Plumbing pipe maintenance and water heater repair in Kirkland

How the Pro's maintain pipes and do water heater repairs and installation in Kirkland

Last updated 3 months ago

There is no worse feeling than wanting to have a hot shower and being disappointed when there is no hot water gushing out of the shower head. Water heater repair in Kirkland should always be complete by a professional. If you are curious about some basic steps that Plumbers take to maintain your pipes and repair your water heater you may find the following information interesting.

Water heater maintenance

Most water heaters use copper piping because it is durable and reliable but it does sometimes fail and leaks can develop. A trained plumber will commonly use a soldering iron, some solder flux paste, a tube cutter, sandpaper, metal file and a repair coupling.

Prep the area – Dry the area that needs work and turn off the power or gas. This is imperative in any water heater repair installation and is a basic safety precaution. Leaving the tank on can also lead to the elements burning out.
Shut off the water supply – This should be done either at the main shut off valve or on the incoming water supply line.
Drain the tank – The water heater tank and the pipes need to be empty before any repairs can be done. Drain the pipes by running the hot water taps in the house and empty the remainder from the tank by using a garden hose connected to the fitting at the bottom of the heater tank.
Remove the leaky section – Using the tube cutter or a hacksaw, remove the piece of piping that is leaking. A tube cutter is simpler and easier to use and it produces a neater finish. Sand down any rough spots on the remaining pipe with the sandpaper and the metal file.
Prepare the pipe for soldering – Rough the outside edge of the pipe so that the solder has something to grip onto. Use the sandpaper to do this portion of the water heater repair. Coat the ends of the pipes with flux paste.
Insert the repair coupling – Use sandpaper and a thin layer of flux paste on the inside of the repair coupling. Slide the coupling into the two separate ends of copper pipe and turn it around to make sure that the flux paste is spread evenly on the inside of the pipes.
Solder – Solder the copper coupling using a sharp blue flame that has a small amount of yellow in it. Move the soldering iron around the coupling until the flame turns green. Take the soldering wire and apply it to the ends of the coupling where it meets the pipes. Solder until the joins are completely sealed.
Finish off the repair – Allow the pipes to cool and make sure that all taps in the house are turned off. Turn on the main or incoming water supply and examine the repair to make sure that there are no more leaks.