5 Tips to Help You Avoid Plumbing Repairs on Thanksgiving

This post first appeared on http://www.atozstatewideplumbing.com

Anytime you are building a new home or updating the plumbing in your existing home, backflow testing plumbing services should be used. These services test to verify the flow of water only flows in a single direction.

When the water and sewage system in your home is working correctly, water comes into the home from the main water supply. From there it branches with cold water lines running to the bathrooms, laundry room, and kitchen.

One cold water line runs to your water heater and then branches on the output side of the water heater. Hot water lines are run to bathrooms, the laundry room, and the kitchen. When you turn on the hot or cold water or a combination thereof, it flows out and then eventually runs down the drain.

Each drain line consists of a series of pipes inside the walls of your home that are connected to your home’s main sewer line. The main sewer line is connected to your septic tank or your city’s sewer system.

At various connections in the water and sewer plumbing system, there should be backflow preventers installed. These devices stop water, wastewater, and raw sewage from flowing backward.

The purpose of backflow preventers is to stop water from running backward. While we would assume water would always flow in one direction into and out of the home, this is not always the case.

Water flows in one direction into the home due to pressure. If there is a change in pressure, water can flow backward and out of the home. With freshwater systems, this may not seem like a big concern. Yet, there would certainly be a concern if raw sewage were to backflow into the home and then backflow into freshwater supply lines and out of the home. That would contaminate the freshwater supply.

To illustrate, if you have ever experienced raw sewage coming up the drain lines in your home due to a break in the sewer line, it was because your home did not have backflow preventers installed in the right locations. When the pressure was deceased, the wastewater and sewage coming out of the home no longer had enough pressure to keep it moving in one direction.

How Do I Know if My Home Has Backflow Preventers?

The easiest way to find out if your home has backflow preventers is to schedule an inspection and testing from an experienced plumber. Your plumber uses various tools and equipment to find out if you have backflow preventers installed.

In addition, they will review your entire plumbing system to evaluate if the backflow preventers are installed in the right locations; if they are not, they will not work right. You could still end up with water flowing back into the home.

Besides getting backflow testing when building a new home or installing new plumbing lines, it is also highly recommended to get backflow testing performed annually. Doing so helps identify potential problems and fix them before they become a major headache—like waking up to raw sewage coming up the shower drain.

To learn more about backflow testing for your Katy or Greater Houston Area home, please feel free to contact MET Plumbing & Air Conditioning at 281-994-6698 today! We also offer drain cleaning, plumbing repair, installation, and maintenance services, as well as HVAC services.

The post When Are Backflow Testing Plumbing Services Needed? appeared first on Met Plumbing.

Furnaces are the most common and reliable heating system found throughout the United States. That being said, no HVAC system is perfect, and if you’re the owner of a forced-air system like a furnace, then you’re probably going to run into one of these issues at some point. These problems can range anywhere from something as terrible as a gas leak to just a pilot light needing to be lit.

So, we figured we’d list out the most common problems we come across when we deal with furnaces. That way, when you smell gas or are dealing with high heating bills, you’ve got some information to signal what might be wrong with your heater. Then, you can estimate what it will cost to get it fixed and make the decision as quickly as possible.

Don’t thank us, just keep reading to learn more about your forced-air heater problems.

Common Issues

Whether your system is having trouble heating your home to the desired temperature, or it’s costing you an arm and a leg each month, one of the following causes could be leading to your frustration. If you keep reading, there’s a good chance your furnace problem is somewhere on this list!

• Gas Leak. If you can smell the rotten egg smell of gas coming from your furnace, call a professional immediately. There could be a crack in your heat exchanger or something else causing combustible gas to enter your home. Go outside and call a technician immediately.
• No Flame. If your gas furnace is on but there isn’t a flame burning, it could be from a pilot light that’s gone out. Many newer furnace models have an electronic pilot system that doesn’t need to be constantly lit all the time. If your furnace is an older model, make sure the pilot light is working and on.
• No Airflow. If your system should be blowing a healthy amount of warm, comfortable air through your vents and it’s not—that is a major problem. This could signal a blocked air filter in your furnace that needs to be cleaned or replaced, which can be completed by any homeowner. However, if that doesn’t take care of the problem then you might want to give the pros a call.
• Lukewarm air. If your thermostat is set to a comfortable temperature, but your fingers still feel like little frozen popsicles, then you’ve got a major issue on your hands. A furnace is supposed to be able to heat all of your home to a relatively comfortable temperature. If that’s not done, there’s likely a problem afoot.

