Lafayette, CA Plumbing FAQ: What is an Earthquake Shut-Off Valve?

May 21st, 2013

California is a beautiful place to live. We all enjoy the sunny days and warm weather, but just like any other place there are certain issues that need to be dealt with occasionally. California has a long history with earthquakes, and even minor earthquakes can create a dangerous situation in your home. There are different safety precautions to consider that can help protect you from such situations. One of the most important is the installation of an earthquake shut-off valve. Contact A Wright Plumbing to discuss your earthquake shut-off valve installation options in Lafayette, CA.

Natural gas is one of the most efficient and convenient fuel sources available. It is relatively inexpensive, and has the added benefit of being piped directly into your home. This means that you never have to worry about the delivery of the fuel. It also means though, that any disruption to your gas piping can allow natural gas to leak into your home. And because natural gas is naturally odor and colorless, it is notoriously difficult to detect. A high-quality carbon monoxide detector is a must for any home that uses natural gas, but it is always best to prevent the gas leak in the first place. Should your gas piping be disturbed during an earthquake, and emergency gas shut-off valve can do just that.

In many areas, seismic gas shut-off valves are required for a home to be up to code. In the event of seismic activity, an earthquake gas shut-off valve will automatically stem the flow of gas into your home. This is a great benefit to your safety. Should there be a serious earthquake, you have yourself and your family members to worry about. With an earthquake shut-off valve, you do not need to divert your attention away from your family to run around looking for gas shut-offs. With a professional Lafayette, CA earthquake shut-off valve installation, you can enjoy the peace of mind you deserve should an earthquake occur.

Contact A Wright Plumbing today to learn more about the many benefits of an earthquake gas shut-off valve. Our technicians will ensure that your system is properly installed and that your home meets all safety codes and regulations. Let us help keep your home safe from gas leaks in the event of seismic activity.

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Walnut Creek CA Plumbing FAQ: What is a Slab Leak?

May 6th, 2013

At A Wright Plumbing, we pride ourselves on the outstanding quality of the services we provide as well as our ability to offer our customers 100% satisfaction with those services. The plumbing system in your home is vital to your daily life, and any disruption to that plumbing system can cause serious problems. Of all the issues you may experience with your Walnut Creek, CA plumbing system, a slab leak is potentially one of the most disruptive. We want to share some information about slab leaks with you to help you protect the plumbing system in your home.

A slab leak is basically a water leak in your plumbing system that occurs beneath the concrete slab under your home. Because of their location, it can be especially difficult to recognize an existing slab leak. This can lead to serious damage to your home and its foundation, as a slab leak may potentially go unnoticed for some amount of time. That is why it is so important that you are able to recognize some common indicators of a slab leak in your home.

It is always a good idea to keep an eye on your water costs. If you are not using any more water than you normally do, there is no reason that you should see any spike in the water costs in your home. If you notice any dampness at the base of your walls or in your carpeting, contact your professional Walnut Creek CA plumber immediately. The longer you ignore such a problem, the greater any damages sustained are likely to be. You may hear the sound of running water without an identifiable sound, or feel heat beneath your feet. These are also common signs of a slab leak.

Professional slab leak detection is necessary to pinpoint the source of your slab leak in Walnut Creek, CA. Because slab leaks are located beneath concrete, you clearly do not want to go hunting for one with a jackhammer. The professional Walnut Creek, CA plumbers on our team have the tools and training necessary to find the source of your slab leak. Once we have targeted the area, we can handle any necessary plumbing repair or replacement service.

If you think that you may have a slab leak in your home, call A Wright Plumbing today. We are always available to help keep your plumbing system as reliable as possible. You can have complete confidence in the quality of the Walnut Creek CA plumbing services we offer.

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Concord CA Plumbing Question: What is a Hybrid Water Heater?

April 29th, 2013

Your water heater is responsible for roughly 25% of your energy bills. Because it’s not an appliance whose appearance you much care about, the single most important aspect of its design is energy efficiency. It needs to get the most heating output per unit of energy possible. For that reason, recent technological developments have led many homeowners to consider alternatives to conventional tank storage water heaters. While many homeowners have heard of tankless models, few have heard of hybrid water heaters. We’d like to share with you some basic facts about hybrid water heating so that you can make an informed decision about your next water heater installation. For superior Concord CA plumbing, call the pros at A Wright Plumbing today!

