Action Plumbing, HVAC, & Electric

Your Local Plumbing, HVAC, & Electric Experts

385-509-4239 Utah
623-469-3795 Arizona

Category: Plumbing

As any plumber or even most experienced homeowners can tell you, proper care for your home’s plumbing system involves knowing what not to do just as much as knowing what to do. There are a variety of mistakes some homeowners might make with their plumbing system, even some where they assumed they were doing the right thing — but with a little bit of knowledge, you can avoid these errors and keep your system in great shape.

At Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electric, we’re proud to offer a wide range of plumbing services, including 24/7 emergency plumbing solutions in Lehi — but also numerous programs or concepts that will help your home or building avoid any plumbing emergencies or major issues altogether. What are some of the most common mistakes we see made by our clients within their plumbing systems, and how can you avoid these risks through some simple understanding of how your system works? Here’s a primer.

Improper Toilet Usage

One of the single most common plumbing mistakes made in homes today is one that can be made by anyone who lives there: Improper usage of the toilet drain, especially to flush down items that are not approved to go down the toilet.

The most common item we see flushed down toilets is paper towels, which can either get stuck in the system and reduce water flow to the bowl or even get caught up in the flapper and cause it to stop working properly. Paper towels are followed closely by feminine products, which can also create blockages when they catch on tree roots that grow into the line.

The other major issue with flushing items like this comes in the form of drain flies or fruit flies — since their breeding area doesn’t necessarily get cleaned out regularly when flushing things down the toilet, drain flies become an issue where your plumbing system is concerned.

To avoid any of these issues, use the proper toilet flushing-approved items like human waste and toilet paper down the drain. Don’t put anything else in there, no matter how innocuous it might first appear to you. Also make sure that your household members are aware of these rules — especially when you’re away from home and can’t be there to note if someone flushes an inappropriate item.

Chemical Drain Cleaners

While the occasional use of a chemical drain cleaner for a minor clog or blockage is usually okay, you don’t want to make this a regular habit. This is because chemicals can cause problems with the materials used to build your plumbing system over time, causing corrosion or even chemical burns to the skin if you come into contact with them.

If your drains are starting to clog up quite frequently, make sure they’re fully clear before attempting drain cleaners of any sort. You can do this with a plunger or even a handheld auger for minor blockages, but if you want to go the chemical drain cleaner route make sure your drain is clear first.

If you’re starting to notice corrosion issues with your plumbing system, it’s time to call in a plumber. Corrosion can be sign that there are serious organic or other issues going on with your system, and if left unchecked these issues can cause leaks or major damage.

Attempting Fixes You Aren’t Qualified For

While there are certain very basic plumbing areas where you can attempt a DIY fix, such as using your plunger to try and unclog your toilet, there are many other fixtures or components that require professional attention. For this reason, you want to be very specific with what you attempt to fix on your own and what you call a professional for.

For example, you wouldn’t want to try and fix your garbage disposal unit on your own, or even attempt to replace a water heater that’s more than 15 years old. On the other hand, you might be able to change out an older spigot for a new one with relative ease, especially if all it requires is the loosening of some nuts with your fingers.

Leaving Water on Or Dripping

You might not realize just how much water will be wasted if you leave water running in your sink or tub at all times, even if it’s an infrequent event. This is because the average faucet can drip a steady flow of between one and three gallons per minute.

If you notice a draining issue with your toilet, make sure to shut off the water supply before embarking on any repairs. Just to be safe, you might want to leave the water turned off for several hours after your repair is completed just to make sure it’s actually fixed.

In other cases, water losses will be due to cracks or other leaks that aren’t as visible as a small drip from a leaky faucet. If you notice any leaking around your shower, toilet, or sink, turn the water off immediately and call a plumber.

No Plumber On-Hand

Finally, another common plumbing mistake homeowners make is not maintaining a connection with a quality local plumber in case of issues. Even if your plumbing system is currently in tip-top shape, you never know when an emergency might happen — and if you don’t have a plumber on standby you could be in for a world of hurt.

If you need to find a reliable and trustworthy local plumber in Lehi or any nearby area, make sure to contact the professionals at Action Plumbing today.

One of the most common potential plumbing concerns out there is a leak to one of your components, and faucets are a particular type that’s often impacted. While that slow drip from your faucet might not seem like a big deal, it’s wasting more water than you might think — and also may be signaling a larger concern that could eventually pose a much larger problem.

At Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electric, we’re happy to help with a variety of plumbing services, including faucet repair and several related themes. We’ll also provide expertise on the initial causes of many faucet leaks we see, plus what you can do to avoid these risks ahead of time. Here’s a primer on leaking faucets, how they come about, why they’re a problem, and what you can do about them.

Why Are Leaking Faucets a Problem?

An old saying in the plumbing world is that a quarter-turn of the handle means a quart of water goes down the drain. That’s not an exaggeration — even slow leaks can waste water and money. That said, you may never know you have a leak if it doesn’t make any noise or create any other telltale signs. That could lead to some expensive surprises when a hidden leak starts causing other problems, such as mold or peeling wallpaper from excess humidity.

Leaking faucets also cause sanitary problems, as they allow bacteria to collect along the edges of your sink and countertops while leaving behind mineral deposits on your fixtures or tubs. All these risks combined should be enough to convince you that getting help with a leaking faucet is more than worth the time and expense.

Our next several sections will go over the most common causes of leaking faucets.

Damaged or Worn-Down Parts

Leaks are usually caused by worn-out or damaged parts. In a faucet, that could include the O-rings or gaskets that keep water from leaking out of your fixture, or possibly the packing nut underneath the handle or knob and other various nuts, washers, seals, springs, and other parts that connect to one another.

As your faucet ages, these parts wear out and need to be replaced. You can also tighten or lubricate most of these parts, but in some cases you might have to replace them outright. If you’re dealing with one of the tougher fixes — like a gasket replacement or something else that requires specific training — Action Plumbing is happy to help out to ensure the part is replaced properly.

High Water Pressure

In other cases, the cause of a leaking faucet can be traced back to water pressure that’s too high. Water pressure is a factor in how well your faucet seals around its O-ring or gasket to prevent leaks. The higher the water pressure, the tighter it’s going to need to be for proper operation and efficiency.

How do you know if your water pressure is too high? There are several ways, but one common method is to see if you can feel the water pressure behind your faucet’s handle or knob. If the water feels too forceful — as in it’s pushing back noticeably against your hand when you turn on the faucet — it could be causing a leak by stressing out your plumbing fixture and its parts.

Many faucet pressure issues will require the assistance of a plumber, especially if pressure needs to be restored to a previous level. If you’re unsure about any part of this process, leave this job to us.

Cracks in Faucet Plumbing

In rare cases, a faucet leak can be traced back to a crack in the plumbing lines that are connected to your sink or tub. That usually means you’ll see water leaking down from above your fixtures and dripping off the walls or ceiling near your faucet, which is an obvious sign you’ve got problems.

Once again, this is a job best left to the professionals. Do not try to repair these lines on your own, as they can be hard to reach and even harder to seal correctly.

Problems With Ignoring Faucet Leaks

Perhaps the single most common error among homeowners when it comes to this realm: Ignoring a small faucet leak, simply assuming that because it’s only a small drip, this isn’t really much of a problem.

Simply put, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Even a small drip from your faucet can waste a surprising amount of water over time. For instance, if your faucet is leaking at the rate of just 1 quart (32 ounces) every two hours, that totals up to 748 quarts of wasted water per year.

The cost for this kind of leak doesn’t look quite as frightening until you put it in those terms. At a typical cost of $3 per 1000 gallons of water, a faucet leak that’s dripping at 1 quart every two hours wastes as much as $2165 per year on just water bills — probably enough to pay for most repair or replacement jobs in the first place!

This is why it’s so important for faucet leaks to be addressed immediately, either by the homeowner, a plumber or some combination therein. We’re happy to help with any and all faucet issues as soon as they arise, so do not delay in calling us.

For more on the culprits in a leaking faucet, or to learn about any of our plumbing or HVAC services, speak to the staff at Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electric today.

There are a few possible plumbing issues in your home or building that may require both immediate action and some long-term care approaches, and a good example here is a concern no one wants to deal with: A toilet that’s overflowing water. There are some early steps you should take here to prevent immediate risks like flooding and water damage, but once you’ve managed to stop the actual overflowing from happening, there are also a few general steps – including those involving professional plumbers – that are required to fully remedy the situation.

At Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electric, we’re here to help. We offer not only a wide range of toilet repair services from the best plumbers in Salt Lake City, but also 24/7 emergency plumbing services in cases of toilet overflow or other forms of water damage you’re having trouble mitigating. Whether on your own or with the assistance of our plumbers, what are the basic steps to stopping a toilet that’s overflowing, plus what should you do once you’ve managed to stop the overflow effect? Here’s a primer.

Lid Removal

Before we dig into the specifics here, we wanted to drive home one big theme: Immediate action is very important when you notice an overflow toilet. This is not an issue that can be left until later, as it risks major flooding and water damage in both the bathroom where the toilet is located and the rest of your home, particularly the areas below that bathroom.

The first step to take when a toilet is overflowing is to carefully remove the toilet lid from the tank. This requires no screwdrivers or nails – all you have to do is lift it up. Simply set it aside in a secured location, but don’t worry about laying it down on towels or any other laborious process, as this will just waste time.

Flapper Valve

Next up, you need to reach down into the toilet tank and press down on the flapper valve. This refers to a rubber piece, usually black or dark-colored, that sits in the bottom-center of your tank. The flapper is what opens and closes to allow water into the bowl – by holding it down, you will be stopping more water from entering and, therefore, overflowing.

Some choose to wear gloves while doing this, but this technically isn’t really necessary. While it’s true that sanitation is always important around the toilet, the upper toilet tank contains clean, sanitary water that has not been exposed to any human waste.

Tank Fill Valve

From here, once your flapper valve is secured and will stay closed, you need to lift up on the float that operates what’s known as your tank fill valve. This is the main water supply to the tank itself, and the water levels inside your bowl will change in coordination with this feature. When this water source is cut off, the bowl should begin to see a slow drop in water level.

If this happens within 60 seconds or so, you can usually release the tank fill valve float and let the bowl refill naturally – the issue is usually solved here. However, in other cases, the water level will not drop here; in this case, you need to continue to hold the float while you use the toilet supply valve – which is near the floor or the wall behind the toilet – to completely turn off the water supply. This is done by turning the toilet supply valve as far as you can clockwise. You may need someone to help you with this, as some toilet supply valves will be far enough away that you won’t be able to twist them while also holding down the float.

Actions Once Toilet Stops Overflowing

Once you’ve managed to get the toilet to stop overflowing, meaning you’ve mitigated the immediate flooding and water damage risks that were present, you can move toward diagnosing the actual issue that caused the overflow to begin with. Again, this is often a concern where homeowners will call on our plumbers to assist them with – but if you’re particularly handy and want to take a shot at this process yourself, here are some basic areas to attend to:

  • First and foremost, stop the use of all plumbing fixtures (sinks, toilets, laundry machines, etc.) while you look to diagnose the issue. You may have solved the flooding concern in the toilet in question, but it’s possible the larger culprit that caused it is still present within your system. Let everyone in the home know they should not use any fixtures for now.
  • One of the most common issues that may cause this sort of overflowing is a blockage somewhere in the drain – for this reason, a first step here is to use a plunger or drain snake to attempt to clear the clog, especially if gurgling noises or other clear signs of a blockage are present.
  • If a toilet clog is not the problem, start moving from fixture to fixture in the home. Start on your fixtures in the bathroom and then work your way upward in the home – if possible, have another person present to see if anything happens on the lower floors while you’re looking at upper-floor toilets and drains.
  • In some cases where these initial methods aren’t solving the problem, you may have a backup in your system drain, a failing septic field, or other issues with your main sewer line. In these cases, you’ll need to contact our plumbers for a more involved remediation.

For more on how to remedy an overflowing toilet, or to learn about any of our plumbing or HVAC services in Salt Lake City, speak to the staff at Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electric today.

While you may not think of it in the same ways necessarily, your home’s garbage disposal is absolutely part of your plumbing system – and requires care just like other elements of this system. In particular, a simple task homeowners can attend to on a regular basis is cleaning their garbage disposal, but many homeowners aren’t sure how to do this or how often it should be done.

At Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electric, we’re proud to offer numerous residential plumbing services and areas of assistance, including with basic maintenance and cleaning of any important plumbing component. We’ve helped clients with a variety of garbage disposal needs, including those who are wondering about simple upkeep and cleaning. Here’s a primer on how often this should be done, the equipment you’ll need, and a couple different well-known methods for DIY cleaning on your home’s garbage disposal.

