PHD Plumbing

Plumbing FAQ's (Frequently Asked Questions)

Q) High water pressure :- My plumber says the water pressure in my house is high (110psi).
Is this really an issue ?
A) High water pressure contributes to most plumbing problems, high gas bills, higher water bills and in some cases flood damage. Burst washing machine hoses are the leading cause for household floods and high pressure is the leading cause of burst hoses. The maximum pressure in your home should not exceed 80psi (as per Most State Plumbing Codes).
There are a number of reasons for high water pressure, geographical low points or distance from a water pumping facility, may be a factor. Whatever the reason, this problem is very costly. Water pressure has an effect on the flow rate of every plumbing fixture in your home. Consider how many times per day your kitchen faucet is used. Just saving half a gallon per minute every time faucets or a shower is used, will reduce your yearly water bills by 15%. Since water takes longer to boil under pressure, gas or electric bills are reduced by approximately 5% after installing a pressure regulator valve (pressure reducer) on your water main.

Q) Water Heater Flooding :- How do I prevent flooding in my finished basement when my water heater fails ?
A) Water heaters generally last 6 to 15 years depending on the make, model, water pressure, usage and warrantee. A water heater usually never gives any warning of failure and some just crack open, spewing hundreds of gallons of water into your basement. The best prevention against water damage from water heater failure is the "FLOOD MASTER" device. Flood Master is a plug in solenoid device which is mounted on the water supply to your water heater. A sensor is placed either on the floor beside the water heater or in a pan under the water heater. Once water hits the sensor an alarm will sound and the solenoid valve will turn the water feed to the off position.

Q) Basement Bathroom :- Can I install a basement bathroom in my house ?
A) The most challenging part of basement bathrooms, as with any plumbing project is the ventilation piping. Plumbers will tell you there are four parts of a plumbing system 1= water, 2= drainage 3 = venting and 4 =venting. Most Basement bathrooms are below the building drain (sewer main) and will require a pump chamber to collect the refuse and pump it up into the building drain (sewer main). The pump chamber will needs to be vented to remove negative pressures and odors, as too will the new plumbing fixtures. Your plumber will need to tie all the basement venting into your existing plumbing vents, six inches above the highest plumbing fixture in the building or into an existing vent in your basement which is already set up this way. Basement bathrooms are possible, but be prepared for a sizable project especially if your house is not equipped with a future vent.

Q) Water Main Shut Off Valve :- How do I shut off all the water to my house, if I have a plumbing emergency ?
A) Your water main will most likely be located in the basement at the front of the house, either mounted on your foundation wall or coming through the basement floor. The pipe will be connected to your water meter and have a shutoff valve before and sometimes after the meter. Try to brace the piping as best you can when operating the shutoff valve as older piping tend to snap/sheer off at the concrete/penetrating surface. Please don't hesitate and call your plumber or your City DPW (Department Of Public Works), if water continues running at full force after 90 seconds of shutting the main water valve. Some shutoff valves do fail after being in service for many years.

Q) Ground Water :- I get some water in my basement during heavy rain. How do I stop this from happening ?
A) The most economical plumbing solution would be to first install a sump pump system approximately two feet below the grounds surface, in a the area were water is often found and if this does not remedy the problem ask your plumber about installing a perimeter drain system. The perimeter drain system is installed by cutting open the concrete floor around the inside perimeter of your basement walls and installing drainage pipe and stone. The drainage pipe is installed in the direction of the sump pump system, so if water were to rise through any part of the foundation, it will be removed before getting to the level of the finished concrete floor.
Ground water is very common in areas were the water tables are high, water tables in the ground will rise during heavy rain storms and also when snow melting occurrence is rapid.

Drain Cleaning FAQ'S (Frequently Asked Questions)

Q) Clogged Drains :- What is causing my kitchen drain to clog-up so often ?
A) Most kitchen sinks these days are equipped with garbage disposers (disposals). This leads the belief that garbage should go down the drainage system, hence overloading the drainage system with refuse. Try using your garbage disposer for the necessary duties only, like scraps left on plates and always remember to use two parts water for one part solid. There are other contributing factors to drains clogging, such as natural build up of soap-scum, dirt and hair (drain grease). These are mostly prevented by using a monthly drain treatment.

Q) Tree Roots :- How did tree roots get in my sewer system.
A) Tree roots in sewer mains (building drains) are quite common, even more so during dry seasons. A trees rooting system is always in search of water and nutrients, so if your buried sewer main has the smallest of cracks. The root system will find it and in most cases enlarge the crack in order to get more of its root system in that drain. Once you have tree roots growing in your sewer main your guaranteed to have them return every two to four years if left untreated. The best way to keep these roots at bay is by firstly, having a professional remove them and then treating the drainage system with a Root Destroyer. The best way to completely eradicate this problem would be to install new PVC piping from the house, to the street.

