Brooks Plumbing Co. Blog: Archive for November, 2012

Sewer Repair FAQ: What Causes Sewer Lines to Break?

Monday, November 26th, 2012

Roots from trees and plants are the most frequent cause of sewer line damage in the Tumwater area. Plant roots may seem harmless, but as they slowly grow beneath the soil they can work their way into any crack or fissure in their path. The juncture of two sewer pipes, particularly older pipes that may have settled and separated a bit, are particularly susceptible to root invasion.

When tiny, sensitive root tips work their way into a microscopic fissure in a pipe, they begin to grow and expand, gradually opening the fissure.  Over months and years, the pressure from a growing root can create a large crack in a sewer pipe. The root itself can thicken inside the pipe, slowly choking it off.

Other less frequent causes of sewer line breaks are settling of the ground, nearby construction, or incorrect installation. Any of those things can cause a sewer pipe to slowly crack open or fracture at a joint.

Trenchless Sewer Line Replacement

Fortunately, broken sewer lines no longer need to be a catastrophic event to area homeowners. Brooks Plumbing now provides leading edge video technology to quickly locate the source of the break, and trenchless technology to replace the line.

Trenchless sewer line replacement means that Brooks Plumbing’s expert staff does not have to dig a long, deep slit trench across your property to expose the damaged sewer line. Instead, we make a small hole and excavate horizontally beneath the surface of your property. There’s no disruption of your lawn or landscaping, and no drilling of walks and driveways.

Trenchless technology uses the same technique successfully developed for laying pipelines and cables beneath the surface in large tracts of land where excavating a trench would not be possible. It is a time-tested technique that is efficient and less expensive than traditional ditch digging and back filling. If you need to replace the sewer line on your property, call Brooks Plumbing. Our professional staff have years of experience repairing sewer lines in the Woolwich Township area. When a sewer line breaks, you need a safe, fast, honest solution. Call Brooks Plumbing today.

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Plumbing FAQ: Do Banging Pipes Need a Plumbing Repair?

Monday, November 19th, 2012

While there are many plumbing noises that indicate that it’s time to call a Olympia plumber, banging pipes are the most common. A banging noise in your plumbing system could have many different causes. It’s a good idea to call one of the Olympia plumbers at Brooks Plumbing, to inspect your system and make sure there are no major issues.

Here are a few reasons you may be hearing a banging noise when you shut off your plumbing appliances and fixtures.

When water travels through the pipes in your plumbing system, there’s a lot of pressure behind it. If the pipes are too small, there’s more water, and therefore, more pressure behind  the valve when the water moving to that application shuts off. The momentum of the water causes the pipes to shift when this happens, and that’s why you hear a banging noise. Depending on how loud the noise is and the location of the pipes, it could be something that needs a repair.

Not having pipes wide enough to carry the volume of water running through them puts stress on the pipes every time the valve shuts and you hear the banging noise. There are many solutions to this. Your plumber can install vertical pipe near the valve to absorb the shock of the water pressure. The water will move into the vertical pipe and release some of the pressure.

You can also find valves that are specifically designed to address this problem if it is a problem throughout your plumbing system rather than one area. Installing a pressure-reducing valve onto the main water supply will take care of the issue throughout the home. You may also need to add an expansion tank to your boiler or water heater if this is a recurring problem with any of your hot water applications.

If you have further questions or would like to schedule a repair service, call the Olympia plumbers at Brooks Plumbing. We are here to resolve any plumbing issue with the right solution.

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How Can I tell if I Have a Broken Main Water Line?

Monday, November 12th, 2012

A broken water line is one of the most dreaded repairs for many homeowners in Lacey. The reason is because water lines are normally buried in the ground under your home. The process for fixing the break is inconvenient and expensive. Compounding the problem further is the face that because the pipe is in the ground, detecting the leak can be very difficult. We thought that it would be helpful for our customers in Lacey if we put together a short list of symptoms that might indicate that you have a broken water line. However, you should never attempt to fix a broken water line in Lacey on your own. If you suspect that your water line is broken, call the expert plumbers at Brooks Plumbing immediately.

What Causes Broken Water Lines

It could be helpful to know what some of the common causes of water line breaks.

  • Tree roots – This is probably one of the most common culprits for a break in your water line. Tree roots can slowly work their way into the pipe joints in their search for water. Over time, this can break your pipes or clog them.
  • Natural disaster – Natural disasters can be devastating to your water line.
  • Rust and Corrosion – Over time, mineral deposits and rust can eat through your water line. Even if the pipes are made of plastic, eventually they will just get old and break.

Sudden Increase in Water Bill

You probably don’t enjoy opening your water bill. But if you peel open that envelope one day and discover a huge spike in your bill, it could be a sign of more than just increasing water prices—it might mean that you have a broken water line.

Soggy Spots

If you start to notice soggy spots in your yard, this could mean that the water line below is leaking. The water is saturating the dirt beneath your yard making it wet and soggy.

Strange Bumps

Depending upon the type of dirt that’s in your yard, the leaking water from your main might not make it soggy. It could actually push the ground upwards. If you start to notice any cracks in your home’s slab or strange bumps in your yard, you may want to call a professional plumber.

If you’ve started to notice any of these things at your home in Lacey, call the professional plumbers at Brooks Plumbing. We can get to your home quickly, diagnose the problem and then offer a reasonable solution.

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Why Choose a Storage Tank Water Heater?

Monday, November 5th, 2012

Some people don’t adjust well to change. Others simply like to stick with whatever has been working for them in the past. Whatever the reason, many people just don’t feel the need to embrace new technologies, at least not in all parts of their lives. While many people will sing the praises of tankless on-demand water heaters and attempt to call those sticking with the tank style models old fashioned, this is one of those cases where the oldie is, in fact, a goodie. At Brooks Plumbing we know that newer tankless water heaters are great devices, but we also understand that there are many valid reasons why you may want to stick with a storage tank model in your Olympia home.

Storage tank water heaters keep a constant reservoir of hot water at the ready. Many people will point to the fact that they must continually heat this reservoir when arguing for the superiority of tankless on demand water heaters. While older storage tank models certainly may lack the efficiency of a tankless model, though, the improved storage tanks of modern water heaters have better insulation, reducing the amount of energy that must be used to keep that reservoir warm. Plus, you are much less likely to run out of hot water with a storage tank model, whereas tankless on demand water heaters may have a hard time keeping up in homes with a high demand for hot water.

Storage tank hot water heaters also give you a great variety of fuels to choose from. There is always an ongoing debate about which fuel type is better, gas or electricity. Many argue that natural gas is the way to go, as it is produced domestically, burns pretty cleanly and is cheaper to purchase than electricity. However, you must also consider the efficiency of the particular water heater model in question. After all, if an electric water heater is much more efficient than a natural gas model then the electricity-fueled model may actually wind up saving you money over time in operational costs. Additionally, electricity is available pretty much anywhere, whereas some houses don’t have natural gas hookups or access to a gas line at all. In addition to natural gas and electricity tank water heaters also can be fueled by oil or propane, though these options are much less popular.

We hope that this information has convinced you not to rule out storage tank water heaters just yet. There is nothing wrong with tankless on-demand models, of course, but there is a reason that tank water heaters are so popular. In fact there are several. If you have any more questions about why you may want to choose a storage tank water heater in your Olympia home, call the experts at Brooks Plumbing today.

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