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Holiday Plumbing Tips

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The Holiday Season is a happy time.

During the Holidays we enjoy visits from our friends, family and even Santa Claus.

Although you love your friendly plumber, we don’t enjoy having emergency plumbing house calls.

Here are a few simple tips to help keep your Holiday parties and pipes running smoothly:

1. Keep drains free of cooking oil and grease. Scrape food and grease from plates into the trash. Pour off cooking grease from pans and bake ware into a can. Let it cool before placing it in the trash. Collect turkey frying oil and take it to the local household collection facility for free. The tallow company picks it up and recycles it.

2. Beware of the “unflushables.” Household cleaning wipes, facial wipes, baby wipes, toilet bowel cleaning pads, diapers, dental floss, feminine hygiene products and condoms should be disposed in the trash. When flushed they can hang up on roots in sewer lines and cause a stroke of disaster.

3. Keep your sewer lines free-flowing and root free. Use a snake to clean out roots. Don’t use copper root killers. They are toxic to the environment and treatment plants where the waste water flows. If trees grow over your sewer lines you may need to schedule regular visits from a qualified plumber to remove them safely.

For more tips on how to stop The Clog, go to ClogBusters.org or visit us on Facebook to become a Clog Busters fan and receive updates.

Holiday Plumbing Tips is a post from the eLocalPlumbers.com Plumbing Blog

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Tankless Water Heater Maintenance and Specs

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The tankless water heater is an ingenious, home water heating innovation that has been on the market for a number of years now and is becoming increasingly popular with consumers due to its long term energy and cost saving potential.

A tankless water heater looks and operates very differently from a traditional storage water heater, so everyday maintenance can sometimes be a challenge for the unfamiliar homeowner.

A tankless water heater heats water directly as it passes through its internal piping; it does not rely on a 20-80 gallon water storage tank like traditional models and is able to eliminate standby heat losses associated with these less energy efficient models.

With a tankless model there is absolutely no threat of diminishing your reserve of hot water to the point where you run out, as there is with traditional storage models. Because tankless heaters heat and deliver hot water almost instantaneously, there is significantly less lag time between when you turn on your faucet and when hot water is delivered.

One unfortunate drawback of the tankless models is their slower rate of flow compared to storage models. Typically, tankless water heaters provide hot water at a rate of 2–5 gallons per minute—gas fired versions provide higher rates of flow than electric powered versions.

To alleviate the problem of insufficient supply, homeowners will sometimes install multiple ‘point-of-use’ heating units to service different regions of their home or even single, high demand appliances.

Many tankless water heaters have a life expectancy of more than 20 years. Storage heaters by contrast, typically last only about 10–15 years.

In order to extend the life of your tankless water heater and keep it running optimally, manufacturers suggest performing certain maintenance steps every six months to two years.

Use This Link to Have a Professional Plumber Perform Maintenance & Extend Your Water Heater’s Life

The key to proper tankless water heater maintenance is flushing the entire unit regularly to remove any mineral deposits (usually calcium) that may have built up inside the boilers.

Two to three gallons of white vinegar or another low-grade acid is pumped through the system with a sump pump to clear out these deposits.

Plumbing professionals will usually charge anywhere from $150-200 for this kind of service.

Tankless Water Heater Maintenance and Specs is a post from the eLocalPlumbers.com Plumbing Blog

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Why Plumbers Need Websites

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Are you a plumber? Are you interested in increasing business and making more money?

If you answered yes to both of these questions there is one thing you should consider doing: create a website. Still not convinced?

Here are three benefits of having your own website:

1. Draw in search engine traffic. Instead of relying only on newspaper ads, referrals and calls from people who find you in the phone book, you can add in customers from the major search engines.

It takes time to gain traction and receive business directly attributed to your website, but soon enough you will realize the benefits.

2. You can include your website URL with any other forms of marketing. Most plumbers include their phone number when buying advertising space.

While you don’t want to stop doing this, you can add your web address as well. This gives potential customers a place to go for more information on you and your business.

3. You can add special offers that make people want to visit your website. Why not put a 10 percent off coupon on your site? This will attract people to your website, while also giving them a reason to pass it along to others.

Don’t Wait to Create a Website for Your Business. Let Our Plumbing Web Design Experts Help!

There are two options for creating your website:

1. Do it yourself. You want your website to look great for potential customers, so move forward with this option if you have some experience in HTML and CSS.

2. Hire a professional web designer. Take this route and you’ll likely end up with a great looking site that you can be proud represents your business online.

