It affects everything from the human body to automobiles. Wear and tear can also impact your home plumbing.
It can leak, break down, wear out, or become dated as faults are discovered and better technology becomes available.
Water lines and pipes could be outdated because of health issues, if they are made of lead or galvanized metal. Also, plastic pipes such as Poly-B are known to develop leaking issues over time and will need to be replaced along with their fittings.
The most common culprit in the wear category is a plugged drain. It happens with use. Drains can become plugged for any number of reasons – a children’s or dog toy that is dropped in the toilet and could be accidentally flushed, food particles, fats, and other debris can coagulate into a gooey mess. While it is the most likely to occur in a kitchen sink drain, bathroom sink drains are not immune to blockages due to a collection of toothpaste, soap, and hair.
Toilets rank at the top of the list for plumbing most likely to be affected by wear and tear. Hard water, common in municipalities, contains calcium which tends to build up in the trap, making it harder to flush. It will also build up in the tank, where it will affect all the moving parts that are necessary to execute a successful flush.
Dripping faucets are another one – the ‘o-ring’ in the spout can go, washers lose their flexibility, tear, and/or lose position, and the cartridge inside the tap can wear out and need to be replaced. In older-style two-handle faucets, commonly used in laundry tubs, the valve seals and washers can wear out. The seals can be replaced, if the parts are still available but many opt at that point to replace the taps. The labour cost to fix it can be more than the cost to replace it.
Water pipe fasteners may have loosen over time or may not have been installed correctly to begin with.
Many hard water problems can be negated by installing a water softener. The downside is they will need to be maintained.
Anything that needs maintenance can break down or wear out. That means water heaters and pumps – all kinds of pumps from sewage to sump pumps as well as saniflow pumps.
With a sump pump, it’s important to keep it clear of debris so that the float works properly. If the float doesn’t work, neither will the pump.
At a cottage, water pumps are subject to wear and tear. The same is true with a foot valve in a jet pump which is necessary in wells to keep the water from running back out again. Foot valves will also be used for the same reason if a lake or river is the primary water source.
A cushion tank or water holding tank is a necessary component to a water pump and it can sometimes become waterlogged or develop pin-holes in the bag inside the tank. In the old days, the bag inside the take was made of fibreglass, and shards of it could punch the bag with pin holes.
While some of these tanks can be in use, sometimes reused on a new pump, newer cushion tanks don’t have the same issue because they have a smooth finish on the inside.
Things can also go wrong with a submersible pump. The control box could be defective or worn out.
Also, a stone could become stuck in the foot valve, causing the pump not to hold water. Or they could wear out and fail to keep a prime. If the submersible doesn’t start in three tries, it will likely have to be replaced.
Backflow prevention devices will also need to be maintained and tested to make sure that it’s working properly.
Circulating pumps keep the hot water moving from the tank or source to another point of use which is further away. They help keep the water hot if it has to travel a distance.
If you’re calling a plumber about an issue, please take a photo and send it when possible to Plumbtech Plumbing. Plumbtech welcomes photos because as the old saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words.
