Keeping Your Pool Safe

Keeping Your Pool Safe

If you’ve got a pool at your home, now is the time to take full advantage of it! Summer is upon us and the pool is a great way to cool off and have fun with your family and friends. Pools are a great way to relax, have fun, and even get some exercise this summer. However, your pool can also present some safety risks. Here are some easy steps to keeping your pool safe this year.

  1. Have a pool alarm. You can purchase alarms that will let you know if your pool gate has been opened, and you can also install pool alarms under the surface of your pool water to alert you to activity in the water.
  2. Get rid of your diving board. Diving boards can be dangerous whether you know how to dive or not. For an inexperienced diver, diving boards present a myriad of safety risks. However, even an experienced diver can slip and fall on a diving board and can be injured.
  3. Keep rescue equipment and a first aid kit nearby. Its a good idea to have a life ring nearby in case someone falls in. A nearby first aid kit to treat any minor injuries is also a good idea.
  4. Do a daily check of your pool area. Checking daily for slip and fall hazards around your pool can prevent life threatening injuries. Check for floats, toys, towels, etc.
  5. Store your chemicals safely. Chemicals are often necessary to keep your pool germ free, but its imperative to store them away from children. Pool chemicals can be life threatening if ingested.
  6. Have a set of pool rules. Make sure you have pool rules and go over them frequently, particularly if you have small children. Some good rules to have are no running in the pool area, no rough housing, and no entering the pool area without an adult present.
  7. Learn CPR. Knowing CPR can be life saving if there’s an accident at your pool.
  8. Teach your kids how to swim. If you have a pool at your home, its never too early to make sure your kids know how to swim.

At Masterflo Plumbing we wish everyone a safe, happy, and fun filled summer!

How To: Winterize Your Home

How To: Winterize Your Home

We’re a week into December, and temperatures are finally starting to drop! Some of us in north Georgia have been seeing sleet, and snow flurries are predicted for later this week. Although temperatures are chilly, January and February are traditionally the harshest and coldest of the winter months and can bring freezing rain, sleet, ice, and snow. Time always flies during the holidays, and getting your home prepared for winter before the harshest weather is important for the safety and comfort of you and your family! Knowing how to winterize your home is important, even in the south! Learn how to winterize your home and get started early so that you can rest easy during the holidays and winter months! 

winterize your home

Follow our easy winter home prep checklist to learn how to winterize your home and make sure that you, your family, and your friends stay safe and warm this winter!

  • Invest in a new door mat. During the course of the year, your doormat can get worn down and is no longer functional. A new door mat will encourage guests to wipe their feet and will help to reduce slips and falls.
  • Stock up on outdoor supplies. Make sure you have a snow shovel, and an ample supply of salt or sand BEFORE winter weather hits. If you wait till harsh weather hits your area, stores are likely to sell out of the supplies you need.
  • Pay attention to your home’s humidity. Dry air that occurs in your home during the winter can be damaging to your health and the health of your children. Consider purchasing a humidifier if you don’t already have one. If you do, make sure its clean and ready to be used.
  • Get your fireplace professionally cleaned. If you have a fireplace that you plan to use to heat your home during the winter, make sure you have a professional chimney sweep clean it for you first! This small step can drastically reduce your risk of having your home catch on fire or carbon monoxide poisoning.
  • Clean your gutters and downspouts. Having your gutters cleaned before winter weather hits will keep that winter precipitation flowing and can prevent clogged gutters. Clogged gutters can eventually lead to siding damage, gutter corrosion, and foundation damage.
  • Fix all the leaks in your home. If you’ve got a leaky roof, a drafty window seal, or worn out weather stripping on a door, now is the time to fix all those leaks! Fixing all those holes can help keep you warm and will cut down on your winter utility bills.

Know how to winterize your home and follow these tips to help keep you safe and warm this winter! For any winter plumbing emergencies, make sure to contact Masterflo Plumbing today at (678) 822-7095!

