CLEANING YOUR GARBAGE DISPOSAL
CLEANING YOUR GARBAGE DISPOSAL
Considering that you throw some pretty disgusting food articles into your garbage disposal, you probably aren’t surprised that it sometimes becomes smelly and clogged. Unless you have abused your garbage disposal by continuously disposing of items that it cannot handle, solving a garbage disposal problem is relatively simple.
THE BASICS
When you flip the switch on your garbage disposal, blades start to spin to pulverize the food and debris you have thrown into it. Once pulverized enough, these articles flow downstream through your plumbing system as liquidized waste. Since the blades of your garbage disposal are very fast and strong, an odor problem may arise when you try to grind up some item that gets stuck against the walls of the disposal. If allowed to remain in the disposal long enough (a few days), you’ll have quite an unpleasant odor on your hands.
CLEANING A STINKY GARBAGE DISPOSAL
Once odor has invaded, the simplest way to rid your garbage disposal of that odor is to fill the disposal with soap and water and flush it out. To accomplish this task, stop up the sink where your disposal is located, fill your sink with enough soapy water to fill up the disposal, and then release the stopper while turning on your garbage disposal to have the disposal’s submerged blades spin the mixture around and hopefully dislodge the odor-producing gunk in your disposal. If this is a successful procedure, you’ll notice an immediate improvement in the odor.
IF SOAP AND WATER DON’T WORK
If soap and water don’t clear the odor, try the same flushing procedure and use baking soda and vinegar (½ cup of baking soda plus ½ cup of vinegar added to water) to partially fill your sink. Immediately following the last gurgle of the water going down the disposal, follow the mixture with boiling water.
If the above measures are unsuccessful, contact experienced licensed plumber for a guaranteed solution to that garbage disposal clog or odor problem.
Blog Post provided by: Marietta Garbage Disposal Plumbing service
Water Filtration Systems
Water Filtration Systems
The most important factor in choosing a water filtration system for your home is to know what is in your water to begin with. The only reliable way to obtain this information is through laboratory testing. Local health authorities can give you a list of state-certified testing laboratories that test residential water in your area. Once you know what contaminants are present in your drinking water, you are well on your way to choosing a water filtration system for your home.
Common contaminants found in drinking water around the country include iron, manganese, sulfur, bacteria, nitrates and low PH. In certain areas, chlorine, fluoride, sediment, heavy metals, hydrogen, sulfide and radon should be added to your list.
Typically, the most common filtration systems utilize activated carbon filters to filter the widest variety of contaminants. Other water filtration treatments include ultraviolet light treatment, effective against living organisms in drinking water, and reverse osmosis treatment, which removes a wide range of contaminants by forcing water through a membrane.
If water in your area is heavily contaminated, you may want to consider installing some or all of the following devices:
· refrigerator water filters,
· whole house water filters,
· water bottle filters,
· shower water filters,
· portable water filters,
· facet water filters,
· under-sink water filters,
· well water filters,
· countertop water filters, and
· pitcher water filters.
Pitcher and faucet water filter systems cost from $10.00 to $275.00 or more. Reverse osmosis systems will run you $150.00 to $500.00, with under-the-sink and countertop systems being anywhere from $50.00 to $400.00. Whole house systems depend on the size of your home and can be as inexpensive as $100.00 or can run into thousands of dollars. With this large variance in price, you’ll want to investigate your options for which water filtration systems suit your budget; also, make sure you factor in the cost for replacement filters as well as warranties and/or system replacement expenses.
If you feel lost in your search for the perfect water filtration system or you just want some expert advice, contact an experienced licensed plumber.
Blog Post provided by: Marietta, GA Plumbers
Showers
Showers
Ah, a soothing shower; what a glorious feeling after a hard day’s work, a gym work out, or some outdoor yard work. Nothing feels better than that warm water flowing over your body, cleansing it and soothing all those aching muscles.
When considering the perks a shower offers, you want to carefully choose what type you want in your house to produce maximum satisfaction for all your showering needs. Depending on your budget, you have the choice a prefabricated shower or a custom-built one. For the most part, showers differ in size, material, construction and configuration. They range from one-piece, prefabricated, stall-type showers to large, custom-built, steam showers, with the custom-built ones capable of being constructed from a number of waterproof materials in any size and shape and prefabricated ones being constructed of fiberglass.
Prefabricated Showers
Single-piece synthetic marble, laminate, or molded fiberglass showers are your least expensive choices in prefabricated showers. Simple to install, easy to clean, and watertight, they are usually square, rectangular, or shaped to fit into a corner. Most prefabricated shower stalls have pre-formed shelves, grab bars, and/or benches. One-piece prefabricated showers are popular choices in new construction since they are quick to install and don’t have seams, but, they aren’t as popular for bathroom remodeling as they are often too large to fit through doorways.
