Louisburg & Vicinity, North Carolina Plumbing

Although it may always become necessary to hire a professional Louisburg & Vicinity plumber in many cases, the following tips are provided as a first line of defense against common plumbing problems such as noisy pipes, clogged drains or leaks.

Noise in the Pipes

A mixture of noises may be produced in the pipes, ranging from a loud hammering sound to high-pitched squeaks. The many causes could be loose pipes, water logged air chambers, or high water pressure. When the pipes aren't secured correctly, this may be the cause. Pipes are typically anchored with pipe straps every 6 to 8 feet for horizontal runs, 8 to 10 feet for vertical. If you hear a banging noise from your pipes when the water is turned on, you may need to add straps and/or cover the pipes with rubber. A good rule to follow is to never use galvanized straps on copper pipes or tubing. If a pipe has a faulty air chamber, this generally occurs in lengths of pipes installed behind fixtures and appliances. These pipes hold air that cushions the shock when flowing water is shut off. If they get filled with water, they become less effective. To restore air back into the chambers, turn off the main shutoff water valve and open all the faucets to drain the system. Close the faucets and then turn on the water. This should allow the air chambers to fill with air. Do not ignore a banging water hammer. It can do extensive damage to the hot and cold pipe system in your house.

Clogged Drains

The first thing to check with a clogged drain is that the tub's stopper is fully opened and is free of hair and debris. If the stopper isn't the problem, then the drainpipe is likely clogged. First, try a plunger or chemical drain cleaner. The plunger is useful to clear clogs in most fixtures and should be close at hand. If these fail to do the job, you'll need to clear the trap with a snake or cable augur. This is a long, flexible steel cable wound around a spool that's fitted with a hand crank. A closet augur is specially made for snaking out toilets. It is similar to a cable augur, but the cable is encased in a rigid shaft. It is made to fit through the tight curves of a toilet trap. Nearly all tubs have a P trap in the drain. In some homes, the tub may have a drum trap in the floor near the tub instead (it will have a removable metal cover and a rubber gasket). Using a snake in a tub P trap is like out a sink trap. If you have a drum trap, first try snaking it clear through the tub overflow. If that does not work, bailout all the standing water from the tub. Then, utilizing an adjustable-end wrench, unscrew the trap cover slowly. Have rags ready for any water that wells up. Remove the cover, bail out and clean the trap. If, water does not well up, snake toward he tub; if water does well up, snake toward he main drain. If you can't reach the clog from the trap, it is probably deeper in he main drain. At this point, you should enlist the services of a specialist plumber.

Leaking Pipes

If your water bill is higher than normal, this might be your first sign of a leaking pipe. You might also hear the sound of running water even when all your fixtures are turned off. When you suspect a leak, check the fixtures first to make sure all the faucets are tightly closed. Then go to the water meter, if you have 1. If the dial is moving, you're losing water somewhere in the system.

Locating the Leak in Your Louisburg & Vicinity Home

The sound of running water will help you. If you hear it, follow it to its source. There are listening devices designed to amplify sounds when held up to a pipe. If water is causing the ceiling to stain or dripping down, the leak is usually directly above. Sometimes, water may move along a joist and then stain or drip at a point some distance from the leak. If water stains a wall, it indicates there is a leak in a section of pipe.

Any wall stain is most times beneath the actual location of the leak and you'll most likely need to remove part of the wall to find it. When there's no sound of running water and without drips or stains as evidence, leaks are harder to locate. Using a flashlight, check all the pipes in the basement or in the crawl space.

Correcting the Leak

If the leak is large, shut off the water right away, either at the fixture shutoff valve or the main shutoff valve. You'll most likely have to replace the leaky portion of the pipe. If your experience working with pipes is limited, you'll probably want to call in a specialist plumber to complete the job. If the leak is small, the best solution is to replace the pipe, there are however, provisional solutions until there's time for the replacement job. These methods work for small leaks only. Clamps should stop most leaks for several months if they're used with a solid rubber blanket. It is a smart idea to buy a sheet of rubber padding, as well as some clamps sized to fit your pipes at a hardware store and keep them in your home for this use.

A sleeve clamp that perfectly fits the pipe diameter works best. Wrap a rubber blanket over the leak and then screw the clamp down over the blanket. An adjustable hose clamp used with a rubber blanket stops a pinhole leak. If nothing else is at hand, use a C-clamp, a small block of wood and a rubber blanket.

When in a bind, try applying epoxy putty around a joint where a clamp won't work. The pipe must be dry for the putty to adhere. Turn off the water provide to the leak and leave the water off until the putty hardens all the way on the pipe. If you don't have a clamp or putty, you can still stop a small leak for the time being by plugging it with a pencil point.