Fall Home Maintenance Checklist

Fall Home Maintenance 

Its that time of year, again! The official start of fall is just a week away! Even though fall is a busy time of year for most of us with festivals, celebrations, and holidays, its important that you don’t neglect your house during this time of year. Fall comes with its very own set of fall home maintenance tasks that shouldn’t be ignored! Fall gives way to winter and if you aren’t on top of your home maintenance, the harsh winter weather can be damaging to your home and property. Today we’re going to talk about some easy fall home maintenance tasks that you should make sure to get done this year!

 

Fall Home Maintenance-

  1. Clean your gutters and your downspouts, and make sure your downspouts have plenty of room to drain.
  2. Check all your outside doors for weather stripping. This can make all the difference with the inside temperature of your home and can save lots of money on your utility bills.
  3. Check the grading around your house and walkways. This can keep your basement or your foundation dry in case of lots of rain or melting snow.
  4. Pull weeds and hidden debris in and around your yard and flower beds.
  5. Shut off the water taps and make sure all your outdoor taps are drained.
  6. Trim your trees to make sure none of them are hanging over your home. If your tree branches ice over during the winter and become heavy, they could fall on your home.
  7. Mulch any young or vulnerable plants and trees. This can help them survive the harsh winter temperatures.
  8. Pack up all your outdoor furniture and decor. Winter temperatures and precipitation can be harsh on outdoor furniture.
  9. Check all your outdoor lighting to make sure it works. Winter means colder temperatures and less daylight hours!
  10. Make sure any outdoor trash cans or recycling receptacles are easily accessible. No one wants to trudge through ice, slush, or snow to take out the trash!

Following these 10 easy fall home maintenance tips can get you and your home set up for success throughout the upcoming fall and winter seasons. If your home’s plumbing needs maintenance or any repairs, or if you need an emergency plumber this fall, contact the professionals you can trust at Masterflo Plumbing. We’re available for any of your plumbing needs 24/7 at (678) 822-7095!

Common Water Line Issues

Common Water Line Issues

Last week on the blog we talked about issues with the water pressure inside your home. Today we’re going to talk about some other common water line issues that you may face as a homeowner! The water line is the main pipe that brings water in to your home from your municipal water source. This crucial component of your home’s plumbing system is key to providing safety, sanitation, and comfort to you and your family. Generally, water lines will last a long time as they are designed to last up to a hundred years! While modern water lines are designed to last a long time, they aren’t invincible and under certain circumstances they can encounter problems. These problems can severely limit the lifespan of your water line. 

There are two very common water line issues that you may encounter as a home owner. Let’s take a look at those two issues today so that you can be aware of what to look for. 

common-water-line-issues

Common Water Line Issues

  1. Tree Roots– Tree roots are always growing and looking for water sources. Usually, these water sources are natural, but not always! Tree roots seek out any water source they can find, and sometimes this can be your water line. Once tree roots find their way into your water line, they will continue to grow and expand and can eventually cause some major water line problems. Eventually, this can affect the flow of water through your pipes and can even poke holes in the pipe. Fixing this problem can be costly. The best way to avoid this problem is to have your pipes inspected every year by a professional plumber. 
  2. Corrosion– While modern pipes are designed to resist corrosion, they are not completely immune to every type of corrosion. Formicary and pitted corrosion can still occur in your water line. These kinds of corrosion can significantly weaken your pipes, which will eventually lead to holes and leaks. Again, the best way to combat corrosion in your water line is to have an annual inspection of your home’s plumbing system. If corrosion is caught early, it can be repaired and you can avoid having to replace your water line.

While these common water line issues can be bothersome, with the right plumber they can be fixed! Call Masterflo Plumbing today at (678) 822-7095 to schedule your annual maintenance inspection or if you suspect you may be facing one of these issues!

Top 5 Reasons For A Hot Home

Top 5 Reasons For A Hot Home

We’re about halfway through summer, and the temperatures here in Cherokee County have been sweltering. Combine the Georgia heat with the Georgia humidity, and summer can be downright miserable sometimes. Fortunately, you can beat the heat by finding things to do inside your home this summer. But wait- what if your home is hot, too? If you’ve noticed that your home is hotter than usual this year, you’re not alone. Many homeowners face having a home that is too hot for comfort. 

hot-homeHere are the top 5 reasons for a hot house and some solutions!

