Brooks Plumbing Co. Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Plumbing Repair’

It’s pretty hard to do anything in your kitchen without a properly-working kitchen sink, which is one of the reasons why problems with your kitchen can be such a nuisance. Unfortunately, problems don’t resolve themselves, so if you experience any of the following kitchen plumbing issues, call a Brooks Plumbing expert for help:

Leaky Faucets

Leaky faucets can waste a great deal of water and if left to drip for a long period of time, can erode and/or rust the area on which it is dripping. You can check the faucet aerator yourself by unscrewing it; if there is debris in the aerator, wash it out and screw the aerator back on. If your faucet continues leaking, call for an expert.

Clogged Drain

It isn’t unusual for food to lodge in your kitchen sink, or for grease to build-up inside the piping. These things and other issues can cause your kitchen sink to clog. You can try to plunge your sink, but if that doesn’t resolve the problem, call for help. Note: do NOT use chemical drain cleaners. These products have very harsh chemical that can damage your plumbing and many times do not resolve the issue.

Issues with Garbage Disposal

Garbage disposal can be misused, with items like plastic and glass being flushed down the sink. Garbage disposals are not for garbage; they are made to reduce food waste only, so only food should be washed into them. Most garbage disposals have a reset button on the motor, so if your disposal isn’t working, you try that first. If your disposal still doesn’t work after pressing the reset button, it’s best to call for assistance.

Trained and experienced plumbers have the right tools, knowledge and expertise to fix your plumbing problems quickly, correctly and efficiently. If you are experiencing problems with your kitchen sink, or have any other kind of plumbing problem, call Brooks Plumbing today and schedule plumbing repair in Olympia with one of our expert plumbers.

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The name “water hammer” sounds vaguely threatening, perhaps even intimidating. It refers to a phenomenon that can occur in your plumbing that creates a distinct sound—it doesn’t refer to any knocking sound that your plumbing might make, contrary to popular belief.

Although water hammer is a surprising noise to hear, is it a reason for you to be concerned? Should you call for repairs on your pipes when it happens? We’ll take a look at these questions more closely in this post.

Whatever is causing water hammer in your pipes, you can find reliable plumbing repair in Olympia, WA from the experts at Brooks Plumbing. We’ve served the Olympia area since 1994, and we stand by our motto: “Quality in Everything We Do.”

Water Hammer: What It Is, What It May Mean

Water hammer occurs when an open tap abruptly shuts and the rapidly-moving water comes to a sudden halt inside the pipes. The water creates a shockwave that produces a noticeable sound like someone hitting the inside of the pipes with a hammer.

But this doesn’t happen every time you suddenly shut off a tap; there is a specific reason that water hammer is unusual. Plumbing contains air chambers inside it, and this cushion of air softens the impact of the movement of water so that hammering doesn’t occur. If water hammer suddenly starts to sound in your pipes, then something might have gone wrong to eliminate the air chambers. To prevent water hammer, these water-logged air chambers will need to be drained, after which they will re-fill with water.

One of the reasons that air chambers become clogged is that build-up of limescale or chemicals inside them will prevent the chambers from properly draining. In situations like this, you need to call for plumbers. Professionals can clean out the chambers and find the source of the limescale and chemicals.

You cannot allow water hammer to continue, thinking of it only as a mild inconvenience. These shockwaves are damaging to plumbing, causing the failure of fittings or creating burst pipes. Keep in mind that without the air chambers, the water pressure inside the pipes will be too high, and this will lead to numerous problems inside the plumbing.

Professional plumbers will find ways to reduce the pressure inside the pipe of your home; sometimes this involves installing air chambers or globe valves. Plumbers are accustomed to these repairs, so they will find the source of the issue quickly and have it taken care of.

Brooks Plumbing can remove your troubles with water hammer. For plumbing repair service in Olympia, WA, trust to our skilled staff of plumbers to handle it.

