Roto-Rooter | Trusted and Recommended since 1935

Water Heater Advice From Roto-Rooter

March 9th, 2012 by Roto-Rooter Bloggers

Water heater repairs in Atlanta is the subject of this blog post. The majority of water heaters are still the vertical water tank kind with either a gas or electric heating element that keeps 40-60 gallons of water hot all day long. The average lifespan of this type of water heater is eleven years. But they can last a few years longer if certain maintainence is performed on a regular basis.

If you have hard water, you should consider investing in a water softener that will keep minerals in the water under control. If you’ve seen the white calcium stains on a shower stall or on the door of a dishwasher then you know the damage hard water can cause. Imagine what that hard water is doing to the inside of your water heater. Let me explain. Without a water softener in the house, hard water first attacks the magnesium anode rod inside the water heater. The rod’s sole purpose is to attract minerals from the water and sacrifice itself so those minerals don’t eat away at the steel water tank. Over time, the anode rod is reduced to nothing. The magnesium is literally dissolved by the minerals and once the anode rod is gone, those minerals will go to work on the metal water tank. Eventually, the tank will rust through and you’ll develop a leak or complete tank failure causing flooding and a big hassle.

You can replace an anode rod yourself every 2-3 years, depending upon the hardness of your water. To replace the rod, look for a large hex bolt head on the top of the water tank. Sometimes it is marked. You’ll need a wrench or socket to loosen the bolt and pull out the anode rod like a dip stick. I must warn you that this is no easy task. They must tighten the bolt with an impact wrench at the factory because the bolts are tough to break loose. It is not uncommon to see a plumber use a four-foot breaker bar while an assistant bear hugs the water heater tank to prevent it from moving while the plumber struggles to get the bolt loose.

Be sure to drain the water heater tank annually to get all of the minerals out of the tank. Minerals accumulate along the bottom of the tank and you’ll know they are in ther if they make a popping sound when the heating element is on. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s directions when draining a tank. In most instances, you should turn off power and gas to the heater before draining the tank or changing the anode rod. Water heaters can be very dangerous so if you don’t know what you are doing, the safe bet is to just call an experienced plumber for maintenance on an annual basis or at least every couple of years. Doing water heater repairs in Atlanta should make your heater last at least another five years.

One last thing, don’t sink a bunch of money into repairs if your water heater is already 8 or 9 years old. You’ll probably come out ahead if you just replace it. Nothing stings more than dropping a few hundred bucks on a repair only to have the thing die in the next couple of years. Be smart about it.

 

Share

No Comments »

4 Plumbing Repair and Maintenance Tasks

February 18th, 2012 by Roto-Rooter Bloggers

Water is a major facet of daily life, from brushing teeth to washing clothes and preparing food. Because the pipes in the house are always pressurized with water, the potential for major water damage is great. Every member of the house should know basic water emergency response and preventative measures.

Watching for Problems

The best way to prevent major plumbing repairs in Atlanta home is to watch for signs of water problems. Little leaks can lead to major problems if they go untreated. For example, water that is around the base of a toilet will eventually seep into and through the floor. This can weaken the flooring as well as damage anything underneath it. When you see little problems, call Roto-Rooter immediately and get them fixed before they turn into large issues.

Water shut-off valve beneath meter in this yard box

Turning off the Water inside the House

If a problem happens, like a pipe bursting, the quickest and easiest way to stop the flow of water is to turn off the main water valve inside the house. This valve is usually located in the basement. Make sure every member of your family knows where it is and how to turn it off.

Turning of the Water Main Outside

Another location where you can turn off the water is through the city’s water meter. This is usually located near the curb. It is in a concrete container below ground level and underneath a metal lid. To turn off the main valves you will need a water key. There are two different types, one has a two-pronged fork on the end and the other fits over a square nut like a lug wrench.

When you turn off the water here, all water to the entire building is turned off, including sprinklers that use city water. If you have separate irrigation water, it will have a separate turn-off valve, and the city water valve will not affect your sprinklers.

Since the water main is not turned on or off very often, the valve may stick. Be careful about using too much force. You can break the valve which will then flood the access point. It is best to call Roto-Rooter if you need help.

