Author: Greg Morales

Everyone knows that water expands when it freezes. Of course, if the freezing occurs in your home’s freezer, this is not a problem, but it’s disastrous if ice forms inside your plumbing system. Sadly, when temperatures drop below freezing point your pipes have high chances of cracking and eventually bursting.

That’s why it’s vital to prepare your pipes for winter conditions. If you don’t take preventive measures earlier, you’re likely going to deal with cracked and burst pipes in your home when winter sets in.

Besides, getting your pipes ready for winter will save you time and money that you’d otherwise pay for costly repairs and replacements. Are your pipes ready for winter? Here are eight professional tips to get your pipes ready for winter.

How to ready your pipes for winter

Insulate your pipes

A majority of pipes in your home are defenseless against freezing temperatures during winter. Exposed pipes inside and outside your home suffer a lot when temperatures drop below freezing. Without urgent intervention, your pipes risk bursting or getting damaged because of freezing conditions. But do you know that you can prevent all these problems by getting your pipes ready for winter?

To protect your pipes from damage during winter, cover your pipes with layers of insulation material, and don’t forget to include a heating cable inside your pipes for the best results. Heating cables come with a thermostat that’s used for sensing pipe temperature and can turn on and off automatically to prevent freezing in your pipes. And the good thing is heating cables are inexpensive, so setting them up won’t cost you an arm and a leg.

Of course, If you reside in colder countries, your pipes may already come with extra insulation, unlike if you live in warmer countries. It’s still important to let a plumbing professional inspect your plumbing regardless of where you live before winter arrives.

Close off outdoor faucets

Letting all the water run out from the outdoor faucet is essential. Here are the steps you need to take to keep your pipes from freezing. Unlock your outdoor faucets and let the water run out completely before turning them off. To be precise, ensure the faucets turn off at the shutoff valve to allow the bleeder cap to drain. 

In addition, if you plan to get out, ensure the main water supply is shut off until you return, otherwise running water could freeze your pipes. Also, try to keep your home’s indoor temperatures at 32°F or more to protect your pipes from freezing. If you forget to shut off your faucets, your pipes have a high chance of freezing, cracking, and eventually bursting.

Allow warm air to flow into your kitchen cabinets

Freezing temperatures during winter are a threat to your home’s piping network. You can protect your pipes from freezing by targeting all your cabinets in the kitchen and bathroom. By opening cabinet doors in your bathroom and kitchen, you allow cold air to flow out and warm air to flow in.

To get better results, keep your cabinets open for prolonged periods, as this will enhance the chances of your pipes staying intact. For efficiency, consider adding a portable heater or fan pointed to your cabinets to improve warm air circulation.

Keep your furnace or HVAC unit in good condition

Freezing temperatures can cause your pipes to crack or break in no time. As a result, having a furnace or HVAC unit functioning is critical during winter. You need a heating system to warm your piping system so that it doesn’t freeze. That’s why it’s essential to ensure you fix your heating system before winter arrives. Emergency plumbers in Regina recommends that you have your heating system double-checked for efficiency before winter. The last thing you want is to enter winter with an inefficient and clunky heating system.

Let water drip through your faucet frequently

 

The act of letting water drip through your faucet can save your pipes from freezing. A slow drip reduces pressure and prevents your hose from cracking due to the cold. It’s much better to pay higher water bills until winter is over than to foot the cost of your entire pipe replacement.

You should let the water run through your faucets, but make sure far it’s away from your home’s main entry point. This helps keep water dripping slowly throughout your piping system. But it’s important to note that dripping water won’t prevent your pipes from freezing. It will only keep frozen pipes from bursting when water expands due to freezing. In a nutshell, dripping water prevents the pipes from accumulating freezing water.

Avoid fixing a frozen pipe on your own

Let plumbing professionals fix your frozen pipes for the sake of your safety. Frozen burst pipes are a hazard that can cause flooding or electrocution. As such, you shouldn’t attempt DIY repair when it comes to frozen pipes. However, taking preventative steps such as shutting off the main water supply or leaving your faucet open so that water drains out as much as possible is recommended. 

