Plumbing

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 it comes to strange noises in homes, few things can make the types of sounds that your water pipes can make when things are not as they should be, and for young or first-time homeowners, it can be downright freaky when pipes make noise. What kind of noises could you hear? Loud banging Gurgling Squeaking Humming noise Squealing Hammering Buzzing Whistling Let’s look at some of the possible causes of these noisy pipes and see what may need professional help and may be a DIY project you can take on as a homeowner. Common Causes of Noisy Pipes Water Pressure Water pressure, typically high water pressure, is often to blame for buzzing sounds, due to the vibration of the pipes as the water flows through. Water pressure regulators are an option to fix this issue, or sometimes called pressure reducers. Many modern homes already have these installed, but they

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

Have you noticed that occasionally when you run the faucet you have brown water, where your cold or hot water is dirty, or discolored? If so, you’re probably wondering if it’s safe to drink the water and if you have a major plumbing issue on your hands that needs tackling. Your water is brown, what should you do? Occasionally, tap water can appear slightly brown because sediment, contaminants and corrosion in the water main have been stirred up. You see, some water mains are made out of iron, and as time passes, rust deposits can settle inside the pipes, causing that “dirty” water discoloration that can cause health concerns for homeowners. This can lead to the point where they contact plumbing services to address the home’s water supply, water quality and the corroding iron pipes. Common Causes of Brown Water Essentially, the rust settlement can be disturbed if there is

Whether you are using your bathroom sink or kitchen sink or ready to feel the hot water hit you as you shower. Whenever there is a blockage, and you have a clogged drain, life can feel like it stops until that backup clears and the drain opening is restored.  Often, the best way to deal with stubborn clogs is to prevent them from happening at all. Homeowners use many DIY drain cleaning tricks, from baking soda, vinegar, and drain cleaner to corkscrews and other items to keep the build-up to a minimum, for floor drains, main drains, shower drains, bathtub drains, sink drains, drain pipes, p-traps and more.  If you are past being able to prevent a clogged drain, however, there are a number of options and tools at your disposal. The most common being a plunger and drain snakes. While cleaning and plunging can often do the trick, sometimes,

Let’s say you just moved into a new home and every time you turn on the kitchen sink faucet, you hear this ominous “hammering” noise in the pipes. Now, you’re worried that one day you’ll turn on your kitchen faucet to rinse off a few dishes and all of a sudden your pipes will burst. What gives? If your pipes are making a mysterious “hammering” sound, there’s a good chance that there is air trapped inside the household plumbing, especially if you live in an older home. One of the most common causes of noisy plumbing is trapped air. For example, trapped air can cause strange vibrating noises or a worrisome jack-hammer sound – one that often leads to a phone call to the plumber! You see, air can get trapped inside the circuit, especially higher pipes, and when this happens, it can lead to loud, vibrating sounds or repeat

Before water enters your house, it goes through three valves that are installed by the city. Finally, it has to go through your own main shutoff valve. When this valve is open, water can flow into your house. When the valve is off, so is your house’s water supply.   When you are experiencing a plumbing emergency, it is vital to know where your home’s main water shut off valve location is, as being able to access the water supply shut-off valve can mean the difference between using some towels to clean up from a plumbing leak or burst pipe, or your carpets are completely under water, your crawlspace is flooded, water heater being submerged or even your washing machine becomes a fountain; all of these and other possible situations homeowners would much rather avoid!   Your main water valve shutoff might be along an outside or front foundation wall,

Shut off valves, or water shut off valves, are vital in your home’s plumbing system. It allows homeowners and plumbers alike the ability to cut off the water pressure when there is a plumbing emergency or while installing plumbing fixtures or performing plumbing repairs.  Shut off valves are like doors for water pressure, and allow plumbers and DIY’ers to stop the flow of water in your water supply line, or even your main water supply. . Types of Shut Off Valves  . As your home’s toilet, washing machine, icemaker, water heater and sink shut off valves are rarely used, when you do try to cut off the water supply, you may find that the valves no longer function. Whatever the reason, if you need to get a new shut off valve, you will need some basic info on water shut off valves in general, as well as main water shut

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

Do you have a toilet that’s rocking back and forth? Would you describe your toilet as “wobbly”? Are you worried that your toilet tank may start leaking on the bathroom floor because your rocking toilet moves so much? If so, will the entire wobbly toilet need to be replaced, or can it be fixed? Rocking Toilet Reasons Mounting Bolts Sometimes, all that’s necessary to stop a rocking toilet is to tighten the mounting bolts / flange bolts a little bit. However, make sure that you don’t crank the loose bolts down too tight, because doing so could crack the ceramic, which turns this easy fix into more than a trip to the hardware store. Flange / Wax Ring The flange at the base of the toilet is where the toilet is connected to the drain pipe in the floor. A wax ring is part of the connection at the bottom