Posts Tagged ‘surrey plumbers’

How To Follow Old Plumbing

Here’s a great article with some good guidelines on how to prep for a plumbing project. I’ve edited the article a little for better reading, and you can find the original article here. http://findbetterwork.com/career-articles/planning-for-a-new-plumbing-system

– Beginning of Article –

The first step to any plumbing project is deciding where to run the pipes. This is often easier said than done because pipes are usually concealed in wall spaces by finished surfaces. Most often it is easiest to simply run new pipes in the same cavities that contain old plumbing. These spaces are already designed to allow for long, unbroken runs for pipes.

If there are some changes required for the new plumbing design, then it is better to run the pipes up from the basement. Like, you can get the bathroom drain line dropped into the basement and then connected to the main line under the joists rather than running them over the floor joists.

Do not try to modify the floor joists or the support beams as this can be very dangerous and can weaken the entire building. The local building codes have to be followed for any issues with support beams. Here are some tips that can help you while taking up any plumbing remodeling project.

Build a wall chase which is a false wall used to conceal plumbing. The chase can be stacked from floor-to-floor of the home. This allows plumbing to run from the basement to the attic. The chase is most commonly used for running new vent stacks.

Similar to the chase is the soffit. Instead of running from floor-to-ceiling, a soffit runs across the top of a wall. Inside pipes can be run vertically to accommodate new plumbing.

If you have an unused laundry space, it can be used to run new plumbing pipes. The connections are mostly made in the basement area in this case.

A long piece of pipe can be used to check prospective plumbing routes for any obstructions. Once the route is determined to be adequate, the pipe can be a guide for running larger diameter plumbing. This is easily done by sliding the larger pipe over the guide pipe.

These are a few different ways to run new plumbing in your home. As far as incorporating a modern plumbing framework is concerned, it is better to keep the operation to the open spaces and not behind-the-wall areas. Of course the local officials can be consulted if you’re uncertain about the architecture you chose.

– End of the Article –

Noisy Water Pipes

Have you ever turned off one of your faucets only to hear a loud banging noise? That’s called “water hammering” and it’s caused when a fast-moving stream of water travels down a narrow pipe and suddenly comes an unexpected halt.

Regardless of your water source, constant flowing water can not compress itself. For this reason, if the water must come to an abrupt stop it will result in a loud thud that can be heard throughout the entire house. Unfortunately the problem isn’t just the loud noise, the hammering can also damage joints and connections in the pipe.

Most water valves do not generally close quickly as they are designed to close slowly to prevent water hammering. However, overtime the gaskets in a faucet get old and brittle and eventually cause the faucet to close more quickly which can result in water hammering.

To prevent this noise problem, air chambers are built into the plumbing system. The air chambers act as cushions to prevent water from slamming against the piping. Unlike water, air compresses which makes it able to absorb the shock of fast-moving water.

The air chamber acts as if it were an upside-down water glass. Once filled with air it becomes a cushion for the water to collide with. However, there is a chance air can leak from the chamber. If it fills with water than it becomes useless and prone to damage.

Do It Yourself Plumbing

To fix a water hammer problem, your best bet is to replenish all air chambers with air, which is very simple.

Steps:
1. Shut off your home’s main water supply valve.
2. Drain all remaining water from your pipes. Do this by opening a few faucets inside your house.
3. Find the faucet at the lowest elevation, usually located outside, and turn this faucet on to drain all water from the pipes.

The reason you want to clear your pipes of water is because you want to add air. As the water is drained from the pipes, it is replaced by air. You will notice air being pushed out of the water lines causing a sputter as it exits the faucets inside. However, air will remain in the upside-down air chambers.

Two Things To Keep In Mind

Sometimes noisy water pipes can occur when there is a loose pipe-mounting strap. This can happen even if all the air chambers are in good condition. Before refilling your air chambers, be sure to check all accessible pipes to ensure that they are properly connected.

Plumbing is a great way to improve the quality of life in your home. You’ll want to make sure you are choosing the right plumber for your home and your budget.

Visit our list of Local Vancouver Plumbers