All About Plumbing Leaks

All About Plumbing Leaks

Being a homeowner is something that brings satisfaction to millions of Americans every year. Owning a home is something most of us aspire to as it can bring peace, stability, and comfort to us and our families. However, being a homeowner means that when home maintenance issues arise, there is no landlord or maintenance crew to call! You’ve got to take care of all your maintenance issues yourself.

plumbing-leaks

Your home’s plumbing system is something that is vital to the comfort, health, and safety of you and your family. We’re all familiar with plumbing leaks- that annoying dripping sound coming from your toilet or kitchen sink. While plumbing leaks may seem like just a minor annoyance, plumbing leaks can actually turn into huge, disastrous, expensive problems. 

The best way to avoid spending thousands of dollars on repairs from plumbing leaks is to know what you’re looking for, know the implications, and fix any plumbing leaks immediately by calling a local plumber.

Signs you may have plumbing leaks-

  • an unexpected increase in your water bill
  • visible mold or mildew
  • warped, sagging, or stained spots on your ceilings or walls
  • warped, cracked, or sagging floors
  • sporadic wet or lush patches in your yard

Most common places you may have plumbing leaks-

  • bathrooms
  • kitchen
  • laundry room
  • basement
  • underneath your foundation

Dangers of plumbing leaks-

  • If you suffer from allergies, mold can further irritate your allergies or cause chronic allergies
  • Mold inhalation can lead to chronic dizziness, headaches, and respiratory issues
  • If you have a sewer leak, toxic bacteria can leak into your home
  • Mold can destroy your drywall
  • If you have extensive mold damage, you may need major home renovations to reverse the effects
  • Potential flooding

Ways of detecting plumbing leaks-

  • radar
  • gas
  • video 
  • geophone

If you suspect you may have any plumbing leaks and you live in the Woodstock, Georgia area, don’t hesitate to call the experienced professionals at Masterflo Plumbing today! Call (678) 822-7095! Waiting to call can potentially impact your health and the health of your family and the integrity of your home. At Masterflo Plumbing we’re available to take your call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!

5 Tips For Avoiding Hot Water Heater Repair And Replacement

5 Tips For Avoiding Hot Water Heater Repair And Replacement

Running out of hot water is not only a nuisance- its costly, as well. No one wants to run out of hot water during the chilly winter months. And, no one wants to pay for hot water heater repair or replacement just after the holidays! While its not possible to completely avoid ever needing to repair or replace your hot water heater, there are certain steps you can take to lower your risk.

At Masterflo Plumbing we like to save you time and money, so today we’re going to talk about some tips for avoiding hot water heater repair and replacement.

tips-for-avoiding-hot-water-heater-repair-and-replacement

5 Tips For Avoiding Hot Water Heater Repair And Replacement-

  1. Check the temperature setting a couple times each year. Your hot water heater temperature should be set to 120 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. If you’ve got it set any higher, you will definitely see an increase in your utility bill. You’re also working your hot water heater harder, and it’ll be more likely to need repairs or total replacement.
  2. Drain your hot water heater twice a year. Sediment build up on the bottom of your hot water heater is normal and occurs naturally. If too much sediment is allowed to build up, you may be increasing your risk of needing hot water heater repair or replacement. Draining your hot water heater allows you to remove most of the sediment.
  3. Make sure you have proper ventilation that is in working condition. If your hot water heater is heated by using gas, it needs to be vented. If the ventilation is not working properly, toxic byproducts could be invading the air in your home.
  4. Check the pressure relief valve twice a year. The pressure relief valve is a safety feature that relives excess pressure if the water heater has overheated. Relief valves can leak or corrode which can cause them to malfunction and could possibly lead to more damage. Catching any leaks or corrosion early can save you time and money.
  5. Schedule a maintenance visit with a professional plumber annually. A professional plumber will be able to check out your unit to make sure its in proper working condition. Someone with a trained eye may be able to catch and fix small problems before they turn into large ones.

