Water Leak Causes in a Home

Basement Leaks

A leaking into a basement is generally caused by some form of drainage problem outside the home, and not with anything underneath or inside the basement itself.   Poor drainage outside can easily penetrate floors and walls, causing water damage and annoying leaks.

Basements can leak because the soil surrounding the foundation and the walls of a basement has become overly saturated.  Often this occurs after a long rainy season, and particularly if it was preceded by a drought.

1. A common cause of basement is leaks might have to do with the gutter system. Old and poorly installed gutters tend to promote pooling water; and cause a build-up of standing water around the foundation of a home. The water will leak into a basement, eventually penetrating the walls and causing serious damage.
2. If water doesn't have a direction in which to flow, it will settle against the foundation of a home and find its way into the lowest chamber: the basement. There should be a small grade of slope from a home to the street, allowing for smooth water flow.

Increase the chances of stopping leaks in a basement by decreasing the amount of water that comes near a home.  If the basement is still leaking after checking these items, it’s good to consult a plumber. The reason for the leaks might be in your interior plumbing rather than from an outside source.

Water Leaks

Leaks from pipes, plumbing fixtures and fittings can be a huge source of water waste for many households.  

Research has shown that the typical home can lose 2,000 to 20,000 gallons (7.6 m³ to 76 m³) of water per year due to some kind of leak. Some leaks are obvious, such as dripping faucets and leaking water heaters. However, many leaks go undetected for years because the source of the leak is not visible.

• Whole House Meter Check for Leaks

Larger leaks or a combination of small leaks can often be detected by a simple water meter test. Here are the simple steps:

1.       Make sure all water is turned off inside and outside the home.  This test must be performed when no automatic water equipment is used, such as irrigation controllers, clothes washers, dishwashers, etc.

2.       Record the reading of the water meter, and wait 15 minutes. Be certain no water is used during this time.

3.       Record the reading of the meter again. If the meter has recorded water use during the test, it might be due to a leak. Verify that the water use is not due to small appliances such as water filters, water softeners, or whole house humidifiers.

The meter test verifies large leaks. This test does not verify small leaks that exist within the home.  Additionally, when leaks are detected, this test does not indicate the location of the leaks. Further investigation is needed to detect and locate all significant leaks.

• Water Supply Line Leaks

Sometimes there are leaks between the meter and the home, in the water supply line.  These leaks are often difficult to detect because the supply pipe is usually buried at least 3 feet (.91 m) below the ground. Sometimes the leaking water will travel along the pipe, and back to the meter. If the meter box contains water, and the water is not due to rain or irrigation run-off, this may be an indicator there is a leak in the supply line. Another common exit point for the leaking water might be where the supply line rises above the ground and/or enters the house. If the soil is constantly damp at this location it might indicate a leak. In the case of a severe leak, the water will seep towards the ground surface, usually directly above the path of the underground pipe.  Most often, leaks between the meter and the house are the responsibility of the homeowner; leaks from the meter or pipes leading from the main to the meter are the responsibility of the water utility. The water utility should be contacted before any attempt to repair the water supply pipe. If the utility deems the leak to be the responsibility of the homeowner, a professional licensed plumber should perform all repair work. 

• Faucet, Shower, and Tub Leaks

Faucet leaks are a common occurrence and usually simple to repair.  A faucet dripping slowly at only one drop every two seconds will waste more than 1,000 gallons (3.7 m³) per year.   The repairs necessary to stop the leak depends on the type of faucet, and there are four basic types found in most homes:  compression valve, ball types, cartridge types, and ceramic discs.  Each type of faucet has unique methods of repair.

• Toilet Leaks

Toilets are one the most common sources of leaks in the home, and usually go unnoticed because the leaks are often silent and out of view.  Several research studies have found 20% to 35% of all residential toilets leak to some degree. Large toilet leaks can be detected when the valve constantly emits a hissing or gurgling sound when the toilet is not in use.

