Preventing A Plumbing Emergency And When To Call A Plumber
Plumbing emergencies are not only an inconvenience; they can also leave massive damage to your home. Unfortunately, we rarely think much about our plumbing systems until a plumbing emergency occurs. However, by taking some precautionary maintenance steps, you can avoid plumbing emergencies altogether or be better prepared when they occur. This blog discusses tips to prevent plumbing emergencies and the common problems that require the attention of a professional plumber.
Schedule Seasonal Maintenance
The way you use your plumbing systems changes with the changing seasons. Summer brings a unique set of plumbing challenges, such as clogged toilets, sprinkler issues, slow-draining showers, faucet leaks, and overload washing machines due to increasing usage. On the other hand, the frigid winter temperatures are likely to cause frozen pipes, clogged kitchen drains, water heater issues, frozen septic lines, and more. Scheduling a seasonal plumbing checklist at least twice a year can help you foolproof your systems in readiness for the changing weather.
Inspect Your Plumbing Regularly
You should regularly inspect your systems for signs of trouble. Check all the faucet handles under sinks and monitor pipes around the toilet and outdoor valves. Additionally, monitor appliances such as washing machines, fridges, and dishwashers for signs of damage. If you notice any issues, let a plumbing expert perform immediate repairs. Ignoring non-major issues can cost you hundreds of dollars in repairs later.
Be Mindful of What You Dump Down Your Drains
Putting all sorts of things down your toilet, shower, bath drains, sink, or garbage disposals leads to buildup and clogging. There are things that your drains were never designed to handle. For example, garbage disposal can’t handle food remnants such as grease, fats, and highly fibrous foods. Hair can also build up in your bath and shower drains.
Clean Your Drains Regularly
Your drains take in a lot of abuse. Nowhere does this happen more than in your kitchen. Every day, bits of food remain, and other kitchen debris gets washed down the pipes. Over time these wastes build up to clog the drains. A sink that drains slowly or doesn’t drain at all can become a huge problem that requires a professional to resolve. Regular drain cleaning can help you avoid these issues and get your drains working optimally for a long time.
Drain Your Water Tank Annually
Your water tank accumulates sediment that causes a horde of plumbing issues. Sediment buildup in the tank can cause your water heater to produce less or no hot water and make your heater run more frequently. If the water tank runs for extended periods, it will overheat and crack the protective lining. Apart from causing major leaks, overheating will also result in higher energy bills. Hire a professional to drain your water tank yearly to avoid these issues.
Insulate Water Pipes
As mentioned earlier, your water pipes are prone to freezing during the cold winter months. Frozen water may expand to cause your pipes to burst. As the temperatures increase, the water will melt and leak into your home to damage property. Insulating your pipes and getting adequate heat in winter can prevent frozen pipes. A licensed plumber can help with getting the ideal insulation for your pipes. The professional can also clear clogged drains that escalate freezing in pipes.
Signs You Need A Plumber
Plumbing systems are complex webs that require in-depth training to understand. Even with stellar DIY skills, some plumbing issues are better left to professionals. Some plumbing problems may look like a quick fix, only to become a major disaster. If you are experiencing the following warning signs, you better call a professional plumber:
There Is No Water in Your Faucets
If you wake up and don’t have water, contact a plumbing professional. Having no water is typically a warning sign something is wrong with your home plumbing. These can range from major leaks, backups, and frozen pipes to issues with your main supply lines. Water leaks will not only cause significant structural damage to your home, it will likely result in high water bills.
No Hot Water in Your Showers
Lack of hot water in your baths and showers could indicate a faulty water heater. This problem is likely due to faulty thermostats, fuses, ignites, heating elements, and piping systems. A plumbing expert can help troubleshoot and fix the issues.
Dripping Faucets
Dripping faucets are not only wasteful and costly, they are also annoying. These drips may be caused by a worn-out washer or O-ring that can easily be replaced. It may also be caused by corrosion and improper faucet installation.