As a plumber, if you don’t have a website you are missing out on many benefits. Everybody else is taking advantage of the World Wide Web. Why aren’t you?

Why Plumbers Need Websites is a post from the eLocalPlumbers.com Plumbing Blog

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Little Known Tips for Hiring a Plumber

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Hiring a plumber for any job, big or small, can make even the most confident consumer shrivel with fear.

The fact of the matter is that hiring a plumber is not always as easy as it sounds. You may think that everything is okay jut to learn that you either spent too much money, or hired the wrong person for the job.

The following tips may not be well known, but they can help you hire the right plumber for the job:

1. Group together all of your repairs so the plumber only has to visit your home one time. You can save a lot of money by doing this, while also ensuring that all of the repairs are made without delay.

2. Request a written estimate before the work starts. Many consumers never do this because they take the plumber’s word for it.

There is nothing wrong with trusting your plumber, but to protect both parties this is something you definitely want to do. Every reputable plumber will offer to give a written estimate before getting their hands wet.

Hire the Right Plumber Near You. Use this link to Find a Plumbing Professional Today!

3. Select a plumber that is insured and licensed. When you choose a plumber on a whim, such as by an ad in a local paper, you never know what you are going to get.

During your initial conversation, ask the plumber if they are insured and licensed. This can go a long way in easing your stress.

4. Ask how their rate is calculated. Are you being charged a flat rate for the entire project? Or will you be paying an hourly rate? This is an important question, but one that many forget to ask.

These four tips may not be discussed all the time, but they can help you immensely when hiring a plumber. If you implement these tips, while also using your common sense, you will hire the right plumber and have all your problems fixed in no time at all.

Little Known Tips for Hiring a Plumber is a post from the eLocalPlumbers.com Plumbing Blog

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Top 10 Home Plumbing Myths That Cost You Money

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Everybody knows it: it’s ‘conventional wisdom,’ passed down generation to generation. It applies to anything and everything and unfortunately, in many cases, it’s oversimplified or just plain wrong.

The conventional wisdom in plumbing is no different; there are many myths. Freshen your drain with lemon? Run water with the garbage disposal? Good ideas? Find out as we explore the top 10 plumbing myths that cost you money!

Myth #1: Putting Lemons in Your Disposal to Make It Smell Fresh Is a Good Idea

When life gives you lemons, don’t put them down your disposal! You might succeed in briefly creating a fresher aroma, but the citric acid from lemons corrodes the metal inside your disposal.

The Better Alternative:
Use ice to polish your disposal up inside, which works just like a rock tumbler polishing rocks; it’s noisy, but it works. Power wash the scum causing the odor from the drain without ruining your disposal.

Myth #2: “In Tank” Cleaners Will Keep Your Toilet Sparkling and Smelling Like Roses

Spending money on “in tank” cleaners marketed to make your chores easier and decrease the time you spend scrubbing your toilet is one cost you can cut.

These products bleach smelly build-up white, but don’t get rid of it. Eventually, the build-up can ruin your toilet.

The Better Alternative:
Use vinegar down the overflow tube. Vinegar removes smelly build-up that can damage the flow of your toilet for a fraction of the cost.





Myth #3: Lifetime Warranties on Bad Products Are Really Useful

When you buy something cheap and it breaks, don’t expect to get it replaced with the latest and greatest product on the market.

What you buy is what you’re stuck with. Plus, you’ll be spending time and money to keep reinstalling it.

The Better Alternative:
Buy good quality products the first time around and avoid trading in junk for junk.




Myth #4: Running Water While Using the Garbage Disposal Helps the Waste Travel Smoothly


Sure, it seems like the perfect combo: letting the faucet run while using the garbage disposal to help wash waste down the drain. It’s something we’ve all done.

And inevitably, we’ve all had to reach our hands down the drain to unblock whatever leftovers got jammed in the pipes.

Following waste with water doesn’t help if the blockage has already happened before the water shows up.

The Better Alternative:
Fill the sink basin with a 4:1 ratio of water to waste so that the waste is separated and flows with ease down the drain.



Myth #5: As Long as Stuff Is Going Down the Drain, Everything Is Working Correctly

Out of sight, out of mind doesn’t really apply to the plumbing world.

Even if you can’t see it, food like pasta and rice will bloat in pipes causing clogs, blocking the passage for other waste to peacefully pass through the pipes.

Without the proper amount of water to rinse it down, waste builds up in the pipes and makes drainage inefficient.

