South End Plumbing, Heating, & Air Expert Tips

Can Pouring Salt Down Drain Clear Clogs?

Not long ago, articles on the internet trended with a clickbait ad that teased “Pour Salt Down Your Drain, Here’s Why”– but the “why” was never answered. This ad has actually stimulated a spike in Google searches and questions related to the benefit of putting salt down drains. So is there really any benefit to it? What does it do, and how does it work, if it work at all? Can it really harm your plumbing? The short answer is no.

What is a French Drain?

If you’ve heard the term “French drain” you may have thought it had to do with plumbing or a certain ornate feature of some type of plumbing drain. However a French drain is absolutely nothing more than a ditch in the ground, inset with a perforated pipeline under a layer of gravel. That pipe funnels storm water or water of any sort outside away from where you don’t want it (your foundation, walkways, driveways, crawlspace, etc.). 

Differences Between Condensing & Non-Condensing
Tankless Water Heaters
Externally Mounted Navien Tankless

As Tankless hot water heater end up being more popular there are an increasing number of options.

As the term applies tankless water heaters don’t have a water tank like the traditional water heaters. The water in a tankless system is warmed as it flows through its heat exchanger which is heated through combustion, more intense that your routine hot water heater.

Got a Leak Under Your Fridge?

Constantly running and used daily, your refrigerator is constructed to last. Nevertheless, some simple errors can jeopardize its functions and cause a leak. If you notice water on your kitchen area floor, keep checking out for typical causes and (primarily) simple repairs.

Q: There’s a small day-to-day puddle on my kitchen area flooring that seems to be coming from my fridge– not from anything within, however from the fridge itself. Why is my fridge leaking water? And do I have to call in a repair work tech?

A: Seems like you’ve got a little mess on your hands! You could be handling a number of issues, however it’s probably among four typical scenarios, all of which you can fix yourself without calling for backup. So, let’s run through the likeliest possibilities and see which one’s wreaking havoc in your kitchen.

Typical Problems With Galvanized Pipes

Decades ago, galvanized pipes were the shiny brand-new house enhancement homeowners were demanding– up until they were no longer as attractive as they were originally marketed to be. A common sight in homes built in the pre-1960 period galvanized pipes soon succumbed to the elements, corroding over the years and becoming practically as poisonous as the lead pipes they were expected to replace to improve safety.

As brand new installations, galvanized pipes sport the color a nickel, but as their zinc coverings diminish, gradually paving the way to rust, they can end up being tanner, darker or grayish, depending on ecological aspects. Nevertheless, a light scratch on their body can clear out rusts to reveal the pipes’ silver-grey shade.

Besides the color shades, galvanized pipes can likewise be identified with a basic magnetic test. Find your water line and after that hover a strong magnet over the pipes, and the magnet will latch on to them. Note, however, that if you’re investigating the kind of pipe system set up in an old home, you need to check several points because the plumbing systems can contain a combination of various kinds of pipes.

What is a Dielectric Union?

Dissimilar Metals in Plumbing
Galvanic Corrosion

There’s a lot of plumbing around the house that normally different pipes to tap into each other; to set up a bar sink, for example, or possibly to include an additional outlet hose bib, even water heater connections fall into this category. Plumbing work frequently requires connecting one piece of metal into another. This is made possible with using the proper types of joints and unions. Understanding the correct parts and how to use them can really make the difference. When two different metals come in contact with each other, an electrolytic reaction begins, where water serves as the electrolyte. As a result the metals start to corrode. This unique process is called galvanic corrosion.

To stop this from occurring, a unique adapter is utilized to separate the two metals by using an elastomeric rubber gasket in between the dissimilar metals. This special fitting is called a dielectric union. When connecting copper pipe to galvanized iron pipeline for example, a dielectric union is installed to hold the 2 different metal pipelines together. However, there’s yet another alternative to a dielectric union– a brass nipple or a brass fitting which likewise certifies as a copper alloy fitting and complies by building codes too. So should you utilize a dielectric union or a brass fitting to link two different metal pipelines? Let’s see how they differ in their properties and performance.