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5 Keys to a Successful Faucet Repair

February 18th, 2012 by Roto-Rooter Bloggers

First of all, let’s just say that you can skip this article all together if you are going to do the smartest thing and hire Roto-Rooter to come into your home and provide faucet repair in Nashville. That is the best way to have a successful faucet repair. However, we know there are do-it-yourself people who are going to tackle a repair on their own. For those people, here are the tips for a successful faucet repair.

  1. Make sure the water is turned off. This sounds overly simplistic, but you would be amazed by how many people forget to turn off the water at the valves to the sink before they start in to tearing things apart.
  2. Use a smooth jaw wrench when loosening the cap assembly so that you do not scare the chrome finish on the faucet. If you do not have one of these, you may try to find something that will help protect your faucet while at the same time maintain the grip so that it can be loosened.
  3. When removing the cam and ball assembly and otherwise beginning to tear the faucet apart, be sure to pay attention for anything that seems amiss so that you will know what was causing the leaky faucet to begin with. One major culprit that is among the most common is going to be any of the O rings / gaskets.
  4. It is worth replacing every O Ring, seats, etc when doing a faucet repair. Nothing is more frustrating than an unsuccessful or incomplete repair
  5. Use stem grease to help things glide as they should after you have put it back together. This will also help prevent premature wear on the O Rings and other parts that can be the cause of your next leak.

Hopefully these tips will help the do it yourselfers in their faucet repair in Nashville. For the rest of you give us a call and we can have it done for you in no time. You will not regret calling us. We have done this over and over, fixing countless leaky faucets over the years. We know what we’re doing and we even know what to do when things are not going as planned on a standard faucet repair job.

 

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The Real Problem with Plumbing Problems

February 17th, 2012 by Roto-Rooter Bloggers

The secret in dealing with your plumbing problems in Nashville is the very fact that you are dealing with them. Why are you not hiring someone, such as Roto-Rooter, to handle your plumbing needs? When you hire a professional plumber you are going to save yourself a lot of time and headache that is just not worth any amount of money that you may save by doing it yourself.

In addition, another of the “real problems” with your plumbing problems may be the amount of water that can be wasted. When you are looking at issues with plumbing, such as a leaky faucet, you are dealing with a lot of wasted water. A single faucet that drips an average of 4 drips every minute over the course of a year would waste 138 gallons of water. That is a lot of water to 1 faucet in 1 home. Of course, you can then multiply that out by numerous faucets in many homes across the country and you can have true sense of just how much water is wasted through leaky faucets.

One of the other “real problems” with plumbing problems is the potential cost of home repair due to damage from a plumbing problem. When there is a leaky faucet or a clogged drain that backs up and runs over, it causes water to end up in places that it was never intended to be and consequently in places where it can do some damage. Whether you are dealing with a rotted out kitchen cabinet that now needs to be replaced or a warped wood floor because the toilet backed up or something else, these costs are all beyond the actual cost to repair the plumbing problems.

Rather than attempting to face all of this on your own, turn over the plumbing problems in Nashville to us, Roto-Rooter, and do it as soon as you see any signs of trouble. The sooner you let us know of the problem, the sooner we can make it out to fix the plumbing problem you are experiencing. We are more than happy to give you an estimate as well before we fix anything to make sure you know what you are looking at cost-wise before the work is done.

 

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Plumbing Repair Water Cooler Talk

February 17th, 2012 by Roto-Rooter Bloggers

We all have those talks around the water cooler at work where we tell the worst and most funny stories about our work day and the same is true for plumbers to. They sometimes hang around the water cooler on break, but the water cooler in this case is the bright orange five gallon jug, and talk about the most interesting plumbing repair stories that they have had that day or during the week.

This Barbie head was found inside a drain

If you want to make sure that you are not part of the stories being told around the plumbers’ water cooler here are some tips:

  1. Keep your kids away from the toilet at all times except when they are using it for the intended purpose. Many of the stories that are told around the water cooler are about what toys and things they found in the process of unplugging clogged toilets. It is always a contest to see who has the largest, most outrageous toy or household object that was pulled out of a toilet. Your kids can and will make sure you make the water cooler talk list so you need to play defense on this and make sure that they are not sending anything down the toilet other than their own you-know-what and toilet paper. Of course, the better stories are when the object is obviously the mistake of an adult who should know better. To make it easy just be aware that you cannot send your tampons, pads or adult diapers down the toilet. The same is true for ear swabs, facial scrub pads and cotton balls. Don’t flush condoms either!
  2. Be careful about what you send down the garbage disposal. This is all on you as this rarely has anything to do with the kids unless their Hot Wheels cars made the jump from countertop to garbage disposal…and that has been known to happen. Potato peelings are not a good thing to send down the garbage disposal. When setting dishes in the sink you have to watch carefully that corn on the cob holders do not get down there or any utensils that are small enough to do go in.
  3. One last tip to make sure you’re not part of the plumbing repair stories being told at the water cooler. Do not call the plumbers out for dumb reasons, like there is no hot water after ten people have taken showers in the span of thirty minutes. Before calling a plumber, stop and think it through to make sure there is a legitimate reason to call them out. It is costly to call them out anyway and many companies may charge a minimal charge even for silly things if it takes up a plumber’s time and prevents him from being on another job across town.

