Caring for Your Plumbing System
If you are looking for a plumber in the Kansas City area, and are a little overwhelmed by all of the different plumbing services available, take a look at what we’re all about at Anthony Plumbing. We teach our valued clients proactive habits that they can take to better care for their plumbing, as well as offering our expert services for any repairs or installation projects. Unlike some plumbers in the Kansas City area, we strive to develop a long-lasting relationship with our customers, instead of aiming for expensive, and sometimes unnecessary, repairs. Let’s look at different aspects of your home’s plumbing system and talk about some of the things that you can do to make them more efficient, as well as some of the plumbing services that Anthony Plumbing can take care of for you.
Main water shut-off valve.
This is one of those things that you’ll wish you knew the location of if there’s ever a water emergency, and you need to turn the water off. It will stop all water from flowing into your home.
Clogged Drains
It’s the most common plumbing issue that homeowners face. Your drains connect to all of the pipes that direct waste water out of your home. Here are a few things to know about clogged drains.
Salt and hot water: Believe it or not, it usually works. If the clog hasn’t been neglected for too long, pouring a little salt and flushing with hot water can clear it.
If your sewage is clogged: Barring any structural issues with broken pipes, sewage that is clogged is usually because of something that was flushed that shouldn’t have been. Only toilet paper can be flushed. If plunging won’t unclog the blockage, give us a call at Anthony Plumbing. Our technicians are available 24/7 to take care of all of your plumbing needs.
Ways to prevent clogs: Here are a few things that you can do to keep your drains free from clogs.
- Don’t overload your disposal. It’s only for scraps.
- Keep food scraps out of drains.
- Keep hair out of shower drains with screens.
- Never pour grease down drains.
- Don’t flush feminine-hygiene products.
Water pressure
While you want to have sufficient water pressure for your showers and some appliances, you don’t want to have too much pressure. It will cause more wear and tear on your pipes and fixtures. You can buy a bib gauge from your local hardware store and check the pressure yourself. It should be between 40 and 85 psi. Or, we can come out and check it for you, and reduce the water pressure, if needed.
What if the water pressure is only low in certain areas?
If you are noticing some sinks or showers that have reduced water pressure, it could be a problem with the aerator, located at the end of the tap on a sink faucet. The shower-head would function as the aerator in the bathroom. You can take the aerator on a sink tap apart and clean it with vinegar and a stiff brush. Shower-heads can be soaked in a vinegar and hot water solution overnight. You can either do this yourself or have it as a part of your annual professional plumbing maintenance program.
How do I prevent frozen water pipes?
If water pipes are located too close to outer walls and are exposed to the cold weather, they can freeze. Worse yet, they can burst causing a serious flood when the frozen water pipes thaw. Having insulation installed and wrapped securely around the pipes is the best way to keep them from freezing. If you have pipes that haven’t been protected yet, and they are prone to freeze in the winter, you can also leave a trickle of water running to keep them from freezing.
Chemicals
There really aren’t any chemicals that are good for your drains. Drain cleaners might unclog a drain, but some of the clog will remain, and it will happen all over again. The chemicals are also highly abrasive on your fixtures and pipes, causing them to erode if used repeatedly. It’s much better for your pipes if you have them snaked to get rid of clogs.
Even the chemicals advertised for your septic systems are not going to be the best answer. These solutions can actually interfere with the bacterial balance in your septic tank and make matters worse.
How do I know if I have hard water, and what’s the best way to deal with it?
Typically, if you have city water, it will already be softened by your municipality. Although, it still might not be soft enough. But, if you have well water, you will want a water softener to filter some of the harmful minerals out of the water. Hard water will leave a white residue on your plumbing fixtures, cause white clothing to turn yellow in the laundry, and can cause health issues for some people.
How do I know if I have a broken water heater?
Just because you don’t have hot water doesn’t mean that you have a broken water heater. There are a couple of things that you can check.
Traditional water heaters with tanks can only supply a certain amount of hot water before they run out. Then, they will heat up more water. So, you may have to sometimes wait for more hot water to be available.
The pilot light on the water heater can also burn out occasionally. In some cases, a sudden breeze can blow the flame out. If you don’t see the lit flame when you look into the opening at the bottom of the water heater, it will need to be lit. You can relight the pilot, or give us a call at Anthony Plumbing, and we’ll be happy to do it for you.
Outdoor spigots in winter
Make sure that all garden hoses are disconnected before it starts to freeze outside. The residual water in the hose can freeze causing the spigot to expand and burst. You’d have a flood outside that might not be noticed right away.
Take care of your pipes.
As one of the premiers plumbers in the Kansas City area, we’ve seen a lot. Too often, we visit homes for maintenance or repairs and see the overhead pipes in the basement being used to hang clothes or for other means of support. Too much weight pulling on pipes can cause issues over time.
Call Anthony Plumbing today for all of your plumbing needs. Let us show you how we have earned our reputation for being one of the most trusted plumbers in the Kansas City area. We can take care of anything from clogged drains to sewer cleaning, damaged pipes, and appliance installation, just to skim the surface of the capabilities of our multi-talented team of technicians. We can even set you up on a regular maintenance plan to keep all of your plumbing systems operating efficiently for as long as possible.