Author: Kevin

Dishwasher Working Too Hard? by Go Green Plumbing

Written by Kevin on January 27, 2016. Posted in Plumbing.

Is Your Dishwasher Working Harder Than Necessary?

There are a few simple things that you can do to extend the life of your dishwasher and save you some dough. These tips are a great way to get started:

Always load your dishwasher according to the manufacturer’s directions – it gets your dishes the cleanest and allows you to get the most dishes in each load. Running a full load saves you money since each load costs the same to run, whether empty or full.
Scrape your dishes before loading – don’t rinse as that wastes water, but scraping food will keep the food disposal system and pump from working extra hard.
Clean the dishwasher – on a regular basis use a commercial dishwasher cleaner or an at home cleaning solution.
Let dishes air dry – it saves energy and will keep your home from heating up in the summer.
Use a rinse aid – you’ll get sparkling dishes and speed the drying time without having to use the heated drying option.
In the summer run the dishwasher at night – this keeps the dishwasher from heating up your home during the day.

Have a plumbing issue and need some help? Call the professionals at Go Green Plumbing at 336-252-2999 for service 7 days a week/24 hours a day. If water runs through it – We Do It!

New Year, New You by Go Green Plumbing

Written by Kevin on January 21, 2016. Posted in Home Improvement.

Tips for New Year Organization

Looking for a way to tackle the stuff that collects in that one place in your house? It may be the kitchen, the laundry room , your office or the garage, but we all have that one place that catches everything. Here are some tips to help you make sense of it, a little bit at a time.

First, take stock of the stash. What is in there? Is it mail? The children’s school papers? Bills that need to be paid? Newspapers that need to be recycled or articles to clip out of magazines? Whatever it is, you will need to start by sorting it into manageable piles. Sort like things together and make a pile for stuff that just needs to be thrown away or recycled.

Stuff accumulates when there is no clear place for it to go. So many of our junk piles are just things that we don’t quite know what to do with. Make a pact to only handle new items once. Either throw it away, or place it in its rightful place – like a file folder for recipes to keep, or in a box for bills to be paid. If there is not rightful place, make one.

Purchase inexpensive plastic tubs that hold hanging files to sort bills, recipes, articles and coupons. Purchase plastic bins to hold recyclables until you can get them to the curb or items that need a permanent home (and commit to cleaning it out once a week).

Have a plumbing issue and need some help? Call the professionals at Go Green Plumbing at 336-252-2999 for service 7 days a week/24 hours a day. If water runs through it – We Do It!

Winterize Water Features by Go Green Plumbing

Written by Kevin on January 18, 2016. Posted in Plumbing.

Winterizing Water Features in the Landscape

Water features come in many shapes and sizes from in ground koi ponds to small bird baths. For the purpose of this blog post, we will focus on the smaller water features that are not permanent (that is, in the ground). For large, permanent water features or those with fish please consultant a professional with experience winterizing aquatic features. For smaller features follow these tips to save you hassle, headaches and cash in the spring.

To start, remove any plants that you may have in the water feature including lilies, grasses and other ornamental plantings. If you have small ornamental objects in the fountain like small river rock or statuary, remove and clean them thoroughly before storing.

Drain any water from the feature and remove the pump. Clean any algae off the pump before storing and ensure that all parts are in good working order. Place drained pump in a dry, warm place for the winter (a garage or basement should be adequate). If possible, upturn water basin so that rainwater does not collect. This is not as important now, but if you wait to set up your features in the spring you don’t want to provide a place for mosquitos to thrive. To keep the feature clean, and to prevent hairline cracks caused by freezing water, cover with a tarp and secure with bungee cords.

Have a plumbing issue and need some help? Call the professionals at Go Green Plumbing at 336-252-2999 for service 7 days a week/24 hours a day. If water runs through it – We Do It!

How to Store Patio Furniture by Go Green Plumbing

Written by Kevin on January 14, 2016. Posted in Plumbing.

Storing Outdoor Furniture During the Winter.

Now that winter is upon us, it is time to tackle all that deck furniture. While you have been able to enjoy it for a few extra months thanks to our mild fall weather, it is time to think about protecting it for the winter. Take time now to clean it before you store it so that it is ready to go in the spring.

First, sort the furniture – metal, fabrics and wood all must be treated differently. Power wash wood and metal furniture to remove any loose debris. Glass should not be pressure washed, but should be cleaned with a mild soapy solution and washed thoroughly. Allow to dry completely, tighten any loose screws, and store in a dry place, or cover with specially made covers to keep dust off. Add mothballs to keep spiders and bugs out.

