Plumbers sometimes use words to describe issues in your home that make no sense to you, but that aren’t that difficult to understand. And knowing the meaning of these words can help you determine if you are able to perform plumbing repair for some issues, or if you really need to contact a professional. Here are some words you should know that plumbers use all the time. Sometimes referred to as an auger, a plumber’s snake is a flexible device with spiral metal that a plumber inserts into a drain and then winds to push the metal into the drain and dislodge obstructions. In the old days, only plumbers had access to this device, which is effective at clearing drains in toilets that can’t be resolved with a plunger, but you can now buy these at any home improvement or hardware store. If you have a tough clog, you may want to purchase one of these before calling a plumber who will use the same device to unclog your drain, then charge you far more money than if you’d just invested in the auger.
A scald guard is a valve that keeps the water pressure in your pipes even, so that a shift in pressure doesn’t cause a rise in temperature that can result in scalding hot water than can burn your skin. The guard works by adjusting the temperature based on drops in hot or cold water pressure, so that you never have a situation in which you are taking a normal warm shower that turns too hot within seconds. Whenever you experience a sudden shift to either freezing cold water or scalding hot water, it typically indicates that the scald guard has malfunctioned.
The shutoff valve is a device that controls the influx of water into the toilet tanks and sinks in your home. If a pipe bursts, you must immediately turn off the shutoff valve to stop water from flooding your bathroom or kitchen. Toilet shutoff valves are almost always built at the bottom of your toilet and are connected to a hose that runs to the back of the toilet tank. In sinks, the shutoff valve is also located at the bottom, usually inside a cabinet. There is also a main shutoff valve located outside your house, but it is in different places based on where you live, so you must ask your local water company to help you locate this valve, which shuts off all water coming into your home. Our Plumbing Services in Mesa, AZ can help with any plumbing issue you come to face.