Tutorial on Planning for a Healthy New Year

A healthy step into the New Year is easy to accomplish when we take the time to plan ahead. Implementing a preventative maintenance plan for a healthy water system in your home is easy to achieve, once you have the right information. Follow this quick tutorial on the steps you can take to provide your plumbing system with some extra care this New Year:

Take Care of Your Drains

Ensuring the cleanliness of your drains decreases your risk of coming into contact with harmful bacteria such as E. coli and salmonella, which thrive in these dark, moist areas. Be extremely diligent about watching what enters your sink, and try your best to avoid putting fats, oils, and food particles down the drain.

You can insert a strainer over your drain to catch any food particles or large debris which may enter your piping system.

The following issues are symptoms of a blocked drain and should be addressed by a professional plumber:

• Water backs up the drain when the faucet is turned on.
• There is slow (or no) drainage in your sink.
• Your kitchen or bathroom sinks are emitting foul odors.
• Your toilet is beginning to overflow.

Maintain and Plan to Have Your Water Heater Flushed Out

Flushing a water heater includes the cleaning of your heating tank and the removal of sediment from the bottom of the heater. This sediment builds up due to the direction of water flow from the top to bottom of the tank as it enters. This sediment must be warmed up along with the water to ensure it reaches the correct temperature, using unnecessary amounts of energy to do so.

A professional water heater flush can be done safely and effectively by a plumbing expert, creating an energy efficient water heater once again.

Plan Specific Times of the Year to Check Water Filtration

Water filtration refers to the flow of water both into and out of your home, and the quality of the water itself due to the piping it must travel through. By regularly inspecting and maintaining your drains, faucets, and water quality throughout the year, you can ensure a healthy water flow all year long.

Remove Hair Clogs: Once a week, use a pair of tweezers to remove any hair and other build-up out of your shower drain by removing the cover.

Clean Your Faucets: Faucets can lose pressure over time. The most likely cause of this issue is build-up on the screen at the end of your faucet. To clean off this sediment, remove the aerator and screen from your faucet and soak the screen in hot white vinegar. Replace the screen and aerator, and watch the water flow with ease once again.

Test Your Water Quality: Annual testing of your water quality keeps your home, and your loved ones, healthy. Take a sample of water into a professional laboratory for detailed results, and think about installing a water filtration system into your home's plumbing system for added peace of mind.

Bud’s Plumbing & Repair Service is a reliable plumbing company in the Evansville, IN area. For any questions or issues you may need addressed, give us a call at (812)-618-9638.

DEFENSE: Protecting Your Pipes During Super Bowl LI

Halftime Flush, Fact or Fiction?

If you are a Super Bowl fan, then you have probably heard that thousands of spectators who are watching the game at home will flush their toilets at the same time during Half Time. Some of these stories are true because several cities have noticed that water usage does increase during the Super Bowl’s halftime break.

Many television viewers are in a hurry to get back to the television to watch the musical performance, and they also don’t want to miss any part of the football game.

In many homes, people are in a rush to visit the bathroom during the Super Bowl’s halftime show so that they can also scurry into the kitchen to get more snacks and beverages.

While water usage may increase during this time, it won’t cause any widespread plumbing issues for an entire city. However, if you have a home with old bathroom fixtures, sewage lines and water pipes, then having numerous guests flushing toilets at the same time can overburden a building’s plumbing system.

If you plan to have a Super Bowl party in your home, then it is important to prepare ahead of time by making sure that your home’s plumbing system is in tip-top condition. Contact a plumber to have your home’s drainage devices cleaned and repaired to avoid having overflowing toilets.

Don’t Drop the Chicken Wings

When you have a Super Bowl party, make sure that your guests understand what they can put inside your kitchen’s garbage disposal. If one of your guests decides to drop the remains of their barbecue chicken wings down the garbage disposal, then a disaster will occur.

