Posts Tagged ‘Temple City’

Diamond Bar Plumbing Tips: High Pressure Water Jetting Clears Pipes

Monday, May 21st, 2012

Many plumbing contractors in the Diamond Bar area use high pressure water jetting to clear and clean sewer lines and drains. The technology was adapted from industrial water jet cutters which are powerful enough to cut through stone, metal, and composite materials.

How it Works

The principle is simple. Water is pumped under high pressure through a large diameter hose into a jetter nozzle with a much smaller diameter hole. A thin stream of water shoots out of the nozzle at pressures that can reach 100,000 PSI for industrial jetters. Lower pressures are used for plumbing applications, usually in the 3,000 to 5,000 PSI range, otherwise the water stream would be unmanageable and could damage the pipes.

Sewer jetter nozzles have a forward-firing jet to break up clogs, and back-firing jets to push the nozzle through the pipe while scouring the walls. The nozzle is attached to a long hose that delivers the pressurized water. The nozzle pulls the hose along with it as it moves down the pipe. Debris, grease,  and other material loosened by the jets are pushed back to where the nozzle entered the pipe. Plumbing contractors typically have water jets that can clear up to 200 feet of pipe.

High pressure jetters are most frequently used to clear exterior drains,  sewer, and septic lines. But they can also be used to clear interior waste pipes.

Benefits over Traditional Techniques

The traditional drain and sewer maintenance runs a flexible metal cable or “snake” through the line which rotates and scrapes the inner walls of the pipe. Snakes do a good job, but they don’t always clear grease or mineral deposits. Snakes can sometimes push through a clog without really clearing it or loosening it.  They can also become snagged on tree roots.

Water jets can efficiently remove grease, mineral deposits, and other debris clogging the sewer line. The jet can also cut through roots that have worked their way into the line. The properties that make water jetting so valuable as an industrial tool make it well suited for plumbing applications. Water is non-toxic and doesn’t react with plumbing materials. Water jetting doesn’t release noxious fumes and doesn’t cause the metal piping to heat up. The spent water just continues down the drain flushing any loose sediment with it.  To learn more about this type of plumbing maintenance please call Ace Pelizon Plumbing.

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Everything You Need to Know About Showerheads in San Gabriel

Monday, May 14th, 2012

Showerheads in all their glory are arguably the best aspect of bathroom plumbing in San Gabriel: giving us a hot, relaxing time of quiet, a sort of respite from the worries which bombard us outside their steamy spray.  Consider this your guide for all you need to know about showerheads, and possibly some information you never even thought of!

Prior to 1994, showerheads had a flow rate of 5 ½ gallons per minute, but since then with the involvement of the EPA and a little repiping, the flow average rate per showerhead has decreased to an average of 2 ½ gallons per minute, thus conserving half the water which used to be wasted in this one area of the home.  Don’t be misled by price: the highest price-tag is not always the best; some of the top-rated showerheads are quite reasonably priced.

Showerhead Types

There are a number of showerhead types which offer a variety of functionality, some with incredible water-efficiency.

  • Multi-Setting Models:  Provide adjustable flow patterns up to as many as twelve settings such as massage, mist, wide stream, narrow stream, pulsing, and even a water-saving trickle while applying soap or shampoo.
  • Single-Setting Models:  Provide one setting and tend to cost considerably less than their multi-setting counterparts.
  • Multi-Head Models:  Provide a spa-like experience in your own home with a fixed or handheld showerhead as well as several body jets mounted on a vertical tower.  However, with such comfort comes a higher price tag.  These are the most expensive to purchase, install and run, oftentimes using as much as 10 gallons per minute of water.
  • Custom Models:  Modern showers are created with unique showerhead designs, from luxury panel showers, to artistic expression through showerheads with special lighting, to pocket showers which can be taken on the go and are in essence a waterproof reservoir which holds enough water to have an outdoor shower while camping.

Showerhead Features

  • Aerating Showerheads:  Mix air with water, producing a misty spray which makes the water-flow feel more substantial, and they don’t create as much steam and moisture.
  • Handheld Showerheads:  Leave it in the holder or remove it to focus the spray on a particular body-part, allowing for quicker cleaning and rinsing.
  • Rain Showerheads:  Large heads and wide spray patterns provide a soft, soothing flow of water.
  • Low-Flow Showerheads:  Features can include a pause button to start and stop water during the shower, a shower timer to manage the time spent in the shower, a temperature gauge which keeps water-flow to a trickle until the desired water temperature is reached, and water volume controls to let you manually adjust the gallons per minute.

If you have any questions about shower heads or any aspects of bathroom plumbing please call Ace Pelizon Plumbing

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La Crescenta Plumbing Tip: Types of Water Filters

Wednesday, December 28th, 2011

Water quality is an important issue for many La Crescenta homeowners. We all use water every day to bathe, cook, drink and clean. No one wants to worry about whether that water might be unhealthy for their family.