Q) Liquid Drain Opener :- Were do I find plumbers strength liquid drain acid.
A) Plumbing supply companies sell strong liquid acid formulas. These formula are only sold to licensed plumbers who are insured against damages and are equipped to repair piping, in the event acid formulas eat through old steel piping or soften the joints on PVC fittings. We recommend cleaning drains the old fashioned way by using a snake, rod, pressure or plunger. Our company promotes the use of organic or environmentally safe products, such as bacterial enzymatic liquids (ProClean). Used during a maintenance regiment, ProClean is proven to convert grease and organic buildup into carbon dioxide and water.

Q) Water Heater Flooding :- How do I prevent flooding in my finished basement when my water heater fails ?
A) Water heaters generally last 6 to 15 years depending on the make, model, water pressure, usage and warrantee. A water heater usually never gives any warning of failure and some just crack open, spewing hundreds of gallons of water into your basement. The best prevention against water damage from water heater failure is the "FLOOD MASTER" device. Flood Master is a plug in solenoid device which is mounted on the water supply to your water heater. A sensor is placed either on the floor beside the water heater or in a pan under the water heater. Once water hits the sensor an alarm will sound and the solenoid valve will turn the water feed to the off position.

Q) Hot Water From Steam Boiler :- I currently have a tankless water heater connected to my boiler which has failed. Do I have to replace the tankless coil, as my oil professional suggested, or do I have options ?
A) Tankless coils work well when new, but still supply a fluctuating temperature. Over time coils get clogged up with sediment or encrusted with minerals reducing the heat transference. Replacing the coil is one of a couple reliable options, depending on a variety of factors.
My personal favorite solution to this common problem, is installing an indirect water heater (Superstor, Amtrol etc) off the steam boiler with a separate loop. Recovery is super quick, especially in the winter when the boiler is at its peak performance.

Heating FAQ's (Frequently Asked Questions)

Q) Leaking pipe :- Why is the pipe attached to my boiler leaking ?
A) The pipe your referring to is most likely attached to the pressure relief valve, and is leaking because it has reached it's blow-off point (pressure over 30psi). This is a safety device which is designed to keep the boiler from reaching pressures above 30psi. High pressure combined with high temperatures will result in an explosion, at this point I’d recommend shutting off the water & power to your boiler and giving us a call.

Q) Boiler maintenance :- How often should I have my boiler cleaned ?
A) Gas fired boilers should be serviced and cleaned every five to seven years and oil fired boilers should be serviced and cleaned every second year. All boilers should have mechanical parts such as pressure regulator, backflow-preventor, pressure relief valve, and expansion tank replaced every twelve to fifteen years.

Q) Radiant heat:- I want to install radiant heat in my basement. Is this possible without having to rip-up the concrete floor ?
A) Any installation of radiant flooring which keeps the tubing off the concrete is recommended and preferred. Some of our best installations of radiant heat have been done in basements, using a floating floor system which acts as both a vapor barrier and an insulator, we install a slotted radiant track which provides even heat to the entire area. Below are some pictures of a section of radiant flooring in which antifreeze was needed (note the red color in the tubing) for a separate section of the heating system which was exposed to the elements on a four season deck.

Q) Frozen baseboard:- I have a section of baseboard in a four season porch which freezes up occasionally. How do I prevent this from happening ?
A) The first and most cost efficient way of keeping any part of your heating system from freezing would be to pump anti-freeze (non toxic solution) into the heating system. With the exception of systems containing Aluminum, CPVC and Galvanized Steel. Most anti-freeze solutions will even protect the metals in your heating system against corrosion and lubricate moving parts. This solution should last up to 6-7 years depending on the size of your heating system. Whether you have freeze-up problems or a fully functional heating system that has never frozen up, I would recommend anti-freeze to all homeowners with radiant (hot water) heating systems. Since mechanical items such as circulators, gas valves, etc break down at the most inopportune times, anti-freeze is your insurance policy against high repair costs of burst, frozen piping & boilers.
The second solution to your problem is to create a seperate zone just for that four season room, by adding a switching relay to your boiler and rerouting the piping going to and coming from the radiators. This room can now be controlled by its own thermostat.

Gas Fitting FAQ's (Frequently Asked Questions)

Q) Gas Smell :- I smell gas when I go into my basement, but the smell goes away after a while. What could this be ?
A) Most of your high output appliances such as furnaces, boilers and water heaters are located in the basement. Pilot tubes on these appliances are the most common to have small leaks, however small leaks in old gas piping is not uncommon. Either way, this problem is not one which comes and goes. Your presence in the basement is moving the air around which makes the gas dilute with the air, making it seem as if the problem is gone. There is no such thing as a good gas leak, so get your gas company or gas professional out as soon as possible to locate and repair the problem.

Q) Oil to Gas Change Over :- I currently have oil and would like to change over to gas. How do I go about doing this ?
A) Call your gas supplier first to confirm that your street has a gas supply line. Keep in mind, most gas companies have incentive programs for new gas changeovers and rebate programs for certain gas appliances.