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While most people know about the major parts of their plumbing systems, there are a lot of little things people tend to overlook. As a homeowner, it’s important to have a good understanding of how your plumbing system works so you know how to spot problems when they pop up. The quicker you can spot a problem, the quicker you can call a plumber to get it fixed. If you want to make sure the plumbing system in your home stays in pristine condition, here’s what you need to know about some of the lesser known parts of your plumbing system.
Hose Bibs
When most people think of hoses, they think of them as a sort of attachment to the rest of the plumbing system. After all, you don’t really need a hose attached to your home, do you? While that might be true for some people, hose bibs are a huge part of what plumbers do in terms of installation and maintenance work.
One of the most important things to remember about your hose bibs is the fact that they’re one of the most exposed parts of your entire plumbing system. What this means is that hose bibs pose a huge risk during the winter time when it comes to frozen pipes. Making sure you cover your hose bib can save you thousands in water damage and water bills, so it’s a good idea to drain them out and cover them before it gets cold every year.
Another thing you need to remember about hose bibs is that they have to run through an exterior wall in your home. Wherever you have a hose bib running, a professional has to punch a hole in the wall to run it. It’s important to make sure you’re choosing a good location where it’s both easy to run a hose bib and you don’t have to worry about damaging anything else inside the wall. A plumber can help you choose a good spot for your hose bib.
Main Shutoff Valves
Perhaps the most important part of your entire plumbing system when it comes to preventing major water damage is the main shutoff valve. Your main shutoff valve allows you to cut off water to your home in the event that you’ve got a busted pipe or some other severe leak that needs to be stopped right away. This doesn’t just make repairs easier, it can save you thousands of dollars in water damage and water bills.
The big problem with main shutoff valves is that a lot of homeowners simply don’t know where they are. While there are basic guidelines for where you can find a main shutoff valve, every home is a little bit different. The best thing you can do is take the time to figure out where your main shutoff valve is or have a plumber come to your home and locate your main shutoff valve for you, that way you know how to shut it off in case of an emergency.
If you don’t want to shut water off to your entire Rockwall, TX, home during an emergency, you can have shutoff valves installed on individual fixtures in your home. That way, you can simply have shut off water to a single fixture so you don’t have to interrupt the whole house. If you want to make it a little bit more convenient to deal with plumbing emergencies, you should talk to your plumber about this when they’re running pipe or installing a fixture in your home.
Faucets
Most people think of things like showers and toilets when they think of quality fixtures, but every little plumbing piece you add to your home makes a big difference. If you want to change the way your bathroom or kitchen feels when it comes to water, there’s no better way to do that than to invest in a good faucet.
One of the big benefits of getting a new faucet is the fact that you get additional features. A plumber can help you find a faucet for your home that has a built-in sprayer, touchless controls or any of the other features you’re looking for.
Another thing that’s great about getting a new faucet is that it generally gives you a big boost in water pressure. If you feel like your faucet isn’t quite putting out enough water, a new faucet can fix the problem for you.
Pipes
Everybody knows that pipes are a huge part of plumbing, but only plumbers know how much a pipe upgrade can make a difference in an older home. The fact of the matter is, there are a lot of homes with old pipes that simply aren’t made to stand up to the test of time. This is even worse when you consider the fact that plumbers used to use a lot of different pipe materials back in the day.
If your home was built a long time ago and you haven’t had the pipes replaced, now would be a good time to invest in a repiping. Not only do brand new pipes ensure you don’t have to spend money on pipe repairs in the near future, they give you the water pressure and quality you want in your home.
A Little Help
At the end of the day, there’s only so much you can do as a homeowner to take care of your plumbing system. However, knowing about some of the different fixtures and other plumbing system parts can help a lot when it comes to keeping your plumbing system in good shape.
If you want to make sure the pipes and fixtures in your Rockwall, TX, home are always good to go, you need to hire a plumber from bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of Northeast Dallas. No matter what your plumbing problem is, we can fix it. Give us a call today at (972) 483-2583 to schedule an appointment.
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