Garden Fountains That Have Given Up: Why And How Plumbing Work Can Help

Posted on: 2 November 2016

Garden fountains add beauty and a focal point to your yard. However, if you bought a home and property where the garden fountain does not seem to be working, you may need some help uncovering the problem. Start first with a plumber, since plumbing repair often fixes a majority of the issues with garden fountains that have given up. Here is how and why this might work.

Water Access Is Cut Off

One of the first things the plumber will do is look for the water access point. The plumbing running from the house to the fountain will have a shut-off valve. If turning this valve on and off does not start the water or get it flowing to the fountain, then the plumber can look for blockages in the pipes. The blockages may either be inside the house itself, or from the house to the fountain. If the blockages are in the pipes inside the house, these pipes can be removed and replaced easily. If the blockages are in the pipes leading to the fountain, your plumber will have to expose (i.e., dig up) the pipes to fix the problem.

Exposing the Pipes Might Reveal an Unexpected Problem

There is always the chance that the water flow is not the problem, and there are no blockages. The problem may be with the in-ground pipes. When the plumber has to expose the pipes, he/she may find an unexpected problem. 

Examples of unexpected problems with plumbing leading to the fountain include:

  • Plastic pipes that have broken down and disintegrated, or been chewed through by rodents
  • Corroded or rusted metal pipes that have come undone in the ground, allowing the water to seep right into the ground instead of heading to the fountain
  • Rubber hoses in place of pipes that are just gone; chewed up by pests, disintegrated into bits, etc.

Fortunately when the plumber exposes these unseen problems, he/she can fix them right away and restore your garden fountain to new life.

Checking the Fountain's Drains

Garden fountains rely on drains to keep the water from overflowing. Even when a fountain reuses the water that spills out of the top and it renews itself with this water, drains exist to keep the fountains from overflowing when it rains. If your drains are blocked, or clogged with algae (which becomes an issue with fountains that have been idle for some time), then the plumber can clear them for you prior to restarting and restoring the fountain to working order.

For more information, contact a business such as Angeles Plumbing.

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