Standpipe Plumbing Utility closet
The utility closet
The closet most people open once a year. The water heater, the main shut-off and the pressure all show up here.
Room 4
What we look at first
- The label: make, size and the week it was made
- The relief valve and its discharge pipe
- The shut-off above the heater
- Static water pressure, in psi
The other rooms
Jobs in the utility closet
Water heater, tank or tankless
No hot water, a rusty puddle, or a tank that is simply old. We read the label first, tell you its age, and you decide. The full page
Main shut-off that will not turn
Old gate valves seize with age and snap when forced. We test the main and replace it if it will not move. The full page
Pressure that is too high
A worn regulator lets pressure creep up, and that wears out heaters and fixtures. We read it in psi and write it on your card. The full page
- Heater label read: made week 14, 50 gallon, gas
- Relief valve discharge: plumbed to the outside, clear
- Static water pressure: 62 psi, in range
- Extra found, not done: old shut-off valve above the heater. $0.00 until you say yes.
Questions
Short answers
Where is the label on a water heater?
On the side of the tank. It gives the size and the date it was made. We write the age on your house card.
My relief valve drips. Is that normal?
A drip means something is wrong: heat, pressure or a worn valve. Never cap it. A person has to look.
Standpipe Plumbing
Tell us what is going on
A person reads every request and replies with a time. If water is coming in right now, call.