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Owning a vacation property, such as a cabin in the woods, is great fun, until the pipes freeze and burst in the winter. Luckily, there are a number of steps that homeowners can take to prepare their plumbing, heating and gas for those long months of winter. These tips will help you preserve your plumbing and prevent freezing temperatures from doing major damage to your property in your absence. Turn off the water supply to the house. The main water valve is usually found at the water meter around the home’s exterior, or in the basement. After turning off the water […]
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Winter’s frigid temperatures can take a toll on your home’s exposed pipes. During periods of extreme cold, these pipes can freeze up and burst, leading to costly water damage. You can reduce the risk of this happening by insulating exposed pipes to prevent them from freezing. Insulating these pipes also helps reduce heat loss and prevents them from sweating, which decreases the risk of moisture damage. This project doesn’t require expensive materials or a lot of time, but it’s important to make sure you do it correctly. Materials To insulate exposed pipes, you’ll need the following: Rag and mild cleaning […]
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Many homeowners take pleasure in completing basic home improvement tasks. Avoiding these common DIY plumbing mistakes will help you maintain your home more effectively and efficiently. Failure to Turn Off the Water Turning off the water is the first step in 90% of most plumbing projects, but it’s also an easy step to forget. Attempting to remove a fixture or fix a pipe before turning off the water can result in a nasty spray of water and a big mess to clean up. The shut off valve for most fixtures can be found on the wall beneath the fixture. Sometimes turning […]
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Your septic tank is a large, waterproof, concrete tank in the yard of your home. The septic tank collects wastewater that has been flushed down drains, showers and toilets. Inside the septic tank sits a layer of sludge on the bottom, scum on top, and relatively clear water sandwiched between. With all that bacteria, grease and other waste from your home buried on your property, you’ll probably notice a variety of smells coming from your septic system over time. Some of these odors are expected, but in general, your septic system should not fill your house with a scent. If […]
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Plumbers provide a service to the public that isn’t easily picked up or learned off of the streets. Plumbing is tough work, but it is also incredibly rewarding. If you’re thinking of getting into the profession, you’re likely well aware of this and the fact that it can be an incredibly lucrative career. But how do you start down this path? Like any profession that requires a high skill level, you’ll need to receive some type of formal training and education before you can become a licensed plumber in Pennsylvania. There are some key decisions you’ll need to make before […]
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