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New York City homes and apartments are installed with a shower tub and/or bathtub. The convenience of a shower, to most people, is the ease of getting in and out. In some sense, the shower is no different than the kitchen sink, bathroom vanity, and toilet. All have water coming in and waste going out through polyvinyl chloride “PVC,” cross-linked polyethylene “PEX,” or copper piping. Do not forget the very important plumbing fixtures that make all this happen.
Common Shower Problems
The most common shower problem is a water leak. The leak could be anywhere throughout the entire system. It could be visible or invisible, depending on where it is located. A leaky shower head, tub spout, and shower control valve are all visibly obvious. A leaky emergency shutoff, overflow, P trap, drain, and shower pan are not visible. They are hidden behind or beneath the shower surround and shower pan.
All the plumbing fixtures can go kaput without a moment’s notice. The shower arm, shower head, cold and hot shower handles, air chamber, and bathtub faucet can spring a leak at any given moment. While a tiny lead may be easy to ignore, it will eventually lead to bigger problems.
Drain pipe clogs are also very common. While this applies mostly to toilets, soap scum can build up inside the shower drain pipe. It may take several months or years for the buildup to become a clog but it is bound to happen at some point.
Diagnostics
The shower is a complex system of plumbing fixtures and pipes. The visible plumbing fixtures are generally easy to diagnose when they go bad. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about the concealed plumbing fixtures and pipes.
As mentioned previously, shower plumbing is a complex system of pipes and fixtures. The hot and cold water pipes, as well as the drain pipe, are connected to the home’s main water line and sewage system. To make this happen, PVC pipes and fittings – elbows, 45-degree connections, 90-degree connections, tee connections, socket adapters, female adapters, male adapters, reducing tees, and equal crosses – are a necessity. These concealed plumbing connections and pipes can spring a leak at the drop of a hot. The leak could go undetected for weeks, months, or a year until a significant increase in your water bill draws a red flag.
Our plumbing team relies on state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment to detect leaks in concealed pipes and connections.
Shower Repair
Shower repair is never as easy as it seems. A leaky shower head and hot and cold handles can easily be replaced by the homeowner in a matter of minutes. The tub faucet, water valves, leaky pipes and connections, emergency shutoffs, and P trap are a different story.
Our plumbers stock a decent selection of plumbing fixture replacement parts in their work vans. Many components are universal but it is difficult to match up the design. It may be necessary to replace all the shower and tub fixtures to keep your bathroom décor coordinated.
Plumbing repairs involving leaky pipes and connections are much more complex. If the drainage and water pipes are not accessible from the crawlspace or basement, it becomes an even bigger job.
Shower Installation
A new home would not offer the much-needed amenities without a shower tub or bathtub. Most modern homes are equipped with both a shower and bathtub to meet the needs of each and every occupant.
Larger homes tend to have multiple bathrooms with either a tub or shower. This is when the plumbing system becomes even more complex.
Plumbing Updates For Bathroom Remodels
We have helped hundreds of New York City homeowners with the challenges of bathroom remodeling. We work alongside carpenters, painters, home interior designers, and other experts in the process of remodeling a bathroom. Our technicians update the plumbing system before the painters, drywall team, flooring experts, and electricians move in.
Green Showers
People are working to reduce their carbon footprint by reducing their dependence on fossil fuels. A green bathroom is designed to minimize the use of water and electricity. Energy-efficient lighting and shower fixtures are key to building a green bathroom. Solar panels may be installed on the roof.
Energy-efficient shower heads, tub faucets, vanity fixtures, and toilets are key to minimizing water usage.
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