These four problems are things we see all the time. There’s no need to worry if anything like this can be solved, or to pretend like these issues are just normal furnace problems. Give our professional team a call and we can get your system to produce the warm air you deserve to heat your home safely and securely all winter long.

This post first appeared on https://margoplumbing.com

At some point, your plumbing system will age to the extent that replacing or repairing just one section of the piping isn’t going to be an effective means of solving the problem. Of course, we understand that this can seem pretty scary, which is why we are here to help!

Whole-house repiping is perhaps the safest and most efficient way to protect your home from leaks and water damage when your plumbing has aged past the point of repairs, yet we find that many homeowners don’t really know when their home qualifies for these services.

That is why we have listed some of the tell-tale signs that suggest it might be time for whole-house repiping services. All you have to do is keep reading to find out more (oh, and of course, remember to call us when you need a plumber!)

Do You Need Repiping?

There are a number of signs that suggest your home is a good candidate for repiping services, including:

Your pipes are old

Up until the 1960s, plumbers were using galvanized steel for pipe installation. Although built to last, these pipes are prone to corrosion over time (the average lifespan being about 40-50 years). If you live in a home with a steel plumbing system, you are quite overdue for an upgrade.

Today’s plumbing systems are comprised of either copper or plastic piping, which is longer lasting and does not experience the same problems as steel pipes do. Copper or plastic pipes are not prone to rust, corrosion, and the absorption of contaminants, like lead.

You experience frequent leaks

An occasional leak in your plumbing system is not necessarily a cause for concern. However, you should begin to worry about the quality of your piping if you start to experience frequent leaks. If you’ve had to repair numerous leaks throughout the years, in different locations of your home, it could mean that your plumbing system is failing.

Repiping might be a better option for your home and wallet. Rather than paying for costly repairs and single pipe replacement, it is better to invest in a new system that is going to be less problematic and more effective.

You notice water discoloration

If in the last few months, or even years, you’ve noticed brown or yellow water, or water with particles of sediment in it, you likely have a serious plumbing issue on your hands. This discoloration is often a sign that your pipes are corroding, allowing sediment and rust to seep into the water supply.

Sediment and rust, though not inherently dangerous, can significantly impact the quality of your water, impacting both taste and smell.

A Job For the Pros

Whole-house repiping is a job that is only performed when it is absolutely necessary, and therefore, you want to hire a trusted plumber who is going to make the right call. Trust us, when it comes to your plumbing and your budget, you don’t want to take any risks!

This post first appeared on https://www.modernpi.com

No one wants to need an emergency plumber, but sometimes accidents happen. Homeowners know that leaks need to be remedied, but sometimes the leak seems minor. If a leak looks more like a nuisance than an emergency, you may assume that it isn’t a big deal and can wait to be repaired. While this isn’t an uncommon reaction, it opens up your home to serious problems. It’s always best to have a leak repaired as quickly as possible. After all, prevention is always preferable to needing to remedy a complication that could’ve simply been avoided in the first place.

Damages

As you know, the tubes for your plumbing run behind your walls. When water leaks out and escapes, it can end up collecting behind your walls. Over time, this softens drywall and creates water spots. If allowed to continue, it can destroy drywall completely. Flooring is another concern. Carpet, tile, and wood floors are all susceptible to water damage. Wood floors can become warped and require replacing. After enough water damage, tiles or carpet may also need to be replaced.

