Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Fri, Apr 09, 2010
If You Have a Plumbing Leak Let a Plumber Help You Check the Little Things Before They Become Big
It’s every Lorain County homeowner’s nightmare. You hear a steady drip, drip, drip; but you can’t figure out where it’s coming from. Sometimes finding a plumbing leak is easy. When you go searching for the source of that annoying nocturnal dripping, you find a leaking faucet or a running toilet. If giving the spigot handle an extra turn or jiggling the toilet handle doesn’t do the trick, you know it’s time to call the plumber. But often when you hear something dripping you simply can’t pin down the location of the leak. Because you don’t know what kind of damage they’re causing, hidden leaks should spur you to call your plumber right away.
When plumbing springs a leak, the problem can be as simple as replacing worn gasket but often a water leak is the sign of a more serious problem. Even a small leak in a toilet or bathtub seal can result in major damage in a short time. When plumbing leaks, the longer you wait to call your Lorain County plumber, the more water you waste (and pay for) and the greater the chance of serious damage.
Water leaking inside a wall or under a cabinet or inside a ceiling can seriously damage plaster or wall board, causing it to stain and bubble and weakening it structurally. In severe cases, structural elements can become so saturated that they fail, sending tubs or toilets crashing through ceilings into the rooms below. While that may be a worst-case scenario, damage is often great enough to force Lorain County homeowners to replace sections of wall, flooring or ceiling to repair water damage caused by plumbing leaks.
If you hear something dripping, turn off the shut off valves where you hear the leak or turn off the main valve (usually located in your basement) and call Raymond Plumbing today.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Thu, Mar 18, 2010
Now is the Time to Inspect Your Plumbing
Spring is just around the corner in Lorain County. The cold winds of March are about to give way to rainy April showers which makes this the perfect time to inspect your plumbing systems to make sure they’re in peak working order. Even a slow drip or a tiny leak can add up to thousands of gallons of wasted water and a substantial hike in your water bill. Leaky pipes also attract animal and insect pests including rodents, termites and carpenter ants. If you discover a plumbing problem, no matter how minute, call an experienced Lorain County plumber immediately. Fixing a small plumbing leak today can save you money and aggravation down the road.
You may want to have a licensed Lorain County plumber who is familiar with plumbing systems and experienced in detecting potential plumbing problems perform a spring plumbing inspection of your home or business, but you can do it yourself. Look for the following spring plumbing problems:
- Check all faucets and plumbing fixtures (faucet handles, shower heads) for drips or leaks.
- Make sure all drains have clean strainers to prevent hair and debris from clogging drain pipes.
- Check toilet tank and bowl for cracks and leaks. If your toilet occasionally flushes independently, it may have a faulty flush valve or hidden leak. To test for leaks, add a half dozen drops of food coloring to the toilet tank and wait 30 minutes. If the toilet in the bowl is colored, you have a toilet leak that may require replacement of the flush valve assembly or tank seal. If toilet handles have to be jiggled or held down during flushing, the valve assembly should be replaced.
- Check to make sure your sump pump is plugged in and operating properly.
More spring plumbing tips coming soon.
You can stay cool this summer and keep your cooling systems in tip-top shape with an A/C Performance Check. if you schedule now, you get a free estimate, plus $20 off our regular fee.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Thu, Jan 21, 2010
Prevent Frozen Water Pipes
Frozen pipes can create serious problems for Lorain County homeowners during extended cold spells. When water freezes it expands. Trapped inside a water pipe, water has nowhere to go. As frozen water continues expanding, ever-increasing pressure -- more than 2,000 pounds of pressure per square inch -- builds up inside water pipes. Eventually, the force of the pressure ruptures the pipe.
When a water pipe ruptures, there’s nothing left to hold back the flow of water into your home from the main water line out in the street. Your water meter will start spinning as hundreds of gallons of water per hour start flowing into your house. Not only will the water do thousands of dollars of damage to your home and possessions, you’ll be stuck with a whopping water bill!
