The pipes in your home are at work all the time. You rely on these pipes to bring clean water to your shower, washing machine, sinks, and more! Hundreds of gallons of water moves through household pipes throughout the day. That’s a lot of water being transported through the pipes.

As you can imagine, over time, all this wear and tear causes pipes to wear out. Eventually, the pipe material thins and causes pipes to start leaking. Sometimes the damage to the pipes is so severe that it causes the pipes to burst.

No one can stop their pipes from wearing out eventually, but the process can be slowed down with some simple maintenance tips. Here are some things you can do to make sure your home’s plumbing in West Covina stays in great shape.

Check the Water Pressure

Water pressure that is too high wears pipes out faster. Ideally, you want your home’s water pressure to stay below 85 psi. If you’re concerned your water pressure is too high, contact a plumber in West Covina, CA to learn more about installing a water pressure gauge.

Avoid Using Chemical Drain Cleaners

Chemical drain cleaners work by eating away at the blockage inside the pipe. The problem with liquid drain cleaners is they don’t know when to stop working. Therefore, besides the clog, they also eat away at the pipe. Using chemical cleaners too often will lead to irreparable damage to pipes.

Fix Leaks

It’s not uncommon for people to ignore small leaks because they don’t seem like a big deal. However, even tiny leaks will eventually wear down connections and cause the fixture or pipe to leak more. Do yourself a favor and fix these problems early to avoid expensive pipe repairs in the future.

Schedule Regular Drain Cleaning

As more and more gunk builds up in a pipe, this puts pressure on the pipe. This will wear out the inside of the pipe. Once this happens, it’s only a matter of time before leaks develop. Regular drain cleaning from professionals can stop this from happening.

Flush Only Toilet Paper

In our experience, too many people use their toilets like trash cans. You shouldn’t flush anything down the toilet other than toilet paper. Even if the packaging says it’s okay to flush the item, such is the case with wet wipes and tampons, the truth is that these items don’t dissolve as quickly as toilet paper. The more debris in the pipe, the more chokepoints there are.

Chokepoints are pressure points that cause pipes to burst or leaky slowly. People who are careful about what they put in their toilets have fewer backups and other plumbing problems.

Residential Pipe Replacement Is Only a Phone Call Away

Sometimes, no matter how careful you are, a pipe can break or develop a slow leak. If you have these problems, contact West Covina Star Plumbing. Our team of licensed plumbers in West Covina will help you figure out the next step when your pipes have reached the end of their lifespan.

Call us today to learn more about upgrading or replacing your home’s pipes!

Here at West Covina Star Plumbing we get this question often. Our customers are worried that sediment has built up in their pipes and could threaten their plumbing system. This is a legitimate concern and one we want to address with you today.

Here are some things every homeowner needs to know about sediment.

Sediment and Hard Water

There’s a belief that only households with hard water can develop sediment. The truth is that all water from municipal systems and personal well systems can have higher amount of calcium and magnesium. These are the minerals that form sediment.

Most municipal water systems remove minerals from the water supply, but sometimes particles get through and make their way into your home. These minerals aren’t harmful to you, but they can leave ugly rust-colored stains inside toilets, on bathtub and shower walls, and in sinks. The minerals also have an effect on your water-using appliances like the dishwasher, the washing machine, and the water heater.

Some home have a higher concentration of calcium and magnesium than others. So, you might notice your hard water more than someone else.

The bottom line is that all households are at risk of sediment buildup.

How Sediment Affects Your Plumbing System

First, let’s talk about how sediment affects your water heating system. Tank water heaters hold 40 gallons or more of water all the time. When this water has sediment in it, it will harden and fall to the bottom of the tank. Eventually, this will affect the burning elements and other parts of the water heater.
You can make sure sediment buildup doesn’t become a problem by draining and flushing your water heater once a year.

Sediment also builds up in pipes and can cause corrosion and pinhole leaks in metal piping. It can also cause backups in metal and plastic piping. The pressure from large clogs can also cause the pipes to burst.

Fixing Sediment Issues

There are two ways to deal with sediment problems. The first is to install a water softener. This plumbing appliance conditions the water using salt to keep calcium and magnesium from building up in the system. It’s an affordable option that works well for many households.

The second option is to install a whole-house filtration system. This system doesn’t condition the water. Instead, it filters the minerals from the water. It’s a wonderful option for all size homes, but does cost more than water softener installation.

Let Us Help You!

You have every reason to be concerned about sediment in your plumbing system. Over time, sediment buildup ends up costing you money and can damage many parts of your home’s plumbing. To learn more about your options, call West Covina Star Plumbing. We’ll go over your options and help you find an affordable solution.

Your home’s sewer pipe is what joins the city’s main sewer line to your home’s waste removal system. If this line needs to be replaced, you could easily be looking at a couple of thousand dollars. While average sewer pipe replacement in West Covina is around $2300, if the cracked line is beneath a driveway or street the cost can skyrocket quickly launching you into the $10,000+ range.

Those are scary numbers. Most homeowners don’t have the savings set aside to pay for such an expensive repair. Even if you do have the money, do you really want to spend it on sewer replacement? Luckily, thanks to technology, homeowners have more affordable options for sewer repairs. While this is still a hefty job – financially and physically, speaking – there are ways to ease the financial burden.

Trenchless Sewer Line Replacement Is Cost-Effective

The reason that sewer pipe replacement in West Covina and surrounding neighborhoods is so expensive is because the excavation process is intense. Plumbing companies that use traditional sewer repair and replacement methods often tear up large sections of driveways, backyards, basements, etc., to locate the damaged area and then make repairs.