You can always talk to your local plumber before you attempt to fix plumbing problems in your home. You may be unable to solve frozen pipes problems because of a lack of necessary skills, know-how, and equipment. Only let a professional plumber with experience handle your frozen pipes

Seal cracks on your walls

Do walk around inside your home to identify cracks that may be slipping air. Cold air can cause your pipes to freeze. Use caulking to seal the gaps and protect your pipes from damage as a result of cold temperatures. If the cracks are too big, you may consider hiring the services of an emergency plumber in Regina instead of fixing them on your own. Protecting your pipes from damage during winter is possible and does not require strenuous work. If you follow the tips above, there’s no reason why your pipes can’t remain intact throughout winter. Depend on emergency plumbing in Regina to help prepare your pipes for winter. Contact us to schedule a consultation with one of our plumbing experts today.

It’s not easy to predict when the next plumbing emergency will occur in your home. As a result, it’s advisable to be prepared for DIY plumbing with a range of tools incase of a plumbing emergency.

Of course, you should always let emergency plumbing in Regina do their work if plumbing problems get out of hand in your home. But calling plumbing experts every time you have minor plumbing emergencies is not only costly but also inconvenient. Even if plumbing pros are just a call away. 

Therefore, learning how to fix various plumbing problems using DIY plumbing tools is highly recommended. Here is a handy list of 8 DIY plumbing tools you should have in your toolbox to prepare for different plumbing problems at home. 

Essential DIY plumbing tools for your home 

Pipe Wrench

To fix your piping issues at home, you need a pair of pipe wrenches in your plumbing toolbox. Basic wrenches can help you fix broken pipes fast and efficiently provided the issue is manageable.To be effective, it’s a good idea to have at least two of them, one for gripping your pipes and two for turning your pipes. This way, you can fix broken pipe issues fast and efficiently.

For all simple piping repairs, an ordinary wrench is more than enough to get work done. However, if the repair works involved are a bit complex, it advisable to go for other types of wrenches. As of now, there are more than six types of pipe wrenches in the market with each solving unique plumbing challenges in your home.

In the end, after you acquire and use your wrenches, don’t forget to take proper care and store them safely by wrapping them with a rag. This will help keep your heavy grippers functioning for a long time to come. 

Basin Wrench

If you’re new to DIY plumbing tools, you may not be aware of basin wrenches. Yet you need these tools for grasping, fastening, and turning bolts in tight areas. With these grippers, you should be confident about handling complex plumbing emergencies such as loosening and tightening bolts in hard to reach areas. 

For instance, if you try fixing the underneath of your bathroom sink with pliers or ordinary wrenches, you’ll be frustrated because they are inefficient for this task. You need a basin wrench to fix minor plumbing emergencies in challenging to reach areas and corners.

Adjustable Wrench

Adjustable wrenches are versatile plumbing tools to have in your home. They can be adjusted to fit different hardware, which means they can fix various plumbing problems at home such as fixing faucets or shower-heads. To use an adjustable pipe wrench correctly, ensure its attached to your pipes properly but leave some space between the shank and hook jaw. You can utilize a handful of these tools, as clamps when tightening or loosening your pipe joints.

Tongue and Groove Pliers

When fixing plumbing issues at home, tongue and groove pliers are a must-have. These tools can help grip things in place when loosening, tightening or repairing your plumbing fixtures. They work great because of the slip-joint make, which enables the jaw to open and grasp things tightly. Also, their long handles are ideal for all plumbing tasks involving loosening or tightening joints. As with all tools, you should take proper care of your tongue and groove pliers to lengthen their lifespan and functionality. You should wrap them with rags because they have serrated jaws.

Plumber’s Putty

Some plumbing emergencies are minor and can be fixed by applying putty to seal leaks and keep things stable. Putty is a soft, flexible sealing compound that you can easily buy from your local hardware store.

It’s one of the materials that should be in every homeowner DIY plumbing toolbox. With putty, you have a jointing compound that can help you form a waterproof seal. You can fix plumbing emergencies such as sealing leaking faucets or drains with putty so long the problems are manageable. 

