Bathroom | Our Plumbing Blog

Los Angeles Plumbers of Roto-Rooter Offer Tips for Tackling Foul Odor Issues

August 2nd, 2010 by Roto-Rooter Bloggers

The Los Angeles plumbers of Roto-Rooter would like to provide some tips to address foul odor issues. Foul odors can occur because of a number of reasons. A common place for foul odor to arise is your kitchen sink, which is typically linked to your garbage disposal. To eliminate odor coming from your sink, you can run ice cubes and squeeze lemons or oranges down your drain while running the disposal for about 30 seconds. Then, follow up this process by squirting liquid dishwashing detergent while the disposal is running. Lastly, run cold water down the drain to clear leftover debris and your sink should be left odor free. A few tablespoons of baking soda may also prove helpful.

Basements can also harbor foul odor smells. If you are getting a foul odor coming from a basement bathroom, it is most likely caused by trapped water in various fixtures of your plumbing system. Plumbing systems are designed to prevent foul odors from entering your home, but occasionally, the water seal of a trap can evaporate and allow odor to enter your home. This plumbing problem has an easy solution, which can be done by dumping a bucket of water down the shower, sink or floor drain within your basement.

If you would like assistance with this or any other plumbing or drain service in the Los Angeles area, feel free to call us at (800) 438-7686 or visit our Los Angeles plumber Web site for online scheduling and additional information.

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Roto-Rooter Seattle plumbers alert home buyers to be aware of bathroom plumbing problems

April 29th, 2010 by Roto-Rooter Bloggers

Before buying a home, the Seattle Plumbers at Roto-Rooter suggest you take in to account the small things that may be red flags for future bathroom plumbing problems.

Check around the base of the toilets for signs of water damage (rolled vinyl, black or white stains).
Check for a "soft floor," stand straddled over the toilet and rock back and forth on each foot. If the floor feels spongy, it is probably rotting or weakened.
Check to see how fast the toilet flushes.

Check for leaky or loose tiles by pressing on the walls where they come in contact with the bathtub.
If the walls are soft, water may have created damage behind the tiles.

If you would like more information or need to schedule service in the Seattle area, please call (206) 935-6600 or visit our Seattle plumber web site.

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Seattle Plumber Preferred Service Tech Program

October 29th, 2009 by Roto Rooter Bloggers

Did you know that you can request a specific Roto-Rooter plumber when you call? Roto-Rooter’s preferred service tech program is in place because sometimes things just click between you and your plumber. Customers sometimes write us to say, "that guy was so attentive and he found the perfect bathroom plumbing solutions for us." We understand that when a customer develops a rapport with one of our plumbers, they want to continue using that plumber.

One of our Seattle plumbers was sent out to a remote location to fix some plumbing problems at a vacation home in the dead of winter. It was to be his last job of the day since it was getting late. He took care of the plumbing repair and went on his way. He didn’t get very far when troopers stopped him at a road block and informed him that the highway was closed for the night due to an avalanche of snow covering the road.

Repeated attempts to find a motel were fruitless so the technician called the customer he just visited to see if he could help. Lo and behold, the customer picked up the Roto-Rooter man in his four-wheel-drive vehicle and let him spend the night at one of his rental properties. The two developed a strong rapport and plenty of mutual respect. Guess who the customer calls whenever he has plumbing problems?

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Seattle Plumber Tips: Conserving water is everyone’s responsibility

October 29th, 2009 by Roto Rooter Bloggers

Water is a precious resource, so we should all do our part to use less of it. I know water doesn’t seem to be in short supply especially in rainy areas, but it is. 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 Seattle Plumber to do leak detection. Seattle is an area that gets a lot of rain and appears to have a healthy and abundant water supply, but one day may come when wet areas like Seattle need to pipe excess water to drier areas.

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. Tacoma and other Northwestern cities have the potential to save a significant amount of water simply by fixing various undiscovered leaks. This can also limit the implementation of more extreme measures like lawn watering restrictions, etc.

If you would like assistance with these pluming problems, Roto-Rooter has the right plumber from DC to California and every state in between. They’re your 24 hour plumbing provider and can provide leak detection services, faucet repairs, bathroom plumbing solutions and any other necessary Seattle plumbing and drain service.

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Turn your old toilet into a water miser without replacing it

October 29th, 2009 by Roto Rooter Bloggers

The newest toilets use only 1.28 gallons per flush. They save water but they’re not cheap. I’m testing new parts for Roto-Rooter and I recently replaced all of the guts inside the most used 1.6 gallon toilet in the house. I replaced the fill valve with a new valve that uses less water, has a leak detection system and automatically cleans the tank of scale and debris (not the bowl).

Next I installed a new dual-flush system that allows users to press one button for a low-power half flush that easily expels urine. A larger button handles solids and wads of toilet paper using a full flush. So far, so good. My toilet is now using a fraction of the water it used to at a fraction of the cost of a new toilet. This is one of the best bathroom plumbing solutions I ever saw and the most sensible toilet repair Cincinnati ever saw!

My water bills will no doubt reflect the savings. Soon a Boston plumber at a Roto-Rooter office and a Seattle plumber at Roto-Rooter and almost every location in between will be installing these and other sensible water-saving parts as we go greener than ever before.

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A happy customer is a repeat customer.

October 19th, 2009 by Roto Rooter Bloggers

Last week a customer called the Sunnyvale, California Roto-Rooter office to compliment the level of service we had provided her. She mentioned it was really hard to find honest Sunnyvale plumbers. She had called another plumbing company and was quoted and exorbitant amount of money to solve a plumbing problem she didn’t really have.

