10 Most Common Plumbing Questions Answered

Why does my drain get clogged?

Usually drains are clogged because people are not careful of what they put in them, especially in the kitchen. Other drains, like in the bathroom, get clogged because of the oil residue from soaps, shampoos and hair. It is recommended that you are conscious of what you put down your drains and treat them regularly with a drain cleaner such as Bio-Clean.

Why does the toilet keep running?

The is one of the most common plumbing questions asked. The usual reason is that the flap in the bottom of the tank isn’t sealing shut. Take the top off the tank and flush the toilet while watching the rubber flap. Does it completely close? If not, even though water is entering the tank, some of it is flowing out through the unsealed flap and therefore, the water continues to run because the float ball trigger is never activated to stop the flow since water never reaches the fill line. That’s why jiggling the handle works to stop the running. It’s attached to the rubber flap with a chain, and jiggling it will reposition the flap so that it may seal more securely.

Why do we run out of hot water so quickly?

Depending  on the age and type of your water heater, there are a couple  of reasons  you don’t have enough hot water:

• Electric water heaters  commonly have  two heating elements, one on top and one on bottom.   Either of these  elements can stop working.  If the bottom element goes  out, only the  top portion of the water heater is being heated.  If the  top element  goes out, there will not be any hot water.
• There is a reset  button  that could have been tripped causing the water heater to stop  working.   If that reset button has tripped, that is an indicator that  something  is wrong.

If your water heater is running out of hot water quicker than normal, give us a call and we will get you back in hot water fast!

Is there really a difference between hard water and soft?

Yes.  In fact, the difference can be damaging to your home and your body.  Maybe you have experienced damaged clothing from the laundry, excessive soap consumption, pipe scaling, faucet and fixture deterioration, skin problems, or undesirable tastes or odors from your water.  If you have, then you have a water problem.  Daniels Plumbing can solve your hard water worries with a variety of quality products for your home.

My water bill recently appears to be rather high and none of my faucets seem to be leaking, is there anything else that could be causing the sudden increase?

The first thing you should check is your toilets, make sure they are not leaking.  Then you can check to make sure your fill valve, inside the tank, is not overflowing through the overflow pipe.  There is a small tube that should be connected to it, you want to make sure the water level is about 1 inch below the overflow tube or level with the manufacturers mark inside the tank.  The last thing you can check is your flapper.  You can do this by adding a couple of drops of some food coloring to your tank water, let it sit for about 15-20 minutes and check to see if the water in you bowl has changed color.  If it has then you will need to replace your flapper.

If I have a major water leak in my home what should I do?

First, turn off your water supply at the main shut-off valve. As a homeowner it’s important to know where this is located and educate your family member as well. Second, always contact a professional plumber during emergencies. And don’t touch any wet electrical fittings – call in an electrician to deal with that.

Is it safe to use chemical drain cleaners?

Drain cleaners are usually very toxic, not a good thing to keep around the home especially if you have children or pets. These toxic chemicals also have a negative effect on your pipes, causing deterioration from the inside out. When this happens, the drains lines will need to be replaced. There are various products on the market that contain “friendly” bacteria and enzymes. These work great for keeping drain sludge and grease from building up on the pipes. For serious clogs contact a professional plumber at Daniels Plumbing.

What can I put down my garbage disposal?

Always run water when using your garbage disposal, since the moisture   helps break up the food, even when disposing of fat and grease. Soft or brittle   debris like egg shells, cooked carrots, peas, mashed potatoes and small pieces   of meat will be ground up by the disposal and flushed down the pipes, but hard   materials like bones and coffee grounds will wear out the disposal and dull   the blades. Fibrous materials like corn husks can jam up a disposal.

What’s the best way to choose a plumber?

Assuming that the plumbing problem is not an emergency, it’s always smart to do as much research as possible before choosing a plumber. Check to make sure the plumber is licensed in your local area or state. Consult the Better Business Bureau to learn about complaints filed against the plumber or his company, and whether the plumber has a good record handling disputes. Ask the plumber for references and call those previous clients to get their opinion of the plumber’s work. Finally, ask for an estimate on the repair job that has caused you to look for a plumber in the first place. Don’t be shy about getting a few estimates. The figures are important, but so is the reputation of the plumber in your community.

What causes our water heater to make loud rumbling noises?

The two most common causes for such noises are steam and sediment in the tank. You can often correct steam problems by merely lowering the thermostat setting. If you suspect a faulty thermostat, turn the setting all the way down: then if the heat source doesn’t go off, replace the thermostat. To get rid of problem-causing sediment in your water heater, open the drain valve at the bottom of the tank and drain off a little water until it runs clear. Draining the sediment should eliminate noise problems and allow your heater to operate more efficiently.