Leaky Pipes
Leaky pipes can be triggered by all sorts of hazards, including stubborn clogs, cracked seals, cracked pipes, pipe joint damage, or excessive water pressure. No matter the cause of leaks in your piping system, this emergency must be fixed quickly. The longer you ignore the leaky pipes, the more damage they will cause to your property.
Slow or Clogged Drains
Drainage issues can cause plumbing disasters and health issues if not addressed promptly. Typically, clogs happen when hair, soap, fats, greases, and other foreign objects build up in a drain over time. Although routine drain cleaning can help tackle these issues, experiencing multiple slow or clogged drains is a major red flag. Call an experienced plumber to address slow or clogged drain issues before they turn into major disasters.
Water Heater Issues
Hot water is a major necessity in your home. If your water heaters are not providing adequate water, you are likely dealing with a plumbing crisis. These issues are mostly caused by heating element failures, loose or broken electrical connections, corrosion or sediment buildup, or improper water heater installation.
Contact bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of North Dallas Services Today
Plumbing emergencies are unpredictable and can result in massive damage and expensive repairs. While some of these problems are triggered by aging fixtures and the usual wear and tear, others are caused by a lack of proper maintenance. With a routine maintenance process, you can prevent most of these issues from affecting your home. At bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of North Dallas services, our licensed professionals provide the expertise you need to tackle common plumbing problems. We will inspect your systems and perform annual maintenance to keep them running optimally for long. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.
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4 Benefits Of Rheem Tankless Water Heaters
If it is time to replace your water heater, now is a great time to think about Rheem tankless water heaters. While most people don’t heavily consider replacing their standard unit with a tankless unit, if you are replacing it anyhow now is a great time to start looking at the many benefits of a tankless unit. One of the top benefits is the amazing lifespan, which means you probably won’t have to worry about replacing it any time soon. For anyone who is already over the hassle of dealing with their water heater, this alone can be extremely alluring.
So what are Rheem tankless water heaters? If this is your first time hearing about them, it is understandable if you aren’t quite sure what a tankless unit looks like. Well, just like the name implies, a tankless water unit does not feature a holding tank. This automatically makes them much smaller than the 40-gallon unit you probably have sitting in your utility closet right now. Instead of sitting on the floor of your utility closet, a tankless unit is usually hung on the wall which immediately frees up space making it a great option for small spaces.
This is possible because they heat on demand instead of strong hot water. Inside of the rectangular box are tight tiny pipes that lead water around a series of electrical coils. The coils heat the tubes instantly increasing the temperature of the water. By the time it passes through all of the piping, it is extremely hot and ready to go to your shower. This allows you to have instant access to hot water any time you like, which is extremely appealing to a lot of homeowners.
If the idea of a tankless water heater is appealing to you, take a minute to review the following perks of this type of water heater. While the upfront installation cost is more than a standard tank, once the unit is installed it has almost double the lifespan and will immediately cut down on your electrical bills, which are all perks we will discuss in length below. Making an investment that lowers your house bills is something that almost everyone can get behind.
Hot Water On-Demand
One of the biggest obvious benefits of investing in Rheem tankless water heaters is access to water on demand. If you live in a home that always seems to run out of hot water before you get in a shower, this perk alone could make it worth investigating a tankless unit. Since a tankless water heater produces water on demand, you don’t have to worry about draining a large storage tank. Someone could take a bath for half an hour and there will still be water left behind for the next person who takes a shower. This alone is a great reason for people with limited shared bathroom space to consider installing a tankless unit. The only time this may cause an issue is if too many people attempt to access hot water at once, such as two people showering while the laundry and the dishwasher are running. The unit can only produce so much at one time, but even a stored tank would not be able to keep up with this demand.