  • What it is. A hybrid water heater, as its name suggests, fuses the best parts of both tank and tankless water heaters. It combines the convenience and capacity of a storage tank reservoir with the efficiency of a tankless system. While some have complained of the inefficiency of the tank water heater, chiefly due to its standby energy loss, others have complained about the ineffectiveness of the tankless system, noting how it cannot provide enough water for large households. By adapting to changes in your hot water needs, the hybrid water heater excels in performance and energy efficiency.
  • How it works. Both tank and tankless systems heat from the bottom of the tank, while heat exits from the top of the unit as it operates. The hybrid water heater seeks to increase the efficiency of this thermal energy transfer by allowing the water to go through the heat multiple times, often using an extensive network of piping. Other types of hybrid water heaters use the ambient temperature of the surrounding air to assist with the heating of the water, not unlike an air-source heat pump.
  • Benefits. The energy usage of water heaters wasn’t regulated until 2008, which allowed many models to sustain the same energy inefficiency of their predecessors. Hybrid water heaters are the most energy efficient kind of hot water production. Some models now on the market have efficiency ratings of up to 98%, leaving only 2% to waste when properly installed. Some manufacturers boast energy savings of hundreds, maybe even thousands, of dollars every year, depending on the size of your household and your hot water usage.

For more information about hybrid water heaters, call the Concord, CA plumbing professionals at A Wright Plumbing today!

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Concord CA Plumbing Tip: What To Do For A Clogged Drain

April 22nd, 2013

Our home plumbing systems endure a lot of wear and tear on a daily basis. One of the most common plumbing problems in Concord, CA, one that you’ve likely encountered before, is the clogged drain. If your kitchen sink has refused to drain, or you regularly stand in warm, soapy water when you take a shower, then you know exactly the kind of inconvenience a clogged drain can generate. While you may have a plunger, or even an auger at home, it’s important to know what to do and what not to do. In order to receive excellent Concord, CA plumbing services, call the drain specialists at A Wright Plumbing today!

Clogged drains can occur for a variety of reasons. While some major problems are inevitable, many residential plumbing drain problems can be prevented. Hair, grease, fats, oils, and any non-organic matter that goes down your drains often stick to the sides of your drainpipes. When this occurs, they slowly begin to form an accumulated mass of sludge, which can be increasingly difficult to dislodge. Garbage disposals can also begin to smell and clog when such substances are put down your kitchen sink. Remember to check your manufacturer’s directions to see what you should avoid putting down your sink drain.

If you have tried every possible means within your ability to unclog that drain, and the wastewater still won’t move, then call your local Concord, CA plumber. Your plumber is professionally trained and has a diverse range of equipment specifically designed to clear even the most resilient accumulations. He has various drain snakes, which are long flexible cables that can move deep within the wastewater plumbing system to dislodge blockages and make sure that your wastewater flows at a good rate. If you find that your home plumbing frequently needs to be unclogged, you may want to consider drain cleaning in Concord, CA as a preventive measure.

For more information about clogged drains and what you can do to stop them, call the Concord, CA plumbing professionals at A Wright Plumbing today!

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Oakland CA Sewer Tip: How A Video Pipe Inspection Can Help Maintain Your Sewer Line

April 15th, 2013

Our home plumbing is incredibly important to our convenience and our health. We rely on them to supply fresh potable water to our faucets and fixtures, and to remove wastewater from our homes quickly and efficiently. One of the most important aspects of our plumbing is the sewer line. It runs from the drains in our home to the septic tank or to our municipal waste management system. Because of all the use that it gets, it may eventually run into problems. Using the latest plumbing technology, video pipe inspection is a great way to maintain the integrity of your sewer line. For more information about your sewer and how to keep it working well for the years to come, call the Oakland plumbers at A Wright Plumbing today!

Let’s take a closer look at video pipe inspection and how it impacts your sewer line:

  • How it works. Video pipe inspection should be easy to understand for anyone who has ever operated a video camera before. It’s the same principle. The reinforced video cable is inserted via a pipe access point known as a “cleanout.” The camera and light apparatus are attached to a swiveling head for comprehensive inspection. The entire apparatus is insert into your piping, and the digital display reveals the interior condition of your sewer line accurately. Now, the tech has some visual data that tells him exactly what’s going on down there.
  • Benefits. Video pipe inspection is a form of non-destructive testing. It allows inspection without committing to pipe replacement. It also allows the homeowner to learn a little bit more about how they might improve the conditions of their plumbing.
  • Further maintenance. After the video pipe inspection, your Oakland plumbing technician may recommend that you have your sewer line professional cleaned. This is a great way to maintain the integrity of your sewer system and to prevent serious blockages before they occur.

If you have never seen the inside of your sewer line, or if you think it may be at risk, then make sure you don’t wait to call for professional video pipe inspection for your Oakland sewer. Call A Wright Plumbing today!

