plumbing Archives

28
Jan 21
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Why You Should Never Pour Hot Oil Down Your Drain

Tags : bay area clogged drain express plumbing plumbing plumbing issues plumbing problems underground construction underground utilities

Your plumbing system is the lifeblood of your home. Without it, you can’t wash dishes, take a shower, or water the lawn. As such, you should treat every component with the utmost care. However, situations arise that can potentially damage your plumbing. One of these is drain clogs. While these can be caused by many scenarios, one of the most common problems is pouring hot oil down the drain. Find out why you should never pour hot oil down the kitchen sink and other tips to keep your drains and sinks flowing smoothly.

Never Pour Hot Oil Down the Kitchen Sink

It seems like a no-brainer. Hot oil is a liquid, and liquids go down the drain. However, the hot oil is a substance unlike any other. Regardless of the type of oil, these substances can clog or cake the insides of the drain.

For example, coconut oil, bacon grease, and vegetable shortening are spectacular for creating stir-frys or creating delicious meals. But while they liquify at high temperatures, they solidify at room temperature. When you pour these down the drain, they eventually reach room temperature, creating an impenetrable clog that can prevent proper drainage and water flow.

And while olive oil, canola oil, or avocado oil are liquid at room temperature, they’re also hydrophobic. In short, that means they don’t like to mingle with water. When you pour these oils down the drain and turn the water on, they immediately separate. Instead of being flushed through the plumbing system, they cake on the sides of pipes. Over time, this can create a bottleneck, which eventually leads to significant clogging that requires the work of a plumber.

How to Properly Dispose of Hot Oil

If you regularly use butter, oil, or fat for cooking, proper disposal is essential. Fortunately, it’s not all that difficult. Start by selecting a container such as a coffee tin or other vessel that won’t melt due to the high temperature of the oil. Pour any leftover oil or fat into the container each time you cook.

Once you’ve filled the container, you have two options. The easy choice is to just chuck the container in the trash. But if you’re more of an environmentalist, call one of your local recycling centers. Most of the time, they’ll take your fat/oil concoction and give you a few pennies for your trouble.

Other Drain Clog Prevention Tips

The kitchen sink isn’t the only drain you should keep clean. Bathroom sinks, bathtubs, and showers are equally as important. That’s why you should take these tips to heart:

Put a drain guard over sinks and shower drains to keep out hair and soap scum
Brush your hair before you take a shower or bath
Don’t flush certain objects down the toilet such as paper towels or other bulky items

Because so much depends on clear, clean drainage lines, you shouldn’t leave anything to chance. If you’re iffy about whether a substance can go down the drain, don’t pour it down the sink. Instead, dispose of the substance properly. As a result, you’ll have a clean plumbing system that you can depend on when you need it the most and avoid clogged drains throughout your home.

Express Plumbing has residential plumbers in San Mateo County standing by to help you if you ever need us, but part of our commitment to the Bay Area community is to provide you with preventative tips in order to properly take care of the plumbing pipes and drains in your home.

25
Dec 20
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Your End of Year Plumbing Checklist Is Here

Tags : bay area clogged drain EPS Inc express plumbing home improvement leaky pipes plumbing plumbing problems underground construction underground utilities

As the year comes to an end, you have plenty to worry about. Getting prepped for next year, hanging out with family, and finishing up year-end projects are all part of the plan. But one thing you shouldn’t neglect is your plumbing. With this end-of-year plumbing checklist, you can make sure all your fixtures and pipes are ready for winter and next spring.

Have Your Sewer Inspected

One of the most severe plumbing issues (and grossest, too) is when your sewer backs up. This is especially important with more use during the holidays or if you work from home due to COVID. That’s why you should have your sewer inspected by a professional. By taking a proactive approach, you can avoid any nasty situations, as well as determine any potential problems that need to be addressed in the near future.

Toilet Maintenance

According to some estimates, a running toilet can waste up to 26 gallons a day. In a year, that translates to around 10,000 gallons. Multiply that by the average U.S. price of water ($1.50 for 1,000 gallons), and you’re throwing away $15 a year for each toilet in your home.

While that doesn’t sound like much, analyze the alternative. Replacing the flapper or float on your toilet costs just a few bucks and makes your toilet run like new. If you’re already running down a plumbing checklist, this task is a no-brainer at minimal cost or effort.

