Fire hydrant repair is so crucial to the structural integrity of your property.
Believe it or not, there are millions of fire hydrants in the United States alone. With so many in service in nearly every single city across the country, there’s bound to be a few issues, which leads to complicated problems when it comes time to use them. That’s why a fire hydrant repair is so crucial. You might wonder what causes damage to a fire hydrant? What measures need to be taken to fix them? How do you prepare for these problems? Read on to learn more about everything that goes into a fire hydrant repair.
What Types of Damage?
Car crashes and accidents are one of the most common causes of damage to fire hydrants. A car backing up or grazing a hydrant can lead to various problems, ranging from a small crack to a brutally bent shaft. Mother nature can also be a huge pain. Freezing temperatures can sometimes cause wet-barrel hydrants to freeze up and dry-barrel hydrants to have valve failures. Sometimes inexperienced on-site maintenance personnel might even be the reason for a fire hydrant repair. Usually, this occurs because they leave a leave some type of hose connection attached to the hydrant which causes the hydrant to freeze, or they strip the hydrant’s valve mechanism, which then results in a cracked or broken valve and a leak that must be fixed by a professional.
Preparation
You never really know when your fire hydrant might break, leak and need a proper repair. That is why it’s best to be prepared for all situations. The best way you can prepare for hydrant damage is by ensuring you’ve got maintenance and repair kits ready. The quicker you conduct a fire hydrant repair, the better. You want to avoid all significant damage that can lead to an inoperable fire hydrant, such as broken valves. A hydrant that cannot function poses a massive risk to your property, so you must be ready.
Prevention
Fire hydrant damage is inevitable. But, there are some easy ways you can try to prevent it from happening frequently.
- Make sure your hydrants are as visible as possible to drivers with hydrant bollards and markers.
- If you reside in areas that are known for seasonal subfreezing temperatures, engaging in consistent testing and freeze protection to ensure the hydrant remains unfrozen and ready for use even during the chilly winter months
- Perform flow testing.
If all else fails, call Alpha Plumbing to conduct a proper fire hydrant repair. They have experts who can get the job done promptly.
A RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL PLUMBING COMPANY YOU CAN TRUST
Alpha Plumbing is a full-service plumbing and contracting company serving the Baltimore and Annapolis metro area with expertise in all aspects of plumbing. We’re family-owned and operated since 1991 from our office in Pasadena. We offer quality plumbing services at reasonable rates in a timely fashion. Our trucks are equipped with GPS systems to ensure we’re prompt and on time. No job is too large or too small! We maintain a fleet of well-stocked trucks and also own and operate our own backhoes for jobs requiring excavation.
For more information and to get a free no-obligation estimate, you can contact us on our website, send us an e-mail, or give us a call at (410) 255-5998.