Category Archives: Pipes

The Importance of Hiring a Licensed Plumber in Marietta GA

Clogged Drains/Toilets, Pipes, , , , , , , ,

Drainage systems and clogged pipes are the most likely problems that can face you at any time. So, what do you do when these events occur? Well, a licensed plumber in Marietta, GA is purposefully, trained to take care of these issues. These professionals are excellent in fixing any plumbing problem, be it basic or complicated. They have the knowledge and experience that is valuable to homeowners.

Recurrent Home Plumbing Problems

One of the recurrent problems in homes is the leakage of sinks or clogging of the toilet. These two issues always make the house or compound in a devastating mess. If you were to host visitor on that day, the embarrassment can only be, imagined. There are a number of people who choose to use a plunger when drainage pipes are blocked, what they fail to understand is that, more problems can be created by this method of first aid.

Let the services of your area licensed plumber in Marietta GA help you out in this regard because  having your toilet out of commission is an inconvenience you don’t want to happen. Since they have latest tools the capacity to unclog the drainage system is easily done. Therefore, the issue of using a plunger to carry out this kind of work should be, abandoned.

Problems with the sinks are just as important as of the toilet. At times, you may realize that there is a clog in the sink, and there are no sufficient skills to unclog it, moreover, a pipe may burst, and continue spilling the waste all over the place. Though these jobs are not massive, it is still recommended to hire a professional plumber for repairs.

The other plumbing issue that may prompt the acquisition of plumbing services is the installation of pipes. This is a task, which requires expertise; any mistaken measurement may lead to damage of the whole system. Therefore, as you can see, plumbing experts are part and parcel of our life.

How to Get a Licensed Plumber in Marietta, GA

Now that you know how helpful plumbing services are, how can a person obtain these professionals? There is no cause for alarm, talking to close friends is the simplest way of acquiring the services of these professionals. You may get a long list, and the next hurdle will be to get the right person for the job.

The other method is to search online. The Internet is really changing how business is done these days. By having a computer connected on the internet, searching for these professionals is equally easy. What you have to look for is the customer reviews, services offered and contacts. Moreover, you can get quotes from various companies, as well.

Look for a plumbing expert who has a working license. This is very important when legal matters arise. As a consumer you can feel at ease if you can establish that the contractor has this document. The next thing to look for is the level of experience; a technician may be qualified but lacks all that is required in completing a given task successfully. The other issue, which is equally important, is the insurance. Hiring technicians who are not insured is a risk and may cost you more.

Therefore, as you can see, plumbers are very important in society. What matters is the quality you get from them.

What to do with Frozen Pipes

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Millions of families across the country have a catastrophe somewhere in their homes due to frozen pipes. Their lives are disrupted every winter with flooded rooms and high cost repair bills. However, if a pipe freezes and the response is swift it is possible to thaw the pipe before it bursts. Pipes normally freeze when they are adjoining outside walls. The most vulnerable to freezing are those running through unheated quarters, and once the water is frozen, the water flow will be cut off, leading to split pipes due to ice expansion.

The first piece of evidence that your pipe is frozen is when you awake in the morning after a very cold night and turn on your tap. If there is no surge of water and only a trickle flows down and abruptly stops; you have a frozen pipe. So thawing the pipe will be necessary. Here is advice on what to do with frozen pipes.

. First, locate where the pipe is frozen, then switch off the key water supply. This move will avert the water from spurting out once the pipe is thawed. Afterwards, open the taps in the house.

. If water is not flowing anywhere inside the home, a pipe close to the water meter is probably frozen. Place your hand on the meter and the nearby exposed pipes. If the pipes are extremely cold, that is a sign that they are probably frozen.

. If water flows in just one part of the home, a pipe in an exterior wall or un-padded crawl space is most likely the culprit. Try opening bathroom and kitchen sink cabinets to permit warm air from the home to heat-up the pipes.

. After locating the frozen pipe, open the distressed faucet completely while opening other hot water faucets as well. When the water begins to stream from the distressed pipe, secure all faucets to a dribble. Do not attempt to completely shut the distressed faucet pending the total defrosting of the pipe and after water is flowing freely.

