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There are several benefits of owning a tankless water heater. These heaters are ideal for homeowners because of the fact that they can help them save both money and energy, have a longer lifespan, free up space, and so much more.
Go Green Plumbing offers professional plumbing services in Greensboro, High Point, Summerfield, and Oak Ridge, NC, as well as many other surrounding communities. To learn more about our services, please call 336-296-1100.
Let’s face it, no one likes to hear they have a clogged drain. But there’s good news. You can keep your drain clog free with just a little regular effort. Below are a few more ways to ensure you’re being smart when it comes to preventing drains from clogging and creating bigger plumbing issues down the road.
Remember that your toilet is not a trash can. Yes, today’s toilet’s do a great job of getting rid of whatever we put in them – at least temporarily. But if you’re putting your trash in them, it may come back to haunt you, literally. Things like wrappers, dental floss, paper towels, female hygiene items, etc. should not be flushed, ever. It’s that simple.
Collect your food waste. Whether you’re scraping your plates into the trash or a compost, your efforts will pay off – literally. If you can prevent food from even entering your sink, you are doing your drains and your bank account a huge favor. Keep up the good work.
Pour a little vinegar down the drain. Did you know that vinegar is a powerful cleaning agent? Further, it’s acetic acid makes it a great organic solvent, perfect for helping dissolve organic matter and build up in your drains. Just pour about a half a cup to a cup of vinegar down your drain, let it sit for 30 to 45 min and the run very hot water for a few minutes.
Pay attention if you have regular sewer backups. If you find that you are experiencing sewer backups every few years, you may need to have a professional take a closer look¾literally. Today’s plumbing professionals can send a camera down the line to see what the problem may be. Whether it’s tree roots or rotting pipes, this information is vital in making your entire plumbing system work more smoothly for years to come.
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Have more questions? Call us—we’d love to 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!
Preventative maintenance can go a long way in avoiding a clogged drain. And it can pay huge dividends down the road. Fortunately, it’s not that hard. There are just a few key things to remember when it comes to keeping your drain running freely.
Use drain-cleaning bacteria on a regular basis. The most common clogs are caused by organic matter like hair, grease and food. To break down this organic matter, bacteria-based drain cleaning products are one of your best choices. You can find these types of drain cleaners at your local hardware store.
Dump the grease in the trash or a jar. If you are ever tempted to pour that dirty cooking grease down the sink drain, don’t do it! Pouring grease down your pipes is one of the worst things you can do for your drains. When the grease is warm, it will run through your pipes but eventually it will cool and congeal. And wherever there is congealed grease, you have a trap for every other thing that runs by, creating a serious drain clog.
Stop the hair and food before it hits the drain. To keep hair and food from creating a clog, mesh screens designed and suited for kitchen sinks and tub or shower drains are available in most home improvement stores. Another option to consider is a drain stopper that includes a screen. These are made to replace the screw-in drain stoppers. These too can be purchased at your local home improvement or hardware store.
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Have more questions? Call us—we’d love to 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!
Believe it or not, prime house buying season is just around the corner and many sellers are already sprucing up their homes to be sold. If you’re planning to buy a home this spring, you’re probably getting a few things in order as well.
While things like identifying a lender is a critical piece of the home buying process, there are a few seemingly smaller things that can make a big difference in your home buying success. For example, using a plumbing checklist for each home viewing is one item that can save you grief down the road.
Why? Because plumbing issues aren’t always obvious. But with a keen eye and a little bit of active observation, you’ll be able to glean a great deal about your future plumbing systems.
Flush Every Toilet in the Home. Listen for gurgling sounds, slow draining toilets and toilets that run too long.
Check the Pipes. Low water pressure is the last thing you want when you’re stepping into your morning shower. So make sure to check the size of each home’s pipes. Look for a minimum of ¾ inches from the water source to the home and a minimum of ½ inch to faucets.
Turn on Each Faucet. Just as you flushed each toilet, turn each sink, bath and shower faucet on to better gauge the type of water pressure you can expect.
Inspect the Water Heater. Locate the water heater and check for any corrosion or other visible issues. Make sure to ask for the service record and year of anticipated replacement.
Spend Time in the Basement. While most homebuyers don’t tend to spend too much time in the basement. It can tell you a lot about the health of the home. Do you see any water damage? Leaky pipes? Repairs to plumbing systems and fixtures that look a little too much DIY?