Although there is never a sure way to avoid all hot water heater problems, following these 5 tips for avoiding hot water heater repair and replacement can minimize your risk. If you need a professional plumber in metro Atlanta, don’t hesitate to contact Masterflo Plumbing today at (678) 822-7095!

Energy Efficiency Tax Credits 2016

Energy Efficiency Tax Credits 2016

Tax season is just around the corner and we all need a little money back in our pockets, right?

tax-credits-2016

Did you know that you can qualify for tax credits based on having certain appliances installed in your home? If you’ve already upgraded your appliances you may be eligible for these tax credits this year. If not, you may consider making this changes in the coming year.

For more information, you can check out Energy.gov. There’s also a local database so you can find incentives specific to your state! Check it out and save yourself some money!

5 Must Know Winter Tips For Homeowners

5 Must Know Winter Tips For Homeowners

Winter is here and we’re all feeling the winter blues. We’ve been cooped up inside due to frigid temperatures and have only had a small dusting of snow to show for it. Good news- we’ve got a few tips to cheer you up this winter!

Here are our 5 must know winter tips for homeowners:

winter-tips-for-homeowners

  1. Keep an eye on your thermostat. Of course we all love to be nice and toasty when its cold out, but try to achieve that by using methods other than running up the thermostat. Dress in layers and snuggle up under some blankets. If you leave the house, don’t forget to turn the thermostat way down. Also, you can turn it down at night when you go to bed since you’ll be under the covers all night.
  2. Change your fan setting. That’s right, ceiling fans can be useful during the winter as well as the summer. Flip the switch on your ceiling fan to make it run clockwise. This will help force warm air that has risen back down. This is especially useful if you have high, vaulted ceilings.
  3. Check out your windows. Windows need maintenance, too, and most homeowners forget about them! Windows account for most of the heat loss in your home. Having your windows replaced or reglazed can save you tons of money on your utility bill each winter by preventing or lessening heat loss.
  4. Don’t forget about your attic! When was the last time you checked out the insulation in your attic? Many attics are not insulated at all and some haven’t been insulated in years. Insulation can wear out and break down over time and become ineffective. Having your attic properly insulated is another great way to keep heat from leaving your home.
  5. Double check the temperature your hot water heater is set to. A normal setting is generally 120 degrees. If your temperature is set higher than this, you could be spending unnecessary money to heat your water each month.

Make sure you’re following our must know winter tips for homeowners!! If you need a plumber this winter in metro Atlanta, contact us at Masterflo Plumbing at (678) 822-7095!

 

5 Money Saving Tips

5 Money Saving Tips

Who doesn’t like to save money?? Our bet is that everyone likes to save money. Today we’re going to talk about 5 money saving tips. Our tips all focus on ways that you can save money every month on your water bill. The only thing better than saving money is finding ways to save money consistently, every single month. At the end of the year you’ll be amazed at how much money you can save.

There are several easy ways for you to save money on your water bill each month, without compromising any safety, sanitation, or personal comfort for you or your family.

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5 Money Saving Tips:

1) Install A Low Flow Toilet

Toilets now days are made to be super low flow, meaning they use less water per flush. If you’re doing some updating, renovating, or buying or building a new house consider installing low flow toilets. There are also ways to retro fit your existing toilet to make it use less water per flush. Also, don’t use the toilet as a trash receptacle and flush it each time you throw a piece of trash in it. Flushing the toilet uses approximately 5-7 gallons of water per flush, so less flushes = a great way for you to save money on your water bill.

2) Keep Up With Your Home Maintenance/Check for Leaks

We recommend having your plumbing checked yearly by a professional plumber. A professional is more likely to catch tiny plumbing leaks before they turn into large leaks. Catching leaks and repairing them before they get worse is a way to make sure you are consistently saving money on your water bill. Make sure to check your toilets, showers, and sink faucets for any sinks of leaks. Another great way to catch a leak is to check your water meter. Read your meter, then go two hours without using any water in your home. If after two hours your meter reading is different than it was before, then you’ve got a leak somewhere.

