While Thanksgiving is over, the holidays haven’t quite ended. Chances are, you’re planning on cooking another great feast (props to you). But preparing another large holiday dinner can create a huge burden on your pipes. We firmly believe that prevention is just as important as treatment. But preventative maintenance is often less expensive than treating problems after they cause damage to your home. Before you go cooking your holiday ham and inviting family over, here are five maintenance tips to prevent plumbing disasters.

 

Prevent Plumbing Disasters: 5 Tips

  1. Request water heater maintenance
  2. Check for slow drains
  3. Fix leaks
  4. Get your garbage disposal under control
  5. Use your toilets and sinks for what they’re intended

 

  1. Request Water Heater Maintenance

Freezing cold water is not the best way to surprise your guests. If you have a few years left on your water heater, you probably won’t need to replace it—but you should request maintenance on it. A plumber can inspect your heater for any damage or rust as well as perform a much needed tune-up. That way, your heater can work all winter long.

 

  1. Check for Slow Drains

Slow drains are not only frustrating (and slightly gross if you’re standing in dirty shower water), they can be a sign of clogs. Before any guests arrive, use a drain snake to clear your pipes of any debris. A drain snake is a thin, flexible wire that helps unclog your toilet, sink, and bathroom pipes. If your drain snake isn’t heavy duty enough to handle the clogs or blockages, call your local plumber.

If you can, check the drains occasionally throughout your gatherings and ensure that drains work as intended.

 

  1. Fix Leaks

If you have random pools of water around your toilet, bathtub, or sink, that’s a likely sign that you have a leak. Other signs include wet or moldy patches on your carpet or walls, and higher water bills. Before your holiday party, be sure to fix these leaks as soon as possible. They can cause mold damage, heinous smells, and dismayed guests.

 

  1. Get Your Garbage Disposal Under Control

Every holiday, we talk about the importance of managing what goes into your garbage disposal—but we can’t emphasize it enough. Leave grease, oils, and large chunks of food out of it. Citrus rinds and small pieces of fruits and vegetables are okay to chuck inside. Artichokes, banana peels, corn husks, and other tough or fibrous produce are off limits though. For best results, always be sure to run cold water while you’re using your disposal.

 

  1. Use Your Toilets and Sinks for What They’re Intended

Another easy but important tip to prevent these kinds of disasters. Don’t use your toilets for anything but waste and toilet paper. Feminine hygiene products, flushable wipes, toy trucks, and anything else are off limits. Yes, even flushable wipes—they often don’t degrade and can cause clogs. Don’t use your sinks for food scraps, grease, or oil. Only use them for water and other non-toxic liquids that don’t congeal or solidify (think fruit juice).

 

Call Us for Your Plumbing Disasters

Some way, somehow, someone at your gathering might accidentally violate one of these tips and cause one or two plumbing disasters. That’s what Custom Plumbing of Arizona is here for. We’re available 24/7, even on holidays. Call us at 602-883-2761.

Posted on Categories BlogTags Leave a comment on 5 More Tips to Prevent Plumbing Disasters After Your Holiday Dinner

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!

Posted on Categories BlogTags Leave a comment on 3 Tips to Avoid Buying a House with Plumbing Problems

What causes pinhole leaks in copper plumbing anyway? This is what you should know and how you might be able to prevent it.

The ceiling sags slowly, the bulge forming over days, and when you finally notice and decide to do something about it—SPLASH—it has dumped all over your entertainment system. Taking a closer look at the ceiling, you see a tiny leak spouting a thin stream of water out of your copper pipes.

Could that pinhole leak really cause that much damage? Absolutely. All it needs is time.

What causes pinhole leaks in copper plumbing?

Hard water and unbalanced pH are the most common causes of pinhole leaks in copper pipes. When your home’s plumbing system has hard water running through it, calcium and other minerals tend to build up and corrode the inner lining of copper pipes, eventually wearing through in places. Likewise, if your water is too acidic or basic, the water within your plumbing can slowly eat away at the pipes.

Additionally, any abrasive materials, such as sand and dirt, that move through your pipes can wear down the copper on the inside of the pipes. Over time, the pipes can wear thin enough to spring a leak.

Can you prevent leaks from happening?

Depending on the age of your home’s plumbing, you may be able to prevent leaks from forming. If your pipes are only a decade or two old and you have only had one or two pinhole leaks form, you may be able to minimize the damage they sustain from mineral deposits and unbalanced pH.

First, have a plumber test your water for hardness and pH. Once you know for sure what the problem is, then you can implement a solution. For instance, if you have hard water, you can install a water softening system to reduce the presence of calcium and other minerals that cause damage to pipes. If your water is too basic—i.e., it falls above a seven on the acidity scale—a water softener will also address this problem.

For acidic water, you may need to consider installing a filter with calcium carbonate to neutralize the acidity. Another common solution that homeowners use to fix pH imbalances and hard water is to install a reverse osmosis filtration system. Reverse osmosis pushed the water through a semipermeable material to filter everything out except for the water.

Don’t know what to do about the pinhole leaks in your plumbing? We can help.

What causes pinhole leaks in copper plumbing? If you have had to fix more than a few pinhole leaks in your home’s plumbing, it’s time to find a real solution, not just put a bandage on a systemic problem. We are here to help you diagnose and fix your plumbing problems. Get in touch with Custom Plumbing of Arizona today to set up an appointment. We’ll send one of our plumbing experts to your home as soon as possible.

