Posts Tagged ‘Plumbing Maintenance’

Air Conditioning, Plumbing, and Heating Maintenance Package

Tuesday, August 7th, 2012

AC and Plumbing Maintenance | Cleveland | Pompeii's Plumbing & HeatingYou have probably heard your HVAC service technician or plumber advise you of the importance of regular maintenance. However, when things are running smoothly the least thing we think of is our plumbing and home comfort systems. The truth is that you can save yourself money in energy bills and increase the lifespan of your plumbing, heating and cooling systems by having annual maintenance checks performed.

At Pompeii’s Plumbing & Heating we are offering an annual maintenance package to take care of all your needs for only $149! You get 1 air conditioning maintenance visit, 1 heating system maintenance visit, and 1 plumbing system maintenance visit all for only $149. This special expires 9/30/12 so hurry and purchase the maintenance your home needs for it’s most important systems.

Ever wonder what happens during an AC check-up?

An air conditioning maintenance check will help keep you air filters clean and save energy! Just by keeping your AC’s air filter clean can lower your unit’s energy consumption by up to 15 percent! Your air conditioning will have to work harder to keep your home cool if obstructed by a dirty air filter. It will also help keep the condenser unit clear of dirt and debris. It might seem like a small task, but anything you can do to help your AC work more efficiently this summer will save you money on your energy bills. Cleaning the evaporator and condenser coils is one of the many tasks that your technician will take care of during your annual maintenance visit. While your air conditioner might seem very durable, there are a few parts that can damaged easily. The fins on your AC’s evaporator coil can be bent, which can block air flow and decrease efficiency. A tool called a “fin comb” is specifically designed to put your fins back into shape. This along with many other tasks that will keep your system working at peak efficiency!

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Avon Lake Plumbing Guide: Easy Drain and Sewer Maintenance

Friday, January 27th, 2012

When it comes to your Avon Lake home’s plumbing, one of the most important things you can do is perform regular drain and sewer maintenance. Those pipes are vital to maintaining a steady flow of waste water out of your home – if something goes wrong, you’ll regret not fixing it earlier. Here are some easy strategies for maintaining your drains and sewer lines:

  • Avoid Unflushable Items – Some items are designed to be flushed down the toilet. Everything else is not. If something isn’t specifically designed to go down your toilet, don’t put it down there. This includes paper towels, napkins, any kind of food, floss, or hair, and anything else that should go in a garbage can. Toilets may seemingly whisk everything away in one flush, but a lot of that stuff can get stuck on its trip to the sewer.
  • Clear Drains Weekly – You can’t clean your sewer line without professional help, but you can do your best to keep drains clear on their way out. Use boiling hot water and lemon juice or a mixture of baking soda and vinegar once a week to clear out the drains of any excess build up. Also, avoid putting any grease or other gunk down the drain that might stick to food particles and clog the drains.
  • Have Slow Drains Inspected – If a drain in your home slows down significantly, have it inspected. It might be a bit of hair stuck in a trap somewhere, or it could be your sewer line starting to clog. It’s better to know now than to wait and fall victim to a much larger problem in weeks or months.
  • Use Drain Strainers – Don’t let anything go directly down the drain. Use strainers to block food, hair or other stuff from getting into the sink or bathtub drains. Hair in particular, when mixed with grease or soap can become a glue-like substance in your drains.

Drainage and sewer maintenance are services that can be scheduled with Pompeii’s Plumbing and Heating to ensure that all your drain lines are open and flowing efficiently to maximize residential drainage. It is the general maintenance that helps to stop small unseen issues, before they turn into larger and much more costly situations.

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How to Prevent Bathroom Water Damage: A Tip from Brook Park

Friday, October 21st, 2011

Water damage. Even the mere mention of potential damage from excess water in your Brook Park house is enough to send a chill down your spine. However, there are a number of things you can do to avoid such damage, especially in the bathroom.

The Bathtub

The biggest single contributors to water damage are the shower and bathtub, where gallons upon gallons of water are distributed every day. You can minimize damage by doing the following:

  • Tiles – Check for missing or cracked tiles and replace them immediately. Supplement the tiles with grout that is properly sealed and check for any potential leaks.
  • Keep it Dry – There is a lot of water in your bathroom. Keep it off the floor by drying it up after a shower, hair washing or any other moisture producing activity in the bathroom. Make sure you minimize the risk of excess water by placing bathmats on the floor outside your shower.
  • Exhaust Fan – Water builds up in a bathroom because there is no moving air. Humidity can be just as damaging as actual wetness, especially if it settles in cooler temperatures. To avoid this happening, install an exhaust fan attached to the light switch to draw out any moisture after a shower.

Sinks and Fixtures

  • Check Under the Sink – Look under the sink and make sure there are no drips from the faucet and no leaks from the trap. You may simply need to check and clean the trap once every month or so.
  • Seals – Check sink seals on a regular basis for cracks or leaks and replace them when necessary.
  • Speed of Drainage – If the sink drains slowly, the drain may be clogged. Check the trap and if that doesn’t help, pour a mixture of vinegar and baking soda down weekly.
  • Upgrades – Upgrade your fixtures to save water. Toilets eat water to the tune of 40% of your annual consumption and your shower head can be made almost twice as efficient without cutting into your comfort level. If you notice a drip, crack or leak from any of these devices, simply upgrade them and you’ll save a lot of water (and reduce how much of it could leak if a problem occurs in the future).

There are a lot of ways to avoid water leaks in your bathroom. Keep a close eye on things and it will be much easier than if you waited for a full blown problem to develop.

