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Avoiding Broken Pipes: 5 Tips to Put Your Mind at Ease

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Winter is almost here, and for many homeowners that will mean dealing with frozen and bursting pipes. If a pipe breaks, you might have to call a service like First General Services to fix water damage or even remediate mold, so it’s important to avoid this problem in the first place. Here are just five solutions that will keep your pipes from breaking and leaking once the temperature starts to drop.

1. Turn On Your Faucet

In some cases, you can prevent your pipes from freezing simply by keeping water running through them. You shouldn’t turn on your faucets all the way of course, but all you need is a small trickle to prevent freezing in extremely cold weather.

2. Leave Cabinet Doors Open

Cabinets that are located underneath sinks often hide exposed pipes. If you want to keep these pipes from freezing, simply open up the cabinets so that the plumbing receives plenty of warmer air while you are out. This is especially important if your kitchen sink is against an outer wall, as is often the case.

3. Disconnect Your Hose from your Outdoor Faucet

If you’re the type to leave your garden hose connected to an outside faucet at all times, don’t forget to disconnect it before it gets too cold outside. Leaving a hose connected will prevent water from draining out of the hose bib, which can cause it to freeze. Disconnecting your hose and putting it away safely for the winter will also keep it in good shape once the next spring comes along.

4. Keep the Heat On

If your home is occupied during the winter, you most likely will have your heat turned on. If you’re going to be leaving town for an extended period of time, you should still keep your thermostat turned to above 32 degrees Fahrenheit at all times.

5. Insulate Exposed Pipes

Finally, you should take the time to insulate any exposed pipes in your basement or garage. These are especially vulnerable to the cold for obvious reasons. Plumbing insulation can be purchased at just about any hardware store, but if you don’t have any, some old blankets or towels held in place with duct tape will also do.

Broken pipes are a common problem in the winter, even in modern homes with plenty of insulation. As long as you follow these tips and keep an eye on your plumbing, your pipes should be safe this winter.

Important Aspects to Consider When Finding Affordable Plumbing & Roofing Service

There was a time when the local handyman would just take care of all your home requirements including affordable plumbing & roofing services. However, these days, it is difficult to find people of that experience and caliber. Today, most people prefer going via companies or established service providers due to their quality of service. However, finding such providers is not an easy task and there are tons of things to consider before hiring them. Doing so will help you in finding services that are not only affordable but also provide you with premium quality.

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  • Check for licenses

Unlike just managing your plumbing needs, affordable plumbing & roofing services are more about taking care of technical details. In this reference, one must remember that you should always hire licensed professionals. First of all, they would be aware of the local or municipal guidelines of that area and thus adhere to these norms. The second aspect here is that with license comes credibility and authenticity. Not all those who are accredited or affiliated provide superior services but there is a reliability factor associated with the same.

  • Insurance

Another aspect that you must consider, when hiring affordable plumbing & roofing services, is insurance! It is true that most authentic providers would have license along with insurance, which is mandatory as per federal laws. However, one of the aspects that should not be undermined here is that if they don’t have insurance then you are at a higher risk. Roofing and plumbing jobs involve some risks, especially climbing up to heights and dealing with metal. So in case there is an accident or the handyman or serviceman gets hurt, then this should be taken care of by their insurance. In some cases, these independent workers may not have insurance so it poses a clear risk for you as you would have to pay for the damages caused to such people, if any.

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  • Get quotes

Along with this, you should also get proper quotes from these affordable plumbing & roofing services. Doing so would help you to get an estimate or approximate cost involved. Before you start of with any kind of roofing or plumbing services it is best to compare and get quotes from different vendors because there can be a possibility the pricing may not fit your budget. Being aware of the approximate prices would put you in a better position to understand how much you need to invest to avail these services.

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  • Other aspects

Besides the above, one should also take note of some other aspects when hiring or finding affordable plumbing & roofing services. These include:

  1. Inquire whether the service providers would get all the required equipment and gear needed for the service or would they charge that separately. In this case, you are burdened with the task of getting replacements and fixtures yourself, which can be a daunting process. On the other hand if the service providers arrange for this, you can avoid this hassle.
  1. Check for their maintenance and service agreements. What happens here is you will be able to reduce your overall costs by having regular checks and maintenance done. Doing so helps to identify smaller problems in roofing and plumbing, which in turn would help you in minimizing long-term damages. So find affordable plumbing & roofing services that can provide you with an annual maintenance contract to cover any damage or rectifications during the year, if required.

