Professional Plumbing Inspection and Drain Cleaning

A clogged drain is a problem that all homeowners have to face at some point. While it can be a frustrating experience, most homeowners can deal with minor issues without a hitch. However, plungers and other conventional drain cleaning methods can only do so much.

If you're planning on tackling a clogged drain with a chemical bought at the store, you might want to reconsider. Without knowing what's behind the clog, chemical cleaners can do little good and may even magnify the problem.

That's why your best bet for most clogged drains is a plumber in Spring Hill, Florida. Drain cleaning services are a more comprehensive approach to the problem that tackles it at the source rather than just the symptoms.

If you schedule a drain cleaning for your home, here's what to expect.

Proper inspection methods

A professional plumber offers drain cleaning service that includes an in-depth inspection of the cause of the clog. Since drains can clog for multiple reasons, including soap, grease, paper, mineral build-up, roots, other foreign objects, and even improper installation, a plumber's first job is to determine the source of the problem. 

Assessing the pipes' condition is made easy with our professional tools, such as inspection cameras that go down the pipes to give a video overview of the entire piping system. With accurate information at their disposal, plumbers can offer the proper drain cleaning method for returning the pipes to full functionality.

Effective and safe

Quick fixes like chemicals and scrapers only offer temporary relief and may not get a drain to work as quickly as new. Furthermore, they can have damaging long-term effects on the sewer system of the house. Over the years, the additive effect can lead to devastating pipe issues that might require more than what any homeowner is equipped to handle.

A professional plumber, on the other hand, attempts to preserve the pipes as much as possible. By focusing on cleaning the lines with environmentally friendly methods and, if necessary, safe chemicals, plumbers will maintain the life of pipes. A single drain cleaning service may restore your pipes to new working condition.

Furthermore, chemical cleaners often can have nasty side effects and can be a severe health hazard. A professional plumber knows how to use only safe products that do not have adverse effects on health. Plumbers are also equipped with safety equipment that virtually eliminates the risk of potentially strenuous work on clogged drains—the same can't be said of most homeowners.

Preventing emergencies

Plumbing emergencies can be devastating. A backed-up toilet or a leaking pipe can wreak havoc on the house. Drain cleaning services aim to prevent severe blockages that lead to emergencies in the first place.

With professional tools and techniques at their disposal, plumbers know how to employ the most effective and safest methods and get all types of pipes to work flawlessly.

If a pipe inspection shows a more severe problem, such as root growing in pipes, a plumbing company can not only fix it but prevent it from happening again. Additionally, drain cleaning services can prevent pipe bursts and leaks in the long term.

Saving money

A comprehensive drain cleaning service might appear to be more expensive than necessary for a seemingly minor clog. However, the long-term benefits may lead to significant savings. By contrast, emergency plumbing services can be prohibitively expensive, and burst pipes can cause structural damage that goes beyond the plumbing system.

Overall, professional drain cleaning by a plumber is a cost-effective and wise decision that can give the pipes a longer work life and your family the peace of mind of a safe house and good health.

Guest Contributor: Richa Khandelwal

Reasons to Choose Tile for Your Next Floor Installation

Tile, especially ceramic tile, is one of the best values in flooring today. On top of bringing exceptional practical features to a home, tile flooring beautifies a house. A homeowner will have significant positive benefits to look forward to after floor installation. Continue reading to learn the benefits of tile flooring and the reasons you should consider tile for your next home flooring project.

Durability

Tile is fabulous for the home's higher-traffic areas where the comfort of carpeting is impractical, as carpet shows wear and tear and can develop stains. Although tile can stand up to almost all everyday use, it can still crack from the impact of something heavy dropping, such as a refrigerator or other appliance. However, it is not very difficult to replace a tile if that occurs. The protective glaze coating ceramic tile can also create a water resistance that stops stains in their tracks and makes the tile extremely easy to clean. Water resistance makes tile a perfect option for the kitchen and bath areas of a home.