Check for Leaks

Leaky pipes and fixtures aren’t just a money pit. They can also impact your house through water damage or mold, which can adversely affect your health. As a result, you should always check your home for leaks at the end of the year. Always check areas such as crawlspaces and the basement, as these are notorious places for leaks.

Leaking fixtures are easier to check. For sinks, just turn them on and look under the sink for moisture. In bathtubs and showers, turn them on and search for water coming out from anywhere other than the spout or showerhead. If they’re leaking, you might just need to tighten the bolts, replace the washers, or soak the showerhead in CLR or vinegar.

Inspect and Flush the Water Heater

During winter, your water heater is your best friend. You should treat it as such with a quick inspection and maybe even a flush. Make sure that the temperature gauge remains around 120 degrees, and that you don’t see any leaks, rust, or condensation on the tank. If you haven’t flushed your water heater, now’s the time. This will remove sediment that can reduce efficiency or substantially shorten the life of the water heater.

Although you can probably manage many of these tasks with minimal knowledge about plumbing, don’t let important or potentially serious issues fall by the wayside. For tasks you can’t complete on your own, make sure to call our experienced Bay Area plumbers at Express Plumbing. If you’re looking for a gift for the homeowner in you, check out an annual preventive maintenance plan. With one of these in place, you can minimize the chance for catastrophic damage and ensure your plumbing system keeps humming all year long.

From our entire team at Express Plumbing, we wish you a happy and healthy new year.

24
Nov 20
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Do You Know What Ends Up in Plumbing A Few Interesting Things Found!

Tags : bay area express plumbing holiday plumbing problems municipal plumbing plumbing plumbing emergency plumbing issues residential plumbing underground construction

Few people can remember the time before indoor plumbing. A time when using the bathroom meant a trip outside, regardless of the weather or temperature. But today, indoor plumbing is a luxury that many people take for granted. It makes every person’s life easier, as long as they maintain their pipes and plumbing system.

However, plumbers have plenty of amusing stories. All kinds of items end up in pipes, toilets, sewer lines, and other fixtures throughout the home, leaving your plumbing professional with tales to tell for years to come. Here are some of the best.

Strange Items in the Toilet

Plumbers already have to deal with nasty clogs and human sewage. But these natural byproducts and substances aside, they still find strange or interesting things from time to time.

Dentures

If you have to hurl, make sure to take your dentures out before doing so. One plumber in California complained about a clog, and when the plumber snaked the toilet, a pair of dentures came out. Turns out the owner of the home had a meeting with the toilet after a night of heavy drinking.

Hair…Lots of Hair

Hair is a common blockage in many bathrooms drains. But some are longer than others. On several occasions, plumbers across the country have removed hair clogs totaling more than 8 feet. That’s just gross.

Toys

Toys end up in the toilet all the time. But when kids flush them down, the weirdest blockages occur. Plumbers have reported everything from dinosaurs to rubber duckies and more.

Rings

A plumber in Ohio reported finding four class rings in one plumbing job. Going the extra mile, he returned the rings to the individuals, creating an impromptu class reunion. Few other ring loss stories have such a happy ending.

How to Prevent these Items from Entering Your Plumbing System

Prevention and good habits are a one-two punch that can prevent extra phone calls to the plumber. Some tips to keep foreign objects out of your plumbing include:

Keeping your ring in a box or safe place; never laying it next to the sink
Having a small chest or container in the bathroom for bath toys
Cleaning the hair from your drains regularly, especially if visible, or add a strainer at the drain to catch the hair.
Supervising children in the bathroom at all times

Sometimes, random items will enter your pipes even when you take the proper steps. In these instances, you can always try plumbing or snaking the drain yourself. If that doesn’t work, enlist the help of a trusted, reputable, and qualified plumber.

Other Items to Keep Out of Your Plumbing System

In addition to random objects, jewelry, and toys, you should also keep these items out of your plumbing system:

Grease
Dental floss
Harsh drain cleaners
Fibrous vegetables and other food items such as egg shells, rice, onion, celery
Wet wipes (even the “flushable” variety)

Each of these items can cause a nasty clog that’s often unremovable without the help of a plumber. Therefore, it’s best to prevent these from entering the plumbing rather than trying to clear the clog afterward.

