My Drain Company Blog : Archive for the ‘Plumbing’ Category

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How to Tell You Need Water Line Repair

Thursday, July 31st, 2014

The water line is perhaps the most important part of your home’s plumbing. It is, after all, what brings you the running water that is the foundation of all indoor plumbing. However, the water line remains hidden from your sight, running quietly under your property from the municipal water supply, doing its job unobtrusively.

A threat to your water line is a threat to all your daily routines. If you detect anything amiss with the water line into your home, you need to contact professional plumbers right away. (Note that it is not the responsibility of the utility company to repair the water line after it crosses into your property.) We will provide you with some signs to watch for that will tell you to contact professional plumbers for water line repair or replacement.

For a company that can handle all your needs for plumbing services in Glendale, CA, look to My Drain Company. We are ready to help you, any time of the day or night.

Signs of Water Line Troubles the Need Repair Work

  • Discolored water: When the water from all your taps starts to come out with reddish or brownish tint, it could indicate that there is a break in the water main, or corrosion has set in. The latter is likely for older homes. You might also notice discoloration on the clothing that comes out of the washing machine. Although it is possible that this is a municipal supply issue, you should not take a chance on it: call for professional plumbers.
  • Low water pressure: This is one of the first signs that your water line is on the way to failing completely. It could mean there are leaks along the line, or that tree roots have started to push into the pipe and block it. A drop in water pressure should always receive the attention of professionals, no matter the cause.
  • Water pools on your yard: If you lawn or yard starts to develop pools of water and soggy spots that don’t come from sprinklers or rain, it’s possible a broken water line is at fault. In extreme situations, water will start to geyser up from between the sidewalk slabs. Don’t hesitate over this kind of emergency! Bring in plumbers right away.
  • Overgrown vegetation: If plants in a certain section of your yard begin to grow faster than others, it might be due to water leaking from beneath from a damaged water line.

Only trained and fully-licensed plumbers should work on repairs or replacements to main water lines. These jobs can be extensive, so make sure that you bring in an experienced team. Call My Drain Company for your Glendale, CA plumbing needs. We can handle water line repairs and replacements to make sure that you won’t suddenly lose your vital water supply.

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Some Ideas for Bathroom Plumbing Installations

Monday, July 21st, 2014

When you want to improve an old bathroom with new installations, you have a variety of options from which to choose. Bathroom plumbing can include everything from full new plumbing installation (useful for older homes that may have aging and outdated piping) to small tasks like adding aerators onto faucets.

For bathroom plumbing services in Glendale, you can turn to My Drain Company for the assistance you need for new installation. We offer full service for bathroom plumbing, and our skilled plumbers can help you find out what new installation will improve this important room that plays a large part in your daily life.

Here Are Some Possibilities for Bathroom Plumbing Installation

  • Low-flow fixtures: If you want to save money on water bills and contribute to water conservation efforts (currently a serious issue in Southern California), you should consider installing low-flow faucets and toilets for your bathrooms. These installations will make significant cuts in the amount of water the fixtures use, but without a sacrifice in quality. According to the U.S. EPA, an effective low-flow faucet reduces water flow by 30%.
  • New style of sink: Having a new sink installed can improve on the use of space inside a bathroom. You can have an old pedestal sink taken out and replaced with a cabinet sink for more storage areas. You can remove a cabinet sink and replace it with a wall-mount sink for more floor space. There are numerous options for sinks that meld form and function to improve a bathroom.
  • New piping: If you live in an older home (pre-1970, and especially pre-World War II), your probably have galvanized steel pipes for plumbing. Although strong, this material is prone to corrosion over time, leading to leaks and blockage. If you have encountered numerous leaks and inefficient plumbing in your bathroom, you can arrange for complete replacement with newer materials, like copper, CPVC, and PEX. You might also consider repiping for the whole house.

Whether you want new plumbing installation in your bathroom for decorative and luxury purposes, or to solve serious plumbing problems, you can rely on the services of My Drain Company. We offer Glendale, CA quality plumbing work that goes beyond expectations. We’re also here whenever you need us with 24/7 emergency repair work for whatever ails your plumbing.