Best Value

Hiring a handyman in Sacramento, CA to install new tile flooring saves homeowners time and money. A professional handyman will have all of the tools, equipment, and experience necessary to make the tile floor installation a success. Unless a homeowner has the time, expertise, and tools to perform the floor installation themselves, the wisest course of action is to hire a handyman to install the flooring. A professional handyman will facilitate the installation of the new floor without delay and prevent the homeowner from having to ask friends to help with the project, deal with mistakes, buy tools, and other downsides of a DIY floor installation. 

The tile's longevity will pay for itself in the long run, and keeping a tile floor healthy is easy and inexpensive. The tile's value depends on the kind of tile used, of course, although some tiles are a lot more expensive than ceramic or porcelain tiles. Easy maintenance and cleaning will keep a floor in excellent condition and on a low budget without compromising aesthetics.

Variety of Use

Tile has never been out of style and most likely never will be. With endless possible designs, sizes, colors, and patterns, tile flooring can be unique, creative, and customizable with any home or taste.

Tile has countless creative choices and is likely to result in an attractive result. You could match your backsplash with the tile flooring to make a gorgeous continuation all over your kitchen or bathroom.

Friendly to the Environment

Almost entirely made from raw materials, tiles are put together with other recyclables and then fired in a kiln. The reuse of the materials makes tile very eco-friendly. Tile also lowers heating and electricity costs by maintaining lower temperatures in the summer and warmer temperatures in the winter.

Tile has non-volatile and non-toxic materials that are organic, with low or no volatile organic compounds (VOC). As a result, tile offers better air quality and fewer toxins or allergens in the home. Other choices also have low VOC, but tile is at the top of the list.

While manifesting a beautiful space, tile also lessens the environmental impact of its use. To choose tile for the next flooring project in a home has substantial benefits and nearly no downsides. You can experiment with patterns, colors, and designs. Creating tile designs is a fun aspect of a remodel, and it is very durable and easy to clean. All of these reasons make tile flooring installed by a professional handyman the smartest choice.

Guest Contributor: Richa Khandelwal

Plumbing and Water Heaters

Many of us have gotten used to having a near-endless supply of hot water for showers and baths. However, water heaters and boilers are not perfect. When issues with the water heater arise, your best bet is to call a professional plumber in Las Vegas, NV.

Water heater repair

Old water heaters can only be repaired to an extent. Depending on the cause of the problem and the wear and tear, a water heater can be restored to run almost as good as new, but you can't expect 100% performance.

Thankfully, plumbers are usually well-equipped to deal with water heater issues. They have the experience necessary to troubleshoot water heater problems and know what will work best for each one. After that, they will suggest the most cost-effective solution.

Installing new water heaters

Sometimes, an old water heater can't be fixed, and a new one will have to be installed. The latest 2015 enforcement of the National Appliance Energy Conservation Act (NAECA) calls for more stringent regulations of new water heaters. The resulting increase in energy efficiency can have unintended consequences for homeowners and commercial heaters. The newer models of water heaters can be up to 2" taller and 2" wider than their old counterparts, owing to the increase in insulation at the same tank capacity.

Additionally, some water heaters of over 55 gallons have nearly tripled in cost. For commercial uses, you'll need to do some digging to find a water heater model that can satisfy your needs and requirements.

New technological solutions have also added more options. A tankless water heating system means that the water is heated on-demand rather than stored in the tank and kept hot. While tankless heaters need more energy to heat the water during use, they don't have the energy losses associated with storing hot water for long periods. The one drawback is that tankless water heaters might not be able to keep up with the higher flow demand of multiple showers and spas.

Since new water heaters can be larger at the same water capacity, they might not fit in the room and space where they're usually installed. A professional plumber will know where to put the water heater or suggest alternative models that will work with the existing architecture.

Diagnosing other problems

Sometimes the problem with hot water isn't caused by the water heater at all. While not having hot water in your tap might lead you to think the water heater is acting up, the source of the problem can be elsewhere.

For example, a mixing valve can be a common culprit. The valve controls the mix of hot and cold water, so if there's a lack of hot water in only one tap but not the rest, the most likely problem is with the mixing valve. Mixing tap repairs require an all-purpose plumber rather than one that focuses on water heaters. A professional plumber will know how to tell if the problem is in a water heater or another area that needs to be addressed first.