Less Space
Another perk for people who install tankless water heaters is the fact that they take up substantially less space. It takes a lot of space to store 40-50 gallons of water, but it doesn’t take much space to store heating coils by comparison. While you will still have a sizable box of heating coils to install in your home, it is only a fraction of the size of your water heater and it is usually hung on the wall. That means the creation of instant floor space and a major appliance that you no longer have to accommodate for. If all of your appliances are stuck in a utility closet, this can be a great way to get space for a laundry table or access storage shelves overall. Most people are quite excited to see how much space they gain when they opt for a tankless unit.
Longer Lifespan
As mentioned earlier, one of the largest perks of opting for a tankless unit is the longer lifespan that is attached to it. Since tankless units do not store water, many of the issues that plague standard units, like rust and mineral deposits, are not a concern. This is one reason why tankless models tend to have a longer lifespan; the other reason is that they are not constantly running. A unit with a tank is always on and heating water, but a tankless water heater only turns on when water needs to be heated. That means it spends most of its time sitting dormant, which reduces the wear and tear on the unit. That means that a tankless unit can last almost twice as long as a standard unit, helping to maximize your investment and help you save in the long run.
Lowered Utility Bills
The final cost-saving benefit that you can expect from Rheem tankless water heaters is lowered utility bills, which will help increase the amount of savings you receive once you install your unit. Since the unit does not run constantly, it does not consume electricity which means that you will notice your energy usage drop dramatically. Even an energy-efficient standard water heater runs constantly, so it is an amazing difference when you switch to a unit that doesn’t require the same energy. This is just one more way that installing a tankless unit can help you save money.
If you are thinking about installing a tankless water heater contact bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of North Dallas to talk more about your options.
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Why An Emergency Plumber Is Essential
Imagine returning home after a long day at work, only to find your basement flooded or your kitchen sink gushing water uncontrollably. The panic sets in as you realize the extent of the plumbing emergency unfolding before your eyes. In such moments, having access to an emergency plumber can make all the difference. These unsung heroes of the plumbing world possess the skills, expertise, and availability to tackle urgent plumbing issues promptly. In this article, we will explore the vital role of a 24-hour plumber and explain why their services are indispensable when faced with plumbing emergencies.
Examples of Plumbing Emergencies
Although not every plumbing problem warrants immediate attention, the following should be dealt with as soon as possible:
Overflowing Toilet
Clogged toilets are an inconvenience, but overflowing ones are a major crisis. An overflowing toilet could be due to something simple or could indicate a more serious issue with the plumbing.
Turn off the water supply to the toilet and don’t flush or try to unclog it while you wait for the plumber to arrive.
Burst Water Pipe
Water pipes can crack whether constructed of plastic, copper, or steel. A broken pipe can release up to 200 gallons of water in one day, which can cause a lot of damage to property.
If you find a burst pipe, immediately turn off the main water supply and contact an emergency plumber.
Several Clogged Drains
If there is only one drain clog, you can use a plunger. Clogs that you can’t remove, or clogs in several fixtures, indicate a larger problem with the plumbing. This kind of blockage can cause pipes to leak, which can cause significant property damage.
Gas Leak
Plumbers typically connect natural gas furnaces and work with copper pipes. If you smell sulfur in or around your home, leave immediately and call your gas company and an emergency plumber. A gas leak is an urgent problem that should be left to the experts.
Carbon monoxide poisoning from gas leaks is extremely dangerous and can result in significant property loss.
Clogged Sewer Line
A main sewer line blockage can lead to other issues that require a 24-hour plumber. Signs of a backed-up sewer system include several clogged drains, water accumulating around basement floor drains, and gurgling sounds emanating from plumbing fixtures.
When sewage backs up in a sewer pipe, it pools at the backup location, posing a significant health risk. If the blockage is severe enough, sewage could back up into your house. Getting in touch with a plumber is essential for rapidly resolving the issue.
Advantages of Emergency Plumbing Companies
A plumbing crisis can happen anytime, including nights, weekends, and holidays. These are issues that frequently cannot wait, and it can be nerve-wracking to wait for assistance to arrive. Fortunately, these problems can be fixed with the help of an emergency plumbing service.
