Broken Water Line, Who’s Responsible?

If you are on city water and have a broken water line, who’s responsible for fixing it? The answer depends on where the water line breaks. While many homeowners are under the assumption that anything outside of their home is not their responsibility, a broken water line could. Generally, a broken water line connecting your home to the main water service is your responsibility. Even if it’s in your yard. But if the damage is under the street at the main water line, the city should be responsible for completing the repairs. The average cost to repair a main water service line is around $900, according to HomeAdvisor. At Abend Plumbing and Heating, we offer home and commercial water and sewer replacement. If you need water line service, contact us to have one of our Master Plumbers come out to get your water turned back on! If you don’t want to be out-of-pocket for the entire cost, there are three ways you can get coverage for a broken water line. Special Coverage Through Your Provider You may have seen a pamphlet sent to your house each year from the water or electric company offering special water and sewer lines coverage?

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Burst Pipes a Year-Round Problem

Burst pipes can happen at any time, but the most common time they occur in Maryland is during the chilly winter months. The older your home is, the more likely your pipes will leak. Burst pipes can go unnoticed for days, weeks, or months until you see signs of staining from water damage. Water damage and freezing account for 29.4% of homeowners insurance claims, with an average cost of $11,098 per claim, according to the Insurance Information Institute. At Abend Plumbing and Heating, we want to help you prevent burst pipes before they occur so your home stays leak-free year-round. The Most Common Causes of Burst Pipes Aging Pipes While most homeowners and renters with plastic pipes don’t have to worry about age, homes with metal or copper pipes should be vigilant. Regular maintenance and service can prolong their life, but eventually, you will need to replace them. When aging pipes corrode or deteriorate, they become brittle, which means pressure can cause them to burst. Clogs The most common reason for burst pipes is a clog. If your child flushes a toy, you’ll probably know right away to have it removed from a professional like Abend Plumbing and Heating. But

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What Causes Sewage Backup?

When a sewer line gets blocked, wastewater can back up into the pipes and cause a sewage backup. Telltale signs of a sewer backup are: Clogging in more than one drain You can see or hear air bubbles in the system Water backs up in another drain (you flush the toilet, and the sink or shower backflows or bubbles) But what causes sewage backup into the sewer lines? Here are the major causes of blockage of sewer or drains in your home. Blockages and Clogs If the main sewer line or your home’s pipes get blocked or clogged, it will eventually cause a sewage backup into your drains, toilets, or showers. A home clog usually only causes a blockage into the offending line, like a toilet with a clog. But if all the drains back up, there may be a bigger problem in the main sewer line. Another reason could be a failure in your sump pump, which pumps water out of your home. Items like grease, oil, hair, food scraps, plant matter, and other solid materials are the main reasons for blockages and clogs that cause sewage backup. Main Pipe Breakage Sometimes the problem isn’t in your home but

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Tankless Water Heaters

Suppose you’re in the market for a new water heater. In that case, a tankless water heater is an energy-efficient, space-saving alternative. Also called an on-demand water heater, the tankless water heater heats water as it moves through the unit. These units can save up to 80% of the space a standard water heater requires by being directly attached to the wall. There are electric, gas, and propane tankless water heaters to choose from. As with most home appliances, there are pros and cons to a tankless water heater. What is the downside of a tankless water heater? It requires an expert like the Abend Plumbing and Heating professionals to install it, which may deter DIYers. If you’ve decided on a tankless water heater vs. a tank water heater, here are the best tankless water heaters we recommend. Navien Tankless Water Heater Navien is one of the premiere tankless water heater manufacturers. They come in options for condensing (dual heat exchanger) and non-condensing (single heat exchanger). We can install either type indoors or outdoors. The condensing models are more energy efficient at up to 0.96 UEF, or Uniform Energy Factor. The higher this number, the more energy-efficient the residential water

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Everything You Need to Know About Boilers

There is a lot of confusion nowadays about boilers and the best type for your home or commercial space. At Abend Service, we hope to help stop this confusion with these blogs, our website, and when we service the boilers in their homes or buildings. It’s crucial to know about your boiler type within your commercial or residential space. The reason is, there may come a day when it breaks or needs service, and you need to know what to tell your specialist plumber. This blog will explain everything you need to know about boilers so you’ll be prepared if that day comes. What Is A Boiler? People use boilers primarily to provide heat. It’s an appliance that heats water into steam. Then it sends that steam through pipes and radiators to keep your building warm. They are usually centrally located in a home or office to spread heat easily. In fact, you can generally find your boiler in the basement of your building or home, and they’re typically more common in cooler climates and older homes. While boilers can be a central part of a home’s heating system, these are not always present in American homes. One way to

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The Best Ways to Clear a Drain

Does your drain keep getting clogged? Do you want to know the best practices for keeping your drains clear? At Abend Services, we do a lot of drain work for our customers! That means we understand how frustrating it can be to have a clogged drain and the impact it can have on your home and family. Our licensed professionals are qualified to advise you on some tips to keep your drain as clear as possible. We hope this blog is informative and lets you know what you can do to keep a drain clear and why you should use these methods within your home. Why Do I Need To Keep My Drain Clear? Keeping your drain clear will help you to maintain a healthy plumbing system within your home. Plus, it will save you an expensive service call to your local plumber. What Are Prevention Tips to Keep My Drain Clear? There are several ways that you can minimize the likelihood of your drain clogging. These include: Don’t pour liquid grease down the drain. Instead, pour it into a sealable container. After it cools, put it in the trash Keep food and coffee grounds out of kitchen sinks and

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Tankless Water Heaters FAQ

Tankless water heaters are becoming increasingly present in American homes, and it is clear to see why. They have many advantages over traditional water heaters and are an excellent investment for a family home. However, they are still relatively new to the USA, and people need more information on what they are, their benefits, and the negative aspects too! At Abend Service, we want to provide our customers with the best knowledge, which is why we wrote this blog on what you need to know about tankless water heaters. What Is A Tankless Water Heater? Tankless water heaters are a source of hot water for a family home. They heat water directly and allow for a constant source of hot water. We sometimes refer to them as “hot water on demand” devices. Tankless water heaters can provide between 2-5 gallons of water every minute. However, it is common for families with many children to install more than one tankless water heater in their homes. They do this to ensure enough hot water to fulfill all necessary tasks, like hot showers, washing dishes, and doing laundry. The Advantages The main advantage of tankless water heaters is that they use significantly less

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