Another common source of confusion can be water leaks. Any water stains and pools near the water heater are usually associated with the heater. However, the pipes in and out of the heater or other adjacent pipes can also be the culprit. A water heater leaking input pipes might still be working correctly but might have energy losses and a lower capacity. A professional inspection of the broader system would be necessary to diagnose and repair leaking pipes.

Most modern water heaters also have separate water pressure valves. A pressure valve is a safety valve designed to cut off before the entire heater goes down the tube. High water pressure can knock these valves out and cause them to leak. While a leak might present itself as a water heater problem, the heater itself will usually work perfectly fine. Persistent high water pressure can damage water heaters, so it's important to distinguish if the problem is with the heater or elsewhere.

Rest assured that professional plumbers have the tools and expertise to take the most cost-effective approach to your water heater problems and suggest the most reasonable solutions.

Guest Contributor: Richa Khandelwal

Reasons Why You Should Get A Fog Misting System

According to Popular Science, 17 of the hottest summers in history took place in this century. However, even if the world gets hotter, we'd be okay as long as there are air conditioning units, right? Wrong.

Here's something not many people know: AC units also make the world hotter. Air conditioners work by funneling warm air out of the home. The hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) air conditioners use can also make global warming worse.

While spending most of your time indoors with the air conditioning unit in full blast is an option available at your disposal, air conditioners can only do so much. Unless you live in places with cool summers, you will need more than just an AC unit to keep you cool.

Fortunately, this is where a fog misting system can come in handy. A fog misting system is an innovative cooling system that has changed the way people beat the heat. Just like patio fans, fog misting systems are efficient, cost-effective, and virtually maintenance-free.

A fog misting system uses high pressure to force water out of the special nozzles. From the nozzles, a mist of water droplets (as small as 5 microns) is released and cools both the inside and outside of your home. If you have yet to invest in a fog misting system, here are several reasons why you should:

It has no HFCs

Unlike air conditioning units, fog misting systems won't need to use HFCs to keep your surroundings cool. Also, unlike air conditioning units, the fine mist released by the misting system cools down any area without the need to transfer heat from one place to another. The mist is also capable of cooling down any area to 25 degrees.

It is suitable for indoor and outdoor use

Primarily, AC units are only used indoors. Fog misting systems, on the other hand, are suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. That means you can use one in your deck or living room. You can also use misting systems in your basement or other areas of your property where air conditioners are not practical.

Also, fog misting systems are not just for homes. They can also be used in sports arenas, offices, businesses, and other public places. For instance, if you have a stable or a farm and want to keep your prized animals comfortable, a fog misting system is your best bet.

It is cost-effective

AC units have gotten more expensive by the day. Not only that, you also need to shell out money to have professionals install them. Factor in the high price of electricity, and you can expect your monthly power bills to skyrocket with constant air conditioner use. 

Fog misting systems are way cheaper than AC units. What's even better is they won't require as much electricity as the latter. As if not enough, misting systems also require minimal maintenance, so you won't have to worry about spending money just to ensure it functions as it should.

It keeps the bugs away

If there are plenty of bugs in your area, especially during the evenings, a fog misting system can be your helpful ally. With water droplets hanging in regular intervals, bugs like flies and mosquitoes are effectively kept at bay. 

That means as long as you are within the misting system's coverage area, flying systems won't be able to bother you at all. Undeniably, fog misting systems are way better than insect repellants when it comes to keeping insects away. And they don't contain toxic chemicals, which makes them even more ideal!

It is a great air scrubber

The air can be full of allergens, dust, and other matters that can send people into coughs or sneezing fits. Amazingly, the mist acts as an air scrubber, so it makes the atmosphere more breathable. If you or any of your family members have asthma or allergies, a fog misting system can make your stay in your lawn or backyard way more enjoyable.

Conclusion

Undeniably, the peerless benefits fog misting systems offer are hard to miss. Fortunately, fog misting systems are available as a full setup or as portable versions. You can get either two, and you can relax and cool yourself off in the most environmentally-friendly and cost-effective way possible.