3) Consolidate your laundry loads and dishwasher loads

Only run your dishwasher or washing machine when you have a full load! Doing small, half loads that aren’t full can use tons of extra water. Also, skipping any pre-rinse cycles or additional rinse cycles can save you around 6 gallons of water per wash cycle. If you do have to run a partial load in your washing machine, make sure you change the settings to reflect the size of the load.

4) Take Shorter showers

Sometimes nothing beats a good, long, hot shower. However, limiting your shower to around 5 minutes is a good way to save money on your water bill every month. If you just love taking long showers and limiting your shower time isn’t an option for you, consider installing a water efficient shower head. Also remember that taking a shower instead of a bath is saving you approximately 50 gallons of water each day.

5) Be mindful of running water

Its a bad habit that many of us are guilty of- letting the water run. Try to be more mindful of wasting water by just letting the tap run. You may surprise yourself by how much water you are able to save just by turning off the faucet when its not absolutely necessary for it to be on. One great example is doing dishes- instead of letting the hot water run continuously while you’re doing dishes, try plugging up your sink and just filling it with hot, soapy water instead of letting the hot water run the whole time. Another great way to save money on your water bill is by turning off the water while you brush your teeth. Turning off the water while you brush your teeth can save you up to 25 gallons per month!

 

Follow these helpful hints to save money on your water bill every month! Don’t forget- if you need a trusted, professional plumber, Masterflo Plumbing is here for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! Call (678) 822-7095!

Water Heater Repair Atlanta GA

Water Heater Repair Atlanta GA

Do you need water heater repair in Atlanta GA? Keep reading to find out!

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Although water heaters are super sturdy and durable appliances, they work hard every single day. Your hot water heater is, perhaps, the most hard working appliance in your home. Its also the least thought about appliance in your home because its not appliance that you see every day. This daily use can and does cause them to develop problems and small malfunctions over time. This is totally normal! If you notice a problem with your hot water heater, its important that you contact an experienced plumber for water heater repair in Atlanta GA immediately! We have the experience, skills, and tools necessary to fix your hot water heater before it becomes irreparable. The longer a problem with your water heater is allowed to continue, the worse it will get. If the problem goes on long enough, you may have to replace your entire unit!

The top two most common water heater repair issues are:

  • Leaks- Leaks are a very common water heater repair issue. There are many areas of your hot water heater that can spring a leak. Bad valves and loose pipe junctions are the most common cause of leaks. If your hot water heater springs a leak in the main tank, this can be a huge problem! A small leak in your hot water heater can quickly turn into a big disaster. A leak in the main tank is usually caused by rust and can eventually lead to your whole tank exploding. If you see any leaks- even a small one- have it repaired immediately!
  • Low output- If your hot water heater is suddenly not keeping up with your demand for hot water, it could mean a variety of things. You could have a dirty burner assembly that is having trouble igniting all of the jets. This would significantly lower the temperature of the water in the tank. You could also have a large buildup of sediment in your tank. Because the cause of low output is hard to determine, its important to call a trust professional immediately to pinpoint and fix the issue.

If you have any of these water heater repair issues in Atlanta GA, be sure to call us at Masterflo Plumbing! You can trust us to accurately correct your water heater problem the first time around! With years of experience repairing and replacing water heaters, we can take care of all your hot water heater needs. Call us today at (678) 822-7095!

water heater repair atlanta ga

Atlanta GA Plumber: Leak Detection Services

Atlanta GA Plumber: Leak Detection Services

If you believe that you may have a leak and need an Atlanta GA plumber, read on to find out more information….

Plumbing leaks should be easy to detect- you see water dripping from a pipe and you know you’ve got a leak, so you call a plumber. Right? Sometimes it is that easy, but what about when you have a tiny pinhole leak? Or what about if you’ve got a leak in a pipe that’s not exposed?

atlanta-ga-plumber

Most of your plumbing system is hidden. Nearly all of the pipes that supply fresh water to your home or remove waste water are hidden behind drywall, studs, floorboards, concrete, or dirt. Fortunately, this means you don’t have to look at your plumbing system. However, it also means that you may have a hard time detecting some leaks. Even small leaks can turn into big problems, so its important that you make sure you know about any and all leaks and have them taken care of.