Look for Lead Piping. Now that consumers are aware of the dangers of lead, it’s in your best interest to stay away from any home that has a lead piping system; that is, unless your budget allows for replacing all of the piping.
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Have more questions? Call us—we’d love to 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!
Have you noticed the water draining slowing in your bathtub or shower? If the answer is yes, then you need to act immediately. A small problem in a drain can quickly worsen, so take steps to keep the problem under control. Otherwise, you may end up with a clogged shower, a foul odor and even mold.
First, how can you know there is a blockage? As mentioned above, your bathtub or shower is draining noticeably slower than normal. Or, the water in the shower is not draining at all, to the extent that the water rises above your feet. Finally, you smell an objectionable odor in the area close to the shower or bathtub. Once you’ve determined that you have a blockage, what next? Here are a few ideas:
Is there is an obvious reason? Has hair built up and clogged the drain? Or maybe their is a build up of shampoo, conditioner AND hair. If yes, remove the hair or obstructing object and see if water will now drain properly.
Use a Plunger. If you are comfortable giving the plunger a try, then by all means go for it. If you’re new to plunging, you’ll need to fill the shower or bathtub with a small amount of water. Once the water covers the bottom of the plunger, begin making up and down movements with the plunger. After no more than 6 plunges, stop and see if the water is draining away.
Try Baking Soda and Vinegar. Pour one cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by one cup of warmed vinegar. You will hear, and possible see the chemical reaction and this handy duo doing their job. Let the soda and vinegar sit in the drain for 5-10 minutes and then pour a half gallon of hot water down the drain. You can repeat this method several times if necessary.
Call a Professional Plumber. If neither of the above options works, you’ll need to call a professional to address the issue.
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Have more questions? Call us—we’d love to 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!
Frozen pipes are never good news, but not an uncommon issue for home and business owners alike. If the frozen pipe is under a sink, and thus easy to access, thawing it yourself may be very feasible option. However, if your frozen pipe is enclosed or behind a wall, it creates a more challenging situation. If this is the type of issue you are facing, below you’ll find a few options to help alleviate the issue.
Turn Up Your Thermostat. While it’s not 100% guaranteed, turning up the temperature in the home or building is a viable option. Be prepared for this to be a slow process.
Use an Infrared Lamp. If you know where in the wall the frozen pipe is located, you can attempt to thaw the blockage by placing an infrared lamp in front of the portion of the wall where the pipe is located. The heat from the lamp may be able to penetrate the wall and allow the pipe to defrost.
Cut Open the Wall. Though it’s a last resort, it’s sometimes a necessary one. To get to the frozen pipe, you’ll need to assess the location of the frozen pipe as precisely as possible and then mark the location to open. Then, using drywall tools, cut the wall open so that you can use one of the above methods to thaw your frozen pipes.
Call a Professional. If you are uncomfortable with or unable to thaw your frozen pipes, you should always call a professional. They are trained in handling these issues and can not only assess the situation, but handle any other related issues that may occur.
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Have more questions? Call us—we’d love to 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!
During the winter months in North Carolina, it’s not uncommon to experience several days of sub-freezing temperatures. This winter, the Piedmont Triad has experienced some of its most brutal cold weather in years. Consequently, many Triad residents have faced the dreaded issue of having their pipes freeze.
While frozen pipes do burst, if you can thaw them before the pressure builds and cracks the pipe, you may be able to save yourself a significant amount of grief. If you are not comfortable thawing the pipes, please call a professional to help you do so. However, if you feel good about your ability to do so, get your pen and paper ready. Below you’ll find four ways to thaw your frozen pipes.
Before you begin, please read these previous posts to make sure you have prepared and have taken the appropriate safety precautions. In addition, before you being thawing the pipe, make sure you know where your main water shut-off valve is. If the pipe begins to burst, shut off the main water supply immediately to limit the amount of damage to your home.
To thaw accessible frozen pipes:
(Whichever method you choose, make sure to continue to apply the heat until the water from your faucet returns to full force.)
Use a Hair Dryer. This is an oldie but a goodie. Grab your hair dryer, turn it on high heat and point it at the area closest to the faucet and slowly move down the pipe.
