frozen pipe out in the cold

Preparing Your Plumbing For Cold Weather

It’s still hot here in Texas, but you have to admit, it is a little cooler. And while we aren’t exactly in the Great White North, we all know that it gets cold, even in Texas. At least a few times every winter, the temperature will get down below freezing. If you’re not prepared, that could cause some substantial and very expensive damage. It may seem like a long way off, but now’s the time to start preparing – before it’s too late!

Tip 1: Insulate Your Pipes

Traditionally, during the cold temperatures, leaving your faucet to drip was thought to be the best way to keep your pipes safe. This eventually was to prevent the pipes from freezing or bursting. There are other ways and solutions to prevent this from happening. The best one is to insulate your pipes. You can purchase pipe insulation at a hardware store, and it’s pretty easy to do it yourself. Just about any pipe that you can access should be insulated. The ones that are the most exposed are the ones that are more likely to freeze. And a frozen pipe could cost hundreds, if not thousands of dollars to your home.

Tip 2: Have Your Water Heater Inspected

Your water heater is a critical part of keeping you warm during the winter. Getting your water heater inspected during the fall is a great way to ensure you don’t run into any unexpected issues. If there are any signs of aging, it may be time for repairs, or even a replacement. If you see any puddling on or near your hot water heater, or even rust, you should contact our professionals at City Plumbing. They’ll be able to check the relief valve (which prevents the entire unit from exploding!) and drain sediment from the bottom of the tank, if necessary.

Tip 3: Call City Plumbing

Call the professionals at City Plumbing. We can take care of your fall check-up in no time. City Plumbing is here to help with all your plumbing needs. Give us a call, and we’ll come running! 432-366-2401

Changing an air filter in an air conditioner

Summer Isn’t Over, But When It Is, You’ll Be Ready!

We’re finally in September! And when it comes to the weather that means one thing: Well, in Texas it means we have at least a couple more months of heat! Just a few weeks ago, we hit 113! The forecast high for the foreseeable future is in the 90s just about every single day. So if summer is still here, that means it’s still hot. If you need A/C service, City Plumbing is here to serve you!

There are a few ways you can help make sure your A/C stays running strong, even when the weather finally starts to cool down:

  1. Change your air filter! According to the EPA, you should change the filter at least once every three months! This is especially true when you’re using your A/C (or heat) a lot. So the end of summer is the perfect time for a replacement.
  2. Clean up your air conditioning unit! We’re talking about on the outside! If you’ve got dust, branches, leaves, weeds, even trash compiling on or near your exterior air conditioning unit, get rid of it! A few minutes can make a big difference. It can get in the way and cause reduced airflow!
  3. Clean the coils: You can try doing this yourself, but it’s highly recommended you hire a professional if you want the job done right. It’s just one of the services that City Plumbing offers. 
  4. Wrap up summer, get ready for winter: As much as we need the cool in the summer, we need heat in the winter! Making sure your HVAC unit is properly maintained also means it’s ready to heat your home when the time comes.
  5. Give us a call, and we’ll come running! Call City Plumbing today at 432-366-2401, and make an appointment for seasonal maintenance on your HVAC unit. It’ll keep you comfortable and save you money!
leak repair

Get Leaks Out of the Way Quickly

Leaks in the home are a hidden danger. About 10% of homes in the United States have leaks that can waste 90 gallons a day—or more. The unfortunate truth is that wasting water is becoming a bigger and bigger problem in various parts of the world, not just the United States. But aside from the global implications, there are other reasons why it is wise to minimize water waste. Leaks themselves, regardless of how much water is wasted, can cause other problems that can threaten your home and family. It is always best to call someone for professional leak repair. Here are some reasons why.

Water Leads to Mold

There’s nothing mold loves more than moisture. It can be moisture from a direct source of water or that which is created in the atmosphere when more water is present. The resulting humidity is all a mold spore needs to start its own little colony. While mold is certainly unsightly, a homeowner needs to get leak repair because its effects are far more ugly than its looks. Not only are millions of people allergic to mold, others can suffer adverse health effects from what is much more than a smelly nuisance.

Leaks lead to mold because they increase the level of water saturation in both specific surfaces and the surrounding environment. This gives mold a nice place to make its home. The leak feeds water to an area such as drywall or plywood and after that has been saturated, the remaining water is able to evaporate into the air around the leak. Unless you get leak repair services soon, mold will be able to grow in both the wet area and on those touched by the surrounding air.

Leaks Can Hurt Your Home’s Value

Leaks can slowly cause affected elements of your home to deteriorate. Any organic material is subject to deterioration due to the fact that mold can eat away at it. The introduction of water from a leak can make for a perfect environment for hungry mold. In addition, water is a solvent, so when a portion of your home, however big or small, gets exposed to water for an extended period of time, the water can begin to slowly break it down. This results in weaker components of your home and possibly a dangerous situation. A home inspector will quickly pick up on these issues and chop down your home’s value. It’s better to seek quality leak repair before it’s too late. Plumbing services are a great asset as well because they can eliminate leaks.

Checking Leaks Can Reveal Other Issues

The leaks in your home, once investigated, may lead you to other significant problems that would have gone unnoticed had the leak not been checked out. For instance, water leak repair can lead you to water heater repair. If there is a leak in the basement, the first idea may be that its source is outside the home, or perhaps it is due to a compromised wall or foundation. However, often, a water heater that is on its way out is to blame. Catching the leak can lead to catching the water heater problem as well. You may also realize you need to have a drain cleaned while investigating a leak. A clogged drain can cause water to pool up and compromise the caulking that keeps drains leak-free. Once you check out the source of the leak and get leak repair, you may discover some vital drain issues as well. Affordable plumbing services are a great resource for fixing any of your leak-related problems. Getting the right professional on the job can help you catch several problems before they get out of control.