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The Best Way to Treat Drain Clogs

Friday, July 18th, 2014

The title of this post is a bit misleading, since there is no single “best” way to treat a clog that has blocked up a sink, shower, tub, or other drain. There is a “worst” way, as we’ll explain. However, the “best” way will depend on the kind of clog you have. If you leave this job to experienced, professional plumbers, they will discover the best way to handle the specific clog, and will have your drain cleaned out quickly and without damage to the plumbing.

For any drain clogs you have afflicting your plumbing, call up the drain experts at My Drain Company. Our experienced plumbers will bring a variety of the best tools to clear out your drain, no matter what has blocked it up.

The Worst Way to Treat Drain Clogs

The one way you do not want to treat drain clogs—and a way that professional plumbers will never use either—is with chemical drain cleaners. Found in plastic bottles on the shelves of grocery and convenience stores, these acidic chemicals are too harsh to use on drainpipes. They may eat through blockages (although they are ineffective against many types of clogs), but the caustic action can cause damage to the pipe interior. They also leave toxic residue and dangerous fumes behind. Avoid using them at all costs.

Some of the Best Ways Professional Plumbers Will Treat Clogs

  • Video pipe inspection equipment: This won’t eliminate a clog, but it is the best way to find out what method will. Using miniaturized cameras mounted on the end on long fiber-optic cables, plumbers can observe the interior of your plumbing on a video monitor and learn exactly where blockages are located and what they consist of. This allows them to determine the speediest and most effective way of clearing the clog.
  • Drain augers: Also known by the more evocative name drain snakes, motorized drain augers are one of the essential tools of any professional plumber. These coils of metal can reach down far into drains and drill into clogs like corkscrews, then pull out the clog or break it up to clear out the pipe. Manual augers are available in many stores, but you should only entrust the work to a plumber who uses a motorized drain auger.
  • Hydro-jetting: This is one of the most thorough and comprehensive ways of clearing out drain clogs and cleaning the inside of plumbing in general. Hydro-jetters are devices that put water under high pressure and then blast it out at scalding temperatures through a line inserted down into the pipes. The scouring action of the pressurized water stream can blast through almost any clog and remove build-up from the interior of the drainpipe to help prevent more clogs in the future.

The Northridge plumbing team at My Drain Company is ready 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to assist you with clogged and slow drains. We will find the true “best” way to clean your drainpipe and keep the clogs away.

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3 Signs of Leaky Pipes

Friday, July 11th, 2014

After drainage clogs, leaking pipes are the most common problem that home plumbing can encounter. And unlike clogs, which are almost immediately obvious when they happen, leaks often remain hidden from sight. The majority of residential pipes are concealed in flooring, walls, and seldom-visited sections of the house. Often a leak—even a large one—can go without detection until it has already caused serious, expensive damage.

Professional plumbers have special training and equipment to assist them in locating leaks, even through heavy concrete flooring (“slab leaks”). However, you need to know to call the plumbers in the first place, so pay attention to the signs below that will warn you that you may have pipes leaking in hidden spots of the house.

In Glendale, CA, call My Drain Company for 24-hour emergency service that can handle any size leak in your home. With more the 15 years of experience, we can solve your plumbing issues fast and right the first time.

Watch For These 3 Signs That You May Have Plumbing Leaks

  • Elevated water bills: Even the smallest leak in pipes can cause a tremendous waste of water that will show up on your monthly water bills. It only takes a single leak letting out three drips of water per minute to waste 70 gallons of water in a month—and that’s a difference you will recognize on your bills. Unexplained price increases require that you call a plumber to search for leaks… or whatever has caused the loss of water.
  • Decrease in water pressure: If you have a large number of smaller leaks, or one large leak, it will affect the pressure of the water throughout the plumbing. Although a change in water pressure can indicate a problem in the municipal system, it often points toward a serious issue inside your home’s plumbing that needs investigation.
  • Warped floorboards and other building material damage: A small leak will build up a pool of standing water, which will cause tremendous damage to building material over time. Wood rot will start to destroy floorboards, warping and weakening them. Mildew will begin to eat through drywall. If you notice lumps in the floor, spot discoloration on the walls, or notice the growth of mold and mildew inside your home, call for plumbers right away to perform leak detection and repairs.

