For emergency plumbing
needs large and small, the only call is Malmedal!
Water
Damage Prevention
Why
Plumbing Maintenance is Important
Identifying
Water Problems
Preventative
Maintenance
Water
Pressure
Main
Water Shut Off Valve Located in the Home
Emergency
Shut Off Valves
Water
Supply Lines
Washing
Machine
Cleaning
Up After a Leak
Helpful
Hints
Water Damage Prevention
Water-related damage causes millions of dollars of losses each
year across America. A recent study showed 63% of home insurers
found that water-related losses totaled $1.7 billion between
1997 and 2001. Based on the survey data, the average cost of
a water claim in 2001 was $4730, up from $2537 in 1997, nearly
doubling the average cost of a water claim in four years. Malmedal
Plumbing is happy to provide this information as a service to
you.
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Why Plumbing Maintenance is Important
- Homeowner's insurance generally cover household water damage
if the damage is sudden and accidental, such as damage caused
by burst pipes. It does not cover that is covered by flood
insurance, i.e., rising water from outside; or damage caused
over time by lack of maintenance.
- A water damage claim can
be a red flag to insurers as well as to future homebuyers,
signaling a likelihood of repeat water claims. It is better
to maintain a home for water issues than face the risks of
increased insurance costs and reduced home marketability.
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Identifying Water Problems
- Look at your water bill. By comparing monthly usage figures,
you may get tipped off to a small leak before it becomes a
big problem. Major, unexplained fluctuations in your water
bill are often a sign of water leaks.
- Use a water pressure gauge to determine whether your household
water pressure is set too high. The ideal household water pressure
is 60-80 pounds per square inch. (Psi), but many homes are
set at 100 or higher. Attach the gauge to an outdoor faucet
and turn the water on full to determine water pressure.
- Inspect
pipes and fittings each year. Just as you change the batteries
in your smoke detector each year, you should take a few minutes
to inspect under sinks and around washing machines, lavatories,
icemakers, and water softeners. You can also contact a plumbing
company once per year to make a check to ensure all of your
plumbing system is in working order and is not posing any types
of problems.
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Preventative Maintenance
- Know where your water shutoff valve is located and be sure
that the entire family knows how to shut off household water
supplies in the event of a sudden pipe or hose break.
- Inspect
your plumbing annually. Just as you change the batteries in
your smoke detectors each year, you should inspect your water
pipes and fittings annually. This simple check takes minutes
and could prevent thousands of dollars in water damage.
- Inspect
around your water heater, washer, dishwasher, sinks, lavatories,
and refrigerator icemaker. If hoses indicate wear, replace
them. Consider replacing hoses to major appliances such as
your washer and dishwasher every two to five years. Steel,
so-called "no burst" hoses have been shown to have a
longer lifespan than other models.
- When you go on vacation,
turn off the water to your washer while you are out of town.
Many homeowners have returned from vacation to find their washer
hoses have burst, flooding their homes.
- Never leave the house with appliances, such as dishwashers,
washers, or dryers, still operating.
- Let faucets connected to vulnerable pipes drip during extremely
cold weather. This keeps the water moving and helps to reduce
the chance of freezing.
- If your bathroom has an exhaust fan, be sure to run it while
the shower is on. This helps to remove steam from the room.
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Water Pressure
- The Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) calls for water to be delivered
to homes for domestic use at between 35 and 80 psi. Angle stops
(valves) and supply lines as well as appliances are designed
to withstand up to 80 pounds per square inch.
- Water pressure regulators take the water as it is delivered
by the water district, and regulate it to between 50 and 70
psi. The pieces in the water pressure regulator that reduce
the water pressure are made of rubber and metal. Over a period
of time, they can fail. When the water pressure regulator fails,
water pressure to the home is allowed to increase. This puts
a strain on valves, hoses and appliances that they were not
designed to withstand. Unchecked, excessive water pressure
may cause a rupture in the supply lines or valves.
- A water pressure test gauge can inform the homeowner if water
pressure is excessive. Simply connect the gauge to an outdoor
faucet, and turn on the water to determine the water pressure.
