Plumbers Jacksonville FL - Water You Waiting For?

by Billy Aldridge

When it comes to drinking water, most people don't give it a second thought.  But when you think about it, fresh, clean water is one of the things that none of us can live without.  A human being can go for weeks without food.  But all it takes is three or four days without water to do most people in.  So you would think that most people would be concerned about the water they ingest.  If the sales of bottled water are any indicator, then water quality is definitely an issue to most Americans. According to a bevindustry.com article, consumption of bottled water in the US in 2010 was a whopping 8.75 billion gallons.  This means that on average, every man woman and child in the US drank 28.3 gallons of bottled water in 2010.  

So bottled water is extremely popular.  But how healthy is it?  According to an MSNBC report:

Tests on leading brands of bottled water turned up a variety of contaminants, including cancer-linked chemicals three times higher than California's health standard, according to a study released Wednesday by an environmental advocacy group. Lab tests detected 38 chemicals in 10 brands, with an average of eight contaminants found in each kind of bottled water. Tests showed coliform bacteria, caffeine, the pain reliever acetaminophen, fertilizer, solvents, plastic-making chemicals and the radioactive element strontium.

While contamination concerns are certainly an issue, when you also consider that in some instances the cost of bottled water is more than the cost of gasoline, this gives many people pause to consider the alternatives.

Turning on the Tap

While municipalities from coast to coast treat water before delivering it to consumers, there is a wide disparity between the type and efficacy of treatment systems.  According to the CDC:

Drinking water supplies in the United States are among the safest in the world. However, even in the U.S., drinking water sources can become contaminated, causing sickness and disease from waterborne germs, such as Cryptosporidium, E. coli, Hepatitis A, Giardia intestinalis, and other pathogens.Drinking water sources are subject to contamination and require appropriate treatment to remove disease-causing agents. Public drinking water systems use various methods of water treatment to provide safe drinking water for their communities. Today, the most common steps in water treatment used by community water systems (mainly surface water treatment) include flocculation, sedimentation, iltration and disinfection.  

You have to understand that the mandate of municipal water treatment is not to provide purified water.  Treatment plants are only required to keep contaminants and pathogens below 'acceptable levels."  To do this, various chemicals are added, including chlorine and fluoride.

In fact, the CDC will be the first to tell you that scientists have determined that typical water treatment plants are not designed to filter out such things as pharmaceuticals including pain killers, tranquilizers, hormones and antibiotics.  While these same scientists have not conclusively proven that the public is being harmed by these drugs, they have shown that tiny amounts can have detrimental effects on human cells and DNA.

So this leaves it up to the average American to not only determine whether the water coming out of their taps is 'safe', but it also leaves water treatment up to the individual as well.

Walter Filtration Drop by Drop

Even if a consumer is willing to invest in a home filtration system, there are a number of different technologies from which to choose.  Everything from activated charcoal filters, to reverse osmosis, ceramic filtration and steam distillation systems are available.  So there are a number of choices to be made with regard to such things as cost, as well as the best type of purification system for your needs.  Before choosing a system, you have to understand that all water pollution is not created equal.  Neither are treatment systems.  Certain types of treatment are better at eliminating one kind of contamination as opposed to another.  The only way to scientifically determine the best system for your needs is to have the water tested.

Homeowners also need to understand that there are other factors involved in the purification game. For instance, when distillation, reverse osmosis or carbon filtration systems are initially deployed, they all remove their fair share of contaminants.   However, as time goes by, the percentage of contamination removed decreases.  Inevitably all filtration systems have a finite lifetime and require periodic maintenance.  If you are considering acquiring a whole house water treatment system, you need to cover the frequency and costs of maintaining the system as well as how long it will take to recoup your investment.

The bottom line is that if you are looking to ensure the quality of your water, you should talk to a trained water purification professional to determine the type of system that best fits your needs and your budget.  Because when it comes to your family's health, this is one commodity that's truly priceless.

Billy Aldridge is one of the Doctors of Plumbology at Aldridge and Sons Plumbing in Jacksonville, FL.  To find out more about water filtration and other water related issues, visit http://plumbers-jacksonville-fl.com.  

  

Plumbers Jacksonville FL – The Thing in the Basement

By Billy Aldridge

There is something lurking in the basement, hall closet or garage of every residence in the US.  It’s big, it’s ugly, it’s hungry and you could wake up one fine morning to find out that it has struck.  Now I’m not talking about some kind of phantom that lurks in the darkest recesses of your imagination.  What I’m talking about is your water heater.