24/7 Availability
24/7 availability is a significant benefit of emergency plumbing services that sets them apart from regular ones. Unlike standard plumbers who operate during regular business hours, 24-hour plumbers are accessible around the clock, including weekends and holidays. This means that regardless of when a plumbing emergency occurs, whether at night or during a holiday gathering, you can rely on an emergency plumber to respond promptly.
This availability is particularly advantageous when dealing with plumbing emergencies because these situations often require immediate attention. Plumbing issues such as burst pipes, severe leaks, or sewage backups can cause extensive damage to your property within a short period.
You’ll Get a Permanent Fix
After a plumbing emergency, some homeowners try to take matters into their own hands. However, DIY fixes usually don’t last long. Worse, you risk making things even more complicated and expensive to fix. In an emergency, calling a plumber will provide you peace of mind knowing that the problem will be fixed once and for all.
Expert plumbers can resolve plumbing difficulties in a way that ensures you won’t have to deal with them again soon. Your home’s plumbing system will function normally, and you will save money that would have been used for multiple repairs.
You’ll Save Money
Do you realize hiring a plumber will save you money in the long run? A plumber’s services may initially seem excessively pricey, but you’ll soon see their value. Say, for instance, a pipe in your house has burst or begun to leak. Or, perhaps your drains aren’t working as they should be, making it harder to complete common household chores.
If you disregard these issues and they worsen, your water bills will rise. Avoid high water costs and any other issues by having a plumber handle any plumbing problems, no matter how small.
Insurance
Having insurance coverage is essential, particularly for licensed plumbers. If they accidentally cause damage to your home or property while doing repairs, you will not be held accountable for the expenses. Conversely, if you decide to tackle the issue on your own and inadvertently cause further damage to your property, you will be solely responsible for the costs incurred.
Safety
Working with broken pipes, flooded homes, or malfunctioning water appliances can be hazardous. A plumber must always remain vigilant due to electrical risks, the possibility of mold and mildew growth, and other such risks.
A plumber’s everyday experience with these sorts of problems gives them a keen awareness of the potential dangers that can arise while performing plumbing repairs. They have policies and processes to ensure you and your loved ones are safe. During a plumbing crisis, you may be stressed and unable to think properly. Let the experts deal with any issues that arise so that you and your loved ones are not hurt.
Warranty
Hiring a plumber is advantageous because they typically offer service guarantees. If, for any reason, your toilet begins to run continuously, a plumber can provide a permanent fix. However, you can contact them during the specified warranty period if the same problem arises.
Ready for the Unexpected? Contact bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of North Dallas
Contact bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of North Dallas if you’re experiencing a plumbing emergency, and we’ll have a plumber out to your house as soon as possible. Whether you have a leaking faucet, burst pipes, a clogged toilet, or a backup in the sewage system, our team of skilled plumbers can help you. Our emergency call service is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and you won’t be disappointed with our services.
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Tips For Finding A Reliable Plumber
Modern plumbing systems are known for their reliability and durability. Therefore, if your plumbing system is installed, used, and serviced correctly, you will rarely have plumbing problems in your house. However, this does not mean that plumbing systems can be said to be indestructible. Indeed, no matter what you do, your plumbing system will always be at risk of developing problems that might negatively affect how it works and put your home and family in serious danger. For instance, your water heater can malfunction for no apparent reason and start supplying your house with dangerously hot water that could potentially cause severe injuries. Similarly, you can face a sewer backup that could expose your family to the risk of contracting serious infections. However, in most cases, you will need a professional plumbing contractor to handle such issues since DIY plumbing solutions can prove more costly and dangerous. Unfortunately, if you do not have a dependable plumber already, it may not necessarily be easy for you to find a good one despite the fact there could be many plumbing contractors near you. This is because there are many plumbing service providers who are not good enough to be trusted with something as valuable as your plumbing system. Below is a rundown of some tips you can count on to improve your odds of settling for a good plumbing contractor.