Although the above stories are amusing, they’re far less entertaining when they actually happen to you. So, make sure to take the necessary steps to keep foreign objects out of your toilet and keep up on routine and preventive maintenance. By doing so, you ensure a fully functioning plumbing system that won’t become the source of funny or horrifying plumber folklore.

With the holidays upon us, and kids at home, there’s a lot for you to handle, just know we’re here to assist when you need us 24/7 including holidays and weekends. Consider us your “always ready” local plumber.

25
Oct 20
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What Is No-Contact Plumbing During COVID-19?

Tags : express plumbing holiday plumbing problems No-Contact Plumbing plumbing residential plumbing san mateo

Critical to the infrastructure of businesses and residences, our Bay Area plumbers are still essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet many homeowners may justifiably feel uneasy about individuals in their home for an extended period of time. However, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has revealed COVID-compliant guidelines to protect both plumbers and homeowners from exposure.

By following these protocols, no-contact plumbing has become the new normal for our San Mateo plumbing crew, allowing us to make repairs and conduct routine maintenance. Paired with our own safety guidelines, homeowners should feel at ease. Here’s a glance at how we are practicing no-contact plumbing during COVID-19.

What Is No-Contact Plumbing?

In general, no-contact plumbing is a set of guidelines in the COVID-19 era that help maintain safety between homeowners and plumbers. Both the CDC and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have presented methods to limit exposure to the virus. Some of the basic ideas of these no-contact plumbing protocols include:

Asking questions as to whether the maintenance is absolutely necessary to help limit contact between individuals
Social distancing and mask-wearing
Personal protective equipment worn
Scheduling to prevent contact between individuals

By adhering to these guidelines, our customers and employees have far less risk of exposure to COVID-19, as well as reduced fear or anxiety.

Personal Protective Equipment

Due to sanitary reasons, and company guidelines our crew is already equipped with personal protective equipment (PPE) prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, we now take extra precautions. Our plumbers wear masks, eyewear, gloves, and any other PPE deemed necessary for the job. In addition, we may also include a face shield to further reduce the risk of spreading or exposure to COVID-19 where it is deemed necessary.

Scheduling

Another method of reducing exposure to COVID-19 is through various scheduling methods. In the COVID-19 era, we strategically schedule each appointment to minimize contact and offer scheduling appointments via the internet or phone to reduce contact between individuals.

If the repairs are outdoors, we make arrangements with the homeowners to schedule the service even if they’re at work.

No-Contact Plumbing Service Payment Options

While cash is king in the business world, the CDC and OSHA, now prefer no-contact payment options after service. COVID-19 can survive on paper products for 24 hours and plastic for two to three days. As a result, cash and credits cards aren’t the preferred method of payment. Instead, homeowners can now pay through various mobile payment options. Ask us about all the no-contact payment options we have to put your mind at ease.

Fully functional plumbing is a necessity in any household. Ignoring a problem until it’s too late can not only cause potentially unsanitary conditions, but also cost you two or three times the amount of the original maintenance.

You shouldn’t wait to call us as your local plumbing company when necessary. In the wake of Covid-19, our interactions may have changed when we come to provide you with a plumbing service, but by following proper no-contact plumbing guidelines, both parties can maintain safe distances without fear of exposure to the virus. That’s a win-win for both sides.

Consider us your trusted San Mateo experienced plumber. We look forward to providing you with a safe no-contact plumbing appointment when you need one.

25
Sep 20
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Seasonal Plumbing Tips for Fall

Tags : express plumbing home improvement municipal plumbing plumbing plumbing problems Plumbing Tips for Fall residential plumbing san francisco underground construction

Although you may have numerous home improvement projects that need your attention this fall, don’t forget about your plumbing. Because many problems aren’t easily seen—especially to the novice plumber—they can spiral out of control without proper care and maintenance. Even little issues such as a running toilet or a leaky faucet can cost you tons of money on your monthly water bill. That’s why you need to employ these seasonal plumbing tips for fall if you live in California. By doing so, you can resolve any issues or problems that can end up costing you a small fortune. Our team of Bay Area plumbers loves sharing tips without community that will save them from plumbing disasters and unnecessary spending in the long run. Here are a few you can easily implement this fall.

Adjust Your Sprinkler System

Lawns still need the same amount of water during fall, so resist the urge to dismantle or winterize your sprinklers. Instead, use the fall to maintain your sprinkler system so it’s functional in the fall and ready to go in the spring. Remove each of the sprinkler heads and wash them to remove debris. Then, take out the nozzle body and wash them using a few drops of dish soap and water. Finally, place the sprinklers back in the ground and turn them on to remove the last bit of silt and dirt.

