We receive a lot of questions on a weekly basis at Feehan Plumbing & Heating. For minor plumbing problems in Berwyn, there may be some easy fixes that you can try. But if they don’t work, call the pros with Feehan at us on the number above. to set an appointment so we can have an expert technician get you back up and running as quickly as possible.
There is an underground pipe leaking into my walk-in basement apartment. Is there any way to pinpoint and locate an underground leak before digging?
Feehan has professional leak-detecting equipment that allows a service technician to pinpoint the exact location of the leak. Modern leak-detecting equipment is very sophisticated and accurate.
Water keeps flowing out of the two holes in the front yard where they read the meter. My water bill has gone from about $50 to about $100. Any suggestions?
It sounds like you will need to get either the city out or a professional plumber, because you may have a leak at your meter. Since your water bill has gone up so significantly, that probably means it’s leaking on the house side of the meter.
Our water bill was extremely high this quarter. We were told by the city that we must have a leak somewhere. We don’t have any obvious signs of a leak. Is there a way it can be checked? Here’s how to test for a leak in your water system. Shut off all the fixtures in your home and put red food coloring in all of your toilet tanks. Check the reading on the water meter. Wait at least one hour and recheck the toilets and the reading. If the water in any toilet bowl is red, then the toilet is leaking. If the water has not left the toilet tanks and entered the bowls, but the reading on the water meter has moved even slightly you have an underground leak. A plumber or leak detection company can use a sounding device to locate leaks in underground pipes.
Our two bathroom sinks drain very slowly and water comes up in the other sink. What could be the problem?
When the drainage from one fixture backs up into another, it means that the two lines are connected on one branch line before it enters the main drain. Water always seeks its own level so it will come up in a lower fixture or another sink at the same level if the branch line connecting the fixtures has a blockage after the connection.
Sink lines get filled up with lint, grease, and soap scum from the fixtures. As the water goes down the drain, a film is left on the inside of the piping, eventually building up so thick that it reduces the internal diameter of the drain and slows the water flow. A hand snake is designed to open minor clogs in small traps or branch lines. A hand snake can punch a hole in a clog, but it is often like punching a hole in jello. The sludge builds up so thick, that when you pull the snake back the sludge just fills back in. Hand snakes are not designed to open piping under the floor, so if the clog is there, you’ll need a plumber.
Once the line is cleaned you can use an enzyme-type drain cleaner to eat away biological material and prevent it from sticking to the inside of the piping, which keeps the line open and flowing.