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”

The Keys to Preventing Winter Pipe Bursts

As winter arrives, the temperatures are dropping more and more. Is your plumbing prepared? When the weather gets below freezing, the water flowing through your home turns to ice, expands, and ultimately a pipe bursts. How can you prevent this? There are a few steps you can take.

Insulate your pipes

You can buy long strips of foam pipe insulation at the hardware store. Cut them into lengths to fit each of your exposed indoor pipes and put them on. This won't prevent the water in them from freezing, but it will slow the flow of heat, keeping them warmer longer.

Heat your pipes

If your pipes are in a dry, enclosed space, then wrap them up in heater tape. You can plug it in, and it will generate enough heat to keep your pipes warm, so the water doesn't freeze. Failing that, you can also use a heat lamp to warm the pipes and keep them from icing over.

Open any cabinet doors

For pipes that are in a cabinet under the sink, open the doors up and let the heat in. You'll likely be running your furnace, so it will be warmer inside than outside.

Run the water

If your house has lost power, then plug-in heat tape and warming your pipes using the furnace will be ineffective. However, you can still keep your pipes from freezing. Turn on a slow drip of water from the hot side of each faucet, then a faster one from the cold side. By keeping the water flowing, it will prevent freezing. Even a very small drip should do the trick. It will drive your water bill up a bit, sure, but it's still cheaper than fixing the plumbing when a pipe bursts.

For outdoor pipes, drain the water

Shut off the valves to all your outdoor spigots to keep water from flowing through them. Then, drain all the water from the spigots.

To learn more about what to do when a pipe bursts, contact us at Air Assurance today. We've served Broken Arrow's plumbing and HVAC needs for over 30 years.

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 preventing pipe bursts and other HVAC topics, call us at 918-217-8273. Credit/Copyright Attribution: “MikeBird/Pixabay”

Learn How to Check for a P-Trap Clog

A clog in your drains can certainly ruin your day. The good news is, some clogs are more manageable by the homeowner than others, and depending on where they occur, you may be able to handle the unclogging yourself. For instance, when a clog occurs in that bent portion of pipe beneath your kitchen or bathroom sink — known as the p-trap — you may be able to unclog it yourself.

What P-Traps Do

P-traps aren't designed with a curve just to fit in your cabinet space. The curve actually has a purpose: it holds water continuously so that it blocks sewer gases emerging from nearby sewer lines from drifting into your drain and up through your sink.But the curved design also helps to trap substances in the drain other than water, such as hair, hairpins, and sludge from soap and other substances.

Clearing a Clog

As with any clog, you should start with the simplest solutions first. Try clearing the clog by pouring a half cup of baking soda followed by a half cup of vinegar. Leave it to bubble for five minutes, then turn on the hot water and let it run for a minute or so.If the clog persists, you can use a coat hanger or drain snake in the drain to see if it clears. A clog lodged in the p-trap may be hard to dislodge, so you may need to move to the next step.

Clearing the P-Trap

Assemble a few things to remove the trap, including adjustable pliers, latex gloves, an old towel and wash cloth and a bucket. Place the bucket under the trap to catch water and sludge when you remove the trap.Using the pliers, loosen the nuts that hold the trap in place. Remove the trap, emptying the water and cleaning out any clog material. Put a wet wash cloth in the open pipe coming out of the wall to prevent sewer gases from escaping. Reattach the pipe.For more on clearing a p-trap clog, contact Air Assurance of Broken Arrow. We've served our loyal customers since 1985.

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 P-traps and other HVAC topics, call us at 918-217-8273. Credit/Copyright Attribution: “d3images/Pixabay”

Showerheads That Save Water

Saving water in your household can be a win-win from two standpoints. You'll save money on your monthly water bill and you'll save a precious natural resource, water.

Saving water is not as difficult as one might think, especially with the help of new technology that allows for reduced flow in showerheads and other water fixtures, while still allowing for what seems like a high-pressure spray. Fortunately, the federal government runs a program that's intended to help American consumers and businesses save water.

Called WaterSense, among other things this program certifies plumbing fixtures that save more than a benchmark minimum of water.Your water-saving efforts can start in the shower. First of all, when deciding between a bath and a shower, go with the shower. That will save substantial water right from the get-go. Then, once you're in the shower, don't stay there any longer than it takes to wash your body. (Again, this isn't only in pursuit of the altruistic goal of conserving water; you're saving money, too.)

Then, replace old-style showerheads with modern WaterSense-certified low-flow showerheads. These fixtures spray under 2 gallons per minute, while still providing plenty of water pressure (as long as your home has sufficient water pressure from outside). That's a big improvement over standard showers that spray 2.5 gallons or more per minute.You can save plenty of water with your home's toilets, too.

