sonora plumbing contractor Archives - Optimized Plumbing & Piping - sonora ca plumbing repair- plumbing contractor

November 18, 2013 by Curtis McQuinn Leave a Comment

Gas line installation (how to choose a company)

Choosing the right Sonora Ca plumber for a gas line installation is much more important than finding the lowest price. At Optimized Plumbing & Piping our goal is to do a quality gas line installation job at a reasonable price which is what we think our customers expect. If you are looking into a new gas line installation call us at 209-352-4294. Or continue reading for tips on how to choose the right plumber for the job.

Gas line installations are not one of the do it yourself plumbing jobs. A gas line installer should have served an apprenticeship, and had proper on the job training. This is to ensure the safety, and functionality of the gas line they install. As an end result this will ensure the safety of the people who use the building the gas line is installed in.

Below are 5 tips on how to choose the right plumber for your gas line installation

#1 Find out if they hire trained help. Optimized Plumbing & Piping only uses Sonora, Ca plumbers who are qualified to install gas lines. Sometimes in order to keep payroll low contractors will hire unqualified help to do gas line installations. This is a shortcut that could put you and your family at risk

#2 The ability to size the pipe properly. Gas lines should be sized properly per Uniform plumbing code charts to ensure adequate supply reaches each appliance, or piece of equipment.

#3 Using the right material for the gas line installation, ( not what is cheapest. )For larger gas lines nothing beats welded iron pipe done by a certified pipe welder. For smaller residential installations threaded iron pipe and fittings are best. Plastics can be adequate for underground but can easily be pierced by digging in your yard with a shovel or pick.

#4 Installing the right shutoff valves. Some people cut corners on gas lines by not installing the proper shutoff valves, gas flex lines, and dirt legs at all appliances or equipment. This can lead to problems in case of a gas leak. In the case of dirt legs it can cause problems with your gas appliances by letting small pieces of dirt into the appliance.

#5 The commitment to only do quality gas line installations. Even when the right materials and sizing are used there is a lot more that goes into a quality gas line installation including the supports, leak testing , and inspection.

Optimized Plumbing & Piping is a full service plumbing contractor who serves all areas of Tuolumne County, and Calaveras County including Sonora, Angels Camp, San Andreas, Copperopolis, Murphys, Arnold, Groveland, and Mi Wuk village. We also have Modesto, CA plumbers who service Stanislaus County including Modesto, Rivverbank,and Oakdale. If you have any questions on services offered or areas covered please call today at 209-352-4294. We also offer emergency plumbing service 24 hours a day!

November 18, 2013 by Curtis McQuinn Leave a Comment

5 Tips for Sonora Plumbing Repair

Sonora plumbing repair can cover a wide range of topics like: water line leak repair, repairing a broken toilet, repairing a broken or leaking drain, repairing a broken sink, or a leaking faucet, water heater repair, garbage disposal repair, or fixing frozen pipes, but in this post our Sonora, Ca plumbers will give you 5 tips that will help prevent plumbing problems, or make them easier to repair if needed.

Sonora Plumbing Repair Tip #1 Learn where emergency shutoff valves are. Nothing is worse than having water flooding your home, and not knowing how to shut it off. Learn where shutoff valves are before hand. There should be a shutoff valve by your water meter, and one closer to your home or even inside for easier access. If you don’t have a good shutoff valve call Optimized Plumbing & Piping at 209-352-4294 to install a new dependable ball valve before you have an emergency. Also you should make sure what fixtures are shutoff with the valve since there is a possibility of having more than one valve to shutoff the entire home.

Sonora Plumbing Repair Tip #2 Make sure each fixture has it’s own shutoff valve. Also if the fixtures have flex lines to the fixture they should be periodically checked and replaced because they don’t last forever. The angle stops might need to be replaced periodically as well because eventually they will stop working, and could even start dripping causing rotten cabinets and sub floors or even cause mold growth.

Sonora Plumbing Repair Tip #3 Don’t pour grease and oils from cooking down drain lines. Many clogged drains are caused by pouring grease down the kitchen sink. The grease or oil starts as a liquid when it is hot but solidifies when it cools off in the drain. The same can happen with a dishwasher drain hose if greasy dishes or pans are put in without cleaning them off first. This normally causes a dishwasher full of water after the cycle should be complete. Do yourself a favor and pour grease in a coffee can and put it in the garbage to avoid paying for a plumber to unclog your drain lines.

