Water Leak FAQ’s
1. What should I do if I have a major leak in my home?
If the water leak is inside your home or you have a burst pipe you should first turn off your water supply at your main shutoff valve.
If you do not have a main shutoff valve, or don’t know where it is located, you may turn off your water at your meter in an emergency situation. It is advisable to call us at 972-313-4659 during such emergencies.
If any damage has occurred it is also advisable to contact your insurance company. Do not touch any wet electrical fittings – call in an electrician.
2. What would cause for water to leak from the vent in the plumbing system?
Water should not be leaking from your vent system. The only water that should be in your vent system should be the occasional stormwater after a big storm.
There should be no way for sewage or sewage water to get into your vents or system. If you have a backup you would know from water coming up from the lower floors that you have a leak.
Replacing the vent should usually fix the problem if it doesn’t correct the problem.
3. I can hear water running inside my walls, what does that mean?
If you can hear water running inside your walls and there are no water sources turned on then you may have a leak from one of the water pipes.
4. We used to have great water pressure in the master bath shower but it seems to be very low now?
If you are experiencing low water pressure where you once had good water pressure there could be several possibilities. The first thing you should check is the supply line, make sure it is turned all the way on.
Another common reason is the aerators are clogged, simply unscrew the aerator from the faucet head and clean out the sediment that may have collected by soaking it in vinegar overnight then using an old toothbrush just bush out the buildup.
If you are still experiencing low water pressure you should call your plumber for further advise.
5. We used the faucet yesterday but when we turned it on this morning no water came out?
If you are experiencing loss of water throughout your home the first thing you should check is the main water shut off valve and make sure it is fully in the on position, the shut off is typically located in your garage, but can be different depending on where you live.
If the main shut off valve is completely turn on but you still don’t have water then check to make sure there is no breaks in your main water line, if there is please call your plumber for further assistance.
If you are experiencing no water flow at only one faucet then first check to make sure the supply line is turned on, more than likely you have one of 2 types of shut off valves: a “twist turn” to open and close the valve or a “push-pull”.
If your supply lines are in the “on” position and you still don’t have any water flow then check to make sure there is no sediment build up in the aerator, if there is then removing the sediment should restore water flow. If you still do not have water flow then you should call your plumber for further advise.
If you suspect a water leak, please call us at 972-313-4659.
Water Heater FAQs
1. Why does my water heater not work as well as it used to?
This is usually due to a sediment buildup in your tank. As water heaters grow older, they accumulate sediment and lime deposits.
If these deposits are not removed periodically, the sediment will create a barrier between the burner and the water, greatly reducing the water heater’s performance level.
The result is an increase in the amount of fuel required to deliver hot water.
2. The water does not stay hot for as long as it used to, do I need to replace my water heater?
There are two main causes for the lack on hot water, both of which would not require replacement of the whole water heater unit.
The first would be if you have an electric water heater one of the heating elements may not be operating properly or the thermostat has malfunctioned and would need to be replaced.
The other main reason would be that the dip tube has broken off inside the tank and is now allowing the incoming cold water to mix with the hot water instead of being forced to the bottom, this is true for both gas and electric water heaters.
3. What causes hot water to be rusty and brown?
First, chemicals can cause rust in the water lines and a change in the water pressure will cause the rust to loosen up and come through the water lines and into the shower, bathtub, or other appliances.
Another cause could be a break in the pipe. What you may be seeing is dirt. What happens is when water is flowing and on, and then you suddenly turn it off, it creates a slight low pressure in the line which pulls in dirt around the pipe.
When you turn on the flow, that dirt is pushed along until it comes out of the tap or shower-head. After several cycles, you can have a bunch of dirt in the lines, which dissolves and makes the water look brown or rusty.
Two other possibilities could be that the glass lining in the water heater may be compromised, allowing the metal jacket to rust. If this is the case, you don’t have long until it starts to leak and will need to be replaced.
Secondly, if you are on a well, iron bacteria may be growing, and may not be showing up in the cold water because it remains invisible in solution until it is heated, or has more time to react with oxygen in the water heater.
In this case, shock chlorination of the well may be in order. A simple test by a water treatment company will tell this, and in many areas, it is free.
4. What is the best temperature to set my water heater at?
There are a several different temperatures you can set your water heater to so you can set it to what ever you and your family are comfortable with.
Most people are comfortable with their water heaters set to 120⁰F which is the new standard manufacturers pre-setting.
If you have an older model than more than likely yours is at the medium setting. On electric models you have to adjust the thermostats (there may be two) which are located behind two panels on the side of the tank
NOTE: Be sure to turn off all electricity to the water heater before removing these panels and you can adjust the setting to the desired temperature.
If you have a gas water heater there is a dial on the front of the gas valve which allows you to adjust it to the desired temperature.
5. When I fill a container with hot water it is milky, but after a few minutes the water in the container clears up. What causes this?