Don't Use Hot Water for Food Prep or Drinking Water

You might be tempted to cook your pasta with hot tap water since it boils faster. Unfortunately it is bad for your health. The reason being lead.
 Hot Water is more likely to leach the heavy metal from your plumbing pipes. In 1986 using solder for pipe joints was banned, however, brass plumbing parts might contain a bit of lead as well. Today Plumbing parts legally considered lead-free may contain up to 8% lead. This means chances are you don't have lead-free plumbing.
So what's the big deal? It has been proven that too much lead in the body can cause serious damage to the brain, kidneys, nervous system, and red blood cells.  It's especially bad for pregnant women and children.  

     The EPA recommends  not using water taken from the hot tap for cooking or drinking, and especially not for making baby formula. If hot water is needed, draw water from the cold tap and heat it on the stove. If a faucet hasn't been used for at least six hours, "flush" all the water that has been sitting in the pipes. This procedure can take anywhere from five seconds to two minutes. it is "flushed" when the water stops getting colder.   

     On January 4, 2014 Federal Law mandates the wetted surface of every pipe, fixture, and fitting sold for or installed in potable water applications not contain more than 0.25% lead by weight.  If you have any questions regarding this matter, please feel free to email our office:  www.cartersmyplumber.com

Jamie & Lisa Carter attend the World Plumbing Council Meeting in Ann Arbor, MI

"The mission of the World Plumbing Council is to provide the role of plumbing in improving public Ralph and safeguarding the environment, by uniting the World Plumbing Industry, for the benefit if all."

"Good plumbing can and does make a difference in many aspects if our day to day lives. While most people in developed countries tend to take the provision if wholesome drinking water and sanitation services for granted, it was not too long ago that general health in these countries improved dramatically when such services were first effectively provided."

1.1 billion people do not have access to safe water.

2.6 billion people do not have access to acceptable sanitation.

6000 children die every day fri. Water related diseases.  

Good plumbing systems could help to improve these tragic statistics dramatically and Jamie and Lisa Carter have joined the World Plumbing Council to learn how they can participate in improving plumbing conditions around the world.   

The entire world is affected by climate change and the unceasing pressures on our natural resources through demand for fossil fuels and shortages of potable water.  The plumbing industry is at the foremost of moves towards increasing energy efficiency and the use of renewable sources of energy. Water conservation is also a major issue in which the plumbing industry is involves in many countries. 

Fall Plumbing Maintenance Checklist, by Jamie Carter, Certified Plumbing Engineer

Winterizing your Home's Plumbing is an Essential part of Prevention, which will save time and money.

Winterizing your home’s plumbing in the fall will save you from potential expensive winter repairs. Jamie Carter, Certified Plumbing Engineer, has been doing plumbing for over 30 years, and he’s created a checklist of fall plumbing maintenance that will help protect your home for the winter. This simple checklist is for homeowners. If you are a snowbird and winterizing a home that will be vacant for a long period of time, you will need to take further precautions.

·         Fall Plumbing Maintenance: Exposed Pipes
If your home has any exposed plumbing pipes that are used for water they should be wrapped with electrical heating tape, especially with our colder climate in Indiana. Once the pipes have been secured with the electrical heating tape, they should be insulated with foam pipe insulation.

·         Fall Plumbing Maintenance: Exterior Water
All exterior faucets should be shut off during the fall plumbing maintenance process.  It’s important to remove and drain all hoses and drain any open taps. If your home has a sprinkler system, don't forget about shutting it off and draining it as well.   There are three methods to drain water down, manual, automatic, and blow-out. The appropriate method will vary by system and an experienced plumbing professional will know the best process.  

·         Fall Plumbing Maintenance: Hot Water Heater
Hot water heater will freeze based on the location of the unit if exposed to extreme temperatures, and it’s important to take precautionary measures (and also to save money on your water bill), by wrapping the heater tank with an insulating blanket.  If you live in an area where it gets particularly cold, this is definitely recommended before the cold weather hits, it will save you HOT water, and added expense from utilities.

