Author: webdev

An unusable toilet during a busy holiday party is the stuff of nightmares. Whether you’re at a gathering or hosting the get-together yourself, nobody wants to be stuck in a bathroom without a working toilet. If you’re in a pinch, here are a few of the most common holiday plumbing problems (and their respective solutions). Stay prepared!

3 Most Common Holiday Plumbing Problems

  1. Your Toilet Keeps Running

If your toilet is receiving lots of heavy use during the holidays, then your toilet might continue running and running. When the toilet bowl won’t stop flushing and filling with water, we’ll be discussing two fixes to avoid ruining your festive fun.

Solution: Close the Flapper

Take the lid off of your toilet tank—do you see a chain? That chain is connected to the flapper. If it becomes too short or tangled, the flapper stays wide open, allowing water to continue running. Your solution is to adjust the chain sufficiently so that the flapper can close. If that doesn’t work, you might need to buy a new flapper.

Solution: Adjust the Fill Height

Your fill valve is responsible for bringing water into the toilet tank after you flush and stays on until the tank is filled with water again. Connected to the fill valve is the float. Your float is responsible for making sure your tank doesn’t overflow—it’s a piece of plastic floating in your tank that looks like a balloon. Adjust your float if it’s too high or too low as it can allow water to get through the flapper or not allow enough water in at all.

  1. Your Toilet Doesn’t Flush

A toilet that doesn’t flush is a huge burden (especially when the line to the bathroom fills up the hallway). But there’s no need to panic—here’s how to fix this problem.

Solution: Adjust the Flapper

When water is running but your toilet doesn’t flush, you might have an issue with your flapper. If it’s not sitting properly, wiggle the attached handle around or reach your hand in to adjust the flapper yourself.

Solution: Add Water Manually

No water running at all? Time to pour some water down your toilet. If you happen to have a bucket or garbage can handy, fill the container up with water. Pour it down your toilet in one quick movement—this should prompt the toilet to flush.

  1. Your Toilet is Clogged

If you spot a plunger, this is the time to use it. Stuck with no plunger? Here are a few solutions.

Solution: Pour Soap Into the Toilet

Pour plenty of shampoo or dish soap down the toilet. Still have that bucket or garbage can handy? Fill it with a gallon of hot water to chase the soap down. Wait a few minutes… Your clog should be clear. If it’s not, repeat these steps a few more times.

Don’t Let the Season Go to Waste! Get the Holiday Plumbing Services You Need!

Holiday plumbing problems shouldn’t stop you from having a great time. But if you plan to have lots of guests over, your toilet might not be equipped to handle it. If you need a 24/7 emergency plumber to handle your holiday emergency, call Custom Plumbing at 602-883-2761.

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Buying a new home is an exciting time—until you try to shower and discover the irritatingly low water pressure. We don’t have to tell you twice, but your plumbing is one of the most important systems in your home. Casual inspections usually don’t catch these issues so you’ll need to take a closer look. Before buying a house with plumbing problems, take these steps to catch any major plumbing repairs.

Avoid Buying a House with Plumbing Problems: 3 Tips

  1. Inspect faucets, sinks, and toilets
  2. Inspect your sewage system
  3. Inspect the water heater

 

  1. Inspect Faucets, Sinks, and Toilets

These three elements can be a great indicator of the water pressure and quality of your plumbing system. To ensure that you don’t buy a home with major plumbing problems, complete the following:

  • Turn on every faucet to check for water pressure, leaks, or discolored water
  • Check for leaks below and around the sink fixtures
  • Flush every toilet and ensure that all the water drains away
  • Check the base of each toilet for leaks
  1. Inspect Your Sewage System

You need to pay attention to your main sewer line, in particular. A main sewer line can develop a number of issues—tree roots may be growing in the line or the pipes could be degrading due to old age. While you might be able to find issues by detecting bad odors, the best way to check for problems is a professional plumbing inspection. An inspection will include snaking a camera down the sewer line to catch any blockages or other problems.

If there are issues with the sewage system, they are usually very expensive repairs—so be sure to catch them early!

  1. Inspect the Water Heater

If you’ve ever endured a freezing cold shower because the hot water ran out, you know just how essential your water heater is. Before purchasing a home, check the water heater label to see when it was first installed. If it’s 10 years or longer, then it’s time to buy a new water heater. Additionally, you should ask a trusted plumber to check for other signs of damage as it may be cracked or rusted.

Recommended Reading: No Hot Water? 5 Water Heater Warning Signs to Watch Out for

Did You Buy a Home with Plumbing Problems?

If you bought a house and are already recognizing a few plumbing problems, your first step is to call a plumber. Have your plumber complete a professional inspection to diagnose any of the issues in your home. If the issues are small and don’t cost a ton to repair, then it may not be worth it to get the previous owner involved. However, if there are major plumbing issues, move on to the next step.

Your next step is to figure out who’s responsible for the repair. Consult with your lawyer and real estate agent. The previous owner may be responsible for the repair if:

  • The purchasing agreement stated that the seller would make the repair.
  • There was no reasonable expectation for you to find the issue before buying the home.
  • The seller intentionally deceived you about the condition of the plumbing.

Your last step is to hire a trusted plumber to complete the repairs in your home.

Need an Inspection or Repair?

Before buying a house with plumbing problems, call Custom Plumbing of Arizona at 602-883-2761 to complete a professional plumbing inspection.

Need repairs after the fact? Let us provide you with a free estimate!

