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The Great Women Who Influenced the Plumbing Industry

Who are Famous Women in the Plumbing Industry?

The plumbing industry was not always open to the public. Instead, women had to fight for their place and right to work in this trade. As most homeowners know, Women’s history month is about learning the struggles women had to go through to vote, read, and get jobs!

Some of these women stood up against foul injustices and created a safe working space for all men and women. Female plumbers are a rare find, but they are by no means invisible or non-existent. Listed below, readers will learn about programs and women who made an impact.

Women in Plumbing

The number of women in plumbing is climbing, but it is important to understand that the number is still low! The trades industry has a long way to climb about gender diversity.

Currently, only 5% of the plumbing population is made up of women plumbers. They are still extremely rare, but the number does climb each year. As women have the opportunity to educate themselves with apprenticeship programs, the numbers increase.

Ladies Auxiliary Committee for the National Association of Plumbers

Interestingly, the Ladies Auxiliary Committee for the National Association of Plumbers was first made up of men! While it is now a national plumbing association, the first few people who joined this club or committee were women whose husbands were plumbers.

To bring new events and celebrations, the women who joined the club were in charge of creating social events! Men placed their wives in this club and spent most of their time drinking, socializing, and eating while the women prepared everything.

As men began leaving the Ladies Auxiliary Committee for the National Association of Plumbers, large changes started to happen. Suddenly, many of the women who were just wives and social party creators wanted to learn about plumbing.

In just a few short years, the Ladies Auxiliary Committee for the National Association of Plumbers became a meeting spot for change and female social justice.

Celebrating Lillian Ann Baumbach

plumbing woman Lillian Ann Baumbach should be a household name! This woman was dubbed as the ‘pretty plumber’ in 1950 when she earned the title of the first women master plumber. While some women excelled in this industry, they were not master plumbers.

Master plumber is a title given to the best of the best with over ten years of experience and can train young apprentice plumbers in the field. Lillian Ann Baumbach was lucky enough to have a father in this trade industry. She fought hard to learn afterward.

Her father taught her at the young age of seven the basics of plumbing, and by twelve, she was an honorary helper, working with him on various jobs. As a feminist icon, she has inspired many women- enough to get cards and letters written to her for years!

About Valley Plumbing and Drain Cleaning

With experienced technicians, Valley Plumbing and Drain Cleaning provide mess-free services to their community. This company prides itself on its many years of experience and excellent reviews! Call Valley Plumbing and Drain Cleaning today for plumbing services in West Jordan you can trust!

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Three Plumbing Problems That Can Ruin Summer Fun

Plumbing Problems Can Wreck Summer Plans

Summer is fast approaching, meaning that many homeowners and their families are gearing up for fun outdoor plans. From barbeques to outdoor sports, gardening to family get-togethers and everything in between, the summer fun never ends! Well, the fun never ends...assuming that homeowners can avoid plumbing issues.

Homeowners can run into very pesky plumbing problems in different parts of their outdoor plumbing. These issues can range from relatively minor to extremely severe, so homeowners must keep an eye out for early warning signs to avoid bigger issues in the long run and to keep the summer fun going!

Sprinkler System Breaks

The first issue for homeowners to beware of involves sprinkler system breaks. Sprinkler systems typically run underground and control the flow of water, but these can easily malfunction due to several different factors. One of the most common issues occurs when debris blocks sprinkler valves. In these situations, the valves get “stuck” and are unable to open or close.

In addition to stuck valves, sprinkler systems can have broken lines from a number of different natural causes, such as excessive overhead soil pressure, overgrown tree roots, and invasive animals. The third type of sprinkler system break occurs if there are burst pipes resulting from improper water drainage before winter or excessive frozen soil pressure.

These can ultimately impede the proper functioning of sprinkler systems and therefore hamper the ability to control water flow.

Hose Bib Issues

The second issue for homeowners to beware of involves hose bib issues. Hose bibs function along with outdoor hoses and essentially act as “faucets.” There are many different signs that may indicate problems with hose bibs, including:

Abnormal sounds during use
Debris buildups or rusting
Physical damages to components of the hose bib
Water leaks around the hose bib area
Pooling water

Issues with hose bibs can be problematic since they can lead to structural damage around the area where the hose bib is positioned (sometimes even damage to the housing structure itself, depending on the extent). Carefully monitoring this area will allow homeowners to manage repairs as needed and seek professional help if necessary.

Worst Case: Sewer Line Damage

Sprinkler system breaks and hose bib issues can be problematic, but one of the absolute worst plumbing issues homeowners need to beware of above all else is sewer line damage. This is not only an extremely unpleasant experience if the issue occurs, but it can also cause severe issues to the in-home plumbing fixtures and require extensive and expensive professional help.

