Home Services Plumbing

No one wants to deal with leaky pipes; it wastes water, makes a mess, and just looks bad. But, when you have connections that use fittings and threaded pipes, you can inevitably end up with leaks. Primarily, leaks occur because no one used the proper sealant (or no sealant) during installation or the sealant’s worn out.

Water heaters can make all kinds of noises when something is damaged or not running properly. However, if you suddenly start hearing a hissing noise coming from your water heater, you may want to take care of it soon. A hissing sound may not be dangerous to you and your family, but it can eventually damage the water heater. 

Apartment buildings have taken over much of the United States and currently house millions of people across the country. What many people don’t think about is that every single apartment has to get their plumbing and electricity from somewhere. So, how does the plumbing work in an apartment building, and where does it come from?

A water heater expansion tank is a safety feature that protects your water heater and pipes from extreme pressure. It works by accepting overflow water from the water tank anytime the pressure gets too high. An expansion tank is only mandatory in homes with closed-system water heaters, featuring pressure limiting valves or backflow preventers. Luckily, the cost to install a water heater expansion tank is not overly expensive.

Leaking fittings and pipes not only lead to the wastage of an essential natural resource, but they can also result in elevated utility bills and presents a hazard in the home.

The time has come to replace the submersible pump in your residential water well. There are a variety of options to consider. Of the options, there is one that confuses homeowners more than any other?  Which is the better option?  A 2-wire or 3-wire submersible pump.

Most renters and homeowners would rather unclog their drains without spending a fortune on outside help. After all, renters can face penalties if grease is found, and homeowners must pay for plumbing work out of pocket. That’s why more and more people use enzyme drain cleaners to fix clogs, but do they work?

Practically every bathtub strainer was originally screwed into place. If you’ve used an antique tub, you’ll notice there weren’t any threads. This is because they plugged with a rubber stopper.

Is your toilet leaking and constantly running after flushing? If so, that can explain why your water bill is so high lately, and it demands immediate attention. Toilets that constantly run can waste up to 200 gallons in a single day, which costs a fortune. 

Cloudy tap water certainly doesn't look appetizing, but is it safe to drink? This is an important question, as you don’t want to have to boil all your water or pay for expensive bottled water just because your faucet water is cloudy.

When you hear “money pit,” do you instantly think of the comedy classic starring Tom Hanks and Shelley Long? (If not, it’s worth a peek for a lot of laughs -- or maybe a cautionary tale if you’re house hunting.)

When your A/C drain line becomes clogged, a plumber’s snake may be the most cost-effective option. With the right type of snake, snaking a drain line is a straightforward task.

There are few appliances that are as central to your lifestyle and comfort as a water heater. Everything from your daily chores, to your hygiene, to your level of comfort, is affected by how well (or not well) your water heater supplies hot water to your home.

Copper pipe has been the go-to for plumbing because of its many great qualities. Copper pipes conduct heat well, allowing hot water to stay warm, and that makes them ideal for tub spouts. However, it can be frustrating when your tub spot’s copper pipe is too short and won’t reach.

Many people who have a domestic water well system are confused about the difference in pressure switches. Pressure switches are at the heart of your water well system. Its purpose is to tell the water pump that delivers water to your home when to turn on and cut off. The question often comes up about which one is the right choice for your home, a 30/50 or 40/60 pressure switch?

Random unwanted sounds can really take away from an otherwise relaxing afternoon at home. Sometimes these unwanted sounds can even come from our houses themselves. Water pipes can make a variety of unwanted sounds when they are not operating properly. These pipes can even make noise when the water is not running.

Making connections can be easy when it comes to social media, but it is getting more and more complicated in the real world of building. There are so many connections needed when you are building or repairing something around the house and some of them have to do with copper tubing, which can be a pain to work with sometimes.

Homeowners insurance typically helps costs associated with mold due to sudden events that are covered. For example, your insurance provider will likely cover the mold remediation in a basement where a pipe froze and burst. Most homeowner insurance providers cover sudden, accidental, unavoidable events.

Hair will always land in your shower drain unless you use a hair catcher. It’s an annoying part of being a homeowner or renter, especially when clogs form. That’s why you’re not alone if you’ve ever wondered how to dissolve hair in the shower drain.

Because most people don’t necessarily peer into their sinks at their garbage disposal, it’s easy to forget about it. That said, you’ll likely think about your garbage disposal when you realize it doesn’t work nearly as well as it once did. You may then wonder, should I replace my garbage disposal?

