A Simple Step to Avoid a Plumbing Disaster

BERKELEY — One of the easiest ways to prevent a plumbing disaster is to replace your washing machine supply hoses on a regular basis. The supply lines on a washing machine operate at full pressure 24/7, which leaves them vulnerable to bursting—particularly if they’re made of rubber. When a washing machine supply hose bursts, the ensuing flooding event is usually very costly due to the consequent water damage. Consider the following tips to prevent this scenario:

1. Replace your washing machine hoses every other year.
2. Upgrade to braided steel supply hoses—they’re more durable and less likely to burst.
3. Invest in a system such as IntelliFlow®, which senses your washing machine’s current flow and immediately shuts off the water supply if an inlet hose bursts. Besides protecting your home from water damage, this may get you a discount on your homeowner’s insurance premiums.

Sewer Line Repair Alternatives

CONCORD — If you have damaged or broken sewer pipes underneath your home, you’ll be glad to know there are repair alternatives to jackhammering your foundation. Here are a couple of potential options:

• If your sewer pipe only has minor damage, a plumber can descale the line and apply an epoxy to create a smooth surface and seal any cracks. This will increase the line’s lifespan and defer the need for more intensive repairs or replacement.
• If your pipe is severely damaged, a plumber can insert a liner through the existing pipe using the trenchless line replacement method. This innovative method makes sewer line repair much easier than in times past, which saves home and business owners money and hassle. However, trenchless sewer replacement isn’t always a viable option, so you’ll need to have the issue diagnosed by a professional.

How to Maximize Your Water Heater’s Lifespan

LIVERMORE — The average lifespan of a conventional water heater is eight to 12 years. To maximize your water heater’s lifespan, take the following maintenance steps:

1. Flush the tank.
By removing sediment buildup on the bottom of the tank, this annual maintenance step helps sustain a water heater’s long-term functionality. All you need is a garden hose and a flathead screwdriver. Attach one end of the hose to the bib near the bottom of the tank and place the other end in a safe outdoor area. Use your screwdriver to open the hose bib and allow the water in the tank to drain out. After about five minutes (or when water stops coming out of the tank), close the bib and disconnect the hose.

2. Replace the anode rod.
All conventional water heaters contain a sacrificial anode rod, which attracts corrosive elements in order to spare the tank’s walls (hence the term “sacrificial”). However, when this rod disintegrates, it ceases to perform its function, and since this typically occurs by the five-year mark, you’ll need to replace it if you want your water heater to reach year 12. A handy homeowner can perform this task independently, but if you’re not comfortable doing DIY plumbing maintenance, call a plumber to handle it for you.

Testing for High Water Pressure

SAN FRANCISCO — Low water pressure is a common complaint among homeowners, but did you know high water pressure can be a problem as well? When the water pressure in a home is too high, it can cause your faucets, water heaters and other plumbing fixtures to develop leaks. In fact, modern fixtures and appliances are rated to a maximum of 80 pounds per square inch, but the water pressure in modern homes is often higher than that. 

If you’re concerned that the water pressure in your home is too high, have a plumber test it. If they find this is the case, they can install a pressure-regulating valve to get the pressure down to a safe level. Even if your home already has a water pressure regulator installed, keep in mind that they only last about 10 years before they need to be replaced.

Making Water Heater Maintenance Financially Viable

SAN JOSE — Regardless of what type of water heater you have, if you want it to achieve its full lifespan, you’ll need to maintain it consistently. A traditional water heater needs to be flushed annually to remove sediment buildup from its tank. At this time, the water heater’s anode rod (which helps minimize corrosion inside the tank) should also be inspected. Typically, an anode rod only lasts up to two years, at which point it needs to be replaced; flushing the tank each year helps maximize its lifespan.

While these measures are important for keeping your water heater performing optimally, there’s just one problem: paying for maintenance every year can be expensive. In fact, it may actually be cheaper to forgo maintenance altogether and just replace your water heater every five years. Of course, this isn’t ideal. After all, having to buy a new water heater so often isn’t very convenient, and it certainly isn’t a very Green option. So, what else can you do?

Fortunately, there is a way to make water heater maintenance more financially viable. When buying a water heater, you typically have three options: a six-year warranty model, a nine-year model or a 12-year model. What most consumers don’t know is that a 12-year water heater comes with two anode rods. Together, those anode rods will last twice as long as one rod would. Because of this, you can get away with maintaining your water heater half as often—every two years instead of annually. This will allow you to get a full lifespan out of your water heater for half the maintenance cost, so it’s really a win-win.

Sewer Lateral Compliance: The Basics

BERKELEY — If you’re planning to sell or remodel your home, one thing you’ll need to consider is sewer lateral compliance. According to requirements enforced by the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD), a sewer lateral must be inspected and tested for compliance when certain circumstances take place. These include when a property is sold or otherwise undergoes a change of ownership, when a permit is pulled for a major remodel and when a new water meter is installed.