Wash all fabrics that are washable and allow to air dry. Dry clean only fabrics should be taken to a professional dry cleaner for cleaning. Store all fabrics in a cool dry place. Throw pillows without removable covers can be tumbled in a dryer with fabric softener sheets to freshen, then stored in plastic vacuum seal bags to reduce space and keep moisture and bugs out.

Tune in next week to learn how to winterize your aquatic landscape elements to prevent damage!

Have a plumbing issue and need some help? Call the professionals at Go Green Plumbing at 336-252-2999 for service 7 days a week/24 hours a day. If water runs through it – We Do It!

Removing Toilet Rings by Go Green Plumbing

Written by Kevin on January 12, 2016. Posted in Plumbing.

Ring Around the Toilet

Got persistent stains in your toilet bowl? No one likes to see those rings, but how do you get rid of them? We have a few tips to help you solve that problem.

First, try soaking it off. This is easy enough. All you need is a little cola. This is a great way to use up that leftover soda from your last party, or the leftover half empty bottles in your car. Just pour it in toilet bowl and let it sit for up to 45 minutes. Then simply flush the toilet. The citric acid in the soda will hopefully dissolve the stain.

If that method does not work, try some denture cleaning tablets in the toilet water. Simply drop in a couple of denture cleaning tablets and let them do their work. Close the lid so animals can’t drink the water and wait overnight. Flush in the morning and your toilet should gleam.

Last, but not least, you can use pumice stone to remove those stubborn stains. However, if you chose this route, realize that you may scratch the surface which will create more surface area for future stains to cling to. Using a pumice stone and gloved hands, wet the pumice stone in the water and scrub the ring away. This will take a while, and give you quite the workout, but your stains will be removed. Flush twice to clear out the sediment created by the pumice stone.

Have a plumbing issue and need some help? Call the professionals at Go Green Plumbing at 336-252-2999 for service 7 days a week/24 hours a day. If water runs through it – We Do It!

Clean Gutters Save Roofs by Go Green Plumbing

Written by Kevin on January 7, 2016. Posted in Plumbing.

Clean your Gutters to Keep Your Roof in Shape

Maybe you haven’t thought about your gutters since the leaves started dropping in October, but now is the time to think about those gutters and what they do to protect your home. We often think about cleaning our gutters when it is obvious that they need it – during the fall. However, the real damage from full gutters is really in the winter when the leaves have long since stopped falling from the sky.

When it rains, the gutters take the water run-off from the roof and direct it downward to your French drains, or divert it to some point in your yard where it will not damage the foundation of your house. When those gutters are clogged with leaves and debris, water backs up onto the roof. It can even run up under the shingles or slates on the roof and freeze. This causes damage to the roof and the supporting structure of the roof deck. This can eventually lead to rot and major home repairs to get the roof in to shape, not to mention the damage from leaking water along the walls on the interior of the home.

So, while we still have some dry weather, clean those gutters out. The traditional method of getting on the ladder or on the roof and scooping out debris will work beautifully. You can also purchase attachments to fit on a hose or blower to ‘push’ debris out of the gutters. However, you should double-check the condition of the gutters after you do this to make sure the debris is removed, and that water flows through all the gutters and downspouts freely. Finally, you can also hire someone to do this work for you if you don’t want to do it yourself. It is an investment in your home that will pay rewards in the end.

Have a plumbing issue and need some help? Call the professionals at Go Green Plumbing at 336-252-2999 for service 7 days a week/24 hours a day. If water runs through it – We Do It!

Leaky Sink by Go Green Plumbing

Written by Kevin on January 5, 2016. Posted in Plumbing.

Oh No! A Leak Under the Sink! Peteonfloor-555x390

You go to brush your teeth one Sunday night and you find that your bathroom floor is covered in water. What do you do? Wait – there is more water coming from inside the cabinet. Now what do you do?!

First, grab a bucket (or in a pinch, you can use a plastic or metal wastebasket). Figure out where the water is coming from. It may be leaking at the faucet, or through the drain. Although, the drain will only leak when the water is on, so if water continues to flow and the water is not turned on, look at the faucets as a likely leak point. Remember that water flows to the lowest point with the least resistance, so leaking faucets may drip along plumbing lines and drip from the lowest point. Place a bucket to catch any leaking water.

Next, locate the nearest water shut-off valve. Most modern plumbing installations have shut-off valves directly in line where they come out of the wall. If you find moist sheetrock and suspect a leak behind the wall, shut off water at the main water line to the house (for city water this shut off will be near your meter and for well water it may be located at the well or pump).

After you shut off the flow of water, call a licensed plumber to fix the cause of the leak. Remember that water can cause major damage if neglected, including mold, mildew and rot. Fixing leaks early can prevent expensive repairs down the road.