Plumber’s Tape

A leaky threaded joint is not a plumbing issue you want to deal with without the appropriate equipment. But with a few layers of plumber’s tape or Teflon tape and a few screws, you can attain a watertight seal on your joints. Besides, a plumber’s tape helps lubricate connection and make threading smooth. Also, it prevents pipes from sticking when you want to disassemble a joint.

Plunger

The plunger isn’t referred to as the “plumbers helper” for no reason. Whether you are facing plumbing issues such as overflowing toilets or clogged drains, you’ll need a plunger first before you reach for other tools. A plunger works through the science of pressure and suction. 

When a plunger’s handle is pushed up and down, enough water pressure builds up to dislodge clogged drains. Sadly, not everyone will use a plunger correctly the first time. If you struggle to utilize this lifesaver, don’t panic. As there are plenty of online tutorials, you can rely on to get the basics right.

Toilet Auger

Sometimes, your plunger may not be sufficient, especially when dealing with toilet overflow issues. Instead, use a toilet auger, which has an extendable metal cable with the capacity to unclog the most stubborn drains. 

If you are looking for an inexpensive but useful tool to break up obstructions in your drain, consider having an auger in your tool’s arsenal. Otherwise, you end up relying on the services of an emergency plumber and paying high costs for minor plumbing tasks you can fix on your own. 

Having the mentioned plumbing tools in your toolbox is essential. These tools will help you be prepared to repair some plumbing emergencies when they occur. However, these aren’t the only tools you need to fix all the plumbing issues you’ll encounter at home. 

You may need to purchase more tools and equipment to deal with other plumbing problems at home. But before you invest in any plumbing tool, it’s advisable to consult your local plumber for advice. Experts at emergency plumbing regina are ready to help you pick the right DIY Plumbing tools for your home. Get in touch with them to schedule a free consultation.

We have all had plumbing emergencies at one time or another. Clogged sinks and drains are common irritations, as are constantly running toilets and leaky faucets. But sometimes the problems in your drains, pipes, and other plumbing fixtures will require emergency attention. Water leaking into parts of your home where it shouldn’t is potentially dangerous and massive loss of water is costly. According to United States Environmental Protection Agency, the average household’s leaks can account for nearly 10,000 gallons of water wasted every year and ten percent of homes have leaks that waste 90 gallons or more per day.

Clogged Toilets

Toilet blockages may occur due to a build up of unwanted material blocking the pipes. This makes water overflow and puts your toilet out of service. It’s imperative to call in your local emergency plumber to bail you out since it’s not a good idea to unclog your toilet by yourself.

Clogged Sinks

The sinks in your kitchen and bathroom get used quite often every day. Your family washes their hands, brushes their teeth, and washes dishes daily.

Ever overlooked a slow drain thinking it would miraculously resolve itself? A slow drain may irritate, but it doesn’t qualify as an emergency. But over time, the clog will get worse and worse. When water pressure becomes so slow that you can’t wash your hands or the dishes, then you’ve got a serious problem on your hands.

No Hot Water

Not having hot water is a real bother—especially during the winter. Never leave this problem unattended to, give your plumber a call immediately. A leak in your water heater is often the cause of lack of warm water, but there might be other problems as well.

Burst Pipes

Thanks to the freeze-thaw cycle, exposed pipes are likely to burst. This issue could necessitate a total replacement of pipes, which would require the services of experts in emergency plumbing in Regina.

Wall and Pipe Leaks

Corroded or frozen pipe joints may leak and even burst. To sort out this issue, turn off the water valve that’s supplying the leaking pipe or the main water valve in your home. Let a plumber carry out pipe repair right away to prevent future growth of mold.

Sewer Backups

When there’s a sewer backup, it means your sewage begins moving back up your pipes as there’s a clog somewhere. It causes foul smell all around your home, in addition to plenty of leakages.

Leaking Faucets

Leaking faucets waste lots of water, much like constantly running toilets. To avoid a hefty water bill, contact your emergency plumber in Regina to sort out the problem. The best thing about a leaking faucet is that it’s normally a quick fix.

Running Toilet

A constantly running toilet is a massive drain on money. Therefore, it’s an emergency plumbing situation that needs fixing right away. Let your local emergency plumber take apart your toilet and promptly fix the problem.  