Custom Showers
Custom showers, on the other hand, are constructed from the ground up, making them a versatile choice if you have a budget to accommodate the expense. Options for a custom shower are limitless and can be designed as a small and compact or as large and elaborate as you wish. A custom shower can be enhanced with luxurious seats, multiple showerheads, full-body massagers, and steam-shower generators.
Regardless of your shower project budget or type of shower you choose, or whether the new shower is for new construction or a remodeled bathroom, a licensed plumber can install your shower and have it ready for your first shower with a minimum of work on your part.
Blog post provided by: Atlanta, Ga Bathroom Remodeling Specialists
Purchasing Your New Washing Machine
Purchasing Your New Washing Machine
Washing machines come in a variety of sizes and with as few or as many gadgets as you desire. But, in general, a washing machine is still just a big tub that when filled with water, agitates to scrub clothes clean and then spins to wring out as much water as possible from those clothes.
For most of us, the first decision about any appliance purchase will be a cost-effective one. However, don’t just consider the cost of a given washing machine; investigate the energy efficiency characteristics of your new purchase as the energy efficiency capabilities of it will determine future expenses of using the machine on a daily basis. Front-loading washing machines are the most energy efficient type of washing machine, but they also come with a much higher price tag than a top-loading machine.
Space is another factor in choosing your new washing machine. For a home with limited space, consider installing a stacked washer/dryer set-up. And, if you have room for a side-by-side washer and dryer, make sure you purchase a washer that has the same size capacity as the dryer you plan to match it with so you don’t find yourself with wet clothes lying around waiting to be dried because you can’t fit them into your dryer.
Lastly, you’ll want to decide what type tub you need and what gadgets you want on your machine. Frequency of clothes washing will determine what type tub you need. If you wash a lot of clothes, you’ll want to purchase a machine with a stainless steel tub, otherwise a porcelain-coated steel tub or a high-grade plastic one will suffice. As for the gadgets you want on your washing machine, the sky is the limit. You’re only limitation for gadgets will be your budget.
Once you’ve purchased your new washing machine, make sure it is installed properly and is in working order for your first load of laundry by contacting licensed plumber to install your new appliance.
Blog post provided by: Alpharetta, GA Plumbers
Repairing Your Toilet Tank
Repairing Your Toilet Tank
No matter how conscientious you are with home repairs, at some point your toilet tank will develop a problem that you must attend to. Usually your first clue will be leaking water or a puddle on the bathroom floor, making your first step identifying exactly where the leak is coming from.
Open the lid on your toilet tank, flush, and watch to see if any of the parts in the tank are catching on each other. If that is the problem, you can easily untangle the catching mechanism and your problem may be solved.
Next, try adjusting the length of the lever chain and check the ball cock to make sure it isn’t waterlogged. To do this, lift the ball cock out of the tank and shake it to determine if water is lodged in the ball. If it is, empty the water if you can, and if that doesn’t work, you’ll need to replace the ball cock.
Should you still have a leak, you’ll need to investigate further, using more sophisticated methods of identifying your toilet tank problem. First cut the water supply to the toilet tank and mark the water level inside. Re-check the water level in about 20-30 minutes to see if the water level has decreased or increased. If it has increased, your flush valve is probably broken. To repair the flush valve, replace the rubber flapper that seals the tank after flushing and you’re done. If the water level decreases, your refill valve is most likely defective, a simple replacement of this valve will probably solve the leak.
For other leaks you may need a plumber. Not all leaky toilet tank problems can be solved by the simple procedures discussed here. If you find that you need help with a toilet tank leak or any other plumbing problem, contact a local, licensed, experienced plumber to solve the problem. Don’t leave that leak until you’re water bill increases or other damage occurs.
Blog Post provided by: Marietta GA Toilet Repair Plumbers
Septic Tank Cleaning
Septic Tank Cleaning
When your septic tank needs cleaning, call a professional septic tank pumping service to do the job. Never attempt to clean a septic tank yourself, or allow a non-professional to attempt to clean your system. Septic system cleaning can be a dangerous business as it may expose the cleaner to unhealthy pathogens that thrive in a septic system. Never stick your head in the void space of your septic system to check it; decomposition of septic waste materials generate methane and gases that cause oxygen to be pushed out of the system. Consequently, breathing in these fumes can cause you to pass out or even die from exposure to them. Our licensed, professional septic tank contractors are trained and equipped to safely clean your septic tank system.
