Category Archives: DIY Plumbing

How To Go About Plumbing Upgrades And Renovations

March 20, 2018Bathroom Remodeling, Commercial Plumbing, DC Plumber, DIY Plumbing, Helpful Hints, How To, Plumbing Advice, Uncategorizedmatt

You have to ensure that your plumbing system is always in tiptop condition. This is due to the fact that the home plumbing system is responsible for some of the most critical household needs like water supply, waste disposal, nutrition and so on. As one of the most important components in your household, the plumbing system requires regular maintenance and proper care to enhance its functionality. Plumbing renovations and upgrades count as some of the most effective plumbing tactics in any household. Plumbing renovations involve the refurbishment of a section or sections of the plumbing system to improve the overall performance of the system. Plumbing upgrades are all about installing new better plumbing components in your household. The following tips will come in handy when you decide to renovate or upgrade your plumbing system.

Planning & Budgeting

Before launching any plumbing project, you should always start by planning and budgeting accordingly. The planning phase encompasses various project decisions and activities. For starters, you need to determine the scope of the project. Whether you are doing a partial renovation or a full upgrade, you have to highlight the various specifications of the project. As in you have to consider all the necessary improvements for your plumbing system, your goals and objectives for the project, and the budget allocation for your plumbing endeavor. The budgeting stage is especially crucial because it determines whether the project is commercially/financially feasible or not.

Project Design

The next step in your plumbing upgrade and/or renovation project, such as a bathroom remodel, is the actual design of the proposed project. This involves the crafting of a rough design to incorporate all the desired changes in your plumbing system. The rough draft is further fine-tuned to create a final design for the project, which will be used as a blueprint for all your plumbing upgrades and renovations. This phase requires the input of a professional architect and/or plumber. Depending on the scope of your project, you can hire any licensed plumbing firm that offers professional DC sewer and drain services to assist you in the design phase before moving into the project launch phase.

Contracting

Now that you gave the final design plan of your plumbing project, you can go ahead and hire professional contractors to implement the plumbing upgrades and renovations. You can opt for the same plumbing professionals that you hired for the project design phase or you can contract other firms for the project. The contracting phase is very crucial to the overall success of the project. You have to be very conscientious when vetting and hiring contractors to ensure that your final choice is adequately qualified, properly licensed and certified, highly competent and experienced, and able to deliver accordingly as indicated by his past professional accomplishments. You should also be careful with all your contractual agreements to ensure favorable terms of service.

Project Launch

The final phase of your plumbing project is the actual project launch. This is where the actual plumbing upgrades and/or renovations are implemented. You will have to purchase all the construction and plumbing materials and installations for your project in this phase. You will also pay all the labor fees to cover the entire project. Your main role in this phase besides financing is to monitor the development of your plumbing project until completion.

Drain Cleaning And Sewer Maintenance Tips

March 20, 2018Commercial Plumbing, DC Plumber, DIY Plumbing, Helpful Hints, How To, Plumbing Advice, Sewer Issues, Uncategorizedmatt

The drainage and sewer system is one of the most critical sections in a home plumbing system. The drainage and sewer system includes all plumbing components and installations that are involved in waste water drainage and waste disposal, such as sinks, bathtubs, showers, toilets, dishwashers, laundry machines etc. Like the names imply, the drainage and sewer system can be split into the actual drainage section and the sewer system. The drainage system includes all the drainage pipes and the aforementioned waste disposal installations. The sewer system is mainly composed of the septic tank plus all the drainage pipes that run underground to link the tank to your house. Your home drainage and sewer system should always be clean and unclogged in order to ensure the proper disposal of all the waste produced in your home. Read on to learn how to properly clean and unclog you drains and how to maintain your home sewer system in excellent condition.

