As a Home or property owner, you’ve most likely had at experience dealing with water Main Services- the primary underground in water distribution systems.

Importance of replacing the mainline

Water mains are usually subject to several issues because it is the main pipe, located underground that connects your home to the community’s main water source.

Because water main services are always under pressure, they are vulnerable to breakage that may cause water to leak out to the surface, or worse cause contaminated water in the home.  Holes or cracks may also develop as a result of usage over time, usually as a result of external corrosion or frost. Pipe failure underground can cause muddy areas in better cases because it’s surfacing instead of going into the house or elsewhere causing more expensive or thorough damage like flooding, a spike in the water bill, landscaping cave-ins, loss of plantation.

Water Main Repair and Replacement Tips

These problems and more are reasons adequate maintenance of water mains is extremely important. If you discover a leak in your water main, it is crucial to rectify the issue immediately to avoid long term damage to your property. You need to keep the following in mind:

Spot repairs

Once a galvanized water main service begins to leak, spot repair can be done. However once it begins to fail, it will start springing leaks throughout the whole line causing the need to do more spot repairs that seemingly never end because digging it up will disrupt the earth around it, and because the water was shut off and turned back on.

The goal of replacement, on the other hand, is to re-run the entire service line in the most efficient way possible with minimal negative effects on the household and the public. There are different techniques that can be used:

Open trench – This technique has existed the longest, and it is breaking the surface and excavating soil from the connection point to the main along the entire length of the pipe to be replaced. This option can cause disruption of landscaping and loss of plantation.

Replacement on new routes – In this case, the damaged pipe is bypassed, and a new pipe is installed along a different route using a trench-less method such as guided boring. Two or more access pits are excavated, one at the point of connection to the water meter service and one at the home’s point of entry. In relative terms, there are two options for replacing your main line piping:

1. Digging up trenches with a backhoe that will result in property damage and loss of landscaping.
2. Our typical approach; on a 50ft main, we typically dig 3 2ft x 5ft holes with boring all the way through between the holes causing minimal disruption. Most cases it’s hardly noticeable. This technique has been proven to be cost effective while ensuring that your home aesthetics are retained. Below is photos of a water main replacement completed in one day by RPM Plumbing. As you see below this is a very efficient way to get the job done!

With RPM Plumbing, you don’t have to compromise on cost, beauty or functionality. Water main service replacements are done with guaranteed minimal invasion with boring leaving your property the same way you left it but with a high quality, non-corrosive water service.Call us today to get a free evaluation of your mainline. Offering a 25-year warranty by pipe manufacturer and 1 year parts and labor warranty!

The post Water Main Service Replacement – How Can We Help? appeared first on R.P.M Plumbing.

Being a business owner is tough.

There are so many aspects to think about—scaling, profitability, accountability, legalities—the list goes on and on. Just getting your business off the ground and keeping it alive for more than a couple of years is challenging enough.

A very important but sometimes forgotten component of running a successful business is keeping the momentum and excitement going.

Sometimes attention is squarely placed on profits, but how are you going to attain and maintain profitability if your employees are bored and uninspired?

Fortunately, there are several easy ways to show your employees you respect them, and when you have employees who feel valued, it will go a long way.

1. Offer perks: Consider adding perks to your workplace. This can come in the form of big perks—health insurance, matching 401k, payment towards continuing education—or, small perks such as allowing pets in the workplace, paying for a team lunch once a month, or a company ping pong table. By providing perks you’re telling your employees you view them as more than just a number—they’re a valuable asset to the team and deserve to feel as such.
2. Group events: Nothing says team building like a staff event. For example: Here at RPM Plumbing we often celebrate our staff with a Company Appreciation Party. Our latest event was held at a local bowling where employees got to let loose and enjoy each other’s company outside of the workplace.                                                                                                                                               
3. Schedule flexibility: The 9-to-5 structure exists for a reason, but in our current times the model can be a little outdated. Americans have much more hectic lives than they did in the 1950s, which means crap happens. Your children have an unplanned snow day, the DMV appointment took 90 minutes too long, or your flight home from vacation was delayed by a day. Giving your employees flexibility with their schedule not only helps them de-stress, it also tells them that you trust them.