Periodic septic tank cleaning is important for the proper working of your septic tank system. Your septic tank needs to have a significant amount of liquid space in its tank so the waste that gets dumped into it can break down unencumbered. Unfortunately, if your tank begins to fill with sand, silt, gravel, or any other solid objects, the water is displaced, causing disruption of the breaking-down process. If your tank is allowed to remain too full for long, you could risk permanently damaging your leach field, a very expensive septic tank system replacement.
To extend and protect the life of your septic system, make sure you have it professionally cleaned on a regular basis. Also, watch what you put into the tank in between cleanings (obviously human waste and anything you would eat or drink is okay) as well. Avoid putting chlorine bleach in your tank as it will kill the beneficial bacteria that must exist in your septic system for it to work properly.
Blog Post provided by: Atlanta GA Septic Tank Cleaning Specialist
Septic Tank Jargon
Septic Tank Jargon
About one-third of all American households make use of a septic system to treat the waste in their homes. Septic systems are purposely designed to be fairly simple with all the drains in your home converging into a single pipe that leads to the septic tank buried outside. When the waste water from your toilet, shower, sinks and washing machine leave your house, it combines. When these waste products hit the septic tank however, they begin to separate, resulting in the heaviest particulate matter in the waste, called sludge, sinking to the bottom. At the top of your septic tank, fats, oils and proteins form a floating layer of these wastes, called scum. In the middle of these two layers, a comparatively clear liquid layer forms called effluent or gray water. Combined, these components comprise the septage, in your septic tank.
Septic systems are designed so that only the effluent layer is discharged from the tank into the drain field (also called the leach field). The drain field is simply a set of pipes with holes drilled into them that release the effluent below ground (but above the water table). The effluent is degraded enough to be appropriately-filtered by good soil. And since plenty of organic material is left in the effluent, the organic materials act as fertilizer which accounts for the fact that the drain field associated with septic tank systems usually boasts the healthiest segment of the yard above it.
Even though septic systems are designed simply, septic systems require homeowners to monitor them before problems arise. Usually, once a septic tank problem becomes obvious, it’s too late for a simple solution. Fixing a big septic problem often requires thousands of dollars worth of parts and labor. Fortunately, a little maintenance can go a long way in avoiding septic tank problems. If you are conscientious about having your septic tank pumped out by a licensed qualified service provider, you’ll most likely avoid these high-ticket repairs.
Blog post provided by: Cartersville GA Septic Tank Plumbers
Repairing Plumbing Pipes
Repairing Plumbing Pipes
The majority of plumbing problems occur at or near fixtures such as sinks, tubs, and toilets. Sometimes, however, your pipes themselves are the root of the problem. Plumbing pipes can be quite temperamental. They leak, sweat, freeze, and make loud noises.
Leaking Pipes
Plumbing leaks come in a variety of sizes. Some can flood your home, while others are not damaging at all. How you approach stopping a leak depends on the type of leak you are dealing with. If your leak problem occurs at a joint, tighten the joint. If your leak is in a pipe, remove the section that is leaking and replace it with a new section. Unfortunately, this is more easily said than done, so most water pipe replacement jobs are best left to a qualified plumber. However, if you are an avid, do-it-yourselfer, you may want to consider using a patch kit, found at most any hardware store. Unfortunately, while a patch kit is an easy fix it may not stop your leak on a permanent basis if your pipe is damaged to begin with.
Quieting Noisy Pipes
Banging pipes, sometimes called water hammer, is only one of several different noises that can come from your plumbing system. If you hear a banging sound when you turn on water, your pipes are probably striking against something. Solving a banging pipe problem is easier if you can see the pipes in question, so if you can manage to see the moving pipe, even if it is between the walls, you may be able to silence it by padding the ends of the pipes as they emerge from behind your wall, eliminating the need to tear your house apart.
If the knocking sound occurs only when you turn on the hot water, your water heater is set too high. Turning down the heat setting may silence the pipes.
While drainpipes rarely clatter, they do sometimes make a sucking noise as water leaves a sink or basin. If you hear this sound, it means that a vent, such as the hole at the top edge of a bathroom sink, is restricted or your drain has no vent at all attached to it. In either case, a potentially serious plumbing problem exists when you hear this sound because a non-functioning or non-existent vent can eliminate the water seal and allow sewer gases to back up into your home. Try eliminating the problem with a plumber’s snake. If that doesn’t work, call a licensed qualified plumber to make sure your system is functioning properly. Don’t risk your family’s health if you aren’t sure of how to fix a noisy pipe.
