Common Questions Can I increase the water pressure in my bathroom faucet? First, check the emergency shutoff under your sink to make sure it's fully open. If rubber washers or seals have begun to deteriorate, you'll also lose water pressure, so check those. Calcium and lime buildup will also cause low water pressure.
Even small drips can waste thousands of gallons of water, as much as 150 gallons a day! Be sure to check under sinks for moisture or small leaks. And always repair leaky faucets right away to avoid paying for wasted water, and also to avoid water damage to your fixtures and pipes. Remove and clean your faucet aerators annually to ensure an even flow of water. Make sure overflow holes on tubs and vanities are clear and open to prevent water damage to floors and ceilings.
Usually, faucet dimensions and sink openings are standard throughout the plumbing industry, so the answer is usually yes. There are a few exceptions, so check the size of the sink opening before you buy new fixtures. Should I close and open the main water supply shutoff valve periodically? Yes. You want to make sure they're not stuck in the open position just when you have a water emergency! Do the same periodic check for the shutoff valves on your sinks, tubs, and toilets, too.
What can I do about a sewer line blockage? The main culprit
could be tree roots which have infiltrated the sewer lateral or offsets caused by earth movement. Roots can cause breaks
and separations in the old clay lines. Many of the joints are simply mortared and cannot withstand movement and are
easily penetrated by tree roots. Additionally, during the rainy season rain and silt can enter the line causing further
problems and overwhelming our treatment plants. A plumbing professional can snake or hydroject the lateral, but most
likely it will need to be replaced.
For minor clogs, they're
fine, but never use them on a drain that is completely clogged. The caustic ingredients are trapped in your pipes, and it
can severely damage them. If you can't snake the drain yourself, contact a professional to do so. Never use
caustic drain openers in a drain that has a garbage disposal. A liquid enzyme drain opener such as BioSmart™ is safe to use and won't harm the environment.
Do not rinse fats or cooking oils down the kitchen sink. Liquid fats solidify in the cold pipes and create clogs. To help prevent clogs, fit all your tubs and shower drains with a strainer that
catches hair and soap chips, and clean the strainer regularly. Use
BioSmart regularly to maintain clear drains. What's the best way to extend the life of my garbage disposal? Always use plenty of cold water when running your disposal, and avoid overloading it. Never dispose of very hard items like bones or corn husks. And never use a caustic drain opener. You can extend Never use your hands to retrieve items dropped inside - use tongs instead!
In many homes, the kitchen and laundry drains are connected. When the lint from the laundry drains meets the grease buildup from soap and food products, a nearly solid substance is formed, causing blockage. Using filters and strainers will help, but you'll also need to get the drains snaked periodically as well. Toilet leaks can be wasteful and expensive. At least once a year, check your
toilet for leaks by adding a small amount of red food coloring to the tank, and then check the toilet bowl later. If the toilet
bowl water is colored red, water is seeping through from the tank. If it is leaking, you should replace the tank ball. Why doesn't my old water heater work as well as it used to? This is usually due to a sediment buildup in your tank. As water heaters grow older, they accumulate sediment and lime deposits. If these deposits are not removed periodically, the sediment will create a barrier between the burner and the water, greatly reducing the water heater's performance level. At least once every three months, drain water from the tank. Draining a gallon or so on a regular basis helps remove the sediment. You should also periodically inspect your water heater burner. The flame under the heater should appear blue with yellow tips. If it's mostly yellow or sooty under there, your flue may be clogged, which is a dangerous situation. Contact a professional to check it out. At least once every two years, have your water heater inspected by a service technician. He or she will also check the drain valve for signs of leakage, and the anode rods for corrosion |
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