Plumbing and Heating Service in Anacortes

It’s pretty easy to take a home’s plumbing system for granted. In most cases, Anacortes, WA homeowners don’t have a lot of plumbing problems, but when a problem does occur, it’s important to touch bases with an expert to better understand what you’re facing. With advice from the pros, it’s easier to determine how to proceed. Here are a few things to consider when plumbing issues arise.

Pipes Don’t Last Forever

The types of plumbing lines used in homes have changed over the years, but all plumbing systems have one thing in common: they have a finite lifespan. Obviously, some materials will last longer than others, but no material used for plumbing will last indefinitely.

For years, galvanized pipes were used for water supply lines. However, those pipes deteriorated from the inside, leaving homeowners with major issues before they knew a problem was developing. If your home still has galvanized supply lines, ask a professional plumber to inspect the system.

Later, copper became popular, and it’s still a good option, but even copper lines experience deterioration over time. If your home’s copper plumbing is over twenty years old or if you’ve experienced leaks in the past, consider having a plumber check the system to determine if problems are developing.

Plastics are common, with different types of plastic now commonly seen in both supply and drain lines. One material used in the past was polybutylene. That material proved to be problematic and was recalled several years ago. However, there are still homes that have this material.

Other plastics have been used with varying degrees of success. Some tend to become brittle over time, which can lead to cracks and, of course, leaks. PEX is a newer type of plastic that’s gained in popularity. Ask our team of experts if your home’s plumbing lines should be inspected, especially if those pipes are older.

Sewer Lines Need Respect

Plumbing experts all agree that Sewers & Drains don’t get the respect they deserve. People tend to put things down their drains that shouldn’t be there. That leads to clogs that can be difficult to clear. Grease and a variety of paper products tend to find their way into home sewer lines, and those materials create major headaches for property owners.

Another issue commonly seen is home sewer lines leading to septic systems or municipal sewer lines being crushed by vehicles. Delivery and service trucks are often driven over yards to make it easier to load and unload items. That’s okay if there are no water, sewer, or utility lines buried in the area. If damage to underground lines occurs, the repairs can be costly. Never drive over areas where many types of utilities are buried. It’s just not worth the risk.

Servicing or Repairing Appliances

Today’s homes use several appliances that require water. Most of them are at the end of a line, which means it’s relatively easy to shut off the water supply to the appliance without disrupting the remainder of the home. Water Heaters are different. They cannot be serviced or replaced without creating a major inconvenience for the home’s occupants.

That’s why routine water heater maintenance shouldn’t be ignored. Water contains minerals that tend to separate out and cling to the interior of a water heater. If a system is never flushed and cleaned, damage to the water heater will occur and shorten the appliance’s life. We always recommend maintaining water heaters on a regular schedule.

If your water heater does fail, take the time to ask questions and review the different replacement options now available. Our team works with property owners to determine which type and size of water heater will best meet a specific home’s needs.

Comfort Appliances Need Regular Servicing to Avoid Problems

Heating & Air conditioning systems are used throughout the year. While our weather isn’t severe, no one wants to live through cold or hot days without a fully functioning HVAC system. As a rule, we suggest all cooling and heating appliances are serviced at least once per year.

Some property owners don’t feel they need to schedule routine service, as their appliances are newer. To an extent, that’s true. We don’t see any major issues developing with newer comfort appliances, but they still need cleaning and adjustments to ensure they function efficiently.

Some family members may suffer from respiratory conditions, and that’s another reason to schedule routine services. When systems are dirty, respiratory issues tend to become worse as dust is circulated through the home. Simply changing filters will help to some degree, but there are other precautions to take when one or more family members have respiratory problems.

AC Repair is commonly needed during the summer. However, the majority of emergency repair situations could have been avoided by having the system inspected and serviced before the hot weather arrived. While Anacortes doesn’t experience a lot of hot days, our humidity tends to make any hot weather difficult to bear. If your AC system hasn’t been maintained recently, now is a good time to contact the LaVergne's Plumbing and Heating team to schedule an appointment.

Inspections Always Make Sense

We recommend homeowners schedule routine inspections of their plumbing, heating, and cooling systems. Not every home has the same needs, so we’ll always discuss your home’s systems, their age, and prior problems when recommending a maintenance or inspection schedule.

Inspection services are not expensive, and we’re dedicated to working with our clients to make sure all plumbing systems and comfort appliances perform properly. In most instances, maintenance or minor repairs will be all your home’s systems need. However, if major issues are identified, we’ll take the time to explain what the issues are and how they can be addressed.

Many Anacortes property owners are also seeking ways to reduce their carbon footprints and keep their energy bills low. We’ll gladly work with property owners to determine where energy savings can be made. Again, many solutions will be simple and cost little. For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact our team today.

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