TIPS & PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE

Check out our preventative tips for items around your home or business.

Cleaning your P-Trap: We don't suggest home owners using chemical cleaners as it is unsafe and not environmentally friendly. Also the clog is typically in an area where the chemical won’t come in extended contact with the material when simply poured down the drain and if chemicals do not work you will have caustic chemicals within pipes that will eventually need to be disassembled.

We recommend (if you have the tools and have the proficiency level) for Sinks to either use a small snake or simply take the P-Trap pieces apart and clean them manually.

Faucet Strainer Cleaning: Often times, low water pressure in the kitchen sink can be blamed on a clogged aerator, which is simply the small mesh screen that mixes air and water on the way out of the spout. It can become clogged with dirt, sand, rocks or even lime scale. But there are easy do-it-yourself steps to take care of the problem.

Using tape-wrapped pliers, unscrew the aerator from the spout, disassemble the aerator, taking care to note the exact order of parts. Replace the washer if it is worn or cracked. Soak the screen and aerator disks in vinegar for an hour or more, and scrub them with a small brush. Turn on the faucet to flush sediment from the spout. Reassemble the aerator and thread the assembly back onto the spout. Tighten it one-quarter turn with pliers, being careful not to over-tighten.

Pipe Freazing Prevention: Winter weather causes all sorts of problems, so you don’t want your water pipes freezing, too. It’s not bad enough to have your water pipes freeze up, but when they begin to thaw, they often rupture causing aggravation and extra expense. The best way to save a fortune on new pipes is to never let it happen. To prevent pipes from freezing, leave a slight drip or flow of water running on a predicted freezing cold nights (when the predicted temperature reaches 32 degrees or below), and let each faucet, hot and cold, drop slightly throughout the night. Of course, if temperatures will continue to stay below freezing for some time, there are other options to consider.

Insulating your pipes. Wrap pipes with temperature efficient insulation. Secure with masking tape or duct tape, and your pipes will stay warm - down to about 0 to10 degrees. Adding foil around the pipes helps keep them even warmer. After wrapping pipes, wrap the pipes once again with foil, then tape again, using duct tape. Don’t forget to wrap the pipes under the sink or any that run somewhere that the heat of the house cannot easily reach. The temperature can now drop to below zero and your water shouldn’t freeze, particularly if your home stays fairly warm. If you have an enclosed basement, your pipes are more unlikely to freeze, but wrap them anyway to prevent the possibility.

4. Water Heater Maintenance: A leaking water heater will do a lot of damage to your home. Even a small, slow leak can soak into the particle board subflooring and cause the subfloor to decay. Leaking water may also seep into carpeting, create mildew and permanently stain your walls. As awful as this sounds, a faulty water heater can cause even greater damage. Fire or toxic fumes from a water heater that is not properly installed or maintained could pose a real threat to you and your family. Fortunately, most water heater problems can be avoided with proper maintenance.All water heaters should be frequently checked for leaks. It's important to check the pipe connections, the valves and underneath the unit. Simple preventive maintenance will help you avoid lasting damage from a leaking water heater.

Take time to test the temperature/pressure relief valve once a year to make sure it's working. Be careful when you do. The water in the tank is HOT and can cause scalding burns. Pull up or push down on the valve handle; hot water should come out of the overflow pipe. If it does, the valve is working properly.

Periodically drain a bucket of water from the drain faucet at the bottom of the water tank. Again, take care not to get burned by the hot water. Draining a bucket of water will remove sediment from the tank bottom that could corrode the unit as well as reduce its heating efficiency.

Check all water lines, connections and valves for signs of leakage, especially where connections have been crimped. With a flashlight, check under the tank for small leaks that could be caused by rust and corrosion.

You can protect the floor under the water heater from water damage by painting the area with a water sealant. If you do, be sure you've turned off the heat source to the water heater. Otherwise, you may create a fire hazard.

Since particleboard may be damaged if it's soaked, consider replacing it with plywood flooring. You can install a specially designed drip pan under the water heater. These pans are available at most building supply stores for about $10. Make sure the pan you select has a drain out the bottom.

AN IMPORTANT NOTE: If your water heater doesn't have a temperature/pressure relief valve, install one. This is a safeguard every water heater should have - it's an inexpensive attachment that can save you thousands of dollars. After you have installed the valve, test it. Open the lever on the valve. If water spurts out, the valve is working.

Lastly, set your water heater at a fuel efficient temperature to save fuel costs and life time expectancy of your unit.