There are a lot of reasons why you should hire a professional plumber to complete plumbing repairs for your home or business. While it is entirely possible to complete some minor plumbing repairs on your own, some repairs simply must be done by a licensed, certified plumbing professional. If plumbing repairs are not done properly, they can end up costing you more money or lead to more serious problems in the future.

What Types of Services Does A Plumber Provide?

A professional plumber can provide a variety of services for your home or business including repairing problems with drain and sewer lines, repairing or replacing leaking pipes and toilets, and installing and maintaining water heaters and water conditioning systems.

How Do I Choose The Right Plumber?

There’s no shortage of choices when it comes to choosing a plumber. So how do you choose the right one? You can search online to find a reputable plumbing company in the area where you live. It’s a good idea to ask friends and family for referrals too. Make sure the company you choose is licensed, insured, and has good reviews. It’s also helpful to find out if the company that you want to use offers a guarantee on their work. And finally, make sure the company offers prices that you can afford and that the company’s employees are willing to accommodate your schedule.

Be On The Lookout For Leaks

Water leaks are one of the most common plumbing problems. They can occur almost anywhere in your home. Water leaks are not only annoying, but they can also cause bigger problems and cost you money. For example, a faucet that leaks can waste up to three thousand gallons of water per year. And a running toilet leaks up to two hundred gallons of water per day. By repairing these small leaks around your home,you can conserve up to ten thousand gallons of water per year.

Water Damage

If water leaks are not repaired quickly and efficiently, they can lead to serious water damage. The most common causes of water damage around your home are roof leaks, toilets, sinks, ice-makers, and even your sump pump. If the water from your leak is clean and uncontaminated, like water from your faucet, it doesn’t pose any health risks. If the water you see leaking in your home is gray or black, however, it can be dangerous. The most hazardous types of water damage can result from sewer line backup or sump pump failure.

Don’t Let Things Go Down The Drain

Drain clogs are another common plumbing problem. The best way to avoid drain clogs in your kitchen is keep food waste out of the drain, unless it is small and safe for a garbage disposal. If you are unsure, it should be disposed of in the trash. Some food waste can be used for composting. Composting is an important process related to organic farming. Some types of food waste that can be used for composting are seeds, coffee grounds, eggshells, tea bags, apple cores, potato peels, and nut shells.

I’m Looking For A Company That Provides Sewer Services

There are many companies that provide sewer services in the area where you live. The best way to find one is through an online search. For example if you live in Washington D.C. you can simply Google sewer services in DC to find what you are looking for.

Buying your first home can be exciting. But if you’re a new homeowner, there are some plumbing maintenance tips that will come in handy when it comes to maintaining your home.

Move Everything But The Plumbing

Sometimes when you move into a new home things aren’t exactly the way you want them. But if you are considering a home renovation, don’t move the plumbing without careful consideration to difficulty and price. A bathroom remodel can be costly. If you can remodel by installing new fixtures and not rearranging plumbing, you may save some money. If you do need plumbing systems and pipes moved, it is best to consult a professional plumber. This ensures your project is done right from the beginning, and that things are safe and up to code.

Rings Down The Drain

If your ring, or other small item, accidentally falls down the drain, you may not need to call a professional plumber. The bling is most likely caught in the P-Trap (the pipe underneath your sink). And you can retrieve it yourself fairly easily. Turn off the water and place a bucket under the sink. Then disconnect the pipe. Remove the pipe and retrieve your lost treasure and then put the pipe back together.

Housewarming

If you have a new home, you will probably have a lot of guests. Make sure your plumbing is prepared by checking for slow or clogged drains, leaky faucets, or slow-flushing toilets. And make sure the trash cans in all the bathrooms are empty so that nothing gets flushed down the toilet that shouldn’t!

How To Unclog A Toilet

Sometimes you can unclog a toilet without the help of a plumbing professional. First, turn off the water to the toilet. If the toilet is overflowing wait ten minutes for the water to go down. Then use a plunger, going back and forth between hard and gentle plunges. If the plunger doesn’t solve the problem, use a hand-held plumbing snake. If the plumbing snake fails too, then you should consult a licensed, certified, plumber in your area for help.

Weather Related Plumbing Issues

Snow, ice, and heavy rain can cause big problems in your new home. Melted ice from your roof and gutters can form puddles next to your house. This can cause unsightly and expensive damage to your home’s walls and flooring. During the winter months, remember to keep your gutters and downspouts clear. Your downspouts and gutters should be maintained twice a year or more often if you are experiencing issues with them.