Other workable methods and one of the safest thawing techniques involves a moderate heat source hair dryer, household iron, or heat lamp. Propane torches or other open direct flames will heat the pipes too fast, possibly causing an explosion. Some people may suggest putting rags into boiling water and wrapping them around the frozen pipe. A professional plumber would never recommend such a technique since obviously it would be quite messy with an unpredictable outcome.

When thawing pipes with a hair dryer or heat lamp at all times work from an open faucet toward the frozen part. This will permit steam to be released and from being trapped by ice, which can result in a burst pipe. With the faucet open, it is easy to see when the ice has dissolved. A great way to prevent pipes from freezing in the first place is to wrap them in electrical heating cable, afterwards covering the pipe with insulation to preserve heat. A heating cable can be utilized to thaw a frozen pipe as well.

Hazards of Polybutylene Piping

Pipes

When buying a house, checking it inside and out is very important. One thing that should be on the list is plumbing. In the plumbing area ask or check for polybutylene pipes. Having that installed may not be a problem now but it will be.

Polybutylene pipes are a resin-made type of plastic pipe. It has a gray color inside the house and a gray, black or blue color outside. It is between .5 and 1 inch in diameter. It was manufactured in 1978. Homes before 1995 have polybutylene pipes installed but it became the most popular in the 1980’s. It was inexpensive to make and easy to install because of its flexibility. These pipes are in about 10 million homes/properties mostly located in the Sun Belt region, the Pacific Northwest, and the Mid-Atlantic States.

In the inside of the house the pipes start in the basement ceilings and enter the water heater. Also check the pipes under the toilet, sinks, and bathrooms. On the outside the pipes start on the basement walls and attach to the shutoff valve and/or the water meter.

One hazard caused by these polybutylene pipes is when the pipes start to break or tear apart inside. That comes in the way of corrosion. When the water faucet pipe erodes the chlorine or other chemicals in the water wears down the structure of the pipes causing the breaking/tearing. With continued deterioration cracks scales and holes is visible. By the time a leak is seen it’s too late; the damage has been done to homes and businesses. The next hazard is incorrect installation. Installing these pipes may be easy but it requires special equipment to secure it in properly. Without the special equipment the pipe might not be as sturdy as it should be. Another hazard is old pipes. The older the pipes the more chance of a problem occurring. Mold on the pipes can also occur. Any one of these severe problems can take as much as 10-15 years to be noticed with the human eye. All of these hazards can happen without warning.

Insurance companies will not cover damages done to the home with these pipes installed. Selling the house will be hard to do because polybutylene pipes are not reliable plumbing. Lawsuits have been filed and settled as a result of polybutylene pipes. If a polybutylene pipe is found get rid of it now.

How to Repair an Outdoor Water Faucet

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Every homeowner will discover that they will need to have an outdoor water faucet, whether it be to water their lawn or wash their car; however, they are notorious for having problems from time-to-time. When people use a little bit of common sense, they will quickly realize that anything that has water running through it has the potential to freeze during the winter. For this reason, every year when it begins to get cold, news anchors will begin reminding people to unhook their hose and ensure that the faucet’s water supply is completely shut-off. The bad thing is that most people operate under the assumption that their faucet will not freeze, apparently because their faucet is different from everyone else’s. However, a frozen faucet is not the only thing that can malfunction with these units, so it is important for people to understand how to repair their outdoor water faucet, or they will have to pay a plumber to handle the task.

Analyze the Problem

The first step in repairing an outdoor faucet is to carefully analyze exactly what the problem is. Many people become stressed out when they know they have to repair something, which can lead them to make rushed decisions. The problem with this is that they may go buy a lot more expensive items than they actually need. Another potential problem with this is that they may purchase the wrong supplies and have to return them to the store, which will make the process take even longer. The worst case scenario would be when the hardware store will not even accept a returned product that has been opened, because the customer will be completely out of their money.