Check the Outside of Your Home

The fall is also the ideal time to check the outside of your home for potential problems. For example, leaves can decompose and clog gutters and downspouts, making a potential water damage hazard. You should also inspect the roof of your home for any issues, which can be done when cleaning the gutters. Finally, make certain that your downspouts are connected to the gutter so that water flows to the appropriate areas.

Inspect for Water Leaks

Often, water leaks can cause damage to homes simply because they’re hard to identify. During the fall, take time to inspect areas where you may find leaks or potential water damage. Basements are notorious for having leaky pipes, so search for any pools of water or moisture. In addition, you should inspect the areas around your toilet, bathtub, and shower. If the caulk around these fixtures is broken, water can seep into your flooring. If you find a lack of caulk, remove the old bead and put down a new one.

Take Care of Your Water Heater

As the temperatures cool, the last thing you want is cold water in the shower. Therefore, you can take a few steps to ensure your water heater is working properly. Flush the water heater to remove any residue and check your water heater supply lines to ensure that they’re free of corrosion. Express Plumbing also recommends looking into an instant water heater which is commonly referred to as a tankless water heater. Immediate hot water and big savings!

Check Your Sewer System

The threat of a sewer backing up into the home is a scary thought. Fortunately, fall is the perfect time to check your sewer system for potential hazards. Because tree roots won’t grow as fast during this time of year, you can check to see if they’re impeding your sewer line and fix them appropriately. If you have a septic tank, have it pumped during fall to ensure it works during the holidays.

By taking the time to create a fall plumbing checklist and scheduling annual maintenance, you can reduce the chances of a catastrophe—even in the mild California winter. Plus, you won’t have to worry about your plumbing system during the extensive use of the holiday season. That’s a holiday present that’s worth giving to yourself.

Our Bay Area plumbing team is always eager to assist you whether you need a repair or new plumbing installation. Contact us with any questions you have.

25
Aug 20
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How CDC-Compliant, No-Contact Plumbing Works

Tags : bay area express plumbing home improvement plumbing plumbing emergency plumbing problems san mateo plumber

Deemed essential workers by the United States government, plumbers continue to work during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, homeowners in need of plumbing shouldn’t put off necessary projects due to the current situation.

With guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), our San Mateo plumbing crews are maintaining proper safety protocols, all while getting the job done. If you’re apprehensive about hiring a plumber during the pandemic, don’t be. Here are the ways our Bay Area plumbers adhere to safety guidelines while they perform their duties.

The COVID-19 Plumbing Scenario

Working in unsavory conditions isn’t a foreign concept to plumbers. Whether they’re working in a crawlspace of fixing a sewer line, conditions aren’t always sanitary. Yet in a COVID-19 world, this particular aspect of plumbing provides an extra layer of protection for homeowners.

Plumbers are habitually used to wearing masks and personal protective equipment, making COVID-19 safety protocols easy to maintain. Plus, with the extra safety precautions laid out by the CDC, your family’s safety shouldn’t be a massive concern with the extra precautions we take.

How Plumbers Are Maintaining a CDC-Compliant, No-Contact Solution

As a Bay Area plumbing company and residents ourselves we are aware of the concerns that many homeowners have about the spread of COVID-19—especially as plumbers move from home to home and customer to customer. That’s why we are implementing the following guidelines to keep their clients’ minds at ease.

Social Distancing

In adherence with the CDC and World Health Organization (WHO), plumbers maintain a strict six-foot gap between themselves and customers. By doing so, the incidence of spreading COVID-19 becomes lessened dramatically.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Including Masks

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, plumbers were already wearing PPE. Now, plumbers wear this same equipment with extra precautionary measures. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), plumbers should wear face masks, gloves, eyewear, and other safety equipment. In addition, OSHA also recommends a full-face shield to further protect the plumber and customers from COVID-19 infection when necessary.

Sanitizing Techniques

Because plumbers have to work with dirty water on occasion and are in contact with a variety of surfaces, they must practice strong sanitizing techniques. To exacerbate the issue, the CDC recently said that COVID-19 can live for differing periods of time depending on the surface, including materials that plumbers often use:

Copper – four hours
Cardboard – 24 hours
Plastic – two to three days
Stainless steel – two to three days

Because of the resiliency of the virus, plumbers are taking precautions to sanitize every surface they work with, and encouraging our clients to do the same.