Before Super Bowl parties, make a written list to hang on the wall above your kitchen’s sink to prevent a broken garbage disposal.In addition to keeping chicken wing bones out of the appliance, don’t put hard or fibrous substances such as eggshells, potato skins or rice in the garbage disposal.

These items will break your garbage disposal’s blades or create a clog in the drain underneath the sink. If you do have a problem with your kitchen’s garbage disposal, then call a plumber!

 If You’re Not Going Green, You’re On the Losing Team

Instead of spending a lot of money on huge cases of bottled water for your guests, have a water filtration system installed inside your home. When you are having a lot of guests at your home for a Super Bowl party, they will need to have more drinking water than you are normally used to and you may also use more water for preparing snacks. By using a filtration system, you can remove the impurities from your home’s water so that it has a fresh flavor.

Call Bud's Plumbing & Repair Service in Evansville, IN today at (812)-618-9638 to learn more about garbage disposal safety, drain cleaning and water filtration systems.

Homeowners Guide for Preventing and Thawing Frozen Pipes

The winter weather presents certain specific risks due to the colder temperatures. One of the greatest sources of potential damage to your home is frozen pipes, which can burst and cause substantial damage to your home and belongings.

While you can’t control the weather, there are a number of steps that you can take as a homeowner to prevent pipes from freezing in the first place. If you should suffer from a frozen pipe, there are steps that you should take immediately to stop or reduce potential damage.

Watch Out For Exterior Plumbing

Pipes that have the most contact with the elements are the ones that you need to worry about the most. Do a scan of your home, taking special note of where the most vulnerable piping is located. Pay attention to pipes that run in the garage, or against exterior walls.

For an extra measure of warmth, leave cabinet doors open under sinks in bathrooms and kitchens, giving the warm air a path to flow.

Wrap Pipes with Heating Tape

It is important for your pipes to be able to retain as much heat as possible in order to prevent freezing. An excellent way to accomplish this is to wrap your pipes in specialized heating tape. This takes a great deal of precision, so you’ll want to refer this job to your trusty plumber.

Warm Pipes Occasionally by Letting Hot Water Run

Believe it or not, simply letting hot water flow on a regular basis is an effective way to keep pipes clear. It can help warmth linger as well as break down any freezing that may be starting. Another handy trick is to keep a couple of faucets running at all times; just a trickle to promote movement through your pipes.

Keep Garage Doors and Attic Windows Closed

Heat rises, so if your attic windows are open, you are providing hot air a way to escape your home. Keep them closed at all times. In the same vein, if your garage door is open, you are removing a barrier between your home and the cold outdoors. Keep cool air out and protect your pipes by keeping that garage door closed.

To Thaw a Frozen Pipe, Use a Heat Lamp, an Electric Space Heater or a Hair Dryer

If you discover that you’ve got a frozen pipe on your hands, it is essential to apply heat as soon as possible.

The longer the freezing lingers, the greater the expansion in the pipe and the greater the danger. There are a few household tools that you may have handy that can be effective.

 

We’ve got all kinds of helpful homeowner hints when it comes to your plumbing and heating. We’d love to hear from you. Call the experts at Buds Plumbing And Repair Service at (812)-618-9638 today.

Smart Ways to Cut Energy Costs in the New Year!

Energy costs seem to always be on the rise, and it makes sense to cut costs wherever possible. One way to reduce expenses is to cut down on your energy costs. The price you pay varies from month to month, but the fact is that less usage equals a lower bill. Implement these smart ways to cut energy costs in the New Year.

Save on Lighting

Replace your outdated incandescent bulbs with energy-certified compact fluorescent lights or LEDs. They cost slightly more than older bulbs but last significantly longer and use as much as 70% less energy.

Turn off lights when not in use, utilize sensors for less populated areas and use natural daylight instead of artificial lighting during those sunny days.

