Expert Water Pipe Repair in San Diego

If you need plumbing pipe repair in San Diego, you can count on the experts at ASAP Drain Guys & Plumbing.
There are many kinds of leaks, and many don’t involve your pipes at all. But those that do deserve professional repair for a trouble-free future. Let’s consider the different kinds of water leaks and pipes, as well as temporary versus permanent pipe leak repairs.

commercial plumbing in San Diego

Types of Pipe Water Leaks

Freezing pipes are extremely rare in San Diego. You’ll most commonly experience leaky fixtures and need faucet or shower leak repair. You can often fix these yourselves with simply tightening or replacing the washer or cartridge. If instructions are leading you towards in-wall repairs or re-grinding a valve seat, it’s actually time to call a plumber.

Pipe leaks are often near plumbing fixtures because of repeated movement from using the faucet or sudden water pressure changes. It could also be anywhere in your building’s piping. The need for water pipe repair is typically caused by slow but steady corrosion and is more common in areas with hard water. That’s especially true for copper pipe leak repair. Leaks are also common in sewer lines due to corrosion or tree roots. Often, finding the leak is the most difficult task. If you need a shower leak repair, that could be a shower head, faucet, shower pan, or something behind the tile. You may even think you have a leak when you don’t. Pipes can “sweat” through condensation in high humidity.

If left uncorrected, even for a short time, water can lead to significant damage to carpets, surface finishes, furniture, and even a building’s structure. ASAP Drain Guys & Plumbing is your local experienced expert for leak detection, location, and water pipe repair.

 

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Types of Piping That Experience Water Leaks

Before 1970, many buildings used galvanized iron plumbing. The zinc coating gradually wears away, then the iron begins to rust. This leads to brownish water that can damage appliances and may also lower water pressure. If you’re in this situation, it’s best to call in a plumbing expert even before you start experiencing leaks.
Nowadays, piping is copper or PVC and has reduced the odds of problems. Yet copper pipe leak repair is fairly common and is often due to pinhole leaks developing over time. The exact reason is still under debate. Sewer lines are now typically cast iron and are prone to corrosion and tree roots.
Whether a water supply or sewer drain, the basic methods of plumbing pipe repair are the same — only the details change.

You can find any number of different repair kits at local San Diego home improvement and hardware stores. Although termed “repair,” you should think of them as temporary patches to keep you dry and your home or business on track until a permanent repair can be made by a professional plumber.
For pinhole and small leaks, a kit combining a heavy rubber sheet with hose clamps or metal plates can be pretty effective. You may also find “plumbers epoxy” kits promoted for larger leaks, but these are often less effective than the rubber kits and the pipe must be absolutely dry during application and curing. You can also find “water-activated” fiberglass reinforced patches that can even be applied with the water still on. Regardless of the type of patch, it’s important to thoroughly clean and smooth the area around the leak.
Many building maintenance people apply one of these types of patches and leave it at that, even ignoring any continuing minor leak. But over time the original problem can grow, and when the patch fails you could have a major problem. It’s also important to consider the condition of all remaining pipes.
In brief, patching and do-it-yourself repairs can be a great short-term answer, but a professional repair is the real solution. You should treat that leak as a wake-up call and bring in a professional plumber in order to be sure your home or business plumbing system is up to par. It’s a very worthwhile cost-saving preventive step to take.

Permanent Water Pipe Repair for San Diego County

You really need a master plumber to assure a proper repair job here in San Diego. Each leak, type of pipe, pipe location, and building situation is unique. A durable, long-lasting repair requires special skills and equipment. Depending on the exact specifics, any of several basic approaches will be the best.

  • Replacing just the leaking section of pipe. This type of plumbing pipe repair can require some tricky cutting in confined spaces, as well as specialized brazing or PVC skills.
  • External repair to the pipe. This is a bit like the repair kits, but more durable materials are applied outside the existing pipe and permanently attached via soldering, brazing, or cementing. This is the approach most commonly used in copper pipe leak repair.
  • Relining. This solution uses special tools and compounds to add a new lining inside the pipe to plug small leaks and protect against further interior corrosion.
  • Repiping. If the nearby plumbing is in poor shape or uses older piping materials, repiping that section or even the whole building is the best way to safeguard against problems that eventually will happen. For interior plumbing that’s likely to mean a lot of tear-down and reconstruction, so it’s often combined with a remodeling. For exterior water supply and sewer lines that can mean trenches and pavement demolition; but in some circumstances trenchless methods can be completed in just a day or so without even disturbing the landscaping.

The ASAP Drain Guys & Plumbing Solution

ASAP Drain Guys & Plumbing is your San Diego expert for all aspects of your pipe repair needs. We’ve been in business going on 15 years and have a fleet of 30+ fully equipped trucks ready 24/7 for those plumbing emergencies. All of our plumbers are fully trained and highly-qualified, and take pride in delivering professional services in a friendly and courteous manner.
Whether you need a basic shower leak repair or a difficult plumbing pipe repair, just give us a call!