After you’ve managed a houseful of holiday guests and the party is over, you have those dirty dishes in the sink but as you open the tap, boom! The dirty water backs up in your sink with a clogged drain. With such an embarrassing sight you break in the drain by using a bent wire then finally have to call a plumber to clear the clog.

But you know what, before you have to take the costly load of a plumber call; you can do simple chores with your drains to help them run freely. So, here are these 5 simple yet effective ways to keep your drains from clogging:

Steps to keep your drains from clogging

Believe it or not, drain clogs are quite common even if all the plumbing codes are followed and good quality piping materials are used. The only thing you can do to prevent them is by adopting simple drain maintenance tips.

Before you face the wrath of a useless sink or a burst pipe in your bathroom; these drains hint you with warning signs like the sink will take a little bit longer to drain or you can smell strange and unpleasant odors.

If that’s what you’re facing; you have to immediately adopt remedial measures to avoid serious water damage to the structure of your home. Escaping now will only make things even more complicated and worse.

Avoid dumping potential clogging items down the drains

This is the most effective and absolute best way to prevent slow or clogged drains. Stuff like cooking grease, hairs, food garbage, soap scum, and coffee grounds are all worst enemies for your drain. You can either prevent them from reaching your drain or you can use a strainer or catcher to keep these items from entering drain pipes and avoid a clog.

Flush drains frequently

Running hot water regularly down the drains is beneficial against potential clogs. It doesn’t take much time and effort and it’s the best way to keep drains clog-free in your home. Just set a regular maintenance routine for maximum benefits. You can either run hot water after each use or do it once a week based on your frequency of usage.

The hot water is perfect for melting and dislodging any grease or debris lurking in your drain. Just fill the pot with one-half of hot water and flush down the drain. Wait for 5-7 minutes and pour the rest.

Use of Boiled Water

Boiled water can do wonders down the drain. I’ve used the word boiled because hot water won’t do it. Instead, boiled water can dissolve any organic matter in your sink drain and avoid clogging in the long run. There are many stores out there that sell chemicals for clearing the drain but let me tell you all such products are a bit harsh and can cause damage to your drains.

But be careful to pour boiling water directly into the drain and make sure to never pour boiling water onto porcelain sink, as it can crack. Simply use a pot or kettle to boil water on the stove and pour it carefully down the drain. You can repeat this procedure, if necessary.

Use of Baking Soda

Facing woes of a stinking drain? Well, here is a remedy – combo of baking soda and vinegar. This mixture can foam up and remove debris while on the go. Besides this, it can kill bacteria and thus remove odors. If you’ve tried boiled water and still the sink drain is clogged – try this combo.

Just pour a half box of baking soda in the drain followed by half a cup of vinegar without adding any water. Cover the drain with a stopper and water for 30 minutes before pouring boiling water. You can also do this in your seasonal drain maintenance two or three times a year.

Use of bacteria down the drain

Unlike traditional drain cleaning chemicals, bacterial cleaners are noncorrosive and won’t harm your pipes. Bacterial drain cleaners are available at most home centers and hardware stores in granules or liquid form. Just read the instructions on the package and use it down the drain at the night time. You can use them against all sorts of organic matters: grease, food, and even hair.

The bottom Line

A clogged drain is a rage-inducing plumbing issue that anyone can encounter. However, you don’t have to waste your hard-earned savings on useless products and you can avoid the need to call a plumber by adopting these effective ways regularly, regardless of the type of drain.

Baby, it’s cold outside!

If those autumn evenings start to get a little too short and there is a chilly nip in the air, you can be sure that winter is well on its way. While you unpack blankets warm jumpers and woolly hats, remember to pay attention and give some TLC to your plumbing to ensure that it is up to the task of serving your home through winter reliably.

Count the benefits and savings from winterizing your home’s plumbing

Getting to grips with your property’s winter plumbing needs is a worthwhile investment of time and resources. Getting your plumbing winter-ready delivers these key benefits:

1) Prevention of frozen water in pipes

Cold weather wreaks havoc with your pipes. The freezing weather penetrates external plumbing and pipes in unheated areas of your like like the cellar or attic and will freeze water in your pipes, which will expand and can cause the piping to burst. This is the reason why burst pipes are one of the most common winter plumbing problems. Tacking this will save lots of time and hassles, as well as the clean-up of any flooding.

2) Save energy

After all the expense of heating your water, the last thing you need is for that energy to be lost to cold air. Traditional copper piping is a great conductor, but in winter your disadvantages as it is conducting your hot water and central heating to the outside air meaning more energy and ultimately money is needed to maintain the temperature.

3) Stay ahead of other plumbing issues

Depending on your property’s set up, the approach of winter is prime time to ensure that your plumbing is up to the rigors of winter performance. Timely intervention can protect:

• your boiler or water heater
• your septic tank
• your drainage

all of which will be under increased demand during the winter month as you stay home more and keep warm.

Take action now to prepare your home’s plumbing for winter with these key steps!

1. This has to be the number one method of preventing winter heartache from burst pipes. Use lagging or custom insulation tubes to cover any exposed or unheated pipework.
2.  Given the potential for leaks, it’s important to be familiar with where you can shut off your home’s water supply in case of a burst pipe, draining issue or another plumbing emergency.
3.  A dripping exterior faucet is an excellent way to release any build-up of pressure in cold pipes where water is near freezing.
4. Head-off any emergency call-outs in deep winter by having your local plumber review your plumbing in Autumn, paying particular pressure to your furnace or water heater and drainage.
5. Well-bled radiators have had the air removed meaning they are filled with water and provide optimal heating in your home.
6. This can help keep cold pipes from freezing and bursting behind a closed door.
7.  All those autumn leaves can build up to a major drainage problem if not adequately cleared. Also, take care of putting food and fats down your drain which can cause major clogging if they harden off in the cold.
8. A water-filled hose will freeze and cause cracking and damage that can track up into your household water supply. Make disconnecting and packing up your hose one of your first steps for being winter-ready.