 

 

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The Leaky Plumbing Issue

February 11th, 2012 by Roto-Rooter Bloggers

Do you have a leaky plumbing issue where the faucet does not shut off completely, or you have to had the handle a certain way to make it work? That is very frustrating and it can be hard to deal with when you are not certain what you are doing. If you need a company that does plumbing in Nashville, we are more than happy to assist you.

We have dealt with a lot of different issues over the years. Some of them, in fact most of them, are very common issues that we know exactly how to handle. This particular issue is more uncommon than most. However, we have very skilled technicians that can diagnose even the most difficult leaky faucet or rare plumbing issue.

Plumbing can be difficult to deal with at times. Even if you are a do-it -yourself kind of person, there are going to be things in which you need our help. We are qualified and have the specialty tools that you may not have access to when dealing with a more extensive plumbing problem.

The trouble with some of the plumbing in Nashville has to do with the age of the homes. When homes are older, typically the plumbing is old, which can present more uncommon problems. These problems can require more experience and understanding, if you attempt things on your own without the proper knowledge you can end up with more issues than you started with.

So the moral of the story; we know how to fix your plumbing problems, no matter what they are. If you call Roto-Rooter, you will be happy with your decision and will receive the results you deserve. You will find no need to be a self -service plumber anymore. This may seem like we are confident in ourselves and we are. When a plumbing issue gets tough, we know how to fix it and can provide knowledgeable assistance.

 

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Why You Should Be Grateful for Plumbers

February 10th, 2012 by Roto-Rooter Bloggers

When you consider the things that the plumbers in Nashville do you should be grateful for them. They do a lot of things that you would likely never consider doing. For example, they work around toilets all day long unclogging them. They also work on kitchen sinks the garbage disposals that are also very gross.

One of the main reasons that you should be grateful for plumbers is because of the work that they do in your home. They come to the rescue when your plumbing is clogged. They come to your rescue whenever there is trouble of any kind with the plumbing. They know how to fix the problem and get you back to a place where all of the plumbing in the home is working in the way that it is suppose to be working.

Being a plumber is something that pays the bills. Some people like the work of plumbing and they enjoy doing the work and for others it is a way to pay the bills. No matter which side a plumber is on in this regards they are good at what they do. They understand that they need to be in order to keep their job.

Another reason we all should be grateful for plumbers is because they work in adverse conditions all of the time. They make life a lot easier on the rest of us.

When you have a plumbing issue that requires that you find a plumber, turn to the internet to find that plumber. The internet is full of all kinds of data and information and there is almost nothing that you cannot find on the internet these days.

In addition to finding who the plumbers in Nashville are, you will be able to find some reviews of them on the internet as well. This will help you make a decision on which plumber you would like to hire for the problem that you are facing now.

Once you have found a plumber that you like be sure that you reward that with calling them back the next time that you need them. You can also take the time to refer them to your friends and family too. Reward god business with more business through your referrals. This will help them stay in business so that you can call on them when you need them in the future. You never know, this kind of kindness in a referral may also result in some payback to you too.

 

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When the Plumbing Problems Start

February 3rd, 2012 by Roto-Rooter Bloggers

There is no reason to panic when the plumbing begins to have some trouble. It can be a bit disconcerting to have one problem after another happen to the plumbing in your home. However, when this begins to happen it is important to remember that the plumbing is likely old and that there are likely to be more problems. It is a good idea to look into how you can repair things that have not broken yet so that you can prevent things from happening.

There are plenty of companies that will handle all kinds of plumbing problems in Nashville. It is a matter of finding them and determining which company you want to come in and do the work for you. Of course, we can handle anything you need plumbing wise and we are not ashamed to throw a shameless plug for ourselves in this article. We would like to have your business the next time that you have a need for some plumbing repair.

