies. What a mess.

Think You Need a Sewer Line Repair?

Get in touch with Custom Plumbing of Arizona today to diagnose your plumbing problem.

Posted on Author Vince VinceCategories Residential Plumbing ServicesTags

Plumbing projects can be overwhelming, but maintaining, and even improving, your home’s plumbing system can raise its value.

The last thing any homeowner (or rental property owner) wants to happen is for their home to lose value. Fortunately, you can help your home avoid depreciation, and perhaps even see its value rise by making some plumbing upgrades.

Drain, Pipe, and fixture Inspection and Repair

The first plumbing projects you need to take on to protect your home’s value is to ensure that your drains, pipes, and fixtures are in good condition by having a professional plumber inspect them. After you are sure nothing needs to be repaired, you can then focus on increasing the convenience, efficiency, and healthiness of your home’s plumbing system.

New Appliances and Fixtures

Appliances and fixtures—like bathtubs, sinks, dishwashers, and toilets—are an excellent place to start improving your home. Not only do these everyday items increase your home’s attractiveness, but also, they improve efficiency and conserve water when you replace old models with new ones.

A Tankless Water Heater

We’ve all been the last one to use the shower in the morning. Is there anything worse than getting all lathered up only for the hot water to run out? With a tankless water heater, cold showers and baths are a thing of the past. While this plumbing project can be expensive, the value that it can add to your home and the money it can save you in energy costs are worth the investment.

A Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration System

Depending on where you live, your tap water might smell and taste less than appealing. Minerals and other contaminants could be the cause of your water’s bad taste and odor. Installing a reverse osmosis water filtration system in your home will make the issue a thing of the past.

When combined with a water softener, an RO system can give you the cleanest, purest water you have ever seen.

Backflow Prevention

One way to keep your home’s value high is to add value to it. Another way is to prevent damage from happening to it. Changes in pressure between your plumbing and the sewer system can lead to wastewater backing up into your home. Imagine the smell. Imagine the damage to your floors and possessions. That’s thousands of dollars down the drain, and you can bet that when you flush money down the toilet, it’s not coming back up.

Maybe the first item on your list of plumbing projects should be installing a backflow prevention device.

Not Ready to Tackle Your Plumbing Projects on Your Own? Contact Custom Plumbing

Your home is your sanctuary. If you want it to last for a lifetime and gain value over time, talk to the plumbing experts at Custom Plumbing of Arizona today. Whether you need us to fix a leak or want advice on where to invest in your plumbing, we are here to guide you.

Posted on Author Vince VinceCategories Residential Plumbing ServicesTags

In an emergency, you want to know that you can rely on your plumber to get the job done. A good plumber knows what to do—and how to do it fast—during a plumbing emergency. What is a plumbing emergency? Keep reading to learn when you should call a plumbing expert ASAP.

As the name suggests, a plumbing emergency is an incident during which the plumbing in your home or business malfunctions, often causing serious damage, or at least having the potential to cause it. It does not take long for a little bit of water to do a lot of damage to a building’s flooring, walls, ceilings, and even foundation.

A plumbing emergency usually has a few distinct characteristics:

  1. Water is leaking from an undefined source.
  2. Water is coming from a visible source but can’t be stopped without professional help.
  3. The leaking water has caused or has the potential to cause extensive damage.
  4. Hazardous waste or materials are present.

Your basement doesn’t need to be flooded to warrant a call to an emergency plumber. What is a plumbing emergency? These four examples answer this critical question.

Leaking or Burst Pipes

Leaky pipes are one of the most common examples of a plumbing emergency. A burst pipe can lead to thousands of dollars in water damage, even in a relatively short period of time.

But it doesn’t take a broken pipe that is gushing gallons of water to qualify a leak as an emergency.

Even a pinhole leak left unattended can severely damage carpet, wood, and drywall, not to mention lead to mold damage that can put your family’s health at risk and lead to expensive repairs.

Overflowing Toilet

We’ve all done it—we go to flush the toilet and the water rises fast. Aside from being a bit embarrassing, a clogged and overflowing toilet could indicate a larger problem than an isolated incident suggests.

If your toilet repeatedly overflows, it might be time to call an emergency plumber to take a look.

Flooding

No matter what the cause is, if your home is flooded, you need to call a plumber right away. If you don’t take care of the problem the first time it happens, it will be more likely to happen again.

Sewer Backup

As we have written about before, you don’t ever want to experience a sewer backup. Needless to say, if you have sewage backing up into your home, you need to call a plumber immediately. Keep your nose on high alert. If you smell any weird scents coming from your drains, you could prevent a hazardous, costly incident by simply having a plumber take a look.