Typically, sewer line damage may occur for a variety of different reasons. Some common causes include:

Pipe corrosion or clogging
Temperature fluctuations
Tree root invasions

The symptoms of sewer line damage will be quite obvious to homeowners and will most certainly put a damper on summer fun. Homeowners will notice foul odors, improper water flow in the home, plumbing fixtures, drainage issues, and more. If homeowners suspect damage to their sewer lines, they should call for professional help immediately.

About Valley Plumbing and Drain Cleaning

Valley Plumbing and Drain Cleaning of West Jordan, UT is a family-owned and operated business providing expert plumbing solutions since 2011. Their team of highly skilled technicians provides 24/7 service, honest pricing, and a hassle-free experience for each of their customers. Give them a call for plumbing help today!

Don't Let Outdoor Plumbing Problems Hamper Spring Fun!

Avoid Outdoor Plumbing Clogs to Keep the Party Going

Spring has sprung, and that means it is time to party! With warm weather finally here, there is no better time to sit outside and enjoy that sunshine. After all, what’s not to love about the great outdoors? Well, technically, there is one thing…

Outdoor plumbing clogs can be a royal pain in the butt. Fixtures in the outdoor plumbing system can become backed up for various reasons, which may lead to big problems for homeowners. It is important for homeowners to understand the basic features of their outdoor plumbing systems, what conditions lead to clogs, and how they can resolve these issues. This way, they can keep the party going all day and all night long!

Main Features of Outdoor Plumbing Systems

Outdoor plumbing systems function primarily around the main sewer line. The sewer line begins in the house, with various pipes that connect via branch drains. Areas like the kitchen and bathroom drain to a central line, which then collects all of the house waste and delivers it for external treatment.

The main sewer line typically leads into either a home septic tank or a city connection, where it is ultimately treated. Given the structure of pipes, the extent to which the systems rely on adequate water flow, and the various types and volumes of material sent through for treatment, these systems may clog.

Any homeowners who have ever experienced plumbing clogs know that these are extremely unpleasant, so it is vital that homeowners understand the leading causes of clogs in order to avoid them in the future.

Primary Causes of Outdoor Pipe Clogs

There are many causes of outdoor pipe clogs. Homeowners can prevent some of these by modifying their behaviors, but others are largely out of their control:

Overloaded sewage deposits – if homeowners send too much debris or grease down the drains, then this can build up and cause clogs.
Collapsed sewer lines – the lines may collapse if there is excess overhead pressure from above ground or if the pipes are broken down.
Sunk lines – this results from poor soil conditions
Tree roots – these may cause backups or complete line breaks if they grow in a way such that they attach to the pipes over time

Regardless of the cause, homeowners should be on the lookout for symptoms of clogs like plumbing fixture malfunctions or backups in the in-home plumbing fixtures. One of the best ways to solve these clogs is hydro jetting.

How Hydro Jetting Can Fix Clogs

One of the best ways to fix clogs is hydro jetting, as this is both an effective and relatively non-invasive way to clear debris. Hydro jetting is essentially a process in which high-pressure water is sent at high speed through sewer lines to break apart blockages. There are absolutely no chemicals involved.

If homeowners suspect or know of a clog, they should consider hiring a professional to perform hydro jetting services for them. Professionals will know where to best send this high-pressure water and perform other inspections simultaneously to determine if there are any additional issues with the outdoor plumbing fixtures.

About Valley Plumbing and Drain Cleaning

Valley Plumbing and Drain Cleaning of West Jordan UT is a family-owned and operated company that has been in business since 2011. Known locally for “the truck with the duck,” their team offers 24/7 exceptional service, competitive pricing, and superior customer service. Give them a call for hydrojetting service in West Jordan today!

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How Industrial Plumbing Changed the World

Learning About Modern-Day Sanitation Heroes

Life is hard enough without coming home from work to an overflowing toilet or a low water-pressure shower that refuses to work right before an important meeting. These are modern-day inconveniences that can be solved by a quick call to a local plumber.

Now, imagine life without plumbing. How hard would life be in a world without a sewage system or water purification? The amount of human waste accumulation would be unimaginable. Where would all of it go?

Here’s Why Plumbers Are So Important for Society

There is no denying indoor residential plumbing has made life exceptionally more convenient compared to life without it. A residential plumber can resolve some of the most common homeowner’s issues.

That annoying dripping faucet that keeps people up at night and the water heater that goes out after wanting nothing more than a hot shower. The busted pipe that flooded the basement. Residential plumbers take care of all household plumbing needs. Life would be less convenient without residential plumbing, but if society didn’t have industrial plumbing, the consequences would be devastating.

