plumber Archives - Drainiacs

Relocating A Water Heater

Posted on December 16, 2011 | by Drainiacs

Let’s face it, unless you have invested in the new state-of-the-art tankless systems, water heaters take up a lot of space. In most older homes these units are even positioned right smack in the middle of the house, or “hidden” in some hall closet or just sittin’ right in the kitchen. This can be annoying, and a thought that fills many people’s minds is ‘what you would be able to do with all of that space if that water heater wasn’t there.’ It’s a great thought, and quite hopeful, but what many people don’t know is how much work and how many different costs go into relocating a water heater, even if it’s just to the other side of the wall.

First, there is the water heater itself: Will you be using your existing water heater or purchasing a new one?

If you plan to use the same unit, you should first find out how old the unit is, if it’s working properly in its current location, and when the last time it was inspected and completely flushed. If the unit is old and on its last leg, you might want to consider purchasing a new unit to get it all taken care of at once. Having to go back in to replace the unit will just make it that much harder and more expensive for you. If the unit is fairly new or in good working condition, wipe your brow because you just saved yourself a few hundred of dollars.

If you plan to purchase a new unit, you need to decide what type of unit you would like to purchase; A new tankless system or a conventional tank water heater. If you are leaning toward a tankless unit, although they are great space savers and highly energy-efficient, there can be some pitfalls to them, so do a little research first and figure out if a tankless unit is actually a good fit for you and your family. You can check out our article The Pros & Cons of Going Tankless: Is A Tankless Water Heater Right For You? or contact us if you have any questions. Either way, keep in mind that water heaters are not cheap, they are a good-sized investment for your home and should last anywhere from 10-15 years depending on their maintenance and weathering around them.

Next, is figuring out where you would like to relocate your water heater to.

This is one of the most highly impactful parts of your decision in regard to cost next to purchasing a new unit. First and foremost is the safety and code of moving the water heater. Most cities require a permit, which you can request from your city’s building department (as well as an inspection after the unit is moved). This is primarily due to the fact that you will most likely be moving some major structural fixtures such as the exhaust, the natural gas lines, and the water lines. Next, you will need to know if there is a water and gas supply at the location where you would like the unit moved to. If not, this again can be quite a pocket buster and will require a lot more work, but if there is, go ahead and take another sigh of relief!

Finally, once the location is chosen, it’s all about moving the water heater

This is the part that most people don’t really think about: What actually goes into moving a water heater. It’s not as easy as just picking it up, moving it, and reconnecting it. There’s quite a bit more involved. If the supply lines (gas and water) need to be moved that is the first major issue, then you have to think about the other details: replacing the exhaust pipe, a new concrete slab, a metal shed, earthquake straps, exhaust straps, and not to mention any flooring, ceiling and roofing repairs along with some hefty patchwork.

As you can see, relocating a water heater isn’t as simple as you may have thought. It takes quite a bit more labor and skill than most people may think, but that’s not to say that it can’t be done on your own. In fact, we have many customers who have taken the DIY route in relocating a water heater and we’re all for it! But if you’re one of those who would just rather have a professional do it for you, we hope this article has prepared you a little bit for what you can expect. At Daniel Cordova Plumbing, Drain & Sewer, we always take our time in explaining to our customers what each job entails, and always provide you options so you can decide for yourself what works for you and fits in your budget. If you’re ready to move your water heater though and would like some help, just know that you can always count on us for fair prices, exceptional customer service, and the highest quality work! Give us a call today!

Root Intrusion & Drain Clogs

Posted on November 29, 2011 | by Drainiacs

Trees are beautiful for landscaping around your home and provide lots of shade during hot summer months, but beware! The roots from these beauties are the number one cause of sewer line damage in homes and are definitely the most expensive sewer maintenance problem as well. These roots can cause major backups in your system, or worse case scenario, can even cause a complete collapse of your system. Learn how to prevent and maintain your pipes from this damage, or, if you’re already experiencing a problem, learn what you need to do to stop these roots from causing any further damage.

How do roots get into my pipes in the first place?

A tree’s roots are actually made up of a couple different parts; the larger more permanent roots, located closer to the base of the tree, are for support and stabilization, and the smaller, more hair-like roots which travel away from the tree, are for water and nutrient absorption. When water travels through your pipes, its warmth radiates vapors in the piping, but if a small crack or leak is apparent, or if any of the joints are loose, these vapors radiate out into the soil surrounding the pipe. The small hair-like roots of the tree attract toward these vapors and enter the pipes at these small cracks and leaks or loose joints looking for water and nutrients. This is mostly apparent during hot summer or drought periods, or extremely cold winter months when there is no rain.

How do the roots affect my pipes though?

