plumbing Archives - KC's 23 ½ Hour Plumbing & Air Conditioning

Keep Plumbing Safe This Summer with These Tips to Prevent Plumbing Issues

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.

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Don’t Forget About Outdoor Plumbing Blockages

Dealing with Outdoor Plumbing Clogs

With so many things that can go wrong with indoor plumbing, it is easy to forget that there are plenty of potential problems in outdoor plumbing too. Outdoor plumbing is just as vital to a house as indoor plumbing but in different ways. Often these fixtures are used to add value to a home through aesthetics or function as protection from rainwater damage.

Outdoor plumbing can suffer from environmental factors. Dealing with plumbing clogs can be stressful, but understanding more about the problem keeps them from getting out of hand. Follow this guide to learn more about outdoor plumbing clogs and how to deal with them when they arise.

What Does Outdoor Plumbing Do?

Outdoor plumbing is even more diverse than indoor plumbing. Indoor plumbing revolves around providing clean water and enabling hygiene, but outdoor plumbing has a lot of different purposes. Outdoor plumbing can include:

Irrigation systems
Pool plumbing
Outdoor water features
Landscape plumbing
Draining plumbing

When considering how diverse outdoor plumbing is, it’s easy to see how problems can be common. Since outdoor plumbing isn’t immediately necessary like hot water for bathing, it can be easily neglected or forgotten about until a clogged pipe demands attention.

What Causes Clogs in Outdoor Plumbing Fixtures?

The environment is the biggest hazard to outdoor plumbing reliability. Outdoor plumbing is usually located underground, so it always has to deal with the debris. To further complicate matters, outdoor plumbing usually only runs intermittently, like landscape drains removing water during a rainstorm and pool pumps that cycle on and off throughout the year. As debris is allowed to settle in outdoor plumbing, it can form clogs. The more intermittent the use of an outdoor plumbing fixture is, the more common and serious the clog that will form.

How to Deal with Tough Outdoor Plumbing Clogs

Outdoor clogs can be tough to deal with. Usually, outdoor clogs manifest themselves with flooding or mechanical failures in the case of pool pumps and water features. The issue with an outdoor plumbing clog is that piping is almost always below the soil’s surface and often below concrete and structures.

Fortunately, plumbers have had special tools for dealing with underground outdoor clogs for decades, like drain snakes. A more recent invention for clearing an outdoor clog is called the hydro jet. The flexibility and functionality of the hydro jetting process have made it the quick contender for the best way to deal with clogs.

During the hydro jetting process, a licensed plumber will feed a high-pressure jet down into the clogged pipe. The pressure from the jet cuts through tough clogs and washes away buildup that tends to cling to the inside of pipes. Once the process is done, the homeowner can expect to be problem-free.

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

KC’s 23 1/2 Hour Plumbing and Air Conditioning have served Palm Springs and Coachella Valley residents for over 38 years. They provide upfront pricing, 24/7 emergency service, and a membership program that offers many benefits. Call them today for plumbing services in Palm Springs, CA.

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Finding the Right Plumbing Company Despite the Busyness of the Season

3 Ways to Research Plumbing Professionals

When plumbing problems strike, it is often difficult to know who to turn to. While there may be plenty of plumbing companies in the area to choose from, how does a person know which one is the most reliable? Thanks to the beauty of technology, there are many ways to determine which company may be the one to call for a specific need.

Internet search engines are great for finding answers to phrases like “plumber near me” and “plumbing company in Palm Springs, CA.” Still, a prospective customer may need to look a little deeper for information on the quality of service.

Checking the Feedback: Reviews

One of the fastest ways to get information on a company’s quality of work is to look at reviews from previous customers. Google, Facebook, and other social media platforms tend to have a great deal of information like this. While negative experiences exist everywhere and no company is likely to have 100% positive reviews, a company should have a high rate of 4 and 5-star reviews.

Below are categories and keywords to look for when reading reviews:

Customer Service: Attentive, friendly, polite, positive
Timing: On-time, prompt, fast service.
Ethics: Honest, fair, upfront
Pricing: Reasonable, fair, inexpensive
Quality of Work: Clean, done right, good work, well-trained

Look for Insurance and Licensing

Beyond what people say online and recommendations from friends, there are more objective things to research. Making sure that the company is insured and licensed is very important. Insurance for the company and for worker’s compensation in case of accidents is not only a plus but often required by states for licensing and certification. This adds an extra layer of protection for both customers and the company.

Licensing in any field usually requires testing and a certain amount of experience. This is certainly true in the world of plumbing. To reach that level, a fully licensed plumber will have met quality testing and experience requirements. It is good for a customer to verify that their plumbing service company is fully licensed and insured.

Do They Have Maintenance Plans?

Maintenance plans or membership plans are another part of a plumbing company that one should explore. Many businesses offer this plan that keeps a professional plumber on retainer for maintenance checks and certain repair services. There are many benefits to enrolling in a maintenance membership plan.

Money-saving: A maintenance plan can save money because it covers the cost of certain maintenance and services, no matter how often they are needed.
Fewer Plumbing Problems: Having regular maintenance keeps a home’s plumbing in good working condition, there is less chance of issues coming up.
Peace of Mind: This is the most important aspect of membership. A homeowner can rest assured in the knowledge that they are protected from plumbing disasters.

About KC’s 23 ½ Hour Plumbing & Air Conditioning

With 24-hour emergency service and highly-trained technicians, KC’s 23 ½ Hour Plumbing & Air Conditioning has got its customers covered. Satisfaction is guaranteed, and financing is available. Call KC’s today for plumbing service in the Palm Springs, CA area.