Summer is the “home buying” season in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Williamsburg, Yorktown, Suffolk, Portsmouth, Tabb, Grafton, Smithfield, James City County, and throughout Hampton Roads.

Many new homebuyers find out too late that their dream home is riddled with water leakage or a poor plumbing system. To avoid such unexpected and costly problems, our plumbers in Norfolk recommend that you visually inspect any potential home for problems and offer these helpful tips:

Bathrooms

• Check around the base of the toilet for signs of water damage (i.e.; rolled vinyl, black or white stains).
• To check for a “soft floor,” stand straddled over the toilet and rock back and forth on each foot. If the floor feels spongy, it’s probably rotting or weakened.
• Check to see how fast the toilet flushes.
• Check for leaky or loose tiles by pressing on the walls where they come in contact with the bathtub. If the walls are soft, water may have created damage behind the tiles.

Water Supply Piping

• Our plumbers in Norfolk recommend turning on water in bathtub and in the kitchen sink. If there is a noticeable reduction in water volume, the piping in the house may need to be replaced because of calcium and mineral deposits.
• If the home has a basement, check exposed piping for signs of leaking or recent repairs and call a plumber if needed.
• Find the main line cleanout and ensure that it is accessible.

Water Heater

• Check the date of the water heater. The first four numbers of the serial number on the water heater are the month and year. Any heater over 15 years old is a candidate to be replaced. Our plumbing company in Norfolk has replaced thousands of water heaters since 1987 and can help you too.
• A rusty water tank is a sign of pending problems and a water heater replacement may be due.

Miscellaneous

• Check to make sure that the garbage disposal and dishwasher connections are tight and leak free.
• Survey the inside of cabinets (with a flashlight) for signs of water damage, warped cabinet bottom or stains. Make sure that traps and supply tubes are not leaking. If you see water damage, a plumber should be called.
• Check washing machine hoses for rupture. Turn valves on and off to test for leaks.

Standing Water

Standing water is another common problem resulting from leaky or broken pipes. Excess water in a yard may be coming from a damaged sewer line and may contain waste from the home. Standing water is not healthy for children or pets, and is a breeding ground for insects and germs. Inspect the yard for areas that are too wet and with unusual plant or grass growth.

If you have a plumbing problem, please call us at (757) 467-0000 or click here to email us. Let us show you why our customers call us the best plumbing company in Norfolk, Chesapeake, Virginia Beach, Newport News and Hampton Roads.

More about our plumbers in Norfolk

Since 1987, A-1 Sewer & Drain Plumbing & Heating has consistently served the commercial and home plumbing needs of satisfied customers in Hampton Roads. With nearly 30 years of work to our credit, our Norfolk plumbing company is extremely proud of its A+ Rating with the Better Business Bureau. Our Class A Contractor plumbing company and its plumbers in Norfolk have more than 260 years of combined plumbing, drain, and water heater replacement experience, which means we’ve seen it all – the good, the bad and the ugly – and we will solve your plumbing problem with integrity and professionalism.

• Why is Sewer & Drain Maintenance important?

• Tip to eliminate a foul odor in the basement bathroom

• How to eliminate foul odors from your garbage disposal

• Potential causes of high water bills

• Roots can damage your sewer lines

• Water heater problems?

• Common septic tank and drain field problems & solutions

Pipes

What to do With Freezing Pipes

We turned off our outside faucets before the beginning of last winter, but the faucets still froze up and broke shortly after. How can we avoid that problem in the future if I live in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Williamsburg, Yorktown, Suffolk, Portsmouth, Tabb, Grafton, Smithfield, James City County, and Hampton Roads?

Simply turning the faucet off will not prevent freezing. In addition, you need to disconnect the garden hose that’s attached to the faucet so any remaining water can drain out. If you do this, your pipes will not freeze during the winter.

Septic Tanks

How Often Should I have my Septic System Inspected?

