Buying a home is one of the most important purchases you will make in your lifetime, so you should be sure that the home you want to buy is in good condition. Gain the perspective and sound information you need to make better decisions with an inspection performed by an experienced professional that can help you identify what plumbing repairs will be required before you buy or sell a home. They will be able to clearly describe the problems and make the appropriate recommendation for repairs.

A home inspection is an evaluation of a home’s condition by a trained expert. During a home inspection, a qualified inspector takes an in-depth and impartial look at the property you plan to buy to make sure you have a clear picture as to its condition. They will not tell you whether to buy or not buy the home.  They are there to make sure you understand the condition of the home.

Point of Sale Inspections

Enforcement of  Point of Sale ordinance requires a disclosure report prepared by independent certified evaluators (hired by the seller).  Under this code, licensed evaluators would walk through homes prior to their being placed on the market and shown for sale. This applies to all single family homes, twin homes, townhouses, and condominium (except new construction).  Reports would indicate items which are acceptable, below standards, and require repairs. Required repairs include imminent structural failures, unsafe electrical and plumbing systems, hazardous or unsanitary conditions, and lack of basic items (sinks in kitchens, toilet facilities, etc.).

The Point of Sale inspection must be performed by a certified evaluator.

Repair/Replace Requirements for Point of Sale -Quick List

General Conditions

• Potential for imminent structural failure
• Severe deterioration of walls/floors
• No water. No hot water. No electricity
• Staircase or stoop cannot support load
• Sump pump without proper discharge piping
• Missing/improperly installed smoke detectors
• Floor coverings with serious trip hazards
• Broken glass and exposed edges with cut hazard
• Chimney structurally unsafe – visible deterioration of flue liner

Gas Connection Problems

• Kinked, deteriorated or improperly connected gas pipes
• Unapproved gas connector
• Broken/seized/inoperable gas valves
• Improperly capped/plugged gas valves

Water heater and/or boiler problems

• scorched, missing/broken valves
• leaking
• installed on combustible surface and guidelines prohibit
• no temperature/pressure relief valve
• missing, inoperative, improperly located discharge pipe
• flue improperly installed, evidence of back spillage
• no combustion air

Plumbing issues

• unsanitary plumbing fixtures. missing vent stacks.
• improperly abandoned plumbing lines
• improperly operating or no sink in kitchen
• improperly operating or no sink in or near toilet room
• no toilet facility
• no water connections to shower or tub
• improper repairs allowing sewer gas in leaks
• broken, cracked, leaking fixtures
• improperly capped, abandoned drain lines
• water must flow at least a pencil width in lowest tap
• no anti-syphon ball cock in toilet
• visible leakage in waste lines

Electrical issues

• over-fused, tampering to or alteration of wiring
• improper grounding of electrical outlets
• extension cords used as wiring (under floors/through wall)
• broken electrical receptacles. Missing cover plates
• No GFCI in remodeled bath areas
• exterior mast broken or improperly secured
• electric wires over outside pool or hot tub

Heating system problems

• signs of leakage, cracks in combustion chamber, uneven discoloration of heat exchanger
• cracked or damaged casing
• improper clearance to combustibles
• missing or clearly defective shut off
• heating system flue not properly installed/sealed, holes caused by rust/corrosion
• free standing space heater that takes own combustion air from room (gas)

Clutter – egress obstruction Sanitation – excessive garbage -  Vermin – infestations

Repair Replace Items

Call A Minnesota Plumber

A Minnesota Plumbing Contractor offering plumbing services to Minneapolis, St. Paul, Maple Grove,  Minnetonka, Edina, Plymouth, St. Louis Park, and the surrounding Twin Cities can help evaluate the homes plumbing system and make the necessary recommendations or repairs.

All in all, it should make it easier and quicker to proceed to closing without a lot of complications. It’s a win-win situation for everyone concerned!

The full legal description of required repairs is Title 12, Chapter 248.80 of the Minneapolis Code of Ordinances. The Code of Ordinances is available at the public library or online at www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/cityhall/laws/ordinances/.

Although most of the earth is covered with water, only 1% of that water is actually drinkable. In spite of its importance, drinkable water is often taken for granted. For many people, fresh water is as close as their faucets. This accessibility can give the illusion that the supply of drinkable water is unlimited. It also makes it easy for people to be unconcerned with all of the necessary treatment water undergoes prior to reaching their faucets.

Why Conserve Water?

 “By 2013, 36 states are expecting local, regional and statewide water shortages even under non-drought conditions.”
- United States General Accounting Office

“The typical single-family suburban household uses at least 30 percent of their water outdoors for irrigation. Some experts estimate that more than 50 percent of landscape water use goes to waste due to evaporation or runoff caused by overwatering! Consider installing a drip irrigation system to water your lawn and garden. These systems use 20 to 50 percent less water than conventional in-ground sprinkler systems. They are also much more efficient than conventional sprinklers because no water is lost to wind, runoff or evaporation.”
- EPA, 2008

 “Between 1900 and 1995, the rate of population growth raised two-fold. Global water consumption grew six-fold.”
-The Aquifer

 “According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the average residence uses 107,000 gallons of water each year. Less than 1 percent of the world’s fresh water – only 0.007 percent of all the water on Earth – is readily available for human consumption.”
– World Health Organization

 “If just one percent of American homes replaced an older toilet with a new WaterSense labeled toilet, the country would save more than 38 million kilowatt-hours of electricity – enough electricity to supply more than 43,000 households for one month.”
- EPA, 2008

 “By the year 2025, 48 countries are expected to face water shortages, affecting nearly 3 billion people – 35 percent of the world’s population.”
– World Health Organization

 “If one out of every 100 American homes was retrofitted with water-efficient fixtures, we could save about 100 million kilowatt-hours of electricity per year – avoiding 80,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions. The greenhouse gas savings would be equivalent to removing nearly 15,000 automobiles from the road for one year!”
- EPA, 2008

 “About 75 percent of the water we use in our homes is used in the bathroom.”
- California Energy Commission, 2006

 “If your toilet is from 1992 or earlier, you probably have an inefficient model that uses between 3.5 to 7 gallons per flush. Newer, high-efficiency toilets use less than 1.3 gallons per flush – that’s at least 60 percent less water per flush!”
- EPA, 2008