Broken Water Lines

Earthquakes, poorly aimed shovels, and tree roots can break underground water lines. This may cause poor water quality, minimal to no water pressure, and soggy areas in your yard.

Clogged Shower Drains and Bathtubs

You’re having a shower and an odd gurgling sound comes out of the drain or water begins going up your ankles. Hair buildup and soap scum are the leading reasons for this plumbing emergency.

Summary

Most of these plumbing emergencies can be fixed by a homeowner. But if a plumbing fixture or pipe isn’t fixed properly, then the same issue will persist. For this reason, it’s best to call in a plumber to limit the damage.

You might think plumbing hasn’t changed much since sinks, showers, and toilets became essential fixtures in our homes. But to be honest, plumbing is evolving year after year. New technologies include plumbing fixtures available on the market and plumbing techniques that help you save money when repair or re-piping is required. If you are thinking of becoming a plumber in Regina, get the latest training here.

Trenchless Technology

The failure and disruption of sewer lines as well as other underground systems is a common problem in many Regina households. This is caused by a variety of factors, including tree roots.

While plumbers normally used to create trenches to solve this problem, trenchless techniques have become effective, removing previous drawbacks. For example, pipe relining lets a plumber coat pipes with glue that lasts years. All the plumber needs to do is dig one hole and use hydraulic equipment and a camera to apply the technology.

Touchless Plumbing

You might think automatic sinks are only found in commercial buildings, but that’s far from the truth. Many homeowners are switching to touchless plumbing fixtures for their own houses.

There are two main reasons for this. Firstly, the germ problem is something many people, especially parents, can relate with. Secondly, many homes now have a minimalist design. Doing away with faucet handles can make your bathroom’s interior look sleek.

Energy-efficient Water Heaters

Many water heating innovations have improved energy efficiency without sacrificing the quality of service. For instance, insulated water heaters slash heat losses by up to 25 percent and reduce your annual water bill by up to 16 percent.

In addition, tankless water heaters reduce the significant use of water associated with tanks through on-demand heating once you switch the hot water on. Other energy-efficient water heating options include solar systems and heat pumps.

Powerful Flushes

In some places in the world, saving water is becoming imperative—it’s no longer the preserve of the eco-friendly homeowner. Toilet makers have been working hard to develop toilets that provide powerful flushes with less water.

While low flush toilets have existed for ages, older models often clog more easily, forcing many homeowners to turn to local plumbers. Fortunately, poorly flushing low flush toilets are becoming outdated.

Smart Pipes

The worst thing about leaks is that in nine out of ten times, it’s not easy to pinpoint their exact location—especially if they’re under your home, out in your yard, or in the walls. As with shower controls, many homes now have smart pipes.

Small embedded sensors now can detect both small and large leaks and help zero in on their exact location. This can save money on your plumbing repair costs as well as utility bills.

The Bottom Line

As plumbing innovations continue to develop along with the other parts of a modern home, it’ll be interesting to see how receptive the toilet becomes as time goes by. If you need to upgrade your home’s plumbing installations or schedule a Regina water heater repair consultation, be sure to call your local regina plumber today.

For more interesting blog posts visit SOS Reliable Plumbing Blog!

A water leak inside your wall hardly sets off alarms. You can’t see or hear it. Left undetected, it may seriously damage your walls and even ceilings and floors. A slow hidden water leak inside your walls creates a moist environment that rots wood and breeds mold.

You can identify leaks in your walls by checking for common signs of water damage, such as peeling wallpaper or paint, or areas of discoloration. A moldy smell indoors may also signify a water leak in Regina.

Wet Spots on Your Wall

If you start seeing wet patches on your walls, it could be a sign of a water leak somewhere in your plumbing network. Concrete and stone are poor at absorbing water, so it doesn’t take long after a leak for water to start seeping through your wall, creating the look of a sweaty wall.

Peeling Paint

When the paint on your wall starts peeling, it might be a telltale sign that there’s a leak somewhere in the plumbing system. Most homeowners use water-based paints, which don’t handle water that well. This means once moisture comes into regular contact with the wall, the paint begins to depreciate.

You might also notice that wooden structures like fittings or other boards start rotting after coming into contact with water.