The first sign of a leak is an increase in your water bill if you haven’t knowingly increased your water consumption. There may also be some outward signs such as discolored spots on your walls, warped floor boards, or an increase in the humidity in your home. If you notice any of these signs, call a plumber immediately as it may be time for some professional leak detection. Leaks that are occurring in hidden pipes have to be detected and repaired by a professional Atlanta GA plumber before they cause major damage to your home or property.

While some of the outward signs of a leak may give you a general idea about where the leak is, actually reaching the pipes can be problematic unless you’re a professional plumber. Sometimes, in order to reach a leak, you may have to cut through drywall, break through concrete, or dig through large amounts of earth. This can cost tons of money and could also create more damage than the leaky pipe. In order to avoid large amounts of excavation, its best to have a professional come pinpoint the exact location of the leak. If the leak is small enough, even if its hidden, a professional plumber may be able to fix it without doing any excavation.

Plumbers can perform leak detection in a variety of way. Most of these ways employ the use of technology such as acoustic listening devices, ground microphones (these can detect the sound of water leaving the pipes) and pressure detectors (these find areas of rising pressure coming from leaks).

Perhaps the most effective way to find a hidden leak is by using video pipe inspection equipment. Video pipe inspection equipment uses miniature cameras mounted on the ends of fiber-optic cables that can be run down a water or sewer line. The image from the camera is then fed back to a monitor so your plumber can find the exact location of the leak. Being able to view the leak will also allow your plumber to determine its exact size and magnitude.

Trying to detect and fix a hidden leak on your own can be tricky and can result in further damage. If you’ve got a hidden leak, your best choice is to call the professionals right away! At Masterflo Plumbing we have the technology, skills, and experience necessary to find your leak and find a solution for you.

Contact an Atlanta GA Plumber today at (678) 822-7095, 24 hours a day 7 days a week, for all your plumbing needs!

Emergency Plumber in Atlanta GA

Emergency Plumber in Atlanta GA

While many minor plumbing issues can be handled by a homeowner, there are many more plumbing issues that can’t. Sometimes these issues aren’t pressing and can be handled by your plumber during a routine appointment, but other plumbing issues may require an emergency visit from your plumber. Although its rare to need an emergency plumber, its important to have the number of a trusty worthy and responsive plumber on hand, just in case! 

Knowing when to call an emergency plumber is crucial! Plumbing problems can cause a wide variety of problems for homeowners. A plumbing problem that may seem minor to a homeowner could actually cause serious complications. Plumbing problems can affect the integrity of their home and property, affect the health of the occupants in the home, and can affect how high your water bill is.

emergency plumber in atlanta ga

Because its not always completely obvious when you need to call an emergency plumber, we’ve put together a list for you.

  1. Flooded basement: This one is pretty obvious! A flooded basement is usually caused by burst pipes. Without immediate attention, your house and property could be subject to even further damage.
  2. Clogged drains: Clogged drains are fairly common place, so this one isn’t as obvious! If your drains do not unclog when you use baking soda, a plunger, or commercial drain cleaner (which we do NOT recommend using), you should call a plumber immediately. Stubborn clogs can lead to burst pipes and are unhygienic.
  3. No water from the faucet: This generally occurs during low temperatures when pipes have frozen. When water freezes and becomes ice, it expands which can cause burst pipes. If your pipes have frozen, call a plumber immediately to avoid burst pipes and even more damage.
  4. Bad smell: If there is a bad smell coming from your drains, this is a sign that your sewer pipes may be leaking. Leaking sewer pipes can cause damage to your property and is also a huge health risk to humans and pets.
  5. Exceptionally high water bill and/or the sound of running water: If you don’t believe that your water consumption has gone up (be sure to take into account if you’re doing any outdoor watering!), but your water bill has increased or you can hear running water even when all faucets are turned off, you may have a slab leak. A slab leak can lead to extensive damage and repairs can be costly. To avoid any further damage, you should call an emergency plumber as soon as possible.