Before proper sanitation practices, the waste removal process was barbaric at best. People would dump waste onto the ground or into the waterways. Doing this led to many of the plagues throughout human history.

The disease-ridden waste contaminated the well water everyone drank. There was no water treatment for the rivers and lakes people would both dump in and drink from. Cholera, typhoid, hepatitis, and polio are some of the diseases plagued by the masses due to inadequate water treatment. Poor sanitation was one of the reasons the Bubonic Plague spread so rapidly.

Along with the aid of vaccines, industrial plumbing had a significant impact on the eradication of these waste-related diseases. Although they still exist, these diseases have been significantly decreased in communities with modern plumbing.

How to Become an Industrial Plumber

Becoming an industrial plumber is no easy task. Few are accepted into the apprenticeship program.

Acceptance requirements:

High school diploma or equivalent
Driver’s License
Passing aptitude tests

Once accepted, the apprentice must take 8000 hours of on-the-job training in no less than four years and 576 hours of relevant classes.

After years of training to become a licensed plumber, the apprentice must take the state-required Journeyman’s exam. Most states require a plumber’s license.

What Services Do Commercial Plumbers Provide?

Clogged drains are a big problem in commercial buildings, especially in food establishments that handle grease. When a clogged drain is present, the first thing commercial plumbers try is drain snaking. They send a long cable with a corkscrew head through the pipes to remove any blockages.

If that doesn’t work, plumbers will do a video inspection by sending a camera through the pipe to locate the blockage. For severe blockages, plumbers use hydro-jetting. Like pressure washing, hydro-jetting cleans the pipes, but plumbers have to be careful not to damage old pipes.

About Valley Plumbing and Drain Cleaning

Salt Lake City’s Valley Plumbing and Drain Cleaning provides residential and commercial plumbing services to their community 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Opening in 2011 as a family-owned and family-run business, Valley Plumbing provides an honest solution to the community’s plumbing needs.

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Why Avoiding Plumbing Repairs at Home is Not a Wise Decision

What Can Happen When Homeowners Avoid Plumbing Repairs

Most people can relate the experience of driving along the road when they suddenly hear a weird noise coming from the car. Maybe it’s a rattling noise or maybe it’s a screeching noise. They can tell something is wrong, but they don’t want another car problem. So they just turn up the radio and keep driving. They just want to make it home safely. While this may be a tempting solution, to just cover up the unusual sound, it is not a lasting one. The same goes for plumbing repairs. It’s tempting to just turn up the radio.

To ignore the problem because it’s expensive, because it’s hard to take a day off to get it fixed, or because the house has other pressing problems. But avoiding the problem for too long only results in a bigger problem. Here’s what can happen when homeowners continue to put off plumbing repairs.

Unexpected Plumbing Emergencies

There is a multitude of plumbing emergencies that can happen, often because the plumbing system is not maintained as it should be or because there was a smaller problem that led to a huge problem. Burst pipes are a big disaster for homes that can cause thousands of dollars in damage.

Broken water heaters can lead to uncomfortable, ice-cold showers. A clogged main drain can cause dirty water to back up into every drain in the house. Overflowing toilets can have an unpleasant smell and unpleasant contents backing up into the bathroom.

These are just a few examples of major plumbing emergencies that can happen at any home if plumbing repairs are avoided.

Cheap Plumbing Repairs Malfunction

When faced with a plumbing problem, many homeowners will turn to quick and easy plumbing solutions because they are cheap. But duct tape is not always the best solution. These cheap plumbing repairs can malfunction and lead to bigger issues. Whether something wasn’t tightened enough, was put on backward, or used duct tape to cover up a leak, cheap repairs will cost more in the long run.

As some might say, cheap solutions may cover up the symptoms but they don’t fix the root cause. Therefore, it’s best to get the job done right the first time by calling a professional plumbing company.

Avoiding Small Repairs Lead to Emergencies

Small plumbing problems are often a sign of a larger issue. The plumbing emergencies mentioned earlier have signs that homeowners should pay attention to. For example, yellow or discolored water is often the sign of rusty pipes, and rusty pipes can lead to burst pipes.

Paying attention to the water color and fixing the rusted pipes before they burst can help homeowners avoid a major plumbing emergency. A clog in two or three drains may signal a clog in the main drain.

Fixing the clogs promptly can prevent water from backing up into the rest of the house. So fix the small repairs. They’ll be less costly and less hassle than a plumbing emergency.

About Valley Plumbing and Drain Cleaning

At Valley Plumbing and Drain Cleaning, they are focused on providing all customers with the solutions needed at a great value. The customer's problem becomes the technician's number one priority, and they will not consider the job done until they are completely satisfied with the results. With fast turnaround services, long-term solutions, and honest pricing, all expert technicians are sure to get the job done right the first time.