Make sure the faucet used is "regulated". Some outdoor faucets
are unregulated. If the pipe connected to the faucet comes
out of the wall, there is a fairly good chance that faucet
is regulated. If the pressure exceeds 80psi, then there is
either a failed pressure-reducing vale on the system or no
device at all. In either case, you should contact a licensed
plumber to remedy this situation, as excessive pressure besides
being a code violation, will damage supply lines, hoses and
faucets.
- If you are in doubt, the best way to ensure you are receiving
proper water pressure is by contacting a plumbing company.
Within a few minutes, a professional plumber will analyze your
system and give you the answers you need.
A working water pressure regulator reduces the strain on plumbing
fixtures and increases their service life.
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Main Water Shut Off Valve Located in
the Home
Every homeowner should locate their main water shut off valve
and know how to use it.
- There are two types of main water valves: the gate valve
and the ball valve. The gate valve is recognized by its round
handle that must be turned a number of times to open or close
the valve. The ball valve is recognized by its single handle
that needs to be turned ¼ turn or 90 degrees,
to turn the water on or off.
- Your plumbing professional can tell you about the condition
of the main water valve in your home and replace it if necessary.
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Emergency Shut Off Valves
- Emergency shut off valves are valves located under your kitchen
and bathroom sinks, at your washing machine, at the toilet,
and refrigerator icemaker. There are emergency shut off valves
for both hot and cold water. Most emergency shut off valves
are of the gate variety and are made of materials that may
fail over time. Replacement of theses valves is recommended
when they are showing signs of leaking or they have "frozen" in
the open position - meaning they cannot be turned one way or
the other.
- Emergency shut off valves need to be "exercised" regularly
to make sure they are not frozen in the open position. Every
month or two simply turn the angle stops off and on a few times.
This will keep them working as they were designed. Never force
a valve that is frozen in position. Consult a plumbing professional
as soon as possible.
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Water Supply Lines
- Water supply lines are connected from the angle stop to the
appliance they serve, such as a faucet, toilet, washing machine,
dishwasher, and icemakers. Many times these are thin rigid
lines that can easily break and cause extensive damage. Water
supply lines should be checked regularly for corrosion and
rust and changed every 5 to 7 years.
- Among the preferred lines are those that are stainless steel
braided over rubber with threaded couplings on both ends for
the sink and toilet lines. Do not forget the dishwasher and
refrigerator icemaker supply lines. They are often overlooked
because they are hidden. Replace plastic tubing with either
soft copper or steel braided supply lines.
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Washing Machine
- The washing machine supply box shown is found in most recently
constructed homes. The box sits inside the drywall and the
angle stops are inside the box.
- The water to the washing machine should always be turned
off when the machine is not in use. The instruction manuals
for some washing machines call for the water to be on only
when the machine is in use. Leaving the water on places the
washing machine hoses and valves under constant pressure. The
life of the washing machine hose can be prolonged if the water
is turned on only when the machine is in use.
- Washing machine hoses need to be checked regularly and replaced
periodically. Most failures occur at the coupling. Always change
hoses when a new machine is purchased, or you move to a new
location. Regardless of the material the hose is made of, it
needs to be checked and changed regularly. A broken washing
machine supply line can cause extensive damage if it is not
discovered quickly and the water turned off.
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Cleaning Up After a Leak
- Turn off water to the house.
- Remove as much water as possible with mopping and blotting.
- Remove all photos, art, and small fixtures to a safe, dry
place.
- Remove damp books from shelves and spread out to dry.
- Wipe wooden furniture dry. Prop up cushions for even drying.
- Open drawers, cabinets, and closets for faster drying.
- Put aluminum foil, saucers, or wood blocks between furniture
legs and west carpeting.
- Remove rugs from on top of wet carpet to prevent color saturation.
- Remove items that are not colorfast, such as books and magazines,
from wet flooring and carpet.
- Immediately use fans to circulate air and encourage drying.
- Try to stabilize the indoor air temperature to about 70 degrees
and use dehumidifiers, if possible.
- Contact a water restoration company such as serve-plus.
Not a Good Idea:
- Do not use an ordinary vacuum to remove water.
- Do not use electrical appliances while standing on wet carpet.
- Do not lift tacked down carpet without professional help.
Lifting the carpet incorrectly can cause shrinkage.
Information provided by Insurance Information Network of California,
for more information on water damage prevention visit www.iinc.org.