The Better Alternative:
Prevent blockage and clogging problems by using sinks, toilets, and showers correctly. Make sure to fill basins with water before draining. For showers, place a hair screen in the drain to reduce the human hairballs that rival anything your cat coughs up.

Myth #6: Water Pressure Regulators Are Always Dependable

Water pressure regulators do give important information about water pressure, but don’t place all of your trust in the readings they provide.

The Better Alternative:
Personally check your water pressure! Doing so can save you a ton of hassle and money.

How? Well, high water pressure is a major cause of floods, leaks, and that annoying sound your toilet makes as it continuously runs to relieve pressure.




Myth #7: Water and Soap on Bathroom Fixtures Makes Them Just as Sparkly and Clean as Your Hands

You wash your hands at the sink and when you turn off the faucet, you leave a bit of soapy water on it. No big deal, right? Wrong!

Water and soap cause faucets and fixtures to corrode, making them peel and bubble.

The Better Alternative:
Wipe the fixtures off after use. This takes an extra second, but it will help prevent your fixtures from corroding.

This will also protect your lifetime warranties on products, which are void when soap has rotted the finish.


Myth #8: Users Manuals Are Only For People Who Don’t Know What They Are Doing

User manuals aren’t just full of fancy labeled pictures and lists of parts. They actually contain some useful information as well.

While they may not be the most entertaining read in the world, they can save you money and time in the long run.

The Better Alternative:
Read the manual. Twice. User manuals contain information on warranties and proper usage that will increase the lifespan of the product.




Myth #9: Plumbing Fixtures Are Low Maintenance


Ignoring plumbing fixtures because they are hard as stone and cold as steel is not only mean, it’s detrimental to their performance.

Lack of use allows a p-trap to evaporate, allowing dangerous sewer gas to smell up the house.

If an electric water heater sits unused, it can create highly explosive hydrogen gas. In this case, you definitely want less bang for your buck.

The Better Alternative:
Don’t let your plumbing fixtures and equipment sit for long periods of time. Use them periodically to ensure health risks aren’t created.

The time it takes to turn them on every once in awhile could save you a fortune if you prevent your home from exploding.

Myth #10: Every Plumber Knows Exactly What to Do and How to Do It


Just because a plumber holds that title doesn’t mean that they are educated in their field and licensed.

Every plumber has opportunities to get continued plumbing education, certificates, and special cards to install some products.

If a plumber installs something poorly or chooses the wrong fixture, you’ll just have to spend more calling another plumber.

The Better Alternative:
Use state boards and the BBB to ensure the plumber you are hiring is well qualified and well educated in the field.




Greg Chick has been a water professional for over 30 years. Be sure to check out his website for more information.

Top 10 Home Plumbing Myths That Cost You Money is a post from the eLocalPlumbers.com Plumbing Blog

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DIY Plumbing Mistakes Can Cause $1000s in Damage

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Are you the type of homeowner who thinks he can fix anything and everything? Do you make it a habit of repairing any plumbing mishaps in your home?

If so, and you don’t know what you are doing, you may end up causing thousands of dollars in damage before you know what hit you.

Hopefully, this will make you think twice before grabbing your wrench next time!

Of course, there are some plumbing jobs that you can try on your own without any risk. For instance, a leaky faucet is a small job that you may want to tackle before you call in a professional.

If you know what you are doing you will probably be able to stop the leak, and avoid paying a professional for their services. This is not something you can make worse, in most cases.

But what about more extensive plumbing projects? These are tasks such as running new piping through your walls or replacing an entire bathtub.

Plumbers know exactly how to handle these large jobs. You, on the other hand, are probably less experienced and will be moving forward without all the knowledge that you need.

Get a Plumber’s Help Now. Use this link to Find a Plumbing Professional Near You!

If you make a mistake during a large do-it-yourself plumbing project it may end up costing you more than you ever imagined. What would happen if the new piping burst? Or if there is a leak underneath that new tub you installed?

Soon enough the water would begin to cause major damage to the walls, flooring, and other areas of your home.

This does not mean that you should always hire a plumber. If you are confident you can handle a task without the slightest problem, go for it. But any job that is too big should be passed onto a professional instead.

DIY Plumbing Mistakes Can Cause $1000s in Damage is a post from the eLocalPlumbers.com Plumbing Blog

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When and Why to Hire a Home Professional: The Ultimate Guide to the DIY or Not to DIY Conundrum

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There are many options available to people who are about to undergo a home improvement project. You can hire a general contractor, an architect, or a designer; you could get a handyman or just do it yourself.

