Like all things mechanical your home’s plumbing systems occasionally require attention to assure they are reliable and dependable. Your plumbing system should undergo routine checks, maintenance, and cleaning. To help make sure you are never left without water, Silver Star Plumbing, Drain, & Sewer offers annual Service Contracts with true “24 hour emergency” service to those customers under contract.
Tips:
Water Flowing Properly
To help establish whether your home’s water is flowing properly, turn the water on in the bathtub and kitchen sink and look to see if there is a noticeable reduction in the water’s volume. If so, the piping in the home may be full of calcium and mineral deposits and may require replacing.
Sewer Line Cleanout
Locate the house’s main sewer line cleanout and make certain that it is accessible.
Locating the Main Water Valve
In case of an emergency or another need you should know where your home’s main water valve shutoff is located. The valve will be either one or two valves located near the main water line and should be able to be turned off by hand. There may be an outside box often times called a ‘meter box” where the main water to the house can be turned off. Often times this box is near the street at your properties edge. You may need the help of a Silver Star Plumbing Technician to turn the main water line off from the box. The box generally requires a special key in order to be shut off properly.
Standing Water in the Front Yard
Look over your homes yard and make certain there is no standing water that might have been caused by a broken or leaking pipe. Free standing water in a yard may also be from a leaking or broken sewer pipe and could contain waste from your home. Standing water such as this is not healthy for adults, children and pets.
Unwanted Odors
Take some time and pour a gallon of water into those drains that are not often used to make certain the trap is filled. This will help to prevent unwanted odors and gas into your home. For those drains that drain slowly you should have your Silver Star Plumbing Technician clear the drains to ensure that they carry water away efficiently in case you have a flood.
Bathrooms, Kitchens & Laundry Room
The single largest investment most families will ever make is their home. Taking the time to protect that investment can save you money and valuable time. Setting some time aside to do a few seasonal checks on your homes plumbing could also mean the difference in stopping a potentially small problem from developing into costly larger problem. We recommend these simple seasonal tips to make certain you protect your investment and assure your plumbing remains sound throughout year and the time that you own your home.
We recommend that you follow this helpful checklist every few months to assure you spot any looming problems with your homes plumbing.
Tips for the Kitchen, Laundry Room, and Bathrooms
Take a moment and check all of the faucets in the bathrooms, laundry room and kitchen for leaks. Make certain to make any repairs to help you save on your water bill.
Check your bathrooms toilets for hidden leaks. This can easily be done by adding six drops of food coloring to the toilet tank. If your toilet is leaking the color will appear in your bowl within a half an hour.
You should test to make certain that all of your toilets are flushing properly. If you need to “jiggle” the handle or hold it down for the toilet to flush thoroughly, the components within the tank could be worn and need replacing.
Open and close the water valves located under sinks and your toilets to prevent the valves from sticking.
Check to make certain that all of your toilets are flushing at decent pace. If not, the water line may be kinked or worn and could need replacing.
Check around the base of your toilet tanks for any signs of water damage or for soft floors. A simple way beyond visibly is simply “straddle the toilet and rock gently back and fourth on each foot. If the floor feels soft or sponge like, their may be rotting or weak wood resulting from a slow leak.
Your pipes can clog because of the gradual build up of grease, hair and soap debris. We recommend that all of your drains in sinks and tubs have strainers. This will help prevent bulky foods, hair and soap debris from clogging your drains.
Take the time once every few weeks (especially in those areas where the plumbing is not used on a regular basis) to run hot water in all of your sinks to help to make certain that your pipes will remain free flowing.
Don’t use your toilets as a trash basket. Never flush sanitary products, cigarette butts or diapers down the toilets. Make certain that all of your bathrooms have a wastebasket in them.
A lot of kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms are built with tile. You should check for loose tiles where they come into contact with the tub, or sinks. If the walls appear to be soft, their may be a leak behind the tiles causing damage to the structure.
Appliances
Correct Water Heater Setting
You should check to make certain that your homes water heater temperature setting is set correctly. To prevent scalding it should be set no higher then 120 degrees F. Setting your water heaters temperature at 120 F also helps to reduce energy usage. You can set the water temperature on the water heater by adjusting the red knob located near the bottom of your heater.
Draining your Water Heater
Once a year to make certain your tank is not full of corrosion and sediment which can reduce your systems energy effientcy as well as shortening the life of the heater drain several gallons of water from the valve located near the bottom of your water heater.
Water Heater Replacement
We recommend replacing your water heater if the unit is older then 10 years. You can check this by referring to the first four numbers in the serial number which will show you the year your unit was manufactured. Today’s new heaters are much more energy efficient and can help you save on your electric bill.
Water Heater Pressure Valve
Check the pressure relief valve located on your water heater by lifting it up and letting it “snap” back. You should receive a small burst of water into the drainpipe. If the valve does not react in this manner call your Silver Star Plumbing Technician to have it checked out.
Rusty Water Heater
If your water heater is rusty this is a sign of potential pending problems and may need replacing.
Dishwasher Hoses
Take a minute to check that that your dishwasher, washing machine and icemaker supply hoses are not “bulging or showing signs of weaknesses. A good rule of thumb is that these hoses should be replaced every ten years.
Washing Machine
Make certain that your washing machine lint trap is clear if it is equipped with one. You may consider placing a wire trap or piece of pantyhose over the end of the hose that drains the washer into the drain.
Appliances Hoses
Check to make certain that your washing machine, garbage disposer, dishwasher and water heater hoses are attached tightly. In those areas where hoses are located under cabinets and it may be to dark to see, use a flash light and look for any leaks around the hoses.
Kitchen Sinks & Garbage Disposals
Garbage Disposal
You should never put hard to grind food components (coffee grinds, poultry skins, banana peels) in your kitchens garbage disposal.
Flushing Debris
Take a moment and run cool/cold tap water down your kitchen drain for 20 seconds before and after using the garbage disposal to make certain that you flush debris through the line.
Grease down the Drain
Never pour liquid greases down your kitchens sink. Wipe all excess grease from post, pans and the stove with a paper towel and dispose of in the wastebasket.
Odors from the Disposal
Over time odors may form from the buildup of food debris within your disposer. To help eliminate these odors try placing some ground ice cubes along with the lemon rinds for about 30-45 seconds. Another tip you may wish to try to rid the disposal of odors: Try placing a small amount of liquid dish detergent in the disposer with the disposer running. Rinse the remaining debris with cold water for approximately thirty seconds. Ask our qualified technician about our chemical plans we have to put in your disposal.
Disposal Stops Working
Should your garbage disposer stop working it may be because the system is overheating and automatically shut down. Should the disposer shut off while in operation try turning the disposer off. Keep your hands and any objects from the drain and with the power still off push the red reset button located at the base of the disposer. Then restart the disposer by turning the power switch back on.
To find out more about our services please email us at silverstarpds@aol.com or call 702-363-4114.