There are several things you can do to help prevent frozen water pipes:
- If you’re traveling, it’s OK to lower the thermostat, just don’t lower it below about 50 degrees in Lorain County. Arrange for a neighbor to check on your home, particularly if the mercury dips or the power goes out.
- Pipes along outside walls are more apt to freeze. One of the biggest culprits in frozen pipe disasters is forgetting to disconnect hoses from outdoor faucets and neglecting to turn off water to those exterior faucets.
- Automatic sprinkler systems should be purged of water every fall using compressed air and the water lines shut down for the winter.
Despite precautions, extended cold weather can cause indoor water lines to freeze. Run faucets daily to promote water flow. If flow stops, turn off water into the house at the water main to minimize potential damage. Call a licensed Lorain County plumber immediately. An experienced plumber can locate and unthaw frozen pipes before they burst and damage your home.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Wed, Jan 20, 2010
Start Saving Water Now Before we are Forced to Choose Between Driking Water and Using it for Santitation
“No Loo? No I do.” is the catchy, chuckle-inducing jingle that is responsible for the construction of 1.4 million toilets in India. But a lot of young men aren’t chuckling. In rural India, new brides are refusing to walk down the aisle unless the groom promises them a toilet. “No Toilet, No Bride” is the slogan of a women’s rights campaign geared to bring indoor plumbing to rural India where half the population – nearly 665 million people – still lacks access to private toilets.
Community toilets and latrines or the open fields are often the only lavatory option in the small villages that dot India’s countryside. Lack of modern sanitary facilities is more than a lack of convenience. Poor sanitation can spread diseases like typhoid, diarrhea and malaria. Women are driving change with new-found social power. They want bathrooms with modern toilets and it looks like they’re going to get them. As one love-struck 22-year-old recently commented to The Washington Post, “I will have to work hard to afford a toilet. We won’t get any bride if we don’t have one now.”
India’s privy plight might bring a chuckle, but it should also make us appreciate what we have. Of course, climatologists warn that if we don’t start conserving our water supply, the day may come when we don’t have enough water to flush our nice, modern toilets. Last summer, severe drought in California, Georgia and the Southwest had some folks catching shower, bath and dirty dish water in buckets and using it to flush their toilets. Some fear that climate change will force us to eventually choose between drinking water and using it for sanitation. Scientists are urging people to start saving water now before we reach a crisis point.
Find out what you can do! Water conservation tips you can implement at home.
Water saving toilets qualify for the energy-efficient tax credit. Save substantially on your monthly energy bills and help the environment at the same time!
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.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Fri, Nov 20, 2009
These days we’re all watching our budgets. No one wants an unnecessary repair bill; but as we mentioned in our last post, there are times when trying to repair it yourself can actually cost more. Plumbing is one of those home repair areas where homeowners often overestimate their skills. Delaying a call to the plumber can allow a small problem to become a big and much more expensive problem. There are a number of things, however, that homeowners can do to keep their plumbing system working efficiently and minimize the need for plumbing repairs.
Backups cause most plumbing emergencies. If your sink or tub drain backs up, grease or hair are the most likely culprits. Limit potential problems by preventing these materials from entering drains.
- In the kitchen, strain grease into an empty soup can or allow it to congeal before disposing of it in the trash.
- If grease does get poured down the drain, you can minimize potential damage by pouring a cup of vinegar, a squirt of liquid detergent and boiling water down the drain.
- In the bathroom, use mesh or plastic strainers from the hardware store to catch hair before it goes down the drain.
- Every few days, remove the tub/shower drain cap and pull loose hair out of the drain. Fringe the ends of a plastic straw and use it to hook loose hair.
- Once a month use a drain cleaning product to keep drains clean.
Toilet clogs are another source of emergency plumbing calls. Keep a plunger by each toilet, and plunge vigorously at the first sign of clogging. Never flush sanitary napkins, disposable diapers or disposable wipes down a toilet, even if the box labels them “flushable.” They aren’t. Keep objects away from toilet tanks and keep toilet lids closed to prevent inadvertently flushing toys or air fresheners. If you can’t remove the clog, it’s time to call Raymond Plumbing.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Fri, Aug 14, 2009
Find out how to unclog your sink drain in under 90 seconds with the experts at Raymond Plumbing.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Thu, Jul 16, 2009
Nowadays we need to become more active in saving as much money as possible, so why not take heed to these simple water conservation tips to lower the cost of your water bill?