It is interesting to note that large water mains are one of the things that will burst in older neighborhoods. When you begin to see anyone in the neighborhood whose home was built around the same time as yours have a water main burst, causing their front lawn to bubble up and float like a water bed, you know the time is soon at hand when you will be in the same boat. It is not uncommon to see home after home have the water main break over the course of a year or two. Once you know that this is the case in your neighborhood you should make plans to have the water main redone.

It is better to tackle the water main issue before it burst because the job is easier to handle this way. You can do it on your time, when you have the time. You can also make sure that you have the help that you need or call in the plumbers to help.

The water main issue is something that is not only common plumbing problems in Nashville, but it is common across the country. It has to do with the material that was used at the time and how long it lasts in the soil. Over time the plumbing materials of that day begin to erode and become weak to the point of breaking. Replacing that old pipe with the materials that we have today should prevent this from being a problem in the future.

 

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Why Are You Doing the Faucet Repair?

January 31st, 2012 by Roto-Rooter Bloggers

If you have a leaky faucet or some other trouble with the faucet do you do the repair on it? If so, why do you do that instead of hiring someone to handle it? There are many reasons why this may be the case, but is it really necessary to do the repair yourself?

There are many professional companies who handle faucet repair in Nashville so why would you not call on them to take care of your faucet? It makes a lot of sense and saves you from the hassle.

We understand that the main reason people do their own faucet repair is so that they can save a little money. However, before you take that mentality you may want to find out the facts so that you are making an educated decision. There is no need to assume that you know how much it is going to cost to have them do it and then decide based on that to do it yourself.

In many cases the cost to make the repairs are a lot less than what you may assume and if you knew that before you decided to do the work yourself you would make a different decision and call us in or another professional to take care of things.

One of the main issues that people face with faucets is the leaking. Faucets will begin to leak over the course of time and in many cases this is a simple fix. This is something that can be done in a short amount of time and with minimal costs. Now, compare that to the hours of trouble you will have to figure it out on your own and you are not really saving much money.

If you will take the time to understand this and call in a professional plumber that handles faucet repair in Nashville you will find that you have a lot more time on your hands and a lot less stress when the faucet starts leaking again. To top it off you will not have to worry about the idea that you are running up a larger bill to have it fixed either.

The next time that you have a leaky faucet, call in the troops and have them take care of it for you. You can then sit back, relax and let them go to work so that you can worry more about your own work at hand.

 

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The Madness of Fighting Frozen Pipes

January 27th, 2012 by Roto-Rooter Bloggers

Frozen pipes in Nashville are a foreign concept to those that live in warm weather climates, but it is a reality for those that live in places where it really gets cold in the winter. In fact, it can be a serious reality for some who have those frozen pipes burst.

Fighting pipes that have frozen can be a maddening thing. First, to recognize that they have frozen can take some time and little effort. In addition, it can be a hard thing to determine where they are frozen in the home and how to combat or solve the issue. Often times it may involve cutting holes into your ceiling or walls to allow enough warm air in to thaw them out and get the water flowing again. However, the process by which you get to that point is something that you may want to leave to the professionals.

The first sign of frozen pipes is going to be a loss of water pressure that you cannot explain any other way. Of course, it is going to be cold outside and that will help confirm to you that it is a possibility. If you notice a decrease in the water pressure or no water flow all together you should begin tackling the issue right away. For many people this is going to mean calling a professional plumber. Of course, we would like for that to be us, but no matter who you call you are going to need to do it quickly.

If you are not certain how to tackle the issue of frozen pipes in your home you are going to be better off calling in a plumber. This is not something that you can take your time to figure out. It is only a matter of time with Nashville frozen pipes before they burst from the pressure. Once a pipe burst it is going to be a constant spray of water that will cause all kinds of damage. This will also then force you to turn off the water to your home in order to fix the problem along with the cost of the materials to repair the damage pipe.

In addition to all of this will be the untold cost of the inconvenience of the time it takes to take care of the mess a burst pipe will cause. Even if you catch it in time and there are no burst pipes it will still be a large inconvenience of time to solve the issue and fix it.

 

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When Drain Cleaner is Not Enough

January 23rd, 2012 by Roto-Rooter Bloggers

When you are using drain cleaner in Nashville you are going to want to make sure that you are following the instructions on the container so that you do not put yourself or others in danger of any chemical reactions or irritations to your skin. Some are a lot more potent than others and will require you to take a lot more safety precautions than the others will.

If you have a serious clog you may want to consider calling us out (or any other plumbing company that you would like to call) to handle the situation. We are going to have some cleaners that are designed with a lot more potent mix that we can use to aid you in getting that clog taken care of.

