We all want our home’s plumbing components to last as long as possible, and while maintenance and repair can extend the life of your plumbing, there comes a time when fixtures like toilets, pipes, and water heaters will need to be replaced.
Below, we share the average lifespan of our most used plumbing components, their typical lifespan, and how to know if it’s time for them to be replaced.
Toilets
Considering that the average lifespan of a toilet is 50 years, you might have some time before it needs to be replaced. But here’s the thing: toilets consist of many different components, and when one breaks, it can sometimes cost less to replace the entire toilet than repair it. Should you notice a crack in the toilet itself, you’ll need to invest in a new one.
Another thing to consider is older toilets use more water. If your toilet is 30 years or older, we recommend replacing it to save water, which might help you save on your monthly bill.
Faucets
Most faucets last about 12 years. And sometimes, it costs more to repair a faucet than to replace it – but not always. Common faucet issues that require repair include the buildup of materials from hard water and general wear and tear.
We recommend regularly cleaning your faucets with a solution that kills mineral buildup, replacing cartridges in cartridge-style faucets, and trying DIY faucet repair before buying new ones.
Pipes
Not sure what material your pipes are made from? Check the warranty if your home is new or the home inspection report. This is important information because the longevity of your pipes depends on their material.
Here’s the general lifespan of the most popular pipes:
- PVC piping – 30-50 years
- Brass, steel, or iron – 60-70 years
- Copper – Up to 80 years
Water heaters
Don’t learn the hard way that your water heater is past its prime. Wait too long to replace your vintage model, and you could find yourself mopping up quite a bit of water if it breaks. While your water heater may last longer if only a couple of people use it daily, here’s a general idea of how long it should last based on type.
- Traditional water heater – Up to 15 years
- Tankless water heater – Up to 20 years
- Heat pump water heater – 10-12 years
Sump pumps
You probably don’t see it daily but make no mistake – your sump pump is essential to your plumbing. It’s responsible for collecting and removing water that pools in the basement, and should it not function properly, it could put your basement at risk of flooding.
You should have your sump pump inspected once every year to gauge its condition and see if it’s getting close to the time it needs to be replaced. Most sump pumps last an average of 10 years.
Need to know more about your pipes or wondering about the condition of your plumbing components? Let the team at Allied Reddi-Rooter know. We can inspect your home’s plumbing and let you know if its time for some replacements or repairs. Contact us, we always come highly recommended and have earned an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau for our expert quality of service.
They say it’s an El Nino winter, but even though the temps have indeed been warmer this season in Cincinnati (for now), it’s still important to make sure your home’s plumbing is winter-ready.
Sure, we’re deep into December, but there’s still time to prepare. Spring is a long way away.
The good news is that it’s easy, inexpensive (or downright free), and fast to winterize your plumbing. We recommend penciling in some time on the calendar soon – a few hours should be all you need.
To help get you started, we’ve created a list of must-dos for your home’s plumbing every winter.
Check your outdoor faucets
Do a complete check of your outdoor faucets. Look for water or wet areas on the ground and drips coming from the faucets. If you notice a leak, contact a plumbing professional. Even a tiny drip can cause damage or lead to a high water bill.
Next, seal the faucets
Purchase foam insulation covers from a home improvement store to seal faucets easily and keep them warm. Wrap them around pipes that are not insulated or in colder, damp places like the basement.
Winterize the sprinkler system
If you still need to shut down the sprinklers, do so now. Here’s how. First, turn off your home’s water supply. Next, turn off your sprinkler’s timer and drain the system, depending on your model. Lastly, insulate all above-ground sprinkler components with insulation tape or foam covers.
Check window well covers
Inspect your windows to make sure there aren’t any areas that need additional insulation for the colder months. Check for “pinpricks” of sunlight where the window meets the seam. If you see any light through the seam, add insulation to the window’s exterior to block the small opening.
Clean the gutters and the roof
During the winter, fallen leaves can fill gutters and cause blockages, so water – whether from rain or melting snow – can’t drain properly. This can lead to leaks in ceilings and walls.
You can head to the roof and clean your gutters or let a roofing professional do it. The latter choice has an extra benefit: the roofer can inspect the roof for any damage and perform the needed repairs.