Problem: Losing cool air. Do you notice that as soon as your AC stops running, your home is immediately hot again? You may be dealing with a draft that could be causing you to lose up to 50% of your home’s cool air. You can lose cool air through gaps around your doors, windows, and wall vents.

Solution: Having the gaps around your doors, windows, and wall vents repaired can stop the loss of cold air. These may even be projects you can repair yourself with a quick trip to your local hardware store.

Problem: Windows. Windows can let a lot of heat into your home during the summer, even if you’ve got curtains and blinds. Because glass is a great heat conductor, your windows can be radiating heat into your home all summer long. This can be especially problematic if you have lots of windows that face East or West, causing you to catch rays from the rising and setting sun.
Solution: Having your windows reglazed can help reduce the amount of heat that comes through them. 
Problem: Your roof. The heat inside your home could also be a result of your hot roof. As your roof heats up from the sun during the day, the heat is pushed down through the ceiling and into your home. Unfortunately, your roof and ceiling store this heat, causing your home to remain hot even overnight.
Solution: Having extra ceiling insulation installed or installing attic fans if you’ve got an attic can help remedy this problem. 
Problem: Heat from below. If your home is built on stilts (this is common in some of the more mountainous areas in north Georgia and some of the coastal areas of south Georgia), you could be catching extra heat in your home that rises up from the ground during the day.
Solution: This is another problem that can be remedied by adding extra insulation to your home!
Problem: Your walls. One of the main culprits causing your home to be hot is your walls! This can be particularly problematic if your home catches full sunlight during the day. Unfortunately, your home’s outer walls store heat (just like the roof!), and this heat is continuously pushed into your home, even overnight.
Solution: Having extra insulation professionally added to your walls can help reduce the amount of heat conducted into your home from the walls.
Follow our easy solutions for keeping your home cool and comfortable this summer! Don’t sweat any plumbing maintenance issues you may face this summer- just call the professionals at Masterflo Plumbing at (678) 822-7095!

Summer Home Maintenance Checklist

Summer Home Maintenance Checklist

Summer is in full swing, and while most of us would rather be sitting poolside, its important to keep up with home maintenance tasks. Keeping up with your home maintenance all year long is a great way to make sure that you and your home make it year after year without needing costly repairs or replacements.

Owning a home comes with a lot of responsibilities, but we’ve made this easy for you! Before you head out to the pool or on vacation, follow our checklist below!


Here are some key things to check off on your summer home maintenance checklist-

  • Make sure all your lawn equipment is working and keep up with your yard work regularly. Extra long grass, weeds, and bushes can cause damage to your lawn equipment. 
  • Keep your outdoor hoses stored properly. It may be a good idea to invest in a hose reel. Nice hoses can be expensive, and keeping them properly stored all year long can add years to the lifespan of your garden hoses.
  • Evaluate your sprinkler system to make sure all sprinkler heads are working properly. 
  • Have your chimney professionally cleaned and inspected. Having this done during the off season when chimney sweep services are in low demand can save you money. Creosote can build up in the flue and cause a fire. Better safe than sorry!
  • Be sure to cut down any branches hanging over your roof. Overhanging branches can fall on your home and cause damage during summer thunderstorms. 
  • Clean your gutters and downspouts. 
  • Check out the caulking and weather stripping around all doors and windows. This is an easy, cheap fix and can save you tons of money on your utility bills by making your home hold heat more efficiently during the hot summer months.
  • Have your HVAC unit checked out. Having your unit inspected and professionally maintained can add years to the lifespan of your AC unit and can help it run more efficiently. 
  • Change your air filters. Old, clogged air filters can decrease the efficiency of your unity, which increases your utility bills. Also, its gross. Changing the air filter can help improve the quality of the air you’re breathing.
  • Drain your hot water heater. Sediment in your hot water heater can cause major problems. Read our post on draining your hot water heater!