Handling Clogs

One of the most common plumbing problems in any drainage and sewer system is clogging. Clogging occurs when a section of the sewer system is blocked preventing the flow of waste from your home to the septic tank. Clogging usually occurs in drainage pipes where something gets stuck inside the pipes thereby preventing waste flow from one point to another. Clogging can be caused by various agents including the accumulation of grease and other insolvent impurities inside the drainage pipes. Breakages in drain pipes and pipe flow compression issues by vegetation cover can also result in clogged drains. You can prevent clogs by observing a strict waste disposal routine where all insolvent stuff is not dumped into your drainage and sewer system. And in case the clogs occur, you can try a few DIY hacks to clear your drains. One of the simplest ways of unclogging your sewer system is by using a hand plunger to suck debris from any drainage link, such as a toilet, shower or bathtub drain, or sink. If this does not work, you might have a grease accumulation problem on your hands — use hot water to flush the drainage system. You can also use various commercial detergents to unclog your drain. And if the problem persists, call a professional plumber for assistance.

Regular Inspection

Your plumbing system should always be subjected to regular inspection runs to avoid any nasty surprises. Whether it’s your drainage and sewer system or your inflow piping system, you should always conduct regular inspections to ensure that everything is in good working condition. Routine inspection runs go hand in hand with routine maintenance tasks. After identifying any areas that require some upgrades or renovations, a professional plumbing inspector will recommend a feasible solution to correct the problem. Your drainage pipes or septic tank might need some upgrading but you might not realize this until you hire a professional plumber to inspect your home plumbing system.

Timely Repairs

You should never hesitate to call a professional plumber if you have a faulty drainage and sewer system. In case of any drainage and/or sewer problems, hire a licensed plumber who is capable of handling DC plumbing renovations and repairs in a timely manner. When it comes to the sewer system, you can’t spare any expenses.

Your Guide To Emergency Gas Line Services

March 19, 2018Commercial Plumbing, DC Plumber, DIY Plumbing, Helpful Hints, How To, Plumbing Advice, Uncategorized, Water Heatersmatt

It all started in the plumbing industry but this customer-centric practice has spread to many other home improvement service industries. We are talking about the provision of emergency services. Just like in the plumbing industry, where emergency services are nowadays offered by almost every practicing plumber, the gas industry has introduced this remarkable practice to its residential and commercial clients. You can now request emergency gas line services at any time of the day any day of the year. Some gas line professionals charge extra fees for emergency services but this is quite reasonable considering the critical nature of a gas line emergency. As we all know, gas leaks can cause substantial even fatal damage if not fixed immediately. As such, emergency gas line services avert far more serious losses than the slightly higher service charges incurred to fix a gas leak emergency. The following step-by-step guide will help you act on time to counter any gas line emergency.

Check Out The Problem

There are many different kinds of gas line emergencies. One of the most common and very serious gas line emergencies is the age-old gas leak issue. Gas leaks usually occur due to faulty gas lines, which cause the volatile natural gas or propane to seep through a crack or joint in the pipe. To detect a gas leak problem, you should always be on the lookout for gas smells and hissing sounds. Leaking gas smells like rotten eggs and any such smell in your home means that there is a gas leak. Hissing sounds along the gas lines indicate a significant gas leak, which necessitates professional assistance. Other signs of a gas leak include dead vegetation cover on the ground above your gas supply lines. In addition to gas line/pipe leaks, you might also notice other gas-related problems in your home or business. These include malfunctioning gas appliances, broken gas control systems, such as the gas supply meter, and no gas supply in your home. To solve all these gas-related emergencies, read on.

Consult A Professional

You are strongly advised to consult a licensed gas line professional to solve all your gas line problems or issues. But we sometimes opt for DIY solutions for obvious reasons. Before you decided to take matters into your own hands, you should always consider the severity of the problem. All gas leaks should be handled by a gas line professional. This is why you should always have a service call number to a licensed DC master gas fitter who offers 24/7 emergency services. Check out the websites of all the firms offering gas line services in your area and pick the one that offers emergency gas line services.

Preparing The Site

Before the gas line professional arrives, you should prepare the affected site beforehand. This is to save time and ease the process of fixing the gas line emergency. Remember that most gas line professionals charge by the hour. As such, you can save a great deal of money if you have the whole place ready before the gas fitter arrives. Not to mention that the prepared site will help fix the problem speedily thereby averting any serious damages that could be caused by a prolonged gas line fault.