When should I start winterizing my plumbing?

Efforts to prepare your home’s plumbing for winter ideally should proceed with the appearance of the first frost. At temperatures of 20 Fahrenheit (-6 Celsius) or below your pipes are likely to suffer freezing so by late Autumn you should have your lagging and insulation in place. That being said, it is never too late to take action to protect your property, so if you find yourself in the middle of winter don’t hesitate to get started. If you have leaks or problems you should call your local plumber right away.

Maybe you have noticed that your water bill has been higher than usual, though you are careful not to wastewater. There are some potential leaks in your home that could be causing an increase in your water bill. Therefore, we address 5 common plumbing leaks in the home.

1. Some drains may be experiencing leaks around them

Bathtubs are not always free of leaks. The drain of the tub can possess a weak spot, which means that water can leak out. Also, it is realized that the pipe that is located immediately under the drain can be a key area that leaks a well. These leaks can be the culprits of severe damage as leaks progress to a worse state.

A sure way to detect such a leak is when you notice some discoloration on the ceiling of the room that is situated under the tub. This is a form of water damage from the leak. Another sign of a leak is when the edge of the flooring near the tub seems to be lifting up. In such cases, you need to contact your plumber to address the issue.

2. Your water heater may be leaking.

It is a good idea to engage in inspecting your water heater tank from time to time in order to see if there are any leaks. Because the water heater contains large levels of water each day and because the water heater also experience shifts in regard to its temperature, these factors can contribute to the decay of the seal. This then can result in a leak.

The pressure relief valve of the water heater is a troublesome spot. If you hear hissing, this can be the cause of the leak. You should call the plumber.

3. Faucets can leak.

Many people may not consider a faucet that drips to be a type of leak. But because water is escaping from the faucet when this should not be the case, this means that water is being wasted. This can lead to a high water bill.

Normally, it is a simple job to address the dripping faucet by putting a new washer below the handle of the faucet But there may be other reasons why the faucet is dripping, which will need to be addressed. If you are not handy yourself, you should contact a plumber to address the issue.

4. The dishwasher can be a source of leakage.

Dishwashers are considered to be plumbing fixtures that are rather intricate. It is not normal for your dishwasher to produce puddles around itself or underneath itself. Some possible sources of leaks in regard to your dishwasher may be a problem with the drain, a hose that is leaking or a seal that is cracked or weak. There also could be other issues that are contributing to the leak.

Regardless of the source of the leak, the issue must be addressed quickly, as leak problems from dishwashers usually get worse rather rapidly. They actually use more water than one may think. which is why leaks from dishwashers can be serious.

5. Toilets can produce serious leaks.

A toilet that is leaking can really run up your water bill even more than a faucet that is leaking. Also, when a toilet is leaking, there can be damage to a ceiling below the toilet, to woodwork as well as to the flooring. That is why you must address the issue quickly, even in cases when there is frequent clogging of the toilet.

When the toilet is running, the flapper tube, the float or the fill tube may be having some trouble. Some may try to repair those issues on their own. But if there is some water dripping from the toilet, you need to get a plumber to fix the problem in order to prevent extensive damage to your home. Call Affordable Plumbing & Electric for all your needs.

Indoor plumbing is something we’ve all gotten used to. Maybe sometimes we even take it for granted. When our plumbing has an issue, like a clogged drain, or a backed-up toilet or sink, it’s when we realize how our lives would be different without it.

That’s when we need to find someone who can fix the issue, and that person is called a plumber.

General Tips on Hiring a Plumber

So what should one look for when hiring a plumber? How do we know the person we hire is qualified to diagnose the problem and make the necessary repairs?

Is Plumber has License?

One of the first, and most important questions to ask when hiring a plumber is whether or not they are licensed. Being licensed means the plumber is registered with a governing body at the state or local level.

Why is licensing important? A non-licensed plumber’s work may not pass inspection.  Major mistakes could be made by a non-licensed plumber which could result in water not fit to drink or bathe in.

It could also result in code violations. It’s best to hire a plumber who is licensed to ensure they are qualified to do the required work or repairs.

Ask for Rate

Plumbing work can be very expensive, and you’ll want to know what kind of bill you will be facing.  Many plumbers offer free estimates. Once you get the estimate, you should ask whether it includes labor, materials, and a contingency for any problems.

Another good question regarding cost is whether the quote is a flat rate or an hourly rate. A flat rate would be all-inclusive, but the cost of an hourly rate could increase significantly if the job takes longer than expected.

Always ask when payment is expected.  Usually, a percentage is required to begin a job, with payments being made as work is done, and full payment upon completion of the work.

Cleaning Process at The End

The next question you might want to ask is whether the plumber cleans up after himself. The answer should be an obvious yes, but this isn’t always the case.

A plumber who does not clean up behind his work can leave a homeowner with a giant dirty mess, and old parts, and boxes from new parts that will all need to be cleaned up.

If the plumber does not clean up after his work, you will probably end up being the one having to deal with the mess.

Ask for Warranty

Lastly, before signing any kind of plumbing contract, you should ask what kind of warranty is offered. Some plumbers will offer to come back within a year to fix any problems that arise. Some may only offer warranties on certain repairs.

It’s in your best interest to make certain that any kind of warranty or guarantee is in writing, and that the plumbing contractor you hire is licensed and insured.

A little research and investigation go a long way. By following these guidelines, and asking these questions, you should find a plumber who is competent, and capable of doing any plumbing work you require. So, contact Affordable Plumbing & Electric for all your plumbing needs.