Keep this in mind: there is no such thing as a “small” leak. No matter the size of the damage in the pipe, whether pinhole leaking or a major breach, water damage will accumulate that can endanger your home, waste water, and threaten your plumbing. At the first warning sign that you may have leaks in your plumbing, make the call to My Drain Company to schedule plumbing service in Glendale, CA. We can handle all your concerns for your home’s plumbing.

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When You Should Consider Whole-House Repiping

Tuesday, June 24th, 2014

All plumbing will need repairs at some point or another; the amount of work that the pipes in a home do on a daily basis means enough wear and tear to eventually cause leaks and clogs. In some cases, repiping is the best solution to these troubles. Plumber will remove the old pipes and replace them with newer material such as copper or one of the different kinds of plastic pipes (PEX, CPVC, etc.).

But there are times when a more drastic solution is necessary for a home’s plumbing: whole-house repiping. This may sound like an extreme measure, but for older homes it is often the best and most cost-effective way to solve numerous plumbing issues. If you hire an experienced company in Northridge, CA for plumbing work of this magnitude, the job should go fast and with little disruption to your life.

My Drain Company handles whole-house repiping. We can help you decide if repiping is the best solution, and if it is, we will take on the job and provide you with the best service possible.

When whole-house repiping becomes an option

  • You have a house with galvanized steel piping: For many decades, even through the 1960s, the main material used for home plumbing was galvanized steel, which was known for its durability. Unfortunately, what the installers at the time didn’t realize about galvanized steel was its eventual susceptibility to corrosion that would weaken it to the point of extensive leaking and eventual breaks. Copper has long superseded steel for this reason, and if you have a pre-1970s home, you should check to see if you have galvanized steel plumbing. If you do, or if you are encountering numerous corrosion leaks in an older home, it’s time for full repiping services.
  • Constant repair issues: Whether you have older steel pipes or poorly installed copper and plastic ones, experiencing continual plumbing repair issues is a good indicator that the material is simply not up to the task. These repairs don’t need to be just leaks; continually clogging is also a sign of deteriorating pipes that are keeping water from efficiently flowing. High water pressure is another sign of poor quality or deteriorating pipes.
  • Rusting: This is an issue that can strike galvanized steel pipes, but isn’t restricted to them. Copper pipes are rust-resistant, but not rust-proof, and the flux that seals the join pipes is susceptible to rusting. When rust starts to become a frequent issue, it usually means that you should replace all the piping in a home (usually with truly rust-free PEX plastic pipes).

You can rely on skilled Northridge, CA plumbing services to select the best material for repiping so that your home will have many decades of pipes capable of handling the stress you and your family will put on them. Contact My Drain Company today to schedule an appointment to look into the possibility of whole-house repiping.

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What Slab Leak Repair Is and Why You May Need It

Friday, June 20th, 2014

You may have heard the term “slab leak” before and not understood exactly what it meant, except that it sounds like it would take a great deal of difficult work to fix and you don’t want one to happen in your home. You’re right on both counts (you don’t want any kind of leaks in your home) but with the right plumbers on the job, you can expect to have a slab leak fixed fast and correctly so it won’t threaten the rest of your property or plumbing.

Slab leaks, as we’ll explain, are serious business. The moment you think you have one in your home, you need to call the professionals at My Drain Company. When it comes to plumbing in Glendale, CA, we are one of the most experienced full-service contractors. Our plumbers can handle jobs large and small, from solving a household leak to handling commercial installation.

What slab leaks are

The term “slab leak” is the plumbing industry name for any pipe leak that occurs under concrete or other hardscape material in a building. Your home’s foundation is a large concrete block, and a number of important pipes, such as the water main, run through it. Although well-protected from damage because of the hard casing, these pipes can still break due to corrosion (especially for older plumbing), the house shifting, or (and this is a serious concern for Southern California) earthquakes.