Tips For Detecting And Fixing Gas Line Leakages

March 18, 2018DIY Plumbing, Helpful Hints, How To, Plumbing Advice, Uncategorized, Water Heatersmatt

One of the main reasons why gas lines require proper care and maintenance is to avoid gas leak problems at home. Gas leaks usually occur where gas pipes/lines join or connect. Gas may also leak or seep through cracks in old worn-out gas pipes. Gas leaks are some of the most dangerous faults in any home. This is because natural gas and propane are very volatile and highly flammable. Therefore, a minor gas leak can cause house fires and serious gas explosions if not fixed immediately. This means that you should call a licensed master gas fitter who specializes in DC gas line services to fix your gas line leaks as soon as possible. You should always bear the following tips in mind when dealing with gas leaks in your home.

Preventing Gas Leaks

You should always try as much as possible to prevent gas-related problems in your home; because as the old adage goes — prevention is always better than cure. Gas offers many functional benefits to the user. But just like electricity, gas can be quite dangerous if handled improperly. One way of avoiding all the dangers that are associated with gas use as a fuel source in the home is to prevent gas leaks. Gas leaks can be prevented through regular inspections and maintenance of the home gas supply system. By conducting regular professional plumbing inspection runs of your home gas supply system, you will be able to identify faulty sections early on and to fix them accordingly. This is part of the whole gas line maintenance practice. You should commission a professional gas company to check all your gas lines for leaks on a regular basis. You should then implement all recommendations offered by these gas line professionals regarding the replacement of old faulty gas lines to avoid gas leaks in your home.

Detecting Gas Leaks

As much as we would like to avoid gas-related problems in our homes, we must face the fact that they are still bound to occur at one time or the other. Gas leaks can still occur despite all out inspection and maintenance efforts. In such cases, you should be extra vigilant for all the telltale signs of a gas leak in your home. You should listen for hissing sounds along your gas pipes or in your gas appliances. The smell of rotten eggs ids another key indicator of a gas leak in the home. And you can always tell if you have an underground gas leak by looking at the health of the vegetation cover above then underground pipes. Dying grass and other vegetation cover indicates a gas leak. After discovering a gas leak in your home, it’s time to call the professional plumbers and gas fitters.

Fixing Gas Faults

Gas leaks can pose catastrophic danger to your home. You should therefore never hesitate to call a gas line professional after discovering a gas leak in your home. Even if you are not sure it’s a gas leak. You should calm your doubts by seeking the opinion of a licensed master gas fitter. The hired gas line professional will recommend various solutions for the gas leak problem, including replacement of old faulty gas pipes and you should always comply accordingly.

Professional Kitchen Renovation Tips

August 15, 2017DC Plumber, DIY Plumbing, Helpful Hints, Plumbing Advicematt

The kitchen is an extremely commonly used area, whether you are throwing dinner together after work or sitting down with friends and family to a nice meal for a special occasion. One thing is for sure, it gets used often for many different things, so functionality is one of the most important aspects. Having enough room, appliances, and units in the right places will make all the difference in how much you can efficiently accomplish when tackling your kitchen tasks. Creating a working layout from the beginning will help avoid problems and headaches from developing. Read through the list below for expert tips to save time and gain productivity.

What The Stove Can Really Do

Obviously, the stove is used for cooking; however, the stove also serves as a visual centerpiece in the entire perception of the kitchen. It is highly recommended that if you can only replace one item in the kitchen it should be the stove. The stove is the most visible and most used appliance, so it serves the biggest purpose visually and functionally. There are also other things you can do if you have a decent budget for extra details and features. Adding a hood can make a big visual statement while also providing extra ventilation. No matter what you decide, always keep in mind the importance of the stove.

Score With A New Floor

Flooring options are vast and complex when deciding what is appropriate and affordable. There are many different types of floors that will look, feel, and hold up differently. In the kitchen, you need to be aware that food can fall on the floor and accidents will happen, so you need something durable. Also, the fewer seams/cracks there are, the less food and debris will get trapped in there. Floating vinyl floors are very durable and easy to install, and they come in different colors and patterns. Italian porcelain is also an excellent choice since it’s extremely durable and easy to keep clean. You can also take it a step further and install a heating mechanism underneath the tile, making the floor stay warm for those early mornings when making coffee. The floor is another aspect that has a huge impact on the look, feel, and functionality of the kitchen; so for many reasons do your research and choose wisely.