Appliance And Water Heater Maintenance

You can replace any leaking hoses on your washing machine yourself fairly easily. But, when it comes to the shut-off valves and the supply pipes themselves, it may be best to call a professional plumber. If any other part of the washing machine is malfunctioning like the pump, the tub, or the door seals, you should consult a certified, licensed professional repair man. Likewise, if have a problem with your water heater you should consult a professional plumber as soon as you notice the issue. With water heaters, the sooner the better is the best way to treat the situation.

Basement Plumbing Basics

If there is water on your basement floor or if the walls are leaking, your sump pump or a leaking pipe may be the culprit. Consult a plumber right away.

New Home Maintenance Tasks

New homeowners might not be familiar with some of the simple plumbing maintenance tasks that should be performed on either a monthly or an annual basis. Once a month, it’s a good idea to do things like clean your dishwasher’s drain, inspect and clean your gutters (see above), change and inspect your heating and air conditioning filters, and run water and flush toilets in rarely used areas of your home. Once a year you should do the following: flush your water heater, caulk bathtubs and windows, test your sump pump, check your faucets and toilets for leaks, and make sure your pipes are properly insulated.

Ask The Right Questions

Whether you’re looking for DC commercial plumbing services or residential plumbing services, be sure to ask some questions when you call. Can they give estimates over the phone for your particular issue? Is the estimate free if they need to come out and see it?

What form of payment do they accept? Knowing the answers to these queries will get you on the right track to taking care of the problem.

If you’re a homeowner it’s a good idea to learn a few basics about how the plumbing works in your home. If you understand the basics of plumbing, you may be able to solve a lot of common household plumbing problems on your own, without having to consult a plumbing professional. The plumbing works a bit differently in every room in your home.

Bathroom Plumbing Basics

One of the most important things you can do to ensure that your bathroom plumbing is working properly is to maintain your faucet. You should replace or repair any leaking faucets as quickly as possible. If you don’t do this it can cause even more damage over time as well as wasting a valuable resource: Water. A leaking faucet wastes the same amount of water that’s required to take 180 showers! You should also keep your faucets clean. Lime and sediment can block the opening of the faucet and causes low water pressure or leaks. The part of the faucet that causes this problem is called the aerator (the ring that connects to spray head of the faucet where the water comes out). You can clean this small but mighty part of your faucet very easily. But first, you have to remove it. To do this, you have to turn the aerator counterclockwise. You should be able to do this by hand. If you have any trouble use masking tape or pliers. Remove the spray head from the aerator. Clean it with vinegar and then put it back together.

Keeping your showerhead clean is just as important as maintaining your faucets. The process of cleaning a showerhead is very similar to the process of cleaning the aerator of your faucet. Take apart the showerhead with an adjustable wrench or pliers. Clean the holes in the showerhead using a piece of thin wire. Then rinse the showerhead with clean water, before putting it back together.

In addition to maintaining your faucet and shower head, it is also important to maintain your toilet. It is easy to check your toilet for leaks with just a few steps. The first step is to adjust the fill valve if there is water running into the overflow pipe. Next, test the flush valve mechanism by putting a few drops of food coloring in the tank. If the water in the toilet bowl changes color it means that the ball or flapper of the toilet is leaking and should be replaced. And finally, do not flush things that should be placed in the trash.

Kitchen Plumbing Basics

Many of the same principles of plumbing that apply to the bathroom are true for the kitchen as well. Like in the bathroom, it is important to clean your faucet and aerator (see above). Never put food waste down the drain, unless you have a garbage disposal. You should also never pour liquid grease, down the drain, disposal or not. It will solidify and clog up your pipes.

Basement Plumbing Basics

It is important to know where the water shut off valve is located in your home. In most homes the shutoff valve is located where the water supply pipe enters the house through the basement floor. This is helpful to know in case you ever have to turn this off. Check your water meter for leaks. You should do this while no water is being used. Look at the meter again ten hours later. If the meter has moved it indicates a leak somewhere in your home. And finally, you should have your septic tank cleaned and inspected every three to five years to prevent the need for costly repairs.

Laundry Room Plumbing Basics

The laundry room is yet another area in your home where plumbing issues can occur. Here are few things to remember about the plumbing in your laundry room to help avoid problems. First, you should only run your wash machine on a full load. Check your washing machine’s hoses for wear and tear. Any rubber hoses should be replaced with stainless steel ones because they’re and more resistant to leaks or cracks. Examine exposed pipes under the sink for leaks. Sometimes you should also pour a bucket of water down the sink to ensure that the drain is working properly.

