Home Services Plumbing

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?

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.

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?

Having hot water in a home is essential, and this is why most homeowners go out of their way to ensure they have reliable water heating systems. One way you can ensure you always have hot water at home is by installing complementary point-of-use water heaters.

Heavy rain and storms can cause several problems for your home, and many homeowners dread a flood in their basement. Not only can heavy rains damage your plumbing and foundation, but heavy rains can also cause a sewer backup to occur, creating a whole slew of additional problems.

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?

Watching dirty washing machine water back up into your bathtub can be a confounding experience for some. It can be difficult to pinpoint the source of the problem if you are not experienced with drainage systems. As a result, it is common for people to think that the problem is more serious than it really is.

A utility sink can make for a very useful addition to a washroom, basement, or garage. It offers an additional drainage capability, cleaning space so as to not ruin higher-end sinks, and a world of other possibilities.

The plumbing system in your home is a complex one full of many different components. If you start to hear strange noises similar to a foghorn coming from your plumbing, there’s reason to be concerned. You should explore all of your options and try to get to the bottom of the issue immediately.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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. 

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?

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.

Plastic pipes are more prone to cracking up; thus, copper-based tubes are the go-to pipes for plumbing applications owing to their ability to withstand corrosion.

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?

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. 

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.

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.

A sump pump that runs continuously is the most common reason for sump pumps overheating and breaking down. If you discover that your sump pump is always running, address the issue promptly. This will prevent further damage to the sump pump and your basement.

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?

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?

Water softeners help millions of people deal with their annoying hard water problem. However, water softeners aren’t always as reliable as one may hope. There are several signs that your water softener is not working.

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.

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.

Water heaters are not exactly the first thing that people think of when they want to upgrade their home. I mean, they are a major part of your water system but that doesn’t mean that people go out of their way to outfit them with new doodads. That’s why most people don’t really discuss water heater blankets, but maybe, they should. They could be well worth the money people pay for them.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Working on sewage lines can be tricky. That’s why most homeowners hire professional plumbers. But can you put a 90 in a sewer line, or should you figure out something else? Here’s everything you need to know.

When people get their first home, they almost always notice that the water heater has a singular location: the basement. I mean, that’s great and all, but if you’re like me, you don’t always want to have a big clunky thing inside your home. Many people have wondered if it’s possible to safely install a water heater outside. To find out, we did a little bit of research.

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.

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?

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.

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 water heater helps to heat the water in your house, so you can shower with warm water or use hot water to clean your dishes. Although a water heater is a major appliance, these units do not have a long lifespan, with many only lasting about ten years. Replacing a water heater is a simple job, but moving your new water heater is the hardest part of the entire water heater installation process.

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.

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.

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.

Water heaters are not as simple as many people believe.  The controls and safety mechanisms built into modern water heaters prevent catastrophic accidents common in homes and businesses with older style water heaters.  Many people wonder what causes a water heater relief valve to open.

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.

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?

In this crazy modern day, it seems like almost every single necessity is skyrocketing in price. This includes water. With water beginning to get scarce in certain parts of the country, it makes sense to take a look at ways to trim your water bill. One of the most common rumors mentioned among home improvement circles is that a bad water heater can cause a spike in your water bill.  Are you wondering if the rumor is true? We got some news for you…

Galvanized pipes have many ways of telling you they need replacing. Perhaps they make weird noises, or maybe you notice decreased water pressure due to plaque buildup. You might even notice a slight discoloration in the water.

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.

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?

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.

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.