Residential Plumbing

Springtime is both a celebrated and demanding time of year. While the weather becomes nicer and the grass grows greener, many homes are put at risk for frequent flooding and water damage as the result of the springtime thaw. Not to mention, many of the springtime months can tend to be rainy, muddy, and messy for many homeowners.

To ensure that your home is ready to face spring, be sure to check your basement, crawl spaces, outdoor plumbing areas, and other areas of piping for any leaks, cracks, or potential dangers that could cause flooding in your home. Also, take a look at the foundation of your home to ensure that there’s no place for water to seep in and cause damage or molding to occur. Update and maintain clear, functioning floor drains or other such areas as to ensure that any flooding can be controlled. You can also think about installing water sensors in areas prone to flooding to alert you when water starts seeping in.

SimplyPlumbing.com has all of the springtime plumbing preparation materials you’ll need to update your pipes, valves, drains, and otherwise, keep your home safe from springtime flooding.

Faucet aerators are fabulous tools for reducing water consumption in your home. Not to mention, they just make faucets function better. One common problem found in many homes involves the aerator and the development of tiny blue or green granules. While this build up may seem like a difficult problem or frequent annoyance, it can be easily remedied.

Those little blue or green granules? Those are aluminum hydroxide, a by-product of corrosion when your household water has a high pH level and comes into contact with the aluminum anode rod in your hot water heater. This chemical reaction causes high amounts of aluminum hydroxide to form within your heater, which eventually break off in tiny pieces and wind up in the bottom of the tank. Over time, the build up will course through your pipes until is ends up clogging your aerator.

To correct this, you just need to switch the aluminum anode rod for one made of

magnesium. To determine which type you have, look on top of the water heater tank. You’ll see a large hex nut head. If it’s smooth and flat, it’s aluminum; a raised bump and a welded bead says it’s magnesium.

Molds are a fact of nature; however, they could make for a dangerous addition to your home. To prevent some of the more humid spaces in your home from becoming infested with harmful molds, be sure to recognize these tips from the Environmental Protection Agency, sure to keep your family safer.

1. When water leaks or spills occur indoors, act quickly. If wet or damp materials or areas are dried 24-48 hours after a leak or spill happens, in most cases mold will not grow.

2. Make sure the ground slopes away from the building foundation, so that water does not enter or collect around the foundation.

3. Keep indoor humidity low. If possible, keep your home below 60 percent (ideally between 30 and 50 percent) relative humidity.

4. If you see condensation or moisture collecting on windows, walls or pipes act quickly to dry the wet surface and reduce the moisture source. Wet pipes are a place for molds to flourish.

5. Increase ventilation or air movement by opening doors and/or windows. Use fans as needed.

1. Cover cold surfaces, such as cold water pipes, with insulation.

Even though the garbage disposal is designed to pulverize left over foods and other such materials, food particles often become trapped in the nooks and crannies of the garbage disposal and kitchen drainpipe. This provides the perfect environment for mold and bacteria to grow and create unpleasant odors, as well as unhealthy spores. Cleaning the garbage disposal at least once a week with one of the following methods will help to keep it free of nasty bacteria and unsightly mold, plus it’s a great way to keep your kitchen from smelling like the trash can.

Method 1: Pour one half cup of baking soda down the kitchen drain. Carefully pour one cup of white vinegar down the drain on top of the baking soda. Place the drain stopper in the sink to close off the drain. If you have a double sink, you should do this for both of them. The mixture will fizz and make a bit of noise or fizzing sounds. Allow this to work its magic for a few minutes while you boil some hot water. Use a full teakettle or medium size pot of water. Once this has boiled, pour it down the drain.

Method 2: Using a clean container, mix a gallon of water with one tablespoon of liquid chlorine bleach. Carefully and slowly, pour the solution down the drain and allow it to sit for several minutes. Flush the drain thoroughly with cold water for several minutes.

Another thing you can do to freshen up your garbage disposal, keep your sink smelling fresh and your blades sharp is to take some ice cubes and citrus fruit rinds every now and then and run them through your disposal.

By taking regular care of this kitchen convenience with regular freshening and cleanings, you can avoid costly Plumbing Repairs, remodels, or even dangerous illness in your home.

There’s nothing worse than having a pipe burst in your home. From the damage to the frustration, a water leak can turn out to be both harrowing and expensive, especially for big breaks. To prevent such an event from happening in your home, it’s important to remember to check up on your pipes regularly to be sure that there’s nothing potentially wrong. If you happen to find a lead, here are a few tips on making a temporary repair. Remember, none of these are permanent fixes, but they will allow you to turn the water back on until you can get the pipe fixed more permanently.

1. Stick a pencil point into the hole and break it off, then wrap the pipe with electrician’s tape. Smear some plumber’s epoxy repair putty over the tape to make sure it doesn’t leak. Let it set for half an hour and turn the water back on.
2. Wrap a piece of rubber (like an old inner tube) around the pipe over the hole, and then use a C clamp and small blocks of wood to clamp the rubber wrap tightly in place. If you have them, hose clamps around the rubber covering the hole could also be used to keep water from leaking.
3. Don’t have any old rubber that can act as a repair? Cut a piece of garden hose long enough to cover the hole in the pipe plus two or three inches on each side. Slice the garden hose lengthwise and position it over the hole in the pipe. Once again, use hose clamps to keep it in place and stop water from leaking.

