Category: Plumbing

Preventing Summer Plumbing Disasters

During the summer, plumbing issues can cause strife for people trying to take it easy. However, homeowners can take steps to gain the peace of mind that comes with knowing their home is safe from plumbing problems. Here are three tips from plumbing experts to help homeowners protect against plumbing disasters and protect their summer plans. 

Keep an Eye Out for Leaks

When people think of plumbing leaks, they usually think of a dripping faucet. While a dripping tap can waste a lot of money, it won’t do much damage. The problem with plumbing leaks is when they occur somewhere; the water can cause damage. Common places where leaks can occur and go unnoticed are:

• Under cabinets in valves and drain lines
• Behind refrigerators
• In hidden piping under slabs
• Hose bibs 
• Around the water heater
• Washer hookups

Homeowners should take some time to check the places they can at the beginning of the summer. When leaks occur in these places, big problems can be the result. By taking just a few minutes to check things out, homeowners can relax knowing they won’t have to deal with this plumbing disaster. 

Put Food Waste in the Garbage

Summer doesn’t just mean taking off and hitting the road. It also implies garden parties and cookouts. But, every cookout eventually ends, and the host is left to clean up the mess. As the host cleans, putting the garbage disposal to work can be tempting, grinding up food debris and cooking grease. However, this is how major pipe clogs happen. 

As cooking grease cools, it hardens on the drainpipe walls. The sticky and viscous grease then captures other food particles, which can cause a clog that can completely back up the drain. Instead of overtaxing the kitchen sink’s garbage disposal and drain system, discarding food waste and cooking grease in the garbage can is far safer. 

Flush Drains to Prevent a Pipe Clog

Routine DIY drain maintenance can help prevent clogs before they occur. A good habit to get into is periodically flushing the drains in a home. Run hot water down the drain for a few seconds. The hot water will loosen up deposits, and the continuous water flow will sweep away debris. For added effectiveness, spoon some baking soda into the drain and chase it with a dash of vinegar. After the bubbling has subsided, flush with more hot water. 

About KC’s 23 1/2 Hour Plumbing & Air Conditioning

KC’s 23 1/2 Hour Plumbing & Air Conditioning has over 40 years of experience serving the community of Palm Springs, CA, and the surrounding areas. They provide 24/7 emergency service, upfront pricing, financing, and a beneficial membership program. Call them today for plumbing services in Palm Springs, CA. 

When winter approaches, we often concern ourselves with insulating windows and sealing updrafts that allow for heat to escape thus reducing our energy bill. Unfortunately, we often forget to protect our pipes and plumbing leading to all sorts of issues in the winter like burst pipes or frozen lines. This article will give you some tips to winterize your plumbing system and ensure that you will make it through the cold months without the need to call a plumber. The tips are easy, and those that require money spent will account for only a few dollars, making them far cheaper than a repair call.

Pipe insulation is a must and needs to be first on your list. This is essentially foam tube that slips over your pipes under the house or inside the outer walls where they are at risk of freezing and bursting. This tubing is quite inexpensive and easy to install as it is slit longways and fits on the pipe. You can use insulated tape as well as old insulation to protect shutoff or seams where two pieces butt up against each other. It cannot be stressed enough that if you do nothing else, make sure you insulate your pipes.

Knowing the locations of all of your shut off valves will go along way in helping reduce any risk of damage during cold weather. You could shut off all water going to outside spickets and open the valve to drain water remaining in the line. This ensures they will more than likely not burst. It also allows you to turn off a busted pipe without affecting the other water lines in the home that may be functioning properly. Knowing where your shut-offs are for sinks, toilets and outside spickets can save a lot of headaches in the long run.

Allowing faucets that may be affected to slightly drip during cold weather is also a great idea. This may be necessary in the daytime, but in most cases, you will do this in the early evening before the sun sets and let it go until the weather warms up the next day. A slow drip is fine and these faucets will often be those where pipes run under a cold house or along outside walls, like a kitchen sink. These are the most likely to freeze and knowing which to let run will save money on plumbing bills in the end.

Opening cabinet doors to allow the warm internal air to circulate under cabinetry will also keep pipes from freezing. Make sure that any chemicals and cleaning products are stored elsewhere if you have small children running around since they will have access to open cabinets.

Never leave your garden hoses hooked up during cold weather, and walk out the water that may still be in the hose. If water freezes in a hose and you try to hook it up and force water through it, the back pressure will cause something to give. Maybe the hose will loosen and water will simply spray from around the spicket or it could actually bust the water line, so again, unhook your hoses and walk the remaining water out and store in a warm place.

