While water is essential to human life, it is can also be one of the most destructive forces around your home. A robust flood can literally wipe your home away in seconds. But even something as simple as a small water leak can also begin to destroy your home. The Grand Canyon is a testament to the power and tenacity of water.

Water Leaks And Your Home

Water leaks can and will damage almost every aspect of your home if leaf unrepaired. The water will be absorbed by the drywall and wood in your home to promote harmful mold growth, and eventually to degrade these parts of your home. Also, the force of water can wash away the soil that is supporting the very foundation of your home. When this happens, the weight of your house will begin to crumble the foundation. At that point, your home is no longer a safe place for you and your family.

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Every homeowner has invested some time in DIY projects in an effort to save some money. After all, every household runs on a budget. Why not save where you can, to splurge where you want to. Many of us have invested an afternoon in a basic repair so that the money can be better spent on a night on the town, a great dinner or tickets to a sporting event. But when the issue involves your home’s plumbing, take a moment to consider all of the things that could go wrong and cost you a considerable amount of money.

It Only Looks Simple

You crawl under your kitchen sink only to discover that there is a tiny drip coming from a water line. But the drip appears to be coming from a threaded fitting, so you begin to smile. A trip out to the garage to grab a wrench, and you will have this drip fixed in no time. But after a slight turn of the fitting, the drip is still taunting you. However, you are sure that one more twist with a little more force will get the job done. You tighten your grip and make one last yank to tighten the fitting. Instead of stopping the drip, you have now broken another fitting loose, and water is flowing out like a fire hose.

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An earthquake shut off valve is a small valve that attaches to your gas meter and closes in the event of an earthquake emergency. Once the valve is shut, there is no longer a gas supply running into your home or building. There are two different types of mechanisms. The first is a Seismic shut off valve, which is activated when it detects an earthquake of 5.1 or higher. The second is an excess-flow valve. This unit is triggered to close when it senses a gas leak or overpressure surge in a gas line.

The simple truth is that this tiny device could save your life and the lives of everyone in your home or building. They are so reliable and critical to the safety of residents that the State of California requires an earthquake shut off valve to be installed on every building constructed after 2000. For around $100, you can purchase this lifesaving device for any home that was built before 2000 and know that you are now protected from gas explosions triggered by an earthquake.

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Fortunately, some of the most annoying little defects around your home are the simplest to fix. A squeaking door hinge just needs a little oil, a new rubber washer can stop a dripping hose, and double-sided tape is a quick fix for a loose corner on vinyl tile. But is it really that simple to fix that uber annoying loose handle on your toilet? The answer is a resounding, yes!

A Simple Fix

While it might appear to be a serious issue, after all, it does operate the critical flushing action, fixing a loose toilet handle is a 5-minute job. And the only tool that you need is an adjustable wrench. Once you have your wrench and an old rag, turn off the water to the toilet. This is done with the valve that is behind the toilet and often very close to the floor.

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Tankless water heaters are definitely the new technology when it comes to hot water for your home. Most of us grew up with the standard model water heater with a large holding tank. That is what we know and what we trust. But there are many reasons to consider upgrading your traditional water heater to a tankless model.

Dangerously Hot Water

Traditional water heaters cannot always provide a consistent temperature for your hot water. And while you might think of this as just a minor inconvenience, it could become hazardous. The process is known as thermal stacking, and it occurs when water is pulled from the tank in short repetitive bursts. The water at the top of the tank is overheated due to the constant influx of cold water at the base of the tank. The result is super-heated water coming out of a faucet or, even worse, a showerhead. The danger comes in when a child is unaware of this process and is severely burned by the hot water. A tankless water heater always maintains constant and safe water temperature.

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In the past, you never really thought about what was coming out of the tap when you turned on your water. It was most people’s only source of water to drink, cook with and bathe. But in the last few years, more media coverage has been focused on what is in tap water. In many disturbing cases, it is far more than just the clean, pure water that you want to drink or use for cooking. But the question is, what clues should you be looking for to know that there is a severe issue with your tap water? Below are three critical signs that you have a problem.

Your Water Tastes Like Metal

This might sound very scary, but it is actually a prevalent issue, especially in older homes. When your water has a faint or even strong metallic taste, the reason is that there are tiny metal flakes in the water. This can be the result of old metal pipes that are rusted or corroded. As the water flows through the pipes, tiny pieces of metal are sheared off and float in your water.

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There are many reasons that you might be in the market for a new water heater. The most common reason is that your current water heater is no longer working and/or is old and begin to show signs that it will not be around much longer. Another common reason to be researching water heaters is that you are not satisfied with your current water heater. And yet another reason for a water heater purchase is that you are building a new home. All of these reasons and a few other pieces of key information will help you to decide how to select the best new water heater to meet your needs, so you’re ready when you contact a trusted local plumber.

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Most consumers can estimate their water bill amount very accurately because their usage is fairly consistent. But when you open your water bill only to discover a number that is far more than normal, your first thought is that this must be some type of error on the part of your water provider. But in most cases, this is no error. It is a reality check that is telling you to take a very close look at your home. Often, this large water bill is due to a drastic increase in your water usage. And unless you just filled a new swimming pool in your backyard, chances are, that you have a pretty major plumbing issue somewhere on your property.

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Just as the name implies, a plumbing inspection is a service provided by a licensed plumber who will come to your home and inspect all of the various facets of your plumbing system. In most cases, the inspection starts at the meter coming off of the city main and continues on through your yard and home and back out to where your drain connects to the city sewer system. Most often, this is a service that is requested when you are thinking about buying a new home and want to know that the house has good plumbing, or when you are about to sell your home and want to know that there are no issues that could hold up an offer on your place.

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Most homeowners are not at all familiar with all of the pipes, fittings, and fixtures that make up the plumbing system in their homes. And that is because all we really want to know is that when we turn on a faucet or shower, we are going to get water. But there can be times when your plumbing is trying to tell you something very, VERY important. And the message is that you have a leak in your home somewhere. So understanding a few simple hints can save you a great deal of time, money, and frustration.

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