If you want your run septic system to run efficiently, it’s crucial to request an inspection every three to four years. If you neglect a maintenance checkup, you may find that unwanted solids flow directly into the drain field, causing problems with your septic tanks. If you run into problems with this, contact a plumbing company immediately.

Slow Drains and Faucets

I’m seeing a white substance caked around my showerhead and water faucets and aerators where the water comes out. How can I avoid a replacement? Are repairs possible?

The white substance is actually mineral deposit. If you want to get rid of the deposits on the shower head, simply pour a cup of vinegar in a plastic bag and tie it around the showerhead and leave it on overnight. When morning comes, you should be able to scrub the substance off using a toothbrush. If you can take the aerators off the faucets, you can soak them in vinegar and clean them the same as the showerhead.

Our kitchen drain is taking longer than usual to drain out fluid over the last year, what do you recommend?

If you need help unclogging your drain, consider checking out A1’s line of plumbing products. All of our products are capable of removing drain buildup like hair, soap scum, and grease. In addition, we have another product that can inhibit root growth in your main sewer line.

I’m hearing a whistling and I think it’s coming from the plumbing system. It’s off and on, but I can’t find the source. What is going on?

This sound is normally caused by a leaking toilet fill valve. To combat this, simply remove the lid of each toilet in your building, and adjust the fill valve mechanism until it returns to normal. Once you locate the toilet with the issue, have the valve repaired or replaced.

Toilet Replacement

What do you recommend for toilet replacement?

Recently, the federal government issued a mandate that prohibited toilets from using more than 1.6 gallons of water per flush. In response to this, toilet manufacturers were required to adjust the way they made toilets. There have been problems with many of the earlier models, but newer models that are equipped with features like pressurized tanks are much more efficient. To be safe, look at toilets made by major manufacturers in the industry.

Areas Of Expertise

Our commercial and residential plumbing company is expert at drain cleaning, plumbing repairs, water heaters, sewer line replacement, water line replacements, water heater installation, tankless water heaters, leak detection, slab leaks, sewer and drain cleaning, water jetting, backflow meter, backflow prevention, clogged drains, dishwasher installation, drain repair, emergency plumbing repair, faucet and fixture installation, garbage disposals, gas leaks, jewelry retrieval, kitchen fixture installation, leaky faucet repairs, line locating, pipe cleaning, pipe repair, plumbing inspections, professional drain cleaning, root removal, sewer lines, sink problems, shower problems, tank water heaters, toilet installation, toilet repair, water heater repair, and water leak detection.

Service Area

We serve home owners and businesses in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Williamsburg, Yorktown, Suffolk, Portsmouth, Tabb, Grafton, Smithfield, James City County, and throughout Hampton Roads.

It’s always a smart idea to select a good plumber before an emergency occurs, but in the event that you have no time to sift through worthy candidates, here are some tips that can help you until you can contact a plumbing service company in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Williamsburg, Yorktown, Suffolk, Portsmouth, Tabb, Grafton, Smithfield, James City County, and Hampton Roads.

As a homeowner, you know broken pipes, leaking toilets, or clogged drains can happen without any warning, so it’s better to be prepared. If the water is rising and you need help fast, follow the instructions we’ve included below. Continue reading How do I Choose the Right Plumber →

Summer is the “home buying” season in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Williamsburg, Yorktown, Suffolk, Portsmouth, Tabb, Grafton, Smithfield, James City County, and throughout Hampton Roads.

Many new homebuyers find out too late that their dream home is riddled with water leakage or a poor plumbing system. To avoid such unexpected and costly problems, we recommend that you visually inspect any potential home for problems and offer these helpful tips:

April showers bring May flowers and the onset of spring, which means it’s time for “spring cleaning.” A-1 Plumbers offers these maintenance tips to protect your home against plumbing problems in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Williamsburg, Yorktown, Suffolk, Portsmouth, Tabb, Grafton, Smithfield, James City County, and Hampton Roads.