For those who aren’t fortunate enough to live in areas where the water supply is naturally clean or properly filtered before reaching their faucets, a water filter is an important and valued investment. It can mean water that not only tastes better, but is also free of potentially harmful contaminants.

But with so many kinds of water filers on the market, how are you to know which one is right? Let’s take a look at a few of the different types available.

One of the simplest solutions is a faucet-mounted water filter. The installation is simple, and most models allow for easy switching between filtered and unfiltered water. They are quite effective at removing most large contaminants. However, there are some drawbacks. These filters don’t work with some faucets and the cartridges need to be replaced, meaning an ongoing expense.

A countertop model sits alongside the existing tap and has its own tube for dispensing water. These are also fairly simple to install since they require no modification to any existing plumbing, and they work better for large quantities of water than faucet-mounted types do. Like faucet mounts, however, they also don’t work with all faucets.

Moving from the top of the sink to below it, you have under sink options. These also work well for filtering large volumes of water and have the added advantage of hiding out of sight. As a downside, they are more difficult to install than the previous two options, since the plumbing must be modified.

All three of these options are good solutions for a single sink, or you could get a few of them if you only need to filter water in some parts of the house. For a more extensive solution, consider a whole house filter. These attach to the main water line and filter all water that comes into the home. The cartridges last a long time and they remove dust and sediment well. However, installation needs to be done by a professional and these filters usually can’t handle other contaminants, like metals.

Depending on your filtration needs, one of these filters should work great for you and your family.

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A Question from Temple City: Why Is My Toilet Dry and How Can I Fix It?

Monday, December 19th, 2011

Under normal circumstances, after you flush your Temple City home’s toilet, the tank and bowl both fill back up with water, preparing it for the next use. The water from the tank is what flushes into the bowl when you push the handle, so if it is not filling properly, then the toilet will be dry.

This problem is troublesome, but not uncommon. It has a number of possible causes and fixes.

The first place to look is the water supply to the tank. If it has been inadvertently turned off, then obviously the tank will not fill. This is akin to the troubleshooting section of your old VCR manual, where it tells you to make sure the power cord is plugged in. It may sound silly, but it never hurts to check the most obvious and easily fixed of the possible causes first.

Another possibility that is very easy to fix is that the ballcock inside the tank has jammed at the top. Inside your toilet tank is a rubberized bulb connected to an arm. This bulb floats in water and controls the intake valve on the toilet tank. So, when the water level reaches a certain depth, the ballcock floats and closes the valve. However, if the ballcock is jammed in an upward position, it would keep the valve closed even if the tank is empty.

In this case, it may just be a matter of pushing the ballcock past the jam and then making sure it moves up and down freely. That alone may fix it.

A third common cause of the dry toilet problem is a clogged intake valve beneath the toilet. These valves can become clogged and then not allow water through, especially in systems with hard water or particularly old pipes.

If this is the problem – or if it is anything besides one of the two simple fixes described above – the best solution is to call a Temple City plumber. A professional can correctly identify the source of the problem and perform the necessary repairs. It’s likely not going to be a huge repair, but it’s best to entrust the job to a pro.

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What Is a Whole House Water Filter System? A Question from Azusa

Wednesday, November 30th, 2011

When you think of water filters, you may imagine a faucet attachment or a pitcher with a filter installed. But there is an easier and more convenient way to provide filtered water to all areas of your Azusa house, and that is a whole house water filter system. These units are becoming more and more popular as people begin to realize that it is not just the water you drink that needs to be filtered. In fact, there are many reasons that you may want to filter the water you shower and wash your clothes in as well.

Impurities in your water can affect you and your family even if you do not drink it. And that is why whole house water filtration systems remove contaminants from your water before it even comes near any of the faucets in your home. These types of systems are attached to the main water source for your home and can treat the water as it comes in and before it is distributed elsewhere.

These are generally simple systems, which makes them relatively inexpensive to install and maintain. Of course, your filter will need to be changed on a regular basis and that is an ongoing expense. But most of these filters are designed to filter between 10,000 and 100,000 gallons of water. While each filter will come with a recommendation for how often it needs to be replaced, it is important to remember that you may need to replace yours sooner rather than later depending on the amount of contaminants in your water supply.

You can also get different types of filters depending on the kinds of contaminants you are most concerned with removing from your indoor water. For instance, some water filters are better for removing bacteria and viruses, while others will do a better job of eliminating things like iron or other specific types of minerals and chemicals.

There are many good whole house water filtration systems out there, but finding the right one for your home can be tricky. For that reason, it is a good idea to consult with an Azusa professional plumber who can help you determine which product is right for your home.

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Components of Trenchless Water Line Replacement: Some Pointers from San Dimas

Wednesday, November 23rd, 2011

Trenchless technology is a relatively option for pipe repair and replacement, allowing your San Dimas plumber to replace main water lines or sewer lines under your property without digging a massive trench in the ground. Cost effective and environmentally friendly, this process is designed to minimize the impact on homeowners who are worried about losing their favorite trees or disrupting their neighbors.

