Plumbing Services That Never Occurred To You

By Author: Don Giladi
Total Articles: 4762
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As responsible homeowners, most of us tend to know when and what expert to call for repair services to our home. If the furnace quits running, we call a heating and air guy. If the roof leaks, we call a roofer. More often than not, when our toilet won't flush or the faucet leaks, we call a plumber. Home repairs are a necessary fact of homeownership; however, some services are more about maintenance, increased value, and simple convenience. There are numerous plumbing services that may never have occurred to you but for which a qualified plumber would come in quite handy indeed.

One of the reasons homeowners should call plumber, but often fail to do so, is for malicious odors. Strange odors that smell "polluted" and a bit like a sewer are most likely coming from your plumbing system. Typically, these odors are in fact caused by sewer gas permeating into the air in a house through leaks in the plumbing system's venting. A solid, properly mounted plumbing system is free of odor but if the system was improperly installed or is very old, it's possible that leaks are letting the sewer gasses back up in your home.

While ...
... sewer gas is not an eminent threat like carbon monoxide, it is a poisonous gas. While not likely to cause death, it can cause headaches and other ailments with long-term exposure. Homes with whole house fans installed and operating in the spring and summer often complain about strange odors because they become more obvious. As the fan draws air from open windows, it also draws air from other leaky sources,like vent pipes. Even in homes where no ventilation system is being employed, the odor from leaky vent pipes still seeps in from time to time. A plumber can test for leaks in your system and remount or repair your plumbing to eliminate the odor.

Another plumbing service that may not have occurred to you but that could save you money is the installation of a water line and filtration system to your refrigerator. It's understandable that many people prefer the taste of filtered water, especially those homeowners in municipalities where water is particularly "hard." Water softeners tend to affect the taste of water in an unpleasant way. Thus, many homeowners are content washing and cooking with tap water from their home but buy endless supplies of bottled water. Bottled water costs significantly more than tap water and many people fail to recycle the bottles which has a negative impact on the environment. By installing a refrigerator with a water filtration system, the taste of your water and ice is improved and bottled water is no longer necessary.

If you live in an older home, your current pipes may not be in the best working order and they could even be made of lead. Lead pipes were replaced with copper pipes and later PVC piping many years ago but some homes still have remnants of the older style. Some homeowners are made aware of how outdated their plumbing system is when they go to change a faucet or remodel a bath. A plumber can come in, make the necessary updates based on your home's plumbing needs, and create a clear pathway to newer, water-saving fixtures.

Similarly, older homes tend to have an issue with "noisy" plumbing. Moans, hammering, and other bizarre sounds may emanate from the pipes in older systems. You may not even be aware of the source or what's causing it. A plumber is a good ally in the hunt for the source of these noises and oftentimes the fix is fairly simple. There's no reason to live with noisy, disturbing pipes.

In all cases, whether repairing a leak, stopping annoying and disturbing plumbing "noises," or addressing any other plumbing repair issue, consider the implications of attempting the work yourself or hiring an unqualified plumber. Not only could the materials and workmanship be compromised but the damage water can do to a home when plumbing services are performed inadequately could be catastrophic and costly.

Qualified, licensed plumbers can address issues with obvious plumbing work, as well as boilers, hot water heaters, fuel furnaces, radiant heating, septic systems, strange odors, strange noises, and poor performance. Don't hesitate to call a plumber if you suspect a plumbing problem, as ignoring the problem is likely to lead to more expensive repairs down the road.
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Overland Plumbing has been a leader in quality los angeles plumber for over 20 years - we do the job right the first time, with the right tools, the most advanced equipment, and the most responsive customer service in the industry.