Preventing Drain Clogs

Everyone has most likely at one time or another had to deal with a clogged drain. These messy nuisances can sometimes be an easy fix, but stubborn clogs require professional drain cleaning by a good plumber. The best way to avoid these aggravating and sometimes expensive clogs is to use some prevention measures to keep them from happening in the first place. 

Watch What Goes Down The Drain

The most common reason drains get clogged is from food, grease, hair and other particles that are allowed to go down the drain. Even small particles can get caught within the pipes and start attracting more and more debris until they clog the drain completely.

  • Food. Make sure to scrape as much food off plates as possible into the garbage. When rinsing them, put in the drain strainer to catch any excess food that comes off and empty the strainer into the garbage.
  • Grease. Never dump grease from a pan into the sink. Dispose of as much grease out of a pan as possible first, then, wipe it out with a paper towel. If possible, run the water until hot, put a small amount into the pan to rinse any greasy residue and dump the water outside.
  • Soap and hair. Bathroom drains are often clogged by small pieces of soap and hair that get into the pipes. Throw away soap once the bar gets too small and clean hair from outside of the drain after each bath or shower. 

By just keeping as many of these particles out of your plumbing as possible, you can prevent most drain clogs from ever happening. Make sure everyone in your household is watching what they allow to go down the drain and you wont have to deal with clogs as often.

Fixing A Kitchen Sink Sprayer

Kitchen sink sprayers are useful tools but they also tend to have more issues than other components of the sink and are one of the most common kitchen repairs. Sink sprayers easily get clogged, they can leak in several places and even stop working all together. Luckily, they are fairly easy to fix if they start to have any problems.   

One easy maintenance step to keeping sprayers working well is to clean the aerator on the nozzle itself to make sure deposits do not clog the small holes. Using a toothbrush with vinegar and water usually will do the trick.  

Leaky Sprayers

Sprayers can leak from a couple of places: the base of the sprayer, the hose leading to the sprayer or from the nozzle itself. Most leaks are due to washers needing to be replaced or a crack in a hose. 

  • Leaking from the base of the sprayer. This usually means the washer needs to be replaced.
  • Leaking at the end of the hose. The coupling that holds the hose to the faucet may simply need to be tightened.
  • Hose leaks. If there is a drip or leak coming from the hose, it most likely has a crack and needs to be replaced.

 Non-Working Sprayers

If water is not coming out of the sprayer or just cold or hot water, water pulsates or water continues to come out even when not being used, there may be a problem with the diverter valve in the spray head. This valve releases water when you press the spray head handle and can get clogged or stuck. Often cleaning the diverter component can fix the problem; other times it must be replaced. If cleaning the sprayer does not solve the problem, call your local plumber for kitchen repairs to sink sprayers or kitchen faucets .

Preventing Frozen Pipes

As winter approaches, now is a great time to make sure your plumbing is protected from the cold. Anyone who has had to deal with the mess and expense of plumbing pipes bursting from the water inside freezing can tell you it is something you want to avoid. By using a few prevention measures, you can keep your pipes and water safe from bursting. 

Most water pipes are only in danger of freezing and consequently bursting when there is a severe cold snap in the weather. When water freezes, it expands, filling in the area within the pipe. 

Prevention tips

Most homes in cold weather areas are built with their pipes well-insulated and located inside the insulated walls of the house. Homes in warmer areas are more likely to have pipes that are left exposed in crawl spaces and attics. However, any home may have areas where the cold air can hit pipes and cause them to freeze. 

  • Insulate pipes. Wrap pipes that are exposed with insulating tape or foam pipe insulation to help block the cold air.
  • Keep water running. Keeping a trickle of water running out of all faucets can prevent freezing.
  • Use heat lamps. Space heaters or heat lamps can be used to warm exposed pipes, but only do this if you are home to keep an eye on them. 

The first sign of a frozen pipe is when the water no longer is coming through a faucet. If you catch it soon enough, you may be able to thaw it before it bursts. For help with water line repairs due to frozen or burst pipes, you should call your local plumber to fix the problem.

Water Heater Maintenance: Don’t Overlook It!

Often we take our water heaters for granted until something goes wrong. However, these are expensive pieces of equipment and can last much longer if simple maintenance is done regularly on them. By scheduling a maintenance inspection at least once a year, you can increase the longevity and efficiency of your water heater. The following three items are usually included in a water heater inspection by a plumber.

 Check The Pressure Release Valve

The first step in your annual maintenance is to check the temperature-release valve (TPR). The water supply valve and the power to the water heater should be shut off first. Then a bucket is put under the pipe that leads to the TPR, which should be on the side or top of the heater. The handle on the valve will be lifted to release some water into the bucket and then let the handle go. If water continues to come out, the valve is not working properly and may need to be replaced. 

Check The Anode Rod

On the top of the heater, there is a hex head that contains the anode rod. To remove the anode rod, your plumber will first drain out a few gallons of water from the tank, then unscrew the hex head and pull out the anode rod. If the rod is less than 1/2 inch thick or is corroded, it may be recommended to replace the rod.  

Flush The Tank

The last step in annual maintenance of a water heater is flushing the tank. The water  will be drained out of the tank. Once it is empty, a little water will be added to flush sediment from the bottom and then it is drained again. This is repeated until water comes out clean. 

Water Saving Tips

Most of us take water for granted, as it is easily accessible and pumped conveniently into our homes. However, clean, healthy water is something we need to preserve and reducing waste can help save the clean water resources we have. Water conservation helps reduce the amount of pollution that can be added to our lakes, streams and watersheds, as well as reduce the amount of your water and energy bills each month.

Tips For Conserving Water 

If you have leaking fixtures such as faucets, showerheads, or toilets, call your plumber and have those toilets, showerhead, and faucets repaired.  Even a small leak can waste thousands of gallons of water per year.  In addition, every family can greatly reduce the amount of water that goes down the drain by just making a few changes in their daily routines. On top of using water efficient appliances and plumbing fixtures, there are small things everyone can do to save on water waste.

  • Rinsing. Whatever it is you need to rinse, whether it is a razor, dishes or fruits and vegetables, do not just rinse them over an open drain. Put a small amount of clean water in a clean sink or tub to rinse items.
  • Flushing. Replacing existing toilets with more economical, water-saver toilets is the easiest way to lower the amount of water used for each flush.
  • Run full loads. Both the dishwasher and the clothes washer should only be run when they have a full load. Clothes washers should always be set to the correct load size as well.

By just making a conscience effort, you can save on the amount of water you waste each day, helping the environment and your water bill.