Now I know that when it comes to your top ten list of things that go bump in the night, the water heater is the last thing that you would consider as a menace to you or your family.  But consider the following:

1.      The average water heater consumes up to 25% of the power that the typical homeowner pays for month in and month out.

2.      Since this contraption is literally out of sight and out of mind, it isn’t unusual for most people to ignore the thing until they wake up to find an inch or so of water on the floor due to the fact that their heater gave up the ghost.

3.      The average life of a water heater is thirteen years.  After that, contaminants in the water tend to collect around the heating element, making the heater even less energy efficient. 

4.      Speaking of energy efficiency, today there are a number of alternatives to the traditional water heater.  These alternatives take up less space and/or use up far less energy.  (More on that later.)

I know what you’re thinking.  You live in Jacksonville, Florida.  There are no basements in Jacksonville.  While this may hold true, the fact is that no matter where your water heater is installed, it takes up a lot of valuable space.  Space that could better be used for storage.   When you are ready to replace your existing water heater, you may want to opt for either a tankless or a hybrid water heater.  These units take up far less space and use far less electricity. 

Tankless systems are the ultimate in power efficiency since they make hot water on demand…as much as you want.  Unlike traditional water heaters that expend the majority of their power consumption on maintaining the temperature of water stored inside the tank, tankless heaters only operate when you turn on the tap.  Another couple of advantages of a tankless system are that you never run out of hot water.  This is especially useful if you have a large family or when the overnight guests come for a visit.  They also take up less than a third of the space of a traditional water heater.  Some can even be installed outside, which is the ultimate space saver.  The downside is that tankless heaters tend to be a bit pricier than traditional units.  If you take the longterm approach and factor in the energy saved, these systems will ultimately pay for themselves.  However, tankless isn’t the only way to go.

Hybrid heaters are available that straddle the fence between traditional and tankless heaters.  Like tankless systems, hybrids are a bit pricier than traditional water heaters.  These units won’t save space, bring a bit taller than traditional units they replace, since the heat pump is mounted on top.  However, they are much more efficient since they contain a heat pump that draws in heat from the air to help heat the water. When Consumer Reports tested hypbrid heaters they determined that the average family would save around $320 per year.  This is a plus, since hybrid water heaters cost about $1000 more than traditional units.

That’s not to say that conventional water heaters have gotten stuck in some kind of technological time warp.  Like most major appliances, water heaters have improved tremendously over the past few years.    That’s why you want to shop for the cheapest unit you can lay your hands on, but the one that gives you the best overall value.  The first step in selecting the best system for your purposes is to determine the size you need.  To do this, you need to calculate the amount of water your family uses during its busiest hour. 

ConsumerEnergyCenter.org created this useful guide:

Your house has:
How many bathrooms?	1 to 1.5	2 to 2.5	3 to 3.5
How many bedrooms?	1 - 2 - 3	2 - 3 - 4 - 5	3 - 4 - 5
You need a First Hour Rating of:	43 - 60 - 60	60 - 70 - 72 - 90	72 - 82 - 90

Understanding the Energy Guide

Once you've figured out your "First Hour Rating" - how much hot water your family typically needs and the size of the water heater you should buy - look for the "First Hour Rating" figure on the EnergyGuide.

The EnergyGuide will be a large yellow sticker that, by law, has to appear on water heaters and other appliances. In this case it compares the average yearly operating costs of different water heaters, using the same criteria for all models tested. It lets you see which one would probably cost you less to run.

On this sample, the "First Hour Rating" appears on the upper left-hand corner, underneath the water heater's energy source. The "First Hour Rating" is 66.

Choose a model with a "First Hour Rating" close to the capacity you need. Don't just rely on the physical size of the storage tank - gas water heaters work quicker than electric ones, so they produce more hot water in an hour. A gas water heater that holds 40-gallons may turn out as much hot water in an hour as a 65-gallon electric one!

If you decide to increase the size of your water heater, make sure you have room in your home for a bigger model. Water heaters are sometimes crammed into tight spaces - check the manufacturer's specifications on any model you buy to make sure it will fit.

Note the big number - $156 - in the center of the EnergyGuide. That's the estimated cost of energy needed to operate this water heater for one year. On the bar immediately below this yearly cost, the label even displays the range of yearly costs of comparable-sized water heaters, from the least expensive to most expensive. That's why an EnergyGuide label is such a valuable tool - it makes comparison shopping easy.

