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.

Keep an eye on your hoses. Speaking of hoses, it is a good idea to inspect them on a regular basis. Rubber hoses provide your washer with water. Over time, these hoses can wear out. Check them for signs of wear and tear, such as cracking. Cracking can eventually lead to a leaking hose – and a leaking hose can cause water damage in your laundry room. If possible, replace your rubber hoses with stainless steel hoses, which are more durable.

Protect your washer and dryer from lint. Both machines generate lint from the clothing. Make sure your dryer’s lint trap is cleaned with every load. Your washer can also generate lint, which could lead to a clogged pipe down the road. A strainer or screen over your hose, drain and sink openings will help protect your plumbing.

Another way to live the green life is to find ways to conserve water. Water is a precious resource that must be protected. Installing a dual flush toilet is a great way to save water – but before you rush out to buy one, consider the pros and cons.

Pros

The primary pro of a dual flush toilet is water conservation. A dual flush toilet is designed to have two flushing operations – one flush for liquid wastes and one flush for solid wastes. Each flush uses a different amount of water. You can save a considerable amount of water each year by using the appropriate flush every time you use the toilet.

Cons

The cons of a dual flush toilet include ease of use, maintenance, and sanitation. Some dual flush toilets can be confusing. If you use the wrong flush button, you will have to flush again – defeating the purpose of the toilet, which is to save water. Make sure you choose a dual flush toilet that is easy to use, even for small children.

The maintenance of a dual flush toilet is another possible con. These toilets are not as simple to maintain as a traditional toilet because they have dual flushing mechanisms. This can lead to more costly repairs down the road.

Finally, some dual flush owners find that their toilet requires more cleaning because the lower flush option uses less water. Not only does the water help with the flushing process, it helps keep the toilet clean. Less water means less rinsing of the interior of the bowl, which can lead to more frequent cleaning of the toilet.

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:

• Pest and termite

• Electrical

• Plumbing

• Heating and Air Conditioning

• Lead based paint

• Easements and encroachments

• Foundation

• Roof

• Sewer or Septic System

• Soil stability

• Radon

• Asbestos

• Permits and zoning

Every home inspection contingency comes with an expiration date. It is possible to lose your earnest money deposit if you try and cancel the contract beyond the time specified in the contract, even if its over a defect found in the inspection. Dates are very important; keep an eye on them and renegotiate if you have issues arise.

That is why its imperative that you have your home inspection as soon as possible, and continue to call in specialists the moment your inspection is completed and you have further issues.

What could warrant further inspection? If your home inspection reveals low water pressure, he may suggest calling in a plumber to determine the cause of the problem. It may be something simple, or it could be a complex issue that would require thousands of dollars and a lot of time. There could be tree roots growing into the plumbing system, or the pipes could be corroded, none of which would be found by a general inspector.

While its easy to let emotions get in the way of logic during a home buying process, always watch for signs along the way. The more you rely on true professional advice, the more you’ll enjoy your new home when the transaction is complete.

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:

Give specific details – the more details you have, the better they can assess the damage and the work that needs to be done.

Ask for an estimate – not everyone will be able to give direct quotes over the phone without seeing the damage. But if you know it’s a problem with your toilet, for instance, they can give you a ball park estimate of what they anticipate. Also ask for the 24 hour service charge, which is always added into the following bill.

Feel comfortable before saying yes – If you aren’t comfortable with the first plumbing service you speak with, try again. 24 hour plumbing companies do charge for 24 hour service. Yet that doesn’t mean they should take advantage of the situation. If something doesn’t feel right, move on.

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.

From the Front Range reservoirs, the water is sent to various water treatment plants. At these plants, the water is filtered to remove any sediment, and it is also disinfected.

After the water is filtered and disinfected, it travels to one of thirty water storage reservoirs located in Denver.

The water is distributed to various areas of Denver. Some areas utilize water-pumping stations due to elevated locations. Without a means to pump the water to the elevated locations, these areas would not have access to water.

Water is then distributed through water distribution pipes, which can range in size from the very small to the very large.

The distribution pipes deliver water to residential areas – this is you and your home.

The pipes also deliver water to commercial locations, such as restaurants, motels and car washes.

When you wash your dishes or flush your toilet, the used water is sent to a wastewater treatment plant. Here, the water is treated and released into the South Platte River.

Once the water is released into the South Platte River, it flows to Nebraska, where it joins the North Platte River to create the Missouri River. The Missouri River then flows into the Mississippi River.

Some treated wastewater is also recycled for use in industrial settings and for irrigation purposes.

We all know that water is a precious commodity in Colorado.  The state seems to be in a constant state of drought, and heavy consideration is given to levels of snowfall, reserves, and reservoirs.  We have all felt the pinch of living in such a dry area.  Depending on your location, you may have experienced water usage limitations such as watering schedules and other restrictions.

As a result of these restrictions, some households have sought to help the environment (and their landscape) by making use of Greywater.  Greywater is the wastewater produced by a household from any plumbing system except the toilet.  Due to the constant presence of waste in the water, toilet water is considered Blackwater.

Greywater reuse consists of a system whereby households reuse the Greywater waste from their home to irrigate lawns and plants.  Greywater reuse faces several potential health issues, water rights issues, and several Colorado regulations.  Due to the potential number of contaminants contained within Greywater, experts have raised concerns if this reclaimed water is used to water edible plants.

Two concerns surrounding the reclaiming of Greywater involve the proper flow of waste through sewer pipelines, and water rights.  Greywater is an essential element in the proper functioning of modern plumbing.  Without a sufficient amount of Greywater, more solid sewage would not be able to properly flow through pipelines, leading to sluggish flow and blockages.  A decrease in Greywater in sewer systems would likely lead to water rights issues as there will be less effluent water available for treatment.