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Do you run out of hot water too quickly for your liking? Unless you’re an ice bath enthusiast, chances are that you prefer a nice warm shower at the beginning, middle, or end of your day. Your water heater is one of the most important elements to making that happen. So when it breaks down, it’s easy to go into panic mode. Luckily, it’s easy to be proactive—here are 5 water heater warning signs to watch out for.

5 Water Heater Warning Signs

  1. No hot water
  2. Age
  3. Rusty water
  4. Odd noises
  5. Leaking

 

  1. No Hot Water

No hot water is the most jarring symptom of a water heater gone rogue. But other times, the symptoms can be more subtle. You might notice that your water temperature is inconsistent or that you run out of hot water quickly.

Some of the heating elements, like the burners, might have gone bad—or your thermostat might have been broken. Other times, you might have clogged valves that don’t allow you to flush out any dirt, rocks, or other sediments. Lots of built-up sediment can leave little space for heated water, causing your steamy showers to end abruptly.

So if you’re often met with a sudden blast of freezing water in the middle of your shower, it might be time to check your unit.

 

  1. Age

Most water heaters, whether they’re in the traditional or tankless style, tend to last for about 10 to 12 years. Your unit should have a sticker on it with the installation date on it—if you’re past the 10-year mark, keep a close eye on it. At this age, it’s likely cheaper to replace the whole unit altogether than to keep replacing any malfunctioning parts.

 

  1. Rusty water

Water heater tanks have metal components susceptible to rusting. When you first buy a unit, it has a solid coating that helps prevent rust on the inside of your tank. Over time, that coating begins to break down. Eventually, you might find smelly, discolored water running out of your faucets. While it doesn’t harm your health, the taste is definitely something to be sour about. Rusty water can damage any appliances you use, however.

 

  1. Odd noises

Strange noises can indicate a deeper problem with your water heater. If you hear loud pops, cracks, gurgles, or other weird sounds, you could have a problem with built-up sediment or a broken heating element. If you hear boiling sounds, be sure to call a technician as soon as possible — your water heater could be experiencing intense pressure and overheating.

 

  1. Leaking

If you notice water pooling around the bottom of your tank or dripping from the tank itself, you likely have a serious problem on your hands. Some loose connections inside the unit could be causing the leak, which just calls for tightening. But if the tank itself is damaged, you’ll need to replace the whole water unit.

 

Check Your Water Heater

Now that we’ve covered the 5 water heater warning signs to be aware of, your first action step is to check the age of your water heater. Even if you’re not seeing any obvious signs of damage, you might want to consider replacing the unit if you’re past the 10-year mark.

Need a plumbing expert to take a look at your water heater? Custom Plumbing of Arizona is here to help. Call us at 602-883-2761 for a free estimate.

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How Does A Water Softener Actually Soften My Water?

You’ve seen the signs. That greenish buildup around your faucet and shower head? Not good. You know it’s only a matter of time before your hard water problem becomes a flooding problem. Yet, still you hesitate to do anything about it. You’ve got to consider your options.

Well, I’m here to tell you that your first and best option is to install a water softener. If you’re like me, anytime you hear someone in the maintenance profession say the word “install,” you know it’s not going to be cheap. The truth is, a water softener can run anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. But let me tell you, the damage that they help prevent is worth it. Replacing the weak, hard-water-corroded pipes of even a 1,500 square foot home can cost as much as $10,000! And that’s not counting the damage to your house’s structure and personal belongings that come with a burst pipe.

By installing a water softener, you’re investing now to protect your home’s future.

So, how does a water softener actually soften your water? It’s pretty simple, really. A water softener is a giant filter that cleanses your water of harmful minerals before it travels into your home’s lines. The filter acts as a magnet, sucking the harshness from the water. The end result: softer water traveling through your home, leading to a much longer life of your pipes and plumbing fixtures, and more importantly, saving you from any major plumbing problems.

Want to hear more? Call us, or send a text or email, and we’ll send an expert to your home to tell you about the ways we can help.

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We’re Not Just Plumbers, We’re Preventers

Many people think that plumbers are just the people who show up when you have a leaky pipe. While that’s technically true, if you don’t want your home plumbing to have serious problems down the road, you might want to start thinking about plumbers in a different way.

Think of it this way.

You go to your doctor when you’re not feeling yourself. But that’s not the only time you see a physician—if you’re smart, you also go in for regular checkups. That’s called preventive medicine. When you hit certain stages in life, your doctor looks for signs of specific problems.

Plumbers Do More Than Just Fix Pipes

You should use your plumber for more than just repairs. We do more than fix leaky pipes, and we want you to be able to take advantage of that. Preventive maintenance can end up saving you hundreds, even thousands, of dollars in the long run.

How Do We Work?

The process is actually pretty simple. One of our certified plumbers will come to your house and inspect your piping. We place a camera down into your home piping to look around for any issues.

We’re not looking to nickel-and-dime you. We’re not going to tell you that you have a leaky faucet or that your shower head needs a new gasket if it doesn’t. What we’re here to do is to prevent you from future disasters.

And you, the homeowner, feel no pain. Not even in your wallet, because this service is only $69. That’s better than shelling out some serious cash because you didn’t think you needed preventive maintenance.

Examine Your Drain Pipes for Only $69

Let us help. A licensed plumber from Custom Plumbing will come to your house and investigate your pipes, so you can have the peace of mind of knowing that your pipes are sturdy and secure. And you’ll also be happy knowing that your neighborhood plumber is just a phone call away.

Call today, and schedule your thorough examination of your lines for only $69.

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