Although it’s common to only think of the pipes and drains as major concerns, your fixtures are also capable of being harmed. When it comes to your faucets, fixtures, and shower heads, you may discover that you’re dealing with a gasket lodged in your pipes. A telltale sign of this is decreased water pressure, but it could exacerbate any damage already done to the pipes or create new difficulties. If this isn’t resolved quickly, you could end up having to replace the fixture entirely. This often costs hundreds of dollars. 

Expense

Plumbing issues already present an unexpected expense and can be quite costly, depending upon the nature of the problem. If a leak isn’t repaired quickly, additional damages and deteriorating conditions can increase the cost dramatically. A relatively simple job can become a major hassle in no time. This is why plumbers always recommend remedying plumbing issues fast and effectively. It’ll prevent the problem from getting out of control, and it could save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars as well.

Mold

You never want to battle mold in your home. Moisture in your walls or under your floorboards creates the perfect dark and damp environment for mold to grow and spread. If left untreated or unnoticed, mold can cause headaches, aggravate allergies, and pose a serious concern for asthma sufferers or anyone with respiratory problems. A persistent leak may provide the moisture mold needs to invade your home and wreak havoc. The remediation needed to eliminate mold also presents an additional cost that could have otherwise been avoided.

As you can see, a leak is more than simply an annoyance. Even a relatively minor leak can eventually create serious consequences. If you want to avoid water damage, fixture issues, or mold growth, a fast response from an experienced plumber if your best option. Contact Stahl Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning at 412-273-1000 to learn more or for a 24hr emergency plumber in Pittsburgh, PA.

 

The post The Importance of Repairing Plumbing Leaks Immediately appeared first on Stahl Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning.

Plumbing emergencies can occur when we least expect them. After all, that’s what the emergency is all about. Knowing what to do when there’s an emergency in your house is key to smiling again. 

The best course of action is to find solutions to the problem. You need to find an emergency plumber in your city. A plumber you can rely on to quickly attend to your call with urgency.

According to the Design Criteria for Sewers and Watermelons that was released by the City of Toronto, “plumbing emergencies happen all the time. Whether it’s on the kitchen, bathroom, or pipes, attending to it with urgency can prevent further costly damage.”

An emergency plumber should be able to fix problematic sinks, drains, pipes, and toilets — and restore your home as it was before the emergency. There are thousands of plumbers in your city right now, the real challenge is knowing which professional to trust to have a successful outcome.

It’s not enough to choose a plumber next to your house, make sure you analyze their plumbing services. Make sure the plumber you eventually hire actually offers emergency plumbing repair services. A general plumbing company may not get the job done.

You don’t want to risk calling a plumber who will not treat your case with any urgency. Find an emergency plumber in Toronto, CA that offers the exact services you need. This is a great way to narrow down the list of local plumbers that may be vying to do the job.

That being said, here are 8 effective ways (and questions) you should ask an emergency plumber:

1. Verify Insurance Coverage

According to Adrian Mak, “Plumbers insurance can provide financial protection for your business if someone is injured by your business or if your business damages property.”

You want to make sure you’re hiring an emergency plumbing company that has insurance coverage. 

Most plumbing companies will carry two kinds of insurance:

• Workers’ compensation insurance
• Liability insurance

So you should ask about these two types of insurance coverage before moving forward. If you’re wondering what the difference is, here it is in a nutshell:

Workers’ compensation is a type of insurance coverage that attends to works who are injured while executing their duties at work. There should be adequate payout provisions for them.

Liability insurance coverage, on the other hand, covers the plumbing professional for damages that his team caused on your home or belongings while performing their duties. If an insurance company causes any form of damage to your home, you can capitalize on the liability policy to get the necessary backup and repairs.

It may not seem necessary to check for insurance coverage with a plumbing company you’re hiring to do emergency repair services, but you should do it to save both the plumber, the workers, and your home. 

Emergency plumbing repairs require urgent action, which could lead to unintended consequences if the plumber isn’t experienced or lacks the right tools for the repairs.

Cost may be the only factor you might want to reconsider when asking about insurance coverage from your plumbing company.

