Plumbing Services in Emerson, GA

Alpha Plumbing and Sewer provides plumbing services to Emerson homes all year, and much of the work could be predicted from the date alone. Cold snaps find exposed pipes, wet spells test sump pumps, summer pushes outdoor water use and pressure, and the holidays load kitchen drains with grease.

Winter: freezes, spigots and the water heater

Even when winters are mostly mild, a hard freeze can split a pipe in an unheated crawlspace, a garage wall or an exterior wall cavity. Before cold weather, disconnect garden hoses from outdoor spigots, since a hose left attached traps water in the faucet. Wrap exposed pipes in crawlspaces and garages, and know exactly where the main shutoff is. A spigot that leaks or will not shut off fully is an easy fix before winter through faucet and valve repair, which can also swap in a frost-free model. Winter is also when the water heater works hardest, because incoming water is colder. Rumbling, slow recovery or rusty water are signs it needs service, whether it is a gas unit or an electric one. If a pipe does burst, close the main and call emergency plumbing.

Spring: rain, groundwater and roots

Wet weather is when a basement or crawlspace sump pump earns its keep. Test it before the rainy stretch: pour a bucket of water into the pit and make sure the float lifts, the pump starts, and water leaves through the discharge line outside. A pump that hums without moving water, runs constantly or has a stuck float needs sump pump service. Spring growth also sends tree roots looking for moisture, and a cracked sewer line is an easy target. Drains that slow down across the house in spring are worth a sewer camera inspection.

Summer: outdoor water and pressure

Irrigation, pools, pressure washers and hoses running for hours put the supply side to work. A water bill that jumps more than the extra watering explains, or a patch of lawn that stays green and soggy, may point to a leak in the line from the meter, a job for main water line repair. Pressure problems also show up in summer: weak flow at several fixtures, or pressure so high that toilets run and relief valves drip. A gauge on an outdoor spigot gives a quick reading, and PRV service handles a regulator that has drifted or failed.

Fall: kitchens, guests and grease

Holiday cooking sends more fat, starch and food scraps down kitchen drains than at any other time, and extra guests mean more showers and toilet flushes than usual. Scrape plates into the trash, wipe greasy pans with a paper towel before washing, and run plenty of cold water with the disposal. A disposal that jams, hums or leaks before a big meal is worth fixing ahead of time through disposal repair. Kitchen lines that clog again and again usually have a grease coating that hydro jetting can remove, provided a camera shows the pipe is sound.

Year-round habits

• Try every shutoff valve once or twice a year so none seize.
• Check the water heater label for its age and look at the base for moisture.
• Watch the water meter with everything off now and then to catch hidden leaks early.
• Keep wipes, grease and coffee grounds out of drains, whatever the season.

Inspections for water and sewer lines in Emerson

Emerson, in Bartow County, takes building permit applications through its Community Development Department. For buried lines, the city's building code reserves inspection of water and sewer connections for a city official, and its development regulations keep a service lateral uncovered until the city has inspected and measured it, so a sewer or water line repair should be scheduled around that visit.

Seasonal plumbing questions from Emerson homeowners

Should I let faucets drip during a hard freeze?

For faucets fed by pipes in exterior walls, crawlspaces or garages, a slow drip keeps water moving and relieves pressure that builds when ice forms, which lowers the chance of a split pipe. Opening sink cabinet doors on outside walls lets warm room air reach the pipes as well. Disconnect outdoor hoses before the cold arrives.

How can I tell whether my sump pump still works?

Pour water into the pit until the float rises. The pump should switch on, empty the pit and shut off, and water should come out of the discharge line outdoors. If it hums without pumping, runs without stopping, or does not start at all, have it checked before the next heavy rain.

What should I do if a pipe freezes but has not burst?

Open the faucet it feeds so melting water has somewhere to go, then warm the pipe gently with a hair dryer, working from the faucet back toward the frozen section. Never use an open flame. If you cannot reach the frozen spot, or the pipe has already split, close the main shutoff and call for help.

Get ahead of the season

A quick pre-season check is easier than a midwinter repair. To book one, reach us at (404) 409-4448 and mention what you would like looked at.