Garbage Disposal Cleaning Frequency

First and foremost, how often should a garbage disposal be cleaned anyway? This is a tougher question than you might think to answer, in large part because part of a garbage disposal’s basic operation involves self-cleaning – by chopping up food and other particles, the disposal itself prevents too many buildups or other issues from taking place.

That said, some problems may develop over time. For instance, a form of slime may be found on the areas that are not involved in the grinding action of the disposal, such as underneath the rubber drain baffle and on the smooth slope at the top of the grinding chamber. If you use the disposal regularly, we recommend cleaning these areas roughly once a week, then deep cleaning once every few months.

Equipment and Materials Needed

Here are all the items you’ll either definitely or potentially need for a basic DIY garbage disposal cleaning:

  • A sink stopper
  • Rubber gloves
  • A kitchen sponge that has at least one abrasive side
  • Dish soap
  • Ice (for one particular method)
  • Half-cup of both baking soda and vinegar (optional, used for a specific method)
  • Full cup of rock salt (optional)
  • Third-cup of bleach (optional)

Sponge Cleaning Method

First off, we’ll detail how to clean your garbage disposal using nothing but the simple materials above, primarily your dish sponge. This is usually considered the simplest method, and the one you should take as your primary cleaning method for weekly or standard cleaning. Here are the basic steps:

  • Power off: This is a safety theme – you need to turn the power to the garbage disposal off so there’s no chance of injuring yourself by turning it on while you’re reaching down it. Don’t simply rely on your ability to not hit the button; accidents happen, and the results here could be horrific. Unplug the disposal from under the sink, or turn off the disposal’s circuit breaker in your electrical panel.
  • Baffle cleaning: Apply soap to your baffle, or the plastic element that sits in the disposal drain. Rinse the sponge regularly as you pull out sludge and grime.
  • Grinder cleaning: Next, move your sponge carefully around the top of the grinding chamber, continuing to clean it and rinse it off regularly. Continue doing this until the sponge is no longer dirty when you pull it out, a sign that you’ve properly cleaned the interior.

Now, for general weekly cleaning needs, you can stop after you’ve finished these three steps. However, for deeper or periodic cleanings, there are a couple additions you can make to this process that will not only keep the disposal clean, but will also remove odors, clean the drainpipe and perform a more comprehensive cleanup overall.

There are two such methods, described in our next two sections.

Baking Soda and Vinegar

This method involves two simple household items that you’ll usually have around. It follows the steps above, with basic phases that go as follows:

  • Pour a half-cup of baking soda into the garbage disposal, then slowly but surely pour in a half-cup of vinegar to follow it up, coating the entire disposal interior.
  • Place your sink stopper over the opening of the drain and ensure it’s created a good seal. After a period of time, the baking soda and vinegar will combine, fizzing up and beginning to eat away at clogs or buildups – and your sink stopper will ensure none of these reactions take place near you or your skin.
  • After a few minutes once the reaction has subsided, you can pull the sink stopper off and flush the disposal with hot water from your sink. Simultaneously, you should be running the disposal several times to clear any remaining debris.

Ice and Rock Salt Method

If you prefer it, you can use ice and vinegar or rock salt for this cleaning process instead. Here’s how to do it:

  • Fill your disposal up with ice cubes from your ice machine.
  • Pour a full cup of either rock salt or vinegar into your disposal.
  • Run the disposal for several seconds with water turned on, allowing it to grind up the ice. If needed, repeat this process several times.

Smell Concerns

If you’ve tried the above methods and you’re still dealing with poor smells coming from the garbage disposal, bleach should be your next resource. Combine one part bleach with two parts warm water (never using more than one-third cup of bleach total), then wear gloves and pour this solution into the drain. Then run hot water down it for several seconds.

For more on how to clean and maintain your garbage disposal, or to learn about any of our plumbing or HVAC services, speak to the staff at Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electric today.

In part one of this two-part blog series, we went over some basics on the common pipe materials you’ll find in your home or building’s plumbing system. Plumbing pipes come in a variety of materials, plus have differing purposes or uses that are often determined by this material quality.

At Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electric, we’re happy to help with all your plumbing needs, from basic services like understanding your pipe material or simple drain cleaning up to advanced projects like tub or shower repair. We’ll inform you of the qualities of any of your home or building’s pipe materials, plus any issues that might arise from it or suggestions we have on replacing certain older materials with better new ones. Today’s part two of our series will go over a few other popular types to be aware of.

PVC Piping

PVC piping, short for polyvinyl chloride piping, is a versatile piping option that’s used across several applications. Some of the most common are for sending water into fire sprinkler systems, vital components in many commercial buildings. It’s also used for various sewage applications.

PVC piping is highly cost-effective, and has quickly begun replacing many lead pipe formats around the globe. It’s incredibly durable, often lasting for up to 100 years, and is available in varying levels of thickness depending on the need. When required for drinking water situations, another common use, it can be specifically designed to meet local health requirements – and it’s also environmentally-friendly and easy to recycle.

Galvanized Pipes

Galvanized pipes, on the other hand, are made of steel that’s been dipped in a molten zinc coating for protection. The primary quality of galvanized pipes is their rust and corrosion resistance, which is created by this zinc coating, making these pipes enormously popular in areas where rust or other corrosion commonly take place.

Galvanized pipes, which became popular just after World War I, are less expensive and more durable than copper pipes. However, over many years, their corrosion resistance may wear down, allowing bits of rust into water – this must be an area you keep a careful eye on with assistance from our plumbers.

ABS Pipe

Finally, there’s ABS pipe, or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene pipe. This is most often found in various vent and drain line setups. ABS pipe is similar to PVC pipe, but is known to be stronger and also a bit softer in texture. It’s ideal for underground use and also for use in cold temperatures – however, on the flip side, certain building codes prohibit ABS pipe. In addition, it may warp or deform at certain high temperatures.

For more on the different kinds of pipe available for your plumbing needs, or to learn about any of our plumbing or HVAC services, speak to the staff at Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electric today.

At Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electric, we’re well aware that home services like our plumbing solutions are a partnership with our customers. Homeowners will often perform basic upkeep or maintenance areas here, such as plunging a backed-up toilet, for instance, but then there are also areas where leaving an issue to our trained plumbers is the right move, both for your safety and for the quality of your plumbing – such as a trenchless sewer line repair.

For the involved homeowner who cares about the quality and long-term value of their property, there’s another area here: General education and knowledge. While there will always be certain advanced plumbing jobs untrained homeowners should never attempt, increasing your body of knowledge in general plumbing areas will help you understand and manage your system more effectively on a day-to-day basis. One piece of education many homeowners can benefit from: Knowing the different kinds of pipes that might be present in your plumbing system, plus whether they’re right for the purpose they’re serving and whether you should perhaps consider a replacement in certain areas. This two-part blog series will go over all the primary plumbing pipe variations.

PEX Pipes

One of the most common forms of piping used today for both homes and businesses is PEX piping, or polyethylene piping. PEX piping has several benefits, the largest of which in many circumstances is its flexibility – it’s not as rigid as other pipe types, making it simpler to both install and maintain.

In addition, PEX pipe is highly heat-resistant and corrosion-resistant, plus durable and long-lasting. It also requires virtually no regular maintenance, plus saves energy through heat conservation. This means that installation costs tend to be somewhat high up-front, but this cost is generally recouped quickly due to the quality of these pipes. It’s one of the first choices for new buildings today.

Rigid Copper Pipes

There are two different copper pipe formats that might be utilized in plumbing. The first is rigid copper, which is most common for water supply lines in homes and other buildings. This pipe does bend slightly despite its name, but is relatively solid. It does well against heat and pressure, plus is easy to recycle.

On the flip side, rigid copper pipe is tough to install and can be expensive. It’s also susceptible to corrosion or pinhole leaks over time without proper maintenance.

Flexible Copper Pipes

Flexible copper pipe, on the other hand, is a pipe or tubing format used to connect to fridges, water heaters and certain sinks. It’s only for short runs, fitting in small spaces and coming with a high heat tolerance. Like rigid copper, it’s expensive and may be prone to structural risks if it’s not well-maintained.

For more on the kinds of pipes often found in homes and buildings today, or to learn about any of our plumbing or HVAC services, speak to the staff at Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electric today.

