Plumbing & the Great Outdoors

By Bill Aldridge

In the dark days before plumbing was invented, the bathroom was synonymous with the great outdoors.  Now that we have the modern convenience of indoor plumbing, most people don’t give the great outdoors much of a thought.  But maybe they should.  The reason I say this is due to the fact that a fair proportion of the plumbing issues we are called upon to solve involve situations caused by factors outside of the home.  Below are some examples.

Root Intrusion

The reason so many people live in the suburbs as opposed to the big city is for the fresh air and greenery.  The only problem is that green things like shrubs and trees have roots that run deep. If you think an oak tree is big, you should see their root systems.  While the roots are used to provide the nutritional requirements of trees, they are also preprogrammed to search for any source of available water.  It’s this love of water that makes root intrusion one of the primary reasons that sewer lines clog, sometimes partially and sometimes completely.  This is why it is important to call out your friendly neighborhood plumber before a slow sewer becomes a stopped sewer.  We have the tools to inspect and correct root intrusion before it ruins your day. 

Leaf Litter

Autumn is the time of year when leaves fall from the trees.  It is also a time of the year when converging cold fronts come together to create heavy rain as they pass through Jacksonville.  Put the two together and you the formula for a disaster of biblical proportions.  Leaf litter tends to clump together, clogging gutters and drains.  As anyone who works around water knows, if it can’t find the shortest way to exit a building or parking lot, it will make some other arrangement.  This means backups and flooding, either of which can be expensive to remediate.  So rule number one to keep this problem from causing damage is to make sure that gutters and drains are kept free of leaf litter.  Depending upon the amount of trees you have in your yard you may need to clear them out several times in the fall and winter

Critters

While most people as a rule do not live with wildlife, sometimes wildlife decides to move in with them.  Small animals such as squirrels, raccoons and the occasional opossum have been known to set up housekeeping in or near homes, sometimes blocking a drain or vent in the process.  Even nesting birds can clog up the works, particularly in vent stacks that need to remain open in order for your plumbing to perform its job properly.  They have also been known to clog up downspouts as well.  I have also known fire ants to nest in leaf litter that has been left untended for too long.

Wear and Tear

Believe it or not, simple wear and tear on outdoor fixtures and pipes are rampant in the winter months.  Even though we don’t see the kind of weather extremes that they do up north, the occasional hard freezes that we do experience take their toll as pipes, faucets sprinkler lines and hoses contract and expand, sometimes resulting in cracks that tend to foster leaks.   My advice to homeowners is to check all their outdoor faucets and sprinkler system at least twice per year (Spring and Fall) to make sure that they are all functioning properly and that there are no noticeable defects.  Also this is an excellent time to also inspect your sewer cleanout to prevent potential sewer backups. (see video above)

The bottom line if you hope to keep your home free from the ravages of the great outdoors is to take the time to do a little preventative maintenance twice per year.  And thank your lucky stars that you don’t live in the part of the country where bears, cougars and coyotes reside.  Because it takes more than the services of a plumber to resolve those issues.

Bill Aldridge is the Doctor of Plumbology at Aldridge and Sons Plumbing in Jacksonville, Florida.  For more helpful plumbing tips and how-to videos, go to http://aldridgesonsplumbing.com

Signs of a Sewer Clog

By Bill Aldridge

If your home is more than 30 years old then chances are that it has a cast iron sewer line.  While these old warhorses of the plumbing industry had their time and place, the problem is that iron rusts.  This means that over the years these lines begin to degrade and will inevitably clog, necessitating the kind of intervention that takes a backhoe and can leave your yard looking like the trenches systems of WWI.  That’s the bad news.  The good news is that the entire repair should take no more than a few days by a licensed plumbing company and you don’t need to start tearing up the yard until you see obvious signs of a backup.

The bad news is that once the line does begin to clog you definitely don’t want to stick your head in the sand and assume that the problem will go away.  If anything it will quickly get worse and worse until it is all but impossible to empty a sink or flush a toilet without the water backing up.  In fact, the toilet is one of the first signs you will usually see of an impending problem, since it has a direct path to the sewer and is connected to one of the biggest lines in the house.

Other systems in the bathroom such as the bathtub and shower will also quickly become unusable in the event of a sewer stoppage and no amount of plunging will fix the problem.   However, it doesn’t hurt to check to see whether the tub drain is clogged, especially if there are no other obvious signs of a backup elsewhere.  See the video below to learn how to fix this problem.

