Easy Plumbing Tips

Easy Plumbing Tips

Today we’re going to run through a few plumbing tips. The best part of these tips is that they’re easy and can save you a ton of time, money, and stress. Plumbing problems can hit you at any time and are usually unexpected. And of course- they usually occur at the most inopportune times. Its important to be prepared and have a few tricks up your sleeve so that you are more prepared to deal with the inevitable plumbing problem that pops up. The more prepared you are, the more likely you are to avoid a huge disaster.

Here are some plumbing tips every homeowner should know-

  • Make sure you know how to turn off the water to your sink, toilet, and main water source. If you’ve sprung a leak it is vital that you know how to turn off the water to prevent further damage. And don’t forget- righty tighty lefty loosey.
  • Be familiar with the different types of plungers and which ones to use where. For inks you should use a bowl shaped rubber plunger. Plungers that should be used for toilets have an additional piece of rubber that allow it to get inside the opening of the toilet.
  • Don’t use an auger if you aren’t a professional plumber so that you can avoid damaging your pipes. On that note, don’t do any fancy DIY plumbing if you aren’t a trained professional! While trying to save money you can inadvertently cause additional damage costing you additional money.
  • Don’t use the chemical drain cleaners sold at the store as they are harmful to your plumbing system! Instead, if you’ve got to use something, use an all natural combination of baking soda and vinegar. Pour in half a cup of baking soda followed by a half cup of vinegar. Once the fizzing stops, pour hot water down the drain to flush it. If this doesn’t work, try plunging. If you still can’t clear the clog, its time to call a professional plumber.
  • Keep up with your septic tank maintenance. Its one of those things that gets forgotten about, but if your septic tank backs up you’ll end up with a major problem on your hands! Have your tank checked out by a professional yearly and don’t plant anything with roots over or near your lines.
  • Lastly- make sure to find a plumber you can trust BEFORE you have a problem and keep their number handy! Plumbing problems can escalate quickly.

Following these tips can potentially save you time, money, and keep you from dealing with a huge headache! For a trusted, experienced plumber in the metro Atlanta area call Masterflo today at (678) 822-7095! Remember, you can call us anytime day or night- 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!

 

 

Homebuyer’s Checklist

Homebuyer’s Checklist

Buying a home can be (and usually is!) very stressful. There are so many steps in the process, so many things to check up on, look at, finish, etc. It seems like there’s always one more thing to do, find out about, or look into before you actually sign those papers and get your keys! Inevitably, the second you get your keys and move in you discover something that you forgot to check or you see something you didn’t see before.

The plumbing system is a vital component of any home that often goes unnoticed or overlooked. This is because the plumbing system is mostly hidden from view so that we don’t have to look at our plumbing system on a daily basis. Although the plumbing system is hidden from view, it is an incredibly important thing to take a look at before buying a home. An average family of four uses nearly 400 gallons of water each day and more than 25% of that comes from flushing the toilet!

Here is a helpful homebuyer’s checklist specific to plumbing:

  • Flush the toilet in each bathroom to make sure they’re in working order (no pre-existing clogs or leaks).
  • Check the size of the pipes. To get proper water pressure the pipes from the water source to your home should be at least 3/4″ and the pipes to your faucets should be at least 1/2″.
  • Check the water pressure in all the showers.
  • Look at the hot water heater to check for signs of damage or corrosion. Ask about its age and when it was last serviced.
  • Ask about the pipes and avoid homes with lead piping.
  • Check out the basement or crawl space for any signs of leaks or water damage.

Hopefully this homebuyer’s checklist can help you if you’re in the market for a new home. If you’re trying to sell a home or have recently purchased a new home and need a plumber you can trust call Masterflo today. Our plumbers are available to you for all your plumbing needs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!

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(678) 822-7095

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Plumbing Tips: Garbage Disposal Repair

Plumbing Tips: Garbage Disposal Repair

We all love our garbage disposals, but none of us truly realize how much until it breaks, right? Without a doubt, the garbage disposal is one of the greatest inventions because it can make your life in the kitchen a thousand times easier. While its not one of the most common plumbing issues people have, your garbage disposal can break just like a toilet or shower head can. Here are some great, simple tips for keeping your garbage disposal healthy and avoiding the need for garbage disposal repair!

  1. Make sure you know what’s safe to put down it and what’s not. There are definitely some obvious things that you shouldn’t be putting down your garbage disposal- namely, plastic and metal. Solid objects like forks, spoons, and serving utensils definitely shouldn’t go down your garbage disposal. Although these things are obvious, there are some other objects that shouldn’t go down your garbage disposal that aren’t so obvious. Fibrous vegetables like celery and onion skins can get tangled up in the disposal. Fats, oils, and grease can also clog up the garbage disposal because as they cool off they solidify. Bones and fruit pits are also not supposed to go down your garbage disposal.
  2. Flush is out with boiling water. Pouring a pot full of boiling water down your garbage disposal every once in a while will flush it out. The boiling water will help break up and loosen and waste that has collected in the disposal chamber or the drain pipe. We recommend doing this once a month to help clean out old waste and prevent future build up.
  3. Don’t push your luck, get it repaired! This one may seem obvious, but we’re ALL guilty of it. How many times has one of your appliances started acting up and you just ignore it and hope it goes away on its own?? If your garbage disposal is making a funny sound or vibrating more than normal, call a plumber for garbage disposal repair! Contrary to popular belief, garbage disposals CAN be repaired- they don’t always have to be completely replaced! Having a garbage disposal repaired quickly can prevent having to have it totally replaced, saving you lots of money!

If you need help with your garbage disposal or need garbage disposal repair help, call Masterflo Plumbing today at [callout add_button=”no” button_text=”Learn More” button_url=”#”]

(678) 822-7095

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History Class: Plumbing Repair and Maintenance

History Class: Plumbing Repair and Maintenance

Although modern day plumbing and advances in sanitation technology are fairly new, plumbers and the plumbing industry have been around forever. Today we’re going to run through a quick plumbing history lesson with some fun facts. You can check out some of our other fun fact posts about toilet paper, plumbers, or plumbing terminology.

  • The Egyptians were skilled in plumbing drainage construction as far back as 2500 B.C.
  • In 1700 B.C. the Minoan Palace of Knossos on the isle of Crete featured four separate drainage systems that drained into giant sewers made of stone.
  • Aqueducts to supply water to the Roman Baths were first built in 312 B.C.
  • In 800 B.C. the first Roman sewers were constructed.
  • In 1738 JF Brondel introduced the first valve type flush toilet.
  • The Tremont Hotel in Boston became the first hotel to have indoor plumbing in 1829.
  • The National Public Health Act was passed in England in 1848. It became the world’s first model for a plumbing code.
  • In 1870, Thomas Twyford designed the one piece toilet.

For all of your plumbing repair and maintenance needs in the Woodstock, GA area, make sure to call Masterflo Plumbing at (678) 822-7095!