She decided to get a second opinion and looked for another Sunnyvale plumbing company. She called Roto-Rooter Plumbing of Sunnyvale, California and we had a plumber at her house within the hour. When the plumber arrived he noticed there was a problem and proceeded to call a camera technician to inspect the clogged sewer pipe to help diagnose the problem. After all was done we gave her a quote for a sewer repair at a fraction of what the other company quoted. She called the very next day and she said, “I want to thank your plumbers for the excellent service they provided, for being honest and for not trying to rob my wallet.”

She has since had us do the work and is a happy and satisfied customer. We hope she’ll be a good customer for years to come, whether she needs a bathroom plumbing solution, kitchen plumbing jobs or just help with a clogged drain. The Roto-Rooter Plumbing Sunnyvale office is proud to have experienced Sunnyvale plumbers that strive to give the highest level of service and ensure every customer is satisfied.

Name: Erandy Gonzalez

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Very professional staff!

October 19th, 2009 by Roto Rooter Bloggers

It’s always reassuring to get a complimentary letter from a satisfied Roto-Rooter customer. This one from Barbara H. of Grayslake, Illinois made my day.

"We had a sewer backup in October, so we called the local Roto-Rooter office in Glenview, IL to schedule an appointment for the plumber to come to our home. We didn’t know any particular Grayslake plumber to call but when we saw the ad for Roto-Rooter in the phone book, we recognized the name and took a chance.
They were very fast and the staff was very professional. We learned that not only does Roto-Rooter clean drains and sewers but they can also do sewer repair work and they are a full service Grayslake plumbing company. Fortunately, our problem wasn’t that serious. Thank you!"
- Barbara H. Grayslake IL

We’ve now provided plumbing service and sewer cleaning for this customer three times. Our local office in Glenview, IL prides itself in providing fast, professional and courtious plumbing service to its customers for all thier plumbing and drain cleaning needs. We at the Roto Rooter Plumbers Glenview office thank our customers for their feedback. We’re here to offer sewer cleaning, sewer repair, bathroom plumbing solutions and any kitchen plumbing jobs you may have.

Name: Glenn W. Roto Rooter Plumbers, Glenview IL

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Man falls into septic tank: Neighbor’s dog alerted rescuer

October 9th, 2009 by Debbie Smith

In the news recently there was a story about an 80-year-old man who fell into his septic tank while cleaning it. He was rescued after his neighbor’s dog wouldn’t stop barking in direction of the septic hole. The neighbor found the man in the hole and called 911. This elderly man was trapped in his septic tank for over five hours.

For those of you unfamiliar with a septic tank, it’s a system for disposing of sewage where public sewage systems are not available. Typically, it’s a buried watertight holding container in which waste solids settle to the bottom and become sludge. Enzyme and bacterial action break down liquid waste before it is discharged into a drain field for further treatment by the soil to remove harmful bacteria and viruses. Septic tanks require periodic pumping and cleaning of sludge in order to ensure proper water levels and treatment of wastewater. Flooding and drain backups can occur if the sludge is not removed and the water level gets too high.

Periodic inspections and regular pumping are important factors in maintaining a septic system. Septic systems should be inspected at least every three years by a professional who will check for leaks, measure the sludge level and recommend a pumping schedule based on the size of the system and number of people using the system. Failure to properly maintain a septic system can be expensive if the entire system has to be replaced and dangerous to humans and the environment if untreated wastewater leaches into the ground.

The man mentioned above was fortunate that he was rescued with only minor injury. He was swimming in wastewater—full of bacteria—and could have been overcome by toxic gases or been seriously injured in the fall. He is not the only person to become trapped in a septic system.

Lessons to be learned:

Septic system cleaning and maintenance should be performed by a professional with proper equipment.
Septic tanks should be kept covered with an approved lid.
Never enter closed spaces without proper safety equipment.

Rely on Roto-Rooter for complete plumbing and drain cleaning services, including septic and sewer cleaning, sewer repair, bathroom plumbing solutions, clogged drains – 24 hours a day, every day!

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Roto-Rooter Plumbers Rockville, MD

October 6th, 2009 by Roto Rooter Bloggers

Roto-Rooter, Rockville’s neighborhood plumber is THE Rockville plumber to call when you need professional help with water conservation. This environmentally responsible approach to plumbing is what sets us apart from other Rockville plumbing companies. Your bathroom is probably the biggest user of water in your home or business. Roto-Rooter offers bathroom plumbing solutions that will green up your bathroom in no time by cutting your water usage as much as possible. We can provide a variety of ways to save water to fit any budget.

When you need a Rockville plumber, Roto-Rooter is the company to call. We feature products and services specifically designed to reduce water consumption in homes and businesses. Anyone interested in learning more about saving money through water consumption should contact Roto-Rooter at 1-866-960-ROTO for more information or click here to schedule service online when it fits your busy schedule.

Name: Harry Kresge

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Honolulu plumber compliment

September 25th, 2009 by Roto Rooter Bloggers

Need an experienced and knowledgable Hawaii plumber? Then look no further than Roto-Rooter. Our name has been known throughout the United States since 1935. And we’re the Hawaii plumbers to call for kitchen plumbing jobs, bathroom plumbing solutions, sewer repair and more. Here’s what one of our customers had to say:

"Daniel was great. His personality and knowledge is outstanding. This was my first time needing plumbing service calls of this type but if needed again, I will definitely call Roto-Rooter again and request Daniel. He is a great asset to the company. Yes, there are lots of local Hawaii plumbing companies in the phone book but there is only one plumbing contractor for me!"

- Paul T.
Honolulu, HI

Thanks to all of our customers who take the time to let us know what kind of job we’re doing. This feedback helps us tremendously. Feel free to call us when you need us. Estimates are always free and there is no extra charge for nights, weekends or holidays. Our office number is: 808-622-2501.
Roto-Rooter of Hawaii

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