But, what exactly is involved in trenchless water line replacement? Here is a quick look at the process and the components involved in each step of it:

  1. Puller Unit – The puller unit is responsible for pulling the new pipe through the space between the two access points. A cable is attached to the new pipe to pull it through. The size and type of puller unit used will depend on the type of pipe being replaced.
  2. Bursting Cone- A bursting cone is often attached to the head of the new pipe to break apart the old pipe as the new one is fed into the hole. This makes it possible to feed new pipe without having to remove the old pipe.
  3. New Pipe – There are a couple of options here including a brand new line of pipe replacing the old one or a liner being fed into the old one to patch cracks and leaks. The repair method used will depend on the severity of the problem, length of the affected pipe and recommendations from your plumber.
  4. Access Points – Two access points will be dug on either side of the affected pipe line. One pit houses the hydraulic pulling unit, the size of which will vary depending on the equipment used by your plumber and the power needed to pull your new pipe. The second pit is used to feed in new pipe, which means it needs to be slightly larger.

How the trenchless replacement process works depends largely on the pipe being replaced and which repair method you select. If you have a sewer line that has cracked along a five foot length, trenchless pipe replacement may be the best option. However, a smaller problem in your water line like a small crack may be fixed without a full replacement or relining. The best way to know for sure is to call a professional and have them inspect your pipe line. Video technology makes this easier as well.

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The Technology of Video Pipe Inspection: a Tip from Charter Oak

Friday, October 21st, 2011

Let’s face it – technology is the answer for everything in Charter Oak. If it’s mechanical, it has been affected by technology. The world of plumbing is no exception. Technology now makes it possible for people to look inside the piping in their home – to get the “inside story” on why a pipe is blocked up or why water is flowing too slowly. A trained expert can use video pipe inspection technology to quickly diagnose a problem in order to find a solution.

So what types of technology are available today? Before we get to that, remember that technology is fluent. By the time you read this blog there may be something new to make this material outdated. The best way to keep up with the latest technology of video pipe inspection is to talk to your local plumbing professionals and check out updates on the Web.

The technology you will see in your home can be viewed live or via digital recording. The camera and its scope can grab a birds-eye view of the pipe without the need to unscrew fittings and elbows and without having to make a mess of things.

Plumbers making a service call who use video inspection will usually show homeowners some live pictures from inside their pipes or use a digital reproduction in their sales presentation. In either case, the camera doesn’t lie and repairs are quickly supported by video evidence.

Here are some of the components involved in the technology of video pipe inspection. First and foremost is the camera itself, which usually will have high definition image display, recording, and playback capabilities. Images can be stored on flash cards for downloading onto other computers or to the Web. The lens of the camera is mounted into the head of the scope, which could be made of fiber optic or fiberglass material. The scope or “snake” comes in a variety of lengths. Images from the camera can viewed on monitors of various sizes in color or black-and-white.

Other options may include audio capabilities for a plumbing professional to record what the camera sees and explain the problems and solutions to homeowners via voiceover technology.

According to one plumber who utilizes this type of technology, video pipe inspection provides “an assessment of pipe’s structural integrity, detection of blockages, breaks or defects, still image/video footage for client use, and first-time mapping or updates.”

If you want to utilize the latest technology to diagnose pluming problems in your home, call your local plumbing professional and ask for a video pipe inspection.

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What You Can Do to Prevent Problems in Your Drains: Some Pointers from San Dimas

Wednesday, October 19th, 2011

When you look at a drain in your San Dimas home, it seems fairly simple. You pour things down and they disappear into the ether, never to be seen again. Of course, that logic goes out the window the second the drain starts to backup or overflow. There are things you can do to avoid such problems though and most of the time, they cost nothing and take only a few minutes a week.

Simple Household Drain Maintenance

The first step to avoiding a problem is not putting anything down your drain that might cause said problem in the first place. Specifically, avoid grease, food, or other objects that might build up in your drains if not properly disposed.

Food can be broken down by a garbage disposal or, even better, placed in a compost pile. Grease, however, should never enter your sink at all. Pour all old kitchen grease into a coffee pot or bucket and dispose of it carefully. It can be thrown away in some places, or it can be recycled. Whatever you do, though, don’t pour it down the drain.

Another easy tip to keeping those drains clear is to pour a natural compound down every now and then like dishwashing liquid or baking soda and vinegar. Expensive drain cleaners are not only unnecessary – they are unsafe for the person using them and can cause damage to the pipes if you are not careful. To avoid such damage, stick with hot water based compounds and vinegar. The key is to do it preventatively.

If you wait until a full blown clog occurs, baking soda and vinegar may not get the job done and you’ll need to call a plumber who has a snake or other equipment to get the clog out.

Professional Maintenance

While regular flushing of your drain with hot water and vinegar allows you to clear out the vast majority of the stuff that builds up there every week, it’s also a good idea to call a professional for annual maintenance. Such annual maintenance involves visual inspection, professional grade clearing of food and waste products and a full flush. Done properly, this will minimize the cost of future repairs and replacements and keep your plumbing running smoothly for years to come.

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