The Importance of Fully Functional Piping for Houston Steel
The plumbing system is one of the most important parts of a house or building. As valuable real estate assets, the home or a commercial building can also turn into a nightmare of a money pit. Plumbing issues, when left unattended to, can create major structural damages. Taking the time to make a check list of potential plumbing problems and correcting them as soon as possible, can off-set expensive remolding and repair costs down the line for your Houston Steel piping.
Leaking Pipes and Black Mold
Common plumbing issues in homes and buildings start with leaking pipes or old Houston Steel. Unattended pipe leaks will infiltrate walls and floors, creating costly repairs. Pipe leaks can also create a breeding ground for black mold. Weakened pipe joints under a house or in a building should be replaced as soon as possible.
Clog and Trees
Clogs can be an early warning signal that somewhere there is a potential problem with a plumbing system. Clogs can be cause by outside environmental factors such as, tree roots which bore into underground pipes. Tree roots thrive on the continual moister supply a slow leaking pipe offers. A quick assessment by a plumber of trees nearby can determine if the tree roots have penetrate the underground plumbing. The trees may have to be relocated.
Older Homes and Buildings with Old Plumbing
Older homes and buildings typically have odd pipe sizes, sharp angles in pipes, and weakened pipes due to what is known as “air hammering”. Trapped air rises above the water in the pipes and can form air pockets. Most plumbing consisted of installing air compression plumbing pipe gaskets in older buildings and homes, which were design to take care of this problem.
Gaskets deteriorate overtime and the pressure reduction valve installed, which helps to regulate the air inside the pipes, closes at speeds that make the water thump against the pipes. This is the sound heard in the pipes in older homes and buildings. It is important to have this problem fixed because over time this abrupt thumping can damage pipe joints and weaken them to the point they will start to leak.
Ask a plumber to check the gate valves, most commonly found in older homes and buildings. Designed to operate on a “fully open or fully closed” system, the gate valve can crack and will need to be replaced. Inquire about installing a compression tee outlet, which is usually the best way to take care of air trapped inside old plumbing.
Incompatible Sprinkler Systems
Sprinkler systems can also become a problem, especially when they are not compatible with the existing plumbing pipes in a home or building. Automated water sprinkler systems are known to have problems with air due to the closing of the irrigation valves. Changing out an older sprinkler system for a newer “low-flow” sprinkler system will eliminate backflows from chemicals washing off lawns, and filtering into the water supply.
Pipe Compositions and Minerals
Regardless if pipes are lead, galvanized steel, copper, polyethylene or PVC, the mineral combination of soil in the ground can affect pipes and plumbing overtime. Lead, rust, calcium and lime deposits build up in pipes, narrowing their inside diameters creating clogs and water pressure problems. Drain chemicals can take care of these buildup problems, yet can become a problem themselves. Harsh chemicals can eventually erode pipes. There are numerous “green products” on the market which are safer environmental alternatives. Hard water softeners can also help break mineral deposit buildups in pipes.