Black River & Vicinity, Wisconsin Plumbing

Although it may always become necessary to hire a professional Black River & 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 series 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 are not fastened appropriately, this may be the cause. Pipes are as a rule anchored with pipe straps every six to eight feet for horizontal runs, 8 to 10 feet for vertical. If your pipes bang when the water is turned on, it may be necessary to add straps and/or cushion the pipes with a rubber covering. 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 usually 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. Pay attention to a banging water hammer. It can do substantial 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 widely 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 readily available. If these fail to complete the job, you'll have to clear the trap with a snake or cable augur. This is a long, flexible steel cable wound around a spool that is fitted with a hand crank. A closet augur is explicitly 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 much like snaking out a sink trap. If you have a drum trap, first try snaking it clear through the tub overflow. If that doesn't work, bailout all the standing water from the tub. Then, using 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 not reach the clog from the trap, it's 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 may be your first warning of a leaking pipe. You might also hear the sound of running water even when all your fixtures are turned off. When you think there is a leak, check the fixtures first to make sure all the faucets are tightly closed. Then go to the water meter, if you have one. If the dial is moving, you're losing water at some point in the system.

Locating the Leak in Your Black River & Vicinity Home

The sound of running water helps. If you hear it, follow it to its source. There are listening devices made to intensify sounds when held up to a pipe. If water is staining the ceiling or dripping down, the leak is usually directly above. Sometimes, water may travel along a joist and then stain or drip at a point some distance from the leak. If water stains a wall, it's likely there's a leak in a section of pipe.

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

Fixing the Leak

If the leak is major, turn off the water immediately, either at the fixture shutoff valve or the main shutoff valve. You'll probably 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 professional plumber to get the job done. If the leak is small, the best solution is to replace the pipe, there are however, short-term solutions until you have time for the replacement job. These methods work for small leaks only. Clamps will most times stop most leaks for several months if they're used with a solid rubber blanket. It is a good 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 on hand just for this reason.

A sleeve clamp that fits exactly 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 available, use a C-clamp, a small block of wood and a rubber blanket.

When in a pinch, try applying epoxy putty around a joint where a clamp will not work. The pipe has to be dry for the putty to adhere. Turn off the water furnish to the leak and leave the water off until the putty hardens completely on the pipe. If you don't have a clamp or putty, you can still stop a small leak temporarily by plugging it with a pencil point.