Not all households are connected to a main sewer system that handles and treats all their wastewater. In the absence of that convenient service, households turn to using their own septic systems instead. Aerobic septic systems are among the options available and they cover the needs of numerous homeowners.

If you get your water from a well, you probably already know that when your power goes out, your water does not work either. As if it isn’t bad enough to have no electricity, now you have no water either. You should consider getting a generator for the well pump then.

Imagine a situation where you just installed a water heater, but you found a mobile home that is much more in your price range. You don’t want to lose the value you put into this water heater, but you also can’t use it in your mobile home. When it comes to a mobile home water heater vs. regular heater, the two have significant differences.

A magnificent fire pit flame requires two things: enough gas and the proper rigid piping to deliver it. The size of the hard pipe is sometimes overlooked, and the resulting flame might be underwhelming. So, what size of a gas line do you need for the fire pit?

Talking about plumbing and drains, in particular, involves a host of letter designations. Figuring out what these letter designations mean and how to use them in drain and water plumbing can get confusing? Exactly what are J-Traps and P-Traps?

PVC pipes are an excellent choice whether you’re planning any kind of home DIY project or you’re a professional contractor looking to do a job well done within a budget. PVC is remarkably sturdy, yet it’s far cheaper than many alternatives, such as galvanized steel or copper.

Homeowners need to be knowledgeable and careful if they want to keep their septic tanks in good condition. The things you know could help save your household’s septic tank from unnecessary damage. Among the things worth knowing is the distance separating your septic tank’s lids.

Your home is comprised of many different components, all of which play an essential role in how it functions. One of the most critical parts of your home that often goes unnoticed is the plumbing system. The pipes that make up a plumbing system go bad and need to be repiped from time to time.

If you ask anyone who’s hip to the jive, going green is important. Everything from water conservation to creating new ways to be energy efficient is on the table. That’s why more people are starting to look at unusual ways to save money on the basics. That’s why people are starting to install hot water recirculating pumps. But, are they really worth it?

If the water from your faucet is too hot, this is not only uncomfortable but also unsafe. Extremely hot water is dangerous for all members of the family, especially if you have kids. Therefore, address this problem quickly to prevent further damage as the water heater could leak or burst. 

You come home ready for a nice shower.  After a few seconds in the shower, you notice something just isn’t right.  What could be going on in your shower or bathtub?  What could cause your shower to work poorly or not work at all?  How do you know if the diverter valve on your tub or shower is bad?

There is nothing more annoying than a leaky fill valve in a toilet. Leaking fill valves are also water waters that can run up your water bill significantly if ignored. When the time comes to replace a leaky fill valve in your toilet, which fill valve should you chose, the Korky or the Fluidmaster?

If you wake up in the morning and the first thing you smell is gas, that would automatically tell you something is wrong. Leaking gas is inevitably a serious situation that you need to handle as soon as possible. It is never ideal to stall when it comes to gas leaks.

Imagine the following scenario:  you are known for conserving water, and for as long as you lived in town, your water bills were $30 or so. Recently, a new family moved in. They have a pool, sprinklers, and everything else watery under the sun. The next month, you notice that your water bill shot up to $900. You look at your neighbors, who don’t make eye contact with you anymore. Could it be them?

All homes and most businesses can’t do without a water heater, and this is because hot water is needed in homes and businesses for a variety of reasons. There are different kinds of water heaters available in 2021, as the days of 50-gallon-tank heaters being the norm are long over.

Is your water heater in the middle of your bathroom or kitchen? Maybe it is in a hall closet or taking up space in the center of the basement. The only solution you may have is to move it. But this can be a costly endeavor when paying someone else to do it for you.

Teflon tape, commonly referred to as plumber’s tape, is implemented when connecting metal plumbing pipes in order to reduce the risk of leaks. In general, Teflon tape is recommended to be used on most threaded connections that do not have a rubber gasket.

If your toilet is leaking, it can quickly create a disaster in a bathroom. Not only can a leaky toilet create a problematic situation in your bathroom, leading to mold and mildew, but it can be costly to waste water, which can cause sky-high utility bills. Luckily, most toilet leaks are easy to identify and simple to repair, requiring just a few standard tools that most DIY homeowners have.

Wells are a convenience and a staple in American homes for centuries now. The difference between the wells of days past and wells of today is the sophisticated simplicity of great well pumps. If you have a working well, you need a well pump, but what will it cost you?

For many homes, it’s impossible to have a conventional sewage system. The most common reason for this is the fact that sewage services don’t reach their property. There may be situations where a septic tank cannot be installed on the property do to logistical or geographical issues. Thankfully, there are plenty of alternatives to choose from if you’re facing this septic conundrum.

