TROUBLESHOOTING
Welcome to our troubleshooting guide! Here you will find answers to some of the basic plumbing problems!
NON-Warranty Plumbing Items
SILLCOCKS
The sillcocks we use are frost-free with an anti-siphon device. They come equipped with freeze protection and a vacuum breaker to prevent water from backing up into the potable water system. This means that 15-20 seconds of water streaming from your sillcock when you turn it off is normal. Manufacturer’s specifications are available by calling our office.
Freeze Protection: Water from hydrant will drain in a steady gentle stream for approximately 15-20 seconds after hydrant is turned off.
Health Protection: In the event of back siphonage due to a drop in inlet pressure, the vacuum breaker will intake air through the ports to break the siphoning action. Any water trying to make its way back to the potable water supply due to back siphonage or back pressure will be blocked at the point of the back flow preventer/vacuum breaker and drain harmlessly to the ground through the air ports.
Do not leave your hose attached to the sillcock in freezing weather.
FROZEN PIPES
All our plumbing is insulated to code requirements. In extremely cold weather, water lines may freeze in water heater closets, garages, attics and outside walls. You should always leave your water dripping a little when the weather is very cold, especially if you have plumbing on an outside wall. Extreme weather can cause freezing even if the job was insulated to code. Additional insulation can be added later to any specific problem areas, but this is not covered under warranty, and it is difficult to project the need for additional insulation during initial construction.
LAVATORY FAUCET LEAKS
LOW WATER PRESSURE AT ONE FIXTURE
BACKED UP SEWER
LAVATORY SINK STOPPERS
NO HOT WATER
NOT ENOUGH HOT WATER
TANKLESS WATER HEATER (IF APPLICABLE)
WASHER BOX
WATER SERVICE LINE STOPS
SEWER OR GAS SMELL IN BATHROOM
LAVATORY FAUCET LEAKS
Lavatory and kitchen faucets are not designed or set to withstand water being sprayed or poured directly over the faucet for cleaning. If you pour or spray water over them for rinsing, they may leak slightly. To avoid this, wipe up any excess water immediately and watch underneath the cabinet in case some excess water leaks into the cabinet below.
LOW WATER PRESSURE AT ONE FIXTURE
During construction, some sand and debris will occasionally end up in your water lines. This is generally the problem when you are experiencing low water pressure at only one or two specific fixtures in your home.
Hard water can also cause build up and debris in and/or on your fixtures. Debris removal from, sand or hard water is not covered under warranty but the debris can usually be removed easily.
To fix this at the shower, unscrew the shower head from the shower
arm and rinse out the threaded neck to remove sand and debris,
and then screw the shower head back on to the neck.
arm and rinse out the threaded neck to remove sand and debris,
and then screw the shower head back on to the neck.
To fix this problem at a lavatory or kitchen faucet, remove the aerator and rinse out
sand or debris, then reattach. If you still have a problem with low pressure after using
this method, please call your builder or us for assistance.
sand or debris, then reattach. If you still have a problem with low pressure after using
this method, please call your builder or us for assistance.
BACKED UP SEWER
If you experience a backed up sewer at one toilet, it is generally backed up by toilet paper or waste. Plunging the stool thoroughly will usually fix this problem.
When your entire house is backed up, the problem is often construction debris or cleaning supplies backed up in the Back Water Valve (BWV). Although construction debris will be removed at no cost to you, your service call will not be covered under warranty if any other foreign items are found in the sewer system. You should NEVER flush baby wipes, paper towels, feminine products or anything except toilet paper down your stool, even if it says biodegradable or flushable.
If you do have a whole-house back-up, you can remove the cleanout cap closest to your house as an emergency drain until we can get there to find out what’s wrong.
You should have three caps in your front or back yard right next to your house. There will be a 3” cap near the house, a 6” rubber cap with a BWV inside and another 3” cap on the street-side of the BWV cover. You can remove the 3” cap closest to your house to temporarily unstop your system, and contact either us or your builder immediately.
