Plumbing emergencies are unfortunate and often costly incidents that, largely, cannot be prevented. They can, however, be planned for in advance, and, if you prepare your home or place or business for the inevitable beforehand, you can get through them much easier when the unexpected happens.

Major Types Of Plumbing Emergencies

Being prepared for problems with your plumbing involves looking ahead with a little bit of foresight as to what could go wrong in your particular building and how you would respond. There are a few major types of plumbing issues that tend to pop up relatively frequently, and always when you least expect them:

1. Overflowing Toilets. Due to blockage or mismatch of pressure in your waste pipes or septic tank, every once in a while, you may find your toilet working backwards. This can be devastating if not immediately addressed – especially if the water that is flooding outwards is not clean water.
2. Leaking Pipes. Depending on the location of the leak, this can be a minor nuisance or a major problem. Water that is leaking through the infrastructure of your building can cause extraordinary amounts of damage in a short time.
3. Contaminated Water. This is more of a risk for commercial and industrial locations that may suffer from vicinity to chemical plants in the area. The biggest problem here is that your water can get contaminated without you knowing about it right away.

The First Thing To Do: Stop The Flow

Every building has a main shutoff valve that you need to identify and have easy, quick access to. It can also help to have the location of this valve easily recognizable from within the home or place of business, so that other employees or family members can respond quickly to problems even if you are not present.

Whenever a plumbing issue that could cause damage to the infrastructure of your home or business develops, the very first thing you need to do is to shut off the flow of water. In most cases, this will stop the immediate problem and allow you the time to get a 24-hour emergency plumbing service at your location.

Plumbing problems do not always happen at the most convenient times, and are known to strike in the middle of the night. When this happens, you need to be able to quickly reach the main shutoff valve and have a local emergency plumber available by phone.

If you can shut off the flow and get a plumber to your location within an hour, you can save thousands of dollars in damages – all it takes is a quick response to your emergency plumbing needs.

Cutting Edge Plumbing Products That Can Make Your Life Easier And Your Business More Profitable

One of the newest and most interesting developments in home and living technologies is the rapidly growing market for “Smart Home” products. Just like smart phones have created a market for all-in-one digital solutions for common problems in a single device, there are numerous products on the market that can save you time and money by automating various parts of your plumbing at home.

On Demand Water Heaters

One of the simplest and most efficient ways to save money is to avoid heating more water than you need or keeping it hot when you do not need it. In homes and businesses that use hot water only occasionally and not always at the same hours or flow rates, such a heater is a great asset.

Unlike traditional heaters storing water into a tank and keeping it hot all the time or as long as they are plugged in or turned on, on demand devices only heat the water the moment you turn the faucet on.

Although their flow rate may be limited, you do not risk running out of hot water, because there is no tank limit to worry about – as long as the device is on and the water is flowing, it will heat it up.

Electricity is only consumed for as long as you are using the hot water, and the latest models are really efficient, so they will bring significant savings. You also need very little space for an instant or on demand water heater, since there is no huge tank to worry about.

Just make sure you discuss your options with your plumber and you choose a device with a sufficient water flow rate to meet your needs.

Timed Faucets

Anyone who has accidentally left a faucet running knows that it can be an expensive mistake to make – this is especially true in the case of hot water, since you also run the heating bill at the a same time. Timed faucets come in a variety of forms, including digital and mechanical options that will shut off running water from individual appliances after use.

These devices can be timed according to your preferences – for instance, a bathroom faucet rarely needs to run for more than a minute, while a shower or washing machine should be left to run for at least thirty. Smart devices can detect the difference and leave the shower running while turning off the faucet when it is not in use.

Auto-Flush Toilets

These handy devices are widely visible in many public restrooms in malls and restaurants because they help ensure a hygienic environment. Auto-flushing toilets carry the following benefits:

• Hands-Free Use
• Increased Cleanliness In The Restroom
• Lower Risk Of Blockage/Clogging
• No Unpleasant Cleanup Duties
• Increased Water Efficiency

These are just a few of the most common and valuable automatic plumbing systems that home and business owners can enjoy today. A huge number of new products designed to make your life easier are being released every year. Ask your plumber about cutting edge plumbing products that can help you maximize your water use efficiency and start saving today!

Sudden plumbing problems are the last thing anyone wants to deal with in their home or place of business. Often, these problems come at once, without warning, requiring you to bring productivity to a halt as water begins to overflow from your appliances or other problems develop. Other times, the effect is gradual, as an important piece of plumbing equipment slowly degrades until it is no longer functioning.

Most Common Repairs Worth Making

There are several small repairs and checks that can save you a great deal of time and money, if taken care of before anything goes wrong. Following is a list of some of the most common ones:

• Drain Cleaning. One of the most common problems that home and business owners have to deal with are tough, insistent clogs that get deep into the pipe system of the building and require lots of work to get out. If you can catch and resolve a clogged drain before it gets flushed deeper into the system, you can save time and money through the simple procedure.
• Aerator Cleaning. The aerator is the small device at the very tip of your faucets and showerheads that filters out the last bits of sediment from your water before you use it. Often, this becomes clogged with mineral deposits that can affect both your water pressure and quality. Regular cleaning can help ensure that you have clean running water all the time.
• Water Heater Repair/Replacement. Water heaters can last for decades, but often, the buildup of sediment within the hoses and pipes cause blockage that you may not notice. This blockage, however, can raise your heating bill, as more energy is required to heat the same amount of water over time. Regular cleaning can alleviate this problem and pay for itself with the renewed efficiency you will enjoy afterwards.
• Washing Machine Hose Replacement. A loose hose or valve in your washing machine may go unnoticed until the leak finally bursts free and causes a flood. Cleaning or replacing this part of your washer regularly will help prevent this unfortunate occurrence from ever happening.

Naturally, this is only a partial list, as just about any part of a plumbing appliance can quit on you when you least expect it. Having regular checkups performed by a professional plumber is the best way to make sure that you never have to deal with any unwelcome surprises.