Guest Contributor: Anna Fox

Common Winter Heating Problems and How To Fix Them

Picture this: the winter weather is blowing outside, and it’s sending chilly winds inside your home. You picture yourself huddled on your favorite couch, reading a book, and then you realize your heating system is not working. As it turns out, you forgot to have it fixed before the winter season set in. Situations like this are the reason why it is vital to properly and regularly maintain your heating system. 

The chilly winter winds can be harsh, so much so that even when you’re indoors, you’re still going to feel the cold seep into you. With a perfectly working heating system, this shouldn’t be a problem; but it can be challenging if you continuously neglect your HVAC unit. 

Homeowners must always find time to check their heating and cooling systems, or they’ll suffer the consequences. If you’re not sure what to do, there are always options available. It’s also quite easy to find a good and affordable home AC repair provider regardless of where you reside. 

You can do your part in taking care of your heating and cooling system by learning how to identify winter heating problems. This way, you can immediately contact your HVAC provider when your system needs repair, or you can also try fixing them yourself. 

Here’s a simple guide to help you deal with common winter heating problems. 

Your heating system is blowing cold air.

Heating systems are supposed to keep you comfortably warm in the cold chilly winter months. If yours does not do such, then you need to seriously consider having it fixed. However, in some cases, this can be caused by certain reasons, all unavoidable. 

First off, check your heater’s thermostat to ensure that it is set to the right temperature. If it isn’t, correct it. Additionally, if it is on fan mode, you have to change the settings to auto, or your heater will just keep on blowing cold air. 

If the thermostat has the right settings, your heating problem may be caused by dirt and debris in your air filter. Another possible reason for the cold air is leaking ducts. Check your air filter and clean it thoroughly if it is dirty, and go to your attic and try to see if your ducts are leaking. Seal off all the leaks that you find.

You may also want to check on your fuel. HVAC systems do not function properly if they do not have enough fuel. If you’re not confident about doing this, you can hire a professional heating specialist to help you deal with the problem. 

Lastly, if your heat pump is frosted, this may also cause your heater to blow cold air. The best solution for this is to “defrost” your heating system until the ice melts. There are two ways to do this: get warm water and pour it over the coils, or you can manually remove the ice covering your heater.

Only some parts of your home are warm.

If your dining room and bedroom are warm, but your kitchen and living room are cold and freezing, your heating system may be in trouble. Situations like this happen when your heater has inconsistent heating issues.

Uneven distribution of heat is also caused by dirty air filters and substandard or low-quality ductwork. Since the blower is obstructed by dust and debris, warm air is not dispersed evenly throughout the house.

If this happens to you, all you need to do is clean or change your air filter with a new one. However, substandard ductwork will need the expertise of a professional HVAC specialist.

If your furnace is short cycling or rapidly turns on and off

Short cycling is what happens when your heating or cooling system frequently turns on and off. If your heater cycles more than the usual (somewhere between three and eight times every hour), this may be caused by a faulty thermostat or a dirty air filter. 

If you have an oversized unit and wrong thermostat placement, this may result in short cycling. Avoid placing your thermostat in areas that can exhibit extreme temperatures, such as near windows and doors, beside TV sets or lamps, near bathroom doors, and on exterior walls. The ideal place for thermostats is on an interior wall of an area or room where you and your family stay the most.

If your heater smells like it is burning

A furnace or heater that gives out a burning smell or smoke is coming out of it may have a problem. Turn it off and unplug the system right away to prevent any accidents. There are two possible reasons for this: dirt in the air filter and dust, and electrical components issues. 

Check your heater and if it is covered with dirt and dust, clean it thoroughly. Consider replacing your air filter, too. After cleaning, observe if there is a significant improvement, but if the burning smell is still there, get in touch with a professional HVAC specialist as the electrical components may need some repair.

If your heating system gives you scratchy throat and dry skin

Your home heating system is supposed to make you feel comfortably safe and warm in the cold winter months. If your heater is not properly maintained, it can cause your home to lose moisture and become arid. Aside from causing dry skin and scratchy throat, this may also result in allergies, asthma attacks, and nosebleeds.

To correct this problem, find a good humidifier that you can integrate with your existing heating and cooling system.