The hair-like roots will begin to grow within the pipe and form masses surrounding each point of entry. As you continue to use your sinks & showers, debris from your drains flows through these pipes trying to make its way to the main sewer line, but like a net, the roots become a catchall for this debris and slowly begin to clog your pipes causing backups and reduced flow in your drains. If not taken care of, these roots can cause a complete blockage in your drains, or worse, the roots will expand putting lots of pressure on the crack where they entered, causing the pipe to break and a complete collapse of your pipes to occur.

What do I do if I’ve already noticed my drains begin to slow?

Since the problem is underground and out of sight, it is usually kept out of mind until it’s too late. Slowing of your drains and gurgling from your toilets though, are the two biggest indicators of root intrusion in your pipes. Your best bet is to call a local plumber as soon as possible, like Daniel Cordova Plumbing, Drain & Sewer, to come check out the problem. Often a sewer camera inspection can help determine the extent of the damage; If the damage is minor, a plumber can remove the roots by using a root saw or a high pressure flushing system, but if the damage is severe, where the pipes are structurally damaged, they might require complete replacement.

How can I prevent roots from entering my pipes?

The best way to prevent root intrusion is first, to make sure that when you plant or re-plant trees and other shrubs around your home, that you find out where your sewer lateral pipe is located, the pipe that connects your home plumbing system to the main sewer line, beforehand, and make sure to plant at least ten (10) feet away from it. Second, is to schedule a regular cleaning of your sewer lateral pipe. Once roots have already entered your pipes though, and once you have had them cut or cleaned out, it is important to keep up with this maintenance because when cut from the inside of the pipe, the root is still located at the same entry point and will continue to grow eventually causing a major break of the pipe.

Since the sewer line is located in city property though, wouldn’t they have to take care of it?

Keep in mind that although the sewer line is generally located in the street, which IS city property, homeowners are still responsible for maintaining their sewer lateral pipe that connects their home plumbing to the sewer line.

Summing everything up, what is the overall story about root intrusion in my pipes?

Overall, roots can cause a lot of damage to your home plumbing system, and if not taken care of correctly, will eventually end up causing a complete collapse of your system. So make sure to get your drains inspected and cleaned regularly (we recommend scheduling an appointment at least once a year) and make sure to take care of any problems as soon as they occur. Waiting to fix these problems will only cause you bigger and way more extensive and expensive problems in the future.

Hard Water Headaches

Posted on August 29, 2011 | by Drainiacs

HARD WATER HEADACHES: SOLUTIONS FOR THE TOUGHEST GRIME

Hard water stains

We’ve all seen it. That white grime that sticks to our shower walls, bath & kitchen sinks, and all of our faucets and fixtures near water. We clean and scrub until our knuckles are white and our backs are aching, but to no avail. What causes this headache and how can it be fixed? Well, the culprit is hard water, and although this filthy residue CAN be cleaned, unfortunately, there’s not quite an “easy fix” to the problem. There are however many solutions that you can try which will work, and which we have listed here, but first, let’s start from the top.

What is hard water exactly? Hard water is water that has an extremely high mineral content of calcium and magnesium. When water is left sitting on a surface, like water drops on your shower door after you have just taken a shower or on your sink faucet after you wash your hands, the calcium and magnesium in the water harden to form a rock-hard film or debris that looks a lot like soap scum. It often makes these surfaces look grimy and filthy no matter how often or how hard you clean them, and although hard water generally is not harmful to one’s health, it can often pose serious problems to the plumbing in your home and to certain household appliances as well. A few unseen problems, such as slow-building drain clogs & low-water pressure in showers and faucets, are just a few of the many problems, aside from that filthy-looking residue, that hard water causes.

As mentioned before, and if you’ve already tried, you know that hard water is not the easiest to clean, and the longer the buildup remains, the more hard water buildup piles on, and the harder it is to clean. So, before you call a professional and spend a lot of money, why not try a few of these solutions yourself:

Cleaning hard water deposits on shower doors, tile, faucets, countertops, etc

Industrial cleaners- which are made from certain chemicals can be used to break apart the scaly deposits and make it easier to wash them away.
High-pressure steamers- the high-pressure steam causes the residue to loosen and then fall off these surfaces.
High-pressure washers– the high-pressure washers harshly break apart the residue and wash it away; however, extreme caution needs to be taken with this method, as the high pressure of the water can often tear apart the surface causing even further damage and sometimes necessary replacement.
Muriatic acid- can be diluted and sprayed on to hard water crust to wash it away, but make sure that it is being used in a well-ventilated area, and is stored away from chlorine, as it will become explosive.
White vinegar- sprayed on or poured on to the surface, the vinegar begins to break apart these deposits. Letting it set for a minimum of ten minutes, and taking a toothbrush to the surface after it has finished setting will greatly help the process, and then just wash it away.