This is because it’ll be more expensive when you hire a plumber with insurance coverage than plumbers that don’t have it. But the added cost will be well worth it there’s a damage on your home/property or the workers get injured.

2. Ask Around For Recommendations

If you don’t have a reliable plumbing company to call, you should ask around for recommendations from family members, neighbors, co-workers, and friends. 

If you know or have heard good things about a local plumber who provides reliable results, you can consult them as well. 

Recommendations from those you know are invaluable because they’re often unbiased and objective. 

So you’ll be given all the pertinent information from the person recommending the professional to you. When this happens, you’ll be able to know firsthand what you can expect in terms of pricing, overall efficiency, and above all, customer service.

3. How is the Pricing Determined?

Another factor that will guarantee that you hire the best emergency plumber in your city is the pricing model. Is it hourly or fixed? Since the average cost to hire a plumber is between $125 – $350, it’s best to know how this works out hourly or otherwise.

Sometimes, a friend or co-worker can refer a reputable emergency plumber to you. This might be the best way to get access to plumbers who can get the job done the first time.

A plumber may offer both hourly and fixed pricing structures but it all depends on what the client wants. The best way to save some money, though, is to stick with fixed pricing. Because if a plumbing company estimated that the project could take 2 hours to fix, what’s the guarantee they’ll deliver an excellent result?

You want to avoid surprise bills when the repair job is completed. If the plumbing company you hire insists on an hourly pricing structure, ask him/her, in their experience fixing emergency damages, how long your project should take. 

An experienced plumber should be able to give a good estimate of the time after a proper inspection of the damage. If the repair is obvious, (i.e., the pipes are accessible) you might want to stick to hourly pricing structure — otherwise, insist on a fixed rate.

4. Licensing

Before you hire an emergency plumbing company, you need to ask the plumber if they have the necessary licenses to practice. Although it depends on your state or city because not all states require licenses to operate. 

If the plumber doesn’t carry a license, ask why. Often, a plumbing company that has a license is certified and you can be sure they have passed a state examination. 

However, a license will not get the repair excellently executed. That’s why you must never be fooled by it. What a business license simply means is that the plumber is eligible to practice in your state or city. 

Above all, make sure the license isn’t just for any type of business but for professional plumbing practice. 

5. Know the Estimated Total Cost of Fixing Your Plumbing Problem

When you have found a reliable emergency plumber, it’s time to know firsthand what the total cost will be. 

We talked about knowing the pricing structure earlier, so if it’s hourly, how many hours will it take to repair the damage. And how much do they charge per hour?

As a homeowner, don’t completely rely on quotes you receive over the phone or via email. A trusted and reputable plumbing company will likely not give you a quote until they have properly inspected the problem. 

They want to know if it’s piping-related or a clogged sink. It’s always better to hire an experienced plumber because they’ll often include the cost of new parts needed for the repair. 

Don’t just assume they’ll get the job done based on the quote they sent you, you must confirm with the plumber if the price estimate includes both parts and labor cost.

6. Warranties and/or Guarantees For the Repairs 

How long will the repair work last? An experienced plumber should be able to make guarantees with a few exceptions. After the repair is completed, a plumber that stands behind what they have done will not be afraid to offer warranties and/or guarantees for their work.

If they’re scared to do that, then it’s obvious they don’t even trust their expertise in emergency repairs. Both for labor and material (parts used in the repairs), there should be a warranty. 

A homeowner needs to have that peace of mind after spending money on emergency plumbing repairs. A warranty or guarantee of up to 12 months is expected. However, it all boils down to the level of damage, and whether or not a part of the plumbing system was replaced or repaired.

If the plumber or company you speak to doesn’t offer any warranties and/or guarantees for their work, it’s a sign you should pass on that plumber or company. 

You should only work with those plumbers that give a cast-iron guarantee and/or warranties for their work. 

7. Are There Any References?

What do clients say about the plumbing company you want to hire. If you found them online, you need to read up a few reviews to know whether their past clients were happy or regretful.