Counter Top Tips

Lastly, there are a couple things to remember when picking new counter tops. First off, always get something that will be durable and water resistant so they don’t show wear quickly. Secondly, counter tops should hang over the edge slightly for visual appeal and so food that falls goes on the floor instead of on the cabinets. Marble, granite, quartz, and Corian are all very visually pleasing choices that hold their value pretty well over the years. For any other questions or problems don’t hesitate a professional that specializes in kitchen renovations in DC.

Bathroom Remodeling Tips For Success

August 13, 2017Bathroom Remodeling, DIY Plumbing, Helpful Hints, Plumbing Advice, Save Moneymatt

Remodeling or fixing up your bathroom can be a pricey, lengthy, and overwhelming process if you don’t have any experience in this particular area. Whether you are doing it all yourself or hiring a professional, you will want to develop a realistic plan from the beginning to map out everything in order from goals to specifics materials that will be needed. Sometimes, hiring a professional such as a designer may seem like an unnecessary expenditure but if the job is larger than average then you can actually save time and money in the long run with their efficiency and methods. You can also trust that the final result will be exactly the way you want it with excellent quality and attention to detail. Check out some more tips below for bathroom remodeling and renovations.

Try To Stick With Original Plumbing Placement

One very important aspect to understand in the planning process and development stage is to avoid moving the utilities like the toilet and bathtub location. Moving these will cost a lot more and be a much more complex process to demolish walls and change pipes that lead to the fixtures. This will tack on a lot of extra time to the entire project as well. Always keep the plumbing fixtures where they already are, if possible, to save yourself a ton of extra time and money.

Saving Money On A “New Look” Toilet

A common mistake that many people make is replacing the entire toilet when trying to give the bathroom a new look or style. Instead of buying a brand new toilet and paying to have it professionally installed on top of that, you can always just get a new toilet seat and lid to serve the purpose as a new look or theme of whatever you are striving for. Luckily, you can browse from many different styles, sizes, colors, and designs to best fit your needs and interests. If you do change the whole toilet, consider a new, low-flow one to save water.

Let There Be Light

One of the most common upgrades that people wish to tackle when remodeling their bathroom is adding more and better quality lighting. This is an excellent way to drastically change the visibility and the feel of the bathroom in a hurry. Fortunately, it can all be done in an affordable manner as well so you don’t have to break the bank on this one. Home improvement and specific lighting stores can offer great deals on exactly what you are looking for. You could also always take it a step further and investigate the possibility of installing a skylight for natural light. The lighting is an excellent and fast method of bathroom improvement and overall, any or all of these tips listed will surely help you achieve a newer look with more efficiency for less money.

Form a plan, seek professional advice, and take things one step at a time so you can get the most out your bathroom remodeling experience. For any other questions or assistance, contact an expert that offers bathroom remodeling in DC.

Crucial Plumbing Checks To Stay Up On

August 8, 2017DC Plumber, DIY Plumbing, Helpful Hints, Plumbing Advicematt

Many people fail to understand the importance of monitoring the plumbing throughout their home on a regular basis. Also, sometimes people do realize the importance but still choose not to keep up with it, thinking that nothing will happen. Both of these ideas/habits are equally harmful to adopt, considering that your plumbing doesn’t care if you are ready for a problem or not. An issue can happen at any time for a number of unexpected reasons and will most likely get worse until properly addressed and fixed. You shouldn’t regret spending a little extra time checking your plumbing every so often if it means you can possibly avoid a major and costly issue from developing later on. Read through the list below for three excellent and specific routine plumbing checks to help ensure the plumbing in your home is all functioning properly.

Checking The Water Pressure

This tip often gets overlooked while being very obvious on a daily basis whenever using any fixture that uses water. The shower and sinks are excellent visual indicators if you are experiencing an issue with too much or too little water pressure. Too much water pressure can damage appliances, fixtures, and pipes, while not enough water pressure is a major inconvenience and may be caused by another underlying issue. Purchasing a water pressure gauge will help you get an accurate reading on where you stand in the range of psi. You will want to test the static pressure of a water valve that is close to your main water valve for an accurate reading. You will also need to turn off any fixtures or appliances in your home that use water so you don’t get a false reading. The test should be done a couple of times for reassurance that the reading is correct and then a diagnosis can be made. The pressure should be between 50 and 75. If it is above 75 or below 50 you will need to act accordingly to achieve the desired psi for your home.

