May
17
When you walk into your laundry room, the last thing you are thinking about is the plumbing. The only thing on your mind is tackling that mountain of clothes that never stops growing. However, plumbing is essential to the day-to-day use of your laundry room. If the plumbing fails in any way, you cannot do your laundry – and it does not take long for the laundry to start piling up. You can avoid plumbing problems in the laundry room by keeping the following in mind.
Make sure that your washer is level. A washing machine that is not level can bounce and shift around during the spin cycle. Have you ever walked into your laundry room to find your washing machine a few inches farther from the wall? If so, it is likely not level. A creeping washing machine can strain your hoses and eventually lead to leaks. Keeping it level will ensure that it stays in place with little strain placed on the hoses. Read more
May
10
Home Inspection and Plumbing
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When a buyer agrees to purchase a home, they usually write up the contract with a home inspection contingency. This means the home buyer has the right to bring in an inspector, and depending on the outcome of the inspection, have the right to request the seller fix items, renegotiate the contract, or cancel the sale altogether.
When most home buyers call in an inspector, they hire a generalist. And a generalist can find many things. While they might not pick up the details, they can tell you if there are any questionable items. And if they find something, its beneficial to further call in a specialist. Types of specialized inspections can include: Read more
May
9
A plumbing emergency can happen to anyone at any time. But do you know if the emergency requires a 24 hour plumber? Should you deal with the problem immediately, or can it wait until the morning?
Picture this. You wake up in the middle of the night to the sound of running water. You follow the noise to the bathroom down the hall. And before you can determine where the noise is coming from, your feet find the water first. Now what?
First, look to see where the water is coming from. Is it coming from the toilet? The sink? The tub? If you can spot the problem immediately, turn off the water to that fixture. If you can’ identify the source or you can’t turn off the individual fixture, you can turn off the water supply to the house. Just keep in mind that now you’ll be without water to any fixture in the home.
Then assess the situation.
If its limited to one individual item – such as the toilet – and you can turn the water off at the source, you can wait until the morning to call in a plumber. Once the fixture is turned off and the water flow stops, clean up the water in the surrounding area so as not to cause any further damage. Then avoid that fixture until you can get a plumber out during normal business hours, and avoid the 24 hour service charge.
If the plumbing emergency cannot wait until morning, be prepared when you do make the call to a 24 hour plumbing company. Try to identify the source as closely as you can. Make a note of where you think the problem started from, what is working, and what is not. The more information you can find before you call, the more you can share when speaking with a plumber.
Have a list ready when you connect: Read more
May
3
Have you ever stopped to wonder where the water comes from when you turn on the faucet? You know that it comes from your local municipality – but have you ever wondered how it got there in the first place? Learning the path that Denver water takes to reach your kitchen sink just might lead you to a greater appreciation for this life-sustaining resource.
Denver water starts with mountain snowmelt. About 2.5 million acres of watersheds provide Denver with its water.
The runoff from the snowmelt is stored in mountain reservoirs.
From the reservoirs, the water travels through very large water tunnels to reach the Front Range.
Denver has two main Front Range reservoirs that gather the water. Read more
Mar
30
When it is time to buy a new water heater, you have to find an appropriate means of disposal for the old water heater. In many instances, you cannot simply toss the water heater out on the curb for pickup by your local garbage department. The disposal of large appliances, such as a water heater, with regular garbage is usually against the law because the government does not want these appliances in landfills. Some appliances contain potentially toxic chemicals or they will not decompose – both of which can be harmful to the environment.
Your best option is to find a place that will recycle your old water heater. The first place to check is with local scrap yards. These places make a business of recycling various metals, including automobiles and appliances. With this option, you can actually make a buck because they will pay you a specific price, usually based on weight, for your scrap metal.
If your old water heater is still in working order, you may be able to pay it forward by donating it. Contact your local Goodwill or Freecycle organization and ask about donating a working water heater. Not only will the recipient of your water heater benefit, but you will too, because donations are tax-deductible. Read more
Jan
11
When you need plumbing repairs performed in your home, it can seem overwhelming to consider all of the choices. Simply opening the phone book or performing a Google search turns up hundreds of plumbers in your area. How do you know which one is the right one to hire? You should start by finding a master plumber for a variety of reasons.