Of course, in Colorado, no discussion of water would be complete without a consideration of the regulations surrounding the water in question.  A majority of current Greywater reuse is used in conjunction with well water permits.  While the issue is much more complicated, for the most part, the permit guidelines surrounding the well use also serve as a guideline determining whether Greywater reuse is permissible.

Garbage grinders, also known as garbage disposals, can be an excellent tool in the kitchen.  Gone are the days of using a messy sink trap, and having to get your hands dirty and nasty emptying it.  With a garbage grinder, you can safely wash minor food particles down the drain.

But how does this affect everything “downstream”?  For homeowners with a municipal water supply, the excess food sludge simply washes along the pipelines with the rest of the wastewater.  For homeowners with a septic tank, garbage grinders can cause a bit more concern.  After all, you already watch what you flush down drains and now you are suggesting adding more non-water materials to the mix.

The addition of a garbage grinder can affect a septic system, but with proper maintenance, the addition will not cause any harm.  While the actual impact varies from home to home, generic impact statements can help the homeowner plan for changes.  Experts say the addition of a garbage grinder is the equivalent to adding one bedroom to the home in terms of additional solid waste.  As long as homeowners avoid using the system as a means of disposing of household oil and grease, the greatest impact should be the additional waste.

When adding a garbage grinder, homeowners should be aware of the added waste and plan maintenance accordingly.  When a garbage grinder is added, the sludge and scum layers should be checked in the septic tank.  If levels are high, it would be wise to have the unit pumped.

If the tank levels are within acceptable levels, the owner can wait until the next scheduled pumping.  With the addition of a garbage grinder, it is unwise to push maintenance beyond the suggested schedule.  Frequent pumping and conscientious living will help the garbage grinder to be a blessing and not a curse to your home.

Happy Earth Day.

What are you doing to celebrate Earth Day in 2013 – The Face Of Climate Change?

The very first Earth Day was 43 years ago, April 22, 1970. On that day, a US Senator from Wisconsin decided he had to do something after witnessing the ravages of the 1969 massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. He was inspired by the student anti-war movement, and realized if he could infuse the same energy into public consciousness about air and water pollution, people would begin taking action to help Mother Earth.

On that day, 20 million Americans took to the streets, parks and auditoriums to demonstrate for a health, sustainable environment. This one act led to the creation of the US Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water and Endangered Species Acts.

The rest, as they say, is history. And we’ve been celebrating Earth Day ever since.

Here at Quality 1st Plumbing, we take Earth Day seriously. As the premier green plumbing company here in Colorado, we know we have to protect our most valuable resources.

This year, the theme of Earth Day is The Face of Climate Change. As climate changes, our water supply changes. And being one of our most needed resources to sustaining life, we’re doing all we can to help Colorado and Mother Earth become more water friendly.

What little things can you do that will have huge benefit overall?

Reduce the water you use in your home. Install low-flow toilets. Replace shower heads and faucets throughout your home with water savers. Only use dishwashers and washing machines with full loads.

Reduce water use outside. Take heed of all drought water restrictions. Check automatic sprinklers regularly to make sure they are watering your grass and plants, and not the street or sidewalk. Plant Colorado native plants as much as possible.

One of the most important parts of your water heater is the temperature and pressure relief valve, also known as the T&P relief valve. This particular valve plays an essential part in the safe operation of your water heater.

The T&P relief valve works to keep your water heater from developing abnormally high pressure within its walls. When the pressure gets too high, the valve opens and relieves the pressure. Without it, the pressure could continue to increase, leading to a possible explosion – and even serious injuries to those inside your home.

You should test the temperature and pressure relief valve on your water heater at least every six months. To test the valve, place a basin or bucket underneath it and lift the valve up. When the valve is open, hot water should flush out and into the waiting basin or bucket. Gently close the valve after testing, taking care not to be too forceful with it. If the water does not flow freely out of the valve during testing, you should have it replaced by a licensed professional.

The size of the T&P relief valve on your water heater depends on the size of your water heater. If you are not sure if your valve is the right size, have a professional plumber examine your water heater. He or she will ensure that your T&P relief valve is the right size and that it is located in the right area.

If your water heater does not have a T&P relief valve, contact a plumber immediately to have a valve installed. Never operate your water heater without making sure that the temperature and pressure relief valve meets all necessary codes – this will ensure the safe operation of the water heater and the safety of your loved ones.

You use your water heater more than you realize. Each time you wash the dishes, do the laundry or take a bath, your water heater makes it possible to do so without any hassle. However, while having access to hot water is a huge convenience, you must also take care to ensure that the water does not get too hot.

When the water coming out of your faucet is too hot, it can pose a serious risk to you and other members of your household. Someone could be scalded or even seriously burned if the water is too hot. That is why you must take the necessary measures to control the temperature of the hot water that comes from your water heater.

The use of an anti-scald valve can help regulate the temperature of the water in your water heater. When someone uses a faucet, the valve will mix cold water with the hot water to make sure that the water is not too hot when it reaches the faucet.

If your water heater does not have an anti-scald valve, contact a licensed plumber to have one installed.

You should also make sure that your water heater temperature is set to an acceptable level to avoid scalding or burns. However, even with your water heater temperature adjusted correctly, there is still a chance for scalding and burns. The anti-scald valve ensures that the water is always at a safe temperature before it leaves the water heater.

When used together, proper adjustment of the temperature and proper use of the anti-scald valve will keep you and other household members safe each time the hot water knob is turned.