Parts Required

Depending on what the problem is, people may need to purchase a new spigot, pipe, shut-off valve. The spigot is essentially the pipe that people see the water coming out of. The pipe is hidden behind the actual faucet, so it may be a little tougher to work on. The shut-off valve is the knob that people rotate to turn the faucet off or on. People will simply need to find the right sized wrench to disconnect the faucet from the wall. They will see a nut towards the middle of the faucet that the wrench will connect with.

Once people discover what the problem is with their outdoor faucet, they can make repairs. No one should have to pay a plumber a substantial rate to complete such an easy task. People will find all of the efficient plumbing fixtures they need at a hardware store, and people will likely have all of the tools they need to make the necessary repairs.

If you do end up needing a plumber for more extensive repairs,  just call us!

K. L. Contractor Plumbing, Inc.
3304 High Noontide Way
Acworth, GA 30101
404-626-2440

The Basics of Plumbing and Drains

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Plumbing is all about gravity.

The bathroom is the one room in the house that is all about plumbing and drains. Getting water into the room and getting the waste out. It sounds complicated, but it really runs on a simple principle, gravity. Of course, we would not want to forget that modern bathrooms also have a supply of hot water. No one wants a cold bath or even worse an ice cold shower. Somehow hot water needs to come into the bathroom. The hot water heater can take credit for that and you can’t forget all that dirty water and waste that needs a place to go. Sewers often aren’t popular places, but where would be without them?

How does clean water come into your home? Pressure causes the water to flow up through pipes, around corners and zigzag its way into the faucet at the top of the sink. You turn the value and it flows until it is shut off. Cold water is ready all the time, but the hot water has to go through another system. It will need to pass through a hot water heater where it is maintained at about 160 degrees. The thermostat on the heater will need to be adjusted to what is safe and comfortable.

Most homes or businesses are on public sewer systems but some of them may use a septic system. It really doesn’t matter because it works the same way. The water and waste leaves your drain using the force of gravity. It is usually all downhill. It sounds easy but there is more involved. To work correctly there needs to be vents to pull the water along. On the top of the house you can often see small vents sticking up. These are placed there to bring air into the drainage system. Without them, the drains would not flow smoothly. Plumbing and sewer issues can be difficult to fix for most homeowners and often it is necessary to call a professional plumber to unclog a drain.

The bathroom is full of fixtures. The plumbing and drains could not work without these fixtures. Toilets, sinks and bathtubs are all necessary for a modern working restroom. If a fixture is not working correctly, it is possible to shut the water off to only that fixture. It can be repaired without affecting the rest of the bathroom fixtures. There is a main shut off value for all the plumbing in the house and it is a good idea for everyone in the house to know where it is and how to operate it.

Plumbing is an interesting thing and easy to understand if you catch onto the basic principle. Most plumbing will need to be done by a license plumber who understands all the codes and requirements. Homeowners need to check before they try to change any of the drains or pipes that supply water into the home. Installing a new sink or toilet can be done by the homeowner if they read and follow all the directions. Take some time and think it through before trying to tackle a plumbing project.

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Basic Plumbing and Sewer Problems

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There are many common problems that may occur with any given plumbing or sewer system. These problems range from simple clogs to burst pipes. In some instances, there may even be tiny pressure leaks due to improper clamping procedures or small holes that are hard to locate.

Freezing Pipes

This is a common problem for many people, and will afflict a large number of homes and businesses over the course of any given winter. There are a few measures to prevent pipe freezes but it is important to remember that these measures must be completed fully in order for them to work.

  • Insulate pipes in areas that are not heated. Cracks and breaks in pipes are formed when ice is formed inside of them. Insulating the pipes will help maintain the temperature within the pipes.
  • Disconnect and drain garden hoses prior to turning off the outside faucets for the winter season. If the building has internal shut-off valves that lead to these outside faucets turn those off and drain the line prior to turning off the faucets.
  • Use an insulation kit for outside faucets to prevent warping and breakage.
  • Flush out the water in your water heater in the fall. This will remove some of he sediment trapped therein, and improve its working lifespan.
  • When you leave home for an extended period of time in the winter months shut off the main water valve. Once this is done, open the faucets at the highest and the lowest points of the building. This will remove the water from the lines and help to prevent freezes.