Contactless Payment Options

When the project is finally completed, plumbers are using contactless payment options to keep customers clear of any potential infections. Credit cards are the preferred option over cash to minimize the chance of COVID-19 infection.

Proper plumbing is a necessity in any household, especially as the pandemic has caused many families to stay at home. By following social distancing protocols and wearing personal protective equipment, the chance for COVID-19 to spread is essentially nonexistent.

So, if you have a leaky faucet or a major plumbing problem, give the professionals a call. Not only will you enjoy a well-functioning plumbing system, but the extra flushes and water usage won’t add any more stress to your life.

As a Bay Area plumber, we have been serving our customers for multiple decades, our employees, family and friends all reside in this area, we all must do our part to support each other and avoid the spread by following proper protocols.

If you need us, we are here for you and you’ll be in good hands. Contact us to discuss your upcoming project or plumbing repair in the Bay Area.

19
May 20
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Minimize Plumbing Catastrophes by Identifying Slab Leaks Quickly

Tags : bay area plumbers covid19 bay area leak underground plumbing plumbing emergency plumbing problems san francisco san mateo slab leak detection slab leak repair

COVID-19 is wreaking havoc on your plumbing. The excess strain put on plumbing systems due to stay-at-home orders and self-quarantine has left water lines and fixtures handling the extra workload. One such problem is a slab leak. These leaks can cause catastrophic damage if not fixed properly, and require the expertise of a skilled plumber. If you think you may have a slab leak, here are the steps you should take to minimize a disaster.

What Is a Slab Leak?

A slab leak is a leak that forms in the water lines underneath the concrete foundation of your home. Because of their location, they are often difficult to detect. However, slab leaks can do catastrophic damage to your home. If left untreated, slab leaks can damage the concrete foundation, erode the soil, and waste thousands of gallons of water. In severe cases, slab leaks can even cause a portion of the home to collapse.

Causes of Slab Leaks

Slab leaks have numerous causes, making them more difficult for homeowners to prevent. Some of the most common sources of slab leaks include:

Corrosion caused by pipe contact with the soil. This is especially common in copper piping.
Abrasion as a result of pipes rubbing against gravel or rocks. As most foundations have backfill with rocks in them, the expansion and contraction of pipes due to weather can cause them to rub against rocks, pebbles, and gravel.
Shifting of the foundation can move the pipes underneath your home, which can cause them to burst and form a slab leak.
Poor installation is another factor in many slab leaks.

How to Identify a Slab Leak

One of the major problems with slab leaks is that they’re hard to find. However, homeowners may realize slab leaks with more regularity due to stay-at-home orders and time spent inside. If you’re not sure if you have a slab leak, look for these signs and symptoms:

Low water pressure.
Warm or damp floors.
Sounds of running water when the water is off.
Water meter moving when all water is off.
Standing water around the perimeter of your house or in the basement.
Issues with mold.

How to Fix Slab Leaks

While some of these signs may be the result of a different issue, the only way to assess the problem is by hiring a plumbing expert. With their experience and expertise, these professionals can locate the problem and offer suggestions on how to move forward. In most instances, jackhammering the floor and replacing the pipes or rerouting the pipes are the most viable and cost-effective options.

Plumbing isn’t something that most people are highly skilled in. That’s why, especially during COVID-19, our Bay Area plumbers are in high demand, especially if you have a slab leak.

If you think you may have a slab leak, do everything you can to keep our plumbers safe. Wipe down all surfaces and try to maintain social distancing rules. Our plumbers continue to provide essential plumbing services in the Bay Area to our commercial, residential, and municipal customers while following all recommended CDC guidelines.

11
Feb 20
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Why Is There a Leak Around the Base of My Toilet?

Tags : faulty water supply leak in toilet plumbing toilet repair

You may have experienced water on the floor of your bathroom and started to panic. “Where’s it coming from?” you ask yourself. You check the sink and the shower and find no problems. Suddenly, an overwhelming sense of dread starts to grip you. The water’s coming from the toilet. Yet it’s not coming from the tank or the bowl; it’s dribbling from the base. If this has happened to you, here are some reasons why the base of your toilet is leaking and what you can do to amend the problem.

