When Residential Plumbing Repair Might Be Necessary

Indoor plumbing could rank as one of the best inventions ever — until there's a problem with your plumbing. Whether it's no hot water, the toilet is clogged again, the garbage disposal stinks, or a drain is backed up, plumbing problems are no fun at all. What follows are some residential plumbing repair and troubleshooting tips for common plumbing problems you may encounter.

Residential Plumbing Repair: Intermittent Hot Water

It's happening again: You're taking a shower and the hot water goes off and on — or there's no hot water at all. Before you start to worry about a water heater repair bill, check the circuit breaker to see if a breaker has tripped.

Next, if you have a gas-burning water heater, make sure the gas is turned on to the water heater. For electric water heaters, you may have a broken dip tube or heating element. You'll need to call your plumber for those issues.

Residential Plumbing Repair: Clogged Shower Drain 

Shower drain clogs are a common plumbing issue. Many items and factors can contribute to shower drains getting clogged, such as soap scum, hair, mineral deposits, and small items (that missing shampoo cap!). Shower clogs are generally more difficult to remedy than a clogged toilet or kitchen sink. If you can't get rid of the clog with an plumbing auger or plunger, you may need to call a plumber.

Residential Plumbing Repair: Leaky Toilet

A leaky toilet is another common residential plumbing repair. If water is leaking from under the toilet, you have a worn out O-ring, which may be accompanied by sewage odors. Another common leak is at the gasket connection of the toilet tank and toilet. The bolts and gaskets holding the tank to the toilet could be leaking water.

If you are experiencing any of these plumbing problems, locate the water shut-off valve behind the toilet and turn it off. Then, call your trusted plumber, because all of these issues should be handled by a pro.

If you need a professional plumber for residential plumbing repair in your Broken Arrow home, contact us at Air Assurance.

Learn How to Combat Sudden Water Leaks

There’s nothing like a sudden water leak in your home to cause an anxiety attack. Ruptured pipes, overflows, and other causes can cause substantial losses: Insurance companies pay out an average of $1.2 billion in claims every year due to water damage from indoor sources. Fortunately, like many household hazards, being prepared for a sudden water leak helps reduce panic — as well as potential losses.

Stay Ready

Be prepared to shut off all water to the house quickly in case of a sudden water leak. Know the location of the home’s main water-shut-off valve. Since these valves may become stuck or at least very hard to turn, test the valve twice a year. If it’s difficult to operate, contact a plumber to resolve the problem.

Contain the Damage

Even after the water is shut off, damage continues as water spreads inside the house. Act fast to mop up pooling water before the damage expands to other rooms. Use a mop or even towels to remove water and stop the spread. If an exterior door is nearby, open the door and push pooling water outside with a floor squeegee or a broom.

Prevent Mold

Dormant microscopic spores need only one element to convert into toxic mold growth: water. After a sudden water leak, the clock is ticking. Active mold growth begins contaminating a house within 48 hours. Take prompt steps to remove all water and dry out the home as soon as possible. If the amount of water released is more than a pool limited to the floor of a single room, contact a professional water-damage recovery service.

Stay Safe

Not every sudden water leak originates from a safe source like a broken water supply line or a washing machine. Raw sewage may be involved in plumbing backups that affect a house. Sewage is highly toxic and presents serious health threats. Clean-up is not a job for amateurs. Avoid all contact with sewage and call a professional water-damage service immediately. 

For more advice about dealing with a sudden water leak in your home, contact Air Assurance.

Shopping for a New Toilet? Use Our Tips

Head down to your local home improvement store and you'll find loads of different toilets to choose from. The question is: Which is best for you and your family? It can be a tough choice, so allow us to give you a few quick tips to help you decide:

Save Water with Dual-Flush

We all know that not every use of a toilet is the same. That's why dual-flush models are perfect for those who want to save water by providing separate handles — a full flush for solids and a half-flush for liquids.

Save Money with Low-Flow

Although some homeowners have avoided low-flow in the past because of the need for multiple flushes from time to time, newer models aren't plagued by this problem. Pick up a low-flow model and your water usage bills will drop.

Consider a Taller Model

Toilets may not be constructed to the most comfortable seats in the world, but taller models provide an extra amount of comfort to their users. This is especially true for tall men and women, in addition to the elderly, who may have trouble getting up and down from a traditional model.

Check the Reviews

Selecting the right toilet for your home shouldn't be taken lightly. To ensure that you make the best purchase possible, it's important to check out reviews. This isn't a choice you'll make through a site like Yelp. Instead, head over to Consumer Reports for the low-down on the low-flow (and others, of course).

Defy Gravity

Were you aware that certain toilets can be attached to your wall instead of sitting on the floor? These models are extremely sturdy and are amazingly simple to clean, because they lack all the nooks and crannies found in many traditional models. Just be aware that, as you might expect, a wall-hung toilet will be more expensive.

If you're looking for a new toilet, these tips will serve as a great starting point. For even more information, feel free to reach out to the professionals at Air Assurance. We currently service the HVAC needs of Broken Arrow and the surrounding area.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about toilets and other HVAC topics, call us at 918-217-8273. Credit/Copyright Attribution: “Name/Shutterstock”