Posted on Categories Commercial Plumbing Service, Residential Plumbing ServicesTags Leave a comment on What Causes Pinhole Leaks in Copper Plumbing? Slow Corrosion Is Expensive

What does it cost to snake a main drain? Find out the answer in this article. Hint: it can be expensive if you don’t pick the right plumber.

If you have a clog in your home’s main line, you may be wondering whether snaking your drain is worth the cost. Snaking a drain is typically inexpensive when compared to other options. However, the actual cost depends on a number of factors, including the plumber you choose.

Here are a few things you need to consider.

Cost to Snake a Main Drain

The cost of snaking a main drain is usually more expensive than snaking a regular drain, like a shower or sink. On average, it costs anywhere from $150 to $500, depending on the difficulty of the job and your plumber’s rates. For severe clogs, you may even need hydro-jetting services to completely clear the pipe.

The cost of the job can also go up because of several factors. If your plumber requires a trip charge to diagnose your problem, that’s already $50-200 added to your total bill before the job even begins. The severity, blockage cause, blockage location, and unforeseen damage can also make the cost to snake a main drain go up.

Other Options for Unclogging a Main Drain

Before you worry about the cost to snake a main drain, or if snaking the drain is not effective, you can try a few other solutions to rectify the situation. Some DIY solutions to loosen the clog include:

  • Baking soda and vinegar
  • Caustic cleaner
  • Plunger
  • Plumbing snake or auger rental
  • Chemical cleaners

Keep in mind that these methods are often less effective and can cause complications that lead to repairs. For instance, chemical cleaners can be hard on your pipes, so use caution when you choose this option. You should also exercise caution when trying to operate a plumbing snake or auger. Improper use may damage your pipes or even make the clog worse.

As previously mentioned, for complicated clogs, professional hydro-jetting may be your best bet, although this service is usually more expensive. 

Why You Should Let a Professional Clear Your Main Line

In addition to the risk that you take on when you try to solve your plumbing problems on your own, there are many reasons why you should let a professional take care of it for you. First, clearing a drain is a messy, unpleasant job. If you don’t want to be elbow-deep in dirt, grease, hair, and who knows what else, you should hire a professional.

Second, professional plumbers know the best method to use for each job. They are trained to work as fast and effectively as possible. Clearing a drain yourself will take much longer than it will take a plumber, so the money you spend on longer rental times for equipment and other materials may add up to what you would have had to pay a plumber anyway.

Want to learn more about the cost to snake a main drain? Custom Plumbing of Arizona is here to help!

What does it cost to snake a main drain? Contact us today if you need help with a stubborn blockage and the estimates!

Posted on Categories Residential Plumbing Services, Commercial Plumbing ServiceTags Leave a comment on The Cost to Snake a Main Drain Could Be More Than You Think

Commercial boiler repair is a critical service for businesses across Arizona. Here’s the best time to schedule maintenance for your system, how often you should schedule service, and other times to consider calling a professional.

Many businesses and commercial property owners have to contend with high heating costs during the cold months, even here in Arizona. Maintaining an efficient heating system can keep your operational costs down when the temperature plummets, and if your building uses a commercial boiler to keep the indoors cozy and comfortable, you need to know the best time to service your system.

Wait, why are we talking about heating during one of the hottest months of the year?

Well, it turns out that…

 

Early summer is one of the best times for commercial boiler repair!

Think about it. First, when are heating specialists the busiest? In case you don’t know, the answer is during the fall and winter months. Even during early spring, heating service and repair can be in high demand if winter takes a long time to fade.

Second, if you want to be prepared for the cold, it’s best to take care of any problems while you do not need to worry about staying warm, especially if you need to budget for any costly repairs. You do not want to get caught without heat when it gets cold at night.

Even though Arizona has relatively mild winters, having your heat go out can keep you from running your business. Scheduling commercial boiler repair now will help you stay open all year, without any interruptions.

 

How often should I service my commercial boiler?

Regular tune-ups are essential for any heating system. Maintaining your system is usually less expensive than repairing a broken boiler, so you shouldn’t neglect to schedule regular service. At a minimum, you should have a professional inspect and service your boiler once a year.

Regular maintenance will also improve efficiency, which can drive down your operational costs. As a business owner or commercial space owner, you know just how important it is to save costs wherever you can.

 

Are there other times when I should schedule service?

In addition to annual commercial boiler repair service, you should also consider scheduling a maintenance call when you purchase new property. There is no telling when the previous owners last serviced the heating system. It is better to know about any problems from the start so you can plan for future repair costs.

Servicing your new property’s boiler will also start you on a regular schedule, which can increase the lifespan of your heating system. The longer your boiler lasts, the less you will have to spend. Anyone who has had to replace their commercial boiler knows how expensive it can be.

 

Schedule Your Service Now

Custom Plumbing of Arizona is here to help you keep your boiler in great shape so that you don’t have to worry about the heat going out when it gets cold. To schedule your annual service, contact us today.

Posted on Categories Boiler Repair, Boiler Repair and Replacement, Commercial PlumbingTags Leave a comment on Commercial Boiler Repair: The Best Time for Service Is Now