Individual Shut-off Valves

The appliances that use water, like sinks, washing machine, hot water heater, or toilet, all have their own shut-off valves. If one of these appliances breaks, turn off the water to that particular appliance. Then while you make your plumbing repairs in your Atlanta home, the rest of the house will still have water.

 

Share

No Comments »

3 ways to save money on hot water

February 17th, 2012 by Roto-Rooter Bloggers

Although the use of hot water is a major portion of your energy bill, generally very little thought is given to ways to conserve hot water. Three methods to help save money are to reduce heat loss, reduce the amount of water you use, and get water heater repairs in Atlanta homes done promptly when they are needed.

Reduce Heat Loss

The most common type of water heater uses a storage tank, where the hot water is heated and kept at a constant temperature. As the water sits in the tank, it cools down. When the temperature reaches a certain point, the thermostat will trigger the heating unit, and the water will heat again to the pre-set level. This is a constant effort. The faster the tank loses heat, the more often the heating unit will turn on, and the more energy and money will be used.

One way to help reduce heat loss is by wrapping an insulated cover around the water heater. This has more to do with a lack of insulation in the tank itself than it does the outside temperature. Even here in Hot’lanta, an insulation blanket will make a difference on your energy bill. There are blankets specifically designed to safely wrap around water heaters. The blankets are different for gas and electric water heaters, so make sure you get the right one for your heater.

Another form of heat loss is through the pipes. As the water sits in the pipes, it cools down. You can slow this process by insulating the hot water pipes. Use foam insulation sleeves. Again, regardless of how hot it is outside, the insulation will make a big difference in how long water stays hot in the pipes.

Reduce Water Usage

In addition to reducing heat loss, you can save energy by reducing the amount of hot water that is used. According to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) washing clothes uses the most hot water, with showering and bathing using the second highest amount. However, other tasks such as using an automatic dishwasher, preparing food, or hand washing dishes also uses a lot of water.

When it’s time to replace your appliances, look for clothes washers, dishwashers, and water heaters that are energy efficient. When you are shopping for a new appliance, look for the ENERGY STAR and EnergyGuide labels.

If it isn’t time to replace you’re your devices, there are still other ways you can conserve hot water.

  • Check all your faucets and repair those that are leaking.
  • Install a low-flow showerhead.
  • Limit the amount of time in a shower.

Repair Minor Problems

If the water heater is rusted out, you can’t repair it. However, if there are minor problems, such as a leaky valve or sediment in the bottom of the tank, call a Roto Rooter professional to repair the water heater in your Atlanta home before the problems become too big to fix.

 

Share

No Comments »

Roto-Rooter Plumbing Services Include Industrial & Municipal

February 2nd, 2012 by Roto-Rooter Bloggers

Many people still think of Roto-Rooter as a residential sewer and drain cleaning company. That is the service for which the company originally became famous. However, Roto-Rooter evolved into a full-service plumbing company in the early 1980s and quickly expanded to provide all manner of plumbing services beyond the residential market. For over 25 years, Roto-Rooter has honed its skills in the commercial plumbing sector. We even do heavy industrial and municipal plumbing, sewer and drain work. In fact, not job is too big or too small for Roto-Rooter’s experienced team.

Roto-Rooter’s Atlanta Branch is well staffed with experienced licensed plumbers who excel in the commercial plumbing sector. We strive to be the leader in commercial and industrial plumbing repairs. And when it comes to sewer and drain work, we regularly assist municipalities with their heavy work , and in many cases we handle all of the work for those municipalities so they don’t have to invest in some of the specialized equipment that Roto-Rooter uses every day.

Yes, Roto-Rooter is still the friendly local company to call for Atlanta residential plumbing services and drain cleaning but we’ve grown into a much more sophisticated operation than just clearing clogged household drains and sewers.

 

Share

No Comments »

Conserving Water in Atlanta Makes Sense and Cents

January 25th, 2012 by Roto-Rooter Bloggers

Remember a few years ago when the main water reservoir for Atlanta almost ran dry. We were told that we were weeks away from running out of water. In fact, we came awfully close to going dry. That woke up lots of folks around Atlanta, including those of us at Roto-Rooter of Atlanta. We began taking a hard look at the fixtures we were installing and recommending and came to the realization that we could make a real difference by switching away from older, less efficient parts and fixtures we use in Atlanta plumbing repairs to newer systems that could actually consume less water.

