The garbage disposal was invented almost a hundred years ago and since then it has grown into popular use. This device helps clear the drains of food scraps that we may or may not intentionally put into the sink. And because of it, there are fewer plumbing repairs necessary for the kitchen sink and your Tacoma drainage system.
However, as amazing a plumbing product a garbage disposal may be, we still cannot simply put any kind of food scrap that we want into it. It cannot grind into small pieces everything that we put in there. Just like all mechanical and electrical products, it has limitations and our failure to follow instructions for its intended use might result in a clogged drain and the need to call your Tacoma plumber for help.
The following are some of the food items or scraps we must not put into a garbage disposal unit if we want to avoid any further plumbing repairs in your Tacoma home.
1. Bones
Specifically animal bones. This is because the garbage disposal is not strong enough to grind or chop such hard items. Even if the bones are already in very small pieces, the disposal can still have a hard time breaking them down and might result in some pieces of the bones getting stuck in one of the blades or crevices of the unit.
2. Egg shells
There is a myth that egg shells help in sharpening the blades of the garbage disposal device. This is completely false. Egg shells are hard enough to cause some blockage within the unit as not all of them can easily pass through the system.
3. Rice
This goes for both cooked and uncooked rice. Cooked rice further expands when it is submerged or exposed to water and that is exactly what happens when rice goes through the skin. Uncooked rice does not fare better. Aside from it being a very hard item for your Tacoma garbage disposal unit to break down, it also expands when put in water. Therefore it is still best to simply avoid putting any rice into the sink.
The same thing goes for pasta. Bits of it can get trapped in the unit and cause it to work harder with each use.
4. Grease
One of the top causes of drain blockage is grease and the garbage disposal unit, being a part of the drain, can also be affected. Grease solidifies and can cause clogging and eventually, damage to the unit.
5. Stringy vegetables
Celery, lettuce, and other related vegetables can cause some blockage in the disposal unit. Just imagine yourself chewing hard on a very stringy vegetable and you will have a good idea why it can harm your drain and the disposal system. In very small amounts these vegetables can be ground, but it is best to simply avoid getting any of it into the drain.
Tacoma plumbing repairs can be avoided if we can just get rid of our old habits, such as absentmindedly throwing all scraps in the sink. Even the garbage disposal unit can’t work on every type of food and in the long run it will break down.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_L._Burton
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Many Tacoma homeowners and families rely on clean, pure water from a safe water supply. In addition to water, all homeowners rely on a complex sewage system to eliminate waste water from a home. While most plumbing problems in the home produce noticeable problems, some can go undetected for years. These problems can create an environmental hazard, endanger a families’ health, and raise a utility bill. It is important to consult with your Tacoma plumbing contractor should you suspect any of the following issues are occurring in your home.
One of the most common problems seen in many homes is the lack of residential backflow prevention equipment. Backflow is usually only a problem when using a commercial or municipal water supply. If water pressure outside a home drops to less than water pressure in a home, water can flow out of a home into public pipes. This backflow can often contaminate a public water supply, leading to a potential health hazard.
A residential backflow prevention unit will stop water from flowing backwards in a pipe. It acts as a one-way valve to prevent water traveling in the wrong direction. In addition, a one way valve can provide Tacoma homeowners with temporary water pressure if a municipal water supply is under maintenance.
Another common problem for many Tacoma homeowners is water scaling in interior pipes. While most municipal sources are treated to prevent hard water, well water can often have a high mineral content. These minerals are deposited on the inside of pipes as water moves through a home. Over time, this mineral buildup can cause a loss of water pressure, leading to the need to replace home plumbing.
A great way to prevent water scaling in a home is with a water softening unit. These help filter out excessive levels of minerals in a pipe, and help keep water flowing smoothly to all parts of your Tacoma home. Since water scaling usually isn’t noticeable until it’s too late to repair, it’s essential to install a softener before any problems arise. There are many commercial tests that can determine the hardness of well water.
While it may seem obvious, many Tacoma homeowners forget to change the water filter in their home. A clogged filter can reduce water flow, increase the pumping cost for well owners, and reduce the quality of water. A good rule of thumb to follow is this: for every 3 months of use, change the water filter in a home. In a vacation home, a filter should be changed at least once a year, dependent on usage.
While some of these tips may seem obvious, it’s essential to properly maintain a home’s water supply. Over time, unseen problems cause lasting damage, requiring expensive plumbing repair and maintenance.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Becky_Gladious
If you would like to speak to one of our Tacoma drain cleaning contractors, please call 877-694-5176, or complete our online service request form.
There are countless ways to lower the costs of energy each and every month in your Tacoma home, but few of these ideas are as simple to implement as just lowering the temperature setting on your home’s water heater. It has been estimated that a homeowner can save as much as five percent on the water heating portion of their utility bill for every ten degrees that they lower the water heater temperature setting.