 “The U.S. Geological Survey says that the Western United States is experiencing the worst drought in 500 years, with water flows as low as maybe half the level of the Dust Bowl. The whole country is currently experiencing the worst drought since The Dust Bowl, and conditions are expected to worsen.”
-The Independent

 “70 percent of water withdrawn from fresh water systems goes toward irrigation.”
– World Health Organization

 “The average bathroom faucet flows at a rate of two gallons per minute. Turning off the tap while brushing your teeth in the morning and at bedtime can save up to eight gallons of water per day, which equals 240 gallons a month.”
- EPA, 2008

 “One third of the world’s population lives in countries experiencing moderate to high water shortages. By 2025, more than two-thirds (5.8 out of 8 billion people) of the world’s population are expected to suffer from water shortages. This will affect practically every country in the world including the United States.”
-The Aquifer, spring 2002, Volume 16, Number 4, Page 2, A Publication of the Groundwater Foundation

 “Letting your faucet run for five minutes uses about as much energy as letting a 60-watt light bulb run for 14 hours.”
- EPA, 2008

 “The average washing machine uses about 41 gallons of water per load, whereas newer, high-efficiency washing machine models use less than 28 gallons of water per load.”
- EPA, 2008

 “Today’s dishwashers are about 95 percent more energy-efficient than those bought in 1972 – your old dishwasher may be costing you more money in energy bills than it would take to buy a new one.”
- Environment Canada, 2007

Take responsibility for your home or business. Fix leaks and take a good look at how much water is being used. Go room to room and use the following information to make smart, green changes.

How Much Water Is Your Home Wasting?

Preventing Water Waste is Everyone’s Job

Some water leaks, such as a dripping faucet, are obvious. Other water leaks can be virtually invisible, such as a leaky toilet flapper valve or a leaky irrigation pipe in your yard. While this is not intended to address major plumbing problems, it is designed to give you an overview of how preventive maintenance and diligent repair are important aspects of water conservation. By following a little advice, you’ll be able to conserve water while you help keep your pipes, plumbing fixtures and water-using appliances in top shape.

Water conservation shouldn’t be something we think about only sometimes. As the competition for our most precious natural resource grows, let’s make conserving water an everyday part of life in Minnesota.

Ways You and Your Family Can Conserve

• Check all water-using appliances, equipment and other devices for leaks. Running toilets, dripping faucets, home water treatment units and outdoor sprinkler systems are common sources of leaks.
• Take short showers instead of tub baths.
• Don’t let the water run while shaving or brushing your teeth.
• Before pouring water down the drain, consider other uses for it, such as watering a plant or garden.
• Wash full loads of laundry whenever possible.
• Operate dishwasher only when completely full.
• Sweep driveways, sidewalks, and steps rather than hosing them off.
• Install high efficiency plumbing fixtures and appliances.

Prevention Is Best… But When Prevention Isn’t Enough, Call The Professionals!

Do it yourself or if you are not sure how to repair this type of leak you should call a Minnesota plumber to avoid any further problems or before the leak gets worse.

Water quality can no longer be taken for granted.  We drink it.  We cook with it.  We bathe or shower in it.  But do we know what is in our water?  Following a comprehensive New York Times study revealing that ten percent of Americans face dangerous drinking water, the Water Quality Association urges consumers to consider installing final contaminant barriers in their homes. 

The newspaper reported results of its research in the second part of a major series on “toxic waters.”

Among its findings:

• Ten percent of Americans “have been exposed to drinking water that contains dangerous chemicals or fails to meet a federal health benchmark in other ways.”
• Wells are more likely than municipal water systems to contain contaminants.
• An estimated 19.5 million Americans “fall ill” every year to contaminated water.

Another report showed that up to one in six Americans might be ingesting some level of pharmaceuticals in their drinking water.

That law requires communities to deliver safe tap water to local residents. But even the E.P.A., which has ultimate responsibility for the Safe Drinking Water Act, has concluded that millions of Americans have been exposed to drinking water that fails to meet a federal health benchmark.

Contaminants in drinking water

Whether water comes from a public source or a well, there are many different contaminants that can be present – here are just a few:

• bacteria
• viruses
• nitrates
• salts
• metals
• pesticides
• other chemicals

Contaminants Can Affect Your Health

Infants, children, the elderly and pregnant women are all more susceptible to the effects of contaminants than the general public.  Not every home is meant to have the same water filtration system, but having the right one can make all of the difference in not only having great tasting water, but water that is just plain good for you.

There are many variables that can come into play: the possibility of contamination, our aging water distribution system, unknown well-water quality and the type of plumbing in your home. And unbeknownst to many, municipalities can supply you with hard water. They are also supposed to provide you with water that meets federal standards, but are those standards your standards?  You can read more about regulated contaminants from the United States Environmental Protection Agency or learn about the recommended ways to keep your family’s water safe with the Water Quality Association’s Drinking Water Treatment Fact Sheet.

Consumers Urged To Test Their Water During National Drinking Water Week!

For more than 20 years, the federal government has called on Americans to start the spring by learning how they can make sure they get the safest and cleanest possible water coming into their house. This year, National Drinking Water Week takes place May 6-12, 2012.

Just because your drinking water meets the minimum standards established by the Safe Drinking Water Act does not means that it is safe for you and your family!

While utilities are required to meet safety standards set by the U.S. EPA, home filtering systems act as a final contaminant barrier and can further purify water for drinking.  Even water that meets EPA standards is not necessarily as free of contaminants as possible. In setting standards, the EPA considers whether it is feasible for municipalities to thoroughly treat every element. As a result, the agency allows some contaminants to be present in municipal water. However, the EPA also offers ideal goals for water, with much lower danger levels.

Some water issues are obvious, others are invisible. That is why home treatment can be so crucial. Filtering systems in the home provide the highest technology available to treat drinking water.  These systems act as a final contaminant barrier and can further purify water for drinking to ensure that their water is as close to the ideal goals as possible.

Test it to be sure!