A clogged drain is among the most common calls that a plumbing company gets. Plumbers may get a little tired of the routine of cleaning clogged drains but the fact is their jobs security is tied to clog drain calls. Without those there would be a lot less work for plumbing companies.

When determining whether or not you should be calling a professional plumbing company to handle your clogged drain you should first take the time use some drain cleaner yourself. If you cannot clear it after a couple of attempts of your own using the kind of cleaner that you can get your hands on from the store shelves, then you should call in the professionals. If you call before that you may be spending more money than you need to.

Once you have determined the Nashville drain cleaner you purchased is not going to do the job and that you are going to need to call in a professional don’t waste any time. Call as soon as you can so that you are in the schedule and they get out to your home as soon as they can. This will help make sure that you do not have to go days with a clogged drain.

Once you have cleared the drain one way or another take the time to get a little more educated about how to take care of drains from a maintenance perspective so that you can avoid as many clogged drains in the future as you possibly can. You may be surprised to know that using a drain cleaner before you get any clogs is a great way to prevent them. It works by clearing things out on a regular basis and thus the drains can handle more at any given time.

 

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When Will Your Husband Call the Plumbers?

January 20th, 2012 by Roto-Rooter Bloggers

We all know that as men, we like to do things ourselves. We are constantly trying to show that we are capable and that we are independent. The last thing that men want to do is to stop and ask for directions. However, all too often we make fools of ourselves because we drive around aimlessly for hours proving that we can do it. The same is true when it comes to repairs on the car or around the house. If you think about it you can likely find plenty of times in which you have tried to repair the plumbing or the A/C instead of calling in the professionals.

Wives all over the country are always begging their husbands to please call in the professional plumbers so that the issue can be resolved. In fact they often have conversations with each other about at what point would their husbands call for help from the plumbing company. We are, gentleman, the subject of the much of their ridicule behind our backs. However, we should be asking ourselves why we want to spend so much time trying to do something that we know nothing about.

Why do we feel such a need to work on the plumbing and try to fix it when we know that we know nothing about what we are doing? Sure, we are inherently more adept than most women to pull things apart and be able to fix it or at least put it back together. However, why do we feel that we must do this when our wife has suggested that we call in the plumber?

For many of us the issue is a matter of money. We know how much it is going to cost and we know that we can eventually fix it, or at least that is what we think. However, what things that you want to do or need to get done are not happening because of this need to fix the plumbing? Are we actually costing ourselves more money by not calling in the professional plumbers?

Here at Roto-Rooter, we would beg of you to think this through. If your wife is already approving the funds to pay for us to come in and take care of the issue, that will leave you more time to watch football or basketball. That will also leave you with more time to get the things done that you do need to be working on.  In addition, you will look like a hero to your wife for calling right away without her begging and you may find that you get well rewarded for that.

 

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Should You Do A Sump Pump Installation?

January 17th, 2012 by Roto-Rooter Bloggers

If you have no experience in plumbing you may want to leave the sump pump installation to a professional plumber. There are plenty of resources out there that can help you do this on your own, but there is no need to do it yourself when you can have a professional do it while you are doing more important things, like watching the big football games.

One of the best lessons that I learned from my father was that it is okay to call in the professionals to handle the things that are best left o them. As men we tend to be the people who want to prove that we can do anything and everything. Even when we do not know what we are doing we want to show our souse and our children that you can figure it out and save money by doing it yourself. However, the truth is that is not always the case. In fact, a better lesson to teach is how to be wise in knowing what you should do on your own and what is better left to the professionals. That is a lesson that my dad taught me well.

In the case of a sump pump it is best left to professionals to make sure that it is done right. While this is something that you may be able to figure out on your own there is no need to spend all of the time to figure it out and then the time worrying about whether you got it done right or not. It is better to have a professional come in and do it. By doing this you are going to find that you have freed up a lot of time for yourself to take care of the other things that you need to do and this will be one thing you can check off the list and not worry about any more.

When doing a sump pump installation the plumbers are going to want to schedule a time which is convenient for you. They will talk to you about the things that they need your help with in preparation as well as what you might expect from the installation so that you are prepared for the aftermath. This kind of knowledge before the process begins is worth it all by itself to have a professional do the installation of the sump pump.

 

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Water Heater Repair in Nashville

January 13th, 2012 by Roto-Rooter Bloggers

For millennia, people who wanted hot water were forced to build a fire and heat it up. Since that was such a hassle, most people got used to bathing in lakes, pools, and rivers; and if you were the youngest or least important person in the household in the winter, you probably got to bathe in the now tepid, dirty water everyone else left behind. The Romans, however, learned how to heat water in one place and pipe it to bathing pools. If you wanted a soak, you were invited to come and enjoy the social atmosphere of the baths.