A reputable emergency plumbing company that has been in the trenches for years will have garnered lots of references, comments, testimonials, success stories, and ratings from homeowners and clients.

So, it’s important to hear what other people think about the professional you intend to hire. Past clients are in a better position to describe the quality of their customer service, how efficient they are, and how they respond in case something happens after the repair is done.

Reputable plumbers like to talk about their clients even before you ask them. Because they know that new clients will be thrilled to experience the same treatment as happy clients. If you want to do a little digging, then you can look up their name or company name online to find customer reviews and ratings.

When a professional plumber isn’t excited about giving you a list of references to contact (if you want to), you should see this as a red flag. You might want to look elsewhere for an emergency plumber.

Conclusion

With a plethora of plumbing companies in Toronto, it’s becoming more difficult to find a reliable and efficient plumber to handle your emergency repair services. 

Every aspect of a plumbing system is delicate and must be handled by a professional — otherwise, it could lead to the collapse of your entire plumbing system.

It’ll cost you a lot more money to fix the damage before getting to the main emergency work. That’s why you should carefully choose wisely. You can call us if you need an emergency plumbing services.

This post first appeared on https://blog.antaplumbing.com

Most people don’t spend much time thinking about whether their drains are clean. It’s only when they’re standing ankle-deep in the shower, or when a funky smell arises from the slow-draining puddle in the kitchen sink, that they realize there might be a problem. At that point what do you do? What should you do?

You can try to take care of it yourself. Some folks pour boiling water, bleach, vinegar or caustic commercial products down the drain. Others use wire hangers or snakes to push out the clog. Sometimes these methods yield some improvement, for a while. Sometimes they make things worse, for example, when wire gets stuck or damages the interior of the pipe.

Instead of crossing your fingers with a home-grown solution, consult a professional drain cleaning plumber. They’ll use proper techniques and modern equipment to pinpoint the problem and address it with a guaranteed solution. The old fashioned drain snake is yesterday’s technology, best suited to less serious blockages. For severe clogs, A to Z Statewide Plumbing uses Hydro Jetting, which brings a high pressure stream of water directly to bear on the problem area. It’s done with sophisticated pumps and flexible hoses and a jet nozzle that travels into the pipe. The nozzle actually moves forward in the pipe as water leaves it a such high speed that it scours out debris and restores the pipe’s internal diameter. Hydro Jet nozzles come in various sizes and can clean pipes from 1.25 inches to three feet.

A to Z Statewide Plumbing also uses conventional mechanical machines that handle passages from ½ inch to four feet. They service high rises and institutional buildings as well as residences.

What if there’s a problem bigger than a clog? If there are ongoing issues with drainage, this may be the case. For example, there could be tree roots in the sewer line or a pipe break causing seepage into your yard. A to Z has you covered there as well. They employ DRAINVISION, a remote camera that feeds into your drainage pipes and creates a videotape showing exactly where the problem is found. You can go right to where the repair needs to be made rather than digging up a whole yard or replacing an entire sewer line.

So if your drains are running slow, your shower is backing up or toilet flushing produces debris, don’t guess at what to do. Don’t waste time and money on half-measures that may leave you worse off than before. Call a drain cleaning plumber to address the problem properly and guarantee their work.

This post first appeared on http://www.atozstatewideplumbing.com

Underground pipes endure a great deal of wear and tear over time. In addition to the strain of normal use, they can be damaged by clogs, corrosion, shifting soil, or tree roots. Eventually, most pipes need to be repaired or replaced. The only option for such a project used to involve digging up the pipe, which caused extensive damage to landscaping, driveways, and sidewalks.

Fortunately, today there are plenty of trenchless technology solutions for pipe replacement that allow homeowners to repair their damaged sewer lines with minimal disruption and very little digging. For many municipal projects, cured-in-place piping (CIPP) is an ideal choice from a cost, effectiveness, and speed standpoint. The last step of any municipal CIPP project involves a sophisticated technique called lateral reinstatement cutting. To understand what it is, however, it helps to know what’s involved with the installation of CIPP.