These tips are provided as a service from Malmedal Plumbing.
The information in Malmedal Plumbing "emergency tips" is intended
to simplify jobs around the house. Tools, products, materials,
techniques, building codes and local regulations change; therefore,
Malmedal Plumbing assumes no liability for omissions, errors
or the outcome of any project. The reader must always exercise
reasonable caution, follow current codes and regulations that
may apply, and is urged to consult with a licensed professional
if in doubt of any procedures.
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Helpful Hints
- Check your water meter during a period of time when no water
is being used. Make a note of the meter reading and check it
eight to 10 hours later. If the meter has moved, there is an
indication that you may have an undetected water leak, which
should be corrected.
- Do not pour liquid grease down the drain. Before washing
pots and pans, wipe out congealed grease with a paper towel.
- Once a week, run hot water down the drain to help keep it
free flowing.
- Tubs and showers should be fitted with a strainer that catches
hair and soap chips. Clean the strainer regularly.
- Do not use excessive amounts of detergents, bleach, or chemicals
that may kill the natural bacteria in your septic system.
- Use biodegradable soaps and detergents.
- Periodically, drain water from the bottom of your water heater
to remove sediment, which extends the life of your water heater.
- Foul odors occur from a build up of food debris inside your
garbage disposer. To eliminate these odors, place ice cubes
and lemon peels in the disposer and run for about 30 seconds,
then rinse with cold water.
- To prevent excessive watering of your lawn in the summertime,
purchase an inexpensive spring-loaded timer, which attaches
directly to your outside faucet. This will prevent over watering
in case you forget to shut off the sprinkler.
- Water pressure in your home above 60 pounds per square inch
is harmful to your plumbing system and will cause excessive
water usage. Contact your local water authority to find out
what the water pressure is on your street. If it exceeds 60
pounds, consider installing a pressure-reducing valve that
will limit the water pressure within your home.
- To prevent sewer gases from backing up into your home through
your basement floor drain, periodically pour a bucket of water
down the drain to keep the trap seal full.
- To remove unsightly mineral deposits on your showerhead,
put one cup of vinegar in a plastic bag and place it over the
showerhead. Hold it in place with a twist tie and let stand
overnight. In the morning, remove the bag and the mineral deposits
should come off by wiping with a damp cloth.
- Repair leaky faucets quickly to avoid further damage to the
fixtures and faucets.
- When replacing plumbing fixtures, consider the long-term
savings by purchasing a high efficiency water heater, or a
low water consumption fixture.
- Stop annoying water hammer noises by installing shock absorbers
that absorb vibrations in water lines.
- Toilets consume more than 40% of your total water usage.
Installation of a new toilet flapper and fill valve will keep
your toilet running efficiently.
- Put 12 drops of green food coloring into your toilet tank
to test for silent leaks. If the dye appears in the bowl, you
may need to change the ball or flapper valve. The toilet is
leak free if no dye appears within 15 minutes.
- Septic tanks should be inspected and pumped every three to
five years to help prevent costly replacement of the filter
field.
- Conserve energy by checking the temperature setting on your
water heater. It should not be above 120 degrees Fahrenheit
or medium setting on older models.
- It is extremely important to know the location of the main
water shut off valve in the house. Find it now so you are prepared
to shut it off fast if a pipe breaks or the water heater bursts.
If located in a locked closet or shed area, make sure a key
is readily available.
- Replacing an old showerhead can save up to 7.5 gallons a
minute without sacrificing full spray action at low or high
water pressures.
- Do not put up with any slowly dripping faucets. A slow drip
can waste as much as 150 gallons of water each day, or 4,500
gallons per month and will add to the water bill.
- If your drain field appears flooded with water on the surface
of the ground or you have extremely green lawn in a particular
area, check for dripping faucets or leaky toilets before agreeing
to costly repairs. Often a minor adjustment will fix your problem.
All of the above advice is to help you with emergency situations
and to provide you with information that can save you hundreds
possibly thousands of dollars in expense if your plumbing system
is not maintained properly. Contacting an expert plumber with
Malmedal Plumbing for all your plumbing needs will ensure a long
life for your plumbing system and ensure you do not have to spend
your hard-earned money for not maintaining your plumbing system.
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