These days, we’re grumpy if we don’t get a hot shower the minute we want it. In order to have hot water the moment you turn on the faucet, you’ll need a water heater. Conventional gas and electric water heaters have tanks that can hold many gallons of water, heated and ready to be sent to the shower or kitchen sink. As you use up the reserves, cold water is piped in and heated. A long, lingering shower can drain the water tank of heated water, and the next person probably won’t thank you for the cold shower they experience.

Tankless water heaters heat water instantly, continuously pumping out perfectly heated water on demand. More energy efficient than conventional water heaters, they’re being installed in increasing numbers in homes around the country.

Fortunately, our team of Roto-Rooter technicians are trained for any water heater repair in Nashville that you need. Conventional or tankless, we’re ready to keep you in hot water.

A conventional water heater should last around 11 years, although hard water can shorten its life. As water moves through rock, it picks up and dissolves minerals like calcium and magnesium. Over time, the minerals in your water are deposited along the insides of your plumbing pipes and become sediment in your water heater. If your water heater makes bubbly noises when it’s on, it’s caused by the sediment at the bottom of the tank being disturbed by the action of cold water being drawn in through the intake pipe. You can install a house-wide water softener to filter out those minerals, which will make all of your plumbing happier by reducing the amount of deposits. Mineral buildup is often responsible for slow heating.

If you aren’t getting any hot water, you think something is wrong with your water heater, or you want regular maintenance performed, we’re your Nashville water heater repair specialists, eager and anxious to help you regain those hot showers you love so much.

 

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Three Simple Tips to Avoid Potential Plumbing Repair

January 12th, 2012 by Roto-Rooter Bloggers

Wherever you live in or around Nashville, plumbing repair is a constant need for homeowners. Roto-Rooter has been repairing pipes and unclogging drains since the 1930’s, allowing our customers to have worry-free use of all of their plumbing requirements without breaking the bank. We guarantee our work and offer innovative solutions that are cost effective and unobtrusive.

With all that we can offer our customers, perhaps the most valuable thing is advice on how to avoid many of the common problems that incite plumbing issues. While an exhaustive list is beyond the scope of this blog article, here are a few things that can help you avoid some of the more common pitfalls that lead to blocked pipes.

One major issue is what you flush down the toilet. For some reason, some people believe that anything that can go down the toilet is fair game when it comes time to the pull of the handle. Not so. Diapers and sanitary towels are among the most common pipe blockers. These two items swell with water and do not degrade quickly, ensuring a problem-filled future when it comes to bathroom use. Baby wipes are also a common source of problems. People assume that a baby wipe is the wet equivalent of toilet paper, but it is not. There are specially made wipes that do degrade in water and these are labeled as “flushable”. These types of wipes are designed as an alternative or supplement to toilet paper, but even these should not be flushed in bulk.

One of the major things that cause blockages, especially following holidays, is fat in the system. We’re not talking about clogged arteries here, though that analogy could be applied when it comes to your house’s circulatory system. Pouring fats down the drain is a bad idea, period. Fats are immiscible to water, meaning that they don’t mix; they float on top. You may remember these sorts of experiments from science class. Beyond that, many fats congeal, solidifying into gunk that blocks the passage of water and waste from your home. It is inevitable that over time, fat deposits will build up and the flow of water out of your sink will trickle down to a standstill.

Hair accumulation in drains and sink traps is an ever mounting problem unless you guard against it. Hair falls out all the time – for some of us more than for others – and the buildup is so substantial that it can act as a veritable dam when it comes to smooth water flow. Many times, Nashville plumbing repair is achieved by removing a cylindrical-shaped plug of hair from the drain resulting in instant water-draining success. This problem can be eliminated by using a drain strainer or protector to sieve the hair from the water. One finger swipe at the close of each shower is enough to keep the drain free of hair.

These three tips alone can save you money and hassle in the long run. And when you need Roto-Rooter for the inevitable pipe breaks and the bigger stuff, we’re always here to help.

 

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Who Has Never had Plumbing Problems? | Roto-Rooter Plumbing

December 23rd, 2011 by Roto-Rooter Bloggers

If you have ever rented an apartment or a owned a home chances are you have had plumbing problems at one time or another. While many problems with the plumbing are preventable s are some are not. There is no need to be embarrassed by problems with the plumbing. Simply do what it takes to fix it and in most cases that is going to mean calling the plumbers in to fix it.

When you call them in to fix the problem ask them questions to find out what caused the problem and of it was something that could have been prevented. If it is something that you could have prevented you are going to want to know what it was and how you could have prevented it so that you do not repeat the same mistake later.