These requirements apply to all property owners, including residential, commercial, industrial and shared ownerships such as HOAs.

Verifying sewer lateral compliance consists of two steps: inspection and testing.

Inspection

Plumbing contractors use a special in-line camera to perform sewer lateral inspections. The camera is inserted into the pipeline (usually from a clean-out near the home) and gives the plumbing contractor a firsthand glimpse at the condition of the pipe. It also allows them to locate the branch connections that need to be capped for testing, as well as the pipelines to determine access for setting test equipment. Keep in mind that if the pipe isn’t clean (i.e. there are root intrusions, fractures and/or standing water), it may require service before the inspection can be completed.

When the inspection is over, you should receive a written report that states where your sewer line is located, where it connects to the city main, what condition it’s in and whether it meets EBMUD’s sewer compliance requirements. You should also get a copy of the camera video, which you can show to other building owners/HOA members and plumbing contractors for estimating purposes.

Testing

To test the sewer lateral for compliance, a plumbing contractor will plug up the lines and pressurize the pipes. Next, an inspector from the EBMUD must come out and certify that all the pipes are watertight.

If the sewer lateral is in poor condition or doesn’t pass testing, it’ll need to be repaired or replaced to achieve compliance. To learn more about sewer lateral inspection, testing and compliance, visit ebmud.com.

How to Troubleshoot Your Thermostat

SAUSALITO — If your thermostat stops working, there are a couple of things you should check before calling a professional. The first is simple: make sure it has batteries. Locate the battery compartment either by taking the thermostat off the wall or removing its face or cover. While you’re checking for batteries, you should also check to see if there’s any corrosion on the battery contacts. If there is, clean it off using a cotton swab and white vinegar.

If the batteries are in place, you’ll need to take another step to diagnose the situation. After removing the thermostat from the wall, take a gator clip or piece of insulated wire and insert the ends into the R and W terminals on the wall-mounted wiring panel. This is a technique used by HVAC technicians to “jumpstart” a furnace when the thermostat is malfunctioning. If you’re able to turn on the heat this way, you know your problem is either a malfunctioning thermostat or just dead batteries. If you don’t get a response, the problem may be with the internal components of the furnace.

If the problem appears to be internal, you should call an HVAC technician to look into it. However, if all you needed was to replace the thermostat’s batteries, you just saved yourself the cost of a service call.

Fixing Low Water Pressure in Your Faucets

AMERICAN CANYON — If you’re getting unusually low water pressure from a faucet in your home, it’s likely due to a simple cause. Faucets have aerators, which act as filters that reduce water flow while maintaining a reasonable amount of pressure. Over time, aerators can collect tiny bits of sediment that come out of the water pipe. Eventually, this accumulated sediment can clog an aerator and cause a reduction in water pressure.

Fortunately, the solution for this issue is as simple as the cause. All you need to do is unscrew the aerator from the faucet, clean out any sediment inside and tighten it back into place. Once the aerator is clear of sediment, you should notice an improvement in water pressure.

Keep in mind that if the aerator is tightly fastened onto the faucet, you may need to use a wrench to remove it. However, you shouldn’t need a wrench to screw it back into place—hand-tightness should be adequate. If you think your aerator is defective, you can purchase a new one at your local hardware store. Aerators are very inexpensive, so don’t hesitate to replace them if necessary.

Thinking Proactively About Your Plumbing System

BENICIA — When it comes to maintaining your home, one of the best things you can do is think proactively. The health of your home is just like the health of your body. Most of us tend to think proactively about our health: We go to the doctor for annual check-ups, as well as when we think there may be something wrong. Doing so gives us peace of mind because we know the state of our health and what needs to be done if we have any ailments.

Unfortunately, few people think proactively about their homes, which includes their plumbing systems. The average homeowner doesn’t have a plumber regularly inspect their plumbing system, which means several years can go by before the system is seen by a professional. During this time, small problems can develop with plumbing connections and fixtures, but without regular inspections, they often go unnoticed. When the homeowner finally discovers a problem, it’s usually after significant damage has already occurred—for example, after their crawl space is filled with water. At this point, it’s extremely expensive to fix the problem because the damage has already been done.

In contrast, when you have your plumbing system inspected on an ongoing basis, such problems can be caught early, before they result in major damage. In this case, the repairs will be far less expensive and you can rest assured that your system is in good shape going forward.

To ensure your system is seen regularly by a professional, consider enrolling in a service agreement with a trusted plumbing company. For an annual fee, you’ll receive regular inspections and services, along with other customer perks. It’s a small price to pay for peace of mind—not to mention a healthy plumbing system.