At Masterflo Plumbing, we pride ourselves on being extremely responsive and available to our customers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! If you need an emergency plumber, or even if you think you may need an emergency plumber, don’t hesitate to call us any time of the day or night! We’ll come out immediately to assess the problem, determine your needs, and find a customized solution just for you!  If you need an emergency plumber in Atlanta GA, call your dependable, local emergency plumber today at (678) 822-7095!

emergency plumber in atlanta ga

5 Facts About Water Heaters

5 Facts About Water Heaters

Your water heater is, perhaps, the most important appliance in your home! Although you may not think about it every day and you may not see it every day, chances are that you use it every day. Most of us never realize how vitally important our hot water heaters are until they break! Without a hot water heater, small things like cooking pasta, washing your hands, or doing laundry become daunting tasks.

Here are 5 fun facts you may not know about hot water heaters-

  1. Nearly 25% of the energy you use in your home goes towards heating your water. Because this is such a large portion of your energy bill, many people are opting to use more energy efficient models.
  2. Doing laundry and bathing use the most amount of hot water out of all the tasks hot water is used for.
  3. Using an electric hot water heater costs more than using a gas or propane powered one. You can speak to a professional plumber about making a change from electric to gas.
  4. Your hot water heater should be maintained on a regular basis in order to extend its life, as well as make sure its running as efficiently as possible.
  5. Many people assume tankless hot water heaters don’t leak or don’t need to be maintained like traditional hot water heaters. However, this is not true! Tankless hot water heaters can spring a leak, just like a traditional model.

tankless water heater repair

For all your hot water heater needs, call Masterflo Plumbing today at (678) 822-7095! If you’re in need of a new hot water heater, we can help you choose the right water heater for your needs and install it for you. If you’ve found yourself with no hot water and need an emergency visit, we’re available to come fix your hot water heater 24 hours a day 7 days a week. And finally, if you want to extend the life of your existing hot water heater and schedule a hot water heater maintenance visit, we’ve got you covered!

 

 

 

What To Do If Your Toilet Overflows

What To Do If Your Toilet Overflows

At some point in your life you’ve probably had to grab your trusty old plunger and clear up a small toilet clog. Almost all of us have had a run in with a clogged toilet. While a clogged toilet is definitely annoying, its usually an easy fix with no resulting problems. Unfortunately, some of us have had to deal with a much worse toilet problem- a leaking or overflowing toilet. Toilet problems can start small and end up as big problems. A small crack in your toilet bowl can eventually turn into a large crack, leaving you with a leaking, overflowing toilet.

Today we’re going to talk about a few easy steps so that you’ll know what to do if your toilet overflows.

what to do if your toilet overflows

  1. Turn off the water! This is the first step and perhaps the most important! Turning off the water source to the toilet immediately can prevent any further leakage which may help to prevent some damage. Usually you don’t need to turn off the water source to the whole house. There is a shut off valve specifically for the toilet just behind the toilet or near the base. If you can’t find this valve, you should shut off the water supply to the whole house.
  2. Call a plumber! This is the next most important step. Unless you are a licensed, professional plumber, an overflowing toilet should not become your next DIY project. Contacting a professional plumber as quickly as possible is important. The longer your toilet problem is allowed to continue, the more damage you could have.
  3. Move any nearby objects! Water damage is no joke- a small amount of water can create major damage. If you’ve got any furniture, household objects, or wall hangings nearby, you should move them away to keep them safe.
  4. Clean up! Although the problem may not be completely fixed yet, if you’ve already shut off the water source to the toilet its safe to go ahead and clean up any water. Cleaning up standing water that has spilled from the toilet can help prevent more damage from occurring. It also helps keep the area safe for you and your plumber.

Now you know a little bit about what to do if your toilet overflows! If your toilet is leaking or overflowing and you’re in the metro Atlanta area, make sure to call the trusted professionals at Materflo Plumbing today at (678) 822-7095!