Sonora Plumbing Repair Tip #4 Plant trees away from drain lines (especially ones with invasive roots). Many people don’t consider drain line locations when planting trees in their yard. This is a mistake because roots can find their way into drain lines which causes blockages. These can be cleared out temporarily but many times the drain will have to be dug up and replaced. This entails digging up any landscaping in the way, and the roots of the tree infiltrating the waste line.

Sonora Plumbing Repair Tip #5 Maintain plumbing and keep in good condition to avoid costly emergency work. Many people leave their plumbing unchecked for long periods, and don’t think about it until they have a plumbing emergency. Some people will even notice a small water leak and not have it repaired until it becomes a major leak and causes damage. Leaks don’t normally fix themselves, and the most cost effective time to fix them is when they are first noticed.

Sonora Ca Plumbers from Optimized Plumbing & Piping can be scheduled for any plumbing repair work or to replace and update your plumbing fixtures. We can also show you new options for water heating that can save you a lot of money on utility bills. Call us today at 209-352-4294

We offer plumbing service for Angels Camp, Copperopolis, San Andreas, Murphys, Arnold, Mi Wuk Village, Groveland, and any other areas of Tuolumne, and Calaveras Counties.

To find out more about our Sonora, Ca based plumbing repair service go to: http://optimizedpiping.com/blog/sonora-ca-plumbers/

October 17, 2013 by Curtis McQuinn Leave a Comment

Water heater repair & maintenance tips from sonora ca plumbers

Water heater repair & maintenance tips from Optimized Plumbing & Piping can help extend the life of your water heater. If you need help with your water heater please do not hesitate to give us a call at 209-352-4294.

The last few posts have dealt with what to do when you have sediment buildup in your water heater and the affects of having sediment build up in a water heater. The next question you may have is how to reduce the amount of sediment in the first place. This way you can avoid disconnecting your water heater, and tipping it side ways (this turns out to be kind of a pain in the butt). This is the question that this post will answer. Remember these tips are not needed for tankless water heaters, or instant water heaters. If you have any questions or need help with any of these steps, or after seeing the value of water heater repair & maintenance want a professional to take care of your plumbing system call us at Optimized Plumbing & Piping.

Sediment control ahead of time can reduce the amount of time you spend cleaning sediment out of your hot water heater, and extend its useful life. This goes for electric water heaters, and gas water heaters. Softening water is normally done when a well is present, but softened water can also reduce the sediment accumulation in your water heater. The trade off for this is the anode rod will need to be replaced at least twice as often as normal water conditions. Drinking and cooking with softened water is also not recommended for those who should restrict salt in their diet. This is because salt is added to the water to remove other minerals.

The temperature that the water heater is set at can also affect how much sediment ends up in your tank. Sediment builds up the fastest at temperatures over 140 degrees F, so your water heater should be set at 130 degrees F or lower. The bacteria that causes Legionnaires disease can grow in a water heater at temps between the temps of 86 degrees F and 115 degrees F. So the water temp should be above 120 degrees F to prevent this. This leaves you with an ideal water heater setting of between 120-130 degrees F.

Most water heaters come from the factory set at 120 degrees F. Sometimes people set them much higher to extend the amount of hot water available. This could cause scalding, and more sediment buildup. Sometimes water heaters are set low to conserve energy. This lowers the amount of hot water you can draw from the tank, and could cause bacteria growth in the water heater. The actual temp of the water coming out of a faucet can be checked and used to adjust the water heater but normally the factory settings or best. If you have problems setting the water heater to the right temperature call water heater repair & maintenance experts at Optimized Plumbing & Piping.

Reducing sediment in an electric water heater can be done with the selection of the right heating element. The low watt density type water heater element has a larger surface area to heat the water, so it doesn’t need to get so hot which reduces the amount of sediment created.

High water pressure which is in many areas of Tuolumne County and Calaveras County can also cause excessive sediment buildup in your water heater. A pressure reducing valve should be added to reduce pressure before entering your home. This will also save your plumbing system from excessive wear.