Although it can be terribly inconvenient to have a plumbing issue it is best to wait for regular business hours to have them come to your home so that you are not being charged after hour prices. If you are looking at more than a day or two it may be worth having them come after hours, but if you are talking inconvenience overnight or a day then it is much smarter to endure it for that short time.

In relation to plumbing issues in your home it is a good idea to learn some of the basics so that you do not have to call plumbers in for everything. Although we are happy to come in and take care of you, if you know how to take care of some of the basic issues that come up all of the time you will save yourself a lot of money and it will be well worth your efforts to learn it. For example, knowing how to use a plunger for a clogged toilet, knowing how to clean a clogged drain with the use of drain cleaner chemicals, fixing a leaky faucet when it simply needed to be tightened are some great examples of how to save yourself a lot of money.

Although sit is a good idea to learn how to take care of some of your plumbing problems on your own, you should also know when it is not wise to attempt it on your own as well. If you have a clogged drain that is not clearing with over the counter chemicals you should not pursue it further on your own. Call us in to help you.

 

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Should You Tackle Faucet Repair on Your Own? | Roto-Rooter

December 20th, 2011 by Roto-Rooter Bloggers

When you have an issue with your faucet should you try to tackle that on your own? The question really boils down to how comfortable you are with it. Some people are fine to tear things apart and get them back together and others are terrified of it. Also, some people are going to already have a lot more knowledge on faucet repair than other people and they will feel a lot more comfortable attempting to do the repair themselves than others will. In the end, you need to be the judge of whether or not you want to attempt it.

If you are going to do the repair yourself rather than call in a professional plumber, be sure that you take the following steps to make sure that you are not adding stress to your life.

  1. First, clog the drain. Nothing is more frustrating than dropping a part down the drain and being in a position where you need to take that apart to retrieve the part.
  2. Next, be sure to start the project when you have plenty of time to complete it. It may only be a half hour job for a professional, but it can take several hours for the novice. If you are not sure how long to plan, plan a ridiculous amount of time. The last thing that you want to happen is be up against a deadline and not be able to complete the job.
  3. Before tearing things apart you may want to do a little research on the faucet and how it works. You may even want to stop into the plumbing parts store and get some advice from them on how long to plan for the repair and then double that.
  4. As you take things apart, take the time to understand how they work and make mental notes and some hand written notes if necessary to remember how it goes back together. You may even want to snap a few pictures with your phone as you take things apart so that you can reference them when putting things back together if you need to.

Faucet repair is not all that difficult for those that find themselves naturally inclined to home repair things. However, if that is not you or you do not have a lot of time on your hands, please call us to come in and we would be happy to help you with this.

 

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Water Heater Repair in Nashville

December 16th, 2011 by Roto-Rooter Bloggers

For millennia, people who wanted hot water were forced to build a fire and heat it up. Since that was such a hassle, most people got used to bathing in lakes, pools, and rivers; and if you were the youngest or least important person in the household in the winter, you probably got to bathe in the now tepid, dirty water everyone else left behind. The Romans, however, learned how to heat water in one place and pipe it to bathing pools. If you wanted a soak, you were invited to come and enjoy the social atmosphere of the baths.

These days, we’re grumpy if we don’t get a hot shower the minute we want it. In order to have hot water the moment you turn on the faucet, you’ll need a water heater. Conventional gas and electric water heaters have tanks that can hold many gallons of water, heated and ready to be sent to the shower or kitchen sink. As you use up the reserves, cold water is piped in and heated. A long, lingering shower can drain the water tank of heated water, and the next person probably won’t thank you for the cold shower they experience.

Tankless water heaters heat water instantly, continuously pumping out perfectly heated water on demand. More energy efficient than conventional water heaters, they’re being installed in increasing numbers in homes around the country.

Fortunately, our team of Roto-Rooter technicians are trained for any water heater repair in Nashville that you need. Conventional or tankless, we’re ready to keep you in hot water.

A conventional water heater should last around 11 years, although hard water can shorten its life. As water moves through rock, it picks up and dissolves minerals like calcium and magnesium. Over time, the minerals in your water are deposited along the insides of your plumbing pipes and become sediment in your water heater. If your water heater makes bubbly noises when it’s on, it’s caused by the sediment at the bottom of the tank being disturbed by the action of cold water being drawn in through the intake pipe. You can install a house-wide water softener to filter out those minerals, which will make all of your plumbing happier by reducing the amount of deposits. Mineral buildup is often responsible for slow heating.