In part one of this two-part blog series, we went over some of the common reasons why your bathroom, and specifically your toilet, is letting off foul odors well beyond the normal scope. The toilet doesn’t always smell great based on its common uses, but there are situations where significant odors will linger well beyond their normal levels, even when it’s been hours in between uses, and these often signal damage or other issues taking place.

At Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electric, we’re happy to offer numerous toilet repair and related services for those experiencing any issues with this vital plumbing fixture. What are some of the other possible causes of these foul sewage odors in or around your toilet, and how can you both be rid of them and be sure they aren’t signaling a larger problem that needs to be remedied? Part two of our series will look at these areas in detail.

Bacteria Presence

One toilet odor issue that’s a bit less common in Utah due to the dry air, but still may take place at times, is the presence of bacteria that makes its way up through the toilet and into your breathing air. These bacteria are most prone to this effect during humid conditions – this means if you’re able to keep your bathroom relatively dry, like the state itself, you should be able to avoid this concern.

If you determine a humid bathroom space has allowed these bacteria up through your sewer system, bleach is the primary solution. Pour it into the overflow pipe or the flush valve of your system, rather than the bowl itself, as this will ensure it hits the entire system.

P-Trap or Vent Pipe Concerns

Under your sink and/or toilet in the bathroom, there’s a section of piping called the P-Trap. Shaped like a U, this pipe is meant to hold a small amount of water specifically to guard against smells making their way up into your bathroom.

If this water is allowed to evaporate, however, this protective layer vanishes. If this has happened, which is more common for lesser-used toilets where water sits for long periods, either pour water down the drain or flush the toilet to re-fill the P-Trap. If the odor persists, you have a more significant issue and should call our plumbers for repairs.

Sink Overflow

Finally, your bathroom sink actually may be the cause of the odor in certain cases. This can happen if your sink has an overflow mechanism meant to relieve the pressure if the sink is overfilled – but this same mechanism can collect sewage and other buildup, and eventually smell really bad. In some cases you can clean this on your own, while in others you’ll need our plumbers for a full drain cleaning.

For more on how to diagnose the cause of poor odors coming from your toilet area, or to learn about any of our drain cleaning, toilet repair or other plumbing or HVAC services, speak to the staff at Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electric today.

As we’re all well aware, toilets and bathrooms can get stinky for somewhat obvious reasons. Bodily waste doesn’t exactly smell great, but a good toilet will remove any significant odors through proper flushing and drainage – and if you’ve noticed that your toilet is not doing this, and is remaining stinky and putting out putrid odors even well after it’s been used, this could be a problem.

At Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electric, we’re happy to provide numerous toilet repair and related services for any homeowner experiencing odor or other issues with one or more of their toilets. For us to adequately assess and remedy a smell issue in your toilet, we must first investigate the cause of the issue – and there could be a few different such causes. This two-part blog series will look at several of the underlying reasons why your toilet might be letting off poor odors even between uses.

Broken Toilet Seal

All toilets today come with a wax ring inside their base, and this feature is responsible for sealing the toilet – not only against moisture leakage, but also against odor. It’s meant to be airtight, keeping many of the smells that exist in your pipes and below your toilet from making their way into your breathing air.

If this seal is damaged or broken, however, both air and moisture can make their way through. The first signs here will often be a toilet that rocks back and forth when you sit on it, or you may also begin to notice smells and/or leaks at the bottom of the toilet. In these cases, call our plumbers right away for a repair of your wax seal.

Rare Usage

In some homes, certain toilets won’t get a whole lot of use. Some have a basement toilet, for instance. These toilets may smell when they’re flushed for the first time, or because their water has evaporated and allowed smells to travel from inside the drain up to your air. If you have one of these toilets, we recommend flushing it at least once or twice a month just to prevent this and other risks.

Clogs or Blockages

Another of the most common causes of odors from the toilet: Blockages or clogs, which can take place due to long-term buildup or due to a single instance of an incorrect item being flushed down. Other signs of blockages include slow draining or even toilets overflowing when they refuse to drain, but in many cases odor is present well before these events take place – and you can prevent such concerns by remedying the blockage right away, something our plumbers are happy to help with.

For more on the causes of odors coming from your toilet, or to learn about any of our toilet repair or other plumbing services, HVAC services and more, speak to the staff at Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electric today.

