Home Services Plumbing

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.

Your plumbing pipes travel through your home, including behind your walls, above your ceiling, and under your floors. You’re literally surrounded by water and drain pipes at all times, no matter where you are in your house. As a result, you might notice the sound of water running nonstop but can’t pinpoint where it’s coming from.

Running toilets are toilets that continuously cycle through water, and they’re a pest. A typical running toilet can waste as much as 200 gallons of water per day. When you hear that running noise echoing from your bathroom, you might be wondering if it can cause a flood. You might be surprised at the answer.

A common question homeowners have before they start a home improvement project is: “Can I put insulation on hot water pipes?” The answer depends on the type of insulation you use.

Plumbing connections inside the home can be secured in a variety of ways. If the connections inside your home are relatively new, you may find that various kinds of PEX fittings have been used. That’s due to PEX emerging as a popular alternative in recent years.

Certain home appliances need cold water in order to work properly. These often include refrigerators, freezers, and humidifiers. To ensure that those appliances are working as intended, a saddle valve may be used.

Overall, no homeowner budgets for repairing or replacing a septic system that fails. Installing a new septic system can range anywhere from $4,000 to upwards of $20,000 when you factor in the costs of install. When the system is not properly maintained, a number of problems can arise and rebuilding a failed septic is an expensive burden to bear.

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.

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.

While buying a pump is an easy solution to increasing your water pressure, those pumps can be incredibly expensive. For those on a budget, buying a pump may not be an available option. Because of this, we’ve produced a guide on how you can increase water pressure without a pump.

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.

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.

If you’re getting rid of your 50-gallon old-fashioned water heater and choosing to go with a tankless heater instead, congratulations! You’ll be saving a lot of space.

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?

Leaks are a way of life when it comes to plumbing. Anywhere there is liquid, there will eventually be a leak. Even the best plumbing construction will eventually breakdown in some way and need to be repaired.

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?

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.

Plumbing rough-ins, repairs, and installations can be intimidating even to experienced builder-owners. There is a lot that goes wrong if you don’t ensure a proper seal to prevent flooding with components like slip joint washers. With that said, how do you install slip joint washers to keep your PVC pipes from leaking water?

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.

You should flush your water heater at least once per year. However, many people flush their water heaters every 6 months. That’s especially a good idea if your home has hard water. Your water heater will quickly become full of sediment if your water supply has a high mineral content. 

Leaks have the potential to cause major problems and both water damage and mold can negatively impact your home for many years – especially if you don’t locate a leak as soon as possible. Fortunately, early intervention and professional leak detection services can help mitigate possible damage to your home or property caused by water.

Hissing sounds coming from your boiler may sound bizarre, but there is nothing to worry about. Some people refer to it as a “whirring” sound, but a hissing sound doesn’t indicate a problem. Hissing or whirring sounds typically appear when a boiler first turns on.

If you’re new to the world of plumbing, one of the first things you will probably learn about is P-traps. While they are common in toilets, they are also ubiquitous in showers, sinks, and more. The thing is, P-traps sometimes need to be replaced, especially if you’re looking to do an overhaul on your plumbing. So, what’s the deal here?

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.

It’s hard to miss the smell of sulfur; the scent is quite distinct and unpleasant. The smell is even more unpleasant when it’s in your neighborhood and even your home. So, why does my neighborhood smell like sulfur?

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?

If you own a house and have spent any amount of time in your yard, you’ve probably noticed some strange pipes sticking out of the ground. You’ve probably also asked yourself what in world is it for? It’s likely an obstacle and an eyesore that you’d rather do without and want to know if you can get rid of it.

When people start talking about plumbing, it’s easy to feel like you’re hearing a bunch of gibberish. Flange? Macerating toilet? Yeah, it’s a lot to take in at first, especially when you’re just dipping your toes into the water. (Sorry, had to add a pun!) Wet vent plumbing is one of the lesser-known terms that’s just starting to catch on in parts of the country, but what exactly is it?

If you take a look at most of our plumbing guides, you’ll notice that one of the first instructions we add involves shutting off the water. It’s simple, right? Well, sometimes you might want to think twice. You might want to know if your water heater needs to be shut off too. This is doubly true if you own a tankless system. After all, it’s important to do it all the right way, right?

Hot water is something that all homes and most businesses need access to these days, and this is the main reason why hot water heaters are indispensable fixtures to both home and business owners. Just think about how many appliances depend on hot water in a home: the dishwasher, the washing machine, the shower, the kitchen and the bathroom sinks.

We all seem to take clean water for granted. You turn on the tap and freshwater flows. If you live in a rural area and depend on a water well, you may have experienced a temporary lack of water when your well goes dry from overuse. You may wonder how long does it take for a water well to refill?

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?

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 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.

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.

If you live in an area that experiences frequent rain, it is natural to be concerned about your septic system. During heavy rain, drainage systems often get overwhelmed and streets flood. But can the same be said for your septic system?

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?

When people take a shower and then use sinks and toilet facilities at home, the water appears to vanish, never to be seen again. If you’re wondering where that used shower water goes and whether it will be discarded or recirculated, you’ll be relieved to know that the majority of the water is reused and recycled. The forms of treatment are straightforward but fascinating.

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.

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?

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.

In many parts of the country, getting well water is a mandatory part of your daily lifestyle. Wells remain a major source of water for many households in America. However, if you have a well, you’re going to have to pump out the water that is in there if you want to drink something. To do this well, you will need to know how to prime a well pump. The question is, how?

Finding an unusual coloration, namely green, on your copper pipes can be disturbing. You may have questions racing through your head, which is an entirely typical response to this. So let’s answer this question: what is the green stuff on your copper pipes?

Nobody likes to think about what happens after we flush the toilet. In many places, a public sewer system whisks away our waste without much thought. But for others, septic systems and cesspools do the dirty work.

If your water pipes are making a humming noise, this could be due to several reasons. In some cases, homeowners describe this strange humming noise sounding like a foghorn, as it usually reverberates.

Boilers play an important role in any home. These units work by heating water and the house with steam. The steam travels through the house in pipes and radiators. Boilers are expensive to install, but have a long lifespan and are energy efficient.

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.

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.

A sump pump is a wonderful way to help protect your home investment and keep your property safe and dry. In the event of heavy rains and potential flooding, a sump pump helps to pull water out of your home and direct it safely away from your home. Finding an area to channel the excess water can be a challenge for a new sump pump installation.

Your home’s water pressure is not something you typically notice until it’s off. It’s only when you get into the shower and see that you’re barely getting water that you realize there’s a problem. In some cases, the issue may also be excessively high water pressure.

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?

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.

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?

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.

P-traps are an integral part of plumbing, particularly when it comes to showers. They can prevent sewer odors and wastewater from seeping out and into your home. They aren’t always an option, so what are the best shower P-trap alternatives?

Sewer lines are responsible for taking the used wastewater away from our homes and directing it to the local municipal treatment plant. Sewer lines are just like any other pipe and usually have liquid coursing through them. However, cold temperatures and harsh winters can make it difficult for liquid to move through the pipe without freezing.

Water heaters can be vented in a variety of ways, but some systems require specific ventilation configurations. In this article, direct vent water heaters will be compared with standard atmospheric vent water heaters, as this way the reader will be able to select the best water heater for their home.

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.

Modern plumbing is as advanced as it has ever been, and that makes it hard to wrap your head around. The color of a particular pipe may simply seem cosmetic, but it signifies its purpose and certain properties. So, what is the difference between green and white sewer pipes?