Posts Tagged ‘Monrovia’

Problems Roots Can Cause Your Monrovia Sewer Lines

Monday, April 23rd, 2012

Sewer lines in Monrovia are a significant aspect of each household’s plumbing, unfortunately because it is below ground, maintenance is uncommon and typically works perfectly fine, the majority of homeowners never think about it. In order to keep sewer lines worry free homeowners should keep an eye on large trees in the vicinity of their underground plumbing because if any roots impede a sewer line’s water flow, major drain and sewer maintenance will be required. In the blog below we will go over a few of the most common issues rouge roots can cause, and what you can do about it.

What Roots Do to Sewer Lines

Trees actively seek water at all times. They grow slowly, but when they grow they move their branches toward sunlight and their roots toward water. On most developed properties attached to a city sewer system, the best source of water is the sewer line.

If allowed to continue, tree roots grow toward the sewer line and eventually infiltrate the line. It may take time, but eventually those roots will find seams and cracks in the pipe and break into it seeking water.

Over time, this will result in leaks, cracks and clogs in your line that can flood your lawn, back up in your home or cause problems for your neighbors.

Solving the Tree Root Problem

The first thing you should do is ensure there are not trees or shrubs growing close to your sewer line. If you don’t know where your sewer line is, check your property assessment or have a plumber help you find it. Remove any trees in the vicinity to avoid such a problem.

If you suspect a tree root problem, have your plumber perform a video inspection to check for roots and other blockages. If they find roots, high pressure jetting can often remove the problem completely.

Keep in mind that if the damage is advanced enough, you may need to have parts of your sewer line replace or relined. The actual work required will depend on the severity of the damage and the opinion of your plumber. Talk to a professional to learn more about what options are at your disposal.

A sewer line is vitally important to the operation of your home’s plumbing system. If you even suspect that a tree’s roots are infiltrating your pipes, contact Ace Pelizon Plumbing as soon as possible for an overall plumbing inspection.

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Plumbing Basics from Monrovia: Learning the Parts of a Toilet

Friday, January 13th, 2012

The majority of Monrovia homeowners are not aware that they can repair most minor toilet problems on their own. Whether it’s overflowing or running more than it should, toilets can be repaired often without calling a plumber; however, it is important to know the basic parts of a toilet before trying to troubleshoot toilet issues.

Here’s a guide to learning the parts of a toilet:

Tank: Pictured above (inspectapedia.com) is the tank on the back of the toilet, which holds the water supply for the bowl and the components that you need to know to fix most problems.

Bowl: Holds wastewater and uses the water from the tank to flush the waste.

Flush Handle:  The flush handle is the part that everyone knows, but it’s important to know what happens when you flush: the flush handle is connected to the trip lever, which lifts the flapper and allows the water for the tank to enter the bowl.

Trip Lever: The trip lever is the part that you need to know for a running toilet. It attaches the flush handle to the flapper, and when you flush the toilet, this lever lifts the flapper (sometimes called a flapper valve) and releases the water from the tank into the bowl to force the wastewater in the bowl down the sewer drain. When a toilet is running, you can simply lift the trip lever to lower the water level in the tank.

Float Ball: The float ball basically measures the water in the tank. After you flush, the ball will fall as the water level lowers, and the ball will rise again as the tank fills from the toilet main water supply. When the tank has enough water, the toilet will stop running.

Overflow Tube: This is the tube that will stop the tank from overflowing if the toilet is running. It leads into the drain and pushes out all the excess water. Sometimes you can remove the rubber water supply tube from the overflow tube to keep a toilet from overflowing if you are not able to shut off the main water valve behind the toilet.

Flapper Valve: This is the part to know whenever you have an overflowing toilet or a backup. The flapper is attached to the flush handle by a chain and the trip lever. Whenever the flapper is pushed down, the water cannot leave the tank, so when you flush, it creates a suction to pressurize the water entering the bowl so that it has enough force to flush the waste. If your toilet is overflowing, push the flapper down with your hand so that it stops the water from entering the bowl. Most people are afraid to put their hands in the tank because they associate the tank water with the water in the bowl. The water in the toilet tank is clean because it comes from the main water supply line, which is attached to the stop valve.

Stop Valve: This is also called the toilet supply valve because it controls the fresh water supply going into the tank. It is usually located behind the toilet near the floor, and turning it off is another way to stop an overflowing toilet because the tank cannot fill once it is turned off.  It is attached to the supply tube, which attaches to the refill tube.

Supply Tube: Although the supply tube and refill tube are connected, they are two different parts. People often use their names interchangeable, but what’s most important to know is that the supply tube supplies the water from the main line and into the refill tube, which refills the bowl.

Refill Tube: When the float ball is down, the refill tube fills the bowl with the water from the supply tube. After a flush, the ball rises, and when it reaches a certain level, the refill tube stops the flow of water into the bowl.

Trap: The trap is a seal that prevents backflow and strong odors from the main sewage line. If you smell sewage in your bathroom, particularly near the toilet, you could have a bad seal or faulty trap. Troubleshooting a trap usually requires a plumber, unless you are familiar with toilet installation.

Wax Ring: Another cause for bad odors is the wax ring, which is a seal between the toilet and the sewage line. A faulty wax ring could also cause leaking at the bottom of the toilet. Call a plumber whenever you aren’t sure about leaking toilets or strong sewer odors; there could be a problem in the main sewer line.