If you aren’t getting any hot water, you think something is wrong with your water heater, or you want regular maintenance performed, we’re your Nashville water heater repair specialists, eager and anxious to help you regain those hot showers you love so much.

 

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Sump Pump Installation

December 15th, 2011 by Roto-Rooter Bloggers

Basements flood from time to time. Perhaps you’ve experienced it. If you have, you know how much damage water can cause, even if it is just a little water. Homes built in area with a high water table or areas where condensation forms in the foundation can benefit from a few preventative measures. In Nashville, sump pump installation is a great way to take care of this issue before it becomes a real problem.

When many people think of a sump pump, they have the image of a moldy hole in the basement or crawlspace with a bad odor that makes you never want to go down there. This doesn’t have to be the case. The newer sump pumps are fashioned to eliminate these issues. Good quality sump pumps like the ones that Roto-Rooter uses are extremely effective, fairly quiet, and resistant to mold and mildew that can form in wet environments.

 

Odds are you already have a sump pump installed in your basement. If you don’t, installing one can be challenging, but not impossible. Often times, the most difficult part is drilling the hole through the concrete of the basement to form the well into which the moisture will gather. Once the hole is drilled, it has to be protected by a barrier between the concrete and the water. This barrier consists of a filter fabric that should keep out larger debris and heavier materials which could clog the pump.

The pump should be installed at the lowest point in the foundation so that water will naturally gravitate toward the well. Once you have the hole deep enough to set the basin flush with the basement floor, wrap the sump basin with the filter fabric and set it in the hole, then add gravel to the basin – just a few inches – before laying stone paver on top of the basin to give the pump something to rest on.

Once the pump is in place you are going to need to provide a path for the pump to evacuate the water from inside the house to outside. PVC piping will do the trick. Run the pipe up the nearest external wall and use a hole saw to cut a hole through the wall and outside. The PVC pipe will be run from the pump, up the wall, and out to the exterior of the house. Connect the check valve to the pump and build the various connections with the PVC pipe. Finally, fill the excess hole in the basin top with concrete and cap the well to test the pump.

Some sump pumps today have a ball valve in the plug at the top of the well that allows water from the floor of the basement to run into the pump well and be pumped out. These can often be useful if you have a leak somewhere in your basement. Others have an alarm that will sound if the water level in the well rises to a specific point, allowing you to check on the pump and troubleshoot. Often times, the pump has been unplugged, which can be a real problem if you are unaware of it.

It’s a good idea to test the pump from time to time by pouring in a gallon of water to activate the pump and eliminate potential problems. Here in Nashville, sump pump installation is something in which Roto-Rooter specializes. Should you need help putting in your sump pump, we are always available.

 

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Three Simple Tips to Avoid Potential Plumbing Repair

December 9th, 2011 by Roto-Rooter Bloggers

Wherever you live in or around Nashville, plumbing repair is a constant need for homeowners. Roto-Rooter has been repairing pipes and unclogging drains since the 1930’s, allowing our customers to have worry-free use of all of their plumbing requirements without breaking the bank. We guarantee our work and offer innovative solutions that are cost effective and unobtrusive.

With all that we can offer our customers, perhaps the most valuable thing is advice on how to avoid many of the common problems that incite plumbing issues. While an exhaustive list is beyond the scope of this blog article, here are a few things that can help you avoid some of the more common pitfalls that lead to blocked pipes.

 

One major issue is what you flush down the toilet. For some reason, some people believe that anything that can go down the toilet is fair game when it comes time to the pull of the handle. Not so. Diapers and sanitary towels are among the most common pipe blockers. These two items swell with water and do not degrade quickly, ensuring a problem-filled future when it comes to bathroom use. Baby wipes are also a common source of problems. People assume that a baby wipe is the wet equivalent of toilet paper, but it is not. There are specially made wipes that do degrade in water and these are labeled as “flushable”. These types of wipes are designed as an alternative or supplement to toilet paper, but even these should not be flushed in bulk.

One of the major things that cause blockages, especially following holidays, is fat in the system. We’re not talking about clogged arteries here, though that analogy could be applied when it comes to your house’s circulatory system. Pouring fats down the drain is a bad idea, period. Fats are immiscible to water, meaning that they don’t mix; they float on top. You may remember these sorts of experiments from science class. Beyond that, many fats congeal, solidifying into gunk that blocks the passage of water and waste from your home. It is inevitable that over time, fat deposits will build up and the flow of water out of your sink will trickle down to a standstill.