LAVATORY SINK STOPPERS
Over time through normal use, the small nuts (lift rod screws) on your sink stoppers may loosen. You can easily tighten these by hand to adjust your pop-up rods and stoppers.
NO HOT WATER
We are required to have hot water at our final inspection, and subsequently for your final walk-thru and occupancy. If you move in and don’t have hot water, there is a good chance the pilot light was blown out, generally by an air pocket in the gas line. This is normal and easy to remedy. After you move in, it is not unheard of for your pilot light to be blown out by storms or high winds.
There are instructions on the front of your water heater how to relight the pilot. If relighting the pilot doesn’t fix your problem, there are also codes listed to diagnose what else might be wrong. Once you have re-lit the pilot—or if it won’t stay lit—and you still don’t have hot water, call our office and we will come out at no cost to you.
NOT ENOUGH HOT WATER
You may find that your tub or shower is not as hot as you would like it after you move in. However, we are required by law to set the hot water at these valves to a certain temperature for scald protection and are not legally allowed to turn it up hotter than code allows. We will set the tub and shower valves as hot as code will let us. Any further adjustments will need to be made at the hot water heater. Do not try to make this adjustment yourself at the valve. The valve handles cannot “fall off.” If they have been removed when we arrive, this will be a billable trip. This adjustment is not covered under warranty.
Deckmount tub faucets also require a mixing valve for scald protection. This can also affect the hot water you receive at your bathtub.
TANKLESS WATER HEATER (IF APPLICABLE)
Your unit should be set by default at 120°. Your tankless water heater offers you endless hot water, but not unlimited hot water volume throughout your house. For instance, you can take a three-hour shower, but you probably don’t need to try to do it while running your dishwasher or washing machine.
You may notice changes in your hot water pressure more in the winter because the water going into the unit is starting out colder than in summer. To alleviate pressure and demand issues, you can adjust the temperature on the unit down by two or three degrees.
A few simple lifestyle changes will help as well. Most of your hot water demand will be used by large items such as your dishwasher or washing machine. If you are experiencing pressure issues and adjusting your temperature doesn’t help, start your laundry or dishes when you’re ready for bed or during a time of day when showers are less likely.
WASHER BOX
If you are experiencing too much or not enough cold or hot water at your washing machine, make sure both valves are turned on completely and that your washer’s water lines are connected correctly. These adjustments are not covered under warranty unless the problem is with the installation of the box.
WATER SERVICE LINE STOPS
If you are experiencing no water service to a specific fixture, make sure your stop is turned on.
Your stops are made in the USA, lead free and look a little different than the stops you may
have seen in the past. This stop is a push/pull mechanism, so to turn your water off, pull the
round handle towards you. To turn it on, push the round handle all the way in towards the wall.
Your stops are made in the USA, lead free and look a little different than the stops you may
have seen in the past. This stop is a push/pull mechanism, so to turn your water off, pull the
round handle towards you. To turn it on, push the round handle all the way in towards the wall.
SEWER OR GAS SMELL IN BATHROOM
If you smell a sewer or gas smell in your bathroom, make sure all the fixtures have water run to them. If you have a lavatory, tub or shower that has not been used for a while, the p-trap can dry out and allow sewer gas to escape back up into the house. If you smell this in a bathroom, run water into all lavatories, showers and tubs, wait a few minutes and see if the smell dissipates.
IMPORTANT
These are all items that are not covered under warranty and are billable if we make a service call to repair. They are easily fixed and we welcome your calls to walk you through any of these items. If these simple steps do not fix your problem, or if you have an active leak, water anywhere it shouldn’t be or a backed up sewer, please don’t hesitate to give us a call!
For other problems or troubleshooting, please feel free to call our office at any time. We hope this guide explains some of the general issues new homeowners often see in the first few months of owning their home.
For other problems or troubleshooting, please feel free to call our office at any time. We hope this guide explains some of the general issues new homeowners often see in the first few months of owning their home.