Older toilets are extremely wasteful. Prior to 1993, they used 3.5 gallons with every flush. A few years before that, some toilets used as much as seven gallons every time they flushed. We now recommend toilets that are even more efficient than the government mandated 1.6 GPF models. The new 1.28 gallon toilets are engineered to perfection and do a great job with far less water. And no, you don’t have to flush them twice to get the job done.

Dual-flush toilets are another option. Push one button for a light flush to rid the bowl of liquids and push a different button for a full 1.6 gallon flush to flush away, ahem, the solids. These are highly efficient if used properly and Roto-Rooter can even convert your old toilet into a more efficient dual-flush toilet for a fraction of the cost of a new toilet. If you take a hard look at your water use, you can make smarter choices that will help conserve water for all and allow you to spend far less on your monthly water and sewer bills.

Roto-Rooter can handle any plumbing repair or installation so when you finally decide to upgrade your fixtures to water saving models, give us a call for a free written estimate.

 

Share

No Comments »

Thanksgiving creates more drain clogs than any other day

November 23rd, 2011 by pabrams

The day after Thanksgiving is the single busiest of the year for Roto-Rooter, nationwide and for our plumbers here in Atlanta. Why? Big holiday meal preparation and cleanup can lead to clogged kitchen sinks and garbage disposals. Extra guests mean more toilet flushes, extra laundry loads,

Never pour cooking oil or grease down the drain

more showers, etc. But oddly enough, Thanksgiving itself is not such a busy day for Roto-Rooter. It’s the next day, Black Friday, that gets absolutely crazy! The day after Thanksgiving is the single busiest day of the year for Roto-Rooter plumbers. Incoming calls will jump 50% above an average Friday. We’ll be slammed but thanks to good planning, we’ve staffed up here at Roto-Rooter Plumbers of Atlanta (and nationwide). We know what’s coming and we’ll be fully staffed to deal with all the extra calls so we can still get to your problem FAST!

If you want to avoid having the Roto-Rooter man over for Thanksgiving Dinner (or turkey sandwiches the next day), pay attention to these important tips:

  • Never pour fats or cooking oils down drains. They solidify in pipes. Instead, wipe grease from pots with paper towels and throw them into the trash.
  • Avoid putting stringy, fibrous or starch waste in the garbage disposal.
  • Make sure disposal is running when you put food into it. Don’t wait until it’s full to turn it on.
  • For homes hosting weekend guests, wait 15 minutes between showers so slow drains have time to do their job.
  • Never flush cotton balls, swabs, hair or facial scrub pads down a toilet. They don’t dissolve and will cause clogs.

Finally, Roto-Rooter of Atlanta does not charge extra for nights, weekends or holidays. It’s true! So if you’re dealing with a big clog and are fearful of a plumber’s holiday bill, don’t worry! Call Roto-Rooter’s experienced Atlanta plumbers and you’ll pay the same rate on Thanksgiving that you would pay on any other day. And we are a 24-hour plumbing company. Give us a call at 404-209-0001 in Atlanta. Nationally, you can call Roto-Rooter at 1-800-ROTO-911.

 

Share

No Comments »

What’s clogging that shower drain?

November 11th, 2011 by pabrams

Drains clog, that’s just a fact of life, as any local plumber here in Atlanta will tell you. For kitchen drains, it’s grease and food that cause the clogs but shower drains are usually clogged by hair, soap and shampoo residue. Put these three things together and you can create a pretty tough shower drain clog. We humans seem to shed lots of hair. But those of us with longer hair, particularly women, seem to lose a handful of hair each week, if my shower drain is any indication of what goes on in other households. Honestly, I wonder how it is that women can lose so much hair and not be bald? Fortunately, our drain cover is one that seems to capture a lot of the hair on the drain grate itself and I’m able to gather it and throw it in the waste basket without allowing most of it to go down into the pipe. Or so I thought. About twice a year, the shower drain gets clogged to the point that we get standing water in the shower pan as the drain very slowly does its job. Normally, I just pop off the drain cover, put on some rubber gloves, reach a finger or two down the pipe and pull out a big wad of hair. Sometimes, I’ll reach down with a pair of needle-nose pliers and grab even more. Occasionally, a plunger helps bring more to the surface and the problem goes away for another six months. After many years in the same house, we’ve so far avoided the need to have the shower drain professionally cleaned but one of these days, I think a professional cleaning may be necessary to beat a super clog. I know it’s coming, I just don’t know when. If your shower drain has clogged to the point where you can no longer beat the clog on your own, call Roto-Rooter of Atlanta and we’ll send over a skilled Atlanta plumbing professional to clean the drainpipe good as new. 404-209-0001.