Following these suggestions will go far in reducing the risk of plumbing damage during the winter. Make yourself aware of the shut-offs and insulate your piping. Those two alone will do more for you than anything else suggested and leave you with running water instead of busted pipes.

With only a small hole and a slim track for water to enter and exit the home, it’s no wonder that so many drains get clogged. From everyday buildup and hard water or soap to dropping toothpaste caps and loose hair down the drain, pipes get clogged for many reasons. Instead of shelling out a large sum of money to have a professional plumber come in to handle those clogs, here are some quick and easy things you can do to get rid of those clogs yourself.

If you don’t know how to do it, don’t worry. We will show you exactly how to unclog a drain.

Is Your Drain Clogged?

Before we jump into unclogging your drain, let’s quickly look at how you can tell if you have a clogged drain.

• Bubbling sounds. Bubbling sounds in your plumbing fixtures like the sink are an indicator that there’s a clog in your drain. You can also hear gurgling sounds coming from your toilet after flushing.
• Water backing up. When water backs up to your sink, bathtub, shower, or commode, it’s a sign that you have a clog in your drain.
• Bad odors. Clogged drains give off bad odors as the debris rots and becomes a breeding ground for bacteria.
• Damp spots. A clogged drain results in increased pressure, resulting in leaks and, ultimately, damp spots.

If you notice these and other signs of a clogged drain, it’s time to bust out your repertoire of drain unclogging tricks and get to work.

How to Unclog a Drain

Ready to learn how to unclog a drain? Here are six tips to help you do just that:

Tip #1: Make a Homemade Drain Snake

A homemade snake like the ones the plumbers use can get in there and break up your clog in no time. There are many different ways you can make a snake. Essentially, a plumber’s snake is just a long, flexible, thin piece of wire that’s sturdy enough to push through the drain. It usually has a hook on the end to pull the material out. You can fashion a snake out of any type of thick, pliable wire, a clothes hanger, or other similar materials.

Tip #2: Use Hot Water & Bleach

Believe it or not, one of the most effective fixes for a clogged drain is also one of the cheapest and easiest to implement. If your sink is clogged, for example, you can put your stopper in, fill the sink about halfway with hot water, pour about a cup of bleach in there, and then remove the drain to plunge the water in and out of your pipe. Or you could simply create a water and bleach mixture to pour into the pipe.

Tip #3: Resist the Urge to Bang on the Pipe

One of the most frustrating things about drain clogs is that you can’t see most of the pipe. You know that the clog is probably sitting in the bend of your P-trap, and you probably feel like banging it with a hammer. You should refrain from this, however. Banging might seem like a good idea on the surface, but you may end up making the problem a lot worse. You could bust your pipe or seals, or you could compound the clog.

Tip #4: Avoid Chemical Drain Cleaners!

A lot of those over-the-counter drain cleaners you can find on the store shelves work well for your drain clogs, but that’s because most contain chemicals that are very harsh. Relying on these chemicals may make you dependent on them. They “work,” yes, but that’s because the chemicals are just eating a hole through the problem. The buildup will happen again, and repeatedly using these chemical drain products may just end up causing damage to your pipes.

At KC’s 23 ½  Hour Plumbing, we offer safe bio-friendly products for drain maintenance, roots, and grease.

Tip #5: Leverage the Power of Endure Drain Cleaner

One of the easiest ways to unclog your drain is to use Endure drain cleaner. Endure could be the biggest thing to happen to drains since—well, probably since plumbing was invented. It’s a natural drain maintainer that uses bacteria and enzymes to digest and degrade the waste clogging your drain.

Because Endure can withstand the high alkalinity of cleaning products and works in temperatures that intermittently reach up to 180°F, it’s more effective than most drain cleaners on the market. It’s so effective, it can even break down solid waste. As a result, your grease traps and drain lines will require less frequent pumping.

Tip #6: Sometimes It’s Best to Call a Professional

Most people who create homemade snakes and use similar methods to bust those drain clogs up are simply pushing the material through the pipe. Over time, this is going to make the grit and grime become compacted, leaving you with few options beyond calling a plumber. Try to pull the material out if at all possible.

Knowing How to Unclog a Drain – a Skill Everyone Needs

Unclogging your drain is important, as blocked drains can lead to more water damage in your home. That’s why everyone needs to know how to do it efficiently. If you use the tricks provided above, you should be able to handle issues without contacting a plumber. If you feel the issue is more severe or you would just rather have a professional take care of it, and also get a better demonstration on how to better maintain your plumbing, simply join our Kare-Free Club, and we will take care of it all for you, and more!

Need a fast drain cleaning service in Palm Springs? Contact KC’s 23 1/2 Hour Plumbing, today!