Leaks can do significant damage if the proper leak repair isn’t put in place right away. Even though water is a beloved resource, it can be an enemy in the home. The mold it creates as well as what the mold can do to the structure of your home can be more than just an irritation; it can damage the structure of your home. To you’re your home, and its value, it’s best to get any leaks taken care of right away. You will want to place a quick phone call for the right plumbing pros to handle the job.

24 hour plumber

Simple Plumbing Problems And Their Fixes

Plumbing leaks create many headaches and pocketbook aches for homeowners. It’s important to conserve water. Not only does faulty plumbing waste water, so does a simple leaky faucet. According to the EPA, a leaky faucet can waste over 3,000 of water per year.

You may not need to call a 24 hour plumber if your only plumbing problem is a leaky faucet. Homeowners can fix these without any advanced plumbing knowledge. We’ll take a look at some of the common reasons for a leaky faucet and what a homeowner can do to fix it.

Common Water Faucet Problems

  • The O-ring, a small plastic disc attached to the stem screw at the base of the faucet handle, is a common culprit for water waste. It can become loose or worn out over time. If this happens, your faucet will drip at the handle. Along with water puddling, mineral buildup at the faucet’s base is a common sign of a faulty O-ring.
  • The faucet’s valve seat (which connects the faucet to the water pipe) can become corroded over time, which can cause the seal to fail and leak water. Hard water or minerals in the water can cause the premature failure of the valve seat.
  • There are other assorted parts that keep your faucet watertight. If any of these wear out, your faucet can leak water. There are gaskets, seals, nuts and the previously mentioned O-ring. All these parts over time can contribute to a leaky faucet. Over time, things degrade and wear out. Sometimes, a simple tightening of the part with a wrench can fix a leaky faucet, however, replacing the worn out part may be the needed fix.
  • There are different types of faucets. For example, there are compression and disc faucets. If you have the latter, there are inlet and outlet seals that wear out with over usage. Also, mineral in the water can contribute to the degradation of these seals. You may be able to clean the seals, but replacing them is the longer term fix.

The good news is that many simple faucet fixes can be done by a homeowner. You’ll feel good and save money by doing simple cleaning or repair of your faucet’s parts.

However, if the leak is severe or there is a problem that you cannot fix, such as burst pipes, call a local 24 hour plumber. There may be additional charges for the plumbing services of after hours or emergency plumbers. Whether you have questions regarding leak repair or drain cleaning, professional plumbers can help. Call a 24 hour plumber near you for answers to your plumbing questions and for their hours and rates.

water leak repair

Water Leak Repair Tips for New Homeowners

Water leakage is a popular phenomenon that homeowners have to deal with. Given that it can be caused by a number of problems, it is important to understand the issue. In most cases, leaks are caused by an old water piping system. In such cases, proper assessment is required to determine the best way to address the issue. For instance, it is estimated that there are about 700 water main leakages on a daily basis. However, these figures are not surprising given that about 1/3 of the water system is between 40 to 80 years old. This article looks at some of the recommendations for home water leak repair.

Repair as soon as possible

When burst pipes are left unchecked, the damage that they cause is quite substantial. This is both in terms of the cost of the water wasted since it is already billed to other effects such as warping of home fittings. Also, if slow leaks are left unchecked, they can contribute to the growth of mold, leading to even more exorbitant costs when it comes to cleaning them out. With water bursts, a homeowner would be exposing themselves to potential personal injury claims. This is in the event somebody gets hurt as a result of the water, especially through slipping.

Establish the cause

In most of the cases, the cause of a water leak is pretty straightforward. In such cases, it is as simple as addressing the issue that led to the occurrence. However, in some cases, there would be a cause for the leaks such as excess pressure on the pipes. In these cases, it is important to have the issues addressed since if they were to be left unchecked, the leaks would continue to reoccur. As a result, it would be time-consuming as well as expensive in the long run. Though the process of finding the cause of the leaks might be long and at times conflicting due to different reasons, when this is done, better planning can be done.

Work with a reliable plumber

The reliability of the plumber is a thing of importance. This is especially when it comes to the time it takes to respond to a water breakage call. A 24-hour plumber is a good choice since it is possible for a water leak repair to be necessary even at odd hours. With a good response time from your plumber, it is possible to counter some damages that might be experienced as well as avoid wastage of water. On reliability, the plumber also needs to be in a position to get the work done and offer great workmanship.

Have plumbing inspections done regularly

There are cases where there might be leaks in areas not visible to homeowners. Such leaks also do great damage to homes and need to be addressed. When a routine inspection is done, such leaks are detected, and extensive repair is done if there is a need for it. Routine inspection is a great way of ensuring that your plumbing system remains in good form. This increases reliability and offers peace of mind while also increasing the value of your property.

Consider doing a replacement

In the event that you experience constant water leakages due to burst pipes, it is a good idea to consider contacting an emergency plumber for water leak repair
. However, this is a labor intensive task, and minor water leaks would not warrant for this. In addition to being labor intensive, it is also an expensive undertaking and a lot of thought should go into resolving the issue. However, an overhaul when proven to be necessary serves a great purpose since it modernizes your entire system and also lowers the possibilities of leaks leading to great savings in the future.

When seeking plumbing services for water leak repair, it is important to look at the above recommendations. This will ensure that your home is safe and with reliable water piping. It is also advisable to ensure that you get good deals when it comes to the overall costs even for emergency repairs.