Store away hoses
Never keep your garden hoses out all winter. Doing so will cause them to turn brittle and crack. Instead, store them inside in a warm place. This way, there will be no surprises when you head out to the garden come springtime.
Remember: The team at Allied Reddi-Rooter is here to help 365 days a year. We can get your home’s plumbing in shape for winter, and we’re always here if you need a plumbing repair. Contact the team at Allied Reddi-Rooter. We always come highly recommended and have earned an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau for our expert quality of service.
Get ready because winter is coming. Between the chilly weather and entertaining guests, your plumbing will be working overtime and it needs to be up to the task when the temps drop below freezing.
The best way to prevent a wintertime plumbing issue is to be prepared. Now is an ideal time to winterize your home’s plumbing and learn what to do if your pipes freeze. Here’s our list of easy tasks to help avoid a plumbing problem.
Keep spaces warm
Add insulation to walls, especially the attic. Check doors and windows for air drafts and make sure they’re sealed. Make certain crawl spaces are sealed off as well. This will help keep your pipes warm.
Purchase pipe sleeves
You can find pipe sleeves at home improvement stores. Wrap them around any pipes that are not insulated or are in colder, damp places like the basement.
Follow the 55-degree rule
During the winter, always keep your thermostat at or above 55 degrees, even when traveling and the home is unoccupied.
Move water
When the temperatures reach the single digits, turn on your faucets and let the water drip. This will help keep your pipes from freezing. Don’t want to turn on all your faucets? At least let water move from the faucet farthest from your home’s main water valve.
Weatherproof outside
If you haven’t already this season, head outdoors, remove all hoses from spigots, and store them in a warm, dry place to prevent them from becoming brittle and cracked.
Next, open the spigots and let any water drain out. Then, keep an eye on the weather. When freezing temps are in the forecast, turn off the water leading to the outside. This will help prevent your pipes from bursting.
What to do if you have frozen pipes
First, take a deep breath. If you are proactive and act quickly, it will help prevent your pipes from bursting.
Next, give your pipes warmth by blowing a hair dryer on them (note: a hair dryer makes a great tool, so pick up an inexpensive one even if you don’t blow dry your hair). Resist using anything with a flame, like a lighter or blow torch. The key is to warm the pipes up slightly and slowly. If water in the pipes starts to boil, it can cause the pipes to break.
Now, when the pipes have thawed, turn the water back on and let it run. Open the faucets and look thoroughly around the house – including the walls, floors, and ceiling, for any leaks.
Allied-Reddi Rooter can help keep your plumbing working its best all year long. Contact the team at Allied Reddi-Rooter. We’ve been Cincinnati’s trusted plumbing company for decades and are here when you need help fast. We always come highly recommended and have earned an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau for our expert quality of service.
It’s a dreaded scenario: you’ve just flushed the toilet, only this time, as the bowl starts to fill again it doesn’t stop. That’s when the panic sets in. Is the toilet about to overflow? And, if so, how will you stop it?
We’ve been in the business long enough to know this is quite a common worry. And yet, many homeowners aren’t sure what to do if the problem arises. Luckily, there are a few easy things you can do if your toilet begins to overflow, or at least looks as if it will.
The key here is to act fast. Don’t simply watch the toilet, hoping it stops filling with water. Instead move quickly, because the sooner you act, the less likely water will pool on the floor, which can lead to a costly floor repair.
First, shut off the toilet’s water valve
Everyone should know where their toilet’s water valve is located. Usually, it’s a knob or switch that connects the plumbing to the wall. You turn the valve clockwise to turn the water off. Just make sure not to flush the toilet once the valve is closed. Doing so might cause a mess.
Next, close the flapper
Locate the flapper in the tank. It is usually attached to a chain or a lever. Now, close the flapper by pushing it to create a seal so water doesn’t continue to flow into the bowl.
Now, secure the float
You know that ball that sits at the top of the flapper? That’s the float. You’ll want to secure the float with a tie so that it can’t move water into the tank.
Once you’ve completed these three tasks, it’s time to get rid of the excess water in your tank to prevent it from continuing to overflow. Use a bucket to collect any water in the tank and pour the water down the bathtub drain or in the yard. You’ll also need to mop up any water that has collected on the floor.