What Is Cured-in-Place Piping?

As a trenchless technology solution, CIPP essentially installs a completely new pipe without any joints or seams inside an existing pipe. It can be used on water, sewer, gas, or chemical pipelines. The technique involves a polyester tube that is saturated in resin and then pulled through the damaged pipe section. Once pulled through, the resin cures to cause the new pipe to fit tightly against the original piping, creating a brand new, seamless length of pipe inside.

What is Lateral Reinstatement?

When CIPP is used to repair a municipal sewer line, the new pipe cures against the surface of the original sewer pipe and blocks off the lateral lines running to the homes that tie into the sewer system. Once the new pipe cures, openings need to be cut in the new pipe to allow wastewater to flow from the home lateral lines into the sewer.

In the early days of trenchless pipe repair, this was one of the most difficult and time-consuming steps involved in any project. Pipe sections were often shorter, with pre-cut lateral lines, but lining technology eventually advanced to the point where seamless piping became far easier to install. In the 1980s, the first remote-controlled, robotic reinstatement cutters hit the market. These devices were snaked down the original pipe and the cable was marked to indicate the location of each lateral opening.

Today, lateral reinstatement cutter technology incorporates sophisticated “pan and scan” CCTV cameras that allow plumbing professionals to identify exactly where and what they’re cutting when it comes time to open up lateral lines in the newly cured pipe.

Lateral Reinstatement Cutters

Robotic lateral reinstatement cutters are deployed by highly skilled operators to complete a trenchless pipe replacement project. These remote-operated, waterproof devices are inserted into new lengths of cured piping and moved to the rough position of the pre-existing laterals. A CCTV camera is used to identify a slight bulge where the lateral opening is located, and the robotic cutter cuts a hole in the new pipe with a router bit. Once every lateral line is opened to allow wastewater to flow back into the line, the cutter is removed and then reinserted with a wire brush attachment to file down the polyurethane to fully open the lateral line.

For more than 25 years, Bowman Tool Company & Systems has been an industry leader in lateral reinstatement technology. The Dominator 430 is the latest in the company’s long line of reliable, cost-effective lateral reinstatement cutters. Express Sewer & Drain is proud to use these devices exclusively to deliver the best possible trenchless pipe replacement services in the Sacramento area.

The Bowman Dominator 430 is a 72-pound cutter designed for 6 to 30-inch pipes. It incorporates many design innovations:

• A 2.5 hp geared air motor that reduces reinstatement time by 80 percent.
• Only eight moving parts, which allows for 30-minute disassembly & reassembly.
• An isolated electric motor in a watertight chamber to eliminate water damage and permit easy access.
• A quick-change head assembly with one adjustable gib to reduce adjustment time.
• No external air tube, which gives the cutter an easy-to-operate & streamlined design.

Other Trenchless Technologies We Offer

Express Sewer & Drain is the Sacramento area’s leading authority in trenchless technology solutions. In addition to lateral lining and reinstatement, we also offer sectional point repair, the reparation of a section of a broken pipe, pipe bursting, the act of breaking the original pipe as the new pipe slides through continuously, and manhole-to-manhole lining, which can completely rehabilitate deteriorating sewer lines in municipal sewage systems (we also offer manhole rehabilitation services using Sprayroq’s SprayWall structural polyurethane spray). Our service is efficient and thorough, and we are prepared to fix any pipe, even water line replacement. Trenchless pipe repairs can last half a lifetime, greatly increasing the service life of existing infrastructure.

Call Us Today

Our efficient and thorough services are available all day, every day, so call any time you need us. We can evaluate your pipes and maintain them before anything major occurs, helping you save both time and money while fixing the pipe that you need fixed. Our technologies are environmentally friendly and quick. We also offer drain cleaning, hydro-jetting, and basic plumbing services. Our experienced professionals are always prepared with their tools and expertise. For more information on trenchless technologies or any of our other services, do not hesitate to contact us today.