Some manufacturers ship out their units with a temperature setting of 140 degrees Fahrenheit. While this will deliver some seriously hot water for your use, it is probably higher than most Tacoma homes need and will waste a lot of energy in the process of heating it. Most homes function just fine at a setting of 120 degrees Fahrenheit and this is a pretty good guide for you to follow. If you find that your needs are not being met at this setting, you can always change it back. There is one caveat to this bit of advice is that if you are using a dishwasher in your home that does not have a built-in water heating booster, you may not get the best cleaning at a lower setting and have no real choice but to leave the setting at 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
Every water heater is different and you will need to read your owner’s manual for the details of how to make this temperature adjustment to your particular unit. You can also ask your Tacoma plumbing contractor, who will certainly make the adjustment for you if you are uncomfortable. As a general rule, gas and electric units will have the thermostats located in different areas. You will usually be able to locate the thermostat dial near the gas valve for gas-powered water heaters that utilize a tank design for holding water. Electric water heaters will often have the thermostat located in an area that is protected by an access panel that requires a screwdriver to access. Some electric-powered units could even have two temperature control units, one for each of the heating elements in the unit.
If you decide to experiment with your thermostat settings, be sure to do so in a safe manner. Before beginning any adjustments, make sure that the power to the unit has been turned off. You risk serious injury if you start making adjustments to a unit that has electricity powered on.
One thing you will need to do is test the setting after you make an adjustment. The dials on most Tacoma water heaters do not have a good track record of accuracy. So, be sure to go to a faucet or shower as far away from the unit as you can find and see if the water feels hot enough. If not, make another slight adjustment to the thermostat and test again until you get the desired temperature.
As you can see, making a change to your water heater thermostat is not too big of a project and can easily be done by just about everyone. You don’t need to be a DIY whiz to be able to save energy and money without sacrificing comfort.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lonnie_Rakestraw
If you are looking for a Tacoma plumbing contractor, please call 877-694-5176 or complete our online request form.
If you want to keep your drains clean and working, regular drain cleaning is a must. For sewer lines and basement drains and other bigger drains, your Tacoma professional plumber recommends regular inspections approximately once every two to three years depending on the proximity of typical clogging culprits like roots and the age of the system. It will greatly help you to ensure the longevity of your drains and drain pipes.
Drains can become clogged for many reasons most often due to an accumulation of things like grease, hair, scale and dirt.
The most common remedy used by Tacoma homeowners for attempting to unclog drains is the chemical drain cleaners. Most homeowners see it as the most convenient way to relieve clogged pipes. This method just requires that you pour a solution down the drain and leave it alone for a while. Please be advised this method poses many health risks for anyone who uses it. Chemical drain openers are very corrosive by nature and present the risk of damage to any part of the skin or the body that will come in contact with it. The fumes from these chemicals are very potent and can cause severe damage to the respiratory tract. This damage to the respiratory tract can be permanent and can happen easily without you realizing it.
An emergency drain cleaning situation is a nightmare for most Tacoma homeowners. Your main sewer line can also become clogged from debris the other household drains wash into it and also by tree roots that penetrate pipe joints from the surrounding soil. Of course, if there is a recurring issue with one of the smaller drains in the house, like a toilet or a garbage disposal, this could be a sign of a more troublesome blockage in the sewer line that needs immediate professional attention.
Like many other things today, drain cleaning technology has also become state-of-the-art and highly efficient. High pressure water jetting equipment sometimes is needed for your home, but more often for commercial businesses and municipalities and isn’t owned by many drain cleaning businesses. Because the equipment is so expensive and potentially dangerous to use, it’s important to find a professional Tacoma plumber that has a good reputation, professional workers, and fair prices.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sybil_Richardson
If you would like to speak to one of our Tacoma drain cleaning contractors, please call 877-694-5176, or complete our online service request form.
When it comes to spending money hiring a plumber, it can be a hard thing to budget for, particularly in the current economic climate. A lot of people will decide to do the work themselves, which is all well and good if you have the necessary tools, skills and experience, but the rest of us are left requiring the services of a professional Tacoma plumber. Here are a number of scenarios which may lead to you requiring the services of a professional plumber:
- Your toilet is blocked. This is not beyond the realms of the average person being able to fix. If you have a plunger in your home then you can certainly have a go at unblocking the toilet, just don’t flush the toilet in an attempt to shift the blockage as you will end up with water everywhere. If, after using a plunger, the toilet is still blocked you will need to call in a Tacoma plumber.