Keeping up with yearly maintenance on your home is important and can go a long way in saving you money. Performing maintenance tasks can make your home run more efficiently, saving you money on utility bills, and can prevent you from needing major repairs throughout the winter or in the spring.

Follow our handy summer home maintenance checklist, and for help with plumbing maintenance or to get a head start on plumbing repairs, call the local professionals you can trust at Masterflo Plumbing. We’re here for you 24/7 at (678) 822-7095!

Spring Home Maintenance: Interior Edition

Spring Home Maintenance: Interior Edition

Spring is in full effect here in metro Atlanta, and we’ve had all the crazy springtime weather to prove it! Spring is a great time of year to do some annual maintenance tasks around your home. Keeping up with regular spring home maintenance can greatly extend the life of many of your home’s components and can save you money in repairs down the road. 

spring home maintenanceWe’ve already talked about home maintenance tasks to be performed on the exterior of your home, but the interior of your home is just as important! Keeping up with these simple spring home maintenance tasks around the interior of your home can make a big difference in keeping you and your family safe, healthy, and comfortable all year long!

  • Replace your HVAC filter to ensure that your AC unit is running as efficiently as possible.
  • Clean the grills on your air system ducts.
  • Make sure all your vents are open and there is nothing blocking them.
  • Check for any gaps around your windows and reseal them with caulk if necessary.
  • Check the locks on your windows to make sure they’re working properly. If they aren’t, make sure to replace them with new locks.
  • Test the batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors.
  • Make sure you know where your fire extinguisher is and check to make sure the pressure valve is working.
  • Check all your interior plumbing for any signs of leaks.
  • Look in your attic for any signs of leaking from your roof.

For help with any plumbing maintenance or repairs call the local professionals you can trust at Masterflo Plumbing! (678) 822-7095

Spring Home Maintenance: Exterior

Spring Home Maintenance: Exterior Checklist

Spring is finally here in metro Atlanta, and the weather is just starting to warm up! With all the nice weather and sunshine we’re having, its time to start on your spring home maintenance checklist. Today we’re going to talk about the home maintenance tasks you should be doing each spring on the exterior of your home. Don’t forget that keeping up with your home maintenance can save you thousands of dollars in repair and replacement costs. 

spring home maintenanceTo keep things simple for you, we’ve come up with a simple exterior spring home maintenance checklist:

  • Check on your lawn tools (lawn mowers, weed eaters, blowers, etc.) to make sure they’re in working condition. Many lawn tools can be repaired instead of replaced if they’re not working properly.
  • Look at your roof for loose, missing, or damaged vents or shingles and have them repaired and replaced as necessary so you don’t find yourself with a leak.
  • Check all your siding and trim for loose or damaged spots and have these places repaired as necessary.
  • Check for damaged windows or screens.
  • Make sure your gutters and downspouts are clear and don’t have any damaged or broken places. Spring time can bring lots of rain and if the rain isn’t diverted properly, it can cause damage to your home.
  • Look around your homes foundation and/or basement for any obvious cracked or damaged spots. Any cracks (even small ones) can seriously compromise the integrity and safety of your home.
  • Inspect any exposed wood for signs of damage, rot, or bug infestation. Compromised wood can present structural and safety issues for your home.
  • Make sure all tree branches are trimmed back and away from your home. This will prevent them from falling on your home in case of a storm.
  • Check your yard for any particularly wet or lush patches that seem to stand out. This could be a sign of a pipe leak under your yard.

For help with any plumbing maintenance or repairs call the local professionals you can trust at Masterflo Plumbing! (678) 822-7095

 

Winterize Your Home

Winterize Your Home

We’re a week into November, and for those of us in Georgia, we’ve had some mild temperatures so far! Don’t be fooled, though! December, January, and February are just around the corner. January and February are traditionally the harshest of the winter months and can bring freezing rain, sleet, ice, and snow. Getting your home prepared for winter is important for the safety and comfort of you and your family! Knowing how to winterize your home is important, even in the south! Learn how to winterize your home and get started early so that you can rest easy during the winter months! 

winterize your home

Follow our winter home prep checklist to learn how to winterize your home and make sure that you, your family, and your friends stay safe and warm this winter!