Checking For Leaking Pipes

This is especially important to monitor and keep an eye out for any sign of a leaking pipe in your home. Leaking pipes can waste tons of water, create water damage, and lead to a much larger more costly repair. If you notice wet spots underneath pipes, in the ceilings/walls, or anywhere else, further investigation is crucial so you can locate the exact cause and decide what the best method of fixing the issue would be.

Corrosion Can Be Problematic

The last thing to visually inspect is your pipes, fixtures, and toilet tank for any signs of corrosion or rust, which is a byproduct of corrosion. Corrosion can greatly affect the entire water system in your home and if left untreated may require an entirely new plumbing system. Large amounts of copper can lead to corrosion over time so the copper level in the water can also indicate a potential problem ahead of time. If you do see rust, corrosion, or sediment build up on any of your water pipes or sewer lines, call an expert to evaluate the situation. Don’t hesitate to reach out to a professional that offers DC sewer repair for any questions or concerns you may stumble upon.

Three Smart Home Products

August 6, 2017Commercial Plumbing, DC Plumber, DIY Plumbing, Energy Efficiency, Helpful Hints, How To, Plumbing Advice, Save Money, Water Heatersmatt

In today’s fast paced digital world, there is always newer more advanced methods, appliances, and technology being developed to revolutionize an industry or perhaps the entire worlds everyday life. This is great news for you considering the quality and intelligence of your devices and products can only get better and more convenient. Tasks that used to take a lot of time and planning now can be done 10 times better in half of the time thanks to connecting your devices to the digital realm. Appliances and devices are now becoming smart models offering more features connecting to your smart phone for your absolute convenience. Check out the options below for a more in depth look at the new possibilities.

Water Leak/Freeze Detector’s

These are excellent units that can be installed to keep track of the temperature and humidity of certain aspects of plumbing in your home. They can be synced to your smart phone and will show you recorded data from the measurements they take. This is an excellent safety feature so if a pipe or area gets too cold then you will be alerted so you can fix the problem before the problem escalates into something larger. Water leak detectors are great for letting you know if the device/setup finds any leaking water so you can catch it ASAP and avoid wasting water, money, and time. Imagine being able to monitor your home for leaks and freezes 24/7, 365 days a year all from your phone virtually maintenance free. Luckily, this can all become a reality whenever you decide it’s time to move forward and achieve these amazing upgrades.

Smart Thermostats

Another extremely convenient addition/upgrade you can easily make is installing a new smart thermostat. This will give the ability to monitor and control the temperature throughout your home by simply changing the temperature on your smart phone or tablet. It’s also excellent for keeping track of your desired temperature so it will automatically adjust and change the temperature so it is right where it needs to be even when the temperature would have gone up or down normally. This gives you total control at all times from the comfort of your smart device.

Water Heater Shut Off Valve

Finally, one last beneficial smart device that can be installed is a water heater shut off valve. This will automatically shut off water to the water heater when necessary while leaving all the other fixtures in perfect operation unaffected. It can also detect leaks and warn you if a problem arises so you can make a change or turn something off to avoid a bigger problem. Any and all of these devices will surely make your home more manageable, enjoyable, and hassle free. You can also catch issues early before they develop into something bigger while saving energy with better tracking and recording. Be sure to pick the model and brand that suits you and your family best before purchasing. For further help or services, contact a professional that offers water heater repair in DC.

Try These Three Easy Steps For Better Air Quality

August 4, 2017DC Plumber, DIY Plumbing, Helpful Hints, How To, Plumbing Advice, Uncategorizedmatt

The quality of the air that circulates throughout your home may be overlooked even though it can have a large impact on your overall health over time. Poor air quality containing particles, allergens, dust, and other impurities could lead to breathing problems and other undesirable illnesses. The good news is that there are devices specially made that will quickly fix the issue and eliminate harmful particles in no time. Read through the information below to learn more about how to get your air purity back.

Benefits Of Installing An Air Purifier

For starters, browsing different air purifying models is a great initial step towards drastically improving the air you will breathe in on a daily basis. They come in several different brands, models, and sizes so you can find the one that best suits your home’s needs while also not costing you a fortune. Be sure to pick an air purifier that will fit in your home as well as understanding how to properly use it. The unit will detect a number of different particles and impurities in the air so be sure to read the manual/directions/features so you can identify the results and react accordingly.