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Is There Really Such a Thing as Plumbing Maintenance? A Question From Elyria

Friday, October 7th, 2011

Because it is so specialized and can lead to big messes if handled improperly, home plumbing is sometimes neglected among routine areas of maintenance in your Elyria home. This is a mistake, however, as there are some routine tasks that should be performed on plumbing systems, such as:

  • Remove rust, calcium and lime deposits from the water heater
  • Cleaning the aerators
  • Clearing drain lines
  • Sharpening disposal blades

Some of these are simpler than others, but for the most part, unless you are a very savvy homeowner, they should be done by a licensed plumber. Even if you are not up to doing your own plumbing work, there are still plenty of routine things you can do in order to detect potential problems and see if further work is needed.

In the Bathroom

  • Unscrew the showerhead and look for deposits of lime, calcium, rust and other minerals.
  • Run water down shower and tub drains for signs of slow drainage.
  • Inspect the shower/tub for cracked tiles, which can be signs of leakage beneath the surface.
  • Flush each toilet with the tank lid off to make sure they are flushing properly and all parts are working.
  • Examine all caulking for cracks, gaps or peeling.

In the Kitchen

  • Turn on the faucets. See if water leaks out of the knobs, handles or elsewhere.
  • Have leaky faucets fixed right away.
  • Look beneath the sink for signs of leakage from the exposed drain pipes.

Elsewhere around the House

  • Take a look at the flame and burner chamber of your water heater. A yellowed flame may mean the fuel jets need to be cleaned. Make sure the chamber is free of rust and other small debris.
  • Inspect the washing machines hoses for loose joints, cracking or holes.
  • Look for mold and mildew throughout.

Next Steps

If you find any troublesome issues during this inspection, it is time to call in a professional to get them fixed right away. Doing this simple walkthrough once to twice a year can help prevent plumbing disasters before they happen.

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The Do’s and Don’ts of Clogged Drains: A Tip From Amherst

Friday, September 16th, 2011

Clogged and slow drains can be a real bummer in your Amherst home. Water standing in the kitchen sink is gross, and no one likes to shower with the tub gradually filling around their feet. Calling a plumber when the clog gets out of hand is easy enough, but it’s expensive. Plus, it means having to do without whatever water source that drain is involved with until a plumber can get there to fix it, which can sometimes mean hours or even days.

The best solution, then, is to prevent clogs from forming. With proper use, some brief regular maintenance and a few tricks, most clogs can be stopped dead in their tracks before becoming a problem. Follow these guidelines and you may never need to make that emergency plumber call again.

Don’t

First of all, there are some things you just shouldn’t do to your drains and pipes. These things can quickly lead to clog buildup, so avoid them:

  • Don’t pour liquid grease, such as bacon grease, down drains. It can solidify in the pipes and cause a clog.
  • Don’t flush anything down the toilet that is not designed to be flushed.
  • Avoid using bleach or other chemicals to clean tubs, sinks and drains. Particles from these cleansers can build up to cause clogs, or even erode pipes.

Do

Even with best practices, no drain will remain completely clean. However, a little proactivity can stop everyday residue from accumulating and forming a nasty clog. Try some of these maintenance tips to keep things running smoothly:

  • Use a screen, guard or trap. These can catch food, hair and other debris which would otherwise wind up sitting in your pipes.
  • Clean sink and drain stoppers regularly. Debris can get trapped on and under the stoppers, just waiting to break loose and cruise into the drain to cause a clog.
  • A few times a year, stop up your sinks and tub, fill them up all the way, then let them drain. The pressure and volume of the water will help shake loose deposits in the pipes.
  • Once a month or so, carefully pour boiling water down the drain to dislodge stubborn deposits. You can also do this any time you notice a drain is starting to run slow. Vinegar is also effective.

It really can be as simple as that to keep your drains clear and avoid using nasty chemicals or shelling out big bucks to a plumber in an emergency.

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How Can I Stop My Toilet from Running? A Tip From North Ridgeville

Wednesday, August 3rd, 2011

Nothing is more obnoxious than the constant tinkling sound of a running toilet; you feel like it can be heard all over North Ridgeville!  When your toilet starts pouring water through at a record rate, it is time to take a peek inside and make sure everything is working properly. Luckily, most of the time, a running toilet is very easy to fix. It may only be that the tank flap or the diaphragm needs adjustment. Here are some quick tips to help you diagnose and repair that running toilet and get back the peace and quiet of your bathroom once and for all.

  1. Going In – Open the tank of your toilet take a close look at the various parts. First, check the ball cock – the valve linked to the large plastic ball that floats on top of the water in your tank. If the noise is coming directly from the valve or you can see obvious issues, the ball cock likely needs to be replaced. Sometimes, it needs only basic cleaning, which you should do first before running out to buy a new part. It also possible that the tank flap is having issues. Look for a small cone in the hole at the base of the tank. Press down on it to see if the sound stops. If it does, the tank flap likely needs replacement.
  2. Turn off the Water Supply – Before doing any more, turn off your toilet’s water supply. Do not worry – you should not need to go hunting for the valve. It is most often located next to the toilet on the floor of your bathroom.
  3. Replacing Your Parts – When replacing any parts for a toilet, always remove the old part first and bring it with you to the hardware store. Almost all toilets have slightly different parts that may not match up universally. By having the part you need, you can give it to an expert in toilet repair and they can quickly find the right replacement.
  4. Careful Replacement – Most of the time, replacement simply involves unscrewing or removing the part and placing a new one in place. However, if you own a low flush toilet or a specialty design that does not have the same parts or layout of a traditional tank-based toilet, you may need the help of a professional to avoid any unwanted accidents or issues in the replacement process.

Ideally, the entire process should only take the better part of a couple hours, including the time it takes to go to the hardware store and purchase your replacement part. Contact your local professional if you would like help with this common problem.

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