Whichever type of heater you buy, be it traditional, hybrid or tankless, remember that you are going to have to live with the thing for a decade or more.  So choose the unit that makes the best sense in the long run, instead of making the mistake of feeding that other monster that lives in your home: the electric meter.

Billy Aldridge is one of the Doctor’s or Plumbology at Aldridge & Sons Plumbing.  For more helpful plumbing hints and step-by-step videos, visit http://plumbers-jacksonville-fl.com and http://waterheatersjacksonvillefl.com/

 http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/home/appliances/waterheaters.html

Down the Drain – What you don’t know can hurt you when it comes to preventing plumbing issues.

By Billy Aldridge

What goes down might just come back up.  At least that seems to be the consensus when it comes to most simple plumbing issues such as backups and clogs.  While some of these problems are the result of forces beyond our control, others are simply a matter of poor preventative maintenance.  Below I will share with you some cause and effect scenarios.

The Kitchen Sink

You’d be surprised at what people put down their kitchen sink.  Chicken fat, hot grease, pancake batter and more get poured down the drain, sometimes with disastrous results.  Worse, most people do nothing to clear the drain until it backs up.  And then they usually resort to some kind of caustic chemicals to try to rectify the matter.  This can cause more damage than good in some circumstances, particularly if the pipes are more than twenty years old. 

First of all, any kind of fluid that will change its state to a solid once it cools off, such as grease, lard, fat and pancake batter should never be poured down the drain.  I deal with these substances by keeping a jar under the sink where I pour all hot grease and fat.  When it comes to pancake batter, after using a spatula to scrape as much of the batter as possible into the trash can, I will fill the bowl with hot water in order to dilute the material as much as possible.  Only then will I pour the water down the drain, followed by filling the sink two thirds full of hot water and then pulling the plug.  In fact this procedure is an excellent monthly preventative maintenance item, since it will flush the pipes out.

When it comes to garbage disposals, this is another clog builder, particularly if you don’t run it long enough or flush the drain with enough water after each use.  Not only does this appliance contribute to clogs, but it can also become an odor creator if not properly maintained.  Below is a video where I show you how to disinfect a stinky disposal.

Bathroom Buildup

As bad as the kitchen sink can be when it comes to backing up, the bathroom sink and tub can be even worse.  That’s largely due to such things as hair, grooming products, cosmetics and hair.  Did I mention hair?  It’s amazing the tensile strength, not to mention the knotting ability of hair.  Particularly long hair.  Once even one strand becomes affixed in a drain, it isn’t long before a tangle of the stuff begins to impede and eventually stop the flow of water altogether.  Certain kinds of hair dyes, cosmetics and over the counter remedies have an affinity for hair that creates bonds between the follicles that eventually turn into a ball of stickum that grabs onto any foreign object that comes down the pipe. 

Before resorting to Draino or some other caustic substance, the first thing you should do is remove the drain and clean it out.  In many cases, the clog starts and stops there.  If the clog is deeper still, for around $10 or so you can buy a Drain Claw which you can snake down the drain.  If the clog is located a foot or so down the pipe, the claw is designed to grip it and rip it.  If the clog is located deeper than that, then I suggest you contact a plumber.  The problem with caustic drain cleaners is they are dangerous to use and they don’t just dissolve the clog, they will erode the pipes as well.  The cost of having a plumber snake your drain is far less than the cost of a trip to the ER or repairing a pipe that has burst behind the wall.

When Nature Calls

There is another menace that rears its ugly head in outdoor drains and sewer lines: Tree roots.  Particularly in older neighborhoods, tree roots can penetrate sewer lines and outdoor drains, slowing or even halting the flow.  Roots are insidious beasties that enter sewer and supply lines through the tiniest of openings, eventually stopping up the works.  The worst thing a homeowner can do when they notice their drains slowing to a crawl is to wait until it blocks up entirely. If you suspect root intrusion, call a plumber immediately so the situation can be assessed.  Many times the existing roots can be cleared out of the line, which will buy you some time.  That's the good news.  The bad news is that once roots infiltrate the sewer line, there is no choice other than digging it up and replacing it.

As they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.  When it comes to maintaining pipes and alleviating clogs, the best offense is a good defense.  By that I mean, that with proper care, monthly maintenance and nipping plumbing problems in the bud early, you can save money on plumbing issues by knowing your plumbing system’s likes and dislikes.