No hub couplings and flexible couplings may look a lot alike. However, the surface similarities mask the real differences between these two types of plumbing couplings. Flexible couplings and no hub couplings are different, with different applications and meeting different standards.

Connecting to the main sewage line from your house is a convenient and modern way to handle wastewater. Not only is it convenient, but it requires very little maintenance to keep a secure connection from your house to the city’s wastewater treatment plant. To secure a strong connection, a common plumbing component called a sewer tap is used.

Most homeowner insurance providers cover the cost of a burst pipe. However, it’s important to look up whether or not your provider includes that. If not, it’s worth switching to a provider that covers burst pipes, especially if you live in a cold area.

Your shower is one of the most important parts of your home. You wouldn’t be able to keep yourself clean without one. That’s why it’s important to prioritize the maintenance of your shower.

When people think about water heater upgrades, they tend to want all the bells and whistles. A well-running water heater means lower bills, better safety standards as well as piping hot water. What could be better than a well-ventilated water heater, right? If you are a home improvement fan, you probably are wondering what you can do. Is it possible to put a power vent on any water heater you could have?

Did you know that taking showers and baths can be beneficial to your health? Enhanced blood flow, joint pain relief, and adequate sleep are just a few of the benefits. (Not to mention that they’re soothing!) It’s no surprise that many people enjoy a long, hot shower when they’re finishing up the day.

Few things are more inconvenient than a water heater that can’t heat water properly. When your water heater is acting in this way, you won’t have access to hot water for showers, nor will there be hot water to clean dishes with. And if you live in a home where demand for hot water is high, a water heater’s inability to produce hot water can be especially inconvenient.

Plumbers grease is used in lubricating and protecting plumbing fixtures. Also referred to as faucet grease, since this is its most common application, it helps to lubricate O-rings and swivel points.

Cast iron plumbing is known for its durability, but it’s also quite expensive. This makes some people think twice about whether it’s worthwhile, especially when building a new house. So, is cast iron plumbing worth it?

Modern-day plumbing is a wonderful benefit that many people around the world have become accustomed to. Access to clean and reliable drinking water is a beautiful privilege, mainly due to backflow prevention systems. Using various valves, like a check valve or a backflow preventer, can keep potentially contaminated water away from potable drinking water, keeping you and your family safe.

Nobody wants to hear water dripping and flowing in their house, as that means repairs are necessary. However, you can’t get into the repair mindset until you find the root of the problem, which isn’t always easy. So, why do I hear water dripping and flowing under my stairs?

Whether you’re wanting to save money on your water bill or keep your lawn watered without breaking the bank—drilling a well is an excellent option for you. While you will incur some costs, you will save a lot in the long run. So, how much does it cost to drill a well?

If there is one consistency about plumbing, it is that there is no such thing as a good leak. Should you notice water leaking from anywhere in your plumbing system, it is a real problem that needs to be addressed sooner rather than later.

Water heaters are essential in modern homes, and luckily, they are usually easy to rely on. However, they are made of several parts that work together, and just one malfunction can throw the whole system off. So, what should you do when your water heater thermal switch keeps tripping?

No matter what you use your basement for, an unpleasant septic smell makes you want to stay as far away as possible. Whether your basement is for storage, a workshop, or a bonus room, it becomes virtually useless if it smells like sewage.

A sewer cleanout isn’t something that everyone is familiar with. In fact, many homeowners are unfamiliar with what a sewer cleanout is, what it does, where it’s located on your property, and how much it costs to install one. Oftentimes, a sewer cleanout only becomes a relevant topic when something goes wrong.

In finding the best water heater company, both Rheem and AO Smith are easy contenders for the top. Both of them have a couple of hundred years of experience under their belts. They have also produced an impressive line of products. But when comparing the two, which of these water heater companies is the best?

When I first started doing home improvement work, I was shocked to find out how many seemingly universal household parts don’t work with mobile homes. I mean, they’re supposed to be universal, right?! We all know that most heaters and toilet systems may need to have modifications in mobile homes. When it comes to matters like hot water heaters, things can get dicey.

Regardless of how it gets into our home, we source the water that we use to drink and bathe through groundwater. The thing is that the water picks up soluble bits of the ground as it passes through and into our pipes.

Copper pipe has been the go-to for plumbing because of its many great qualities. Then about 25 years ago PEX pipe started to become more popular in the US, thanks to its ability to withstand pressures and temperature changes in domestic hot and cold systems.