Damaged Wax Ring

Properly installed toilets all feature a wax ring that’s placed between the base of the toilet and the flange attached to the waste/sewer line on the floor. The wax ring creates an impenetrable barrier that prevents any waste from seeping into the surrounding floor. When these wax rings fail, water can pool underneath the toilet, eventually causing the subfloor to rot and the water to leak into the bathroom.

Although wax rings typically last 20 to 30 years, they can sometimes compress and fail if the toilet isn’t properly secured. In many cases, a strong sewage smell is apparent when a wax ring is about to fail. If you smell this, it’s time to replace the wax ring. Try not to wait until the base leaks before you switch it out, or you may cause inadvertent or more severe damage.

Loose Tee Bolts

Tee bolts are the most common method to fasten toilets to the floor. However, these tee bolts can loosen over time. When this happens, the toilet doesn’t form an impermeable, water-tight seal with the wax ring underneath. Without the water-tight seal, the splashing that occurs during flushing can push water out onto the bathroom floor.

Fortunately, you can easily fix this problem. Grab a wrench, tighten the bolts, and the problem is solved, provided that the wax ring is still effective.

Faulty Water Supply Lines

If you notice water around the base of your toilet, but your wax ring is pristine and your tee bolts are tightened, take a glance at the water supply lines that attach to the wall. Typically, a flexible metal hose connects to the water supply in the wall. But if these hoses aren’t installed properly or aren’t tightened, water can leak onto the floor. This gives the impression that your toilet base is leaking, but in reality, you just may need to tighten or replace these hoses.

What to Do When There’s a Leak Around the Base

If you notice a leak around the base toilet for any reason, remember that this water is unsanitary and possibly contaminated with sewage. Stop using your toilet immediately, and use bleach to give the affected area a hospital-grade cleaning. Turn on the bathroom fan to remove the excess fumes, and only reenter the area once it’s dry.

If your toilet is leaking around its base, don’t ignore the problem. Doing so can lead to floor damage, a costly water bill, and unsanitary conditions in your bathroom. Oftentimes, these tips can fix the problem with a leaky toilet base, but if not, don’t hesitate to call a professional to assess, diagnose, and treat the leak.

Express Plumbing is a division of EPS Inc. We’ve been serving the Bay Area for multiple decades by providing plumbing, engineering, and underground construction services. We serve the South Bay by providing an experienced plumbing staff that’s eager to help you when you have any plumbing issues including a leaky toilet. Contact us with any questions you have.

13
Dec 19
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How to Dry Flooring In Case of a Plumbing Flood

Tags : bay area burst pipes eps bay area express plumbing leaky pipes plumber plumbing plumbing blog plumbing disaster plumbing emergency Plumbing flood plumbing tips san francisco

A plumbing flood is avoidable with proper maintenance, but when a pipe bursts in your home, chaos unfolds.

Not only is your furniture at risk of severe damage, but your floors can suffer as well. The porous nature of subflooring, carpet, and wood can retain water for days and even weeks after the leak.

Therefore, you need to be diligent when it comes to cleanup. Before the problem calls for a total flooring replacement, follow these tips to save your floor — and your investment — before it’s too late.

As a Bay Area Plumbing and Engineering Contractor, we want you to avoid plumbing problems all together, but if you can’t, use these tips to help you properly dry the area.

Before You Begin

Before you start to cleanup, photo-document the affected area. Armed with these photos, you have evidence of the flood to give to your insurance company. If you have any cloth furniture that’s salvageable, remove it from the room and set it outside to dry. The power of the sun will take care of most of the moisture. When it’s overcast or cold outside, set the furniture near a heat source.

Soak Up Excess Water Immediately

Use a squeegee or a wet/dry vacuum depending on the location and severity of the problem. You can easily find these tools for sale or rent at a local hardware store.

Once you have the right tool for the job, remove as much water as possible. Speed is crucial. If you can remove a majority of the water within 24 hours, you lessen the chance of irreparable damage. The longer you wait to rid your home of water, the more chance moisture has to seep into hardwood flooring or carpet, necessitating a full replacement.

Use a Fan

The next step to dry your flooring is to use a high-powered fan. A household floor or desk fan usually isn’t strong enough to get the job done, so you may have to purchase or rent a fan with enough power to remove excessive moisture.

