If you deal with plumbing clogs on a regular basis, you might find yourself struggling with bent wire hangers, chemical drain cleaner, and unfamiliar pipes. Unfortunately, unless you are a trained professional, all of your efforts might be in vain. Most people don't realize it, but it is possible to damage your plumbing by making a few missteps. If you use the wrong chemicals or you push a little too hard, you might end up dealing with damaged pipes or your clogging problem could get worse. Fortunately, you might be able to use this blog to help you to keep your plumbing flowing smoothly.
You may typically think of plumbers as dealing with pipes and leaks. But in fact, they can diagnose and repair a wide variety of plumbing and plumbing-related problems, from water heater malfunctions to drain issues to plumbing vent problems and more.
Sometimes, you may even need to call a plumber because of a problem caused by bacteria. Here are three examples of such instances.
1. Smelly water heater
Does your water heater smell like a rotten egg or sewer gas? While this may be a frightening experience, it's typically not caused by sewage in your water heater but rather by a type of bacteria. These bacteria can live inside your water heater, loving the warm environment, but if you have a magnesium and aluminum anode in your water heater, they create a bad smell.
Fortunately, water heater anodes come in a variety of types. So if your plumber investigates and finds these bacteria are indeed the cause, he or she can often simply swap out the water heater's anode for a different anode that's formulated with zinc.
2. Iron bacteria in water
While bacteria in your hot water tank can cause an odd smell, some types of bacteria in your water itself can cause an odd taste and appearance. These bacteria use iron and create a rusty substance, which can cause your water to taste strange and appear orange, brown, or yellowish.
Because the bacteria also create a slimy substance, you may find that your plumbing starts to clog up, requiring you to call a plumber. In some cases, your plumber may recommend that in addition to plumbing work for clogged plumbing components, you also perform some type of water treatment (such as disinfecting your well).
3. Septic problems
Although not all plumbers do this, many include septic services in their repertoire. In addition, septic problems can cause backups and create drain problems and other plumbing problems that may require additional plumbing work.
A septic tank uses anaerobic bacteria to help process waste, while the system's leach field uses both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria in a delicate balance. Sometimes, a problem with another aspect of your plumbing (such as a faucet leak) can disrupt this balance.
Many septic issues can arise if imbalance or damage to the bacterial colonies occurs, necessitating a visit from your plumber. Septic-knowledgeable plumbers may be able to use a video line inspection to help diagnose issues with the main drain line to the septic tank, the tank itself, and other septic components.
While a plumber may not be the answer to every problem you have in life, they can deal with more situations than you may have thought possible. If you suspect you have any of these three problems with your plumbing, get in touch with your local plumber today.
Share21 May 2020
