Posts Tagged ‘burnaby plumbing’

Prevent Frozen Pipes

Here in Vancouver frozen pipes is not as common a plumbing problem as in Alberta, but can happen without proper protection.  And if you look at the last few years in Vancouver, our winters have had a little more cold weather, with snow staying longer than usual.

Building codes are different in BC than in Alberta for instance so there may be un-insulated pipes that run the risk of freezing and bursting if left exposed to the elements. If temperatures drop far enough and a pipe is allowed to freeze completely, ice will expand and break through the pipe. Once it warms up you’ve got a problem.

If it’s still warm outside and you feel like doing something worthy, you can protect yourself from expensive water damage by checking your pipes for proper insulation or to find exposure. Pipe insulation is your first line of defense against frozen pipes.  Check out what the hardware store has in stock.  They will be able to tell you which insulation works best in this climate, and where you should look for problems.

Backflow Prevention

If it’s cold outside and you notice a reduction in water pressure, that is your warning sign that you may have a section of frozen plumbing. Catch this soon enough and you can fix the problem yourself.

It’s recommended that you should shut off water supply once you detect frozen pipes. You will want to thaw them out slowly so not to damage the pipes. If it warms up too fast and happens to boil, it could expand too fast and damage the pipe possibly splitting them open, so don’t use open flame.

Here are a few ways to warm up a frozen pipe safely

• Hot rags wrapped around the pipe a few times
• Electric heating strips
• A heater with a fan
• Use your blow-dryer

Meet The Plumbing Code

If you’re able to check your pipes before temperatures drop in the fall, you can save yourself some grief by knowing if your house is weather proofed the right way or not. Check any pipes near the outside walls and insulate the exposed ones. If they are already wrapped, then at least you have the comfort of knowing you’re covered.

Forced Air Furnaces

Scheduling regular home furnace cleaning is important for indoor air quality as it’s easy to let bi-annual events like that slip past you. We suggest you find a local plumber or home heating specialist you like and let them include you in their schedule.

They should have a furnace sticker with date of service so you’ll know when it’s time again. You could even mark the sticker every time you change filters to help keep track of maintenance.

A clean, well tuned furnace will throw off more heat than a dirty furnace, and save you money in the long run. People in the home heating field come across dangerous furnaces on occasion. A neglected furnace will collect dust and other debris that runs the risk of igniting under certain conditions. If that sounds outrageous, call your local fire department and ask how many fires have started from dirty home furnace. It’s good information to know.

Buying A New Furnace

If a new furnace is in your plans you’ll have some choices, like one with an enhanced speed blower or blower enhanced humidity. If you can afford the extra initial cost, a high efficiency furnace can justify that cost in immediate savings and long term saving as well, for models that outlast traditional style furnaces. There are furnaces with 98% efficiency on the market these days so it’s worth while going over the numbers.

Use a licensed gas fitter to ensure your safety and peace of mind. Don’t ask your neighbor to tune your central heating system unless he holds a gas ticket. Saving money on a gas appliance is best served by hiring a qualified professional for your family safety. Same thing goes for an electric furnace… those types also need a qualified service man.

Don’t forget the air ducks. A dusty duck system reduces air quality and can be the source of illness in your house when really dirty. Use a plumber in Vancouver or a forced air specialist to ensure your furnace meets code and maintains efficiency. A tuned furnace will save money and keep you warm.

Plumbing Projects You Can Do

The bathroom is probably the most important room in the house. There is not a person in the world that does not need to use the bathroom on a daily basis. With that being said, when a bathroom is not working this can cause a huge uproar in your home. Many people would immediately think of calling a plumber in Vancouver, however there are many do it yourself projects that almost anyone can do which will save you money in the long run.

The Overflowing Toilet

Fixing a toilet is probably the easiest do it yourself project in a bathroom. If the toilet is overflowing, lift the tank lid and pull the float up to turn off the water. Try plunging the toilet and typically that will solve the problem. Snaking the toilet is the next step and lastly removing the toilet entirely and snaking the drain itself is all that has to be done to solve an overflowing toilet problem. A new seal, put the toilet back on and presto, that is all there is to it. It may take some time but it is not a difficult project to tackle as any contractor that focuses on Plumbing in Vancouver will tell you.

Problems With The Bathroom Sink

However, a more difficult problem is the bathroom sink. If the bathroom sink is clogged up you have a couple of options. You can use a drain product in your sink to see if that removes the clog. If that does not work, you can remove the elbow joint in your sink (this is the curved part of pipes that connects the pipe in the sink to the pipes going into the wall). Many times any items that are stuck in the sink are stuck there in the elbow. If that doesn’t work, then it may be time to call a Plumbing contractor in Vancouver.

Replacing your sink entirely might be a project that you could tackle. Many people find that this is not nearly as difficult as it sounds, it just requires a bit of forethought and planning. Do a search online for your specific project and add “article” or “how to” in the search term.  You could also take a trip to a nearby hardware store like Home Hardware and ask someone for advice.  They should be able to help you to change out your bathroom sink and even add a few bathroom accessories for a whole new look.