Use a Heat Lamp or Portable Space Heater. If you own a one of these devices, you’re in luck. This is one of the fastest ways to thaw a frozen pipe. Simply move the heat lamp or space heater to a spot close enough to the pipe for the heat to reach the frozen area.
Use a Hot Towels. Though this is a slower process, placing hot towels around the frozen pipe can still be effective. Simply run a hot bath or shower and wet your towels with the steamy water. Then wrap the towels around the frozen pipe.
Use Electrical Heating Tape. Last but not least, electrical heating tape which can be purchased from your local hardware store is an excellent option. Simply attach the electrical heating tape to the frozen pipe, and the tape will distribute heat along the pipe.
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Have more questions? Call us—we’d love to 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!
With consistent freezing temperatures comes the potential for frozen pipes. While there are ways to help prevent frozen pipes, they are not a 100 percent guarantee. Consequently, you may have to thaw pipes at some point. To ensure you thaw them properly, following a specific process is critical to your success. To help, we’ve put together a few tips to get you started:
Step One: Find the Frozen Pipe
It can feel a bit like a game of hide and seek, but in order to thaw the pipes, you have to locate the frozen ones. The easiest way to do this is to turn on each faucet in your home separately. If no water runs from the faucet, or if it’s just a slight trickle, one of the pipes feeding into that faucet is frozen.
If the frozen pipe is in an exposed area such as in your basement or under your sink, you can easily access these pipes to begin thawing them. If the frozen pipes are behind a wall, your options are more limited. (We will discuss them in a later post.)
Step Two: Open the Correlating Faucet
Once you have determined the location of the frozen pipe, you’ll need to open the faucets (both hot and cold) that feed that pipe slowly. Doing this will help to release the pressure in the pipe and allow the water to flow freely once the thawing begins.
Step Three: Determine Where to Begin Thawing the Pipe
To thaw the pipe safely, begin the thawing process close to the faucet. This way, as the ice melts, it will relieve the pressure and the water and steam can vent through the faucet. If you begin thawing closer to the blockage, the water can become stuck behind it, creating more pressure and increasing the likelihood of a burst pipe.
Now you’re ready to complete the thawing process. In the next post, we will guide you through that process.
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Have more questions? Call us—we’d love to 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!
Although warm weather has provided a brief respite from freezing temperatures, they are back with a vengeance. Consequently, so is the likelihood of frozen pipes. In earlier posts, you can find tips to how to prevent frozen pipes in your home. Unfortunately though, there is not a way to guarantee that you will never have frozen pipes, regardless of the precautions you take.
That’s why understanding how to thaw pipes is an important and helpful skill to have. But before you get started, it’s important to know that there are risks involved:
Starting a Fire. Because most methods to thaw pipes involve a heat source, if the process is not managed using caution, the possibility of an accidental fire is real.
Potential Electrocution. Often, the means to thaw pipes involves electrical appliances that are plugged in to an outlet. So, if you are thawing the pipes in the manner, remember that electricity and water can create a dangerous situation instantaneously if a pipe does burst. Because of this, it’s critical to plan carefully to avoid this possibility.
Bursting a Pipe. If frozen pipes are not thawed correctly, the pipes can and will burst. You’ll not only have a mess on your hands but a potentially dangerous situation that can cause significant harm to your home.
If you decide to thaw the pipes yourself, then Part Two of this series will explain the safest ways to do this. But if you would prefer to call a professional, make sure that they are insured and bonded. Though they may cost you more upfront, if anything goes wrong, it can literally save you thousands of dollars.
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Have more questions? Call us—we’d love to 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!
Below freezing temperatures are here and it doesn’t look like they are leaving anytime soon. This week, Go Green Plumbing has received hundreds of calls from all over the Triad to repair frozen pipes. While there is no guarantee that you can protect pipes 100 percent, there are definitely things that you can do to help. To that end, Go Green Plumbing has put together a few practical tips to help you protect your pipes as best as possible.
If you do need a plumber, make sure you read reviews and make sure they are reputable. Check Google, BBB, Yelp and Facebook. Make sure they are insured, licensed, bonded, etc. Yes, this will cost you more upfront, but it will save you thousands in the long run. Unfortunately, in a crisis, there are many people willing to take advantage of others at a time of need.
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Have more questions? Call us—we’d love to 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!