1. Check for leaks! This is the most important tip on preventing high water bills. According to the National Sanitation Foundation, a leaky toilet can waste as much as 500 gallons of water per day!
2. Use a dishwasher. Contrary to popular belief, dishwashers actually use less water than cleaning dishes manually.
3. Take Shorter Showers. A five-minute shower averages about 10 gallons of water, whereas a 15-minute shower triples that amount. Trying to stay within the five-minute range for a shower can cut down water usage tremendously.
4. Turn off water when brushing your teeth/shaving. A simple twist of the knob prevents wasted water.
5. Install an adjustable flapper. This popular trend is catching on among many manufacturers. These adjustable flappers are convenient because they allow you to adjust your preferred flush volume, which can save up to three gallons per flush.
6. Re-wear clothes. It sounds unhygienic, but articles of clothes like pants and jackets usually don’t acquire much dirtiness after wearing them once, so why not wear your jeans twice? It’ll reduce the amount of clothes you need to wash! The same concept applies to bath towels.
7. Utilize Unwanted Water. Put your half full water bottles aside and save them for later when you need to water your garden. Other examples of “greywater” include cooking water and excess water from faucets.
8. Add Mulch! Incorporating mulch into your garden can help contain moisture for your plants, which, in effect, means your plants require less water.
9. Wash your car later. It is said that washing a car uses 100-500 gallons of water, so do yourself a favor and wash your car once a month instead of every other week. If you insist on washing your car, it is recommended to go to an actual car wash where you can save a minimum of 100 gallons of water.
10. Insulate pipes. If you hate standing next to your sink and just waiting for the water to become warmer, perhaps you should consider covering your hot water pipes with foam insulation. This will not only give you hot water quicker, but it’ll cut down water use too.
11. Appliances. Change to appliances that have earned Energy Star ratings. Qualified clothes washers and dishwashers will use 10-50% less energy and water than standard models.
These 11 tips are easy, everyday tasks that that won’t cause much trouble in your daily schedule. We hope you take note of these simple ways to benefit your pocket and the environment.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Fri, Jun 12, 2009
Your Plumber Should Wear a Belt: Advice on What to Know Before You Hire Them
Ever thought you should hire a plumber, but didn’t know where to start?
Well before you start calling Joe the Plumber, check out these helpful tips on what to consider before hiring your next plumber
- Get references. It’s obviously important to verify that the source you are considering is insured and licensed. But don’t stop there. Ask your friends, family members or use it as a conversation ice breaker at a social event.
- Does the company seem like a credible source? Are they plumbing experts at an established business with a long track record?
- It’s okay to compare rates, but remember that you usually get what you pay for. Getting the job done right the first time is always less expensive. Even Joe the Plumber knows how to add up the best value and least impact on his wallet.
- Does the company charge a flat or an hourly rate? Are they hiding charges for service fees? Do they provide free estimates? Will they give you a written estimate following the assessment of the potential job?
- It’s wise to develop a working relationship with your plumber before the plumbing emergency happens. The staff should be there to provide you with trouble-free service and installation, and they should wear belts around their pants.
- Make a list of all plumbing and overall comfort needs, like fixing faucets, drains and maintenance on heating and cooling systems. It’s like going to the grocery store – don’t you hate having to go back to the store later because you forgot something that wasn’t on your list?
- Finally, find a locally based business that will listen to your needs and care about your plumbing issues. With a local company you’re getting better service at quality rates and you’re supporting your community!
At Raymond, with over 50 years of service in our local community, we know the names of most streets and most likely have serviced homes in your neighborhood. We provide service from the west side of Cleveland to Lorain Huron, and parts of Erie County.
So remember, if you have additional questions or are in need of a professional plumbing, heating or cooling services, contact us.