  • Invest in a new door mat. During the course of the year, your doormat can get worn down and is no longer functional. A new door mat will encourage guests to wipe their feet and will help to reduce slips and falls.
  • Stock up on outdoor supplies. Make sure you have a snow shovel, and an ample supply of salt or sand BEFORE winter weather hits. If you wait till harsh weather hits your area, stores are likely to sell out of the supplies you need.
  • Pay attention to your home’s humidity. Dry air that occurs in your home during the winter can be damaging to your health and the health of your children. Consider purchasing a humidifier if you don’t already have one. If you do, make sure its clean and ready to be used.
  • Get your fireplace professionally cleaned. If you have a fireplace that you plan to use to heat your home during the winter, make sure you have a professional chimney sweep clean it for you first! This small step can drastically reduce your risk of having your home catch on fire or carbon monoxide poisoning.
  • Clean your gutters and downspouts. Having your gutters cleaned before winter weather hits will keep that winter precipitation flowing and can prevent clogged gutters. Clogged gutters can eventually lead to siding damage, gutter corrosion, and foundation damage.
  • Fix all the leaks in your home. If you’ve got a leaky roof, a drafty window seal, or worn out weather stripping on a door, now is the time to fix all those leaks! Fixing all those holes can help keep you warm and will cut down on your winter utility bills.

Know how to winterize your home and follow these tips to help keep you safe and warm this winter! For any winter plumbing emergencies, make sure to contact Masterflo Plumbing today at (678) 822-7095!

Fall Lawn Maintenance

Fall Lawn Maintenance

Warmer, summer temperatures are slowly fading away, and chances are you may be tired of doing yardwork. Here in north Georgia we have warm temperatures for a good portion of the year, which means lots of growing grass, weeds, plants, and trees that have to be tended to. Although you may be looking forward to the cooler months when you don’t have to do any yard work, doing a few extra steps now can save you a lot of work in the spring when the temperatures rise again.
Putting in some extra effort now can potentially save you from having to start from scratch with your plants and grass in the spring. Follow these easy fall lawn maintenance tips, and you can rest easy all fall and winter.
fall lawn maintenance

Fall Lawn Maintenance: 

1. Seed your lawn. It may seem counterintuitive, but seeding in the fall when the temperatures are cooler is actually a great idea. Sometimes, super warm temperatures can actually prevent grass seed from really thriving and growing. Patching bare spots in your lawn in the fall when the weather is cooler can help your grass seed better retain moisture and other nutrients. Don’t forget to aerate the soil before laying your grass seed!
2. Don’t forget to fertilize. Giving your lawn one last round of fertilization before winter can set you up for success in the spring. It will also give your lawn one last burst of green, making your lawn the envy of your neighborhood. Fertilizing your lawn before winter can help your grass seed to spread to bare or thinning patches. 
3. Tend to any remaining weeds. Pulling weeds and applying weed killer plus lawn fertilizer will keep any remaining weeds from threatening your grass. Taking pre-emptive measures against weeds will help your grass seed maintain and re-establish before spring. It may also cut down on the amount of weeds you have to tend to in the spring!
4. Rake and mow as usual. Don’t give up on your lawn too soon! While its tempting to begin ignoring your lawn once temperatures cool off, you’ll just end up with twice the work load in the spring. Falling leaves can smother your grass and prevent it from growing and prevent grass seed from taking. Keep the leaves raked, so that your grass will come back nice and full and green in the spring. 
5. Check for any unusually wet or lush patches throughout the fall and winter. Unusually wet or lush patches in your yard that don’t belong can be a sign of an underlying plumbing problem, indicating a pipe leak or sewer line leak. These leaks can be devastating to your property and home and often go unnoticed in the fall and winter when you’re spending less time outdoors in your yard.
Taking a few extra steps now can lessen your work load in the spring, and set your yard and home up for success. If you believe you may have a plumbing leak or sewer line leak, call the professionals at Masterflo Plumbing today by dialing (678) 822-7095 now!