Note: If there’s waste in the water, use gloves (in fact, we recommend wearing a pair regardless). Place the waste in a garage bag and dispose of it quickly. Then, sanitize all surfaces that the waste touched. You’ll also want to disinfect areas exposed to the toilet water.
Finally, it’s time to find and remove the blockage that caused the toilet to overflow. Use a plunger to dislodge the clog. If that doesn’t work, use an auger, or call a professional plumber.
Don’t wait to repair your toilet. Instead, contact the team at Allied Reddi-Rooter as soon as you detect a problem. We’ve been Cincinnati’s trusted plumbing company for decades and are here when you need help fast. We always come highly recommended and have earned an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau for our expert quality of service.
When you’re in need of a plumber for your home or business, make sure you choose one with extensive experience and knowledge about all types of plumbing and issues. The best plumbing companies have the capability to perform any and all plumbing services. Basically, they know plumbing inside and out, which makes it easier for them to deliver quality work no matter how big or small the job at hand is.
Here’s our list of the top ten qualities to look for when choosing a plumber in Cincinnati.
Decades of experience. At Allied Reddi-Rooter, our plumbers have more than fifteen years of experience helping home and business owners with their plumbing needs. In fact, Allied Reddi-Rooter has been operating here in the tri-state for more than 70 years. We’ve watched plumbing trends come and go and have literally decades experience troubleshooting and fixing a wide array of plumbing issues.
An emphasis on education. Your plumbing technician should be highly trained, able to pinpoint your plumbing problem quickly and fix it right the first time. Because the field of plumbing is constantly evolving, plumbers should always be honing their skills. The best plumbing companies give their employees the tools they need to keep learning.
Truly “full service.” It’s one thing to say you’re a full-service company, and it’s another to really be one. Look at plumbing company websites to learn what services they offer. As we mentioned above, if they service all industries and homes, and offer a wide variety of services, they are likely to be an established plumbing company you can trust.
Emergency service. We offer emergency service within two hours from the time we first talk to you. Be very wary of plumbers who make you wait when you think you have an emergency. The very worst plumbers wait because, if the problem persists and does further damage, the more work they’ll have to do and the higher the bill.
Instant phone estimates. The best plumbing companies are fair, honest, and ready to help. They should offer free estimates over the phone and deliver free on-site estimates as well.
They’re friendly. Never estimate the power of kindness and courtesy. Our plumbing technicians make friendly service a top priority. The best plumbers care about their customers and are committed to complete professionalism on the job. We work with our customers, listen to their needs, and communicate every step of the way.
They have excellent reviews. Before you select a plumbing company, make sure you read online reviews carefully. Choose a plumber with a great reputation and many positive reviews on websites including Yelp, Facebook, and Google.
Personalized service. Have you ever worked with a company that makes you talk to a different employee every time you reach out to them? That shouldn’t happen with your plumbing company. At Allied Reddi-Rooter, we assign one technician to a job. That way, they can build a relationship with you for better personalized service.
Responsive, 24/7 availability. Whatever your plumbing needs are, no matter what time of the day or night it is, you should be able to reach your plumbing company. Plumbing problems don’t follow a 9-5 schedule. If your toilet clogs at 7 p.m. on a Saturday night before a big dinner party, for example, you’re going to want to call a plumber who’s quick to respond – whether it’s by walking you through fixing it on your own, or by hopping in the truck for emergency service (just save us a slice of cake).
Customized plans. Every plumbing problem is unique, which is why the best plumbers have flexible, customizable plans for every issue and every budget. While some plumbing jobs require only one visit, others – like grease trap pumping for restaurants – can be scheduled for ongoing routine maintenance.
Great deals. Look for plumbing companies that not only stand by their work but offer discounts and other specials to make their services even more affordable.
Need a plumber? If you’re looking for friendly, knowledgeable plumbers with decades of experience contact Allied Reddi-Rooter. We know what it takes to deliver exceptional service and we’ve been doing it for 70 years. We always come highly recommended and have earned an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau for our expert quality of service. You can follow us on Facebook, @Allied Reddi-Rooter for the latest tips or to ask us a question.