This post first appeared on https://www.expresssewer.com

Clogged drains can happen at any time, but if you have ever noticed that they seem more common during the winter, it’s not an accident. It’s important that you keep your home adequately heated at all times during the winter to prevent pipes from freezing. Extreme cold can wreak havoc on your home’s plumbing in other ways as well. Here are a few things you should know about low temperatures and clogged drains.

The Big Freeze

The most obvious time when you might need an emergency plumbing company in Pittsburgh, PA, is when your pipes freeze. Frigid temperatures can freeze ice within your pipes. When water freezes, it expands, so not only will ice clog your pipes, but it could actually burst your pipes as well. The worst-case scenario is when a homeowner forgets to leave their thermostat on while out of town on a winter vacation. By the time they return, their pipes may have burst and will require major repairs.

Clogged Drains

Water isn’t the only thing in your pipes that’s capable of freezing. If you have slow-running drains in warm weather, it’s important that you have your pipes inspected by a plumber before winter arrives. Normal items that clog your drains (such as grease and food in the kitchen and hair and soap in the shower) can solidify if the temperature’s low enough, turning a minor nuisance into a completely stopped drain.

Blocked Vent Pipes

In order for your plumbing to work properly, the vent pipes need to be clear and free from debris. In warm weather, the blockage can be caused by leaves, twigs, branches, and even dead animals. When winter arrives, snow and ice can accumulate around the debris and effectively block your vent pipes from the outside. Even if there aren’t any objects on or surrounding your vent pipes, if there’s enough ice or snow accumulating on your roof, it could affect how your plumbing performs.

Solutions

Depending on the location and severity of the clog, there are some things you can do to fix them. If it’s a sink, you can run hot water until the sink fills up and then remove with a wet/dry vac. This should eventually melt the clog, though it could take a couple of hours. If you have a clogged vent, you’ll have to get onto your roof and water it down with a garden hose, which is not something everyone is comfortable with.

The post Cold Weather and Clogged Drain: Is There Any Link? appeared first on Stahl Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning.

People often groan when they hear about “annual maintenance” for almost any part of their house. Yes, we know that maintenance seems like a chore—but the benefits are tremendous. For example, the plumbing in your house undergoes an immense amount of work and strain during the year. All those drains, pipes, and appliances don’t simply hold up no matter what gets thrown at them. They wear down, and that means inconvenience, costly repairs, expensive replacements, and maybe even plumbing disasters like flooding or not having any water at all.

But you don’t need to worry. You have great plumbers in Peoria, AZ at The Trusted Plumber to handle the maintenance for you. When you sign up for the Trusted Plumber Maintenance Ultimate Savings Agreement Program, you’ll receive our annual 35-point comprehensive home plumbing inspection.

Basic Plumbing Maintenance Tasks We Do

We can’t run down every single point of our maintenance regimen, especially since each home has different requirements. But we can still give you an extensive checklist of what we check and the tune-ups we do.

• Flush and fill the water heater. This isn’t always necessary, but you’ll be glad to have it done when you do need it.
• Clean kitchen faucet aerators. This prevents a drop in water pressure at the kitchen faucet.
• In-home water quality test. We work with water treatment systems as part of our plumbing services, and this test will identify if your house has water quality issues we can address.
• One application of drain-maintainer at the kitchen drain or disposal. This is an excellent way to keep clogs from starting up.
• Inspect all accessible internal piping, faucets, shut-off valves, laundry room fixtures, vent pipes, toilets, sewer line clean-out accessibility, hose bibs, the ice maker, the dishwasher, the garbage disposal, tubs, and showers. Yes, we really inspect everything that’s part of your residential plumbing. If we find anything wrong, we can alert you to it and schedule repairs. In many cases, we’ll have the parts to fix it on the spot.

The Benefits

The biggest benefit of maintenance is problem-free plumbing and no unpleasant surprises over the year. We’ll catch troubles like leaks and keep your drains flowing freely. We’ll find out if your garbage disposal is in danger of wearing down soon. We’ll see that you have a water heater that won’t conk out on you during the coldest days.

This post first appeared on https://www.thetrustedplumber.com