Have you ever thought about what’s in your tap water? I sometimes wonder if I want to know what could possibly be in my drinking water. Lucky for you, it as easy as entering your zip code.

Entering your zip code will bring you to your city’s Drinking Water Quality Report from the Environmental Working Group (EWG). The database includes 47,667 drinking water utilities and 20 million test results. That’s a lot. In a five-year span from 2004 to 2009, water utilities detected more than 300 pollutants, according to EWG, more than half of which are unregulated chemicals and legal in any amount.

Are you suddenly staring at your glass of water questioningly, too? Go ahead – enter your zip code in the widget on the right. I’ll wait. What’d you find?

If your tests come back showing that you don’t have safe drinking water, there are ways to treat your water to make it safe. The appropriate solution depends on the nature of your contaminants, since there are a variety of water purification systems, each of which addresses different water quality problems.

Contact your local water professional. They will know your area and your water and provide you with a water analysis so you can be armed with the information you need to make the right decisions for you and your home. See for yourself how much you might benefit from a water treatment system.

Faulty water heaters are more than an inconvenience and a service expense. Many people don’t know that they have a potential ticking time bomb inside their home. When safety devices on a water heater fail, bad things can happen!  Water heaters are in fact able to blow up. While it is a rare occurrence, it can and does happen.

While there are precautions you can take to prevent this, a faulty tank water heater can release a tremendous blast force which can easily demolish a home.

Water Heater Temperature and Pressure Relief Valve

There is a temperature pressure relief valve that is a little lever on top or side of your water heater. This safety valve does not receive the attention it is do and because of this many injuries and burns occur and could have been avoided.  This is the Temperature and Pressure Relief valve which is found on both hot water and steam boilers, and hot water heaters. This device is truly a safety device installed for your protection.

How T&P Valves Work

The temperature and pressure relief valve, or TPR valve, is a water heater’s fail safe for the high pressures it can generate.  T&P relief valves are two in one devices, responding to both excessive pressures and to excessive temperatures in a water heater. These are abnormal and potentially dangerous conditions.

First, they respond to excessive pressure by opening at the pressure set point of the valve, typically 150psi, to prevent further pressure increase. When a relief valve is dripping, it is typically due to thermal expansion. When water is heated, it expands. This causes excess pressure in the system. When the T&P relief valve senses this excess pressure, it opens relieving the thermal expansion* and returning the pressure back to normal conditions.

Second, they respond to excessive temperature. When the temperature of the water in the water heater reaches 210°F, the T&P relief valve’s internal thermostatic element expands, lifting the valve’s disc off its seat to discharge the overheated water. This allows cooler water to enter the tank and moderate temperatures.

When the temperature returns to a safe level (under 210°F), the thermostat contracts, allowing the loading spring to reset the valve.  At this point the automatic temperature relieving element is ready to protect the system again.  If a T&P relief valve is relieving a high volume of water, it is due to excessive water temperature, an unsafe water heater condition.

An Exploding Water Heater = The Force Of A Stick Of Dynamite!

When a water heater explodes the force generated is equal to that caused by the explosion of a stick of dynamite!

An exploding 30-gallon water heater has the force of about one pound of dynamite and has the power to destroy a house and injure or kill those inside. Experts report one-third of all water heater TPR valves are not operational because of mineral buildup, rust or corrosion.

Thankfully, explosions have been significantly reduced because temperature and pressure (T&P) relief valves are now being used nationally to protect water heaters from explosion. T&P relief valves, when installed properly, prevent high water temperatures, which can cause flashing of hot steam at faucets or any water outlets in the system, or cause an explosion. And, they prevent high pressures, which can damage the water heater system piping or components.

When Water Heaters explode they don’t just harmlessly buzz around in the basement.  They rocket through floors, roofs and out into the public domain as you will see in some of the following newspaper articles:

Explosion At Avon High School

Avon High School Hot Water Heater Explosion
It was determined that a five gallon electric hot water heater – catastrophically failed causing severe damage.
Explosion From Hot Water Heater At Avon High School

Four Hurt as Water Heater Explodes
The steam-powered tank rockets out of a Burien store and crosses over 6 lanes of traffic landing 439 feet away.
Water Heater Explosion At Shopping Mall Burien Washington

A November 1, 2007 article detailed a water heater that landed 70 feet away from its starting point and caused an estimated $20,000 worth of damage to the home from where it was launched.

A Hot Water Heater in School Kills Seven
A malfunction of an 85 gallon hot water heater occurred during a lunch period at Star Elementary.  Spencer Oklahoma Hot Water Heater In School Kills Seven

Explosion From Water Heater

Explosion in Union County Pennsylvania October 22, 2007
A water heater is to blame for an explosion that destroyed an apartment. Officials believe a pressure valve on one of the water heaters broke, causing pressure to build in the tank, and then explode.

KANNAPOLIS, N.C.
A Kannapolis home is in pieces after an electric water heater exploded.
KANNAPOLIS Water Heater Explosion

Firefighters were called to the vacant house on Independence Square just before 6 a.m. They found the home destroyed, but it was not on fire. During their investigation, they found part of the water heater nearly 70 feet away from the building – it shot up through the roof, over a building and landed in a driveway. Debris was scattered more than 300 feet from the residence.
Here’s the rest of the WSCOTV.com news story.

Water heater was launched over 500 feet.

Phoenix, AZ
Neighbors thought it was a bomb. An electric water heater was launched over 500 feet early one morning.  Apparently, the water heater had been tinkered with by a handyman. Incidentally, the tank landed across the street from a school.  A couple of hours later and kiddos may have been in that cross walk where it landed!
Fox 10 News Video: Watch here

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, Calif. March 2009
Authorities narrowed down the cause of the blast to failure of some sort of industrial-strength water heater.  It was a large water heater, it was an electric water heater, not a gas water heater, and somehow or another, it failed and caused an explosion.  The powerful blast blew a hole in a concrete wall and shook a fire station across the street.
Here’s the rest of the story: Water heater blamed for deadly explosion – Video – abc7.com2

Water Heater Explosion St Paul Minnesota

KLAMATH FALLS  RESIDENTIAL 20 GALLON WATER HEATER EXPLOSION
In Klamath Falls, Ore., a residential water heater that built up pressure because of a faulty pressure release valve exploded through the basement, living room floor and roof to land next to the satellite dish.
Klamath Falls Residential 20 Gallon Water Heater Explosion

WATER HEATER EXPLOSION IN SO. ST. PAUL MN. JUNE 2nd 1993
An overheated electric water heater exploded in a So. St Paul, MN
home. St Paul Explosion_Explanation 1993

Can This Kind Of An Explosion Happen In Your Home?