·         Fall Plumbing Maintenance: Miscellaneous
The following items are routine things that should be checked in a home periodically. Leaky faucets are often simple to fix and should be repaired as soon as possible in order to conserve on water usage. It’s important to check the visible as well as the inconspicuous areas like underneath the cabinet as well. Leaks can also occur in the pipes inside the walls.  If you have noticed soft spots on the ceiling or the walls, you may have leaking pipes inside the walls or in the attic. Check all your toilets to be sure they are flushing properly and not running continuously. Also, be sure the toilet is firmly held in place to avoid the risk of falling. If any caulking around showers, tubs, toilets, and sinks is coming loose, peel it all away and re-caulk those areas.  Drains should be inspected for potential back-ups.  Sump pumps should be carefully inspected to prevent pump malfunction and potential flooding.

An ounce of prevention will save you a pound of cure in the long run!  If you don’t have the time, or are unsure of performing this plumbing checklist, please call us and we’ll take care of it for you.  We are offering a Fall Plumbing Maintenance special for $29.  This includes checking all of the items above, along with draining your water heater down to remove calcification and scale build-up.

Plumbing Drain Lines need Probiotic care like Human Intestines

Bio-Clean does similar action to drain lines as probiotics do to human intestines.

by Jamie Carter, President Carter's My Plumber, Licensed Plumbing Contractor, and Certified Plumbing Engineer

Bio-Clean is a plumbing drain product which is a blend of bacteria and enzymes.  The bacteria is natural occurring and not genetically engineered. 

SAFE
It is safe and nonpoisonous.  When it interacts it does not heat up, cause fumes or boil and it does not attack live tissue or inorganic materials.  Bio-Clean is safe enough for people to eat.  It works on organic waste like grease, hair, food particles, paper, cotton and sewage.  It is formulated to change waste particles into water, carbon dioxide and mineral ash which run harmlessly out of a waste system.

WORKS FAST
Bio-Clean is so effective it will start working an hour after pouring the bacteria into the drain.  The bacteria eat their way into the waste that has built up in the lining of drains.  This is bacteria's natural food, and it digests the waste and spreads through the drainage system to clean it completely.

BIO-CLEAN CAN BE USED IN THE FOLLOWING APPLICATIONS:

• All drain and sewer pipes
• Kitchen sinks
• Bath tub drains
• Shower drains
• Floor drains
• Laundry drains
• Septic tanks and drain fields
• Garbage disposal odors
• Grease traps
• Sewage ejector sumps
• Outdoor outhouses and cesspools
• R.V. and boat holding tanks
• Lift Stations
• Cat Litter Boxes
• Horse and Cattle Stalls

BIO-CLEAN IS INEXPENSIVE:

• 100 drain treatments per 2 lb container
• 2 lb container treats 1,000 gallon septic tank
• Eliminates the need to clean grease traps and cable drains
• Eliminates the need to buy dangerous chemicals
• Eliminates the need to buy deodorant blocks for urinals
• No danger to people

HOW TO USE BIO-CLEAN

The bacteria in BIO-CLEAN are dormant while in the jar, but when mixed with water they come to life in about 30 minutes. In the meantime the enzymes break down the waste and are very fast as they work on contact.  When the bacteria revive they are hungry and each one eats its weight of waste every minute - plus, they never sleep! As a result of eating and growing they start to multiply through cell division and they will double every 30 minutes under favorable conditions.

BIO-CLEAN should be mixed with warm (not hot) water and applied when no water will be drained for six to eight hours. This allows some of the bacteria time to embed themselves into the waste so they won't be washed out when water is drained again. Complete instructions are inside each container.




ABOUT CARTER'S MY PLUMBER
Carter’s My Plumber is a local, family-owned, 3^rd generation plumbing business located in Greenwood, Indiana, providing plumbing service to the Indianapolis, Greenwood, Whiteland, Franklin, Bargersville, Trafalgar, Mooresville, Wannamaker, Beech Grove and Southport areas.  Carter’s My Plumber has a special menu of services designed to meet the needs of every homeowner to provide a complete solution to their home’s plumbing system.  With over 30 years of plumbing experience, their trained plumbers meet the plumbing need of every residential and light commercial need. 

