Information

Q:  Why does my water heater not work as well as it used to?
A: This is usually due to a sediment buildup in your tank. As water heaters grow older, they accumulate sediment and lime deposits. If these deposits are not removed periodically, the sediment will create a barrier between the burner and the water, greatly reducing the water heater's performance level. The result is an increase in the amount of fuel required to deliver hot water.

Q:  Is there anything I can do to get the scratches out of my toilet bowl?
A: Yes, you can have your toilet refinished, which is kind of a pain to do. It requires taking the toilet out and having it out of commission for a while. If you do decide to do this make sure you contact a professional and have a back up restroom available. Another option is to buy some porcelain patch and do it yourself. Just shut off your angle valve and flush the toilet until it is almost empty. If there is still too much water in the bowl to patch the porcelain then dump about a gallon of water in it, the bowl should empty completely. Then read the label and directions on the porcelain patch kit. Make sure to note how long the porcelain takes to dry. DO NOT turn the water back on until the patch is completely dry.

Q:  My toilet bowl has been "sweating" lately, is there anything I can do to fix it?
A: If toilet tank sweating is your problem then here are 4 options we recommend:

1. You could install insulating foam products to isolate the water from the tank sides. Home Depot carries it for a reasonable price. I think they are about $7-$10. Read the directions for complete directions, but you should completely empty the water from the tank, then use a hairdryer to ensure that the sides are absolutely dry. Cut the foam and apply adhesive. Let it sit for 6 - 8 (time approximates) hours and it will be ready to be refilled and useable. This usually works but is not a guarantee.
2. The second option is to install a mixer valve, which uses both hot and cold water to "mix" the water and adjust the temperature as you need to or until the condensation or sweating stops. Depending on how far away the hot water heater is, it may take quite awhile for the hot water to get there so in some cases, just running a hot water line is sufficient. Works well but you will most likely need to call us for assistance. (800-235-4393)
3. More expensive is to replace the guts of the toilet and replace them with a "pressure assisted" unit, like the Flushmate - 1 gallon per flush. This option is a water saver and works very well - no tank sweating at all.
4. Total toilet replacement - Pressure Assisted Toilet - should you need to replace your old toilet. Might cost $260 on up but well worth it. This toilet has a pressure tank in it inside the water tank. Guaranteed to do the job and you get a great new toilet that works well.

Q:  How often should I inspect my septic tank system?
A: Septic systems should be inspected and pumped a minimum of once every three to four years. You may not be experiencing any problem now, but a full septic tank may allow unwanted solids to flow into the drain field, which is the part of the system that consists of a distribution box, with a series of connected pipes. Each pipe allows water to flow into a bed of stones, which drain into the ground. If paper and other solids flow into the drain field it becomes blocked and ineffective. A blocked drain field is costly to repair or replace. Make sure to get your tank inspected whenever you feel necessary to prevent this costly maintenance.

Q:  Why is the air gap for your sink, drain, or garbage disposal important?
A: Plumbing codes call for a gap between potable water and a drain. This usually looks like the distance between the faucet and the top of the sink or bathtub (one inch or more). Without the "gap", wastewater could siphon back into the drinking supply. This does happen in situations where a city main is shut off, causing a drain-down of the system with plumbing that has been done improperly. Sometimes it is a hose left in a mud puddle, or maybe a hose lying in bleach water. People have died this way. The plumbing code helps protect the general public from these dangers. Current improvements include anti-siphon faucets for garden hoses, the air gap for the dishwasher, proper installation of water heater T&P relief drains, and backflow preventers for irrigation systems.

Q:  What does a vent do for the plumbing system?
A: A plumbing system vent is basically used to "vent" the plumbing system in your home or commercial building. If you would like to see a plumbing vent, look on your roof, you will see pipes sticking out of the roof approximately 12" high. For every pipe that goes down, one needs to go up. The obvious reason we have vents is that sewer gases need to be vented outside of the dwelling. Not so obvious is what happens if they are not included in the waste and vent design. When liquid goes down a pipe, air needs to follow it. Without the vent pipe, the draining liquid will try to suck air through the P-traps on the plumbing fixtures,(tub, sink, etc.) glurp, glurp! If it manages to do so, you may know it from the "smell" coming from the now dry seal on the P-trap. Without vents, draining one fixture may cause another fixture in the house to back up. A waste and vent system should keep sewer gas out of the dwelling and drain every fixture well.