- Your plumbing knowledge and skills are poor. There is no shame in it, the vast majority of people lack the knowledge and experience to be able to adequately deal with plumbing problems in the home. If you are someone who does not have the necessary plumbing experience then you would be better off not attempting any DIY plumbing in the home, leave it to a professional Tacoma plumber. Trying to fix something yourself and making a bad job of it will likely end up costing you a lot more than just getting a plumber to come out in the first place.
- Water is not draining away from your sinks. If the water is struggling to drain away from your sinks the likely cause is a blockage in the pipes. You can buy chemical solutions that when poured down the sink are supposed to dissolve the blockage but be very careful when using chemicals and don’t over use them. Your best bet would be to get a Tacoma plumber to come out and clear the blockage.
- Home improvements and new plumbing installations. Whenever you are planning home improvements like a new bathroom, new kitchen or installing a new en-suite bathroom into your home you will want to do so with the help of a qualified, professional Tacoma plumber. Water and waste pipes need to be plumbed in correctly, if they are not you could end up with a financial nightmare later on.
From the few points above you should be able to see why it sometimes necessary to hire a professional Tacoma plumber. There are a number of things you can do to reduce the risk of plumbing catastrophes in your home:
- Ensure your toilet is not being used to flush away things it was not designed for. If your toilet is blocked then there is a good chance that someone has been flushing something they shouldn’t, toilets should only be used for human waste and toilet paper. Speaking to all members of the family to ensure they understand this could save you money in the long term.
- If you are planning a trip away for a prolonged length of time it might be wise to shut off the water supply to the house. This will get rid of the risk of you returning home to find it flooded due to a leak while you were away.
- Try not to let waste food and cooking grease go down the kitchen sink. Grease will solidify when it cools causing it and any waste food to begin clogging up the pipes.
- Make everybody living in the property aware of where the water shut off valve is located. Shutting off the water as quickly as possible in the event that something goes wrong could save you a lot of money.
At some point everybody owning a home will be presented with some form of plumbing related problem. It is therefore important to know what you can do to in such situations and when to call in a professional Tacoma plumber.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Phil_Wheater
If you are looking for a Tacoma plumbing contractor, please call 877-694-5176 or complete our online request form.
Winterizing your Tacoma home’s pipes is necessary if you live in a climate where the temperature can get near or below freezing. Frozen pipes can easily burst, causing serious damage. Here are some simple steps to take to protect your home.
Step 1: Locate vulnerable pipes. The first thing to do in winterizing your plumbing is to pinpoint all areas where the pipes and plumbing is subject to freezing temperatures. The most common areas of vulnerability are:
– Crawl spaces
– Unheated basements
– Exterior walls (especially if there is little insulation)
– Garages
You will need to look at each area for leaky pipes, or exposed plumbing. You may want to call a plumbing repair service if you are unsure sure of trouble areas in your home. A local plumber should be able give you a good idea of what you need to take care of.
Step 2: Secure exterior pipes and faucets. When you have determined where in your home you need to winterize, begin with exterior pipes and faucets you can do without using during the winter. Any water trapped in exterior pipe systems may freeze and expand, causing breaks, cracks or burst pipes.
Hose Bibs (‘Outdoor faucets’). Drain and disconnect all garden hoses, and put the hoses in the garage or storage for the winter. If you leave a hose attached, it can cause water to remain in the spigot, which can quickly freeze. Protect the faucet by installing a cover, which you can buy at any local hardware store, which will insulate and protect the hose bib from freezing.
Lawn sprinkler systems. If you have a sprinkler system, shut off its water supply and drain all water from the pipes. If you’re not sure how to do this, it may be best to call your Tacoma plumbing repair service or irrigation company for assistance.
Step 3: Insulate exposed pipes. Insulating pipes not only can prevent freezing in winter, but reduce energy use by lightening the load on your water heater. If you have exposed pipes in areas such as crawl spaces and basements, wrap some foam tubing (or just some towels) around them. Another option is using electrical heating tape. This tape is intended to be plugged in and is especially useful for vulnerable pipes located near an electrical source
Step 4: Seal trouble areas. Next, take a look at interior and exterior areas with exposed pipes and plumbing, such as your basement or crawl space. Check all windows, doorways and vents to ensure that the seals are not separating or coming loose. Repair any separated or loose seals with caulking.
Step 5: Prevent indoor pipe problems. When it gets really cold outside, even indoor pipes are vulnerable to freezing. A good rule of thumb is to open cabinet doors below sinks to allow warm air circulation, and allow your faucets to drip steadily. It’s also a good idea to keep your thermostat set to at least 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Winterizing your plumbing system as soon as the temp starts to drop will help you avoid freezing pipes and costly plumbing repairs.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lucas_Grant
If you are looking for a Tacoma plumbing contractor, please call 877-694-5176 or complete our online request form.
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