Bathroom Accessories

You can make it a complete project and change the vanity as well for a completely new look in your bathroom if you have some basic carpentry skills. Look online for plans or visit your local hardware store and pick their brains again. If you have a smaller bathroom you may want to switch to a pedestal sink versus a full vanity to give the bathroom a more spacious look. New sink faucets could be a wonderful change to the way your bathroom looks. No matter what you decide to do take the time to learn the  process, buy a book or look online for instructions and most of all, have patience.

Save Money, Do It Yourself

Do it yourself home projects have become very popular over the years. People are learning how to build or repair their own things and to take pride in the work they do. Another area that homeowners everywhere are tackling is plumbing.

Plumbers in Vancouver and around the world are wondering just how far this trend will go. People are learning things like what to do with a acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (plastic drain pipes) and how to install it so it doesn’t leak. Gone are the days of water filled basements, unless there’s broken pipe or the sewer backs up on you.

Save Money With DIY Plumbing Jobs

Of course, this is in reference to the more simple jobs, Plumbers in Vancouver are not going to have to worry about losing their jobs anytime soon as most do it yourselfers are not going to dig up their yards or tear out a wall to solve a plumbing issue. However, many do it yourself homeowners have become quite proficient at things like installing garbage disposals, changing out pipe fittings, replacing corroded pipe and more. These men and women are taking it upon themselves to save money while improving the quality of their homes, something that any home owner can understand.

Home improvement is important for many reasons, such as increasing the resale value of your home or just making your home a pleasant place to live. Pipes that moan, creak, leaky faucets, and running toilets all can change a peaceful home to a nightmare of a place to live. While Plumbers in Vancouver and elsewhere can fix these problems without a second thought, there is labour costs to consider and many homeowners find that they can fix some of these plumbing and heating problems themselves at a fraction of the cost. While there is a time and a place to hire a professional, you should check and see what you can do for yourself first.

Get Your Own Plumbing Supplies

If you’re going to tackle a plumbing job yourself, then you’ll need parts. While you’re out there poking around in the hardware store, you could strike up a conversation and pick someones brain. Some of the people working in the big box stores come from professional backgrounds and are well versed in “how to” information.

For example, a thoughtful plumber will tell you that fixing a leaky faucet is something that anyone could do. It is usually the small matter of changing out the washer in the faucet. As for a running toilet, often a chain adjustment from the arm to the plug or replacing something is all that’s needed. While a professional will charge you an arm and a leg for these services if you decide to hire him, in many cases you can fix it yourself for literally pennies. If you get stuck you still have the option to pick up the phone and find a plumber.

Your Kitchen Sink

Keeping things in working order is a good policy, so we’ve gathered a few tips for keeping the kitchen sink looking good, and hopefully trouble free. Whether you have a single bowl stainless steel sink or a double bowl sink, keeping the drain clear is a universal thing.

Grandma Knew Best

If you cook a lot of greasy foods like bacon for instance, pour the grease into a can and toss it in the garbage later. Pouring hot grease down the sink causes buildup, which also causes food particles to cling to the sides of the pipe.

Take A Little Extra Time

If you have kitchen accessories like an electric food disposal unit under the sink, run cold water when its grinding, to help flush mash down the pipes. Garburetors are not designed to clear the bowl right away, it needs time to do its job.

If you find your drain clogging on occasion, try mixing up 1/2 cup of baking soda and 1/2 cup of white vinegar. Pour in down the drain and let it sit for a few minutes with the drain covered. After 15 or 20 minutes, pour boiling water through to flush it out. The mixture should break down the grease and kill any odors that may be lingering.

Pour a couple liters of boiling water down the drain once a week or so to melt away any fat or grease that may have collected.

Throw coffee grounds in the garbage, not down the drain.

Buyer Beware

Rumor has it that products claiming to clear drains by dissolving grease with enzymes may not be very effective. Some of those products may use chemicals that kill the bacteria needed to break up solid wastes thereby causing more harm than good.

If the clog has gotten too big for you to handle, click here to –> call a local plumber for help.

Is Your Plumber Qualified?

Plumbing contractors with the right credentials (licensed and bonded) are the only guys you should consider when you need a plumber.

If you own your own home and need professional work done, don’t waste your time with a “fly by nighter” If you look at the odds, chances are stacked against you of getting quality work done. There are too many people offering low budget work, no taxes, under the table etc. that will not, and cannot back up their work for a wide variety of reasons.

Avoid Costly Mistakes

No-one likes wasting money, so hire the right guys and get the job done right! All Vancouver plumbing contractors listed on our site have been checked out before hand to provide you with a quality list to choose from. Visit our site by clicking on the link above to find a local plumber close to where you live.

Hiring a plumbing company who use licensed and bonded journeymen is a vote of confidence. If you’ve had a bad experience with an underground plumber in the past then you know what I’m talking about.

Any plumbing contractor who spends the time to train their employees in best practices and who is conscientious in the fine art of protecting clients, deserve serious consideration. Pricing will be competitive because they will be interested in building reputation and protecting their clients, and that means you. Believe me when I say these guys are looking for repeat clients.

There are two types of plumbers in this world. Those who recognize the long term building process of reputation and a sense of accomplishment. And then there are those who are just in it for the money.