These are just some simple aspects that you must consider and evaluate for ensuring that you get premium services for your roofing and plumbing needs.

It’s Never Too Late With Emergency Plumbing Services

A clogged toilet is surely a big inconvenience for the people; however, matters tend to get worse when it happens at 3am on a weekend which makes the situation just a tad more chaotic. This results in a complete meltdown for the individual and, since it is the early hours of the morning, finding a plumber difficulties a difficult affair. The problem of emergency plumbing is not something that tends to bother a lot of people, be it residential or even a commercial business which has a lot of emphasis on plumbing. Any type of emergency can arise any time and this is when a plumber is required. A proper professional can now be availed at any time of the day and night with the emergency plumbing services.

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Service at any Time

There are now many agencies that provide emergency plumbing services for commercial businesses and residences at odd hours in different cities. These services are a life saver for the emergency situations such as clogged piping to even faulty valves, the professionals are luckily at hand to address the problem and help in fixing it permanently.

Making a right Decision

Although, there are a lot of services available, there are also agencies out there that often tend to overcharge and such companies have the exuberantly high costs that they charge the customers to arrive at an odd time or emergency situation. To avoid being overcharged, it is best to check with the local agencies providing the service and choose the one with the best quote.

Checking Their Services

In terms of the services that are provided, the list is comprehensive and includes every possible specialist based on what the customer chooses while he/she is calling for an emergency service. The customer will be given a rough quote when they select the required service and can be observed as follows:-

  • Drain specialists
  • Checking, fixing of underground water, sewage and gas lines
  • Garbage disposal from piping
  • Observation of piping through video cameras
  • Trenching services
  • Backhoe services
  • Fixing of backflows

Services like the ones mentioned earlier are something that happens in an emergency situation and these are difficult for customers to handle on their own and compulsorily requires the need of emergency plumbing services. The customer needs to be aware of the different services in the area and keep a track on the agency they wish to call for any kind of emergency situations if they arise.

  • The best way is to go through customer feedback on various consumer report sites which help the customers in finding out what their experience was with a particular company and this helps them in better understanding the quality of the services being offered as well as the company’s pricing policy and the way they treat their customers.
  • This helps in discovering any forms of hidden costs which some companies tend to charge in order to inflate the bill even further and can be extremely inconvenient to the customer and having a good feedback with a detailed list of pricing can do wonders for the company and help it in attracting more customers as well.
  • When it comes to the corporate based services and even jetting services, the emergency plumbing services are one of the most critical services that are in need. Businesses that often rely on a lot of plumbing can face troubles at odd times which can range from simple backflows to even problems with their gas lines which need fixing.

An emergency plumber in this situation can help them in easily identifying the problem and fix it before any damage is done.

Amateur at Home: What You Can Do about a Stinky Sink

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Whether you have soft water or hard water, garbage disposal or traditional sink, chances are you will have to deal with sink odors at some time or another. Sink odors most commonly happen when food particles build up in the drain and decompose. It’s a natural process, but the smell is not something you want infiltrating your kitchen. A stinky sink is also a sign you might have blockage or further plumbing problems so it’s good to keep a sharp eye out and stop problems when you see them.

Home Remedies
There are actually several around-the-house, non-chemical products that can be helpful in destroying odors in your sink. Despite what you may have heard, they can actually be extremely effective in most cases and will save you money. If you have a garbage disposal, try cutting a lemon in half and putting it in the disposal. Not only will it get rid of the odor, but it will leave a fresh and natural lemon scent whenever you use it. For sinks with or without a garbage disposal, you can try a combination of 1 cup baking soda, 2 cups vinegar, and boiling hot water. First, pour the cup of baking soda into the drain. Next, pour the vinegar on top (this will cause bubbling). Flush it with hot water. This will kill the bacteria that builds up from decomposing food. The benefits of using these products are that these items are all pretty cheap, versatile, and you might already have them at home.

Store-Bought Products
A little hot water, lemon, baking soda, and vinegar go a long way in destroying sink odors. However, if these do not work, there are several products you can buy at the store that are made to take care of drain clogs and/or odors. Since these products can contain potentially harmful chemicals, it’s recommended to only use them as a last resort.