What Is a Plumbing Emergency Going to Take to Fix?

If you think you are having a plumbing emergency, it is best to err on the side of caution. Give us a call any time, day or night, and we will send an expert to take care of the problem.

Posted on Author Vince VinceCategories Emergency Plumber, Commercial Plumbing Service, Residential Plumbing ServicesTags

When was the last time you tested your home’s water pressure? Never? If you have given little to no thought to learning how to test water pressure in your house, you might want to reconsider. Here is what you need to know.

Too much water pressure and you could damage your plumbing. Too little and you can’t take a comfortable shower. In some cases, you may not even realize that your pressure is not what it should be, but that problem is easily fixable with a few simple steps.

If you have ever wondered how to test water pressure in your house, these tips are for you.

The Shower/Toilet Test

Have you ever noticed how the water pressure changes while you are showering when someone else flushes a toilet? If you have, you might want to take a closer look. Turn on your shower and watch what happens when you flush the toilet. Does the pressure drop significantly while the toilet is refilling? If so, it might be time to call a plumber to diagnose the problem.

Buy a Pressure Gauge

If you do not notice anything when you try the shower/toilet test but you still suspect you have a water pressure problem, you can get a more accurate reading of your home’s water pressure by buying a pressure gauge. You can purchase this tool at most home supply stores. After you hook up your pressure gauge to your faucet, make sure no other water is running in the house, then run the water to get a baseline reading of your pressure. Depending on your preferences and your home, you want to get a reading between 30 and 80 psi.

A Few Potential Causes

Now that you know how to test water pressure in your house, let’s talk about what might be causing the problem. When you have low pressure, the cause could be a few different things.

One potential cause could be a leak somewhere in your plumbing. A leak in one pipe decreases the pressure in the rest of the house. To fix this plumbing problem, you will need to locate the leak and repair it. The problem could also be a partially blocked pipe due to mineral buildup.

The low water pressure problem could also be due to your municipal supply, though that is more often the cause of high pressure. If you live at the bottom of a hill, you may need to install a pressure regulator.

Hire a Plumber So You Don’t Have to Learn How to Test Water Pressure in Your House

If you need help determining why your water pressure is too low or too high, get in touch with the experts at Custom Plumbing of Arizona. We will help you achieve optimal pressure in your home.

Posted on Author Vince VinceCategories Emergency Plumber, Commercial Plumbing Service, Residential Plumbing ServicesTags

Looking for ideas on how to improve water quality in your home? These four steps might help.

Good, clean water is essential. Without it, we would not be able to survive. In this country, we often assume that everyone has access to clean water, but that is not always the case. In fact, even if your water is technically safe to use, it is possible that its quality is nowhere near what it could be. When your water contains minerals or bacteria that make it taste and smell foul, you are less likely to stay hydrated, which could affect your health, to say nothing of what it can do to your skin and clothes.

But you don’t have to settle for low-quality water. Follow these four steps to improve your home’s water.

Get Your Water Tested

To know what you must do to improve the quality of your water, you first need to know what is wrong with it. In other words, you need to get your water tested. It’s not as difficult to test your water as you might think—all you have to do is get a home testing kit. Using one of these kits, you can determine what is in your water, and if it contains anything harmful you can then ask a professional how to improve water quality in your home.

Consider Water Filtration

Depending on what you find in your water, a water filtration system might be the solution you need for better water in your home. The type of filtration system you choose—whether a simple faucet attachment or a whole-home system—depends on your needs, so it is best to consult with a plumber before deciding.

Add a Water Softener

If your problem is hard water, it’s no secret how to improve water quality in your home. A water softener is a simple fix. By removing minerals from your home’s water, a water softener could make your water taste and smell better. As a bonus, all those deposits that your water usually leaves behind on dishes and bathroom surfaces will be a thing of the past.

Maintain Your Home’s Plumbing

Old pipes, in addition to leaking frequently, often have many of the problems mentioned in this article. In some cases, they may even contain harmful chemicals or even lead, which can leach into your home’s water supply. If your home is older and you are not sure whether the pipes have been replaced recently, you may want to talk to a plumber about the possibility of re-piping your home.

Don’t Have Time to Learn How to Improve Water Quality in Your Home? Leave it to Custom Plumbing

If your home’s water quality is not up to your standards, don’t wait another second. Make the call today to Custom Plumbing of Arizona. Our expert plumbers will walk you through your options.

Posted on Author Vince VinceCategories Residential Plumbing ServicesTags