To ensure that your heating system provides the comfort, convenience, and safety it promises, get it regularly checked and maintained by a professional HVAC specialist. It also helps if you know how to identify, correct, and prevent minor problems. 

Guest Contributor: Sara Olsen

Tips for Keeping Your House Warm — and Your Heating Bills Down

As the winter season approaches, the days grow shorter, and the temperatures turn colder. However, this shift in weather shouldn’t force you to experience an increase in your heating expenses. By applying these five simple tips, you can keep your house warm without compromising your budget.

You can complete these pointers at any time of year, but it’s best to get started early so you can enjoy the perks all-season long.

1. Install Insulation

Insulating your walls will help to keep the cold air out and the heat indoors. Think of it like an insulated drink mug — the internal temperature stays the same for hours without being reheated. Installing insulation is an investment because it also helps maintain your home’s temperature in the summertime.

You can complete this renovation yourself or hire a professional. Keep in mind other regions of your property that could be losing precious heat. Insulating basements and attic spaces will also help to improve your home’s energy efficiency.

2. Close Air Leaks

Cracks around doors and windows allow cold air to enter, which causes your heating system to work overtime to maintain a constant temperature indoors. Caulking and sealing these gaps will help to solve the problem. In some cases, it may be difficult to tell where the air is leaking from, which makes sealing much more challenging.

A solution is to conduct a DIY building-pressurization test. This is an easy way to run an at-home energy audit on a budget because it only requires a stick of incense and a lighter. On a windy day, simply turn off combustion appliances and exhaust fans. After closing all the doors and windows, light the incense and walk around your home. When you near a crack, the smoke from the incense will waver, alerting you to an air leak.

3. Insulate Plumbing

You might not think much about your plumbing, but heating your water during the wintertime requires a substantial amount of energy, especially if the heat is escaping. Insulate your pipes and ensure they are kept warm to minimize the risk of them freezing. A frozen pipe can lead to cracks and bursts, which are costly to repair.

4. Inspect Garage Doors

A tight garage door seal significantly impacts your yearly utility bills, especially during the colder months. Weatherproofing your garage doors will help to prepare them for the winter season and reduce the locations where your hot air could escape. 

Pay close attention to garage insulation and cracks. Weatherstripping is one way to increase the efficiency of your garage doors. Also, inspect the metal components because the colder temperatures can cause the material to contract and potentially become brittle. If this happens, the mechanics may perform poorly or even break.

5. Schedule a Service Visit

Maintain your heating and cooling systems by scheduling yearly service inspections. This ensures your appliances are running at maximum efficiency. Aim to replace furnace and heat pump filters once a month and regularly clean the vent flue if you have a wood or pellet-burning heater. 

Keep Cozy in the Winter

These five tips will help you to keep your house warm and your heating bills down. Remember, the easiest way to remain cozy without compromising on cost is to close off rooms you aren’t actively using and bundle-up. Finding the lowest temperature that’s comfortable will allow you only to use the heating when necessary. Keep in mind that portable heaters are a quick and straightforward method of boosting the room temperature without heating the entire house. 

Guest Contributor: Rose Morrison

15 Things To Do This Christmas

Wondering what you can do this Christmas season to get into the spirit? Look no more! Here is a list of things to do with family, a friend, a significant other, etc!

Write a letter to Santa

Go watch Christmas lights

Get matching Christmas Pj’s

Make gingerbread houses

Watch Christmas movies

Make hot chocolate

Decorate a Christmas tree

Make an ornament

Go iceskating

Build a Snowman

Make your own advent calendar

Snowball fight

Eat candy canes

Go Christmas caroling

Listen to Christmas music

Guest Contributor: Tiffany Powell

Plumbing Fixtures: How to Recycle Them

Your house, no matter how sturdily built, needs regular maintenance. That may be as simple as patching up a hole on the wall to as complex such as replacing all the shingles of the roof. Maintenance schedules and expenses are things that you need to incorporate in your budget as a homeowner.

Maintaining your plumbing system is among the most important parts of your house maintenance. Without regular maintenance, your faucet gets stuck, your drain overflows, or worse, nasty stuff from the sewer line may backflow.

