It’s easy to get caught up in the demanding tasks of home remodeling, which pushes us to overlook a vital part of a functional home, the plumbing system. Because plumbing lines are concealed within the walls and underneath the ground or floor, we don’t take notice of them until damages become visible.
In old homes, hard water stains may have already adhered on various surfaces, including showerheads and drains. Moreover, the pipes could be so old that they affect the quality and cleanliness of your water. If your old home has been dealing with problems such as foul-smelling water and unsightly hard water stains, you should call for professional plumbing services in Murray, Utah, or any other place where you live.
Below are essential plumbing services and upgrades that an old house needs.
Water Softening
Hard water has calcium and magnesium ions that disrupt the effects of laundry detergents and soaps. In boilers, these ions will form hard, flaky deposits on the plates. These deposits, or hard water stains, have poor heat conductivity, driving your boiler to consume more fuel, ultimately shortening its useful life.
With water softening, the calcium and magnesium ions are replaced with sodium ions. This is done by inserting an instrument with porous plastic resin into the plumbing system right at the point where the water enters the house. The resins are typically coated with sodium positive ions, so when the water flows through them, the calcium and magnesium ions will be filtered, allowing the water to release with sodium ions instead.
The calcium and magnesium ions gathered in the resin should be removed every few days. Rinsing it with sodium chloride will help, and as a result, sodium ion coating will return to the resin.
Water softeners that release potassium instead of sodium are also available, for people who are reducing their sodium intake. And instead of sodium chloride, potassium chloride salt is used to remove the calcium and magnesium ions deposited.
Galvanized Steel Pipe Replacement
Old galvanized steel pipes develop plaque that disrupts water flow and potentially leads to bursting of pipes. If there are leaks in your home, then your galvanized steel pipes could be corroded.
The pipes are usually located down the basement near the water meter. Check if yours are made of galvanized steel; the threaded fitting will give it away. If it’s impossible to check, or you’re unsure how to distinguish different materials, you can contact your local waterworks office to ask which piping is used in your area’s plumbing system.
Better piping materials are copper and plastic, though there are other options as well. Get advice from an expert plumber to determine which one is best for your home.
Water Heater Replacement
Aging tank water heaters could already have mineral and sediment buildup inside. The mineral could be calcium carbonate, the same compound found in hard water that has poor heat conductivity. With these, your water heater will be forced to work harder than normal to transfer heat. The constant strain will eventually damage your heater, and repairs can be costly.
Sediment buildup, on the other hand, also strains your water heater. To prevent costly damages, it would be best to replace your tank water heater with an electric tankless unit. It’s far more efficient and low-maintenance.
With these plumbing issues explained, be sure to include plumbing services into your renovation or remodeling project. Surely, you don’t want the new look of your home ruined by bursting pipes and bothersome leaks.