Excavation is labor-intensive. Any sort of plumbing issue that involves so much labor is going to cost a fortune. West Covina Star Plumbing tries to avoid unnecessary excavation at all costs. We advise homeowners to consider trenchless sewer line replacement whenever possible because it is a procedure that can repair or replacement sections of piping without unnecessary digging. This type of repair uses cured-in-place-pipe lining methods (CIPP). It’s not an option for every single sewer line issues, but we encourage our customers to discuss this option with their licensed plumber to see if their problem can be solved in this manner.

Sewer Drain Cleaning Saves Money

Many sewer line problems are due to obstructions that have cracked the piping. These clogs could be years of waste formation or tree roots that have grown into the pipe. Homeowners who have regular sewer drain cleaning service often experience fewer problems that require sewer pipe replacement.

To learn more about sewer pipe repair and replacement, contact your local West Covina plumber. At West Covina Star Plumbing, we offer same-day service, guaranteed workmanship, and affordable plumbing service designed to provide value without sacrificing quality.

The toilets in our homes are used frequently throughout the day. It’s not surprising that these are the plumbing fixtures that wear faster and more frequently than any other in the home. Toilets clog, but they also leak. Sometimes these leaks are obvious while other times a leak may go unrealized for quite some time. Here are some things you need to know about toilet leak repair and when to call a plumber.

Is Your Toilet Running Nonstop?

A running toilet or a toilet that experiences phantom flushing is a leaking toilet. This fact is surprising to many people because you there isn’t water on the floor or coming from the toilet. The kind of leak that is happening is between the toilet’s tank and the bowl. Usually, the best way to solve this problem is to inspect the interior toilet parts. Most likely the flush-valve, the chain, or the flapper is the culprit. Fixing a running toilet is important so that you don’t waste water and spend more money on utility costs.

Toilet Repair Service for Broken Seals

The toilet in your bathroom is sealed tightly where it meets the floor. When this seal gets old, or if the toilet wasn’t installed correctly, water from the toilet can get pass the seal and create a soppy mess on the bathroom floor. You want to take action and call a plumber for toilet leak repair in West Covina as soon as possible. Ignoring the problem or continuing to keep towels around the affected area isn’t a solution. When toilets leak at their bases, the water can get into the subfloor and lead to rot that can be expensive to repair.

If you’re concerned about a leaky toilet, give West Covina Star Plumbing a call to learn more about toilet leak repair performed by licensed plumbers near you .

While many homeowners know how to deal with minor plumbing issues like blocked toilets and clogged shower drains, there are some problems that require the services of a professional plumber. The main sewer line is an integral part of the plumbing system in your home, so a problem there can have severe implications on the entire building. As sewer line repair and maintenance experts, West Covina Star Plumbing works with clients throughout the West Covina area to overcome clogs, breaks and other sewer issues.

Why Choose Us for Plumbing Repairs and Maintenance?

As a licensed and bonded company, we are fully equipped and certified to conduct sewer line repairs, replacement and troubleshooting for your home’s system. Our technicians have plenty of experience dealing with all kinds of problems, so you can rely on them to identify the issue and come up with an effective solution appropriate for your needs.

As a local company in the West Covina area, we value the opportunity to work with each and every client. Our plumbers take extra steps to keep your home clean and preserve the safety of your property even in the face of daunting plumbing problems. We work quickly and efficiently to deliver quality results that you can depend on in the days ahead.

Get a Free Estimate or Schedule Emergency Services Right Now!

We know that homeowners need their toilets and sinks to be working all day, every day. They serve essential roles in daily life, so you can’t afford to go without them for an extended period of time. That’s why we offer 24/7 emergency sewer line repair services to all of our local customers. If you are struggling with a pressing problem, you can contact us at any time to schedule an urgent appointment to get your system back online.

We want to give you the best results possible for a fair price, so don’t hesitate to request a no obligation estimate for your planned project. Our plumbers will do their best to assess the situation and give you all the information you need to make the right decision regarding your home.

Are you renovating your home in the near future? If you’re making changes to an area of your home with existing plumbing like a bathroom, kitchen, bathroom, or unfinished basement, there are a couple of plumbing issues that you’ll want to address during the process.

Change Out Old Plumbing

Do you own an older home? Homes built several decades ago may be oozing charm, but the piping may be at risk of dripping water. Older homes tend to have water pipes made from ineffective material. Replacing these pipes to meet today’s standards can help you circumvent leaks and water damage. When plumbing is exposed during construction, ask a licensed plumber to inspect the pipes for signs of excessive wear and tear, deterioration, and other issues. Re-piping may not be exciting, but it will add value to your home and benefit your renovation.

Swap Out Old Fixtures

Are you updating a bathroom or adding a new one? Whether you’re giving your bathroom a fresh coat of paint or repositioning its major components, consider modernizing old fixtures with newer energy-efficient ones. Energy-efficient bathroom fixtures likes sink and bathtub faucets, showerheads, and even toilets are more affordable than ever and have the ability to conserve thousands of gallons of water in a single year.

Shopping tip: Look for WaterSense fixtures that meet EPA standards for low-flow usage. These products do not reduce performance and you may even qualify for rebates or tax incentives. Give us a call! [insert company name] can help decide which fixtures meet this criterion.

These are only two of many plumbing changes you may want to think about when modernizing an existing area. For additional suggestions, give your friendly West Covina plumber a call prior to beginning your project. By talking with a plumber before you start your project, you can guarantee seamless design and usage and ensure that all current building code requirements are met.