Mold Formation

When some corners of your home and particularly the walls begin developing mold, this is one of the most common signs of a water leak in your wall. Moisture is the number one culprit for mold formation, so if your walls are developing mold, a water leak is making that happen.

 Musty Smell

If a leak inside your wall isn’t noticeable, you can be able to identify the leak with your sense of smell. As water leaks inside walls don’t get the chance to dry out, your walls start to give off a moist, musty smell.

A musty-smelling wall will often have other signs of water leakage, including discoloration. But this isn’t always the case—sometimes an odor is the only indicator of a water leak deep inside a wall.

A thick drywall can absorb water almost as efficiently as a sponge, which prevents any visible signs of the water leak from appearing.

Unexplained Hike in Your Water Bill

Noticed a significant spike in your month-to-month water bills? If so, it may be because there’s a water leak inside your walls.

For instance, the EPA recommends that a household of 4 consume no more than 45,000 liters of water during cold months. If you’re using significantly more water and don’t know why, it might be due to a leak. Sure, this won’t help you pinpoint the leak’s location, but it can at least signify whether you’ve got a leak in your wall or not.

Summary

When handling leaks inside your walls, it’s vital to watch out for the aforementioned warning signs. Once you’ve got enough reason to believe there might be hidden water damage happening in your home, be sure to call in a plumbing expert for a quick evaluation and repair.

Plumbing issues aren’t always clear-cut, but they can cause serious damage to your home if they’re not detected and immediately sorted out. Even a minor drip or leak can cause some damage to flooring, walls, or paint forcing you to dish out hundreds of dollars on plumbing repairs.

Plumbing troubles can also cause mold growth and rot, which can lower the quality of your indoor air and cause sneezing, coughing, asthma attacks, itchy eyes, skin irritation, and even lung disease. Watch out for the following signs so you can get your plumbing fixed before they get worse. If you need any of these plumbing repairs in regina make sure to give us a call ASAP!

Clogged Toilet

A clogged toilet is one plumbing trouble we’ve all faced at some point. And in many cases, a plunger is always enough to sort out the issue.

But sometimes plungers don’t work. If your toilet is refusing to unclog, you might be dealing with a sewage line problem. So instead of scratching up the porcelain repeatedly, call in a plumber to help resolve the problem.

Low Water Pressure

In some cases, reduced water pressure in your kitchen or bathroom faucet is just a case of a buildup of gunk in the aerator of the faucet.

In such cases, the problem may be resolved by unscrewing the aerator, clearing out the gunk deposit, and screwing the aerator back on. But if that doesn’t normalize your water pressure, things might be more serious—such as a leak in the plumbing system, eroded waterline, or a fractured pipe.

Don’t try to repair these complicated issues on your own—call in a professional right away.

Stains and Smells

An earthy or musty smell along with a stain on your ceiling, wall, or floor may indicate a water leak. A dark stain is caused by mold growth, and may be a sign that the leak’s been there for some time. If there’s a stain on your ceiling, the leak might come from the roof and not the plumbing system.

You might also have plumbing repairs to do in your floor bathroom. As pipes run all over your house, you may first notice water damage in the kitchen or hallway next to the bathroom. Cracked, mildewed caulk or grout could also indicate a leak.

Get the problem fixed as soon as you can to keep harmful rot, mold, and mildew from spreading.

Slow Draining

Are your bathroom and kitchen sinks taking a little longer than normal to drain? If so, it’s probably wise to hire a plumbing expert to get to the root of the matter.

Likewise, if your toilet, sink, or tub doesn’t drain even after using over-the-counter plungers or drain products, call in a plumber immediately. Trying too hard can cause even more pipe damage.

Discolored Water

Under normal circumstances, water is always clear. If your water is yellow, orange, brown, or other color, call in a plumbing repair service right away. Discolored water is unsightly and could be a sign that one of the pipes in your home is very rusty and on the verge of blowing out.

Summary

If you’ve noticed any of the above plumbing troubles in your home, it’s best to contact a plumbing professional to fix them. Remember, while all of these problems may seem like minor inconveniences, they may quick turn into a full-blown crisis if you don’t have them fixed immediately.

For more informative blog posts visit https://www.mrrooter.ca/about/blog/.