What's that Smell coming from your bathroom Sink??

If you notice a foul odor coming from the overflow pipe in your sink, the pipe is probably harboring a layer of gunk and a colony of bacteria. Even though you can't access this pipe as easily as you can access the drain itself, you can still clean it fairly quickly. You might be able to do the job using only household items, but if vinegar and baking soda don't do the trick, try oxygen bleach as a less-toxic alternative to commercial bleach.

1

Combine 1/2 cup of baking soda and 1/4 cup of table salt to make a natural scouring mixture. Pour it down the sink.

2

Pour 1 cup of warm distilled white vinegar down the sink. Wait while it foams, and let it work for 15 minutes. Notice whether any of the mixture emerges through the overflow pipe; it may or may not, depending on the force of the foaming action in the drain. If it doesn't, you are more likely to need the oxygen bleach later.

3

Flush the drain with hot water for 30 seconds. Fill a turkey baster with hot water, and vigorously squirt the water into the overflow pipe to rinse that portion of the drain system as well.

4

Check whether the overflow pipe still smells. If so, the cleaning mixture didn't foam far enough up the pipe to reach the problem. Open a window for ventilation, and fill the turkey baster with oxygen bleach.

5

Insert the tip of the turkey baster into the overflow pipe. Forcefully squirt the oxygen bleach into the pipe. Repeat this three to four times to cover as much of the inside of the pipe as possible. Let the oxygen bleach sit for 15 minutes, or the length of time specified by the manufacturer.

6

Rinse the pipe thoroughly by squirting in hot water with the turkey baster. Dip a cloth in some distilled white vinegar and wipe the inside of the overflow pipe to kill any bacteria living in the mouth of the opening. Allow the vinegar to evaporate.

Green Plumbing Ideas by Jamie & Kelson Carter

Limit water use and eliminate water waste are the fastest way to make a home green-friendly.

The earth has a limited supply of water and a constantly growing use pattern, and adding "green" fixtures and plumbing to your home will save the environment, and save you money.

When most people think of high water use, sinks and toilets are first to come to mind, which are two great places to start, but green plumbing possibilities do not end there. There are several ways to be more responsible and cost effective with your water consumption.

Toilets                                 

Cut water utilization with low flow toilets. There are Dual flow toilets which allow regular flush, or a low flow flush- based on need.  There are also power-flush toilets which use a vacuum suction flush.

Sinks and Showers

All sinks can be fitted with low flow faucets which produce plenty of water for normal use without overloading the system and wasting water. The kitchen sink faucet can be equipped with a hose device for easily turning on water to rinse and automatically shut off the flow when the handle is released. One of the most water wastes of a home is a kitchen sink where water runs constantly during rinsing and washing dishes, pots, and pans.

Sensor operated water flow faucets can be installed in all of the bathrooms to prevent wasting water. The sensor recognizes when a hand is in front of the spigot and turns on and off accordingly.  Sensor operated faucets also help control germs from touching faucets with dirty hands.

Install a low-flow shower-head to control the amount of water used during bathing.

Water Heaters and Other Devices

Water heaters with reservoirs which store large amounts of water and heat it constantly even when there is no demand, not only waste water but huge amounts of energy to heat the container. Tankless water heaters allow hot water to be generated only when called upon and eliminates heating element costs during times water is not being used.

There is the option of installing point of use water heaters. These units do not supply the entire house, but rather specific areas where more hot water may be desired quickly such as showers.

Another alternative is to install a solar powered water heater. This cuts the energy used to heat the water in the containment system.

Leak Detection

If you have an unusually high water bill, you may have a plumbing leak and some common areas to look are the toilet and leaky faucets.  Water leak detection can help locate a leak underground or other hard to find leaks. Some plumbers may offer this service, or have a leak detection specialist they work with.