Transcript

Hey everybody and welcome back! This time, we'll be taking a look at how you can keep your home's outdoor plumbing in tip-top shape.

One of the most important things you will need to do is check all the faucets and hose bibs to make sure that water is able to flow freely. If there is only a slow drip, or a leak, chances are you have a cracked pipe that will need to be replaced.

You should check every plumbing vent pipe, such as those from the dryer to the outdoors, for any debris that might have been caught. A clog will prevent the machine from being able to vent properly, which can cause extensive and expensive damage.

Thanks for watching, and be sure to check back here soon for more helpful home improvement tips!

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Plumbing has been around since the Roman times, but today's modern plumbing systems have artfully combined function with beautiful designs, and we aren't complaining.

The principles of plumbing are simple ? pressure plus valves, but if something goes wrong, your walls, floors and furnishings can be one soggy mess. When this happens, you have to act fast to ward off costly repairs.

To be a savvy homeowner, you want to learn how to spot and resolve small plumbing problems before they turn into major headaches. To help you stay dry and happy, we encourage you to follow these tips:

Be on the lookout for trouble. With plumbing, little problems can turn into big ones. Be alert for signs of an impending failure: for example, rocking toilets, leaky faucets, and damp cabinets and dripping refrigerators, all of which signal the need for prompt attention.

Don't ignore problems. Do you have a leaky showerhead? A leaky faucet or showerhead is more than annoying, they encourage the growth of unhealthful mold and mildew. Don't ignore problems because they'll only get worse as time passes.

Know where the shut-off valve is. Should you have a flood in the basement, bathroom or kitchen, do you know where to go to shut off the home's water supply? You need to locate the main shut-off valve for the home's water supply, and if it's in a dark or hidden spot, you should store tools nearby for a quick emergency shut-off. There's nothing worse than missing a flashlight or a lost shut-off key when the water is gushing down the stairs from a burst pipe.

Get to know your appliances. In addition to the home main water supply, you need to learn how to shut off the water to sinks, toilets, washing machines and your refrigerator's ice maker. Should something go awry, knowing where the shut-off valve is help avert a messy, wet cleanup.

Looking for a Kansas City plumber?

If you have a plumbing job that requires a professional plumber, contact A-1 Sewer & Septic Service Inc. for help. We offer same-day service at no extra charge. Call today for a no-obligation quote from one of our experienced plumbers!

Tankless water heaters are not exactly a ?new? technology. In fact, the first tankless model was invented in the late 19th century. But it wasn?t until fairly recently that they developed to the point where they were efficient and reliable enough to become competitive with the conventional storage tank water heater. With continuing advances, tankless water heaters are now a popular alternative for home installation, and we can expect to see their popularity grow every year.

But as the technology becomes more widely available, customers have more questions about tankless water heaters. We?ll answer a few of the more frequent concerns people have regarding installing a tankless water heater.

?Will the water from a tankless system be hot enough??

It can be just as hot as the water from a storage tank system. The thermostat on the tankless water heater allow you to set the temperature, and you can set it to 120░F, which is the same heat level on most tank water heaters. However, because of the high energy efficiency of a tankless system (it doesn?t keep losing heat from a standing supply of heated water) you can actually set it temperature a bit lower and still receive the same water temperature from your taps!

?Will it take too long for the energy savings to payback the installation costs??

It?s true that tankless water heaters have higher install costs than conventional systems. The energy savings will offset this and payback the installation within 3 to 7 years. When you take into account that tankless systems can last 20 years or more, you?ll have plenty of time to reap those energy savings.

?Is a tankless system really reliable??

The promise of receiving an unlimited supply of hot water does sound a bit too good to be true. And for the water heaters of yesteryear there was indeed an issue with general system reliability. However, the current state of tankless technology has made these water heaters just as reliable as standard tank systems.

Last week we covered What NOT to Put Down Your Toilets, Drains, and Garbage Disposal.aWhile knowing this list of not-so-drain-friendly items will help you keep things running smoothly, it's certainly not the onlyaway to prevent clogs. To help save you from the frustrating inconvenience of clogged drains and plumbing backups, here's a list of easy ways to keep your drains clog-free!

How to Keep Drains Clog-Free

• Cover your drains.aThe best AND easiest way to keep your drains clog-free is to keep everything but water out in the first place. By placing mesh screens over all of your drains, you'll be able to catch and remove hair, food particles, and other debris.
  • ProaTip:aDon't want mesh screens to clash with your dΘcor?aMesh screens can easily be installed underayour shower drain cover, so you'll still be able to catch debris without having to look at the buildup.
• Minimize shower shedding.aIt's impossible to shower without losing some hair to the drain,abut you can easily minimize hair-induced clogs by brushing or combing your hair right before you step into the shower. By doing this the majority of your loose hairs will end up in your brush rather than your drain!
• Bathe your pets outside.aWeather permitting, washing your pets outside will keep loads of hair out of your drain. And during colder months when pets need to be bathed inside, you can block the drain with a washcloth to keep their fur out of your pipesaOR opt to bathe them in a wash tub you can empty outside rather than in your bathtub.a
• Give your garbage disposal a break.aThe more you compost, the less opportunity you'll have to clog your garbage disposal. On top of that, using your garbage disposal less will also help you save water and energy! Not a gardener?aGive your composted materials to a community garden!
• Educate your kids on drain-friendly items.aKids love to learn, so teach them where your water goes when it drains and why they should be careful with what they put down the drain. Also, keep an eye on what they play with in the tub making sure no toys are smaller than the drain, and be sure they understand toys should never be flushed (no matter how fun it may be for them to see their favorite toy swirling around in the toilet).
• Fill your own plumbing toolbox.aNo matter how careful you are, you're bound to experience a clog at some point as a homeowner ? maybe a guest flushes too much toilet paper, maybe you drop something you know isn't drain-friendly, and so on. For such occasions, it's helpful to have a quality plunger and/or drain snakeaon hand to be able to take care of small problems immediately on your own before theyaturn into big, expensive problems.

If you're having trouble with your drains and are looking for help, give Ken?s Plumbing a call! You can reach us by phone anytime at (864) 242-5511, or click the banner belowato schedule service online. You can also fill out our contact form to ask our professionals even moreaabout what items are or are not safe to throw down the drain!

If you enjoyed this plumbing article, please check out other posts on our blog and join us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+ to see why the Greenville, SC area calls us "The Picky People's Plumber!"