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

Plumb Bad – When DIY Projects Go Wrong

By Billy Aldridge

In these trying economic times, I don’t blame the public for attempting to save money by doing it themselves.  The problem is that more often than you’d care to believe, someone gets it way over their heads in their zeal to save a buck.  When that happens, the results can be damage to the home or business, not to mention a huge repair bill.  So the first bit of advice I give to all you wannabe DIYers out there is: Know your limits.

As Seen on TV

The real culprit behind some questionable DIY attempts I suspect are those ubiquitous TV shows that demonstrate just how easy it is to do the job yourself.  Ever since Bob Vila first aired “This Old House” back in 1979, there has been a flood of home repair series that have made their hosts household names and big box hardware supply stores a ton of money.  Just remember that you can’t always believe everything you see on TV.  Plus you also need to realize that most home repair shows are hosted by experienced contractors who know what they are doing. 

Since everyone seems to respond to TV shows, I have put a few together a few YouTube examples myself.  These clips come from news organizations and consumers that show like an outtake reel designed to reveal what can happen when a DIY project goes wrong.  The first is a Fox News piece with Angie Hicks of Angie's list.

DIY Plumbing Disaster for Fun & Profit - In Australia they actually created a competition with a $3,000 first prize that encouraged people to share their DIY plumbing disasters.  I guess that was to cover the damage done.  Below is a clip that shows a running commentary from the judges with some of the more creative entries.  Who says that they don't have a sense of humor down under.

The next installment is a newsflash from a first time homeowner who hired an unlicensed plumber to fix her dishwasher. Not only wasn't the problem fixed. The "fixer" caused more than $17,000 in damage.  Yikes!

Last but not least, here is how not to unstop a drain.  Yuck!

The reason these videos are helpful is that they serve to illustrate some of the things that can go wrong if you try to bite off more than you can chew when it comes to tackling a number of common plumbing problems on your own.  That's not to say that there isn't a time and place for a little DIY.  You just don't want to wind up paying more to fix the fix than the original repair would have cost in the first place.  As my final installment, I offer up a DIY plumbing fix that literally anyone can handle.  

Billy Aldridge is one of the Doctors of Plumbology at Aldridge and Sons Plumbing in Jacksonville, Florida.  Visit their website at http://plumbers-jacksonville-fl.com for all you plumbing needs.  

Plumbers Jacksonville FL – Taking the Stress Out of Remodeling Your Kitchen

By Billy Aldridge

With the economy still depressed and with it the real estate market, many people are choosing to improve their existing homes instead of jumping ship.  With that in mind, one of the best ways to enhance the enjoyment of your existing home is to remodel your kitchen.  When it comes to designing a new kitchen, the project can either be a pleasure, or it can be a headache, depending on how well the makeover is planned beforehand.  So before you start pulling down cabinets and replacing appliances and flooring, you will want to lay out a plan that both improves the functionality of your kitchen, as well as working within your budget.

Let Your Fingers Do the Walking

Inevitably you will want to meet with a designer and installer, as well as a plumber and an electrician.  Before you do that however, you need to make some decisions on how much you have to spend on the project, as well as where your priorities lie.  Deciding on such things as appliances, fixtures, cabinets, tiles and paint used to mean multiple trips to Home Depot or Lowes, along with other big box stores. With the advent of tablet PCs and smartphones, there are now apps that not only let your fingers do the walking when it comes to selecting hardware, décor and color schemes, but there are even apps that let you move these elements around your virtual kitchen to see what the final product will look like.

Architectural Digest has a free app called Amazing Kitchens that feature a selection of stunning kitchens that is available for iPhone, iPod and iPad.  The app is also packed with useful and intuitive tools that help make kitchen design a snap.

If Android is your ios of choice, no worry, since there are plenty of apps available.  One of the best resources is Google Play, where you will find Kitchen Cabinets and Designs, a free app that provides such things as kitchen design ideas, ideas for kitchen cabinets and videos of selected kitchens.  

If you haven’t made the switch to mobile computingyet, there are plenty of software packages available for PCs and laptops. Check out  http://kitchen-design-software-review.toptenreviews.com/  which is a site that is not only dedicated to rating the best kitchen design software, but they also break down each package’s features to help you choose the package that’s right for you.

Once you have determined the layout then it’s time to start comparison shopping for major appliances and fixtures.  The Internet is a great way to accomplish this task as well.  Everything from big box stores to Amazon and Even EBay are right at your fingertips.  Consumer reports and other review sites are a great way to compare name brands and get a bead on such things as energy efficiency and reliability. 

