Plumbing Emergency

If you will be entertaining over the holidays the last thing you want is for a plumbing disaster to strike, and we all know that emergencies always happen at the worst times – like when we have a house full of guests! Whether the issue is a toy car clogging the toilet, turkey grease solidifying in the kitchen drain, silverware jamming the garbage disposal, or a broken water heater on Christmas Eve, plumbers are the superheroes over the holidays, that’s for sure! Many households see an increase in activity between November 23rd and January 1st, which places additional stress on the water heater, dishwasher, showers, bathtubs, toilets, kitchen sink drain, garbage disposal, and even the washing machine, which means household plumbing is put the ultimate test. While you can put in an emergency call to a plumber over the holidays, you’d prefer not to have to place a call on

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

You’re watching TV in your family room or checking your email on your laptop and you hear your child call, “Mom, Dad, there’s something wrong with the toilet!” with urgency in their voice. “Come quick!” your child exclaims. You get up and quickly run into the bathroom only to see dirty soiled toilet water pouring out from the toilet bowl and all over the bathroom floor, what do you do? Other than getting in a time machine to prevent the clog and overflowing toilet from happening in the first place, there are steps you can take to clear a clogged toilet and prevent further damage Steps to Fix an Overflowing Toilet The first thing you want to do is STOP the flow of water to the toilet by turning the water supply line shutoff valve. This is located at the base of the toilet, near the ground and on the

A large portion of America’s homes relies on natural gas to heat water and cook food and to provide warmth during the fall and winter months. Natural gas is a clean, affordable resource, but in some cases, it can be extremely dangerous to the occupants of a home. If your home relies on natural gas, take a few minutes to read our gas safety tips so you can reduce the risk of experiencing a dangerous natural gas accident. Which Appliances Run on Natural Gas? As the homeowner, it’s important that you know which appliances in your home run on natural gas. Generally, the appliances that run on gas, include: Ovens Furnaces Clothes dryers Stovetop ranges Water heaters Stove ranges, water heaters, ovens and clothes dryers can either be gas or electric. If you determine that your home operates these appliances on gas, and not electric, next you’ll want to find

As a homeowner, a water leak can wreak havoc on your home and it can lead to costly water damage; a plumbing leak can turn into your worst nightmare in the blink of an eye. From leaky faucets left running, plumbing problems with the connection from your appliances to your plumbing system to small leaks from corrosion on a water line or a water main that burst; no matter the type of leak when you have uncontrolled leaking water so much can go wrong.  Left unchecked, a water leak can: Damage flooring Destroy furnishings Damage ceilings and walls Cause hazardous mold Require mold remediation Destroy cabinets Whether you have a small, barely noticeable leak, such as a dripping sound behind a wall,  or you have a very obvious leak, such as a burst pipe, it’s important to STOP the leak as soon as possible. Unfortunately, water leaks are common household

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

If you’re like most people, you’ve heard or read stories about “toxic mold” in people’s homes, usually caused by excessively moist environments and plumbing leaks. While mold spores can definitely be toxic to your health, the bigger issues are usually the property damage that mold causes. Learn more about mold from the CDC here. One of the biggest issues about mold growth in a person’s home is property damage. While mold is usually caught before anyone’s health is put at risk, unfortunately, that is not always the case for their wallet. In general, homeowners’ insurance policies will not cover property damage caused by mold growth. If a homeowner tries to submit such a claim, it will usually be denied. Mold inside people’s homes usually comes in one of the four categories: Alternaria Aspergillus Cladosporium Penicillium So, what do you do if a leaky pipe or showerhead leads to mold, fungus

Whether it’s your car battery, the lawn mower sitting in your garage, the hot water heater, the shingles on the roof, or the plumbing in your home, nothing lasts forever, and when something is used day in and day out, it’ll eventually need to be replaced. Your household plumbing system is no different. When it comes to the materials used to build a home, many of them come with a shelf life. As far as the home’s plumbing is concerned, eventually the system will start to show signs of wear and tear and break down. As plumbing ages, it’s common for it to develop leaks, and if they are ignored for too long, they can lead to: Flooding Unhealthy mold Water damage in the walls, ceilings, and floors Raw sewage can seep out and damage the floors, walls, and furnishings An old or neglected plumbing system can lead to a

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

When you are the homeowner and you live in your own home, you should have a good understanding of how your plumbing system has been maintained over the years. After all, you and your family are the ones living in the house. As the homeowner, hopefully, you have taught your family, guests or roommates how to properly take care of the plumbing. For example, you don’t flush cat litter or paper towels down the toilet, and you don’t pour grease down the kitchen drain. But what if you rent your property out? Or, what if you’re renting your home? Whether you rent your home out to tenants, or if you’re a new tenant, you don’t exactly know how well the plumbing has been maintained while it’s been rented out. Plumbing Concerns for Tenants If you’re a tenant, it’s your responsibility to understand how to properly maintain a home’s plumbing system.