A Monrovia plumber if you have any questions about these components, or if you want to troubleshoot.

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Monrovia Plumber Guide: Wackiest Bathroom Products You Can Buy

Monday, December 26th, 2011

Your Monrovia home’s bathroom and the kitchen have little in common. Mostly, they are only similar in that they are rooms with running water. But they are also alike in at least one other way: for some reason, people like to acquire bizarre and fantastic products for both rooms.

In the kitchen, this means weird, singularly-oriented gadgets like cherry pitters, banana peelers or containers made specifically for saving tomatoes. In the bathroom, things get a little weirder. Have a look at some of these weird, wacky, strange, and extravagant bathroom products.

For a little mood lighting in the shower, how about a heat-sensitive shower head with LED lighting? The lights change from blue to red depending on the temperature of the water, which is reportedly supposed to save you from jumping into a cold shower.

If that’s not flashy enough for you, how about icing out your commode? No, I don’t mean freezing your toilet. I mean getting it covered in sparkling stones. For about $75,000, you can do just that, with a toilet fully decked in 50,000 rocks worth of shimmer. Unfortunately, they’re not real diamonds, which makes it harder to justify the price tag.

Or maybe you just want your commode to have a little more character without the gaudiness of all that bling. For about $300, you can get a real aquarium – with real fish! – that mounts on the back of the toilet. It doesn’t use the same water supply as the tank, so the fish are fine in there.

There are plenty of ways to customize your bathroom, no matter what your taste, style or budget. You may as well get as wacky or expensive as you want with it – it’s your private room, after all.

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Common Water Line Problems: A Guide from a Bradbury Plumber

Friday, December 2nd, 2011

Everyone needs water. It keeps us clean, provides us with a clean drinking source and helps us cook food and wash clothes. So, when a problem occurs with your Bradbury home’s water line, it can be disruptive to every aspect of everyday life. Here are some common water line problems and solutions you can implement to solve them as fast as possible:

  • Burst Pipe – The biggest problem you can have is a burst pipe. This is a major problem and one that needs to be solved immediately. If your pipe bursts or starts to leak, turn off the main water supply immediately and call an emergency plumber. You’ll want to have it patched as soon as possible to return normal water service to your home.
  • Noisy Pipes – Noise in the pipes is a slightly less disastrous problem but it can lead to bigger problems down the road if not dealt with. Usually, it is due to air in the pipes which can create a loud banging sound. If your pipes are vibrating or banging, the easiest solution is to turn off the water supply and drain your pipes completely, then fill them back up to remove the air build up.
  • Water Pressure – Low water pressure can be due to a number of problems, from a small leak somewhere to an issue in the incoming water supply. If you notice water pressure dropping in your home, call a professional to inspect the problem and offer potential solutions.
  • Sediment in the Pipes – If suddenly you are seeing excess sediment, rust, or other debris in your water it is probably from an aging pipe. While this doesn’t necessarily signal that your pipe is about to burst, it can be a sign of potential problems in the future. Build up from hard water or erosion can both be major problems if not fixed right away.

Water line problems can range from small nuisances to major disasters that threaten your entire home, but they should all be treated with equal import. If something happens to your water line, don’t waste time trying to track down a solution. Turn off the water supply and call a Bradbury professional right away.

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Happy Halloween Weekend! (and Emergency Plumbing Tips)

Friday, October 28th, 2011

Everyone at Ace Pelizon Plumbing wishes you a Happy Halloween! We hope you have a great time dressing up and eating lots of candy! And since plumbing problems can be scary, here are some helpful tips on what to do if you have a plumbing emergency.

  • Shutting Off the Water – If a pipe bursts or you have standing water somewhere, the very first step you take is to shut off the water. Cleanup is pointless if more water pours in. So, we need to stop the flow. Usually, this water valve is located outside, but it can be found under an access panel or in the basement in some cases.
  • Flooding Toilet – Watching the water slowly rise in a toilet, dangerously close to the rim, can be scary. But, there are tricks to slow or stop the flow until the plumber arrives. The first is to turn on your sink faucet to slow down the water flow to the toilet. If you can reach it, turn off the cold water supply to your toilet as well. As soon as the tank is empty, no new water will enter.
  • Turning Off an Appliance – Sometimes the problem isn’t a house-wide problem but a specific appliance overflowing. If your washing machine or dishwasher is about to overflow, turn off the supply valve immediately. It could be several gallons of water per minute if you don’t.
  • When Electricity is Involved – If your basement floods, don’t go down there until you can be sure there is no electricity flowing into the water. That much water with live electricity is incredibly dangerous. If you can’t be sure, get a plumber out there fast.
  • Gas Leaks – Sometimes, a plumbing problem is really a gas problem. If this is the case, don’t try to fix it yourself. Get everyone out of the house and call the gas company immediately.
  • Hot Water Leakage – If you notice that hot water is leaking somewhere in your home, turn off the main water supply and then turn off the hot water heater’s energy source. There should be an emergency shutoff valve on the hot water heater for gas and a switch on the device if it is electric.

In each of these cases, the very next step you take should be to call a professional, but if you act fast you can hopefully mitigate the damage.

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