 

Hair accumulation in drains and sink traps is an ever mounting problem unless you guard against it. Hair falls out all the time – for some of us more than for others – and the buildup is so substantial that it can act as a veritable dam when it comes to smooth water flow. Many times, Nashville plumbing repair is achieved by removing a cylindrical-shaped plug of hair from the drain resulting in instant water-draining success. This problem can be eliminated by using a drain strainer or protector to sieve the hair from the water. One finger swipe at the close of each shower is enough to keep the drain free of hair.

These three tips alone can save you money and hassle in the long run. And when you need Roto-Rooter for the inevitable pipe breaks and the bigger stuff, we’re always here to help.

 

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We’re the Nashville Plumbers You Can Count On

December 8th, 2011 by Roto-Rooter Bloggers

You probably tend to take your plumbing for granted until something goes wrong. A backed up toilet, a clogged sink, or a sudden lack of water pressure are all situations that can cause a definite disturbance in your daily routine, and when you can’t fix the problem on your own, it’s time to call Roto-Rooter, your trusty Nashville plumbers. We’ve got the equipment, the know-how, and the experience to solve residential or commercial plumbing emergencies, perform regular maintenance to keep your plumbing gurgling merrily along, and answer your questions.

A backed up toilet is a homeowner’s nightmare. If plunging doesn’t help, or if you’re plunging frequently or every time you flush, it’s time to call us. Not only is toilet backup unsanitary, it certainly doesn’t make your nose happy, either. The worst case scenario is when raw sewage is bubbling or exploding up from the toilet bowl. In this case, you probably have a blocked branch line between the bathroom and the main sewer line, and you’ll need to get that cleared out. Since it’s unlikely you have the necessary equipment to do that effectively, call your local Roto-Rooter professionals immediately.

Even if sewage isn’t seeping or bursting from the toilet bowl, blocked sewer lines can still be to blame for your toilet not flushing sufficiently. Trees and other water-hungry plants are great at seeking out buried plumbing lines, stealing the water and breaking into the pipes with their strong roots. If you’re having toilet problems and the trees in your yard are looking a little too happy and green, you might have roots in the line, blocking the flow of water. In this case, it’s important to kill the roots and prevent them from returning for as long as possible. Roto-Rooter Root Destroyer and Root X are perfect for the job.

Slow-draining sinks and bathtubs are frustrating and annoying. Shower and bath drains can quickly clog up with hair, making it difficult for water to flow away. If the sink or tub isn’t draining at all but the toilets are still flushing, the most likely explanation is that you need to clean out the drain underneath the sink or tub to remove all the gunk. It’s not a pretty sight, and sometimes it can smell pretty awful, but that’s what we’re trained for. Water that won’t drain can quickly become a health hazard in itself, so don’t put off the phone call to your Nashville plumbers that can get you back to your routine as quickly as possible.

Kitchen sinks are also notorious for getting clogged up, and usually the culprits are grease and food particles rather than hair. Remember to never pour grease down your kitchen sink drain. Though you may pour it in hot as a liquid, after it has cooled it will harden and cling to the inside of your pipes, obstructing water flow. The more grease you pour, the more quickly the pipes will clog. Instead, pour hot grease into a heat-proof bowl and allow it to cool. Then you can dump it in the trash. In the meantime, we’ll be happy to help you get your kitchen sink draining smoothly again.

Your plumbing emergency is our time to shine, but we are also ready to help you with regular plumbing maintenance and problem prevention. When you need the best Nashville plumbers, call your local Roto-Rooter team today.

 

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Tile Grout Dust & Clogged Drains

April 29th, 2009 by Ray Lee Master Plumbers

We have a newly-built house in Nashville that's only 4 years old and the garage drains are slow to drain. We suspect it's from winter debris and possible tile dust from sawing tiles. We requested information from our local home improvement store's rental department, but they were fearful it would break their cable knowing what I mentioned above. We would like advice on this clogged drain do we need to seek assistance from a Nashville plumber?

This happens a lot with newer homes because the tile guys rinse their buckets in the floor drain without realizing their causing potential plumbing problems.

Your local home improvement store was afraid to rent their equipment because tile dust will often solidify inside the pipe and turn into concrete. Given this, when someone tries to clear the line they will sometimes punch a hole through the plastic floor drain because the plastic is softer than the concrete.

Nashville plumbing professionals are often taxed with fixing the problem. I found one drain so full of grout (concrete), no water could pass at all. I ended up breaking up the floor and cutting open the floor drain so the homeowner could see the problem. Too bad this wasn't taken care of the first year as the contractor could have back charged the tile layer.

Once in a while, an experienced drain cleaner can get through the buildup, but there are no guarantees there will not be any damage.

For more Nashville plumbing tips visit our Web site or call 1-800-GET-ROTO to schedule service.

 

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