Master Plumber Defined
Master plumbers go through an extensive amount of education in order to receive their high honors. Once a person has obtained an associate’s degree or attended a vocational school, he or she then becomes an apprentice, which involves on-the-job training, as well as classroom education. Once this is complete, he or she then becomes a journeyman, working directly with a licensed plumber for the next 4 to 5 years. All of these steps are necessary before one is able to take the exam to become a licensed master plumber.
The Exam
In order to pass the state test, the individual must understand federal plumbing codes, as well as the regulations that are in place in the state. Each state varies in the requirements that they have set, but in general, the above steps are required to become eligible to take the test in the first place. Once an individual passes the test, he or she is eligible for certification.
Benefits of Hiring
The difference between a master plumber and plumber that has just had general training is immense. If your plumbing problems are extensive in the least, it is beneficial to hire a master plumber that will understand the problems you are facing and will know the right solution the first time. It could save you a great deal of headaches and money in the long run, simply by looking for a more experienced plumber.
Jan
3
How to Get the Most from your Plumbing Service Calls
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A a homeowner, we place a call to a plumber in two situations: an emergency or for maintenance work. In both situations, we have specific goals in mind. Yet our goals may not meet the goals of the plumber we call and hire. Our goal is to stop a problem as fast as possible. The plumbers goal is to find the root of the problem and fix it.
In order to make it effective and successful, there are a few steps you can take to ensure that everyone is ready for your appointment. Before you even call a plumber, you should try to schedule your appointment for when the problem is most likely to occur in front of the plumber. You should also have any identifying information ready, including the make, model number, purchase date and any other pertinent information about your appliance or plumbing fixtures.
Making the Call
When you do call for plumbing service, there are a few things to remember to make your call the most productive: Read more
Dec
28
Why a Video Line Inspection is Important Before you Buy a Home
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What will your New Year bring in this year? Will you be purchasing a new home?
While the thought of a new home leaves you excited with anticipation, it can also bring in overwhelm. There is so much to do to get ready for the big day – there almost always is something you leave out.
While most homeowners are already aware of the need for a general home inspection, many are not aware of the benefits of a video line inspection before finalizing the purchase of a home. Read more
Nov
15
Owning a home comes with many responsibilities, including replacing various items in your home from time to time. The plumbing pipes in your home are no exception to this rule. Pipes do not last forever and without proper replacement, could result in leaks or even severe floods in your home.
The older your home, the greater your chance of needing replacement. Learn the signs to look for in your existing pipes, and learn how to prevent disaster down the road.
How Often to Change Pipes
First, you will have to determine the type of pipes that are in your home. If you are unsure and do not have a home inspection report to consult, you will have to call a plumber. Most plumbers will perform a complimentary inspection of your pipes to tell you the type, as well as the current condition of the pipes you have. There are standard guidelines for the various different types of pipes; however, this does not mean that your pipes adhere to these guidelines. The status of your pipes is dependent on the level of maintenance and care that they receive. Well-cared for pipes last longer than the manufacturer typically states and those that are not cared for prematurely fail. Read more
Sep
28
Some things in life require a lot of maintenance. Some things don’t.
If your water heater is one of those appliances that constantly needs pesky repairs, it might be time re-evaluate your situation. Repairs can become costly and time consuming, especially when they occur often. If you are at the point that your water heater is beyond repair, too costly to repair, not energy efficient or simply outdated, it might be time to find a plumber to install a new water heater.
If you haven’t used a plumber in awhile, don’t jump at the first one you find. Before you perform a search online for a plumber to install your water heater, take the time to think about what skills you want him to possess.
Knowledge – The plumber you choose should be knowledgeable in all aspects of water heaters. There are a variety of water heaters to choose from, including gas, oil and electric. Some are more energy efficient than others. And what about tankless? Rather than relying on a water heater salesperson, don’t go with a company that touts one specific type or style. Instead, find one with experience in many different types to learn which is really the best water heater for your situation. Read more
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- Quality 1st Plumbing website - Quality 1st Plumbing website
- Troubleshooter - Tom Martino – The Trouble Shooter
- WaterSense