McAdams Plumbing will be closed for the Holidays

OFFICE

Closed Wednesday 12-23-2015 @ 12 Noon. and will re-open Monday 12-28-2015 @ 8:00am through Thursday 12-31-2015 5:00pm.  We will then be CLOSED from Friday January 1, 2016 through Monday January 4, 2016.  Office will resume normal business hours on Tuesday January 5, 2016.

SERVICE

No service or Emergency service will be available from Wednesday 12-23-2015 @ 12 noon through Monday January 4, 2016.  Service hours will resume normal on Tuesday January 5, 2016 @ 8am.

“We would like to wish you and your families a very safe and happy holiday and wonderful new year.” 

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Fun Fact of the Week: Water Pressure

This week McAdams Plumbing is going to discuss how water pressure can wreck havoc on your home. Got your attention? Good.

Dishwasher Flood Damage

Let’s talk numbers.

A waterline failure at 70 pounds of pressure can discharge around 650 gallons of water in an hour. That’s enough to fill an 8′ x 30″ pool! So what happens if you’re at work or out of town? That water just keeps flowing all through your home. We talked before about how destructive water can be. You can bet it will ruin floors, walls, possessions, and pretty much anything else available.

Washing Machine Waterlines

So what kind of fixtures in your home carry this kind of pressure? All of them. From your ice machine maker to your toilet supply, even your washing machine hose, they all carry the same pressure. The water in your home works in what’s called a “closed system,’ so all of your appliances and fixtures that have water running to them carry the same pressure.

So what can you do? Simply monitor your water lines. Look for signs of wear like cracks or minor leaks. If you see these make sure you replace the lines right away. For appliances like washing machines, the hoses are made from reinforced rubber, so it’s recommended that you replace them every 3-5 years due to wear.

It also never hurts to invest in a product like the WaterCop Automatic Water Shut-Off Valve. This device works remotely to shut off the incoming water supply to your home if water leaks are detected. MP is a big fan of this product so you can find information about it on our main website.

Hope you enjoyed today’s blog. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions for future topics please use the “Leave a Reply” space below. The Proof is in the Plumbing!

-MP

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One thing any Coloradan knows is that the winters here can be very, very cold. While this is one of the reasons most of us love Colorado (winter = ski/snowboard season!) we must also be sure we prepare our homes for the low temperatures.

Frozen Pipes

One of the largest concerns during the winter is frozen pipes. Non-insulated pipes within exterior walls or in crawl spaces can freeze during days with sub-freezing temperatures. As you may know when water freezes it expands. This expansion presses against the walls of the pipes and if it continues the pipes may burst! This bursting can allow hundreds of gallons of water into your home, causing severe damage to walls, carpets, ceiling, etc.

Avoiding Frozen Pipes

In order to avoid frozen pipes in the winter be sure that all of your exposed waterlines are properly insulated before temperatures drop. Types of insulation you can use include heat tape, foam rubber sleeves, or fiberglass insulation in either roll or sheet form. Also, make sure all garden hoses are detached and sprinkler systems are turned off and blown out. If you are concerned about freezing being a problem and would like to have a professional inspect your home and get it prepared for winter we would be happy to come out and take a look. Just give us a call at 303-465-1900.

In order to prevent any pipes from freezing inside of the home McAdams Plumbing recommends that you leave the thermostat at no less than 62*F. This is especially important if you are going out of town, say for holiday travel.

WaterCop

McAdams Plumbing does offer another defense against pipe bursting, it’s called the WaterCop Automatic Water Shutoff System. This amazing little device attaches to your main water supply which receives a signal from strategically placed sensors to monitor for signs of water. If these sensors do detect water they send a wireless signal to the WaterCop unit which then shuts off the water supply to the home! Talk about flood deterrence! McAdams Plumbing is a licensed installer of WaterCop and if you mention this blog post we’ll install a unit in your home with sensors for only $995.00 (this price does not include service fee, permits, or requirements). Some insurance agencies even offer a discount if you install a WaterCop in your home, so be sure to contact your provider and see if you qualify! More information about WaterCop can be found here.

What if I Have a Broken Pipe?

If you have a pipe that has burst, immediately cut off the main water supply. This will prevent the water from continuing to gush out into your home. Once it’s been shut off immediately call your preferred plumbing service provider to set up an appointment to have the pipe repaired.

Thawing a Frozen Pipe

If you notice that you have a frozen pipe but it has not yet burst you may be able to thaw it out by yourself. An interesting fact to know is that pipes do not break at the point of the freeze. They break somewhere down the line where the water pressure is building up because it can not get past the freeze. Because of this it’s important to thaw the pipe as soon as possible if you can get to it. Click here to be taken to the Frozen Pipes page on our main website which has detailed instructions on how to thaw out your own pipe at home. The instructions are located toward the bottom of the page.

Hopefully you got some good takeaways from this blog. If you have any questions please do not hesistate to call, email, or leave a comment here. All contact information can be found here. Thanks for stopping by!

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