Call Plumbers in Sonora CA at Optimized Piping today to talk to a Sonora CA water heater specialist at 209-352-4294

We provide Sonora plumbing service for the areas of Tuolumne, Soulsbyville, Twain Harte, Mi Wuk, Columbia, Sonora, Jamestown, Groveland, Copperopolis, Angels Camp, Murphys, Arnold, San Andreas, Jackson, Oakdale, Riverbank, Modesto, and Merced.

The plumbing services we provide include water heater repair & maintenance in Sonora , tankless water heater install, plumbing fixture replacement, leak repair, repiping, hydronic boiler install, hydronic heating, radiant heating, winery piping, food processing piping, plant piping, pump installation and any other plumbing or piping work.

Plumbers in Sonora Ca from Optimized Plumbing & Piping drive this service vehicle for all water heater repairs. — Plumbers in Sonora Ca from Optimized Plumbing & Piping drive this service vehicle for all water heater repair & maintenance calls.

October 16, 2013 by Curtis McQuinn Leave a Comment

Sonora plumbers describe the signs of a defective pressure reducing valve

While Sonora plumbers from Optimized plumbing & Piping are on service calls we notice that many times homeowners do not check the pressure in their homes water pipes for long periods. Eventually pressure reducing valves wear out and damage starts to faucets, toilets, dishwashers, washing machines, and even the water supply on your refrigerator. Our Sonora plumbers see this many times in our service area because so many homes use PRV valves (pressure reducing valves) to reduce the high water pressure in the water system. Below are some signs that your PRV could be going bad.

1) Noticeable drop in water pressure

While this is very inconvenient it’s not damaging to your plumbing fixtures like the next step which is high water pressure.

2) Noticeable rise in water pressure

Sonora plumbers say that water pressure in many parts of Tuolumne and Calaveras Counties can top 120psi. This can be very damaging to plumbing fixtures and appliances in your home. Including water heaters, and tankless water heaters. This higher water pressure isn’t always noticeable because the pressure can stay where it is set when the water is being used. But when no water is used for a few minutes in the home the pressure steadily climbs, due to small leaks in the pressure reducing valve. This is not as noticeable as a constant high pressure. Many times when you turn on a faucet the excess pressure dissipates very quickly, but the damage happens when the fixtures are not being used, and the high pressure is kept in your water pipes for longer periods.

These problems can easily be solved by calling your Sonora plumbers at Optimized Plumbing & Piping at 209-352-4294. We provide plumbing service for the areas of Sonora, Angels Camp, Copperopolis, Groveland, Twain Harte, Murphys, San Andreas, Jackson, Oakdale, Riverbank, and Modesto.

For more info on our Sonora, Ca based plumbing repair service go to: http://optimizedpiping.com/blog/sonora-ca-plumbers/

October 13, 2013 by Curtis McQuinn Leave a Comment

Plumbers in Sonora CA give fall plumbing maintenance tips

With these plumbing maintenance tips from Sonora, Ca plumbers at Optimized Plumbing & Piping fall is a good time to check on parts of your plumbing that may have been forgotten over the long summer. Sonora has cold enough winters to freeze pipes, and valves, and while the valley is more mild, freezing temperatures in Modesto, and Merced can still cause frozen pipes. .Below are some plumbing maintenance tips to prepare for winter. If you have any questions call Optimized Plumbing & Piping at 209-352-4294, we are a Sonora plumbing service and can schedule an appointment to take care of all your plumbing needs.

1) Insulate valves including backflow preventers, pressure reducing valves, shut off valves, and hose bibs.

2) Insulate any exposed pipes. If pipes are exposed to very cold temperatures insulation may not be enoug. You may need to relocate pipes to be in a wall with insulation, or underground.

3) Make sure any old valve boxes you have are water proof, and have insulation. If they are not water proof the insulation loses it effectiveness very quickly when soaked in water. This could result in frozen pipes, or valves.

4) Drain your water heater to flush out sediment. (This is not necessarily something to do in the fall but if your on a plumbing kick it probably needs to be done so why not do it now) Read about the benefits of flushing your water heater in our past blog on water heater repair and maintenance.

5) Check for a good shutoff valve in case a plumbing emergency occurs.

Call Optimized Plumbing & Piping today at 209-352-4294 to have Plumbesr in Sonora CA check over your plumbing system before winter gets here. We service the areas of Sonora, Angels Camp, Copperopolis, Groveland, Twain Harte, San Andreas, Jackson, Modesto, and Merced.