Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Tue, Apr 06, 2010
Lorain County Homeowners Should Know Where Water Shut-Offs Are Located
Do you know where your water shut-off valves are? It might seem an odd question to ask Lorain County homeowners, but many homeowners – especially first timers – don’t know how their plumbing systems work and where essential components are located. If you experience a water leak in your plumbing system, knowing where the water shut-off valves are located can mean the difference between a little damage and an expensive home remodeling project.
When you buy a house, it’s a good idea to have the current owner show you where water shut-off valves are located, but you can find them yourself with a little bit of sleuthing. Nearly everything in your home that uses water – sinks, toilets, tubs, dishwashers, washing machines -- will have two water shut-offs – one for cold water and one for hot water. These valves are usually located directly under or behind the sink or appliance, although they can be hidden inside a wall or cabinet.
When water shut-offs are hidden, most newer homes have removable access panels that allow your Lorain County plumbing professional to reach plumbing components for adjustment or repair fairly easily. However, in older homes, plumbing may have been walled off inside plaster or wallboard walls or between floors and ceilings. An experienced Lorain County plumber usually has enough knowledge of plumbing practices in the area to locate hidden plumbing components. While most homeowners choose to leave hidden fixtures alone unless a leak develops, plumbing access panels should be added whenever possible.
Most of the time, homeowners either see or hear a leak, but sometimes tracking down a leak requires the assistance of a professional plumber.
Next time: What to do if you have a plumbing leak
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Fri, Jan 22, 2010
Improve the Performance of your Furnace with a Heating Performance Check
Auto repair experts say the single most important thing you can do to improve the performance and reliability of your car is to get the oil checked regularly. It’s a simple, inexpensive maintenance chore that can add years of life to your vehicle and save you thousands of dollars in repair bills down the line. That’s the same reason home heating professionals recommend you schedule an annual Heating Performance Check with a licensed Lorain County heating professional.
Save Money on Your Heating Bill with a Heating Perfomance Check
An annual furnace inspection can pinpoint potential problems before they become tragic disasters. Not only does an annual Heating Performance Check ensure that your home furnace is working at peak efficiency, but an experienced heating professional will also check for gas or carbon monoxide leaks to ensure the safety of your family. Tragically, deadly carbon monoxide fumes from improperly working furnaces kill families in their sleep every year. The best way to protect your family against this odorless silent killer is to have your furnace inspected by a licensed heating professional every year.
A properly running furnace burns less fuel, saving you money on your heating bill. And with Lorain County temperatures regularly dropping into the double and single digits during the winter, an annual Heating Performance Check will protect your family from a chilly middle-of-the-night breakdown. Annual furnace inspections catch small problems while they’re easy and inexpensive to fix.
It's Not too Late to have a Heating Performance Check
In Lorain County, the best time of year to schedule your annual Heating Performance Check is in late summer before you fire up your furnace in the fall. However, it’s never too late in the season to make sure your furnace is operating safely. It’s also important to schedule your annual Heating Performance Check with a licensed Lorain County heating professional with the knowledge and experience to recognize potential problems and fix them before they cause disaster.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Mon, Dec 07, 2009
Avoid Major Expenses by Calling A Plumber
It’s a wise homeowner who knows when a job is over his head and it’s time to call in the pros. Plumbing problems fall into the category of repairs many homeowners will attempt even though they lack the proper knowledge, required experience or necessary tools. Home repair books may walk you through simple repairs like replacing the snap-on flush valve inside your toilet tank, but more complex repairs usually require expert knowledge and experience to repair safely and effectively.
Delaying the call to your plumber while you fumble around trying to figure out where the problem is and how to fix it, particularly if your have a leak, allows additional damage to occur. Most water leaks happen inside interior walls or ceilings where you can’t see them. Considerable damage can occur before the problem becomes visible. By then, that annoying drip that echoes from the ceiling may have soaked, weakened and damaged wallboard, plaster, subflooring and support beams. Your minor repair has now turned into a major expense.
There are things you can do to prevent plumbing problems from occurring and we’ll talk about that sometime. But if you hear water dripping inside your walls, see a water stain developing on walls or ceiling or “bubbling” plaster, notice water collecting around the base of the toilet or tub, observe water spraying or dripping from a pipe or can’t turn off a dripping faucet, it’s time to call the plumber. Because water can run along pipes or interior structures for some length before dripping, it usually takes a professional plumber’s expert knowledge of plumbing systems to locate the source of a leak. Don’t risk expensive damage to your home. If you suspect a leak in your plumbing system, call the expert plumbers at Raymond’s Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning.
Is it time for you to call your local plumber? If you live in NorthEast Ohio give us a
call.