Odors

Bathroom odor, by any other name, is just as off putting, and possibly dangerous. When there’s a buildup of bathroom smells and your basic air freshener is not knocking out the bad odors then it may be time for either a deep clean, where every crack and crevice has been touched; this is one way to address that foul smell. There could also be a deeper plumbing problem that is causing the toilet odor and you’ll need more than a DIY solution like baking soda, bleach, lemon juice, essential oils, white vinegar or a cup of vinegar and hot water, and will need to be addressed by a professional. The odors could be from mildew  on the grout that you clean . What’s Causing the Foul Odor?  Unfortunately, we don’t have a definitive answer because there can be a number of causes and without being there, it can be difficult

Why Does My Sink Smell? It is not uncommon for homeowners to encounter unpleasant odors in their household sinks or water, and when they do, they want to go to the source of the problem and find out what is causing their water or sinks to smell unpleasant. If you are experiencing an unpleasant odor in all of your water faucets, then you most likely have a problem with the main water supply. On the other hand, if the smell is only coming from certain faucets, the problem is probably located in the fixtures or pipes involved in those specific faucets.   Does Your Sink Smell Like Rotten Eggs or Sewage? If you are experiencing a rotten egg (sulfurous) or sewage-like odor in certain sinks, it is likely a result of bacterial activity, which can be caused by bacteria growth inside the drain: This is the most common cause behind

When you go outside, do you notice a foul odor in your yard? Maybe you don’t have a dog, so the odor problems must be something else. Those offensive odors may be coming from your plumbing vent, or sewer vent/vent stack, which is a vent pipe for your septic system or plumbing system, to help divert wastewater and septic tank odors. Plumbing vents are important; these plumbing vent stacks and plumbing vent pipes (often PVC pipe, but can be other materials) allow sewer gases to slowly escape from the septic system of a home, so these sewer gases from solids and liquids, hydrogen sulfide, or other septic/unpleasant odors can vent up through your septic vent pipe; allowing those sewer gas odors to be released into the atmosphere and taken away by the wind currents. This process ensures that a home’s pipes aren’t under too much pressure – the effects of

As a homeowner, it’s inevitable that you’re going to deal with plumbing issues every now and then. If you’re like most people, you have a pretty good idea what’s wrong when the bathroom sink clogs (likely culprits hair and soap scum), or when the kitchen sink clogs (grease, debris, food scum). However, there’s a lesser-known cause of some plumbing problems, and it’s sitting on top of your house right now: it’s called a “plumbing vent.” Plumbing vents are situated on the roof of homes, with the 2 to 3-inch pipe extending upwards. The purpose of this pipe is to allow air into the drainage system. The problem is that when this vent gets blocked, the blockage can cause the flow of water to slow down, or stop, and then foul smelling sewer gasses can enter the home. Blockages Create ‘Negative’ Pressure When this vent gets blocked, the flow of water

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

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

Now that the air has gotten cooler and the leaves have turned brilliant shades of yellow, orange and red, it means that the holidays have officially arrived. What does the holiday season mean to you? Does it mean having a huge Thanksgiving dinner with a dozen or more guests enjoying the celebrations? Does it mean that your school-aged children are home for winter break, or that you’re having family from out of town visit? If you’re like a lot of homeowners, your plumbing fixtures are going to take a beating this holiday season, especially if you’re the type that loves to entertain for the holidays. How will your plumbing hold up? Plumbing-wise, here’s what you want to think about before the festivities begin: Is my garbage disposal in good shape, or is it working at all? Do I have a toilet that’s clogging too often? Are my shower, tub, and

Garbage disposals are one of the greatest modern inventions. They allow us to avoid compost piles and dealing with foul smelling trash cans until the garbage man comes. They’re also great for getting rid of expired food and unwanted leftovers. But most of us take our garbage disposals for granted. We don’t realize how much we rely on these simple, but handy inventions until they become clogged or stop working. Follow these simple, yet effective tips for preventing clogs and jams to prolong the life of your garbage disposal. Tip #1. Run the disposal to prevent freezes. Even if you don’t use your disposal that often, it’s important to run it on a regular basis. If you don’t have anything to grind up, just turn on the water and run the disposal every few days. This gets the parts moving otherwise they can freeze up, rust, or corrode and any leftover

It is not uncommon for homeowners to encounter unpleasant odors in their household sinks or water, and when they do, they want to go to the source of the problem and find out what is causing their water or sinks to smell unpleasant. If you are experiencing an unpleasant odor in all of your water faucets, then you most likely have a problem with the main water supply. On the other hand, if the smell is only coming from certain faucets, the problem is probably located in the fixtures or pipes involved in those specific faucets. Does Your Sink Smell Like Rotten Eggs or Sewage? If you are experiencing a rotten egg (sulfurous) or sewage-like odor in certain sinks, it is likely a result of bacteria activity, which can be caused by bacteria growth inside the drain: This is the most common cause behind foul odors. As time goes by,

WARNING: If you smell gas and are not aware of the location or how to turn off your gas, please immediately get to a safe place and call the gas company or fire department. A natural gas leak is EXTREMELY DANGEROUS and should be approached with the UTMOST CAUTION. Just as it is important for you to know how to and where the main water shut off valve for the water supply to your house, you also need to be prepared for an emergency by knowing how and where the gas shut off valve is for your home. Keep reading to find out how to detect a gas leak, and how to respond by turning off the gas at your stove, water heater, and gas meter/main gas shut-off valve. There are many gas appliances options for homes that are run from the home’s gas supply, including hot water heaters, gas