If you are remodeling on a budget, the Internet can be your best friend.  Comparison shopping aside, there are also thousands of blogs and videos out there that show you how to save money without scrimping on quality.  Speaking of blogs, you might like to check out one of my previous blogs, http://aldridgesonsplumbing.blogspot.com/2012/07/kitchen-remodeling-jacksonville-4-tips.html which contains 4 tips that can save you money when remodeling a kitchen.

Time to Bring in the Professionals

Once you have done your homework, now it is time to bring in the pros.  Depending upon the complexity of the project, you may need to work with several, including a designer, a cabinet installer, a flooring company, a plumber, an electrician and a carpenter.  If you already have an idea of what you have in mind, this not only makes everyone’s job that much easier, but it can save you real money.  If you have no clue, this leaves it up to the designer to “suggest” a plan of action that may or may not fit your budget.  So planning is essential to staying on budget.

Speaking of planning, you will also need to plan for the fact that your kitchen could be out of commission for up to a month while the teardown and redo is accomplished. This usually entails a lot of take-out food and restaurant meals that you need to budget for as well while the work is underway.  The upside is that once the job is done, you will not only get years of enjoyment from your new kitchen, but it will also add value to your home. 

So if you’re looking to upgrade your kitchen any time in the near future, remember that the key to staying on budget and eliminating much of the stress that any renovation causes is to “Plan the work and work the plan.”

Billy Aldridge is one of the Doctors of Plumbology at Aldridge & Sons Plumbing, a family owned and operated commercial and residential plumbing company based in Jacksonville, FL.  See Billy’s helpful how-to videos at http://plumbers-jacksonvile-fl.com

Weed ‘Em and Reap – How to find a Plumber You Can Trust

By Billy Aldridge

Finding a competent local plumber is a lot like gardening.  You have to know how to weed out the bad from the good.   While no one wants to trust their home to an unqualified, or worse yet, unlicensed plumber, there are a few things that homeowners need to ask before they let anyone start messing around with their pipes.

1.      Nowadays, you don’t have to take any contractor’s word that they are honest, courteous and prompt.  With the availability of the Internet, researching a local business couldn't be easier.  Start by visiting a plumbers website and look for such things as how long they have been in business, if they have any testimonials, and what their hours of operation are.  You can also go to such sites as LinkedIn, Merchant Circle and Google Local to find if any positive and/or negative reviews have been posted.  Last but not least, read their blog, if they have one.  This is one of the best ways to get to know the people behind the advertisement. 

2.      Ask for their business license, contractor’s credentials, and proof of insurance.  The last thing you want is to have some damage done to your home during the repair only to find out after the fact that the contractor was either not insured, or under insured.  If you find that they are missing any of the three, keep looking. 

3.      When asking for a quote, make sure it is in writing and ascertain the approximate length of time the job is going to take, along with the materials that will b e supplied by the contractor.  The last thing you want to be hit with is a bill after the fact for materials that you assumed were to be supplied by the contractor.

4.        Also find out if any permits need to be pulled or inspections are going to be required before during or after the work is completed.   This could cost you time off from work if the job is inside and you need to be there to let the inspector into your home.  The last thing you want is to be informed of this after the fact.  Find out what time the repair crew is going to show up and how long the repair is going to take so you can plan your day.

5.       Talk to the contractor to find out if their crew is going to clean up after the repair is complete, or if they plan on leaving that detail up to you.  Ask for and check out their references. Specifically ask the people who have had first hand experience with a contractor what their impressions were of the people assigned to perform the repair.  Don’t assume that the well-dressed, soft spoken young man who comes to give you a quote is going to be the same person that is going to do the work.  You could be in for a rude awakening, literally.

6.       Once you decide to work with a contractor, you then need to see a contract that defines the job in its entirety.   If there is anything in the contract that makes you feel ill at ease, do not sign it until you have complete confidence in the people with whom you are dealing.

When it comes to plumbing repair, the last thing you want to do is repair the repair, or worse ye, have your home damaged by an unskilled or unlicensed plumber.  As in the garden, if you always take the time to make sure you are working with good seeds, then you won't be forced to spend your time pulling weeds.

Billy Aldridge is one of the Doctors of Plumbology at Aldridge & Sons Plumbing, a family owned and operated commercial and residential plumbing contractor based in Jacksonville, Florida.  Visit their http://plumbers-jacksonville-fl.com website for more blogs and helpful how-to videos that are designed to save you money and help your plumbing last longer.

Plumbers Jacksonville FL: Could your plumbing be hiding a disaster movie looking for a place to happen?