Maintaining your plumbing system may require removal and replacement of defective parts. But what do you do with those old parts? You have the option of either throwing them away or storing them into a soon-forgotten bin in the back of your garage. Or, you can do what’s best for the environment and recycle them. This article will show you how.

Recycling Plumbing Fixtures

According to the latest recycling and waste generation statistics, the US produces 3 times more waste material than the global average. The problem is that a lot of waste materials are not recycled. In fact, research has shown that US infrastructure does not lend towards recycling as a viable option for many households. In addition, the ban on exporting waste and the reluctance of other countries in accepting imported waste meant that municipal solid waste in the US is either burned up in an incinerator or ends up in a landfill.

When replacing your sink, installing a brand-new bathtub, or remodeling your kitchen, you most likely would end up gutting out old pipes and dismantling plumbing fixtures. That pile of aged junk may then end up in a landfill or incinerator. However, you may be surprised that you can actually find a second life for these old fittings.

Clean Up

Before doing anything else, rinse out the old fixtures with water and detergent. This helps get rid of dirt, dust, sediments, and other debris. Without the thick coating of gunk, you’d be surprised at just how some parts look quite new, presentable, and usable.

Do wear a pair of laundry gloves though. You don’t want the smelly, slimy, dirty, and disgusting stuff on your hands. Gloves will also protect you from any caustic substances that may have been left on the fixtures. Let the fixtures air dry.

Sort

With all those years of being filled with water, grease, debris, and other materials best left not described, it’s inevitable that most of the fixtures can’t be reused. Set aside totally rusted metal pipes, cracked PVC pipes, or pipes that are totally filled up with grease. These can’t be used anymore and must be sent to your local recycling center.

Keep for Spare Parts

If you can, disassemble the fixtures and use them as spare parts. For example, you can unscrew the spigot from an old pipe and clean out the old thread seal tape. As long as the O-ring and the gate valves are undamaged, you can keep the tap in your storeroom, ready to be used if another faucet in your home breaks down.

Shorten

Often, it’s better, more cost effective, and less labor intensive to shorten a plumbing fixture rather than replacing it with a new one. Let’s say there’s a leak in your garden hose and the damage is near the nozzle. Instead of buying a new hose, simply take off the nozzle and cut off a part of the hose an inch or two after the hole. Reattach the nozzle, and the hose works like brand new albeit a little bit shorter.

Repurpose

There are times when a plumbing fixture can’t be used as originally intended. Steel pipes may have been rusted beyond repair. The cracks on those PVC pipes may be too big to seal. Your garden hose may have become too brittle. It’s time to throw these away, right? Well, maybe not. You can still use these by repurposing them. For example, old steel pipes can be welded together to form a trellis. You can use this trellis in your home garden to support the vines and shrubs that you’re growing.
Large PVC pipes can be sliced open, each half becoming a flower box or a box garden for your seedlings. Or they can be attached to the side of your gazebo to form rain gutters. Smaller PVC pipes can be cut up and used as practice weapons for your stick-fighting class.
Those who do metalwork can weld broken faucets, copper pieces, and pipes to create sculptures, mobiles, chimes, and other abstract artworks. Oh, do you know that there are actually craftsmen who turn metal nuts into magnificent rings?

You can check out other YouTube videos about household art and life hacks. The list for repurposed plumbing fixtures is endless; the only limit is your imagination.

Make an Outdoor Feature

Don’t throw away that old kitchen sink. Have a handyman reinstall it in your backyard. Now you have an outdoor sink where you can wash dishes after a barbecue party, clean dirty hands after tending your plants, or connect a garden hose to the tap to fill up your inflatable kiddie pool.

Give It Away

You may be on the verge of throwing away your old sink, toilet, showerhead, or bathtub. Before you do, ask a neighbor, colleague, relative, or friend if he needs it. The benefit is twofold - you can get rid of the fixture you no longer need, and the other party can save money. You can also sell them in a garage sale; just make sure you clean it up and it’s still in good condition.

Another way to recycle plumbing fixtures is to donate them to a charity or non-governmental organization. With their income relying on donations, your old but still usable fixtures will be a boon.