Have a plumbing issue and need some help? Call the professionals at Go Green Plumbing at 336-252-2999 for service 7 days a week/24 hours a day. If water runs through it – We Do It!

Getting a Handle on Home Organization

Written by Kevin on December 31, 2015. Posted in Plumbing.

Do you have a junk drawer that catches everything? How about message boards littered with post cards, coupons, take out menus and random slips of paper with important information? Do you ever struggle to find what you need? Why not create a home binder with all the information you need right at your fingertips.

First, you need to purchase your supplies. You will need a three ring binder to start. A good rule of thumb would be to select a 2-3 inch binder to allow for future expansion, but if you have a lot of information you may need a bigger one. You will also want sheet protectors to hold loose items. You can make your notebook as custom as you would like with business card holder sheets or zippered pockets to hold paperclips, stamps, labels or coupons. You will also want some tab dividers to make your information easy to find.
While it may seem overwhelming at first, it is really quite easy. Start by pulling out everything in the drawer or on the message board. Organize each item by theme – menus in one stack, business cards in another, telephone numbers in another, etc. If any stack is too large, sort it into smaller stacks (for example take all the menus and re-sort all of the pizza menus into one stack, burger menus in another, etc.)
Assemble your binder using the tab dividers to create sections. You might create a quick telephone list that includes the names and numbers of babysitters, home repair experts, your veterinarian, doctor’s offices and schools. You may also want to include a menu section for nights when you want to grab quick take out. The great news in you can create whatever works for you!
Maybe you’re organized but have a plumbing issue and need some help? Call the professionals at Go Green Plumbing at 336-252-2999 for service 7 days a week/24 hours a day. If water runs through it – We Do It!

Get That Stink Out of your Sink!

Written by Kevin on December 21, 2015. Posted in Home Improvement, Plumbing.

We have all been there. You take out the trash, wipe down the counters, and give the dog a bath – but you just can’t get rid of that smell in the kitchen! Where is that smell coming from? Laundry? Nope! Rotten fruit? No way! Did you check the sink? Yep, that’s it!

Kitchen sinks get a lot of use each and every day. In addition to food preparation and clean up, it is likely that your kitchen sink sees a lot of dirty hands, laundry and general cleaning too. Because we are washing greasy dishes in the sink with all those little bits of food and dirt, it can build up quite a stink. You can banish that smell with items you probably have on hand.

If you have a garbage disposal, cut a lemon, lime or orange into quarters and put it down the sink with two cups of ice. Turn on the disposal while running cold water down the drain. If you are out of citrus fruit, place one cup of rock salt and two cups of ice in the disposal and turn it on while running cold water. The ice will scrape the gunk off the blades of the disposal and the ice or citrus will kill the germs. Citrus will also cut any grease.

If you don’t have a garbage disposal, put two quarts of water on the stove to boil. Once the water reaches the boiling point, add one cup of baking soda to the drain. Follow with one cup of vinegar. The solution will start to foam as the two react. Follow with boiling water. Add an extra splash of vinegar to fill germs and keep the drain fresh as a daisy.

citrus slices

Have a plumbing issue and need some help? Call the professionals at Go Green Plumbing at 336-252-2999 for service 7 days a week/24 hours a day. If water runs through it – We Do It!

Seal Out The Cold by Go Green Plumbing

Written by Kevin on December 21, 2015. Posted in Home Improvement, Plumbing.

Winter is upon us and with it comes that cold, raw weather. Before the cold weather hits, take some time to winterize your home to lower your heating costs and keep your home nice and toasty. Cold air can seep in through leaks around doors and windows, so by finding those leaks and stopping that air, you can make a difference in how warm your home feels.

fireplace Start by finding where air is leaking. Look at door and window frames to see where light is coming in from the other side. This is an indicator that there is a gap that may be letting in the cold. You can also light a candle or a lighter and trace around the door or window frame to see where the air causes the candle to flicker. Mark those areas with bits of painters tape so that you know where to add insulation.

There are multiple ways to insulate around window and doors. There is foam tape with an adhesive backing that is inexpensive and available online and in most hardware stores. It is easy to cut and fit a length to the exact size you need. You may find that you need to replace the rubber gasket around some doors. This is slightly more expensive, but will provide a better seal to keep air out. Rubber door sweeps will keep cold air from coming in underneath exterior doors or doors leading to unconditioned space (like attics and basements).

Have a plumbing issue and need some help? Call the professionals at Go Green Plumbing at 336-252-2999 for service 7 days a week/24 hours a day. If water runs through it – We Do It!