Sewer Back-up Issues

Most of the time when the plumbing and sewer backs up there is a clog in the line somewhere. In many instances simply using a drain snake will fix this issue. Similar concerns occur when a garbage disposal system backs up and the water seal evaporates. This issue will cause the scent of rotting bio-matter to permeate throughout the home. There are several items to keep in mind in order to fix the situation or to prevent these scenarios from occurring.

  • Do not pour grease down your drains. This is a very important preventative measure as grease will often harden and clog sewer lines. It also causes chemical issues and may lead to contamination concerns.
  • If the garbage disposal system is giving off an odor this will normally mean that the water seal that traps the scent of the disposal has evaporated. A bucket of water should be poured into the traps for the disposal, sinks, and bathtub periodically in order to flush the system and restore the water seal.
  • Do not allow solid food articles to enter a sink drain line. Solid food articles such as beans or macaroni entering drain lines may lead to the same issues as pouring grease down the sink.
  • Periodically using a drain cleaning solution will save a great deal of time and frustration later. These substances help remove hard water residue and loosen other types of clogs as well.

Water Plumbing in the Home Made Easy

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People are always told of the importance of water. Moreover, the conservation of water is an issue that many people take seriously. The need for water in order for people to survive daily life is undeniable. Water is a necessity that proves its worth in all sorts of daily activities. Thus home water plumbing is also a need to be understood and appreciated by people if they wish to truly maintain a good household.

Whenever water plumbing comes to mind, thinking about water supply is most probably what follows. Plumbing, after all, is all about managing the supply of water. It is important that houses get enough supply of water through a pipe that can efficiently spread water all throughout the household. Moreover, it is important that the water a house receives is clean enough to be used for cleaning other items as well.

It’s good for people to monitor their monthly water consumption. This would not only help them check if they are charged correctly for the water they use but they would also be aware of how much water they consume. Too much water consumption may help people realize the importance of conserving water and of using water appropriately.

If there is water supply, naturally there is a drainage system. More specifically, it is important that homeowners make sure that they have a stable and secure waste drainage system in order to keep things in order in their homes. As the name implies, waste is a very serious matter. A good waste drainage system is very important so as to avoid unwanted accidents.

Next to be considered are the fixtures through which the water shall flow. Most common fixtures found in a home would be faucets, sinks and drains. Bath tubs and such are a few of those fixtures that are not commonly found in most homes. It is also very important to consider the type, style and size of the fixtures to be used that should be in accordance with the water supply’s strength and the capacity of the bathroom to hold such fixtures.

Water plumbing also involves people knowing how to operate basic water controls within their homes. An example would be their main water supply valve. Being able to know how to turn off the water supply can help them whenever checking for water supply or home water plumbing problems.

Basic plumbing can be learned by almost anyone. Finding an experienced plumber who can teach you the basics of plumbing especially at home could be a challenge but worth a shot. Knowing how to go around your home’s plumbing system could take some time, but it can be very important in the long run. Dealing with water can be a headache especially when problems start to arise. The bathroom is a part of the house that is taken for granted many times. People use the bathroom every day, any time of the day. Naturally, having a bathroom that’s ready for use without having to worry about problems is definitely a better way to live.

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Find a Plumbing Contractor

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The Most Important Things to Look for In a Plumbing Contractor

When I first started out as a plumbing contractor I sought the help of a retired associate and asked him what the most important thing I could do for my business would be. He told me that there were only two things to really worry about and those are pricing and quality of work. If I focus on high quality of work at a decent price I would never have to worry about keeping a customer.

He said, “If you give clients great quality at a fair price, the only problem will be whether or not  you’ll always be able to provide immediate service for any emergency.” However, as in all businesses there are issues that arise when your aim is to offer quality service at an affordable price. You will have to staff your plumbing company with adequately trained and qualified workmen, and this means charging enough to compensate for the higher quality workmanship.