Adding An Allergen Detector

Another excellent device that can greatly benefit your health if you struggle with certain allergies or seasonal changes is an allergen detector. Certain brands and models will offer different or perhaps more specific options along with more or fewer features. It all depends on what your budget is and how advanced of a model you need. Allergen detectors are an excellent tool for warning you ahead of time if toxins or allergies start to accumulate in the air so you can react and make adjustments before it becomes an issue to your health. They can be digitally set up for your specific needs and measure/calculates the different particles in the air so you know exactly where you’re at in air quality. These two devices will show you humidity, temperature, allergens, air pressure, carbon monoxide, ozone, carbon dioxide, particulate matter, and other airborne chemicals. As you can see, these two devices will monitor and regulate the air quality and purity in your home in just about every single aspect possible.

Make Your Devices Smart Devices For Added Convenience

Just when you thought the improvements couldn’t get any more advanced and exciting, they can by connecting your smart phone to your air purifying/detection devices. This is a huge benefit and convenience since you can directly connect to your smart phone through wi-fi and then set up the settings on the device through the company’s app. This means everything can be set up and managed through your phone as well as using notifications like a text message whenever the device detects a problem or change in air quality. These are excellent ways to improve the quality of air in your home so you breathe clean every day. If you need help installing these devices or others like humidifiers and air cleaners on furnaces, or just have questions, don’t hesitate to contact a plumbing company in DC for professional service.

Year Round Irrigation System Maintenance

August 1, 2017DC Plumber, DIY Plumbing, Helpful Hints, How To, Plumbing Advicematt

Here is some helpful information to make maintaining your irrigation system easier and simpler, freeing you up for other items on your to-do list. Note that observation and winterization are key factors to perform.

Steady Observation Is Key For Starters

If you are planning on having an irrigation system installed at your commercial property or residence, it is worth considering having a master plumber handle the installation. This will greatly reduce problems and save you time. If you are one of many that have already installed or had your irrigation/sprinkler system installed, then your job is going to be observing the efficiency of where the water is being dispersed and how much. Ensuring each day that every nozzle and mechanism is moving and cycling correctly is important to know, so if a problem does develop you can catch it early. Letting a problem go unfixed for a while could severely change the balance of color and life in your yard and landscaping, leaving areas not watered, brown and dead. Mismanagement and inaccuracy of irrigation could also leave large amounts of water in places that you don’t want, causing other unwanted problems as well. Be sure to inspect each day that the placement, pressure, accuracy, and movement are all in check and working the way they should be to maximize the output and success of your irrigation system.

Winterizing Your Irrigation

Next on the list of necessary steps especially for anyone who lives in a region that experiences freezing weather would be properly winterizing the hoses, sprayers, and water supplied to each area. Always be sure that the water is shut off ahead of time so the weather doesn’t surprise you and leave you frozen lines or ruined mechanisms. You will also need to get all the water out of the entire sprinkler system, including sprinkler heads, hoses, nozzles, and spigots. Sometimes due to the complexity of the system, gravity alone is not enough. If water is trapped or too far down in a line or area to reach then compressed air or a specially made blower for pools and plumbing will help you push the remaining water out. When the weather rolls back around and things have thawed out thoroughly, cleaning and inspecting the whole sprinkler system before use is essential for maximum success when running. Debris can create clogs and can increase the pressure leaving an area damaged and unable to perform.

When A Problem Arises

Lastly, on the list of actions to take for getting the most out of your irrigation system is knowing how to respond when you encounter an issue. Even if you take extra special care of your sprinkler/irrigation system every day year after year, problems and accidents can still happen, unfortunately. If you encounter a leak you will need to figure a way of closing up the leak ASAP so water is not wasted and an area is not getting soaked. Running across a broken line or nozzle will most likely require disassembling the system and installing a new part to solve the issue. The more you know and understand the specifics of your system, the more you’ll be prepared to resolve the issue in a number of different possible situations and circumstances. If you experience something that you are unsure how to install, replace, or fix altogether, you may need to contact a professional that specializes in emergency plumbing services in DC for further assistance.