Leaky Toilet

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

Whether you’re a business owner or a manager, there’s one thing you know for sure: You can’t afford to have plumbing “problems.” After all, time is money! When it comes to DIY practices for preventing toilet clogs, clogged drains, and leaky faucets at home, you’re probably pretty good at maintaining your plumbing, but when it comes to controlling how employees, customers, and visitors take care of the plumbing in your building – not so easy and is part of why commercial plumbing can be so important. Whether you’re running a small business, a retail store, or an office building, you need the plumbing to work smoothly. If you’ve been at it a while, you already know that plumbing problems are inevitable. Aside from mentioning “proper plumbing maintenance” in an employee meeting, there’s not much you can do about what people flush down the toilet, but that doesn’t mean the situation

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

Are you buying a new home? When we say “new,” we’re not necessarily talking about a brand new home, but new to you. If you put an offer in on a house, you’re going to order a home inspection and depending on where you live, possibly a termite inspection. But, what about the plumbing, have you put much thought into that? Home buyers need to know all of what they’re getting into or they may end up in hot water. Let’s say you found your dream home. It’s been a rental for the last 20 years, but you don’t mind. The owners recently re-painted the whole house from the inside out, and they installed new carpets. You’re ready to make an offer and seal the deal, assuming the inspection goes well. The general contractor who moonlights as a home inspector, or the inspection service recommended by the real estate agent,

A plumbing emergency or worse, a plumbing disaster, is every homeowner’s nightmare. An overflowing toilet, a flooded basement, a leaking hot water heater, or a leaky pipe that causes significant water damage in your flooring and ceilings are all bad news. Issues with hot water and cold water sides of your faucet, fresh water line issues, drainage system issues, sewer gas odors, or problems with your vent system. Back ups in your sewer line, broken water meters, or plumbing issues or blockages with your drain system – such problems can cause thousands of dollars’ worth of damage and destroy expensive flooring and furnishings. If you are in the dark about plumbing or know little about it, learning a few beginners basic plumbing tips and how plumbing works can go a long way in preventing plumbing and water system emergencies before they begin, and the need to call a professional plumber

You’re buying a new home. You put in an offer and it was accepted. Up next – home inspection, termite inspection, and appraisal. The house passes the inspection with flying colors, so you’re off to a good start, or are you? Some buyers follow up a home inspection with a plumbing inspection, but that’s more the exception than the norm. More often than not, a homeowner will call us shortly after they’ve already moved in. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for the new homeowners to be unaware of the condition of the home’s plumbing system. If there was a pre-existing condition, the homeowners don’t find out until later and it’s the plumber who has to give the bad news. If you’re in the market for a new home, here are some plumbing issues that a plumber would watch out for if they were buying their own property. 1. What is the

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

It may seem like one person can’t make a difference in our nation’s water supply, but that’s not true; every one of us can make a difference and it all starts at home. According to National Geographic News, the worst drought in 1,000 years is predicted for the American West. Meanwhile, pictures of Lake Mead, North America’s largest man-made reservoir show that the water level is at the lowest it’s been since Hoover Dam was built in the 1930s. A study recently published by scientists from NASA, Columbia University, and Cornell University report that the chances of a “megadrought” striking the Southwest and central Great Plains for 35 years or longer by 2100 are greater than 80 percent. Why it Matters to Kansas Residents Droughts can have a significant impact on agriculture and city water supplies. We can see some of those effects right now in California, which is experiencing

Is there water on your floor near the base of your toilet? Do you notice water stains on the ceiling, or do you smell sewer gas? If so, these may be telltale signs of plumbing problems from a leaky toilet. Other signs include a small pool of water, with water leaking where the base of the toilet meets the floor, spongy flooring beneath the toilet, and finished flooring that is coming up. If you see water or water damage to the flooring below the toilet, you may have a toilet problem where you have a bad wax seal or gasket between the toilet horn (the place where the waste exits) and the drain line. Don’t wait any longer the toilet leaks continue! A small leak from a hairline crack or hole, it can get trapped beneath the toilet, eventually rotting out the floor surfaces, and sometimes the framing underneath. If