Home Maintenance

Drains can and will become clogged throughout the daily usage that homeowners and their families place on the drains and plumbing system of the home. When blockages occur, whether in the kitchen sink, bathroom sink, tub drain or shower drain, garbage disposal, or any sink drain with stubborn clogs, backups, or even a slow drain issue, there are other solutions than immediately turning to chemical drain cleaners like Drano or Liquid Plumber.  Why You Should Not Use Drano Many people associate drain clogs with Drano or other products with toxic chemicals that are supposed to clear or prevent clogs. Plumbers, in general, do not suggest using these caustic and harsh chemicals since they can cause damage to the pipes and fittings in the house. Drano also joins wastewater and will end up in rivers and streams, causing harm to the environment. Furthermore, suppose a plumber is working on a drain

If the Water is Staying in the Washing Machine Does the water sit in the machine after your load has finished and the water level doesn’t go down, or do you have a slow water flow when draining? The issue probably lies with the washer. This problem could be traced to the drain tube (which comes out of the machine), the lid switch or the drain pump (an internal issue).  There are generally 2 types of washing machines: front load washer and top-loading washing machines. Both of these will attach to washing machine drain pipes, and both the top and front loader washing machines can be susceptible to kinks or a blockage in the drain hose, or a clog in the drain line. Troubleshooting this is simple enough and with a little know how you can determine the cause of the problem. Use pliers to squeeze the spring fitting or

Why Should You Clean Your Water Heater Homeowners know an important part of home maintenance is cleaning your hot water heater, especially when preparing it for winter. Doing so can increase the lifespan of your hot water tank and will help to ensure you have a working hot water faucet with good water pressure that performs consistently well. This is important for both gas water heaters and electric water heaters. If calcium and sediment buildup starts to accumulate inside your water heater tank, it could disrupt water flow and could cause your water heater to perform poorly. Bacteria could start to thrive in the slush coating the tank’s bottom. If your area is known for hard water, you may have to do this maintenance more often. . Sometimes, this sediment could cause the water at the bottom of the water heater to overheat. The water could become steam, and if

WATER HEATER MAINTENANCE IN KANSAS CITY, KS HOW TO KEEP YOUR WATER HEATER FREE FROM RUST If your water heater’s tank is like most others, it is made of steel, but there is also a layer of glass. If water seeps through that glass though, then rust will develop along with the tank, causing a leak. The problem is, you probably can’t be aware that there is rust forming until the leak actually happens. And if a leak is coming from the tank itself, then you cannot fix your water heater; you will have to replace it altogether. That being said, you can still take measures to prevent rust in your water heater. Actually, you have a rust-fighting element included in the water heater, and this is the cathodic anode (it could also be called the sacrificial anode). This anode can be three to five feet in length, and its

The kitchen is one of the most-used spaces in the home, and it contains various plumbing and fixtures. In fact, the majority of the home’s water usage and drainage is from the kitchen. As such, there is a variety of kitchen plumbing problems that can occur that need to be fixed in your Kansas City home. Clogged Drains – Drains can get clogged from food particles, grease, and other such materials that get dumped down the sink. Garbage Disposal Problems – The disposal can get clogged or stop working from the waste that gets put in there. Leaky Pipes – Pipe fittings can come loose and create small leaks underneath the sink. Leaky Faucets – Internal faucet components can wear out and need to be replaced. Leaky Dishwashers – The plumbing underneath the dishwasher can develop leaks from either the incoming water line or the discharge drain. Leaky Refrigerators –

Some people have a good grasp of plumbing, especially when they grew up with a father or a grandfather who was pretty handy around the house. If you were the kid who wore your Dad’s tool belt as he repaired a clogged garbage disposal or a leaky faucet, you may have a good understanding of how indoor plumbing works. On the other hand, perhaps you grew up in apartments. Whenever your single mom had a problem with the plumbing, the apartment manager would dispatch a handyman or a professional plumber to fix the issue. Or, perhaps your parents were very busy people with demanding careers. Your father was traveling all the time and your mom was always at the office, so you were cared for by your grandmother or a babysitter. In other words, your father didn’t have time to do work around the house so he called a professional

In many situations, renters and homeowners have different mentalities when it comes to home maintenance. When something breaks down or stops working, usually the first thing a renter does is put in a call to their landlord. Renters may not think twice about what they put down the garbage disposal or the toilet because they automatically think their landlord will foot the bill when a problem arises. Homeowners, on the other hand, know that if anything were to go wrong, they have no one to rely on but themselves. So, homeowners do their best to take care of their property so they can minimize all home-related costs. From their roof to their HVAC system, to their carpeting, and their indoor plumbing system, most homeowners are actively looking for ways to take care of their property and reduce repair and replacement costs. Are You a Landlord? Real estate can be a

The last thing you need during the mad holiday rush is to have something go wrong with your plumbing, right? Unfortunately, if you don’t prepare your plumbing for the winter, you could end up paying a big price, and you don’t need any added expenses during a time that your budget is already stretched to the limit. There’s no such thing as a “good time” for a plumbing emergency. Emergencies often occur when our minds are on something else, like preparing for out-of-town guests over Thanksgiving and Christmas. While you’re stocking the fridge for your annual holiday dinner or the linen closet with new sheets and towels for your in-laws, don’t forget that the colder weather means more than holiday travel, it means temperature shifts that can cause your plumbing to fail at the worst of times – when you have a house full of guests! Here are some of

The majority of the time, most homeowners are thinking that they don’t have to worry about their pipes bursting. After all, the temperatures are slowly rising by the day and the threat of frozen pipes are the least of our worries. If you own a home or commercial building, just because the weather is getting warmer, it doesn’t mean you’re “out of the woods” when it comes to the possibility of your pipes bursting. As someone concerned about their home, furnishings and bottom line, you must know that your pipes can still burst, even in the spring or summer months. What starts as an ominous rumbling sound quickly turns into a nightmare. Next thing you know, a pipe bursts and you’re greeted with the horrifying sight of water everywhere, soaking everything in its path. It could even be gushing from the ceiling onto furniture or even computers below. 6 Causes

As the weather gets warmer, we have much to look forward to. Our lawns will be green again, flowers will be blooming, and the leaves on our trees will be lush and full, which not only provides shade but makes our yards look beautiful after a long winter. For homeowners, the spring means lots of things. It means it’s time to organize garages and clean rain gutters of leaves and debris and give the inside of the house a thorough dusting and cleaning. While you’re contemplating which flowers to plant in your yard this spring, don’t forget about your indoor plumbing, especially if your family has spent a great deal of time indoors this winter, heavily using sinks, showers, and tubs. Just like your rain gutters, air ducts and carpets, indoor plumbing systems and sump pumps need to be periodically maintained, otherwise, you can be in for a clogged drain or toilet, a