Plumbing - Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX

Plumbing - Dallas/Ft. Worth

PLUMBING GENERAL INFORMATION

TOILETS

Toilets are the number one cause of wasted water in your home.  As the water, minerals and chemicals in the tank saturate the parts, you run the risk of having issues.  Most home improvement stores sell replacement parts for generic toilets, but a licensed plumber may be necessary to ensure the proper parts are installed for your specific application.  In many cases, the cut off valve and water supply line need to be replaced, which may need to be done by a licensed plumber to ensure it is done properly.

WATER HEATERS

Most homeowners are unaware or the age of their water heaters, or even where they are in the house. Every tank type water heater should be flushed out and inspected once a year to ensure it is working properly and safely.  There is nothing worse than getting out of bed on a Monday morning, only to find that you have to take a cold shower.  Even worse is finding out that the problem is something that could have been easily avoided.  Whether it be a simple flush out or a problem with running out of hot water, the safest way to keep your water heater in perfect running condition is by having a licensed plumbing flush and inspect it at least once a year.

TANKLESS WATER HEATERS

With the economy in the worse shape in decades, most people are doing whatever they can to be more energy efficient.  Whether it be buying an eco-friendly care, using re-useable shopping bags or installing a tankless water heater.  Tankless water heaters are one of the most energy efficient things you can do for your home, saving most homeowners hundreds of dollars per year in water heating costs.  If your tankless water heater and your home are sized up properly by a licensed and experienced professional, you should never have a shortage of hot water, or pressure.  Also the water is only heated when you use it, unlike a traditional tank type water heater that heats water 24 hours a day no matter if you are home or not.  Why heat water at your house while you are on vacation in Colorado?  Makes no sense to me either.

WATER LEAKS/SLAB LEAKS

There is unfortunately a huge problem in the Dallas / Fort Worth area with water quality.  Treated and untreated (well) water in the metroplex affect so many homes on a daily basis.  The culprit is usually the water itself, or the minerals and chemicals in it that react to copper or other metal pipes underground.  As the water reacts to the copper, corrosion begins to take place inside the pipes.  Over time, the corrosion eats away at the pipe enough that it creates pinhole leaks.  There are many tried and true methods to repair these problems.  Traditional slab penetration (jack hammering the floor) is the most common in the area, but there are usually numerous secondary costs.  Flooring such as tile, carpet, linoleum, wood, etc. usually have to be repaired or replaced.  Adding on to the expense you have already paid to fix a small pinhole leak.  Needless to say, your home will not be the same for weeks or even months while you have contractors making it livable again.  Another option is to re-route the pipe overhead, if there is attic overhead and not a second floor.  As with slab penetrations, you will have secondary costs, such as sheetrock repairs, painting, etc.  This is usually the cheapest solution, although it is only available in about 60% of the cases we see.  The last and should be the only option is the epoxy pipe line the pipes where they are.  This is a long term solution and protects 100% or your water piping system.  Unlike under slab repairs, which is usually 12 inches of pipe replaced, this system not only fixes leaks under slabs in about 80% of the cases, it prevents future leaks and comes with a warranty to back it up.  Most houses have hundreds of feet of water pipe under their slabs and in the walls.  This process coats and protects every inch of them, not just a measly 12 to 18 inches.  In most cases, once you have a leak, we can almost guarantee you will have more, so why not take care of the problem before it becomes a problem.

SEWER AND DRAIN SYSTEMS

In this area there is an over abundance of cast iron and clay/tile pipe used.  Most older homes are plumbed entirely with these pipes.  Only one problem, these types of pipes will only last so long.  Over time, water and the dirt around the pipes will corrode them and actually eat away at them until there is nothing there.  What’s worse it that while all of this is going on, tree roots and shrub roots are working their way to their new water source.  Like the water leak issue, there are numerous ways to fix these problems.  One way is traditionally, with a jackhammer (inside the house) or digging up your yard.  As with water leaks, you usually have secondary costs after the repair is done.  In most cases, a backhoe is used to dig up your yard to perform the smallest of repairs. I don’t know about you, but I take pride in having a very nice green yard.  Another option to repair and/or replace the line is to have the pipe re-lined.  This process takes mere hours, compared to a day digging your yard, a day repairing the line, and a day backfilling the excavation.  In most cases, the work is started in the early morning and completed and ready to be used y early afternoon.  This can be used as a spot repair (small repair of a few feet) or the entire length of the pipe can be lined. 

SEWER AND DRAIN CLEANING

Homeowners are very knowledgeable these days with the internet and home repair classes.  Sometimes you can get that sink drain unclogged, sometimes you can’t.  The problem is not the small amount of gunk you remove from the drain that makes it appear to be draining good.  It’s actually the build up on the insides of the pipe itself.  There are a few solutions to this problem, one of them being having someone come out and clean it out with a sewer machine, and the other being having the line cleaned out with a high pressure water jetter.  The difference is obvious.  Cleaning a drain line out with a sewer machine is still the easiest way to clear most clogs and cut away at roots in the system.  In some cases, a more thorough cleaning is necessary to even see the insides of the pipes with a sewer camera.  The good thing about using a hydro jetter is that there is almost nothing left behind in the pipe.  Everything is basically scraped off of the sides of the pipe walls, dirt, sludge, tree roots and all end up at the same place, the sewer main.  The best way to keep your sewer line free of debris and flowing smoothly is by having it hydro-jetted out once a year.  In our case, we give a complimentary camera inspection with each hydro jetted sewer line, to ensure a thorough cleaning and just to visually inspect the condition of the pipes.

RELY ON A PROFESSIONAL

In the state of Texas , a licensed plumber is supposed to perform safe and sanitary plumbing at all times.  Therefore, when there are unlicensed persons performing plumbing for the general public, they pose a risk, not only to your family but to the community.  It is always wise to use a licensed plumber to perform plumbing duties.  There are handymen and jack of all trades type of guys that claim to have plumbing knowledge and experience, which they may have, but do you really want to risk your health or your home to save a few dollars?  Or would you rather have your electrician install an air conditioner, your plumber to do your electrical work?  There is a reason it takes 4 years and extensive tests in Austin , Texas to get a plumbing license, your safety.

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