Fresh tap water and bathroom use on demand are possible thanks to indoor plumbing. First introduced in the early 20th century, indoor plumbing has become an essential part of modern life. Like any system, indoor plumbing systems require continual maintenance and repairs in order to keep costs low and avoid the need for extensive repairs in the long run. Here are some tips from licensed plumbers to cut down on your water bill and ensure that your plumbing lines are secure.
The Cost of Ignored Plumbing
At any given time, a majority of U.S. homes are experiencing some form of water loss that is costing homeowners more money than it should. It is estimated that the average household wastes over 10,000 gallons of water in a single year; with that water a homeowner could wash up to 270 loads of laundry. In total, America experiences over 1 trillion gallons of wasted water every year thanks to leakage. The typical leaking faucet that drips at as slow of a rate of one drop every minute has the potential to waste hundreds of gallons of water every month; likewise a crack in a pipe as little as one-eighth of an inch has the potential to spew out over 250 gallons of water in a single day. By taking measures to fix these typical household leaks, homeowners can save around 10% on their water bills annually.
Trees Verses Pipes
One of the biggest threats for indoor plumbing systems are the tree’s in one’s yard. Since most pipes laid down prior to the 1980s were constructed using clay, they are vulnerable to corrosion and destruction from tree roots in their search for moisture. Although slow moving, tree roots can penetrate sewer lines, causing significant leaks and eventual water loss amounting to hundreds of dollars over time. In many cases, homeowners are completely unaware that their pipes are at risk: in actuality, tree roots can reach out up to three times the diameter of a tree’s canopy. Homeowners with tree roots in their sewer lines can experience backflow if a line is completely clogged — backflow can pose some serious health concerns, making it one of the most serious plumbing problems homeowners can experience.
Sewer Replacement Services
To remedy serious plumbing problems, many homeowners have little choice but to contact plumbing services to repair or replace damaged sewer lines. Modern sewer pipes no longer use clay, but instead use PVC plastic that is significantly more resistant to pesky tree roots and corrosion. As a general rule of thumb, homeowners with sewer pipes that are older than 40 years old are recommended to have their sewer pipes professionally inspected to ensure there are no breaches and water loss. Traditional plumbing repairs and replacements required significant excavation to remedy plumbing problems; thankfully yard destruction can be avoided with the introduction of trenchless sewer repair and replacement methods. Trenchless methods require a small amount of excavation to access one end of a pipe; afterwards plumbers use different processes like pipe bursting to replace a pipe, or a cured in place pipe to repair an existing line. Both of these trenchless methods utilize the existing pipeline as a guide to either coat the existing line with a resin to repair it or burst the existing pipe with a piston while simultaneously laying down a new pipe. Trenchless sewer repair and replacements typically cost up to 150% more than traditional repair methods, but many homeowners see it as a better value since they do not need to pay for costly landscaping repairs.