Other symptoms of a blockage can include one or more of the following:

1.      When you flush the toilet water comes up in the bathtub.

2.      When you are using the sink next to the toilet, air bubbles start emanating from the toilet.

3.      When you run the dishwasher or the washing machine, the toilet overflows.

4.      A persistent gurgling sound that occurs after you use the washing machine or dishwasher.

5.      Foul odors emanating from more than one sink.

While these symptoms could be signs of other problems, such as air being trapped in the system or a blockage somewhere in the system, if the toilets are not functioning properly then you should definitely call in a plumber.  If you have a main line clean out, you can check for a clog by opening the clean out and visually inspecting for any water or waste that could be collecting there.  If water is either standing in the pipe or water comes out of the pipe the moment you remove the cap, then you definitely have a main line blockage.

Having a blockage does not necessarily mean that the sewer has collapsed or is irretrievably blocked.  Just like your household plumbing, sewer lines that have become blocked can sometimes be cleared with a sewer drain snake.  All manners of things that shouldn’t be flushed down the toilet but are, including diapers, toys and the occasional towel can form a clog that needs to be cleared out by a professional.  Tree roots can also find egress into lines that can eventually slow and even stop the flow of water. 

Even if the sewer itself does become compromised, requiring replacement, this is still cheaper than letting the system back up to the point where water and/or raw sewage backs up into the home which will entail even more costly remediation after the sewer line is replaced.  The best way to avoid any worst case scenario is to call in a licensed plumber as soon as you detect any potential backup.  The earlier you catch a backup, the easier it is to isolate, identify and remedy.  Waiting will only run the risk of creating a problem that can only be solved with heavy machinery and a crew.

Bill Aldridge is the Doctor of Plumbology at Aldridge and Sons Plumbing in Jacksonville. Florida.  For more helpful plumbing tips and how-to videos, go to http://aldridgesonsplumbing.com

Is it Time to Buff Up Your Bathroom?

By Billy Aldridge

While other parts of the home may take precedence over the bathroom when it comes to scheduling a redo, buffing the bathroom is one way to add value and creature comfort to your home.  Particularly if your home is twenty or more years old, updating fixtures, appliances and toilets can not only beautify your home, but it can also pay for itself in water and energy savings. 

Say Tata to the Toilet

Sorry to say it, but if your toilet was built before 1990, then it can be one of the costliest appliances in your home when it comes to water consumption.  Back in the 50’s it was common for toilets to use as much as 7 gallons per flush.  By the 80’s the norm was closer to 4 gallons.  Today’s high efficiency toilets can use less than a gallon and a half per flush and help homeowners save as much as 16,000 gallons of water annually.

High Efficiency Toilets (HETs) should be able to flush using at least 20% less water than is mandated by law and should not need to be flushed more than once to do their job. They should require minimal cleaning with environmentally unfriendly detergents. They should flush quietly. They should be user friendly and comfortable. And they should be available in a wide variety of design styles that fit with the existing (or future) bathroom décor. These are the guiding principles that drive our design of high-performance, High Efficiency TOTO Toilets.

Water You Waiting For?

Old bathrooms also have old pipes, many of which can be affected by hard water which causes scale which leads to decreased water pressure.  If you turn on the shower and receive no more than a trickle, this is due to scale.  Scale not only reduces water flow, but it can also cause back pressure that can lead to a sudden failure in pipes, many of which are located behind the wall.  If you notice a water stain that can’t be traced to its source, it’s time to call in a plumber before that drip, drip turns into a torrent that can cost you far more than having a few pipes replaced.

Another energy demon is the traditional water heater, which is not only affected by the same scale buildup as your pipes, but this scale clings to the heating coils which in turn reduce their efficiency resulting in higher power bills.  Speaking of power bills, traditional water heaters can gobble up as much as 25% of your total monthly electric consumption.  Today there are far more energy and space efficient heaters including tankless and hybrid systems.

Bathroom Tech

Another reason to consider giving the B-Room a makeover has to do with the fact that there are so many high tech additions now available to make tub time much more enjoyable.  There are all kinds of accoutrements to consider from whirlpool tubs and walk-in tubs to singing showerheads and TVs built directly into the mirror.