Unfortunately…yes it can!  Over 21,000 accidents occur annually in the United States from failed TPR’s.  All of the above explosions were caused by a very simple, but often overlooked, portion of a hot water heater or boiler, a failed or missing Temperature Pressure Relief valve. This safety valve releases water, and in this process relieves pressure in a boiler or hot water heater when the temperature or pressure within the unit gets too high.

You see, water turns to steam at approximately 200°F; then, that steam expands to up to 1600 times its original water volume.  When that steam expands inside an already full water tank, it causes an enormous amount of pressure.  Once the pressure builds beyond the tank’s capacity, it tends to go…BOOM!

Replace Your Water Heater Before It Fails

Don’t let it happen to you.  A water heater pressure relief valve is a simple and easy fix or installation, but one that can have life saving implications.  It is recommended by most manufactures that temperature and pressure relief valves on water heaters be tested at intervals of at least one year, with more frequent testing being desirable. It is further recommended by many manufactures that these valves be removed and inspected by a qualified licensed Minnesota master plumber, like Allways Plumbing at intervals of not greater than 3 years. If the valves are found to be worn or defective as the result of testing and/or inspection, they should be replaced.

Most consumers take for granted their hot water supply and rarely think about their water heaters once they have been installed. Where water heaters are concerned, “out of sight” is usually “out of mind,” and many people don’t realize that they have a potential bomb inside their home. When safety devices on a water heater fail, bad things can happen! And to date, many are unaware of the need to have their water heaters regularly maintained to prevent water heater explosions.

Hot Water Heater Safety

Most of the time your water heater just sits there quietly doing its job. But unlike your family dog, it isn’t likely going to go to the door and bark and scratch. It could just suddenly blow up.

What?  You didn’t know your water heater could be so lethal?  It can be if it has not been installed properly, if hazards have developed over time, or if it has been tampered with.

Temperature and Pressure Relief Valves

The Temperature and pressure relief valve (T & P) is the primary “back-up” safety measure which prevents the water in the pressurized hot water cylinder from overheating. An explosion of a water heater presumes at least two system failures. Generally, the safety mechanism in the controls, coupled with a properly installed and working T & P relief valve, insures a safe system.

To insure their safe operation, water heaters must be installed with temperature and pressure relief valves. A T&P relief valve is a two-in-one safety device, which, as its name implies, responds both to excessive temperature and to excessive pressure in a water heater.

A T&P valve responds to excessive temperature by expansion of the thermostat which lifts the disc off its seat and discharges overheated water, allowing cooler water to enter the tank and replace the discharged hot water in order to moderate the water temperature. When a valve is relieving water in volume, it is generally due to excessive temperature.

The valve also responds to excessive pressure by discharging water to prevent further pressure increase. If a T&P valve is dripping, rather than relieving in volume, it usually indicates either thermal expansion or debris on the seat, which prevents the valve from closing tightly.

Thermal expansion is an increase in system pressure over that regulated by the reducing valve, check valve or backflow preventer. When water is heated in a closed system, it expands and causes an increase in pressure. When the system is opened, pressure will return to normal, and the relief valve should stop dripping. When a backflow prevention device or check valve is installed on the water service entering a building, a closed system is created. When water is heated, it expands. Because the water has nowhere to go in a closed system, a potentially dangerous situation is created.

Prevent Water Heater Explosions

For over a decade it has been known that an inoperative or improperly installed temperature and pressure (T & P) relief valve on a water heater can turn an ordinary water heater into a potentially explosive and life-threatening “bomb.”

http://waterheatersafety.com/files/Watts_Danger_lurks_Video.wmv

A safety valve such as a T&P relief valve is a mechanical device which, like any mechanical device, is subject to failure, particularly when tampered with or improperly installed. If the valve cannot do its job, the water in the tank may become superheated (over 212°Fd, causing a thirty gallon water heater to explode with the equivalent force of one pound of dynamite. This is not theory or conjecture. It is a matter of record that such explosions occur, and have occurred, at the expense of human life. Yet, only a few are aware of the need to have their water heaters regularly maintained to prevent water heater explosions.

The T&P relief valve itself is not the cause of such explosions. Rather, it is the misapplication or malfunction of the valve, which sets the stage for disaster.

What follows is an extract from the fire journal report on an incident that took place at the Star elementary school in 1982. Six children and one teacher were killed when a hot water heater exploded in the Star Elementary School cafeteria in Oklahoma City. Regulations were later enacted there requiring annual inspection of domestic hot water heaters in all public facilities.

Hot water heater in school kills seven

Location: Spencer, Oklahoma
Facility: Star Elementary School

http://waterheatersafety.com/files/Spencer_Oklahoma_Hot_water_heater_in_school_kills_seven.pdf

And one more thing: T&P drain lines should go down and out. Never up. If the valve opens, water will pool there and corrode it shut. Or freeze in the line in colder climates. There SHOULD be a drain line, usually to within about six inches of the floor, or plumbed outside. That’s code and it’s to prevent you from being scalded if the valve should open while you’re standing next to it.

Finally, if water is running out of your T&P line, look for the cause. It might just be a bad T&P.  But it could also signal high-pressure problems or a dangerously defective control. Don’t ignore it!

Clearly, the Temperature/Pressure Relief (TPR) Valve serves an extremely important function, so to ensure the safe and proper operation of a water heater, it should be corrected immediately by a qualified and licensed Minnesota plumbing contractor.

The City of Minneapolis has an ample supply of water from the Mississippi River, but it is important to find ways to conserve water whenever possible. The less water you use, the lower your utility bill will be. It will also help ensure that there will be plenty of water for all uses.

