San Antonio PLUMBING TIPS & TRICKS

Preventative Tips and Good Maintenance for the Home

Water Service:

Know the location of where your shut-offs for your water are. These include the main valve, fixture valves, hot water heater, water softener, ice maker, and any other area of concern.
Test and confirm that these shut-offs actually do shut off 100%.
As a backup precaution, have a water meter key and know how to use it. A water key can be purchased at any Home Depot or Lowes, and the instructions should be attached.
When traveling out of town for an extended period of time, shut off the main water service to prevent any unanticipated flooding while your home is unattended. If a house sitter is there, then make sure that he/she knows where the shut-off is. If you are on a well, then shut the power off to the pump.
Always keep an eye on your water bill. If your usage increases without more demand, then you may have a need for leak detection. This may prevent flooding in the future. Always remember that small leaks usually turn into big leaks.
Drain the calcium and other foreign matter from your hot water heater annually. Use your drain valve and hose at the base of the hot water heater to do this.

Sanitary Sewer (City or County):

Know where your main line cleanout (sewer access) is located.
If you don’t have a main line cleanout, then you need to have one installed. It is a very wise investment in case of any back-up.
Make sure that you have a wrench on hand to remove the cleanout cap. This will put the sewage back-up mess outside of your home as opposed to inside of your home. Test and confirm that the cap is removable.
Use environmental Bio-One drain treatments. NEVER use acid or strong chemical treatments. This can cause more damage than good.
To clean your drains, we recommend high pressure drain restoration which will last a considerable amount longer than the results from traditional cable machines.
Follow up every drain cleaning service with a camera inspection of your sewer line. This will make sure that your pipe was really cleaned efficiently. Make sure that the camera inspection service is included with the drain cleaning, and no additional cost to you is incurred for this service.

Sanitary Sewer Septic Drainfield:

Pump your septic tank every 3 to 5 years.
Know the location of your mainline sewer cleanout.
Make sure that you have a wrench on hand to remove the mainline sewer cleanout cap. This will ensure that the sewage mess will stay outside of the home as opposed to inside of the home. Test and confirm that the cap is removable.
If your drain field is maintained properly, then it should last about 16 years.
Remember that drain fields will only take in a certain amount of water in a 24-hour period of time. DON’T overload your system. Spread out your usage to allow absorbtion and evaporation. Fun Fact – Drainfields evaporate 70% of water.
Use Bio-One treatment. Bio-One treatment has 3 trillion live bacteria that survives on food, fat, grease and oil. This will help maintain your system.
Tips Summary
Know how and where to shut off your water.
Know how and where to access your cleanout.
Clean sediment out of your hot water heater annually.
Use Bio-One treatments for all of your drains.
Have your home inspected by Drain Doctors, Inc. to prevent and inform you of any areas of concern.
Remember the 9 top reasons a home will flood:
A washing machine hose burst.
A hose bib breaks off in the wall, usually due to pulling on the hose when it’s attached to the hose bib.
The supply lines to your fixtures burst.
The ice maker supply line fails/bursts.
The hot water heater lines bursts or the heater itself bursts due to corrosion.
A toilet runs and overflows.
The washing machine backs up.
The air conditioning drain clogs and leaks.
The shut offs don’t work and/or the homeowner doesn’t know where they are located.

IMPORTANT: A home inspection with a qualified Drain Doctors, Inc. technician that will fill out an inspection form can be done in most cases for the cost of a service call. This can save you thousands of dollars.