Plumbing Emergencies

While the tips mentioned above can be helpful, remember that you should always consult a plumbing professional for emergency situations. If you live in the Washington D.C. area and have a plumbing emergency, you can search for a qualified DC emergency plumber online or ask a friend or family member for a trusted recommendation.

The toilets in your home are very important. Without them, you would be in trouble! That is why it is imperative that you know exactly what you should not flush down the toilet. Many of these items will only cause problems in the future to your toilet and your sewer system. If you are questioning whether you should flush it, the answer is probably no. Here is a very large list of items that your professional plumber would suggest you not flush, in order to keep your sewer system happy and healthy. This can also save you a lot of money and visits from your local plumber.

Prescription Drugs And Cat Litter

Many people are not aware of this, but prescription drugs and cat litter are two of the most lethal objects that you could possibly flush down your toilet. Contact your local professional that offers sewer services in DC for help and advice if you have flushed either of these down the drain. Prescription drugs are never to be flushed because of all of the chemicals that are in them. They are not made to be in water and many times when they break down, the chemicals in them will cause your water to be contaminated. This can leak into someone else’ s water system as well and could end up killing people and animals.

Pet owners all over the world will throw used cat litter down their toilets and this is a huge problem! There are two major ingredients in cat litter that can instantly clog any type of drain and that is clay and sand. When cat litter has been used, it has many toxins and parasites in it that will contaminate your water supply. This is another reason why you should never flush it!

Dental Floss, Tampons, And Flushable Wipes

Even though many household and bathroom items say that they are flushable, they are not exactly good for your sewer system. Dental floss is one that many people think that they can just throw down the toilet. It is not biodegradable, so even if it doesn’t clog your toilet, it will be harmful to your water supply and to the environment. It can also get caught up in the pipes because it is easy to get tangled up. Tampons are another thing that many people think you can flush. The cotton that tampons are made of can create a clog because it does not biodegrade quickly. This is one of the main clog problems that plumbers see daily. The face and body wipes that are marked flushable may also cause a huge clog in your toilet. The wipes do not break down easily when they are in water, hence they can cause quite a clog.

If you have been flushing any of these items down the toilet, be sure that you stop immediately. There are many of these that can contaminate your water and make you very sick, and none of them are good for the health of your sewer or septic system.

There are many common problems that can arise within a home with the plumbing system. Working with a plumber can help you repair and replace the issues so that you do not have to worry about something happening. When you have this done, you can feel more confident regarding the work that they’re doing and getting your life back in order. Plumbing problems that seem small can easily turn into larger issues later on down the road.  Here are some of the plumbing issues that a plumber  is able to help you with.

Leaky Pipes

Leaky pipes anywhere in the home is not only something that is annoying, but it can quickly turn into a disaster if it is not taken care of. Whether you need to have pipes tightened, removed and replaced or just something new put in the area to help with the leak; the professional is able to provide you with the necessary help so that the leaks do not do too much damage in the process.

New Installation

If you’re building a new home or need to have old plumbing replaced, the right professional can come in and replace or install new plumbing fixtures throughout the entire home. With newer plumbing fixtures and pipes, the water throughout the home will be more efficient and you may come across less problems. This is something a lot of older homes are currently doing to ensure that they’re not using older, outdated pipes that tend to break or corrode much easier.

Clogged Toilet

Clogged toilets are no fun, and this includes the other drains throughout the home. When you have one, you might not be able to get it unstuck. This is where the real issues lie. When you need to have someone come in to remove the clog in the drain, you need to trust that they have many different methods to help with the clog. You might have already tried plumbing it, but if this did not work, then other methods would have to be used instead. A professional would know which methods to use.

Other Plumbing Issues

Whatever the issue is that is happening inside your home, a plumber in DC is able to help fix it for you. Not only can they diagnose the issue, they can also assess the problem and repair or replace it. You need to speak with the plumber to find out if they’re capable of handling the specific issues that you’re having. You want to feel confident about having them come over and actually fix the problem, instead of making it worse.
Never worry about any plumbing issues that you’re having. Always trust in a plumber to come in and assess the work that needs to be done. Many professionals in the area have emergency numbers that you can contact them through, as well. This allows you to work with someone, no matter what time it is, so further damage to your home is not an issue.