Moderate to severe drought conditions are a fact of life in more than half the nation, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Many areas face serious regional water shortages because water is being used faster than it can be replenished naturally. Some utilities, and local and state governments have declared mandatory water conservation measures, even for private well owners.

Water conservation can help well owners secure their drinking water supply, save money and protect the environment. Consider measures today to preserve your water supply far into the future.

Consider Average Water Use

The average home in the U.S. consumes about 69.3 gallons of water per person per day, according to a 1999 survey of 1,200 homes by the American Water Works Association. Nearly 14 percent of that water is wasted. A leaky faucet can waste 20 gallons or more, while a leaky toilet can waste hundreds of gallons a day. By using more efficient fixtures, well owners can cut their water use by more than 34 percent, for an average of 45.2 gallons of water per person per day. That’s a savings of nearly 9,000 gallons per person per year, or more than 35,000 gallons per year for a family of four!

Consider reasons for high levels of water use. Are fixtures leaking or appliances old and inefficient?  Or is it the way you use the water, with long showers and many half-full loads of laundry?

Check faucets and test toilets for leaks. Put a little food coloring in the toilet tank, but don’t flush. If color appears in the bowl within 10 minutes, you have a leak.

New homes typically have more efficient fixtures and use less water. Since 1992, the federal government has set maximum water-use levels for new fixtures: toilets (1.6 gallons per flush), showerheads (2.5 gallons per minute) and faucets (2.5 gallons per minute). But new homes may also contain more fixtures – bathrooms, garbage disposal, whirlpool tub, hot tub or swimming pool – that consume greater quantities of water.

If your water use is close to or exceeds the 69.3 gallons per person per day national average, you’ll need to consider ways to reduce consumption. There are two primary strategies to help conserve water – using new technology and changing water use behavior.

Water Conservation: Use New Technology

Conserve water by using technology to retrofit or replace inefficient water appliances, equipment, fixtures and processes. Many are very low-cost, such as a flow restricting showerhead or a simple displacement device for water in the toilet tank, such as a gallon jug. High efficiency fixtures and appliances may have a higher initial cost, but this is recovered over time by savings in water and energy.

Contact your local plumber help in selecting and installing some of the conservation measures listed below.

Steps You Can Take To Conserve Water

• Make plumbing repairs.  Repair faucets to eliminate leaks in kitchen and bathrooms.
• Install retrofit devices on faucets to reduce flow.
• Repair toilets to eliminate leaks.
• Install water displacement devices in toilet tanks to reduce flow.
• Replace with new low volume toilets.
• Install a high efficiency clothes washer (average 27 gallons per load).
• Install a water efficient dishwasher (average six to seven gallons per load).

Enjoy the Benefits of Water Conservation

Water conservation saves money by reducing wear and tear on your well and septic system. The hundreds of gallons of water released from your home each day eventually saturates the soil in and around the septic field to the point where extensive repair or replacement is necessary. The cost to replace a septic system can reach $4,000 or more. Conserving water will extend the life of the system and delay the need for repair.

Water conservation also helps protect the environment and the quality of your drinking water. High demand on limited water supplies may affect stream flow, wetlands and the capacity of an aquifer to recharge its supply of ground water. Old, leaky and overloaded septic systems may cause nutrient and bacterial contamination of nearby wells, lakes and streams.

Conserve your ground water today. The quality and quantity of your drinking water supply depends upon the wise use of this precious natural resource.

Every Drop Of Water That Goes Down The Drain Is Costing You Money!

Household plumbing issues can seem like just an irritating chore that you might get to sometime. But every drip of water that goes down the drain is costing you money. Without the right upkeep, plumbing issues can become a nightmare for a homeowner. A dripping faucet or tiny leak in a pipe can be disastrous and very expensive.  A leaky faucet or toilet that runs can add up to gallons and gallons of water every month literally down the drain.  Save money every month simply by getting household plumbing problems solved.

Call a professional Minnesota plumber to help you locate and rid your home of these wasteful problems.

Without a functioning temperature & pressure relief valve your water heater can explode with the force of dynamite!

The average homeowner cautioned to look for a bomb in their utility room, would be likely to feel as if they were being made the butt of some practical joke. Yet, that is some good advice. For a potential bomb does exist in many utility rooms today. It can look innocent enough, because it is nothing more than a water heater. Right?

Your Water Heater Could Be A Ticking Time Bomb!

Without a functioning temperature & pressure relief valve your water heater can explode with the force of dynamite!

But if it explodes from overheating, it can rip with the force of dynamite, destroying property, causing injury, even death.

While it is a rare occurrence, it can and has happened.  Tragic explosions caused by superheated water heaters are unnecessary.  They result from a complete lack of temperature and pressure relief valves, or failure to check these safety devices periodically to determine whether they are working properly.

Water in the heater is under pressure. It has to be, in order to reach various outlets at remote locations in the home.

Many water heaters in use today have become weakened through the normal process of aging. These are the ones most likely to spring a leak permitting superheated water to escape and instantly expand into steam with a sudden blinding explosion.

If the water is made of galvanized iron, it flies apart like shrapnel when it explodes. If it is made of steel, it is likely to soar like a rocket from the cellar clear through the roof.

A hot water heater, without a Temperature and Pressure Relief Valve is a ticking bomb which can shoot vertically through the framing of a two level home like a rocket.  An improperly installed TPR can also cause significant burns to anyone coming in contact with the steam or hot water discharge the boiler or hot water heater is producing.

Temperature/Pressure Relief Valve (T&P)

This valve is designed to prevent a water heater from exploding if temperature or pressure exceeds safe limits, by opening and venting. Unfortunately, residential valves are somewhat prone to failure. They should be checked once a year by pulling up on the handle. Water should flow freely out and stop when you let go of the handle.

If it does nothing, runs or drips, then the valve should be replaced. Banging on the handle with something hard, like pliers, sometimes will stop drips or even runs. If not, replace the valve. Hooking up the drain line with a union or flex connector makes T&P replacement MUCH easier.

People don’t like to test their T&Ps. But then, we don’t think it’s so much fun to wake up in the hospital, or to patch a big hole in the roof, either. When water heaters explode, it’s catastrophic. Buildings are severely damaged, people are injured or die.

