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Ten Questions To Ask A Plumber
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The Dirty Plumbing Facts About Superbowl Sunday
Superbowl Sunday is synonymous with big gatherings of people, lots of food, plenty of drinks, and yes, you guessed it…tons of plumbing problems! But do these plumbing problems really have to deal with the Superbowl? Well, the answer is a perplexing YES AND NO.
Last year, Superbowl Sunday 2012, most municipal water districts saw a water usage spike of nearly 13% throughout the game (primarily during halftime and immediately following the final seconds). This clearly shows that our plumbing systems were getting a much larger workout than normal, but it doesn’t necessarily mean a red flag for plumbing problems. In fact, most modern plumbing systems are built to withstand a much higher demand, such as that demonstrated on Superbowl Sunday. So, why all the plumbing issues then?
Well, the higher amount of usage is one reason, but the real reason is simple…POOR MAINTENANCE AND NEGLIGENCE! And it’s not just when it comes to your bathrooms either, it’s your kitchen sink as well! Remember they’re all connected after all!
So how can you beat the Superbowl Sunday plumbing blues? Well, here are a few tips to help keep your plumbing from throwing a flag in your plans…
- Most people won’t do this, but the smart ones will. Call a local plumber for an annual plumbing maintenance inspection the week prior to the big game. Normally less than $100, this simple once-a-year inspection will save you loads of headaches and checkbook aches not only on Superbowl Sunday but throughout the year! AND it’s not just for your toilets either, but your entire home plumbing system!
- Remove any small objects around the toilet or around the sink in order to keep them falling in and clogging the toilet.
- Remove all sanitary napkins, tampons, paper towels, wipes, etc from the bathroom. These items do not dissolve easily (if even at all) and are known to clog toilets in a flash. If people need them, they will ask, at which point you can give it to them with a reminder not to flush it down the toilet.
- Make sure to leave a wastebasket in the bathroom as well, in order to reduce the amount of waste going down the toilet
- Don’t overload the garbage disposal with food scraps either. Throw the scraps in the trash first before washing dishes in the sink. If you can, refrain from washing any dishes in the sink until later on in the evening or even the next day.
- Don’t throw grease down the drain! Wipe grease off with a paper towel or dump it in an empty can and throw it in the trash. (Grease and water don’t mix, so grease becomes sludge and clogs up your drain pipes like fat on an artery.)
- And finally, if your toilets are known for being a little finicky, consider switching to 1-ply toilet paper for the big game. Most guests won’t even notice it, but your plumbing sure will thank you!
So this Superbowl Sunday, don’t put your guests in an icky situation. Watching as the water rises in the toilet and wondering if it’s their fault isn’t how you want them to remember their party experience with you. Do yourself and your guests a couple of additional favors just in case:
- Leave a plunger in the bathroom. (Often times a quick plunge will get the toilet back to normal and will save your guests the humiliation of asking for it. (They even sell nice decorative plunger covers too)
- Know where your water shutoff valves are. (This will help save you from any major flooding in case of emergency.)
- Lastly, if a toilet gets clogged, and if at all possible, don’t hassle with it in front of your guests. Let your guests use a secondary bathroom and take care of it later.
Superbowl Sunday is meant to be a fun time and shouldn’t be spent hovering over your toilet bowl trying to figure out the problem. So be prepared!
This Superbowl Sunday lands on February 3rd this year, 2013, so mark your calendars and get ready to focus on a bowl other than the toilet one! Have a great game day everyone and stays safe!
What is a Rooter?
We have often been asked the question “What exactly is a ‘rooter’?” The name ‘rooter’ has been popularized by various big-name plumbing companies, but not many people know what it really is. Do you know?
Well, simply put, rooter is a generic name given to a machine that is used for drain cleaning. Often this machine is also referred to as a plumbers snake or a drain cable.
Now for a bit of history about the rooter, the gentleman who invented the rooter machine did so with the intention of being able to clear clogged drains that were blocked from tree roots which stopped the drains from functioning properly. This gentleman’s name was Samuel L. Blanc. He reportedly developed and used the first rooter back in 1933. Of course, the first rooter was not as technologically advanced as those that we, as professional plumbers, use today, but the concept is still the same. The first rooter built by Blanc was assembled from a washing machine motor, roller skate wheels, and a steel cable to rotate the blades. Prior to this invention though, if there was a clogged pipe or toilet in your home, a plumber would have to dig up the whole yard to find the problem. So much has changed since then!
Furthermore, the commonly known “roto-rooter” name was coined by Samuel’s wife, Lettie. Located on Euclid Avenue in Des Moines, the home where Samuel & Lettie lived and where this sewer cleaning machine was actually invented still exists today! It was originally built as a schoolhouse in 1873, but in about 1922, Samuel purchased the building and converted it into a home for his family. It remains a private residence today.
Well, now you know what a rooter is and where it came from. Hopefully, your next run on jeopardy will be a win! Thanks for reading through!
The Importance of Annual Plumbing Maintenance – Is It Really A Necessity?
Our plumbing systems are rarely ever given a second thought. We wake up in the morning, go to the bathroom, brush our teeth, take a shower, pour water in the coffee pot, and continue our entire day without even a glimpse of appreciation for these underground beauties – that is until there’s a problem.
Just like a car, your eyesight and your teeth, however, your home or office plumbing is a highly intricate machine that requires annual maintenance, check-ups, and cleanings to make sure that it is running properly and most efficiently. Most of us know all too well that dreaded dentist appointment, after years of skipping out on dental checkups, when you feel that first twinge of pain from that new cavity. You know the news is not going to be good. You know it’s going to cost you, but whose fault is it?
The same goes for plumbing. In this industry, we generally don’t hear from our customers until there’s a problem, and often it’s a major one. The sad part is, for most people, their home or business is THE SINGLE LARGEST investment they have ever made, and the low cost of a simple annual plumbing maintenance checkup is far exceeded by its value, savings, and peace of mind to you, and your family.
Here is a quick example that might help you get an idea of what we are talking about:
“Joe” is a valued customer of ours (we will not use his real name for confidentiality reasons), but Joe called us on a Tuesday night last week at around 11 pm with an emergency water heater leak. Upon arrival, our technician noticed massive amounts of corrosion surrounding Joe’s water heater, and a hole the size of a baseball. Joe ended up having to replace his water heater that night, but the sad part is, he ended up paying nearly TRIPLE THE AMOUNT!
Why did Joe have to pay so much? Well, here it is: On top of the regular cost of a new water heater with installation, Joe also had to pay an emergency fee as well as call a restoration company to clear the damage caused by the leaking water, so that mold and bacteria would not grow and infect his family.
If Joe would have considered having an annual plumbing maintenance checkup, even just a few weeks prior, the technician would have noticed all of the corrosion surrounding Joe’s water heater and would have made a simple recommendation to replace the unit. Altogether, with a simple annual maintenance checkup, Joe could have easily saved well over a couple of thousand dollars!!! Can you believe it???
So before you’re put in this same nightmare of a situation, give us a call today and we’ll set you up with our 20+ point annual plumbing maintenance inspection right away! Don’t be like Joe, save yourself from the headaches and the pocketbook punches!