Many items in your household can be recycled or repurposed. Old plumbing fixtures are just some of these items. Simply check out some life hack articles or videos for ideas on how to give your throwaway items a second life and help ease off the environment’s burden.

Guest Contributor: Lillian Connors

3 Simple Tips to Prevent Basement Flooding

Floods are never fun, especially when they happen inside closed spaces like basements. Can you imagine the horror of cleaning up endless puddles of muddy water underground? Well, from what we’ve read, it’s not something you want to happen in your home.

Despite extreme preparation, floods can happen anytime and anywhere. They can happen because of water seeping in from storms, leaky pipes, or because your washing machine started leaking. Water might seem easy to clean up. You only need a mop and a bucket. However, cleaning it over and over again is just a temporary solution. 

The most effective way to prevent flooding isn’t to stop it from happening at all but to lessen the damage and do our best to decrease the chances of it happening. So, how can you prevent your basement from flooding? Although the first thought that comes to your mind might be to call a professional, we believe there are several things you can do at home by yourself.

If you haven’t experienced flooding in your basement, there’s no harm in learning about what you can do if it happens. Here are a few things to do to avoid getting water in your basement.

Watch what you flush

Our toilets may seem powerful and it seems like we can throw pretty much anything down the drain. However, they can only take so much. To keep water out of your basement, try keeping an eye on what your flushing down the toilet. There are a lot of resources available that tell you which things shouldn’t be flushed. 

Avoid heavy water usage

Sometimes we use a lot more water than needed. During sunny days, it won’t be an issue to take long showers and do bigger loads of laundry. However, we advise you to avoid using too much water during heavy rainfall. Using too much water can overload the sewer system since it’s already working so hard to get rid of the water from the rainfall.

Inspect your home regularly

Put aside some time every month to inspect your home for cracks and leaks. Most of the time, the source of water can come from leaky pipes or foundation cracks. Foundation can break down throughout the years and lead to cracks. 

If you catch any leaks or cracks early on, they will be much easier to seal since they’re smaller in size. Detecting leaks can be tricky. The key is to check your gutters, sump pump, weeping tiles, pipes, and any drainage systems in your home to make sure there are no leaks or blockages. If the leaks get too big, you’ll have to call in a professional plumber.

Wrapping Up

Most of the time, the damage from flooding can be controlled through maintenance and care. Although the best thing you can do is call a professional, there are times and instances where we can deal with the issue on our own. 
The most important thing is to keep an eye out and try to catch leaks or cracks as soon as you can because the longer you leave them, the worse they can get. Leaks and cracks can lead to severe water damage and even mold growth. So, it’s better to be prepared and prevent problems when you can.

Guest Contributor: Diana R

Illustration: Alexander Painter

Related Post: Best Dehumidifiers for Basements

5 Plumbing Tips For Winter

Once the cold air comes, you’re more likely to have plumbing problems if you’re not regularly inspecting your pipes and staying on top of maintenance. Some common Winter plumbing problems are clogged/frozen drains, water heaters go out, burst pipes, etc. The list is endless, which is why it’s a great idea to stay on top of your plumbing with regular maintenance and taking precautionary measures.

• If you plan on being gone for long hours of the day or for a couple of days, do not set your thermometer lower than 55 degrees. Going lower than 55 degrees you are risking your pipes, they can potentially freeze.

• If you have any pipes that are showing, whether it’s showing inside or outside of your house, you should insulate it. This goes for your home, attic, garage or any other areas you have that won’t be heated. A cheap DIY for this is to take a pool noodle and slice it in half and wrap it around the pipes. Cost efficient and will end up helping your pipes.

• If the temperature ever goes below freezing, make sure you create a drip from the faucets in your house. You will want to do this for all faucets, not just one. Better safe than sorry. Even if the water were to freeze, having the drip keeps water flowing and will prevent a burst pipe.

• Open up your cabinets or crack them to let warmth flow in to help provide warm air to the pipes under the sink.

• Seal any type of cracks near windows and doors to prevent cold air from coming in. Preventing it from coming in will prevent it reaching the pipes located inside of your house.

Guest Contributor: Tiffany Powell