In part one of this two-part blog series, we went over some basic tips for homeowners looking to limit the strain on their plumbing system during the summer. The summer is often the toughest period for a given home’s plumbing system due to increased needs for water and usage of various plumbing fixtures, but you might be surprised how much you can alleviate this stress with some extremely basic tactics.

At Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electric, we’re proud to offer a wide array of residential plumbing services, from standard plumbing maintenance like summer upkeep to larger areas like trenchless sewer line repair and many others. In today’s part two, we’ll go over a few additional themes to keep an eye on, whether on your own or with the assistance of our handy plumbers for any areas you’re not comfortable managing.

Care While Gardening

The summer is the most popular season of the year for gardening for some relatively apparent reasons, but it just requires some very basic care for those who want to be sure they do not impact their plumbing system in any way. This is especially true for anyone who plans to do significant digging, whether for the purposes of planting, landscaping or something else.

Why is this a concern? Well, because sewer, gas and possibly other utility lines are placed under lawns in residential areas. If you accidentally dig into these, you could be looking at incredibly expensive repairs, not to mention hazards. If you have any significant digging plans, you should find out where your utility lines are before you plant – particularly the sewer line, which can lead to major leakage and related issues if it’s dug into.

Water Heater Temperature

Another theme the summer is generally a common time of year for: Vacations and trips, whether we’re talking cross-country adventures, weekend camping trips with the family or any other variety. One handy plumbing tip for whenever you take such excursions is to turn your water heater temperature down much lower than usual – this will not only limit strain on the system and give it a break for a few days, but will also save you money on your power bill at the end of the month for heating services that you won’t need while out of the house.

Connections and Leaks

Finally, particularly for homes with kids out of school for the summer, appliances like dishwashers and washing machines will see heavy work this time of year. Periodically, be sure to check basic connections and hookups to ensure there are no leaks or other issues forming, concerns that may lead to major water loss and an increase in your monthly bill.

For more on tactics to alleviate strain on your plumbing system this summer, or to learn about any of our plumbing or HVAC services, speak to the staff at Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electric today.

In part one of this two-part blog series, we went over some of the common reasons why you might have begun to notice slow hot water being provided to certain taps or fixtures in your home. There are several potential culprits behind this event, ranging from the distance of your fixtures to the hot water heater to the quality of the heater itself and several others.

At Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electric, we’re proud to offer a wide variety of water heater repair and replacement services to help remedy any such concerns, including tankless water heaters that provide on-demand water and limit any concerns of proper temperature. In today’s part two, we’ll go over a few additional potential causes of slow hot water, including a primer on water heater tank recovery periods for such systems.

Improper Sizing

In some cases, your system’s issues with providing hot water fast enough to all fixtures may actually trace back to the water heater’s initial installation. Whether due to a mistake by a previous HVAC company, an increase in family size or some other cause, the current water heater might actually be far too small to service your entire home.

When this is the case, it will not have the capacity to handle the regular requests for hot water throughout the home. If this is the situation, our plumbers will be able to quickly identify this problem based on simple volume, plus recommend a larger upgrade to meet your needs.

Water Heater Failure

In other situations, the simple reality will be that your water heater has run its standard lifespan and is now wearing down after many years. If your water heater was installed at least a decade ago or has shown other signs of wear-and-tear over recent years, they may either fail suddenly or simply become less effective over a period of time.

Again, our plumbers are here to help. We’re happy to assess your water heater and recommend to you whether repairs might solve your concerns or whether an upgrade to a new system is your most cost-effective option.

Recovery Times

Finally, for all homes using a tank-style water heater, recovery times must be considered. These refer to how long it takes the tank to re-heat and deliver more hot water once it’s depleted its current stores, and they will depend on several factors:

  • Size of the tank (larger tanks take longer to recover, but also have larger initial capacities)
  • Fuel type (electric heaters take about twice as long to reheat as gas heaters)
  • FHR: Short for first hour rating, this is a metric where the higher it is, the shorter your recovery time
  • Temperature rise: The temperature of your incoming water makes a huge difference, as cold water takes much longer to heat than warm water

In most cases, it will take a standard 80-gallon gas water heater roughly an hour to recover after being fully depleted. Our plumbers will advise you on whether your time might be shorter or longer.

For more on understanding why your hot water supply is slow arriving, or to learn about any of our plumbing or HVAC services, speak to the staff at Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electric today.

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