THE NITTY-GRITTY ON GALVANIZED PIPES

Why Your Pipes Might Need Replacing

Have you experienced this in your home: You are showering and someone turns on the faucet in your kitchen and you get a blast of cold water? Maybe you have noticed a gradual decrease in your water pressure? Or you have a leaky faucet that leaves ugly brown stains on the porcelain in your sink? These things could mean you have galvanized pipes with corrosion.  

 

Galvanized pipes were installed in many homes built before 1960. These pipes usually don’t last more than about 50 years before having rust problems. Galvanized rust from the inside out, which means that by the time you notice rust, the inside of the pipe may be almost completely blocked. The most common area for rust on a galvanized water pipe is in the threads, where the pipe is at its thinnest. When rust appears on the threads of galvanized pipe, it means that the pipe wall has worn through and the pipe will need to be replaced. There are various options to replace the galvanized pipes. Copper and plastic are two options. ASP can help you determine what option is best for you.

With new pipes you can live without leaks, with better water pressure, stain-free plumbing fixtures, clean, rust-free drinking water and a consistent, hot shower!

 

Spring is finally here and it’s time to make some quick checks around the house. Here are some quick and immediate plumbing tips for you to consider as the weather warms up.

TIP #1
Inspect for slow leaks in your home by taking a reading on your water meter before bedtime. The next morning, without using any water overnight, take another reading. If the reading has changed you have a leak that should be repaired.

TIP #2
Check out the outdoor faucet for leaks – this is especially common in our colder climate where hoses have been left on the hose bib for the winter. If the water supply pipe has frozen the once frozen pipe can be expanded and may have cracked. This pipe will leak and should be replaced as soon as possible by ASP, before water damage can occur.

TIP #3
The most important thing you can do to keep your plumbing system safe this spring is to make sure your sump pump is primed and ready for some hard work. You test your sump pump by pouring a few buckets of water into the sump pit. The pump should kick on in a few seconds, allow the flow of water and then turn itself off automatically. If it does not do it, call ASP and have the sump pump checked – before a heavy rainfall hits.