If you think we’re joking, The Mythbusters did a graphic test, which is on Youtube.  They set up a three-tier scaffold to simulate a two-story house. The lowest level housed the 52 US gallon (200 L) water heater, second level contained a simulated living room, and on top was a roof built to standard California building codes.

Here is another video from Mythbusters that demonstrated how devastating a faulty tank water heater can be.  Not only does this water heater explode, but it shoots off like a rocket, flying almost 500 feet in the air.

MythBusters – Exploding Water Heater – YouTube

The resulting explosion from the water heater caused it to shoot through the living room floor and the roof.  It’s a lot of fun to watch — as long as it’s not your water heater and your roof. Watts, which makes T&Ps, made a similar film back in the 1940s.

Replace Your Water Heater Before It Fails

A water heater pressure relief valve is a simple and easy fix or installation, but one that can have life saving implications.  The best way to guard against a water heater explosion is to hire a licensed Minnesota master plumber to install your water heater. For safety’s sake, check them periodically for proper functioning against a possible catastrophic emergency.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that 11,000 gallons of water are wasted each year from running toilets, dripping faucets and other plumbing leaks in the home. Most of these leaks are easily fixed and could save you hundreds of dollars on your water bill. A certified plumber has the knowledge and skills to troubleshoot and fix any leaks in your home.

The Facts on Leaks:

• Did you know that, in a year, water leaks in your home can waste enough water to fill a backyard swimming pool? And if we added up all the water leaking in people’s homes right now it could fill a trillion gallons of milk jugs? That’s enough water for all the people living in the cities Los Angeles, Chicago, and Miami combined.
• Water-wasting leaks include running toilets, dripping faucets, and other leaking pipes around your home. Most of these leaks can be fixed easily.
• Fixing these leaks can save more than 10 percent on water bills. That’s like saving $1 for every $10 spent on water.

Finding Leaks

• Find the water meter on your house. Usually, it’s on the outside of the house in a box or under a metal cover on the sidewalk that says “Water.” The numbers in the box represent either gallons or cubic feet of water used in your home. Check your meter, then don’t flush the toilet, run the faucet, or use any water for two hours. At the end of the two hours, check the water meter again. If the meter does not read exactly the same, you probably have a leak.
• Walk through your house listening for running toilets and looking for drips.  Drips usually mean leaks.
• Find out if your toilet is leaking silently by placing a drop of food coloring in the toilet tank (that’s the area behind the toilet seat.  If color shows up in the toilet bowl after 15 minutes without flushing, you have a leak. Once you finish the experiment, flush a few times so you don’t stain the toilet.

Fix a Leak!

Faucets:

• Take a watch or clock with a second hand and time how often your faucet drips.  A leaky faucet that drips at the rate of one drip per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons in a year!
• There are parts that hold your faucet together called washers and gaskets—they can wear down and cause drips. If someone in your house is handy, these parts usually can be replaced easily.
• There’s also a little screen device called an “aerator” that can be screwed onto the tip of your faucet—it adds air into the water stream so you can use less water to wash your hands or brush your teeth without noticing a difference in water flow.
Look for the WaterSense label when buying an aerator or replacing a faucet—that means the product will work well and save water.

Showers:

• Showerheads—the place where water comes out in streams at the top of your shower—can also get old and leak, even when the water is not on. A showerhead that drops just 10 drips in a minute wastes more than 500 gallons per year. That’s enough water, if you saved it all up, to wash 60 loads of dishes in your dishwasher!
• Most leaky showerheads can be fixed by making sure they’re screwed in tight. Having someone handy wrap the showerhead in “pipe tape,” a special tape available at hardware stores, and using a wrench to tighten it will help.

Toilets:

• It’s one of the oldest prank phone calls—“Is your toilet running? Then you’d better catch it!” But a running toilet is no joke. If you can hear the water in your toilet making noise, even when no one flushed recently, you have a running toilet that could be wasting 200 gallons of water or more every day!  Sometimes you just need to jiggle the handle to fix it, but sometimes a part needs to be replaced.
• Many toilets leaks are caused because the “flapper” is decayed or broken. The flapper is a rubber piece that opens up to let the water flow from the tank into the bowl when you pull down on the toilet handle. If someone in your house is handy, they can easily replace this inexpensive part of your toilet.
• If the problem is not just an old flapper and you have to replace a leaky toilet, look for one with the WaterSense label to save both water and money on your water and sewer bill.

Outdoors:

• Check your garden hose for leaks where it connects to the side of the house. If it leaks when the hose is turned on, make sure the hose is screwed in tight. If that doesn’t work, someone handy may need to replace the nylon or rubber hose washer or wrap the “spigot,” which is the metal faucet where the end of the hose attaches to the wall, in pipe tape.
• If you have a sprinkler system that waters your lawn, check the system each spring before turning it on to make sure the sprinklers were not broken during the winter or have sprung any leaks.

There are other ways to conserve water, too. If you’re building a new home or remodeling your kitchen or bathroom, you’ll save by installing tankless water heaters, low-flow plumbing fixtures, dual-flush toilets.

Fix Leaks Now!

While some leaks may be easy to spot, others require the expertise of a certified plumber. It is a good idea to have a plumber make routine checks on your plumbing system. Annual maintenance will ensure that any issues are found quickly before the problem gets worse.

So when the faucet is leaking, or the drain is clogged, or the water heater is not producing hot water, making repairs now will save you big bucks not only water, but future plumbing repairs.  Contact a Minnesota Plumber who can give you more expert tips on keeping the plumbing in your home running smoothly and efficiently!

They will be happy to offer maintenance suggestions that will avoid these problems in the future, extend the life of your plumbing system and maybe even save you some money on your energy bills!

Household plumbing maintenance issues can seem like just an irritating thing that you might get to sometime. But every drip drip drip of water that goes down the drain is water that you pay for each month. A leaky faucet or toilet that runs can add up to gallons and gallons of water every month literally down the drain.

Finding, Fixing and Preventing Water Leaks

Most leaks are easy to find, but some can go undetected. If you know what to look for, it’s not difficult to identify water leaks before they turn into bigger and more expensive headaches. It’s the leaks that aren’t obvious that often produce the biggest issues. If your bathtub or shower is leaking, you’re going to recognize that quickly and take steps to fix it. The hidden problems, people don’t know to fix. As a result, they tend to worsen over time.

