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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.

 

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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.

 

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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.

 

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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.

 

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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.

 

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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.

 

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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.

 

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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.

 

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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.

 

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Beware of plumbers who quote prices over the phone

October 22nd, 2011 by pabrams

Sometimes our customers call us on the phone and ask what it will cost for a specific plumbing repair, sewer cleaning or water heater replacement.  Sometimes they get huffy when they learn that Roto-Rooter’s Atlanta plumbers don’t give price quotes over the phone.  ”Just give me your best price,” they’ll say. Or, “I am just calling plumbers to see who is the cheapest on this kind of job.”

Well, that sounds simple enough, but here are the facts: Any Atlanta plumber who routinely quotes prices over the phone without laying eyes on your plumbing system is either misleading you or putting his business at great risk.  Why? Because every situation is different. A plumber needs to look at the plumbing problem to see if there are other contributing factors at work before an accurate diagnosis can be made. There are simply too many possible variables to make an accurate diagnosis over the phone. That’s why Roto-Rooter’s Atlanta plumbers will come to your home or business at no charge to you then evaluate the problem, determine the best solution and give you a free written estimate prior to performing any work.

Many Atlanta plumbing contractors will give you a ballpark quote over the phone only to raise the price once they see the actual level of difficulty, or worse, they’ll up their price when they’re already in the middle of the repair. If you send them away, they may charge you a fee just to have come out and looked at your problem, even if they didn’t actually fix anything. Ultimately, you may have paid a higher price than you needed to.

When you call Roto-Rooter, Atlanta’s best local plumbing company, you’ll get a free, professional visit, a thorough analysis of the problem and a solution and cost estimate, in writing. If you think it’s unreasonable, send our plumber away and you won’t be charged anything. But if you agree to the estimate, the Roto-Rooter plumber will get to work right away and fix your problem and give you a guarantee that the job will be done right. When you’re calling other Atlanta plumbing companies, be sure to ask them if they offer free written estimates.

 

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Garbage disposals Usually Fade Away Over Time

October 14th, 2011 by pabrams

We’ve said it before, garbage disposals may be the most misused appliance in existence. We stuff all sorts of food down the drain where the disposal chews it to bits and it seemingly disappears. I’ve seen some people literally clean out the refrigerator by dumping leftovers into the sink and washing them down. If only that stuff really did disappear. The food is only chopped to a paste and that paste often clings to the drainpipe and collects so always be sure to use a lot of water when using our disposal. You want that food paste to wash all the way out of the branch pipes. Truthfully, disposals are designed to handle the minor scraps left on a plate AFTER you’ve already scraped the leftovers into a trash can. If you use your disposal that way, you’ll never have a problem.

Here in Atlanta, the plumbers on staff at Roto-Rooter have a lot of experience fixing, installing or replacing garbage disposals. Most plumbers will agree that you get what you pay for in a garbage disposal. The cheapo builder-grade disposals that are installed in most new houses are loud and you’ll probably get five or six years out of them before their performance rapidly degrades.  You’ll begin to notice it jamming more often and you’ll find you’ll have to press the little reset button on the bottom more often and then finally, it will just stop working altogether and you’ll be left with a backed up kitchen sink of dirty water.

Choose your new disposal carefully. Decide what you hated about your old one and then visit the big box handyman stores or a plumbing supply house. If noise is an issue, you’ll find very quiet models. They cost more but they also tend to perform better and last longer. Just remember that whichever model you choose, you’ll be living with it for many years to come. Finally, replacing a disposal is not an easy job for the inexperienced. It may look easy but I’ve seen plenty of people who think they’ll have it done in an hour but after three trips back to Home Depot and a lot of frustration, the job ends up taking all day or even an entire weekend. So before you take the DIY route, decide what your time is worth and consider calling an experienced Atlanta plumber to do the job for you while you do something you would rather be doing. You can even buy the disposal you want and hire Roto-Rooter to install it for you. And if you don’t know what you want, our plumber will help you decide by discussing all the options and possibilities and then he’ll get the disposal, bring it back and install it much faster than the average homeowner. Call us for a free estimate at 404-209-0001.

 

 

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When the plumber’s price seems too good to be true…

October 7th, 2011 by pabrams

Any little plumbing repair can turn into a big deal if it’s done wrong. If you’re thinking about cutting corners and using one of the many unlicensed ”handymen” or fly-by-night plumbing contractors here in Atlanta who may or may not have any real training, you may do well to reconsider and look for a plumbing brand that stands behind its work.

We all want a low price, especially in times like these with a tanking economy and a weak dollar. But it’s not just lip servicewhen I use the old saying, “you get what you pay for.” There is more to consider when hiring  plumbing contractors here in the Atlanta area than just a low price.

