SimplyPlumbing Blog

Is your water bill looking a little high? By monitoring your water usage habits and by making a few changes to your lifestyle, you can hope to save a bundle on your next month’s utility bill. Conserving water is one of the easiest and most effective ways to reduce the cost of your water while giving back to the environment, and oftentimes, the changes are simple and inexpensive.

According to the American Water Works Association, installing water efficient toilets can save up to 8,800 gallons in your home each year. Not to mention, eliminating leaks can eliminate 5,500 gallons and using low flow shower heads can save 2,500 gallons. Add on a more efficient washing machine with 5,000 gallons of savings and you’ve got a grand total of more than 22,000 gallons of water saved each year. That’s more than the total per capita water use in Idaho on a given day or enough water to meet the daily needs of 150 households. Amazing isn’t it?

To save on your water usage and to get your home running more efficiently, consider updating your plumbing and fixing leaks with the plumbing supplies from SimplyPlumbing.com. Our selection of pipes, parts, and other essentials are the perfect fit for your home. When combined with smart water use, updating your plumbing could be the key you need to save on your utility bills for years to come.

When it comes down to getting your pipes, fittings, fixtures, faucets, and sinks shimmering, look no further than Flitz to get the job done. These powerful yet environmentally safe cleaners and polishes are designed to deliver superior cleaning power without damaging the integrity of your plumbing, fixtures, or surfaces. Since the company’s formation in 1977, Flitz Cleaners has emerged as one of the nation’s leading providers of professional cleaning products for your household surfaces.

To clean up and protect your brushed stainless steel, chrome, enamel and porcelain surfaces, use Flitz Cleaner & Degreaser. This effective formula delivers unparalleled grease fighting power and surface protection for beautiful kitchens and bathrooms.

Put the finishing touches on your metal fixtures, faucets, and appliances with Flitz Liquid Metal Polish. This liquid paste version of the traditional cleaner is perfect for adding shine and sparkle to your metal surfaces in a powerful, easy to apply formula.

Get your Flitz cleaners today from SimplyPlumbing.com.

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.

If you’re renovating your bathroom and looking for some ideas, you can find some great ideas at My Steam Room, a magazine-style blog devoted to steam rooms, steam showers, and bathroom designs in general.

The authors came up with the idea of a blog devoted to steam rooms while doing some academic research for a PhD.

I was writing a paper on the molecular breakdown of steam at extremely high temperatures, and at the same time I was remodeling my bathroom. I found it ironic that there was tons of information online about the engineering subject, which is useful to virtually no one, and almost no good information about bathroom remodeling and building steam rooms.

The scope of the site has grown beyond just extolling the benefits of steaming and steam rooms, and has tips on walk-in showers, tubs, and whirlpool baths. It’s also very easy to navigate, with a really unique four-column layout.

So, check out their site for some more education on the subject, and come back to our store to buy all the plumbing supplies you need to get your renovation job done.

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.

Springtime is here and you know what that means: basement flooding caused by snow melt, heavy rainfall, and all of the muck that goes along with the thaw.

Taking a page from information from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, several city groups, attorneys, and contractors, we’ve compiled a short checklist of flood prevention methods to avoid a flooding disaster in your home.

Know your flood risk: Enter your address at floodsmart.gov under “Assess Your Risk,” or ask your insurance agent. Or check with your municipality to see a local flood map, which will detail what permits or building requirements you may have.

Get insurance: If you live in a floodplain, you need flood insurance. Homeowners’ policies generally don’t cover flood damage, so you’ll probably need to go through the National Flood Insurance Program. Some policies must be in effect up to 30 days before a flood. Check with your insurance agent or call 1-800-427-2419 for information.

Back up your sump pump: Sump pumps should have a backup sump pump and power source, either a battery pack or a generator. The part that usually breaks is the mechanical float switch which turns the pump on and off, so consider an electronic switch.

Monitor your basement: An electronic water detection alarm can alert homeowners when moisture is present. Electronic shut-off valves can shut off leaking washers, water heaters or refrigerators before they cause water damage from within.

Check drains: Make sure your floor drain is clear and unobstructed.

In Kansas, a local news station compiled a list of ways to cut up to $1,500 off your utility bills by making a few lifestyle adjustments and home improvements. To save on your utilities during these tough economic times, here are the tips and tricks you need to save.

Your fireplace keeps you warm, but it also can deplete your savings. If you shut off the pilot light when it’s not in use, you will save about $365.

Second, invest in compact fluorescent light bulbs to save about $200 a year. Stock up when there are deals to reduce the cost. Utilities often team up with hardware stores to offer cheap CFLs.

Third, add insulation to your home to slash another $300 off your bill. If your house was built before 1995 and hasn’t been remodeled, you only have 6 inches of insulation and you should have 16 inches. Buy blown cellulose and install it yourself.

Fourth, add caulk to seal air leaks around plumbing and holes behind your light switches. By doing that, you’ll save about $300 a year.

Fifth, don’t block air vents. By increasing heat flow, you can save about $100 a year.

Lastly, replace your old thermostat with a digital thermostat. You can save about $200 a year if you set it down while you are working or asleep. SimplyPlumbing.com sells a great variety of Digital Thermostats that are ideal.

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.