Plumbing Tips – Disposals
It is best to use cold water — NOT hot water — when you run your disposal. Let the cold water run as long as the motor is running, and be sure to avoid overloading the disposal. Corn husks, artichokes,…
Plumbing Tips – Water Bills
There are several ways to find out if your water bills are higher than they need to be.
- Check faucets for dripping water. Fix a leaky faucet promptly. Be sure to check under sinks for moisture or leaks.
- Periodically check your toilets for leaks:
- Place a few drops of food coloring in the tank – not the bowl. A couple of tablespoons of instant coffee or Kool-Aid will work too.
- Check the toilet after about thirty minutes. If the water in the bowl has some of the color in it, the tank is leaking and the stopper and valve seat may need to be replaced.
- Check for underground leaks or undetected leaks in the home:
- Turn off the main water valve inside your home and then go outside and check your water meter. If it is still turning you may have an underground leak.
- Alternatively, write down the numbers on your water meter at the beginning of a period when your home is going to be unoccupied for a few hours. Check the meter when you return; if the numbers have changed, they may be a leak somewhere inside the home
Plumbing Tips – Toilets
If your toilet is stopped up and if the water level is low, there is an alternative if a plunger doesn't work. Fill a bucket or plastic wastebasket with warm water and pour it into the bowl from waist level…
Plumbing Tips – Frozen Pipes
Don’t let your outdoor faucets freeze up in the winter. Unattach your garden hoses before freezing temperatures arrive in the fall. Then close the shut-off valve on the pipe(s) which lead to your outdoor faucet(s). Then open the outdoor faucets…
Plumbing Tips – Faucets
Repair or replace a leaky faucet promptly. Be sure to check under sinks for moisture or leaks. Even a slow leak can waste as much as 15 or 20 gallons of water a day. But a leak not only wastes…
Backflow Preventer Valves
Using MAINLINE BACKFLOW PROTECTION, a backwater valve is installed where the sewer exits the building on the main-building drain. There are several benefits and advantages of putting a backwater valve on the main-building drain: Only one backwater valve is required…
Tankless Water Heaters
Why go tankless? The general premise behind a tankless water heater is to only heat water "on demand" as it is needed. This eliminates the need for a storage tank and dramatically increases energy efficiency. Almost every major shortcoming of…
Plumbing Tips – Drains
Place a strainer over kitchen and bathroom drains if they do not already have one; this will prevent hair, pieces of soap, and other debris from clogging drains. Clean the strainer as needed. Unclog a drain mechanically rather than chemically…
Preventative Maintenance
ExpressRooter preventive maintenance programs can help you avoid costly business interruptions before they occur. Take control of your business with scheduled maintenance for drains and sewer lines, and all your plumbing needs. If you need multiple location service or information…