Familiarize Yourself With Local Plumbing Contractors
If you have never needed the services of a plumber, you are new in town, or you simply do not like your current plumbing service provider, you may be wondering where you will start your journey to finding a good plumbing contractor. The good news is that you can simply search the internet for the best plumbing companies near you. Furthermore, you can ask your friends and acquaintances to refer you to the various plumbing contractors they know. By taking these two steps, you might manage to have a list of the professional plumbing contractors you can potentially hire. However, no matter how much you trust the person referring you to a plumbing service, you still have the responsibility to do your research and make an informed decision and make an informed choice when it comes to hiring a plumbing company.
Check Their Online Reviews
Once you have your list of professional plumbing contractors near you, you may want to know what people have to say about the plumbing contractors on your list. To this end, you can simply go to online customer reviews websites like BBB and Yelp. Of course, almost all businesses attract some negative reviews, but if a plumbing contractor on your list has received so many negative reviews that their overall rating is too low, you should not consider hiring them. This is because they could be incompetent or unprofessional. Therefore, although online customer reviews should be treated with skepticism, especially if they look too good to be true, they can help you determine the plumbing contractors you should not trust with your plumbing infrastructure.
Checking Their Licensing Status
Plumbing is a trade that is usually regulated by local authorities. Indeed, before professional plumbing contractors can be authorized to offer professional plumbing services, they are required to receive formal training, pass some tests, and acquire some experience. Therefore, if you come across a plumber who is not licensed, there is a good chance that they could be incompetent, and therefore, you should exercise caution when dealing with them since they might mess up your plumbing infrastructure and end up causing you to lose money. On the other hand, by ensuring that your plumbing contractor is well licensed, you can rest assured that they are competent enough to handle any plumbing issue you might run into. Therefore, although not all licensed plumbing service providers can be trusted, you should never trust an unlicensed plumbing contractor.
Consider If They Are Insured
Some plumbing jobs can be quite dangerous. Indeed, even the most experienced plumbing contractor can sustain some physical injuries while working in your house. For instance, if your water heater is broken, the plumber fixing it may be at risk of severe burns and electrical injuries. Unfortunately, this means that you might also be at risk of getting held financially liable for the injuries your plumbing contractor might suffer while working on your plumbing system. The good news is that you can protect yourself against such a risk by ensuring that the plumbing service you hire is well-insured. If your plumbing contractor is well insured, you will not have to worry about the financial burden of the accidents they might get involved in since their insurance will cover them. Therefore, before you can decide to trust a given plumbing service provider with your plumbing system, you need to ascertain if they are well insured.
Ask About Warranties
Even if you pick the best plumbing company near you, you can never be sure you will receive quality plumbing services. This is because the job at hand will be handled by people who can make mistakes. For instance, they can fail to fix your issue decisively, forcing you to spend more money on the same issue after a few days or weeks. Therefore, before you can sign the papers allowing a plumbing contractor to start working on your plumbing system, you need to find out if you will get a quality guarantee for the job done. With a warranty, you can rest assured that your plumbing contractor will get the job redone for free if the issue at hand reoccurs within a specified time. Therefore, if the plumbing contractor you are about to hire is unwilling to give you a warranty, you should not risk hiring them.
The Bottom Line
As you can see, although finding a good plumbing service is not easy, these tips should make the process simpler for you if you are looking for a good plumbing contractor near you, bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of North Dallas is an excellent choice. Call us today to learn more about our company and services.
See our most recent blog on this topic here.
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Why Choose Rheem Tankless Water Heaters?
If you currently have a traditional water heater, it has a tank that holds heated water ready to use. However, in order to keep the water warm, the appliance continuously uses electricity. It also requires more water due to evaporation from constant heating and reheating. In order to reduce the energy required to heat water at your home, consider switching to an on-demand water heater. At bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of North Dallas, we recommend Rheem tankless water heaters for their stability, ease of installation, and reputation for energy efficiency.
