FAQ
CLEAN TOILETS
Clean the inside of the toilet tank twice a year. To start, turn off the water to the toilet. Use the shutoff valve on the line between the wall and the toilet. Flush the toilet once, and the tank will empty, but it won't refill. Use a small amount of mild detergent and clean the tank with a cloth or soft brush. When it's clean, turn the water back on and flush again for a clean toilet tank. Did you know that the proper name for your toilet with a tank is actually a valve tank type water closet?
KITCHEN CLOGS
Fats or greases poured or washed down a drain often cause kitchen clogs. Fatty deposits cool and solidify along the walls of your pipes. Over time, these deposits trap other debris and before long, your pipe is clogged shut. The best tip is to not let grease go down the drain! Scrape fats away and deposit oils into a tin can or container and dispose of it.
When a drain is clogged, the first thing to try is a plunger. If you are working in a kitchen with a double sink, seal the drain in the other side with a cloth. Place the mouth of the plunger over the clogged drain, and pump firmly, repeatedly.
If you succeed in freeing the drain, run some hot water to refresh the pipes. If plunging does not work, give us a call and we can help you solve it.
YOUR WATER HEATER
Take a few minutes to perform simple preventive maintenance that can prolong the life of your plumbing fixtures. There are things you can do to prolong the life of your water heater and make sure it stays working efficiently. The number one water heater killer is rust. Every water heater has a magnesium or aluminum anode rod on the inside that electrochemically corrodes so the tank won't. Sacrificial anode rods wear out. Their average lifespan is about five years.
Once it wears out, the exposed metal parts of your tank will begin to rust. If you use a water softener, anode rods corrode faster. It's wise to call a professional if you haven't had your water tank checked out recently or if you suspect excessive wear. For more information on your hot water tank just give us a call.
UNDER THE SINK
Plumbers see more homes than anyone. That makes us experts at how to keep the area under the kitchen sink safe and useful. Most people keep dangerous cleansers and chemicals under the kitchen sink. For that reason, everyone should have childproof locks on these doors.
When it comes to the space under your sink, less is more. If you limit your under-the-sink storage only to items you use frequently, it will less cluttered and much easier to spot a leak if one should develop.
WATER PRESSURE
One of the most common complaints people have with their residential plumbing systems is a lack of water pressure. There can be many factors contributing to the problem.
Your home's elevation in relation to the water source may cause low pressure, because water loses its gravitational force as it passes over peaks and valleys en route to your home.
Low water flow from a faucet or shower head is often interpreted as low water pressure. Often times, low flow can actually be caused by water conserving flow restrictors in your tap and shower heads. Low water flow can also be caused by a constriction somewhere in the water line. Water line constriction can have several causes. In older homes, mineral deposits build up inside pipes. This is especially true with old galvanized iron pipes. On houses supplied by a municipal water system, be sure to check the shutoff valves on both sides of the house's water meter to make sure they are fully open. If either valve is partially closed, it will reduce pressure.
DrainWorks® can quickly inspect all of the possible causes and will usually be able to provide a quick solution.
SEWER SMELLS
Customers often complain about a sewer smell coming from one or more toilets in the house. There can be many causes for this smell.
A damaged wax seal ring under the toilet can allow sewer gas to seep out into your bathroom. If your toilet moves, this may be the cause.
Another common source of smells is organisms that normally stay in your sewer have moved to the house side of your toilet trap. The problem is most common during hot and humid weather. Eliminate the smell by pouring several cups of household bleach into the overflow pipe of the flush valve inside the tank.
SAVE WATER
- Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth and shaving. Use a Dixie cup for your teeth and fill the sink while shaving. You'll save 4 to 10 gallons per day.
- Stop using the toilet as a wastebasket and flushing needlessly. Throw Kleenex into the trash and you'll save 1 to three gallons per flush.
- Limit showers to five minutes. You'll get just as clean and save 3 to 7 gallons per shower.
- Close the tub drain before turning on the bath water. Saves 3 gallons per bath.
- Check and repair leaky fixtures and toilets that flush randomly or run on. This can save you hundreds of dollars per year!
NOISY PIPES
The hammering or pounding noise you hear in your pipes is caused by vibration that often occurs when a toilet valve or taps suddenly stop a stream of moving water in a pipe. When the valve closes suddenly it creates a shock wave that reverberates through your pipes. Not only is the noise annoying, it can cause damage to your plumbing system, your toilet, your pipes and your fixtures.
Water hammer arrestors are available to combat the problem and can be easily installed by a professional and will cushion the moving columns of water through your pipes and reduce or eliminate the noise.
FROZEN PIPES
If you have pipes in an unheated basement, attic, crawl space, or garage, cover them with a commercial insulation or wrap them with electric heating tape. This will temporarily help until you can call in a professional.
Disconnect all garden hoses and store them indoors. Failing to do so will trap water in the faucet or in the hose bib, which can cause damage when frozen. Properly turn off the inside valve and be sure to bleed the line. If you can't find your inside valve or don't have one, call us and we can solve the problem quickly.
Never leave your garage door open in cold weather. The cold air can freeze exposed pipes in no time at all.
Set your thermostat to 20 degrees C or higher on subzero days.
If your pipes freeze, it's not always a catastrophe. Unless they've burst, you don't have a problem. Just no water. The real trouble comes when you try to thaw them out.
No matter how tempting it seems, never use a torch to solve the problem. It presents a fire risk and it's also dangerous to apply intense heat to the middle of a pipe when both ends are frozen. A torch can cause the water to flash into steam and explode. The best method is to save yourself needless risk, grief and headache by calling a professional. This is a problem that can be tricky and messy for you, the homeowner. We can help.
MOLD AND MILDEW
Protecting your home against interior moisture is just as important as keeping outside water from getting in. If water is allowed to collect and stand unattended, it can affect your health and the structural integrity of your home.
All homes generate water and humidity. Kitchens, baths, laundry rooms and basements are the worst areas. Make sure your kitchen, bath and laundry room are ventilated to the outside. Turn on the ventilating fans for a few minutes every day to clear out the moisture, especially during use.
Bathrooms are especially susceptible to moisture collection. They get used every day and are normally one of the smallest rooms in a house. Toilets sweat because the cold water cools the tank and causes the humidity in the room to condense on the tank and subsequently drip to the floor or down the wall.
If mildew is left unchecked, it can cause respiratory problems and, in extreme cases, structural rot.
- Ventilate your basement once a month.
- Run a dehumidifier.
- Make sure clothing is completely dry before putting it away.
- Air out your kitchen and bathroom cabinets every month.
- Keep shower and bathtub drains free of soap scum by using a cloth or squeegee after showers and baths.
- A simple, inexpensive solution is to cover the tank with a terrycloth wrap.