By Billy Aldridge

What do the words Plumbing Disaster bring to mind?  Water shooting twenty feet high in the front yard from a broken pipe?  Opening the front door only to have a foot of water come rolling out onto your shoes?  The bathroom toilet working in reverse to transport raw sewage into your house instead of taking it out?  All these crisis and more happen every day to good people from coast to coast.  I know this due to the fact that I am the guy hired to slay the beast. While hidden flaws and sudden plumbing failures can occur, more often than not the vast majority of impending disasters can be prevented by installing and maintaining quality plumbing fixtures, as well as heeding the subtle signs that a disaster is imminent.  So before your life turns into a disaster movie, here are some things you need to be made aware.

1.      Old pipes, leaking pipes or water stains where the source can’t be readily identified.

If your house is more than thirty years old, chances are that some of the pipes behind the walls and in the ground are beginning to be effected by hard water common to big cities.  The minerals in the water can cause the pipes to both corrode and/or clog.  Scale is the term for concretions that hamper the smooth working of plumbing fixtures and appliances.  Scale not only reduces water flow, but it can also cause back pressure to build up.  This back pressure can work away at any weakness in the pipes and eventually lead to sudden failure.  If you ever notice a water stain that can’t easily be tracked to its source, this is the time to call in a plumber before the drip, drip, drip turns into a torrent that will cost you far more than having a few pipes replaced.

2.      Unpleasant odors that Fabreeze can’t cover.

      Bad smells can be another telltale symptom of a hidden leak or backup.  Now I’m not talking about an odor that emanates from the garbage disposal.  The remedy for this problem can be found on the video below.  What I’m talking about is the “My God, what is that smell?” that suddenly infiltrates its way into your kitchen or bathroom when no one is using the facilities.  Many times hidden leaks can cause mold to take hold in the walls, or raw sewage from a cracked pipe can find its way into the crevices behind the sheet rock.  Either of these can create an unpleasant odor that while disconcerting, is no cause to panic.  Most experienced plumbers will be able to quickly and efficiently solve the mystery and fix the problem before the leak causes more serious damage.

3.      Low pressure when you turn on the tap.

Low pressure isn’t always a warning sign.  Some neighborhoods simply have persistently low pressure.  This can be solved with the addition of a booster pump.  However, if your water pressure over the past few weeks or months has suddenly dropped without rhyme or reason, this could be a horse of a different color altogether.

Low pressure can be caused by a number of reasons: the age of your system, the difference in elevation between your fixtures and the water main, the diameter of your pipes (if too small, the demand of water cannot be met by the size of your pipes), or scale deposits inside your pipes.  Or it can be caused by a hidden leak.

4.      Odd noises behind the wall that occur when a toilet is flushed or a faucet is run.

That "blub blub" or "glug glug" noise you hear from a drain might mean that there is a problem with the drain system itself, such as a partial drain blockage, a drain venting problem, or even a failing septic system.  If a gurgling sound is heard at a sink or shower drain only when a nearby toilet is flushed, or at a sink or shower when a nearby tub is draining, we'd suspect that the building drain-vent system is inadequate. Plumbing fixtures originally installed with no vent connection to which a local plumbing vent was later installed to permit air to enter the plumbing line as needed, can stick causing a gurgling noise.  A plumbing drain line can become partially blocked causing both a noise as well as being slow to drain.  Any sound out of the ordinary from your plumbing or behind the wall could well be an omen of worst to come should you neglect to locate and correct the problem.

5.      A soft spot on the lawn that comes and goes.

Leaking septic systems, seeping drain pipes, cracked water mains and buried plumbing can manifest themselves by unexplained soft or wet spots in the yard or adjacent to sidewalks or driveways.  While subtle at first, and only intermittent at times, these are the early warning signs of a real disaster, the kind that can cause water to shoot two stories high and require a front end loader to dig up your yard to correct. 

While all of the above mentioned dilemmas can easily be rectified before they cause serious damage, the most important thing is early detection.  I can’t tell you how many times I have taken the time to speak with a homeowner after repairing serious damage to their home caused by a leak of epic proportions, only to find out that they had ignored the warning signs of impending disaster.  I usually tell them right then and there that the next time they either see or hear anything out of the ordinary with their plumbing, they need to call us right away.   The best cure for disaster is to avoid one whenever possible.

Billy Aldridge is one of the doctors of plumbology at Aldridge & Sons Plumbing, a family owned and operated commercial and residential plumber located in Jacksonville, Florida.  Visit their website for more helpful hints and how-to videos at http://plumbers-jacksonville-fl.com