In most cases, a plumbing contractor does not fully focus on pricing quality of service, even though this is what is looked for most often by customers. Most plumbing companies focus on quick service and low prices. But this doesn’t necessarily mean you get a good job. In most cases this objective just causes more problems than it solves. As a plumbing contractor that focuses on quick and cheap services, you are more likely to be on the phone with unsatisfied customers demanding a return to fix the problem. As a customer of a cheap plumber you can easily be frustrated when the job you had done is not done correctly the first time.plumbing contractor

Cheap plumbers often are not licensed or insured. In the event of an accident on your property in which the plumber gets injured, you may be held liable for the medical bills if the plumber is not  insured. Another way that cheap plumbers cut costs is to use low quality parts and fixtures. Beware the low bid on a job if the plumber will not guarantee the quality of his work and the parts. While you do want quality parts and labor, don’t let yourself be talked into paying too much for anything. Do some quick research on websites such as Home Depot or Lowe’s to find out approximately how much parts should cost. For example, let the plumber know that you want a particular toilet, water heater, etc. and let him know how much you will pay for it.

Those companies that do focus on quality and service often charge exorbitant fees, and this doesn’t work either and causes them to lose customers or rely heavily on advertising for new customers. They may also have high overhead in the form of a big building and a lot of trucks, some of which may not even be in use at the time. They need to have the extra money to pay for these expenses so they have to charge more. The solution is to find a plumbing contractor that focuses on both quality and service at a fair price. That being said, even the best contractor may not be able to meet every emergency need you may have. Therefore, it is best to have a primary contractor that you trust, and a secondary who may be able to help when your main plumber is unable to get there in a timely manner.

Plumbing Service For Low Water Pressure

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Low water pressure is a problem that can affect many homes. If a home is out in the country and off the city sewer system, the most common cause is a problem with the pump that brings water into the home. Replacing the pump is the most common solution to this problem. Sometimes the problem may be with a bad part or something obstructing the flow of water into a person’s house.Low water pressure in the shower
City vs. Country
Home owners who live in the city typically do not have the same problems. The pumps bringing water into the home are not just those near the building. The water delivery network must find a way to deliver water to all the people on its pipelines. Sometimes, a problem with low water pressure does not occur as close to a home as a person would like.

Calling in a plumbing service, regardless of where a person lives is a good idea to diagnose problems. A trained plumber can troubleshoot the problems and track down the problem areas. If the trouble spot is found within a person’s domicile, the plumber can correct it easily.

A plumbing service cannot always correct low water pressure problems within a town. If the problem does not occur within a house or on the property itself, it does not fall within his purview. Usually, a water company or a municipal water authority needs to be called in to fix the overall problem.Low water pressure in the sink

A home owner should not limit the times he calls in a professional plumber to those times when he must deal with water pressure issues. Plumbers can also unclog drains when over-the-counter drain unclogging products fail to work and fix leaky pipes. Unlike the do-it-yourself enthusiast, professional plumbers guarantee their work. The cost for a professional may be higher than doing it yourself, but as any do-it-yourself enthusiast knows, if things go wrong the repair bill can get very expensive indeed.

Hard Water – Acworth Plumber

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Hard water is water that has a high concentration of minerals, particularly calcium and magnesium, but it also may contain bicarbonates or sulfates. While the term “hard water” sounds bad, it is usually not considered harmful for consumption.

One of the disadvantages of hard water in the residence is the presence of scaling. This is the layers of minerals that are left over after the hard water has evaporated. This scale can clog piping in the home, cause damage to water heaters and plumbing fixtures, and ruin such items as teapots and coffee makers.

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One way to combat scaling caused by hard water is to “soften” the water. An ion exchange water softener is a fairly inexpensive product used to soften the water. Basically, the hard water enters the softener and the minerals in the water are partially absorbed into ion exchange beads. When this happens, sodium ions are released into the water, helping the further soften the water.

Potassium chloride can also be used instead of sodium chloride, exchanging ions in the minerals with potassium ions in place of sodium ions.

If you have hard water and need a plumber in the Acworth, Marietta, Woodstock, or anywhere else in our North Georgia service area, and want a permanent solution, contact us today.

For more information about hard water, try Wikipedia or To Soften Or Not To Soften.