WaterSense-certified toilets can save 20 percent or more over industry-standard toilets that consume 1.6 gallons per flush. Plus, they'll remove all the waste, preventing situations where the toilet has to be flushed twice.Bathroom faucets also provide opportunities for saving water. Current federal rules don't allow newly manufactured faucets to deliver more than 2.2 gallons of water per minute. Older faucets sprayed as much as 3-7 gallons per minute. Most low-flow brands will still supply adequate water pressure while delivering much less water.

For more information on water-efficient showerheads and other water-saving strategies for your home, please contact us at Air Assurance, providing superior plumbing and HVAC services in 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 showerheads and other HVAC topics, call us at 918-217-8273. Credit/Copyright Attribution: “Name of Artist/Shutterstock”

Save Water With These Plumbing Fixtures

A plan for residential water efficiency and conservation should include the installation of water-saving plumbing fixtures.The following list includes some of the more common types of these fixtures and what you should look for when choosing water-saving plumbing equipment for your home.

WaterSense Certification

The WaterSense program is administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and exists to help consumers better understand water efficiency and conservation. Any plumbing fixtures with WaterSense certification have been tested and proven to be water efficient. By using these fixtures you'll be able to reduce your monthly household water consumption and, at the same time, trim your water bill.

Hands-free Faucets

Hands-free faucets do not have standard on-off handles. Instead, they contain a sensor that activates the fixture when you place your hands under the faucet. Water continues to run while your hands are in place. When you remove them from the faucet's proximity, the faucet shuts off in just a few seconds. This helps prevent wasted water and ensures the faucet won't be left on by small children or others who may forget to shut the water off.

Dual-flush Toilets

Dual-flush toilets give you two levels of water use for flushing. The low-water option uses less water and is intended primarily for flushing liquid waste. The higher-water option needs more water to effectively remove solid waste. By using the low-water option more frequently, you'll save water by not being required to use the same amount of water each time the toilet is flushed.

High-efficiency and Low-flow Fixtures

Faucets and toilets are available in styles that automatically use less water than standard models. They provide enough water for the task, but use significantly less of it. Low-flow fixtures, such as aerators and showerheads, restrict water flow, reducing the amount of water available for bathing, cleaning, or similar tasks.

Tulsa and Broken Arrow residents can count on Air Assurance for professional heating and cooling services, including sales, installation, maintenance, and repair. Contact us today for more information on how installing water-saving plumbing fixtures can save substantial amounts of water in your home every month.

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 TOPIC and other HVAC topics, call us at 918-217-8273. Credit/Copyright Attribution: “OpenClipart-Vectors/Pixabay”

Water Shutoff Valves 101

The first step of solving many plumbing problems is usually turning off the water shutoff valve. If you'd like to tackle these problems successfully when they arise, start by checking out the shutoff valves in your home. Let's look at the types of valves you'll most probably come across.

Gate Valve

This valve has a machined inner mechanism. To turn it on or off, you'll have to turn its circular head, which in turn raises or lowers a metal gate. The gate blocks water flow when it's in its lowest position. Water flows freely when the gate is in its highest position. The valve should be completely open or completely closed. Opening it partially will cause it to wear away and fail over time.

Washered Valve

This is the most common water shutoff valve. You're likely to find it in your toilet, sinks and outdoor sillcocks. It comes in different sizes and is usually round or oval shaped. It has a rubber washer that compresses onto a metal seat when you turn the valve's handle to shut off water flow. The valve will leak when the washer wears out. Replacing the washer is easy, but you have to ensure you get a rightly sized one.

Ball Valve

This is the least problematic valve. You'll most likely find it under sinks and toilets. It has a straight lever handle that only makes a quarter turn. In the open position, the handle is parallel to your pipes and in the closed position, it's perpendicular. Instead of a washer, it has a machined ball with a hole. It shuts off water when it's aligned such that the hole is perpendicular to water flow.If you're proactive about keeping your plumbing system healthy, it will be beneficial to identify the types of shutoff valves you have and where they're located. To learn more about the water shutoff valve types, please contact us at Air Assurance. We've proudly served the Broken Arrow area for more than 30 years.

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). Credit/Copyright Attribution: “PublicDomainArchive/Pixabay”

Different Types of Plumbing Pipes

For most homeowners, figuring out the plumbing in their homes is a confusing task. You have a wide variety of pipes going in many different directions. What's worse, if you get something wrong when working with your plumbing, you have to deal with water — or worse — spraying everywhere.Knowing a little about the pipes that you're looking at can take some of the confusion out of your plumbing. Here's a list of the most common types of pipes and what they're used for:

• Cast iron pipes. This type of pipe used to be used for drains and vents and is still found in older homes. Cast iron tends to rust easily, but often the rust is just on the surface. Cast iron is a durable material that can last for many years.