How to Prevent Toilet Problems

SAN JOSE — Even if your toilets work fine 95 percent of the time, problems are bound to arise once in a while. Whether your toilet is running non-stop or clogged and about to overflow, knowing what to do can help you avoid major consequences.

How to stop a running toilet

If your toilet won’t stop running, this typically means the rubber flapper in the tank isn’t forming a proper seal to stop water from exiting. Fortunately, this is easy to address. Remove the lid from the top of the tank and look inside. If the flapper isn’t closed, you can close it manually by pushing it down with your hand. Once it’s closed, you should see the tank begin to fill with water.

In some cases, your toilet may continue to run even after the flapper is fully closed. This usually means the flapper is old and deteriorated, and thus unable to form a proper seal. In this case, you’ll need to replace your flapper with a new one, which can be purchased at your local hardware store. If your toilet continues to run, call a plumber to get a permanent solution.

How to stop an overflowing toilet

If your toilet is clogged and looks like it’s about to overflow, relax—there’s an easy way to avoid this. Reach down to the left side of the toilet and turn off the wall valve by rotating it clockwise until it stops. By shutting off water to your toilet, this will prevent the bowl from overflowing and give you a chance to remove the clog with a plunger or auger. Once the water goes down, turn the valve back on. If you can’t remove the clog or have recurrent issues with clogs, call a plumber to take care of the problem for you.

Often-Overlooked Aspects of a Concrete Project

ANTIOCH — If you’re planning a concrete project, be sure to consider the following aspects:

Minimum cost

Most concrete contractors have a minimum charge for concrete work. If you only have one small project in mind, it might not meet that minimum charge, in which case you may end up overpaying to have it done. For this reason, it’s good to look around and see if there are any other small projects you can incorporate into the job. This will help you get more value for your money.

Drainage

This is a critical aspect of any concrete project. When water isn’t able to properly drain from the area beneath and around the installation, it often leads to cosmetic problems and even premature failure. Prior to the job, your concrete contractor should make sure there’s adequate drainage for the installation area. If there isn’t, the issue will need to be addressed before moving forward.

Post-installation maintenance

After your concrete installation is in place, you may feel inclined to hose it down to prevent cracking. However, if you do so, make sure you do it at night and never during the daylight hours. If you hose off your concrete during the day, the water will dry up on the concrete and cause a blotchiness or efflorescence. While this can often be cleaned off with a vinegar/water solution, it’s best to avoid it in the first place.

Mitigating Groundwater Issues

OAKLAND — Do you have groundwater issues on your property? Not everyone understands the impact that groundwater can have on a home. For example, water that collects around and/or beneath the home can cause the foundation to settle unevenly and even rotate outward, resulting in problems for both the foundation and the home above. Likewise, groundwater that gets into the crawl space can lead to increased humidity and mold issues within the home.

To prevent these problems, you’ll need to take steps to mitigate groundwater issues. One common solution is to install a French drain, which consists of a perforated pipe that’s installed a foot or more below the affected area. By collecting water and transporting it elsewhere, a French drain can protect your home and its foundation from the effects of groundwater.

Understanding Two-Pipe Drainage Systems

LAFAYETTE — While often overlooked, drainage is nonetheless a vital functional aspect of any home. There are a few different ways to go about achieving proper drainage, but the most common method is installing a “two-pipe system.”

A two-pipe drainage system is designed to pick up water at two levels: above and below the ground. The upper pipe picks up surface water from drain inlets, as well as water washed down from the roof, while the lower pipe is designated for collecting subterranean water. During installation, the lower pipe is wrapped in filter fabric to prevent silt intrusion and then filled around by rock to maximize drainage. Altogether, a two-pipe system ensures water is collected at multiple levels and transported away from the home to the proper outlets.

Winter Drainage Tips

WALNUT CREEK — Due to the rainy weather, one of the biggest concerns during the winter is proper drainage. To prevent water and/or structural damage to your home, you should inspect two key areas before the season begins:

Gutters
The single most important measure you can take before winter is to make sure your gutters and downspouts are clean and functional. You should also check the drainage basins around your property (if there are any). A good way to test your downspouts and other drainage components is to insert a garden hose and make sure the water flows out as it should; if it doesn’t, there’s a clog somewhere.

Crawl space
Drainage is critical in the crawl space beneath your home, so you should check it periodically throughout the winter. In most houses, the crawl space can be accessed through an entrance located in a bedroom closet. Don’t worry, you don’t actually have to crawl underneath your house—simply take a flashlight and look around. If you see any standing water or smell a damp odor, consider it a red flag. Standing water beneath or around your house is not only bad for its structure; it can impact your personal health as well.

If you discover moisture in your crawl space during the winter, there isn’t a lot you can do because of the wet conditions. Once spring arrives, have a professional come out and address the problem so you’ll be well-prepared for the following winter.