The post How to maintain excitement in a growing business appeared first on R.P.M Plumbing.

It’s no secret that Salt Lake City and the surrounding area has hard water. According to Salt Lake City Public Utilities, all five major water sources in the area have ppm (parts per million) ranging from 135-242, which Water Quality Association rates as “hard” and “very hard.”

Though hard water will not physically harm you (it’s mostly elevated levels of calcium and magnesium), it can do other damage.

It’s bad for your skin and hair

Soap and detergent has difficulty interacting with hard water. For soap, it can help leave a film on your skin that prevents it for being its normal, healthy self. As for hair, it can cause color to fade and make styling difficult.

It can destroy your laundry

Just like your hair, hard water can cause your clothing’s color or whiteness to fade. Not only that, calcium and magnesium deposits can stay in your clothing causing them to feel rough and less nimble. This build up makes it difficult to get your laundry truly clean.

It’s tough on your appliances, sinks and tiles

Those white deposits you see in your coffee maker or dishwasher can prevent them from working properly. Same goes for your water heater. These deposits can build up and affect water flow, causing the products to break down. For bathtubs and sinks, the mineral deposits could clog up the pipes or spout as well.

All of these issues can be corrected with a water softener system.

The benefits of water softener are plentiful. Not only will it help your skin and hair return to its healthy, natural glow, but everything from your clothing to piping will last longer. No more worrying about replacing your water heater or dishwasher in a few short years.

Don’t live with hard water anymore. Call us today for your Free home estimate and learn how water softener can change your life.

The post Why hard water is bad (and how water softener can help) appeared first on R.P.M Plumbing.

In case you’re not familiar with either:

Cast iron pipes are made of gray cast iron, and can be either coated or uncoated. They are most often used for waste water.

Galvanized pipes are steel pipes that are coated in zinc. They are most often used for sinks, showers and tubs.

Though both cast iron and galvanized pipes are of quality, they are prone to rusting and damaging over the years.

As seen below, damaged pipes can be costly and unhealthy. 

You don’t want this to happen to you.

Here are three reasons why you should consider replacing your cast iron and galvanized pipes now.

1. Damaged pipes can be costly: Over time, rust will eat away at your pipes, eventually causing a leak or flooding. When your home floods, you can count on having to tear out walls due to mold, purchasing new flooring and replacing any personal items damaged. This can run you into the tens of thousands of dollars, if not more. Another way cast iron and galvanized pipes can become damaged is by your house settling. When houses shift as the years go by, the pipes can shift too, causing cracks and breaks.

2. Damaged pipes can be unhealthy: When water seeps into your floors and walls, it can lead to unhealthy mold and mildew. Mold has been known to cause irritation for the skin, eyes, nose and lungs. Don’t underestimate the severity of mold. Even the Center for Disease Control warns of the dangers of household mold. In addition, the damaged pipes can also help spread microbial and chemical waterborne diseases. And last but not least—damaged pipes increases exposure to sewer gases.

3. Damaged pipes can cause food waste or sewage buildup: When your cast iron and galvanized pipes aren’t working correctly, they can cause food to back up, or worse—sewage. It goes without saying that sewage backup it something you definitely don’t want to happen. Not only could it cause a nauseating mess in your house, it could also spread disease. As for food buildup, it will clog your sink, begin to stink and potentially cause flooding.

Avoid any of these scenarios from happening. Call us today to get your FREE EVALUATION of your cast iron and galvanized pipes. Get your pipes replaced before it’s too late. Below are before and after photos of what your new replacement piping will look like.

The post 3 Reasons Why You Should Replace Your Cast Iron and Galvanized Pipes appeared first on R.P.M Plumbing.