Consider a few things that could go wrong. First, does the guy offer a warranty for his plumbing services? Will you be able to find him in six months if that pipe starts leaking again and floods your home? Does Joe Schmo carry adequate liability insurance  just in case that gas pipe he ran to your water heater leaks and causes a fire or an explosion? Does he hold a plumber’s license? And will he get the proper local permits required by law? These are things you never have to worry about with Roto-Rooter. We do it right and by the book and we’re easy to find if something goes wrong. And we’re a 24-Hour plumbing company that doesn’t charge extra for nights, weekends or holidays. If you want an honest assessment and a free written estimate, call us at 404-209-0001. 

 

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Conserving water is something we all should do

September 30th, 2011 by pabrams

Water is a precious resource, so it makes sense that we should all do our part to use less of it. As the top Atlanta plumbing company, know water is in short supply due to several very dry years. If your water bill seems higher than it used to be and you feel your house is using more water than it should be, hire a qualified Atlanta Plumber to do leak detection. Atlanta is an area that doesn’t get enough rain most of the time. Lately, we haven’t had an abundant water supply and our reservoirs could stand some help. 

If you fix leaky faucets and toilets, you can easily save thousands of gallons of water per year.  Don’t wait, do that faucet repair. If we all start fixing the leaks, we have the potential to save a significant amount of water.  This can also limit the implementation of more extreme measures like lawn watering restrictions, which are never popular.

If you would like assistance with these plumbing problems, Roto-Rooter has the right plumber in every American city, including Atlanta. We are your 24 hour plumbing provider and can provide leak detection services, faucet repairs, bathroom plumbing solutions and any other necessary Atlanta plumbing and drain service.

 

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Ask a Stupid Question Day Doesn’t apply to plumbing – there are no stupid questions

September 28th, 2011 by pabrams

Who knew there was such a thing as a National Ask a Stupid Question Day? Well there is and it is today, September 28th. Any of our Atlanta plumbers on staff will tell you that plumbing can get technical. In fact, we’ve come to realize that most non-plumbers don’t know a ballcock from a flapper valve so they sometimes feel a bit intimidated asking questions about water heaters, garbage disposals and even the parts in their toilet tank. That’s why we at Roto-Rooter like to say “there are no stupid plumbing questions.” For that reason, Roto-Rooter has a pretty nifty Frequently Asked Questions page on its website where visitors can search see if someone else has already asked the question and gotten an answer from one of our plumbers. 

Home and business owners might want to consider bookmarking the FAQ page for future reference. We think it will prove to be a much appreciated resource. And for those times when you can’t find the answer you’re looking for, Roto-Rooter has a free Ask the Plumber feature on the website too. Just key in your question and you’ll get a detailed answer within a day or two from one of our licensed plumbing specialists. How’s that for simple? There are a lot of plumbing companies in Atlanta and across the country, but not many hand out free advice or answers to plumbing problems.

 

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Diagnosing a Toilet Problem

September 23rd, 2011 by pabrams

We asked one of our Atlanta plumbers, Steve, if he could tell us a little about diagnosing a toilet problem or clogged toilet. Steve explains to us several different reasons for why your toilet may not be flushing. “Believe it or not, a toilet is in delicate balance. The level of water in the tank, the speed of the water, the air pressure in the system, and the amount of water in the bowl all have to be perfect for a modern toilet to flush,” said Steve, one of the most experienced plumbers in Atlanta.

To troubleshoot your toilet, pour three gallons of water into the bowl. If the water does not go down within the first couple of seconds, your problem is a clog blocking the flow. This can be fixed by using an auger to break up the blockage. Make sure you auger has a rubber sleeve around its cable so you don’t scratch the porcelain finish in the bowl. If the water returns to normal level, try flushing, three attempts. If it does not work during any of the tries, something is wrong with the pipes below the toilet. If the flush works during every attempt, then the problem may be between the tank and the bowl.

Sometimes if something is blocking the jets that puts the power into the flush, not as much force is going to be exerted to push the objects through the pipes.  Finally, if nothing is clogging the jets, something might have flushed down into the rim and is blocking water flow. The fix for this is, unfortunately, a new toilet.

 If the fill valve inside of the toilet tank is not filling properly, the toilet will not flush every time. You can tell if this is the problem by “removing the small 1/8 inch plastic tube that goes above the water level from the fill valve on the left side of the toilet tank to the center overflow tube and see if there is a fast stream of water entering the tube and refilling the bowl,” explained Steve.

If your toilet is not holding the two gallons of water that should be idle in the bowl when flushing, the toilet will not flush properly. What you should do is very slowly (so it doesn’t flush) pour about ½ a gallon of water into the bowl so it will rise to its maximum water volume. “If the flapper does not stay floating long enough, the water will only partially leave the tank and the required amount of water to flush the toilet will not enter the bowl,” described Steve. You may buy a new flapper to fix this problem. If you still can’t diagnose the problem, call in the best Atlanta plumbers, Roto-Rooter, for a free estimate. You can reach them at 404-209-0001 or schedule a service call on-line by clicking here.

 

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