If you have wooden furniture such as a dresser or armoire in the room, remove the drawers and open any doors to ensure you remove the moisture from these areas as well. In addition, this fan will help circulate fresh air, which can also lessen the musty, mildew smell caused by flooding.

Unleash the Power of a Dehumidifier

Even with a thorough vacuuming and a fan, your room will undoubtedly still have moisture hiding somewhere. To remove this final bit of water, rent or buy a portable dehumidifier.

These dehumidifiers remove water vapor from the air that you otherwise couldn’t eliminate. Remember to empty the water drawer frequently to make sure you don’t have another water spill on your hands.

Disinfect All Affected Areas

When a pipe bursts, there’s a chance that the water has come in contact with sewage or bacteria. Because of the health risks posed by bacteria and subsequent mold, you should disinfect and sanitize any area touched by the water.

This includes not only the floor itself, but also baseboards, walls, and furniture. In more severe cases, consider hiring a professional.

Any time a pipe bursts in your home, it’s a catastrophic situation that requires due diligence. So push the stress aside and get to work drying your floors. The value of your home and your pocketbook depend on it.

Our professional plumbers are standing by to answer any questions you have relating to plumbing. We service the entire San Francisco Bay Area and are relied upon by residents, commercial clients and municipalities due to our experience, advanced equipment and techniques.

19
Sep 19
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Cable Systems Installation Without Digging

Tags : commercial plumbing eps engineering municipal plumbing plumbing residential plumbing underground cables underground construction underground engineering underground utilities

Underground cable systems are very common. Whether a repair is needed, laying new cables, or building a new property, the process of digging trenches for electrical, plumbing, and sewer. telecommunications or gas lines are cumbersome, time-consuming, and expensive.

Thankfully, trenchless technology is taking the hassle out of laying cables and pipes. Discover how this technology is revolutionizing underground cable systems, saving you time and money in the process.

What Is Trenchless Cable Laying?

Before the introduction of horizontal directional drilling, laying cables wasn’t easy. To install any sort of subterranean cables, contractors had to dig a trench to house cables.

This process often required ripping out concrete or blacktop, followed by a strenuous digging process by hand or machine. Today, several trenchless technologies are making trench-digging obsolete.

Horizontal Directional Drilling

One of the most common trenchless technologies is horizontal directional drilling. To complete this task, workers bore a hole in the ground at a predetermined angle, using a transmitter to guide and steer the drill below the ground.

After drilling the initial hole, the process of reaming enlarges the hole to the desired size. Finally, the cable or pipe is attached to a lead and pulled through the length of the hole.

Microtunneling

Microtunneling is another type of trenchless technology that excavates and removes soil while simultaneously installing the pipe. Controlled via a remote by an operator, this pipe-laying technique is becoming more and more popular.

Pipe Bursting

When you need to replace or repair old pipelines, few trenchless methods work as effectively as pipe bursting. To complete this task, workers use a machine that pulls a larger-diameter pipe through the old pipe. This breaks the original pipe, putting the new pipe in its place.

These aren’t the only types of trenchless technologies available for both residential and commercial applications, but they’re gaining popularity as more and more companies and consumers turn to these methods for cost savings and efficiency.

Saving Time and Money

Traditional methods of laying underground cable systems are wholly inefficient, pricey, and inconvenient. Not only do you incur the labor expenses of digging the trench, but you also have to consider other costs. Demolition of existing concrete is an expensive venture, compounded by having to lay new concrete upon completion of laying the underground cable systems.

If you aren’t considered with concrete, you should also consider the sunk cost of replacing your landscaping. Even small trenches can wreak havoc on your yard. Not only do you have to add in the cost of replacing grass, bushes, mulch, or trees, but you also have to deal with an unsightly yard that destroys your curb appeal.

Because trenchless technologies don’t require digging or excavating, the entire process is far less time-consuming. This saves you on labor and equipment costs. Plus, many trenchless providers charge solely on the length and diameter of the pipe, eliminating hidden and unexpected costs as a result.

Whether you’re building a new home, replacing existing lines, or repairing a cable system, trenchless technology gives you a practical, cost-effective way to get the job done right.

Express Plumbing is a division of EPS Inc. We service the entire Bay Area with our team focusing on the most advanced techniques, proper planning, and implementation to get the project done quickly and remain cost-effective.

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Jan 21

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