While access to clean water supplies is necessary for the continued vitality of communities, problems surface if there are no existing systems to handle its distribution to households. While the invention of pipes and centralized water distribution systems has brought progress to different communities, Austin plumbing companies, like Pure Plumbing Service, should be called on to deal with more complex plumbing issues in residences.
According to an article written by Roy Berendsohn, which appeared on Popular Mechanics, homeowners who try to perform DIY plumbing work without observing certain precautions are courting disaster. “When homeowners hoist a wrench to install or repair sinks, tubs and toilets, they risk more than leaks. They risk their sanity, finances and general mechanical disaster,” says Berendsohn. He went on to give homeowners some tips that will help them avoid plumbing disasters.
Berendsohn stated that in many residences, copper and galvanized steel plumbing are often utilized in water systems, with nothing separating the two aside from thread sealant or Teflon plumbing tape. However, problems ensue when the steel plumbing begins to corrode. To counter this, Berendsohn says: “Use a plumbing fitting called a dielectric union to connect [the] copper pipe to galvanized steel. The fitting uses a steel collar on the steel side and a copper collar on the copper side and isolation bushings to keep the parts separate.”
Homeowners performing DIY work may perform repairs and installations that require pounding nails and driving screws into components. However, pounding nails and driving screws could puncture copper or plastic supplies and drains, which can lead to leaks and other malfunctions. To counter this, Berendsohn offers the following recommendation:
“Buy a stud sensor that also detects pipes and wirings. You can also look around in the attic or the basement (if it’s unfinished) to get a sense of where pipes are hiding. Finally, if the wall will be covered by whatever you’re building or installing, you can always carefully cut a test hatch to find plumbing lurking in the walls.”
While homeowners can perform many DIY plumbing repair jobs with success (as long as they follow established safety measures) plumbers that perform plumbing in Austin residences should be call on to handle more complex tasks. Aside from plumbing fixtures, Pure Plumbing Service can also perform repairs or replacements on water heaters, gas lines, and drainage systems.
(Info from 10 Ways to Prevent a Home-Plumbing Nightmare; Popular Mechanics)