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Lafayette CA Plumbing: Green Plumbing Tips

April 8th, 2013

We don’t often think about our home plumbing. But if you feel squeamish when it’s time to look at your water utility bill, or if you’re concerned about the environmental impact your water usage makes, then it may be a good time to think about what you can do to make your plumbing more green. There are many options on the market today, from installing low-flow toilets to low-flow fixtures. Even more importantly, make sure you take care of any leaks in your home or concrete slab foundation in order to maximize your energy efficiency. For more information about Lafayette, CA green plumbing, call A Wright Plumbing today!

Let’s take a look at a few of your options:

  • Get rid of leaks. If any of the fixtures or piping in your home leak water, then you could be losing substantial amounts of money every month. Not only that, leaky plumbing can also put your home water supply and waste water systems at risk of further systemic damage. If you see stains or discoloration on or around your plumbing, then have you plumbing inspected for leaks by a Lafayette, CA plumbing professional.
  • Upgrade to a tankless or hybrid water heater. If your conventional tank storage heater is at the end of its life, consider not only replacing it with a new high-efficiency model, but also upgrading to a tankless or hybrid water heater. With no standby heat loss and endless hot water, a tankless system may also improve your comfort. A hybrid system uses a heat pump to circulate thermal energy rather than directly heat your hot water, making it a highly efficiency alternative; it also a direct-heating backup in case it’s too cold to for the heat pump to work efficiently.
  • Low-flow. Take a look at the fixtures in your bathroom. Are they old, leaky, or simply just average? Low-flow toilets and showerheads can actually save you up to 20% on your next water bill. They are a cost-effective solution that may even enhance the comfort of one of the most important rooms in the home. Toilets make for about 30% of our daily indoor water use. While most conventional toilets use about 3.5 gallons per flush (gpf), low flow toilets cut that number nearly in half to 1.6 gpf. A low flow showerhead can also save you substantial amounts of water on a daily basis. It can save you anywhere from 25% to 60%.

Green plumbing is the future. Save money and enhance your comfort with Lafayette plumbing upgrades today— call A Wright Plumbing today!

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Oakland Plumbing Tip: Why Backflow Prevention Testing is Important

April 1st, 2013

At A Wright Plumbing we understand that there are a great number of problems that may potentially develop with your plumbing system. The best way to keep these problems from developing is to take a preventive approach. By scheduling routine maintenance service with a qualified, professional Oakland plumber, you can keep your plumbing system operating properly while also reducing the risk of damage to the system. Certain devices and components, though, require some special attention. Your backflow prevention device is one such component. Only a certified Oakland, CA plumbing professional is able to ensure that your backflow prevention device is operating properly.

A backflow preventer uses a check valve to keeps wastewater from flowing back into a supply line, contaminating the water therein. If you potable water is contaminated by backflow you have serious problem on your hands. While there are different styles of backflow prevention devices, all of them require routine testing to ensure their continued successful operation.

Backflow preventers are a mechanical device, and even the most simple, reliable mechanical devices may be compromised over time. Backflow preventer testing is the only way to know that the water supply in your home is not contaminated by any wastewater. The testing process is not very complex, and does not take long to complete. This relatively simple service can prevent a lot of serious problems in your home, though. There are test ports built into the device that make it easy to perform the yearly test. Only a trained and certified professional is able to complete this test, though. It is not a DIY job.

In some places a backflow prevention device is required by local plumbing codes. If you do not have one you may be in violation of this code. It may also be a violation to have a device but not have it regularly tested. To learn more about backflow prevention requirements in your area, contact A Wright Plumbing.

A Wright Plumbing is available to answer any questions you may have about the importance of backflow testing. We are an Oakland, CA plumbing company you can trust with this and any other plumbing service. Call A Wright Plumbing today with any questions you may have.

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San Francisco Plumbing FAQ: When is it time to replace the piping in my plumbing system?

March 25th, 2013

The benefits of modern plumbing in the Bay Area are innumerable. Every day, without you even having to do anything, your plumbing system delivers fresh water and safely disposes of your waste water. This is a pretty incredible thing but it can also take a real toll on the pipes in your home. While plumbing repairs are pretty common, you may eventually need to think about replacing the pipes in your home. Contact the San Francisco plumbing experts at A Wright Plumbing if you’re having any problems with your plumbing system. Our expert San Francisco plumbers have years of experience and can help you figure out if you just need to replace your pipes. Here are a few of the most common signs that could indicate that you need plumbing replacement.

Signs You Need San Francisco Plumbing Replacement

If you need San Francisco plumbing repair service, contact A Wright Plumbing. We’ve helped countless customers get their plumbing system working again. These are a few of the signs that might mean you’d be better off just replacing the pipes in your plumbing.

