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Caring For Your Home's Plumbing
Protecting your home’s pipes is an important part of being a homeowner. Below are a few tips and general information on basic things you can do to keep your pipes in good shape.
- How do I find my water shut-off valve?
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Your master water shut-off valve should be located where the water line enters your house. When shut off, it turns off the water to the entire house. The valve will be located indoors, along the perimeter of the house, on the side facing the street.If you’re unable to find it on your own, you can also check your property inspection report, which was completed when you purchased the home.
Finally, if it’s an emergency and you are unable to locate the valve, please contact us and we can help shut-off the water from the curb-stop that attaches your service line to the main line in the street.
- How do I locate my water meter?
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Some meters are located inside the home and some are located near the street. If you’re doing work and need to locate your meter, please contact 811 and make a request. - How do I manage my water pressure?
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Normal residential water pressure is between 50 and 75 pounds per square inch (psi). Anything above 80 psi can cause leaks in clothes washers, faucets, toilets, bathtubs and exterior hose bibs. We recommend approximately 60 psiYou can test your water’s psi with a simple gauge you can buy at most hardware stores. If the pressure is too high, contact a licensed plumber to determine if a pressure regulator may help.
- How do I prepare my pipes for the winter?
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There are a few steps we recommend that you take each winter to protect your pipes from the cold:- Disconnect and drain outdoor hoses and faucets
- Insulate pipes or faucets in unheated areas. You can use pipe-wrapping materials or heat tape, which can be found at any hardware or building supply store.
- Seal off access doors, air vents, and cracks. Be sure you don’t plug air vents used by your furnace or water heater.
- Make sure you know where the master shut-off valve is located.
In extreme weather you may also want to run a small trickle of water from faucet.
If your pipes do freeze, you can attempt to thaw them yourself using a hair dryer or portable space heater and running it along the pipe. Do NOT attempt to thaw them using an open flame.
- How do I protect my pipes from clogs?
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Everything that is flushed, run through the garbage disposal or dumped enters the wastewater system. By doing a few simple things to protect your pipes, you can protect yourself, your family and the overall system from big problems down the road.To avoid back-ups into your home, we recommend:
- Remember the 3Ps: the ONLY things that you should ever flush are pee, poop and (toilet) paper. There is no such thing as a disposable wipe (no matter what the package says). Feminine products, prescription drugs, toys, pesticides, paint/solvents, motor oil and any other objects should be disposed of in other ways.
- Scheduling an annual tree root inspection/maintenance will help keep your pipes clear of debris and leaks.
- Do not pour kitchen grease down sink. Wipe pots and pans down with a towel, or pour the grease into another container and dispose of it, before washing.
- Keep garbage disposal free of items that can clog your system.
- How should I prepare for a visit from PSWD?
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Our employees will never ask to enter your home unless we've already scheduled a service appointment with you in advance. Any field service employee will be wearing a PWSD lanyard, apparel with our logo on it and driving an official PWSD vehicle.We will require someone over the age of 18 to be present.
If you have concerns you can also call us at 303-841-4627.