• Galvanized steel pipes. Like cast iron, these pipes are found in older homes and were typically used for drains. They have one downside: they don't last as long as some of the other choices available today.

• ABS. This type of pipe is one of the early plastic pipes. ABS pipes are black and used for drains and vents. Because they often came loose at joints, they no longer meet code for new construction in many areas.

• PVC. This type of pipe is the most common type used for drains and vents today. Specific kinds of PVC are usable for supply lines, but it is a good idea to check with your plumbing contractor to make sure you're using a type that meets building codes for your area. PVC is white plastic, extremely durable, lightweight, and inexpensive. They typically have the diameter of the pipe stamped on the side.

• Copper pipes. Typically used for water lines, there's either rigid or flexible copper lines.

• PEX. PEX is a flexible plastic that's used for water lines. It is very versatile and comes in different colors, allowing you to assign different colors of pipe to your hot and cold water lines.

For more answers to your questions about the plumbing in your Broken Arrow-area home, contact Air Assurance today.

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). Credit/Copyright Attribution: “fran1/pixabay”

Cloudy Tap Water: What It Means

Cloudy tap water is generally described as “milky water” or “white water” because the cloudiness is basically a neutral color. Frequently we expect water to come for the tap crystal clear and anything other than that is a sign of something wrong — or maybe even hazardous. In most cases, if you’re getting your water from a municipal water supply, cloudy tap water is only an aesthetic issue and has no health risks or even taste issues associated with it.Cloudiness in tap water is actually dissolved air. Mostly, it occurs naturally in well-water where municipal water supplies are often sourced, or it may enter the water during pumping. As long as the water is under pressure inside your supply lines, air it contains remains in a dissolved state. When you open the tap, however, pressure is released and the dissolved air content in the water rapidly turns into millions of extremely tiny air bubbles that impart a clouded effect when the water is viewed in a glass or other clear container.A simple test can confirm that cloudiness is simply air coming out of solution in the water, not chemicals or other impurities:

• Open a tap and fill a drinking glass or clear jar with tap water. Set the glass on a counter and note the degree of cloudiness in the water.

• Allow a few minutes to pass and observe the clearing process of the water. If tiny air bubbles are the cause, you’ll notice that cloudiness in the water clears steadily, starting from the bottom and moving up toward the top of the glass until all water is perfectly clear. That’s a classic indicator of air content causing the cloudiness.

• If the water at the top of the glass clears but water at the bottom looks rusty or otherwise discolored, contact a qualified plumber for an inspection. You may have internally rusted or corroded water supply lines that need replacement.

For a professional opinion about issues of cloudy tap water, contact the plumbing experts at Air Assurance.

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). Credit/Copyright Attribution: “Pexels/Shutterstock”

Toilet Flapper Troubleshooting

A malfunctioning toilet flapper can prevent your toilet from working correctly. If your toilet is running or won't flush like it should, check for some common signs that will help you pinpoint the problem.

The Toilet Won't Stop Running

Your toilet flapper's job is to rise up from the flush valve and let water into the bowl when you flush, then drop down and stop the flow of water when the flush ends. As the flapper wears out, it can warp, harden or deteriorate and no longer form a tight seal. When this happens, it can't completely stop the flow of water. This leaves you with a toilet that runs constantly and wastes water.

First, make sure the toilet flapper chain isn't so long it's getting tangled and stopping the flapper from closing or so short that it's holding the flapper up off the flush valve. If this isn't the issue, adding a few drops of food coloring to the toilet tank will help you detect a leak. After you add the coloring, wait 10 minutes and if you find the color has seeped into the bowl, you have a leaky flapper you'll need to replace.

The Toilet Won't Flush Correctly

Your toilet flapper chain should have just a slight amount of slack. A chain that's too short will cause the flush to cut off too soon, leaving too little water in the bowl or even fail to fully clean the bowl. A short flush can also happen when the chain is too long. In this case, the rushing water pulls the flapper closed before the flush is complete.To check for this toilet problem, remove the tank lid and watch the toilet flapper as you flush. The flapper should start to drop when around 80 percent of the water has left the tank. If it doesn't, readjust the chain by unhooking it from the flush lever and shortening or lengthening it as needed by two links.

For help with your toilet or any other plumbing fixture, contact us at Air Assurance anywhere around Broken Arrow.

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). Credit/Copyright Attribution: “gmstockstudio/Shutterstock”