But which choice best suits each homeowner’s specific needs and interests? During our 7th Blog-Off, we asked our panel of over 50 home improvement experts to weigh in…

The Expert Opinion: Things to Consider Before Deciding to Hire a Professional

The biggest step towards deciding how you want your home improvement project to proceed is understanding the factors that are involved.

Bill Riggs of Riggs Construction recommends you do the following: “Look at your own skill and experience level…Gauge your true ability, and think about what you will do if a problem comes up—which it will in many projects. Are you equipped to think quickly and solve the problem quickly?”

Along with taking your knowledge and experience into account, also consider the time commitment required, and any permits or certifications needed. Understand the consequences, should the renovation not go as planned, and of course, be conscious of cost.

It seems that, with all the resources we have at hand, you should be able to implement your ideas with only a little research. But, as Elizabeth Kinkel of Wnuk Spurlock Architecture explains: “Time and time again, homeowners do not understand the extent of what they would like to do, nor the costs associated with the changes. Once a rough idea of the cost is established…it is important to consult a realtor to see if the investment is worthwhile.”

Most experts recommend taking these concerns to a professional for a consultation.

“Sometimes we are just too focused on one aspect of the project to see the bigger picture and need a little perspective on the design. It’s much easier and cheaper to change it on the drawing board than it is in real life,” says Lori LaRochelle of La Rochelle Interior Design.




The Expert Opinion: Choosing to Hire or Not to Hire

Our experts strongly recommend that you choose to use a professional for more difficult, risky, or complicated projects, especially those that deal with structural, electrical, plumbing, or HVAC issues, or anything involving gas, propane, or electricity.

Barbara Tako of Clutter Clearing Choices sums up the general opinion when she recommends that “homeowners should always weigh the risks versus saving money by doing it themselves. It could end up costing them more in the end if they have to hire someone to correct or repair their own work.”

Professionals also have more resources, so they can often get materials at better rates, and they already have specialized equipment, which would need to be purchased for a DIY project.

Our experts do encourage DIY with lower-risk and less complex projects, including painting, landscaping, re-grouting, and cosmetic fixes in general. Just be aware that, as an amateur, you should plan on making mistakes and taking longer than a professional would to do the same tasks. Make sure you have any permits required, and are following safety guidelines.

But, as Terry Peterman from Electrical Online points out: “Doing part or all of a renovation project yourself, and doing it correctly, will give you a sense of pride, accomplishment, and satisfaction that you won’t get from simply writing the checks.”

The Expert Opinion: Choosing Who to Hire

If you do choose to hire someone for your project, it is important to ensure that you have chosen the right person for the job. Always select a reputable professional, with good recommendations from their customers and the proper licensing.

When choosing between a specialized trade contractor and a handyman, Neil Parsons of DesignBuildProfit.com explains, “typically the cutoff from handyman to trade begins with ‘permits’…or the need for project management or coordination of multiple tasks or trades.”

So, should you use a general contractor or designer over several more specialized services? Well, “hiring a number of contractors to complete a project can work, but it certainly is harder on the homeowner, and there is also a greater risk of some details being overlooked,” explains Jason Todd of GreenHomes America. The benefit of using an architect or designer lies in their ability to bring a degree of sophistication and cohesion to the project as a whole that would otherwise be hard to attain.

Want more information on hiring the right contractor? See our article on questions to ask contractors before hiring.

The Bottom Line

In general, the most important thing for you to do when making the choice of when or who to hire is to plan in advance and take into account what outcome is most important to you. If it is essential that you have the most unified and functional design for your project, consider using a professional to manage it as a whole. If it’s a smaller and more technical project, choose a licensed technician. If you have both the time and the interest, try out your own skills. In the end, whether by following safety procedures and doing proper research or hiring reputable experts, just make sure to protect yourself and ensure you get the desired results.

When and Why to Hire a Home Professional: The Ultimate Guide to the DIY or Not to DIY Conundrum is a post from the eLocalPlumbers.com Plumbing Blog

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3 Plumbing Remodel Jobs You Shouldn’t Do Yourself

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There is a lot of joy involved with updating your home. At the same time, this can cost a bit of time and money as well.

If you are planning on making your own updates, without the help of professionals, you need to make sure you are up for this.

Remember, there are some tasks that if done wrong can cause you more headaches than you ever imagined.

Anytime you are getting involved with projects related to plumbing, you need to ask yourself this question: can I handle the job on my own, or should I dig into my pockets and hire a professional plumber?