Some Interesting Facts and Statistics:

The typical family uses about 70% of their water in the bathroom. This is partly because water is used at a faster “flow rate” in the bathroom than in any other area of the home.

Toilets and showers have a flow rate of 5-7 gallons per minute; dishwashers and clothes washers use less than three gallons per minute.

Toilet……………………5 to 7 gallons per flush (Non low-flow toilet)

Shower…………………5 to 7 gallons per minute (Non low-flow shower)

Bathtub………………..36 to 60 gallons per bath

Dishwasher…………..10 to 25 gallons per cycle
Washing machine….20 to 45 gallons per load

Total Home Water Usage:

Outdoor Use 60%

Indoor Use 40%

Kitchen 10%

Other 5%

Indoor Water Usage:

Bathroom 70%

Laundry 15%

Stop The Leaks!

Why is my water bill high so high?

Is your water bill mysteriously high? Have you ever heard your toilet run make funny noises? Does your toilet flush randomly throughout the day and night? The problem is that water is being flushed unnecessarily down the drain, so you are potentially wasting hundreds of gallons of water and over the course of time hundreds of dollars as well.

A high water bill may indicate you have a leak. Even a small leak can waste enough water for you to notice an increase on your bill. If there is a leak anywhere within your plumbing system, you must pay for the water used. Fix your leaks promptly to avoid paying for them each month.

Did you know?

• A 1/4″ leak wastes 393,833 gallons* in one month.
• A 3/16″ leak wastes 222,000 gallons* in one month.
• A 1/8″ leak wastes 98,666 gallons* in one month.
• A 1/16″ leak wastes 24,666 gallons* in one month.(*at 60 pounds of pressure)

Preventing Water Waste is Everyone’s Job

Some water leaks, such as a dripping faucet, are obvious. Other water leaks can be virtually invisible, such as a leaky toilet flapper valve or a leaky irrigation pipe in your yard. While this is not intended to address major plumbing problems, it is designed to give you an overview of how preventive maintenance and diligent repair are important aspects of water conservation. By following a little advice, you’ll be able to conserve water while you help keep your pipes, plumbing fixtures and water-using appliances in top shape.

Water conservation shouldn’t be something we think about only sometimes. As the competition for our most precious natural resource grows, let’s make conserving water an everyday part of life in Minnesota.

Here are some ideas to help find water leaks in your home.

Toilets

• Listen and look for running water.
• Put a few drops of food coloring into the tank. If color shows up in the bowl within ten minutes, the valve or support assembly may need to be replaced.
• See if the ball valve drops squarely into the drain opening. If not, clean it out or replace the ball valve if it is worn.
• Check the flush handle to see if it is stuck in the flush position
• Bend the float arm to lower the water level to at least one-half inch below the top of the overflow tube
• Replace the overflow tube if it has holes below the water level

Faucets, Bathtubs and Showers

• Replace worn gaskets and washers
• Replace washer-less faucets
  Tighten waterline connections and valves

Air Conditioner/Humidifier

• Check for water leaks.

Water Heater

Keep an eye on your water heater. Check the silver plate mounted on the water heater, which includes manufacturer information. Look for evidence of leaks around the pipes and at the base of the water heater, as well as rust on any of the parts.

• Replace the pressure and temperature valve, if leaking.
• Tighten the drain valve

Water Softener

• Look for water drips underneath or in back of the machine
• Listen for running water
• Contact you water softener representative for service and repair information.

Dishwasher/Clothes Washer

• Look for water drips or stains underneath or in back of the machine.

Water Service Connection

• Look for drips or wet areas in the crawl space
• Place a screwdriver on the service line and listen. No noise means water is not running.

Outside Faucets

• Replace worn gaskets and washers

Sprinkler System

• Disconnect hoses from outside faucets to protect against freeze damage.
• Winterize your sprinkler system according to the system’s instructions
• Check for any damage to sprinkler heads.
• Make sure that all drain plugs are closed

Need help?

• If you think you have a leak but can’t find one, call the Utility Office to perform a leak test. If the meter is found to be faulty it will be replace at no charge but a service fee will be charged if there are no problems with the meter. If the fault is not the meters, you may need to call a plumber.

If you do not have a water leak and your bill seems high, consider these questions:

• Did you use more water keeping the grass green?
• Did you go on vacation and leave someone else in charge of your lawn watering?
• Do you have an automatic sprinkler system with a broken head?
• Have you put in a new lawn, sprinkler system or pool recently?
• Were your children playing with the water?
• Did you do extra loads of laundry before or after a vacation?
• Did you have friends or relatives staying with you?

Just because you don’t see any water doesn’t mean that there isn’t a leak. Drip! Drip! Drip! That small little irritation that keeps you up at night will never go away unless you fix it. Even a small drip can waste as much as 170 gallons of water each day, or 5,000 gallons per month.

Prevention Is Best… But When Prevention Isn’t Enough, Call The Professionals!

Do it yourself or if you are not sure how to repair this type of leak you should call a Minnesota plumber to avoid any further problems or before the leak gets worse.

As a society, we have become more and more environmentally conscious and better informed about the effect our lifestyles can have on the world around us. Yet, the demand for our most valuable natural resource—drinking water—continues to grow while local supplies can be threatened by drought conditions.

Water conservation shouldn’t be something we think about only during a drought. As the competition for our most precious natural resource grows, let’s make conserving water an everyday part of life in Minnesota.

Making Plumbing Repairs Can Save A Lot Of Water

Only one percent of the earth’s water is available for human consumption and yet, according to the latest U.S. Geological Survey, the United States uses 408 billion gallons a day. On the industrial level, numerous water-saving technologies have been employed to help conserve water. And while strong progress has been made, there are several simple steps that consumers can take to help preserve our water supply for future generations.

Whenever… a sink, faucet, toilet, or pipe is leaking it’s costing you money!

Some water leaks, such as a dripping faucet, are obvious. Other water leaks can be virtually invisible, such as a leaky toilet flapper valve or a leaky irrigation pipe in your yard.

