Drip, Drizzle, Deluge!

Uh Oh! Plumbing problems are never any fun and always seem to happen at the worst time! Then you may end up calling several companies trying to find a plumber to help with your emergency and lo and behold everyone is booked. Now you're looking at overtime rates for emergency service or a costly after-hours appointment! Whoa....let's rewind and look at what could have happened to button up this emergency quickly, or prevent it from happening at all.

Here is a little bit of informative plumbing knowledge that can help you to take control of your plumbing maintenance, and be proactive, by avoiding major catastrophe's before they happen.

Following are some important questions that you need to ask yourself so that you know how to prevent a major event, and avoid having a minor leak turn into a huge, damaging flood, or worse, in your home:

1. Do you know your water source?

A water source can be city water, a well, or a septic system. For an informational brochure on water sources in the Grand Valley you can visit: http://www.cliftonwaterdistrict.org/documents/PDF/GVDroughtAndWater_1.pdf

It's important to know where your water comes from so you know who to contact if there is an issue or you need your water shut off at the source.

2. Do you know where your main water shut off is?

In the event of an emergency or major leak, you need to be able to shut off the water quickly to avoid major damage. Hopefully your home has a main water shut off and you know where is and it is accessible. If not, you will need to know your water source so you know who to call to have it shut off. If you don't have a water main shut off on your home, you may want to consider having one installed before you experience a major leak.

3. Do you know where your individual water cut-off valves are?

If your toilet leaks or the garbage disposal breaks and causes your sink to leak underneath, you should have the ability to shut off the water to that fixture until it can be repaired. If you don't have individual cut-off valves, you may want to have them installed to avoid a problem in the future.

4. Are you familiar with your water heater?

There are shut off valves for the water and gas supply, or you may have an electric water heater and you need to know where the breaker or fuse is that supplies power to it. There is a temperature gauge that tells you what your water heater is currently set on and allows you to adjust it. There should also be a drip pan underneath your water heater. On most water heaters there is also a pressure relief valve and an expansion (or overflow) tank that needs to be changed periodically when it gets to capacity.

If you feel you could stand to learn more about these important questions, you can call us and we would be happy to help. We can set up a Service Plus appointment where one of our highly experienced service plumbers can come to your home. During their visit they will:

• Identify your water source.

• Show you where your shut-offs are and advise you if it would be wise to install more.

• Educate you about your water heater, boiler, and other heating/cooling appliances you would like to learn about.

• Check your sinks, tubs & showers, and disposal to make sure you are not having minor leaks or problems that could lead to bigger issues down the road.

• Check your faucets and toilets to make sure they are secure and working properly.

• Check your outside faucets to make sure there are no leaks and they are working properly.

If there are any potential problems or a need to upgrade, your service plumber can advise you early so you can make a plan of action that will meet your budget.

Please call our friendly staff at 970-245-3869 today, or contact us on our website to schedule your appointment.