Complaints of discolored water are commonly blamed on water heaters and storage tanks, but in fact, it is a rare occurrence for today’s high quality glass lined tanks to have a lining failure significant enough to allow water to contact enough bare metal to discolor the contents of even a small tank.
The most common cause of “rusty” water is a non-toxic iron reducing bacteria, scientifically termed Crenothrix, Leptothrix, and Gallionella.
Water heaters and storage tanks usually require new anode rods as presence of iron bacteria contributes to premature anode failure.
The simplest treatment available is shock-chlorination of the system. This is a surface treatment, and often requires repeated trials in heavily infected systems.
The chlorination of a system requires that you follow each step explicitly to avoid an un-treated portion of the piping system from reinfecting another part.
Gas Leak FAQ’s
- I Smell Gas. What Should I Do?
Natural gas smells are like rotten eggs. If you smell natural gas in your home, here’s what you need to do:
If You Smell A Faint Natural Gas Odor:
- First make sure all gas appliances and the burners on your stove are completely turned off.
- Open your windows; and wait a few minutes to let gas escape.
- Then check the pilot lights of your gas appliances
A. Furnace
B. Range
C. Water Heater
If you can’t find the source of the gas leak, call your local gas utility to report the gas odor, or call us now at 972-313-4659.
If You Smell A Strong Gas Odor:
- Do not use any devices that might create a spark. The spark could ignite the gas
- Quickly extinguish all embers and flames including:
A. Cigarettes
B. Candles
C. Fireplaces and more. - Leave your home immediately and take others with you.
- If you smell a strong odor of natural gas, leave and call your gas utility to report the odor.
- Never try to locate a gas leak yourself
General Plumbing FAQ’s
1. What Can Contribute To A High Water Bill Besides Faucet or Pipe Leaks?
Most leaks in residential plumbing systems are found in the toilet tank. These leaks typically result from worn parts or improper alignment of some part of the flushing mechanism.
It is important to stop these leaks because they will cause an increase in your monthly water bill.
2. How do I know if my toilet leaks? What should I do?
Toilet leaks occur in two ways and are often very difficult to detect.
The Most Common Type of Leak – Often hardest to detect is caused by a deteriorated or defected flush valve (flapper) or “tank” ball at the bottom of the toilet tank.
If the flapper or ball valve does not seat properly and form a water-tight seal, water will leak around it into the toilet bowl.
Often, this leak will occur without being heard. Here is an easy way to check for flush valve leaks and in just minutes, you can find out if a toilet is wasting thousands of gallons due to an undiscovered water leak.
Remove the tank lid, then flush. After the flapper/tank ball drops and the tank refills, add several drops of dark food coloring or a Fluid master leak detector tablet.
Wait at least 20 minutes. If any trace of color appears in the toilet bowl, there is a leak.
Second Most Common Type of Leak – Caused by improperly adjusted or broken fill valve. If the float is set too high or the shut-off valve fails to close completely, water will continue to enter the tank and flow into the overflow tube.
This type of leak can be seen simply by taking the tank top off and observing if water is flowing into the overflow tube once the tank is full.
Excess water pressure can also have a negative effect on the operating system in your toilet.
3. What Makes Plumbing and Drainpipes Rattle All The Time?
This is usually caused by the water lines not being properly secured. This can be fixed easily but only if your water lines are easily accessible.
It means that there are one or more places your water lines come in contact with the wood of your floor joists.
You will need to get plastic pipe hangers that go between your water lines and your joists. A defective pressure reducing valve can also cause some very strange noises.
4. How Do I Get My Toilet Tank To Stop Over Flowing?
Probably the fill valve in the tank has a leak in it. If the fill valve is old, you should replace it. Sometimes the shaft or wire that is used to set the level corrodes off.
If the shaft or wire seems to be your problem then by replacing this you should fix your problem. Another possibility, if the fill valve has been replaced recently, is that it could be set too high.
5. My Faucets Only Drip A Little Bit Every Now & Then, Should I Replace Them?
More than likely you will not need to replace the faucet.
If it is dripping from the spout than replacing the seats and springs or the ball valve could be all you need to do.
If it is dripping from the supply lines underneath a simple tightening of the fittings might solve the problem.
However, if it is dripping from underneath the faucet itself you may have to replace it and this can be discussed with your plumber.
6. I Have Checked All My Faucets, Toilets, and Outside Hose Bib None Are Running or Appear To Be Leaking But My Meter Is Still Spinning, What’s Is Happening?
If you have checked all your water sources the next step would be to check your meter box and make sure there is no water leaking there.
After that you can check you water heater to make sure the overflow pan is not holding water.
Then either your tank or your relief valve is leaking and needs to be replaced.
Then look over your yard and see if there are any dark green spots where the grass is richer and more moist, if you find a spot like that you may have a leak on your main water line that would need to be repaired.