AWWA recommends the following steps to help conserve water:

• Only run the dishwasher and clothes washer when they are fully loaded.
• Defrost frozen food in the refrigerator or in the microwave instead of running water over it.
• When washing dishes by hand, use two basins – one for washing and one for rinsing, rather than let the water run
• Use a broom, rather than a hose, to clean sidewalks and driveways.
• If you have a swimming pool, get a cover. You’ll cut the loss of water by evaporation by 90%.
• Make plumbing repairs. Repair dripping faucets and leaky toilets. Dripping faucets can waste about 2000 gallons of water each year. Leaky toilets can waste as much as 200 gallons each day.
• Do not pour toxic chemicals (such as cleaning products, motor oil, weed killers, or paints) down the drain. Dispose of them properly.
• Attach low flow faucet aerators to faucets.
• Take short showers instead of baths. A full bath requires approximately 36 gallons of water. A five minute shower using a low flow restrictor will use 15-20 gallons.
• Install low flow shower heads and toilets. Low flow toilets typically use 1/2 the water of a standard toilet.
• Don’t leave the water running while brushing your teeth and/or shaving.
• Check for leaking faucets and toilets and repair them. A leaking tap, dripping once per second, wastes six gallons of water a day. A leaking toilet can waste up to 5,000 gallons per day.
• Store drinking water in the refrigerator, rather than allowing the tap to run for a cold glass of water.

Cross Connection/Backflow

Cross Connection Defined

You want to be sure that the water entering your home is of the best quality. That is why it is important that you be on the alert for any situation that would degrade the water of your purity. A cross connection prevention program is one way that insures that the water you drink is always the best. Every water customer should know about cross connections. A cross connection is any pipe, valve, fixture, etc., in a drinking water plumbing system that may allow the drinking water within the system to become contaminated or questionable in quality. Cross connections can either be eliminated or protected by an air gap or mechanical backflow preventer. Even a landscaping sprinkler system can be a potential source for contamination.

The Problem

A cross connection is a direct link between a household water line and a contaminated source such as a laundry tub, toilet tank, or garden hose. The most common contaminants – pesticides, detergents, and sewage – can enter your water system through cross connections in home water lines.

Most household cross connections are created by hoses. Under certain conditions, the flow in household water lines can reverse and siphon contaminants into the water supply. For example, using a garden hose to spray garden fertilizers and pesticides is normally safe, but if the city’s water supply is interrupted while you are spraying it may cause backflow contamination in the water supply.

Read more about backflow and protecting your community’s drinking water here.

The Solutions

You can prevent back siphonage by installing inexpensive safety devices or taking a few simple precautions.

First Solution: Anti-siphon Ballcocks – Toilet tanks contain a ballcock device which allows water to flow into the tank after flushing. Older style ballcocks do not have an anti-siphon feature, allowing water from the toilet to backflow into your drinking water line. A simple anti-siphon ballcock installed with a 25mm (1″) air gap above the overflow tube will prevent contamination from tank water entering the water supply.

Second Solution: Hose Connection Vacuum Breakers – You can also prevent back siphonage by using an inexpensive hose connection vacuum breaker. This one-way valve allows water to flow from the tap, but not back.

Third Solution: Air Gaps – Leaving a gap of at least one inch, or two times the pipe diameter (whichever is greater), between the end of a hose and the source of contamination will eliminate the link between the two. Never leave a hose where it can siphon contaminants back into the drinking water supply, such as in a sink, bathtub, fish tank, or swimming pool.

When To Call a Plumbing Expert

Hot water heaters, underground sprinkler systems, and automobile pressure washers may form cross connections which require proper control. Due to the complex nature of these systems you should contact a qualified Minnesota plumber who is certified in Cross Connection Control.

Cold Weather Water Tips

It’s that time of year when the temperatures start to dip below freezing so here are a few pointers for you.

Before the onset of cold weather, prevent freezing of water supply lines and pipes by:

• Letting cold water drip from the faucet served by exposed pipes.
• Draining water from swimming pools and water sprinkler supply lines.
• Removing, draining, and storing the hoses.
• Closing inside valves supplying outdoor hose spigots. Open outside hose spigots to allow water to drain.
• Keeping the outside valve open so that any water remaining in the pipes can expand without causing the pipe to break.
• Insulating water pipes by carefully wrapping them with ends butted tightly and joints sealed with tape. Newspaper can provide some degree of insulation and protection to exposed pipes.
• Opening kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing.
• Leaving the heat in your home set to a temperature no lower than 55 degrees F, if you’re away during cold weather.

Thawing Frozen Pipes

If you turn on a faucet during freezing weather and only a trickle comes out, suspect a frozen pipe. The following are tips to thaw a frozen pipe:

• Keep the faucet open. Running water through the pipe will help melt ice in the pipe. After flow is achieved, allow faucet to drip to prevent refreezing.
• Apply heat to the section of frozen pipe using an electric heating pad wrapped around the pipe, an electric hair dryer, a portable space heater (kept away from flammable materials) or wrapping pipes with towels soaked in hot water. Do not use a blowtorch, kerosene or propane heater, charcoal stove or other open flame device.
• Apply heat until full pressure is restored. If you are unable to locate the frozen area, if the frozen area is not accessible or if you cannot thaw the pipe, call a licensed plumber.
• Check all other faucets in your home to find out if you have additional frozen pipes.

Future Freeze Protection

• Consider relocating exposed pipes to provide increased protection from freezing. A professional Minnesota Plumber can relocate pipes if the home is remodeled.
• Add insulation to attics, basements and crawl spaces.

Plumbing Contractors are licensed to test your backflow preventer devices and ensure they are preventing cross contamination and your potable water supply is safe. Just call a licensed Minnesota plumber to come out and test for backflow. If there is a problem, they can fix it right away and they will provide you with a written cost estimate for any repairs that need to be made. If everything is working properly, they will forward your test results to the appropriate city officials to let them know you have complied with backflow inspection requirements and your system is safe.

Read an informative article on the risks of backflow cross contamination.

Prevalence of Cross-Connections in Household Plumbing Systems Download this Study