Plumbing Questions From Richmond Homeowners

Plain answers

These plumbing questions come up on the phone and at the front door across Richmond, Glen Allen and Midlothian, from first-time buyers in newer subdivisions to owners of row houses with pipe older than the house’s last three owners. Each answer is short and written for a homeowner, not a plumber, so you can settle the small doubts before you book anything.

A few of them are about winter, because a handful of hard freezes each year is enough to split pipes in crawl spaces and outside walls across the area. Others are about the noises and drips that make people wonder whether to call, and a few are about buying a house or deciding when a pipe or a water heater is near the end.

If your question is not here, ask it in the form or during the service call. For the details of a specific job, the plumbing services page explains each one, and the drain cleaning and water heater pages cover the most common calls of the year.

The questions

• Where is my main water shut-off and how do I use it?

  In most houses here it is where the water line comes through the foundation, in a basement, crawl space or utility closet. Turn a round handle clockwise until it stops, or turn a lever a quarter turn so it sits across the pipe. Try it once a year so it doesn't seize, and if it won't turn, have it replaced before you need it in a hurry.

• Why is my water pressure low?

  If only one faucet is weak, its aerator or cartridge is usually clogged. If the whole house is weak, the cause can be old galvanized pipe narrowed by rust, a partly closed main valve, a failing pressure reducing valve or a problem on the utility side. A pressure gauge on an outside faucet tells us where to start.

• How do I keep pipes from freezing?

  Disconnect hoses from outside faucets in the fall, close crawl space vents and garage doors during a hard freeze, open cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls, and let a faucet drip on a line you know is at risk. If you go away in winter, leave the heat on and consider shutting off the main.

• What should I never put down the drain?

  Grease and cooking oil, coffee grounds, eggshells, fibrous peelings, wipes of any kind, paper towels, cotton swabs and anything labeled flushable that isn't toilet paper. In the garbage disposal, keep to small soft scraps with plenty of cold water.

• Why does my toilet keep running?

  Usually the flapper no longer seals, so water leaks into the bowl and the tank refills over and over, or the fill valve doesn't shut off and water runs into the overflow tube. Both parts are inexpensive to replace, and a running toilet can waste more water than a dripping faucet.

• Why does my water heater make a popping noise?

  Sediment from the water settles in the bottom of the tank, and water trapped under it boils in small bursts. Flushing the tank can help if it is caught early. A heater that has popped for years may have lost much of its capacity.

• Is it normal for pipes to bang when a tap is shut off?

  That knock is called water hammer, and it happens when fast-moving water stops suddenly. It is common with quick-closing valves on washing machines and dishwashers. Arrestors near those valves, or lower water pressure if it is too high, usually cure it.

• What is the pressure relief valve on my water heater?

  It is a safety valve on the side or top of the tank that opens if the pressure or temperature gets too high. If it drips, something is wrong, often the lack of a working expansion tank. Never cap it or plug its pipe.

• Do I need to be home for a service call?

  For most visits, yes, or someone who can let the plumber in. The plumber needs to reach the fixture, the water heater or the shut-off, and to show you what was found before any repair starts.

• Should I have the plumbing checked before I buy a house?

  Yes, especially an older house. A general home inspection often only runs the taps. A plumbing visit before closing can tell you what the supply pipe is made of, how old the water heater is and, with a camera, whether the sewer line has roots or breaks, which can matter when you negotiate the price.

• Can I use a drain cleaner from the store?

  On a soft clog near the drain, sometimes. On grease, roots or a main line it rarely works, and the chemicals are hard on old pipes. If you have already used one, tell the plumber before they open the drain.