What can you do?
Ensure that pipes are properly insulated. Crawl into your attic and check your insulators, go to your basement and garage and inspect the plumbing. Add additional insulation to the walls and ceilings to keep the pipe warm. You can fit the pipes with rubber or fiberglass to help sustain the temperature of the water inside the pipe and reduce the possibility of freezing.
Additionally, you can use heating tapes on areas that are at more risk of freezing. The heating tape supplies heat to the pipe to keep it from freezing; it can automatically switch on when the temperature starts dropping.
Check where the pipes enter various parts of the house and seal any gap around it. Ensure no pipe is left exposed. Check for openings around doors, windows and at the foundation of the house and seal as well.

Keep the heat up
Many experts will suggest turning off the heat to reduce your bill, however leaving it on can help prevent pipe freezing and bursting, and is less expensive than fixing a broken pipe or the resulting damages if it floods your home.
You can set your thermostat at around 60° or higher when the temperature is likely to drop overnight. If you plan on leaving town for a few days, ensure you leave the heater on. Set it at a temperature of not less than 55°.

What if you spot a frozen pipe?
If you turn on the tap and nothing comes up, then it’s likely you have a frozen pipe. Before you start thawing the pipes, open the drain to reduce the pressure.
Start thawing from the faucet and work your way down to the blockage; this will reduce the chances of pipe burst. You should be careful and ensure the pipe hasn’t already busted, as the water can flow with full force and flood your home.
If you already have a broken pipe, then you should turn off the water and call a plumber to fix it.

Conclusively, the underlying factor in preventing freezing and pipe bursts around your home is to make adequate preparation and ensure proper installation of pipes.
At RPM Plumbing we offer unrivaled plumbing services tailored to meet your needs. We have a special package designed to put in place measures that ensure the safety of your plumbing and eliminate chances of freezing and pipe bursts.
Call us today to look at your home and ensure you have an issue free winter. We look forward to helping you with your plumbing and heating needs.

The post How to prevent frozen pipes this winter appeared first on R.P.M Plumbing.

If your house was built before WWII, there’s a good chance your water piping system is made of galvanized pipes.

What the heck are galvanized pipes, you ask?

They’re steel or iron piping with zinc coating to prevent rusting.

However, the zinc coating doesn’t fully prevent rusting.

At some point the zinc coating corrodes and the pipe usually rusts from the inside out.

Photo of pipe rusting from the inside out.

That means the tap water you drink, shower in or give to your children and pets can be full of rust.

Before you panic—the rust isn’t going to kill you.

But it’s a good idea to get your pipes fixed.

Here’s why.

Rust can stain sinks & tubs.

As mentioned before, rust won’t kill you. In fact, it’s not considered a contaminant by the Environmental Protection Agency. However, it’s rich red-orange color—which is oxidized iron—can make your porcelain sinks and tubs look scary. Have you ever tried scrubbing those red rings out? It’s pretty difficult.

Pipes can break and cause flooding.

Rust slowly eats away at a pipe and can cause it to spring a leak. Know what happens when pipes break? You guessed it—your house floods. This can cause thousands of dollars worth of damage or dangerous molding. Mold can cause nasal, eye, or skin irritation, and for people with lung disease, it can cause serious infections.

Don’t let your pipes burst!

Why Rusty Pipes Are Bad for You.

On a larger scale, there is concern that rusty pipes across America can help spread disease. A 2007 study from the Environmental Protection Agency found that failing water systems play a role in the spread of microbial and chemical waterborne diseases.

So in another words—update your galvanized piping. By updating your pipes you can avoid damaging your sink or tub, prevent potential house flooding, and help stop the spread of waterborne diseases. The investment will be worth it in the long run.

R.P.M. Plumbing can help! Call us at 801-839-4305 or visit us at https://rpmplumbingut.com/

We can help avoid this.

The post 3 Reasons Why Rusty Pipes Are Bad for You appeared first on R.P.M Plumbing.