Unplug It

Get used to unplugging almost everything. When electronics are plugged in and not turned on they still draw small amounts of electricity. If it’s a hassle to unplug everything, purchase a power strip and turn everything off at once. Keep printers, fax machines, and other office equipment turned off instead of using sleep mode for maximum electricity savings.

Consider Changing Out Your Energy-Wasting Appliances

Using old appliances that aren’t ENERGY STAR certified use more electricity than newer models. The cost of a new appliance is better for the environment and the energy savings allow you to break even. Keep your refrigerator full for best chilling results. Consider switching to a front-loading washing machine that uses less water.

When doing laundry, consider hanging clothes on a drying rack or a clothesline if it’s nice outside. Avoid the “Heavy Wash” and “Large Load” settings on the washing machine, these consume more water and energy.

It’s useful to only run your dishwasher when it is full since the majority of its energy consumption is from heating the water and drying the dishes. Allow them to air dry or manually dry them to save on energy costs.

Heating and Cooling

Install a programmable thermostat so you aren’t heating or cooling your home when you’re not there and adjust it to a lower temperature at night if you’re in a cooler climate and a higher temperature if you’re in a warmer climate. Most experts tend to recommend no more than 65 degrees at night for cooler climates.

Implement these simple but effective energy saving tips and start to see your utility bill shrink. Contact Bud's Plumbing & Repair Service in Evansville, IN at 812-618-9638 to learn more about how to save on your energy costs.

Taking Control of Stubborn Plumbing Issues to Enjoy Your Holiday Season

If Murphy’s Law has anything to do with it, plumbing emergencies and repairs happen at the worst of times.

Nothing is more inconvenient than experiencing a stubborn plumbing issue during the holiday season.

This is a time when you should be relaxing with the family, not on the phone with a plumber or troubleshooting a plumbing repair.

Here are some of our best practice tips to take control of your plumbing system this holiday season and avoid annoying issues and repairs:

Inspect the Faucets

Make sure the water in your faucets is flowing freely. This will prevent spraying and leaking or dripping over the holidays. Some of the most common culprits for faucet problems include:

• Sediment building up in the spout creating a spraying effect or reduced water flow.
• Worn out O-rings that lead to leaking and dripping.
• Corroded washers that also contribute to leaking and dripping faucets.

Insulate Your Water Heater

Cold weather is not ideal for an efficient water heater. Exposure to cold air means the water heater must work harder to create the same amount of heat. By insulating your water heater, you can help it retain heat better and reduce your monthly energy bills. Water heater insulators will also help prevent unexpected breakdowns since it reduces some of the strain put on the unit.

Mind the Thermostat

It’s recommended to keep your home heated to 55 degrees or higher. This is true whether you are home or away for the holidays. Keeping it heated to 55 degrees will prevent the pipes from freezing and save you from coming home to a huge burst pipe mess.

Test the Sump Pump

If you don’t regularly rely on the sump pump to move excess water from your home, you’ll want to test it before the holidays to make sure it doesn’t leave you hanging.

Simply pour a bucket of water in the tank and wait to see if the motor kicks in. If nothing happens, the motor may be seized, and you should get professional help before the holidays.

Protect Your Pipes

Your water heater is not the only plumbing component that gets damaged by cold air. Your pipes are also prone to freezing and bursting when exposed to cold air.

This is why we always recommend insulating your pipes with foam insulation. Foam insulation will prevent the water inside the pipes from freezing and help you avoid burst pipe emergencies.

Close the Shut-Off Valve on the Outdoor Faucets

Chances are, you have already removed your outdoor hoses and stored them for the season. But did you remember to look after the shut-off valve too? This valve prevents water from entering the pipes that lead to the outdoor faucets. This will help prevent leaking, dripping, freezing and bursting in that area of your home.

Call Bud’s Plumbing & Repair Service today to take care of all your holiday plumbing needs. Call 812-618-9638 today for quick and reliable service in Evansville, IN this holiday season.