Call a Plumber
If none of the above methods seem to help and/or you don’t want to use store-bought products, you can always call plumber. Sometimes the decomposing food gets so stuck in the drain, and the only way to get it out is to disassemble the drain. In this case, it’s best to call someone who knows what they are doing. Places like Rooter Pro Plumbing can do emergency repairs and help get your kitchen back in working order more quickly.

There are many solutions to sink odors. If the first methods you try don’t work, don’t get discouraged. Sink odors may be inconvenient and gross, but they can always be remedied.

Step-by-Step Guide for Five Easy Faucet Fixes

Your sink faucets may never be a cause for concern, that is, until they start to leak. With a little extra knowledge, you may be able to diagnose and fix the faucet’s problems on your own, or, you can call an experienced plumber for more assistance if the issue is beyond your abilities to repair. Try these five steps to fix a leaky faucet before you call for help this time around.

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Turn the Water Off
That leaking faucet can turn into a gushing river if you try to fix it while the water is on. Turn off all sink handles, as well as the knobs or switches under the sink that control the main water line’s connection to the sink. This will ensure that water can’t come gushing out while you attempt a repair.

Unscrew Decorations and Take the Faucet off the Stem
Use a flat-head screwdriver to remove any decorations from the handles. You’ll find a screw that fixes the handle to the stem underneath each knob. Unscrew that screw, and then you will need to use that screwdriver to remove the handle. You can use a penetration oil to help loosen the screw if necessary.

Check Stem for Damage
Use a wrench to remove the packing nut after loosening it. Now you can remove the stem. Your stem will either twist off or pop off. Inspect it for any damage to see if that is causing the leak.

Inspect O-ring and Washer
If the stem looks fine, you may need to replace the washer that goes in the seat of the valve. Inspect the O-ring to see if it is causing water to drip out of the faucet. Replace the O-ring if necessary to strengthen the faucet and allow it to work properly. Make sure the replacement washers and O-rings fit correctly.

All Done
It’s time to put the faucet back together. Tightly secure everything before turning on the water. If your faucet still leaks, there’s nothing else you can do on your own and you will need to enlist the help of a professional. Experts like Rakeman Plumbing can figure out the real problem with your faucet and fix it quickly.

Fixing a faucet can be easy as long as there isn’t a more serious problem. Try your best to fix it on your own with these simple steps. And remember, a plumber could make all the difference in difficult situations.

 

Plumbing Blunders: What you Should Never do without the Help of a Professional

Plumbing Blunders What you Should Never do without the Help of a Professional

While there are plenty of projects that you can easily handle on your own, there are other jobs that should be left to the professionals. In addition to getting the work done more quickly, trained contractors can provide you with reliable finishes so that you won’t have to worry about leaks or other problems later. Here are four plumbing repairs that you really should turn over to an experienced team rather than trying to deal with them on your own.

Preserve Fixtures with Lower Pressure
As homes are built, the water department will bump up the pressure. This is bad news for your plumbing fixtures, but you can protect them by installing a pressure regulator. This handy appliance goes on the mail water line to control the incoming pressure, so it’s definitely a task you should leave to the professionals.

Moving the Lines
If a home improvement project requires replacing a supply line or faucet, then you may be able to handle that on your own. However, if you need to move lines in any direction, then it’s smart to have the professionals take care of it for you. As you add angles and pipe lengths, the risk of leaks increases, but you can rely on a trained plumber to get it done right the first time.

Sump Pumps
If you’ve had flooding in your area, then you appreciate the importance of avoiding damage with the addition of a sump pump. However, installing one is not as easy as it sounds. The area around the pump needs to be assessed and sloped for proper drainage, and the pipe coming out of the system must travel away from the house to an appropriate location. With a company like A P Plumbing on the job, you can be confident that water will be safely diverted from the home rather than reentering at another point.

The Hot Water Tank
Hot water tanks come with their own set of risks and challenges, so this is definitely a job for the professionals. In addition to getting the plumbing properly connected, you also need to deal with wiring for the pilot light. You’ll also have the address the tricky issue of disposing of the old tank. When you with a pro, however, you won’t have to worry about anything.

Before you decide to do a project yourself, take an honest look at the work involved and ask yourself if you truly have the right skills and tools. With any plumbing project, one of the big concerns is undetected leaks down the road, but you can rest easy when you trust the job to a professional.

 

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