 

Share

No Comments »

Roto-Rooter gives its customers choices

November 7th, 2011 by pabrams

Root-infested pipe

When it comes to solving customers’ plumbing problems, there are usually a few options. Sometimes, there’s the quick fix or band-aid that costs less but isn’t always the best long-term solution. But that decision is the customer’s to make, not necessarily the plumber’s. You know what you can afford, we don’t. We know that plumbing problems can be expensive and that’s why Roto-Rooter plumbers here in Atlanta and across the country try to provide our customers with as many options as possible so they can decide for themselves which option is right for them.

Take the case of our core business, sewer and drain cleaning. Our company was founded on the invention of a machine that cuts roots and debris out of underground sewer pipes. We can do that for our customers year after year and

Video inspection of a sewer pipe

sometimes several times a year at hundreds of dollars per service call, without ever offering our customers a permanent solution that will fix the problem once and for all and will probably mean that the customer will never again need to call us to cut roots out of their sewer line. For many years, Roto-Rooter has been providing spot repairs and complete sewer line replacements that often cost thousands of dollars. We call this a permanent fix and wouldn’t we be remiss if we didn’t offer this choice to our customers who have problematic sewer pipes?

Would you want to take your car to a mechanic for the same problem several times a year withous his ever offering you a permanent fix? Probably not. In fact, you would probably be very angry with your mechanic for stringing you along with a problem that never goes away while he continues to profit. So why should it be any different with your plumber? The choice belongs with our customers but we feel it is important to give them that choice. If you want choices from your plumber, call Roto-Rooter of Atlanta at 404-209-0001.

 

Share

1 Comment »

Living with and Maintaining Cast Iron Pipes

November 4th, 2011 by pabrams

If you are thinking of buying a house with cast iron drain pipes, you should probably invest in having licensed plumbing specialists here in Atlanta camera the line. A fiber optic pipe inspection camera will show you the condition of the piping below the concrete. If there are plumbing problems, a camera inspection is your eyes and ears in the pipe and allows you to be in control of your residential plumbing and eliminate surprises. Once you know what you’re dealing with, it’s a lot easier to plan and maintain your pipes:

• Schedule maintenance - clean regularly to keep the piping from backing up

• Save money on repairs – if there are cracks in the pipe, low spots, and/or offsets that need corrected

• Root Infiltration – set up regular cleaning by Roto-Rooter of Atlanta and apply a root destroyer product.

If you maintain cast iron pipes, they will last for a long time. They are much quieter than plastic pipes and are more durable. The difference is they don’t have the same flow characteristics or ease of installation of plastic piping. Roto-Rooter of Atlanta is well equipped to advise customers and work on cast iron pipes and we’re a 24 hour plumbing company that can respond to any emergency at any time of the day or night.

 

Share

No Comments »

Is your plumbing ready for Halloween?

October 28th, 2011 by pabrams

Have you heard about the ways Halloween can impact your home’s plumbing? We’re not talking about chocolate or candy corn down the drain. We’re talking about pumpkin guts! Roto-Rooter reminds you never put pumpkin seeds or pulp down the sink or through the garbage disposal. We’ll bet you would be surprised how often we hear from people who just push that pumpkin muck down the sink drain and turn on the disposal! When pumpkin guts dry, they harden like concrete and can createall sorts of trouble in your drains.

Roto-Rooter’s Atlanta plumbing experts suggest instead that you spread out a newspaper and put the gooey guts and seeds on it, then separate the seeds. The newspaper and pulp are beneficial for the compost pile and the seeds are a tasty seasonal snack. You don’t even need to rinse off the good, a lot of people believe it adds to the flavor. And remember, Roto-Rooter is always working. We’re your 24 hour plumbing company so if you don’t get this information in time and your drain is jammed with pumpkin guts, we’ll send a plumber out to any Atlanta location immediately. Or you can reach us by phone at 404-209-0001.

 

Share

No Comments »

Next Page »