A slab leak not only wastes immense amount of water, it can inflict serious damage to a home’s foundation as it increases pressure within the slab.

How will I know I have a slab leak?

The first sign of a slab leak you may notice is a sudden elevation in your water bills for which you cannot account. Other indicators are the appearance of cracks along your home’s foundation due to water pressure, the faint sound of running water, and unusual warm spots across the concrete slabs of your home. Call for plumbers the moment you encounter any of these warning signs.

How does slab leak repair work?

Not all slab leak repairs work the same way. Skilled plumbers will use leak detection equipment to pinpoint the leak location and determine the best way to repair the problem. Sometimes the plumbers will need to use jackhammers to access the leak, and then fill the hole in afterwards. Other times, the leak can be repaired through additives placed into the plumbing that will seal the leak from inside. Regardless of the method used, professional plumbers will make every effort to leave your home looking exactly as they found it.

For the fast and effective plumbing services in Glendale, CA that will take care of any leak your home may have, trust to the 24-hour service of My Drain Company.

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How Earthquakes Can Damage Your Plumbing System

Thursday, June 12th, 2014

Here in Burbank, plumbing companies have to deal with more than just leaky pipes and clogged drains. We’re living in earthquake country, and temblors are a regular occurrence throughout the year. Even minor quakes can shake up your property, and when it comes to plumbing, the damage can be much worse: breaches, leaks and even destroyed pipes in need of full-bore replacement.

Here’s A Quick Breakdown on How Earthquakes Can Damage Your Plumbing System

The big issue arises with the main water and sewer lines connecting your home to Burbank’s civic system. These are usually located underground, where they can’t be seen by the naked eye. Earthquake damage could cause a breach immediately, and it could also shift the ground around the pipe: avoiding an instant rupture but increasing stress at certain points along the line. That means a breach can occur days or even weeks after the quake, even though things look peaceful initially. Monitor your yard closely in the period immediately following an earthquake, and look for signs such as strange puddles of water, dripping sounds, or grass and shrubbery suddenly becoming much greener than the surrounding flora.

Inside the home, the damage is usually easier to detect. Beyond the obvious signs of a leak or a breach (i.e., water leaking out across you bathroom floor), listen for signs of leaking or dripping in your walls and pay careful attention to the water pressure in your various faucets. A good catch-all test is to check your meter, then wait two hours without using any of the water in your home. Then check the meter again. If the amount has changed, then you probably have a leak somewhere in the home.

The plumbers at My Drain Company fix all kinds of plumbing problems, and we know how earthquakes can damage your plumbing system. More importantly, our trained staff has the skills to repair the problem once it’s been detected, and can replace damaged pipes with speed and efficiency. If you detect any plumbing damage to your property after an earthquake, pick up the phone and schedule your plumbing services in Burbank with us. You’ll be glad you did!

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What Is a Sump Pump?

Thursday, June 5th, 2014

Here in Southern California, sump pumps don’t get a lot of attention. We lack basements in most of our homes, and our overall dry weather means we don’t worry much about flooding. But here in Glendale, plumbing repair services see their share of flooding, especially when the rains come in the fall and the top soil turns our hills into mudslides. A sump pump can be your best friend in such circumstances.

What Is A Sump Pump?

We’ve provided a brief outline below.

A sump pump is placed in a small pit dug at the lowest point of your property. A drain line is run from the pump to the outside of your house and in many cases, the pump needs to be connected to your electrical grid as well. When a flood hits, the water moves to the lowest point in your house, where it enters the pit. A floating sensor activates the sump pump, which spins a centrifugal fan in the center of the system. That pushes the water to the outside of the pump and creates a vacuum at the center, which pulls the water up out of the pit, into the line and out of the house. As a result, your basement is kept dry and the rest of your property remains safe.

As we said, sump pumps see a lot of use back East, where heavy rains and foods are more of a problem. But Glendale’s hilly landscape has made flooding recurring issue for certain households, especially older ones that feature a basement. If you know what a sump pump is and you think you may need one for your home, then now is the time to act: in the summer before the rains start.