After your quick fix, be sure to replace the leaking pipe using Plumbing Supplies from SimplyPlumbing.com or by calling a professional plumber to take care of it. Left unfixed, your temporary repair could end up costing you more in the end as the result of a reopened leak and water damage.

Number 1
Fixing a leaky faucet can save 20 gallons of water per day. Investing in a new faucet with low-flow water aerators can also be a great way to save. Aerators are the small devices that have a screen in them and are mounted to the end of your faucet. Low-flow aerators may be purchased separately for some types and brands of faucets. A typical low-flow aerator can save up to 30% of the water used by a regular aerator. When buying a new faucet, look for the EPA WaterSense label so you know the faucet is independently certified to perform and save water.

Number 2
Consider a water filtration system mounted to your faucet, or a free-standing system. One unit can annually purify enough water to fill up to 3,200 plastic water bottles. This will help reduce the number of bottles that are tossed out each year (which globally totals 38 billion annually).

Number 3
Invest in the environment, and replace your old toilets. With the savings on your water bills, a high-efficiency, low-consumption toilet will soon pay for itself. They use only 1.28 gallons per flush as compared to older models, which consume 1.6 gallons, and account for an average of 1/4 of the water we use in our homes.

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, so it’s time to start thinking about ways you can gift your spouse. If you still haven’t found the perfect trinket or treasure, why not consider doing a bit of handy work around the house? Maybe it’s time start thinking about turning that dream bathroom into a reality.

Get new faucets and turn on the love! SimplyPlumbing.com offers one of the largest selections of designer faucets and bathroom fixtures, including collections from Kohler, Delta, and Moen. Add them to your new tub or sink and you’ve got a true style statement about your bathroom. For more romantic types, choose curved designs with intricate details that deliver a luxurious appeal. Looking for a new tub or toilet? Opt to choose a color or style that you never had before. Try to update them for the size and usage habits of your bathroom. Just want something quick and easy? Adding a fresh coat of paint or new towels and shower curtains can be great update for any bathroom.

Let SimplyPlumbing.com provide you with the essentials you need to redo, revamp, and renew the romance in your bathroom – just in time for Valentine’s Day.

Although it’s easier than ever to “do it yourself” when renovating your home, accidents still happen, and issues crop up that are better left to the professionals. We always recommend letting a professional do complicated plumbing jobs, but if you need quick answers from an expert, AskAPlumber.com is a great place to start with a few different ways to find the know-how you’re looking for:

The Plumber Advice Forum is segmented into 3 broad categories – Residential, Fixtures, and Fittings, Pipes and Tubing.

Find A Plumber lets you search for a local expert by city or by zip code, and the results are broken down by service so you can find the right plumber for your job.

The site’s Plumbing Help section includes How-Tos and FAQs.

AskAPlumber also maintains a blog that also has some helpful advice on it.

At Simply Plumbing, we can help you get all the equipment you need for your next plumbing job, but we can’t help you with the work, which is why we recommend Ask A Plumber.

A recent article published in the Los Angeles Times hails this tough economic time as an opportunity to become self-sufficient, especially in the area of home renovation and repair.

“We are getting the real do-it-yourselfers now,” said Debbie Hernandez, a head of do-it-yourself clinics in Glendale, Ariz., for 13 years in an interview with the Dallas Morning News. “I hear a lot of people saying that at one time, maybe last year or the year before, they would have hired it out. But now they want to do it themselves because times are tougher, and the information is there for the taking.”

Now, more than ever, is your chance to take advantage of this attitude and start making your home improvements with the help of SimplyPlumbing.com. As your source for the net’s largest selection of pipes, valves, fittings, and other accessories and fixtures, SimplyPlumbing.com provides that best value for your dollar with service that is unparalleled. Remember, do it yourself repairs and renovations save homeowners time, money, and frustration – all things that are essential to avoid during tough economic climates.

Go ahead, be daring. Start taking control of your home.

Let SimplyPlumbing.com help make your home renovation dream a reality.

With a new year comes new plans for updating and improving your home. If you’re not really sure where to begin when it comes time to start choosing plumbing, faucets, and hardware, look no further than SimplyPlumbing.com to give you the widest range of options and advice on what goes into choosing the perfect faucet for your kitchen or bathroom. When buying a new faucet, consider…

Handles

Choice of a one or two-handled faucet is purely personal. With one handle, you enjoy convenient, single-handed control of water temperature & volume. Two-handled faucets offer more handle styles & spout designs. Remember, try to choose one that will work well with your interior décor and personal tastes. Try to compliment cabinets, tiles, sink, or other hardware.

Style

Avoid opposites in terms of faucet vs. sink size. Try to choose one that works well with the overall size and directs water into the center of the bowl. Look for a long-lasting, low maintenance finish to complement your decor. Also, try to suit the faucet to the room in terms of femininity and masculinity. Do you prefer clean, bold lines? Or are you more of a soft, curves kind of decorator?

Dripless

Remember, you want to choose a faucet that’s going to last for your family. Dripping is going to play a part in determining the life span of a faucet in your home, especially in high usage areas like your kitchen or bathroom. Choose a faucet that offers long-term performance and use ceramic disc valves to prevent leaks and increase durability.