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The kitchen is one of the most important rooms in a home, and keeping all the appliances in it working in top condition is important for enjoyable daily living. The most crucial component of all in a kitchen is its plumbing: without running water, it’s impossible to cook, clean, run the dishwasher, or even get ice from a refrigerator’s ice-maker.

Here is a list of the more common kitchen repairs that plumbers need to perform. This will help you know where to look for problems in the future, as well as how to avoid them. For your plumbing repair in Olympia, WA, turn to a company that has served the city with quality work since 1994: Brooks Plumbing.

Frequent kitchen repairs

• Garbage disposal fixes: The garbage disposal in a kitchen does a tremendous amount of work daily. Considering how much food product goes down into a garbage disposal, it’s surprising that they don’t break down more often. When disposals do break, it usually because of jamming of the flywheel or clogging from items that shouldn’t have gone down into it. (Important tip: if you can’t chew it, your garbage disposal can’t dispose of it—so put whatever it is in the garbage instead.) Don’t risk sticking your hand down the disposal: call in a plumber to take care of the problem. Sometimes the whole disposal unit might need replacement.
• Unclogging drains: Drain clogs, along with pipe leaks, are the most common troubles that can affect the plumbing in a home. Drain clogs are especially common in the kitchen because of all the organic material that does down them. Drainpipes will begin to develop a lining of build-up that can lead to clogging—especially if liquid grease, fat, and oil have been poured down the drain. (These liquids should be disposed of separately.) Plumbers can clear thick clogs as well as do thorough drain cleaning to eliminate organic build-up.
• Replacing leaking drain baskets: Some drain baskets are made of poor quality material, and they will soon develop leaks. In most cases, it is easiest for the plumber to replace the basket with one made of better material. A professional plumber will identify the perfect replacement part to ensure that you won’t need a replacement any time in the near future.

Take good care of your plumbing

As you can tell from reading above, you can help your kitchen plumbing stay healthy by keeping certain items out of the drains. Another way to keep it healthy is with regular maintenance from plumbing professionals to catch potential leaks, loose connections, and organic build-up. Call Brooks Plumbing today for maintenance or plumbing repair in Olympia, WA.

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There is no such thing as a “minor leak” in your home’s plumbing. There are small leaks, some so small they are referred to as “pinhole leaks”—but none of these are minor issues you can ignore or try to solve with a bucket and some duct tape. Have a plumber with experience and the best tools fix leaks before the winter arrives, bringing with it the danger of frozen pipes and the worry of losing your water supply when you need it the most.

For help getting those leaks repaired, look to the Olympia, WA plumbing repair experts at Brooks Plumbing.

One reason you need to get leaks repaired is that they tend to worsen over time if left alone. A small leak can easily grow into a large one without necessary repairs. Leaks might also indicate a problem worse than a local pipe break or patch of corrosion: there could be breaks in other spots or an increase in pressure.

Leaks, no matter their size, are a threat to the drywall, insulation, and wood in your house. Exposure to a small but steady drip of water will create rot in wood and ruin drywall and insulation. The damage water does to drywall is particularly quick. You could experience pieces of your ceiling crumbling off, or major structural damage that requires extensive repairs. That “minor” leak could end up a major expense.

Water build-up also encourages mold and mildew growth, especially in drywall. Bacterial growth provides additional damage to building material, such as warping wood. Mold and mildew can also attract rodents, termites, and other pests. Do everything you can to avoid unwanted bacterial growth, starting with fixing plumbing leaks.

Worse than any leaks you’ve detected are the leaks you haven’t detected… much of the plumbing in your home remains out of sight, and a small leak in one of these spots won’t be easily noticeable until it causes one of the problems listed above. When you bring in a professional to repair leaks you’ve discovered, the plumber will also look for other leaks that might have escaped your notice.

Winter can be a miserable time if your house has excess moisture seeping into it. Don’t let a small leak keep dripping away—you’ll risk enormous damage to your house and pipes. Call up Brooks Plumbing right away for Olympia, WA plumbing repair that will give you peace of mind this winter.

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