Kitchen/Bathrooms

• Check faucets for drips or leaks. Make repairs to save water.
• Ensure that all drains have strainers to prevent hair, soap and debris from clogging the drain lines.
• Check toilets for hidden leaks. Add six drops of food coloring to the toilet tank. If the toilet is leaking, color will appear in the bowl within 30 minutes.
• Inspect tank and bowl for cracks or leaks.
• Exercise water supply valves under sinks and toilets to prevent them from sticking.
• Make sure toilets flush properly. If the handle must be held down for a thorough flush or jiggled to stop the water from running you may need to replace worn tank parts. They’re inexpensive and you’ll notice a lower water bill.
• Clean mineral deposits from showerhead. Unscrew it and soak in vinegar or fill a plastic baggie with vinegar; place it over the showerhead and hold in place with a rubber band. Soak overnight then remove and gently scrub with an old toothbrush to remove deposits.

Appliances

• Check the temperature setting on the water heater. It should be set no higher than 120°F to prevent scalding and reduce energy use.
• Carefully drain several gallons from the water heater tank to flush out corrosion causing sediment, which reduces heating efficiency and shortens the life of the heater.
• Consider replacing a water heater more than 15 years old. (The first four numbers of the serial number represent the month and year it was made.) Newer water heaters are more energy efficient.
• Make sure flammables are not stored near the water heater or furnace.
• Check dishwasher, washing machine and icemaker supply hoses for bulges or leaks. Replace hoses showing signs of weakness or older than ten years.
• Clean out washing machine lint trap, if equipped, and place a wire trap or a piece of pantyhose over the end of the hose that drains the washer.

General

• Pour a gallon of water into infrequently used drains (including floor drains) to fill the trap and prevent odors from entering the house. Slow floor drains should be snaked to ensure they will carry away water quickly in the event of a flood.
• Check exposed pipes under sinks and in the basement for signs of leaks.
• If your home has a sump pump, make sure it operates properly by pouring a few buckets of water into the sump pit. The pump should quickly turn on, discharge the water then shut off without any problems. Many home in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Williamsburg, Yorktown, Suffolk, Portsmouth, Tabb, Grafton, Smithfield, James City County, and Hampton Roads have these.
• Install a backflow valve in the floor drain if you live in an area where sewers sometimes back up into homes. This device will prevent future backups.
• Inspect for slow leaks in your home by taking a reading on your water meter before bedtime. The next morning, without using any water overnight, take another reading. If the reading has changed you have a leak that should be repaired.
• Install flood alarms. Like a smoke alarm, a flood alarm is a battery-operated device that sounds an alarm when it comes in contact with water. It alerts you to potential flooding or leaks.

Outside

• Make sure yard drains, gutters and downspouts are cleaned out, open, and free of debris.
• Check for bird nests in plumbing vent pipes.
• Check faucets and hose bibs to make sure water flows freely. If an outdoor faucet drips or if there is leakage inside your home the first time the hose is turned on, you may have had a frozen pipe that cracked and needs to be replaced.

Areas Of Expertise
Our commercial and residential plumbing company is expert at drain cleaning, plumbing repairs, water heaters, sewer line replacement, water line replacements, water heater installation, tankless water heaters, leak detection, slab leaks, sewer and drain cleaning, water jetting, backflow meter, backflow prevention, clogged drains, dishwasher installation, drain repair, emergency plumbing repair, faucet and fixture installation, garbage disposals, gas leaks, jewelry retrieval, kitchen fixture installation, leaky faucet repairs, line locating, pipe cleaning, pipe repair, plumbing inspections, professional drain cleaning, root removal, sewer lines, sink problems, shower problems, tank water heaters, toilet installation, toilet repair, water heater repair, and water leak detection.

Service Area
We serve home owners and businesses in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Williamsburg, Yorktown, Suffolk, Portsmouth, Tabb, Grafton, Smithfield, James City County, and throughout Hampton Roads.