If you do not know what you are doing, swallow your pride and hire the pro. You will not regret this decision in the long run.

Here are three projects in which you may need to hire a plumber at some point in time:

1. Adding a new vanity. This is a popular upgrade in any bathroom, big or small. Unfortunately, it means that you will need to take out the sink and rearrange the plumbing.

While this is not the most complicated job, it is one that you may struggle with. On the other hand, a plumber can hook everything back up the way it should be while also ensuring that you never have to worry about leaks.

Remodel Your Home the Right Way. Use this link to Find a Plumbing Professional Near You!

2. Putting in a new bathtub. Once again, this is a bathroom project. When you put in a new tub you are doing a lot of work.

Not only may this take a professional contractor, but when it comes to the plumbing portion you may need to hire out as well. A leaking tub that you cannot see will cause severe damage.

3. Kitchen renovation. If you are looking for a way to increase the value of your home a kitchen renovation should not be overlooked. This project almost always calls for a professional plumber.

Do you want to put in a new sink, cabinets, and counter? How about moving the plumbing hookups from one side of the room to the next? All these tasks usually call for a professional.

3 Plumbing Remodel Jobs You Shouldn’t Do Yourself is a post from the eLocalPlumbers.com Plumbing Blog

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A Small Leak Can Mean Big Problems

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In the plumbing world a small leak is a serious problem. Unfortunately, many homeowners do not feel the same way.

They are under the impression that a small problem like this will take care of itself; this is not usually the case.

How can such a small leak turn into such a big problem? Well, here are three ways:


1. Over time a small leak will eat away at the floor, walls, and pretty much anything else it comes in contact with.

This will not happen overnight, but over the course of several months standing water which is constantly added to will cause damage. This is even more so the case if you cannot see the leak and clean it up from time to time.

2. Mold is a major problem, and the main culprit is moisture.

A small leak can lead to mold and related issues in no time at all. Mold is a health hazard for those living in the house. To go along with this, it will also make your home nearly impossible to sell if the time ever comes.

Nobody wants to buy a home that has been affected by mold. It is expensive to repair, and if left alone, harmful to your health.

Fix Small Leaks in Your Home. Use this link to Find a Plumber Near You!

3. A leaking pipe can lead to poor performance.

This may not be a huge problem, but when you turn the water on it will feel like something is a bit “off.” This may be the least of your concerns, but one that should tip you off that something is going on.

Don’t let anybody tell you that a small leak is no big deal.

Instead, hire a professional plumber to come to your home, identify the problem, and implement the proper solution. This will cost you some money, but will put your mind at ease sooner rather than later.

A Small Leak Can Mean Big Problems is a post from the eLocalPlumbers.com Plumbing Blog

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DIY Shower Valve Replacement Gone Wrong

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In this economy, DIY plumbing seems like the best way to save money on plumbing repairs for a lot of do-it-yourself extraordinaires who want to try their hands at fixing leaky faucets and dripping showerheads.

Buying a shower valve, turning off the water to the house, installing the new part, and turning the water back on appear to be fairly simple tasks, but small repairs sometimes are not so simple.

A typical homeowner embarking on a DIY mission to fix a shower valve would most likely begin at a hardware store, scouring the shelves for the parts he or she thinks they need.

The next steps, turning off the water to the house and executing the actual fix, are rarely accomplished on the first try by novice DIYers. Operating tools with the dexterity and accuracy that are needed for plumbing repairs does not come naturally to most do-it-yourselfers without much plumbing experience.

And, of course, most of these fixes are done outside of normal working hours, late in the evening or on weekends when homeowners have the time to tinker with their plumbing issues. So when something goes wrong, a wrong part purchased or a misbehaving valve, the homeowner inevitably will call a plumber.

Get Your Shower Valve Replaced Without Problems. Use This Link to Find a Plumber Near You!

Calling around to get the best price on a plumber, now that the situation has been elevated to critical by a failed DIY attempt, adds frustration to the process, especially once the quote is given over the phone. Although a homeowner can save money by only paying for parts and not the labor fee charged by a plumber, some fixes require a professional.

A quick fix can easily turn into something more complicated, and dealing with these issues is best left to the people who fix what we can’t for a living. Plumbers know the ins and outs of pipes, valves, parts and what should be done in any given situation.

After all, the plumber you think is overcharging you might be paying a labor fee to a mechanic to complete a quick fix on his car this very minute.

DIY Shower Valve Replacement Gone Wrong is a post from the eLocalPlumbers.com Plumbing Blog

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