Q:  Why would a water heater run out of hot water faster than normal?
A: If your water heater is running cold easily or frequently then several things could be happening. First check the shower head volume if showers are too quick. A new showerhead puts out about 2.5 gallons a minute. Some older heads put out 5 gallons a minute. Working with the showerhead would double shower length in this case. In some cases, the dip tube on the cold-water inlet has broken or worn. When this happens, it creates a short loop for the water, water at the bottom half of the tank will not be used, which makes half of your tank useless. Get it fixed as soon as possible.

On electric water heaters, they commonly have two heating elements that work in turns. First the top element heats up the top of the tank, then power goes to the lower element. If the lower element is out, only the top of the tank gets heated. If the top element isn't working, there will be no hot water. Sometimes the Reset button needs to be pushed or reset. If this doesn't get the element working, use a continuity tester to determine if the element has shorted out. Replacement of the element may be needed.

Q:  What causes the water temperature to change in the shower when someone flushes the toilet or runs another water appliance in the house?
A: At the time of install, it is important to run pipes with enough volume and pressure so that many fixtures can be used at the same time. Running only two fixtures on a 1/2" line; so a standard bathroom would have a 3/4" line for cold until one fixture is taken off. A 1/2" line for the hot is fine. A nice follow guide is the plumbing code in many areas now. Get a pressure balanced tub and shower valve, which is a single handled valve that balances the hot and cold water to try to maintain a temperature range plus or minus 2 degrees.

Q:  What is a pressure balancing valve and why should I install one on my shower systems?
A: Pressure-balancing valves prevent sudden temperature swings!

It's happened to everyone who showers: Elsewhere in the house a toilet is flushed, a faucet is opened, or the washing machine kicks on, and the once-temperate water coming from the showerhead is suddenly cold enough to make you jump or so hot you want to scream. A simple device called a pressure-balancing shower valve can help. By adjusting to pressure changes in water coming through the hot and cold supply lines, a piston in the valve automatically opens or closes small inlet ports to maintain a balance in pressure, which in turn keeps the water flowing at an ambient temperature. It reacts instantaneously. Pressure-balancing valves are now required in new residential construction in most states, depending on local plumbing codes. In addition to piston valves like the one shown above, some pressure valves use a wheel-like diaphragm to trigger pistons that cover the hot-or cold-water ports. Both are priced at around $70, not including installation, which is a bigger issue with an existing shower. It involves cutting through the wall behind the shower, removing the old valve, and soldering on the new one. One of these valves will really keep you out of hot water. Give a call today if you would like a plumber to rush out to your residence and install a new pressure-balancing valve into your shower systems.

Q:  What would cause to water leak from the vent in the plumbing system?
A: Water should not be leaking from your vent system. The only water that should be in your vent system should be the occasional storm water after a big storm. There should be no way for sewage or sewage water to get into your vents or system. If you have a backup you would know from water coming up from the lower floors that you have a leak. Replacing the vent should usually fix the problem, if it doesn't correct the problem - You know who to call. 800-235-4393!

Q:  My toilet randomly empties itself of water. What would make the toilet empty itself without anyone flushing it and how can I fix it?
A: There are a couple different answers to this question, but 99% of the time poor venting of the fixture is the culprit. Vents allow for air flow to the toilet sewage system, but without the vent, air pockets form in the waste branches and cause what is called back-siphonage. The air in the system, without a vent, can only ecscape through the sewer. It can pull the water in the trap of the toilet with it.