How Rheem Stands Out
If you’ve never heard of Rheem, you probably don’t know about their tankless water heaters. These on-demand systems use innovative technology to provide an alternative to traditional water heaters with tanks. Rheem has created water heaters that save you money by eliminating the high cost of constant water heating. At the same time, you won’t sacrifice convenience or availability of hot water for your laundry, dishwasher, and other everyday needs. That’s because tankless water heaters, especially those from Rheem, heat the water as it passes through the pipes.
Why choose Rheem? The company has been making water heaters for a long time. As early as the 1930s, Rheem was at the forefront of water heater manufacturing. Homeowners trust the brand name with good reason. Along with its long history, the company has accumulated knowledgeable designers and technicians that provide increasingly more efficient products.
Benefits of Tankless Water Heaters
There are many reasons you should consider purchasing a tankless water heater. These units work on an on-demand basis. That means that there’s no tank to fill and keep reheating, which uses more energy and costs you more money per month. Additionally, you can fit tankless systems into smaller spaces. They are compact enough to fit under the sink or in the closet. If you have a condo or townhome with limited space, this could be the ideal water heater for you.
Our technicians will come to your home and measure your water usage to suggest the right size of Rheem tankless water heaters. This gives you control over the water temperature in your home. You don’t have to worry about running out of water in the middle of a shower or while you’re washing your dishes. While storage tanks can run out of water, your tankless system never will. In some cases, it makes sense to install more than one tankless water heater. We will help you understand all of your options so that you can make the right decision for your home.
Gas or Electric, Your Choice!
Tankless water heaters from Rheem come in low, mid, and high-efficiency gas models. You can also choose from a variety of electric units if that is your preferred energy source. It’s helpful to know the difference between gas and electric water heaters so that you can make the right decision for your needs. Although gas units are more energy efficient and offer lower rates, many homeowners choose electric models due to the cheaper startup cost and familiarity.
What Should I Look for in a Tankless Water Heater?
Are you shopping for a new water heater due to high utility bills? If so, consider one from Rheem. These units have smart controls that decrease energy usage and give you highly efficient hot water production. Rheem on-demand water heaters include gas units with a flow rate of 0.40 gallons per minute or better. Additionally, an easy-to-read digital display tells you the current water temperature.
Rheem ensures your safety with direct venting that releases combustion gases through a controlled process. You can adjust your water heater via remote controls and choose from indoor and outdoor models. These systems continue producing hot water in the coldest weather (as low as -30 degrees).
The company stands behind its products with an extended warranty. Ask your technician about the warranty offered on parts for your particular model. Some warranties last up to 12 years!
Is Your Water Heater a Star?
Rheem tankless water heaters qualify for Energy Star ratings. What does that mean to you? Tankless water heaters with Energy Star ratings use about 20% less energy, which means that you can save up to 20% on your monthly utility bill as well as look out for the planet.
bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of North Dallas hires technicians who are deeply familiar with installing reliable tankless water heaters. We can help you understand the initial cost to install the unit or how much energy you will save every month and over the life of the system.
Flawless Installation and Maintenance
It’s important to choose the right company to install your tankless water heater. At bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of North Dallas, we pride ourselves on attention to detail and strive for flawless installation. In any case, if you do have an issue with your take this water heater, we’ll come back and make any necessary adjustments.
Factors influencing the installation include the type of fuel you use and local building codes. Rest assured that we are knowledgeable when it comes to local codes and have technicians that specialize in gas-fired water heaters. So, you don’t have to worry about the safety of your family when you hire us to help you upgrade to a tankless water heater from Rheem.
No matter how efficient it is, your tankless water heater will require periodic maintenance. Fortunately, we can set you up with a maintenance schedule so you don’t have to worry about remembering to do so.
Our team can provide a free estimate and references, and you can always check out our ratings online as well as our reputation with the Better Business Bureau.
Are you ready to minimize the loss of efficiency and have on-demand access to hot water? Contact bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of North Dallas today to schedule installation or maintenance for Rheem tankless water heaters.
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