  • Age of plumbing system – The age of your plumbing is a very good indicator of whether or not you need to replace your plumbing. If your plumbing system is old and it has started to require a lot of repairs it might make more sense to just replace your pipes. As pipes start to get older they tend to break down more. Replacing them would allow you to potentially avoid having to pay for those repairs.
  • Rust – Rust is a huge problem for pipes and plumbing systems. Once it starts it is very difficult to completely get rid of. In certain cases our plumbers would recommend replacing the pipes in your plumbing system in order to make sure that there isn’t any rust in your plumbing system.
  • Slab leaks – A slab leak is a huge problem for any homeowner. While this can often be repaired it could be a good idea to replace the water lines in your home in order to avoid other slab leaks.

For all your San Francisco plumbing repair and replacement call the friendly plumbers at A Wright Plumbing. Contact A Wright Plumbing today!

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Oakland CA Plumbing Tip: Hidden Ways to Save Water

March 18th, 2013

When temperatures begin to soar in Oakland, CA, homeowners begin thinking about their home in a different light. Not only is it time to fire up the air conditioning system to make sure it’s working properly, but it’s also time to think about saving water. Drought can be a serious issue during the cooling season, and it’s worth considering now how to save water during the hottest days of the year. Fortunately, there are some basic steps you can take to conserve your usage this year. In this post, we’d like to run you through some of the hidden ways to save water in your home. For professional plumbing services, call the Oakland plumbing experts at A Wright Plumbing.

  • Use the dishwasher. That’s not half bad, is it? Many tests have shown that an energy-efficient dishwasher saves water during clean up, especially in households with more than two people. So scrape those dishes clean and run the dishwasher when it’s completely full to get the most out of your water this summer.
  • Low-flow. As its name suggests, low-flow faucets, toilets and showerheads can save you substantial amounts of water all year long, not just during the hot season. Aerators can also help you save on your water bill.
  • Leaks. If you have leaks at the base of your toilet or shower, or if you’ve got a slow drip on that kitchen sink, repair them. Not only is it good for the integrity of your plumbing, it will also cut down on your water usage and costs. Hire a certified Oakland plumber to ensure that it’s done right.
  • Do not bathe. Shower instead! Showers are a much more efficient use of water. While the average shower only uses about 20 gallons, a bath can require as much as 30 to 50 gallons. Try and reduce your shower time where you can. Every little bit helps.

We hope you enjoyed these easy ways to save water this upcoming cooling season. Leaks can cause significant water loss over time, and if your plumbing is in rough shape, your water pressure and supply may be at risk. For all of your plumbing needs in Oakland, CA, call A Wright Plumbing today!

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Oakland CA Plumbing FAQ: How Often Should I Get My Water Heater Checked?

March 11th, 2013

Are you looking for Oakland plumbing service or a water heater repair? Call the Oakland, CA plumbers at A Wright Plumbing for all of your water heater maintenance and repair needs. Water heater maintenance is an important part of making sure that your home gets plenty of hot water. Keep in mind that your hot water heater doesn’t just heat the water for showers; it is also responsible for heating the water for your dishwasher, sinks, and washing machine. Most experts recommend that you get your water heater checked once a year.

In this week’s post, we’ve put together a list of reasons why you should have your water heater maintained on an annual basis. We’ve also included indications that point to a possible problem and when you should call for water heater repair.

Water Heater Thermostat

One reason to schedule routine maintenance is so that your plumber can test the thermostat on the hot water heater tank. Having the temperature too high can waste energy and be dangerous if you have small children. Most water heaters are set at about 120 degrees, and anything higher than 140 degrees is not recommended. If there are any issues with your water heater’s thermostat, the technician should be able to re-calibrate it or replace it if necessary.

Lack of Hot Water

If there’s no hot water in your home, it may need more time to recover, but if the recovery time has increased or the tank is cold, then there’s another issue. The Oakland plumber will check the thermocouple during a routine tune-up, since this can be the problem in many cases. These are easy to replace, but if it breaks down unexpectedly, then you may be left without hot water for a longer period of time. Don’t wait until something breaks, schedule your plumbing maintenance check-up in Oakland, CA at least once a year.

Sediment Build-Up

In tank water heaters, it is common for sediment to build up at the bottom of the tank. This sediment needs to be flushed to prevent it from burning the bottom of the tank. Many homeowners complain of a hissing or popping noise coming from the water heater tank; this usually indicates that the sediment needs to be flushed. Tankless water heaters will need routine maintenance as well, especially if you have hard water or calcium buildup in your plumbing system.

Don’t hesitate to call the Oakland plumbing professionals at A Wright Plumbing the next time you need a water heater maintenance or water heater repair service. Contact A Wright Plumbing today!

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