Q:  What causes my toilet to fill up with hot water instead of room temperature water? Is it bad for my toilet and does it cost extra money when it fills with hot water?
A: The main reason you may have hot water in your toilet is a bad flapper in the toilet tank or a bad fill valve. Either one of these can allow the water to seep into the tank. When you have a mixing valve on your toilet to prevent condensation, some hot water is introduced into the cold water line to warm the water just a little, but when the water just seeps a little at a time the hot water dominates the cold and you get a tank of hot water.It's not bad for your toilet, but it could be hazardous to your wallet. Just like every other utility that uses hot water, the hot water being heating and leaking into the toilet takes gas and/or electricity and will run up your utility bill.

Q:  How do you get water in the toilet tank to stop overflowing?
A: The fill valve in the tank has a leak in it. Also, if the fill valve has been replaced recently it is possible that it has been set too high. If the fill valve is old, it could do you no harm to replace it. Sometimes the shaft or wire that is used to set the level corrodes off. By replacing it your problem should be fixed.

Q:  What could contribute to a high water bill besides leaking faucets and/or pipes?
A: Ninety percent of all leaks in residential plumbing systems are found in the toilet tank. Toilet tank leaks typically result from worn parts or improper alignment of some part of the flushing mechanism. It is very important to stop the leak. Stop the leak and stop the expensive water bill from hitting you every month.

Q:  What makes my plumbing & drain pipes rattle all the time?
A: This problem is usually caused by the water lines not being properly isolated. It can be easily fixed but only if your water lines are easily accessible. It means that either in one or many places your water lines come into contact with the wood of your floor joists. All you need to do is get plastic pipe hangers that go between your water lines and your joists. For Help installing them please give us a call. A Veterans Plumber is always in your area and we will do our best to get it fixed as soon as possible.

Q:  When I fill a container with hot water it is milky, but after a few minutes, the water in the container clears up. What causes this?
A: Complaints of discolored water are commonly blamed on water heaters and storage tanks, but in fact, it is a rare occurrence for today’s high quality glass lined tanks to have a lining failure significant enough to allow water to contact enough bare metal to discolor the contents of even a small tank. The most common cause of “rusty” water is a non-toxic iron reducing bacteria, scientifically termed Crenothrix, Leptothrix, and Gallionella. Water heaters and storage tanks usually require new anode rods as presence of iron bacteria contributes to premature anode failure.

The simplest treatment available is shock-chlorination of the system. This is a surface treatment, and often requires repeated trials in heavily infected systems. The chlorination of a system requires that you follow each step explicitly to avoid an un-treated portion of the piping system from re-infecting another part.

Q:  What causes my hot water to smell like rotten eggs? My cold water doesn't smell, what is the solution for this problem?
A: The most common cause of “smelly water” is a non-toxic sulfate reducing bacteria, scientifically termed Divibrio Sulfurcans. This bacteria often enters the water system through construction or a break in ground piping. The bacteria creates the energy it needs to survive by converting sulfate (SO4) to hydrogen sulfide (H2S) gas you smell in the water. Hydrogen sulfide gas is distinctive because of its rotten egg-like stench. Its presence can severely affect the taste as well as the odor of the water.

The simplest treatment available is the shock-chlorination of the system. This is a surface treatment, and often requires repeated trials in heavily infected systems. The chlorination of a system requires that you follow each step explicitly to avoid an un-treated portion of the piping system from re-infecting another part. Longer lasting solutions include chlorination or aeration of the water supply.

Q:  How long should the parts inside a toilet tank last?
A: The lifespan of toilet hardware will vary. The replaceable parts such as flappers and the washers or seals inside a refill valve in some toilets may last several years. If your water is chemically treated, you use a bowl cleaner in the tank, or if you have high water pressure, the parts are likely to disintegrate sooner. If the flapper is covered with a black substance, it will most likely need to be replaced.

Q:  I left for an extended vacation, and returned to find that my toilet has been leaking. Why did this happen?
A: This common problem, known as "vacation syndrome," happens when the additives in the toilet tank (often chlorine) have eaten away the rubber gaskets and washers over time. Another side effect caused by these additives is a "lazy flush," in which the toilet has to be flushed several times to clear the bowl.