Blog post provided by: Marietta Ga plumbers
Purchasing a Tankless Water Heater
Purchasing a Tankless Water Heater
You’ve decided to purchase an energy and water saving tankless water heater. Great! But how do you know what kind to buy? Tankless water heaters are also referred to as instantaneous or demand water heaters, so keep these terms in mind when you are shopping for your tankless water heater as you don’t want to risk passing up a great deal because you don’t realize that the terms are interchangeable. Basically any water heater that advertises that it is used only when there is a demand for hot water is a tankless water heater.
Before actually purchasing your tankless water heater, you’ll need to consider the fuel type you need, where you will put the unit, and what size unit to purchase (determined by your hot water demands and the application of the unit).
As for fuel type, your choices are either an electric tankless water heater or a gas-fired tankless water heater. In many cases, this is determined by the type of energy set-up you already have in your home. Check with a qualified local plumbing contractor to determine what options are available in your home if you don’t already know. For electric-powered water heaters you’ll have to have appropriate amounts and types of electricity to install the unit; and for gas-fired ones, type of gas available to you and certain venting requirements will be the restrictions you must deal with. If you research local building codes to ensure that your water heater is within the guidelines of your specific location, you’ll have an easier time of making an informed decision about your purchase. But remember, gas-fired tankless water heaters may still require a minimal electrical connection, so review installation requirements for the units you are considering.
Next, consider where you will need hot water, the location as well as the application. These factors will determine where to put the units so as to best deliver hot water to the locations you need it in. For example, do you need a unit that will heat the water at one bathroom sink (single point application), an entire bathroom (multipoint application), or an entire house, apartment, or condo (whole house application)? Recognizing the number of fixtures that will require hot water since each fixture will have its own demands, is an important consideration when deciding where to locate your unit(s).
Typically, tankless water heaters provide hot water at a rate of 2 to 5 gallons (7.6 to 15.2 liters) per minute, with gas-fired ones, in most cases, producing higher flow rates than electric ones. And, smaller tankless water heaters are not always capable of supplying enough hot water for simultaneous, multiple uses in large households; so make sure you are aware of approximately how much hot water you use in your home to determine what size tank you want to purchase. If you do have a large household, and anticipate the need for lots of hot water, you can install a “whole house” type tankless water heater or two or more tankless water heaters, either connected parallel to one another or as separate tankless water heaters for individual appliances, such as your clothes washer or dishwater, that use a lot of hot water. If you are unsure of what size to choose, ask your installer for recommendations about the size you need.
Consider these factors before purchasing your new or replacement tankless hot water heater and you’ll have hot water to enjoy for years without giving it another thought. Taking the time to research the purchase of any appliance you’ll use for years is always a great investment of your time and energy.
Blog post provided by: Atlanta GA Tankless Water Heater Company
Recycled Waste Water Processes
Recycled Waste Water Processes
Systems used to purify waste water after it leaves your home range from septic tanks to huge sewage treatment plants. Regardless of the system used, the process of cleansing waste water is a simple one.
Waste treatment systems all use a combination of chemical, biological, and physical processes to remove contaminants from water. Consequently, the success of any waste water treatment process can be compromised when used improperly for disposal of things it is not prepared to clean. Phosphorus detergents, fertilizers, and bleaches all interfere with the natural process of the consumption of solid wastes by microorganisms. In addition, pesticides and other chemicals poured down drains and sinks will eventually enter the fresh water supply that we all consume. All households, regardless of their type of processing facility should be conscientious about what is dispose of in their plumbing systems.
Septic Systems
Private septic systems consist of underground tanks with a system of pipes radiating out from the tank. Sewage, upon reaching the tank settles to the bottom of the tank, where it is consumed by microorganisms. As the septic tank fills, water flows through porous drain pipes in the tank and distributes the water into the soil. The water is then filtered through the thick layers of soil and rock and returns to the water table. With regular pumping of a septic system, septic tanks are an efficient and practical way to clean waste water from a residence.
Lagoon Systems
Lagoon water treatment systems are state-of-the-arts waste treatment facilities in which aquatic plants break down solid wastes to make the water clean for reuse. In these systems, plant material is periodically harvested, dried, and processed to create fertilizer. The purified water is used to irrigate farm lands and urban landscapes.
Sewage Treatment Plants
Sewage treatment plants are the most popular urban solution to waste water cleansing from homes and businesses. Sewage, a combination of water and solid wastes, is directed first to settling tanks, where the solid wastes sink to the bottom. Next a biological treatment is performed in which microorganisms digest the remaining organic material in the water. Finally, the water is filtered, disinfected with chlorine, and discharged into irrigation canals, lakes, and streams and returned for consumption and use.
Regardless of the simplicity of each of these waste water treatment systems, we all need to be conscious of our disposal of waste water. The more conscientious we are about how we dispose of waste, the safer our water will be.
Blog post provided by: Cartersville, GA sewer and septic service experts