High Tech Walk-in Tubs include Hydrotherapy Air jet Systems and Waterjet Massage Systems available from Tub King that are designed for people with mobility concerns, but are great for anyone who want to enjoy the benefits of a whirlpool bath. http://www.tubking.com/walk_in_tubs.html

There is a singing showerhead called the Moxie by Kohler that can be programmed through your Bluetooth. Since water and electricity don’t mix, the unit is wireless and rechargeable.  http://www.us.kohler.com/us/Moxie%22-Showerhead-+-Wireless-Speaker/content/CNT16200089.htm

Relaxing in the tub takes on a whole new meaning when you can watch a movie while you soak.  Called Mirrorvue Mirror Television, this product can be installed as a vanity mirror or directly in the bath enclosure.  If you’re worried about this tub TV steaming up, the folks at Evervue guarantee the screen to be fog free. So you will receive a crystal clear picture no matter how hot you like your water. http://www.evervuetv.com/mv.html

Other than aesthetics and energy savings, remaking the bathroom can also add real value to your home.  While a typical bathroom remodel can cost anywhere from $15,000 to $50,000, the average cost that is recouped when you sell your home is 60% or more.  When you factor in the added enjoyment your family will get from an upgraded bathroom, buffing up your bathroom might be worth looking into in the near future.

Billy Aldridge is one of the Doctors of Plumbology at Aldridge and Sons Plumbing located in Jacksonville, Florida.  For more helpful hints and how-to videos visit their site at http://plumbers-jacksonville-fl.com

Do You Know What Lives Behind Your Walls?

By Billy Aldridge

Unless there is a water stain on the sheet rock most people do not even consider what lurks behind their walls.  That’s a shame, since if your house is more than twenty years old there can be any number of nasty 

Cast Iron and copper DWV (Drain, Waste and Vent) Piping in a Timber Residential Building in Mission, British Columbia, Canada in the 1980s. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

things that can happen with old pipes that can cost you way more than a simple repair if they should either leak or burst.  While a burst pipe can get your attention fast, slow leaks can cause as much or more damage if left unchecked, since these can cause mold. Of course, just because your house was built before 1960 doesn’t mean that the pipes are the ones originally installed when the house was built.  To find out what’s living behind your walls you need to remove an access panel or two in order to do a little detective work.

Sherlock Homes to the Rescue

Homes built during the twenties and thirties were fitted out with galvanized pipes, which are easy to detect since they are battleship gray and have knobby joints.  If you detect these lines in your walls, you need to look for corrosion, since steel rusts.  You also need to test for flow since galvanized pipes tend to rust from the inside out.  To do this, turn on the taps one at a time, since the hot water side tends to rust faster than the cold water side.  If the flow for one side seems slower than the other, this is a sure sign of internal corrosion slowly but surely  clogging the pipe.

If your house was built in the 1950’s then your pipes could very well be copper.  This is good and bad.  It’s good because copper pipes practically last forever, since they are highly resistant to corrosion.  It’s bad, because copper is very expensive to repair.  In fact it’s so expensive that it isn’t unusual for houses with copper piping to have the pipes stolen if left vacant for any length of time.

Newer homes on the other hand have plastic pipes that never rust, are easy to install and repair and are even color coordinated (red for hot water and blue for cold).  It’s still a good idea to eyeball these at least once per year since they tend to leak at the joints and connections when they do leak.   

Speaking of connections, the larger pipes that carry the water from your drains, sinks, tubs, dishwasher and 

English: Under Slab Leak Repair (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

washing machine also bear scrutiny.  These are known in the industry as waste pipes, and they live beneath your home.  Homes built before 1970 typically have cast iron pipes which people back then thought would last forever.  Since iron like steel rusts, these waste pipes tend to get rough with age which can start to restrict the flow.  They also tend to get what are known as pit holes that can slowly but surely bore completely through the pipe until they begin to leak.  Repairing these pipes can be expensive, since cast iron waste pipes are heavy and difficult to work with.

If your home was built in the 70’s, then PVC waste pipes came into vogue.  Since these plastic pipes are much lighter than cast iron, they are much easier to repair.  Since plastic never rusts, they are also much more reliable and less likely to clog.  The only downside is that roots can find egress into these pipes through even the tiniest of crack which is why you need to contact a plumbing professional if water seems slow to drain or starts to back up.  Particularly here in Florida where afternoon gulley washers are the norm, the last thing you want to do is let your waste pipes clog before a major storm comes to call.  Then you’ll really find out what lives behind your walls, since flooding almost always requires the removal of water damaged sheetrock. 

Billy Aldridge is one of the Doctors of Plumbology with Aldridge and Sons Plumbing.  For mor helpful tips and how-to videos visit http://plumbers-jacksonville-fl.com