Here in Glendale, plumbing repair services like the professionals at My Drain Company can discuss the ins and outs of sump pump repair with you, then help you decide which particular model will fit your needs. We’re absolutely dedicated to your satisfaction and we won’t rest until the job is done right, so give us a call today if you need plumbing repair services in Glendale!

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Benefits and Drawbacks of a Low Flow Toilet

Friday, May 23rd, 2014

Efforts at water conservation in Southern California have led to many homeowners installing low-flow toilets. These fixtures can reduce the amount of water used per flush by more than three quarters, thanks to their gravity assist and high pressure operation. This means substantial savings along with their environmentally-friendly water use.

We specialize in plumbing in Tarzana, CA that will make your life easier and more economical.

If you are ready to upgrade your house and downgrade the amount of water you use on a day-to-day basis, call My Drain Company today.

The low-flow toilet benefits

The water savings from a low-flow toilet can be tremendous. This will help your annual budget and it will contribute to water conservation efforts, which are always important in dry Southern California.

How much can you expect to save? It depends on your water usage, the amount of toilets in your house, the number of people who live there, and local costs per gallon. Here’s an example to give you an idea of what you might save: A low-flow toilet uses 1.7 gallons per flush, while a standard toilet uses 7 gallons. A toilet, on average, flushes 6 times a day. Over a year, with an average per gallon price of $0.04 (the baseline for So Cal), a standard toilet will use 15,000 gallons and cost $600. A low-flow toilet will use 3,500 gallons and cost $140. That’s a savings of $460 in one year! As an investment in savings and to benefit the environment, low flow toilets are a great choice.

The low-flow toilet drawbacks

Although low-flow toilets are designed to work through pressure or gravity to compensate for the reduced volume of water flow, they can have trouble with larger waste removal. They can run in particular trouble with paper-based waste and garbage. You should avoid using any toilet as a wastebasket, but with a low-flow toilet you could cause clog very easily. In general, you should expect increased clogging issues and should always keep a plunger handy in case. Low-flow toilets also cost more than standard models, but they should pay for themselves in less than a year.

Find out more about low-flow toilet installation

Installing low-flow toilets is a basic job for professionals. Call My Drain Company if you want to know more about how effectively a low-flow model can work for your home, as well as what you can potentially save. For your Tarzana, CA plumbing needs, look to our more than 15 years of experience.

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Why Small Plumbing Leaks Are Still Damaging

Friday, May 23rd, 2014

Here in Glendale, CA, plumber services are called upon to treat all manner of problems, and none of them are small. Even seemingly minor problems like small leaks have a way of turning into bigger ones very quickly. The sooner you get on a noticeable problem, the better off you and your plumbing system will be.

Here’s Why Small Plumbing Leaks Are Still Damaging

If left untreated, water will damage the materials surrounding your pipes. Wood and drywall can become swollen with moisture, leading to corrosion and rot. Electrical wiring could be damaged and in some cases the water may ultimately cause an electrical short. These problems don’t get better over time, and in fact small leaks may be more damaging than large ones because they can go for months before being detected, wreaking untold havoc in the process.

Furthermore, even small leaks can have a detrimental effect on your plumbing system as a whole. Pressure tends to drop when there’s a leak, even a small one, which makes it harder to clean dishes and can create comfort problems with your shower. More importantly, it often leads to higher water bills. You’re paying for all that water leaking out, after all, and even if it’s not a gushing river, it’s still money that you don’t need to be spending.

Finally, small leaks have a way of turning into bigger ones, especially if they’re caused by corrosion in the pipes themselves. A small leak could be just a warning sign of bigger things to come, and if you get on it, now, you could be saving yourself a create deal in unnecessary expenses.

The good news is that the Glendale plumbing experts at My Drain Company are here to help. We know why small plumbing leaks are still damaging, and we use the latest technological advances to pinpoint the exact source of the problem before fixing it. The longer you delay, the bigger the problem can become, so don’t hesitate! Pick up the phone and schedule a repair session today. Your plumbing system will thank you.

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