Cleaning hard water deposits in fixtures and appliances

Low water pressure in shower and sink faucets– often caused by hard water buildup inside of the faucet, it can easily be cleaned by submerging the faucet in vinegar for 6-8 hours. Taking apart a fixture isn’t always the easiest thing to do, so to make things easier, try filling a small sandwich-sized baggie with vinegar and putting the baggie over the faucet so the facet is completely submerged in the vinegar. Tie the baggie into place by using a rubber band and leave it to set overnight or for at least 6-8 hours. This will break down the mineral build-up and clear the holes that caused the pressure to backup.
Coffee makers, teapots, and other pots and pans- pour white vinegar directly into your coffee maker and run as usual. It might take more than one cycle to get the water spots to come clean, but after a few runs, it should be looking pretty clean and clear. Calcium deposits in teapots and kettles can also be removed by bringing 2 cups of vinegar to boil, let set for 10 minutes, and then wash well. Same with other pots and pans.
Dishwashers and washing machines- Pour 2 cups of vinegar directly into your dishwasher and run through a short cycle to clean the interior and hoses of the washer, or pour 2 cups of vinegar down the bleach dispenser of your washing machine and run a small cycle to clean the interior and hoses of that washer.

If hard water still remains a problem, give us a call at (855) 327-0885 or contact us online. These parts might need to be replaced to prevent any further problems deeper within these systems. General maintenance of hard water spots and residue is key, whether it is weekly, bi-weekly, or even monthly. Hard water shouldn’t be a headache, so keep on top of it by using these solutions to help you relieve this headache once and for all!

10 Easy Things To Do (And Not To Do) To Avoid Calling A Plumber

Posted on August 29, 2011 | by Drainiacs

Plumbing problems can be a major pain, especially when they occur at the most unexpected, and sometimes most crucial moments. For example, picture yourself having a nice holiday gathering at your home. You’re right about serving a wonderful dinner that you have slaved to cook for hours over the stove for when all of a sudden your plumbing backs up! What a mess! Calling a plumber at a time like this might be your only option, but there are many ways to prevent this mess from ever occurring. Below are 10 easy things to do (and not to do) to avoid calling a plumber. Some of these may sound very trivial and some even completely obvious, but year after year, we find the same exact problems springing up in homes all around our general service area in Los Angeles County, with people disheartened by the damper it has put on their day. So before that next big event at your home, or even just as a daily or monthly cleaning and prevention plan, remember these tips!

Don’t put grease down your drain! Grease solidifies and clogs drains very easily.
Don’t use your garbage disposal as a trash can and dump large amounts of food & scraps down it, they build up and will either cause it to back up or break down.
Always turn on the water before turning on the garbage disposal, and keep it running for at least 30 seconds after turning it off to wash the waste down the drain.
Try to scrape off as much scrap food on plates and dishes into the trash, before rinsing in your sink, and especially before entering your dishwasher.
Try to keep the area around your sink clear of any small objects such as utensils and other kitchen gadgets that can easily slip down the drain into the garbage disposal and/or pipes.
Don’t dispose of any paper towels, cleaning wipes, sanitary wipes, or sanitary napkins down the toilet. These almost always cause toilets to clog. (Tip: Avoid making these items available in guest bathrooms altogether, as guest bathrooms are usually the ones that get backed up first.)
Once every two weeks pour about 2 tablespoons of regular liquid dish soap (preferably w/ a degreaser) down the drain, followed by about 1 quart of boiling water. This will help cut down the grease and buildup in your pipes to help avoid future clogs.
If you begin to notice the water pressure on any of your faucets getting low, try this: Fill a small sandwich-sized baggie with vinegar. Put the baggie over the faucet so the facet is completely submerged in the vinegar, and tie it down with a rubber band or two. Leave it sitting overnight. That should break down the mineral build-up and clear the holes that caused the pressure to backup.
Don’t use a liquid drain cleaner if there is already a clog! Once the clog is past your drain, the harsh chemicals in liquid drain cleaner will sit in your pipes and eat away at them, which will eventually cause even bigger problems.
Instead, if you begin to notice a clog or water backing up, try this: Take out as much of the standing water as possible, then pour about 1 cup of baking soda down the drain followed by about 1 cup of vinegar. The bubbling action should cut through most clogs. Once the drain starts running, pour about 1 quart of boiling water down the drain to flush out the remaining material.

Just like your teeth, although prevention through brushing is always your best bet to avoid any problems, sometimes cavities still occur. In this case, although you may follow each of these steps religiously (or at least just a few), problems sometimes still have their way of rising to the surface. In this case, don’t hesitate or wait until the last minute, give us a call today to get your FREE ESTIMATE or click here to request service online today! You don’t want to end up knee deep in brown water at your next big family gathering while the turkey is in the oven, so don’t forget these tips, or if you’re already there, give us a call as soon as possible! We’re always on call to help serve all of your plumbing needs. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. We also do annual drain cleaning and inspections at a discounted rate. Just give us a call and ask us how to get signed up!