Press Releases Archive - Page 9 of 16

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How to Prevent Sink Clogs

Methods to Avoid a Clogged Drain

Drain clogs can cause sinks to become backed up with bits of food, hair, or grease. When this happens, the drain cannot easily remove the dirty water from a home, leading to slow draining, foul odors, and gurgling sounds. Although many homeowners assume that if the drain is still working, there’s nothing wrong, slow draining is still a problem that indicates a clog in the pipes. Without properly treating or preventing clogs, the entire plumbing system can be put in jeopardy of burst pipes and other plumbing issues. This blog will share three easy ways to avoid clogged drains.

Drain Cleaning

Routine drain cleaning by a professional is an essential part of keeping drains clear and preventing costly problems with clogs. Professional plumbers have the tools and knowledge to effectively clean out drains and pipes, including using specialized equipment such as hydro jetting or drain snakes to dislodge tough clogs.

During a routine cleaning, they will also inspect the drain for any signs of damage or deterioration that could lead to future problems. Additionally, they can flush out debris and buildup from the drain lines that can cause slow-draining water or small blockages.

By having the drains routinely cleaned by a professional, homeowners can maintain optimal flow and reduce the risk of clogs in the future. Routine drain cleaning is also a great way to keep drains free of bacteria and other contaminants that can cause health issues.

Mesh Drain Screen

A drain mesh screen is an essential item for any homeowner who wants to ensure that their home's drainage system remains clog-free. It catches anything that would otherwise go down the drain, such as food scraps and hair. This prevents blockages from forming in the pipes and ensures that water flows freely through them.

Not only will this help protect a home from costly plumbing repairs, but it can also save time and money in the long run. Installing a drain mesh screen is quick and easy, and it requires no special tools or skills. All homeowners need to do is insert the screens over their drains and secure them in place. By doing this, they'll be able to keep an eye on what goes down their drains and prevent any blockages from forming.

Don’t Put Food Waste or Cooking Grease Down the Drain

Food waste and cooking grease can cause severe clogs in drains. Common culprits include items such as rice, pasta, noodles, vegetable peels, eggshells, coffee grounds, and fats or oils from cooking. When these substances are put down the drain of a kitchen sink, they stick to the sides of the pipes, where they solidify and form blockages over time.

The best way to prevent these clogs is to avoid putting these items down the drain altogether. Instead, dispose of food scraps and cooking grease in the trash or compost them if possible. Taking preventative measures now can save homeowners major headaches down the road.

About Super Plumbers

Super Plumbers is a local family-owned and operated business serving Tyler, TX, and the surrounding areas. They provide flat-rate pricing, 24/7 emergency repairs, and a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Call them today for drain cleaning services in Tyler, TX.

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3 Reasons to Give Thanks to Plumbers This November

It’s Easy to Be Thankful for These Essential Plumbing Services!

Of all the things to be thankful for this holiday season, modern plumbing systems deserve to make the list. Indoor plumbing is so common that it’s easy to take it for granted, but it’s such an integral part of daily life that it’s hard to imagine going without it. But as many homeowners know all too well, a home’s plumbing system requires maintenance and repairs to keep it functioning correctly.

That’s where professional plumbers come in. Plumbing technicians are ready and willing to show up when emergencies strike, but they also provide a range of services to prevent those emergencies from occurring in the first place. So in the spirit of the holidays, this article will lay out three plumbing services that every homeowner can be thankful for this Thanksgiving!

Services for Water and Sewer Lines

A home’s water and sewer lines are arguably the most critical parts of a plumbing system. The water supply lines deliver potable water to every faucet and fixture throughout the house. In contrast, the sewer lines are responsible for transporting the home’s wastewater from every drain into the city sewer main. When something goes wrong with either the water or sewer lines, the results can be catastrophic.

Water lines can form slow leaks that waste hundreds (if not thousands) of gallons of water per year and cause extensive water damage. Or, worse, they can freeze and burst in the middle of a cold winter night. Sewer lines can become clogged with grease, solid waste, or invading tree roots, causing raw sewage to back up into the home.

Professionals can help prevent these issues by regularly performing plumbing inspections, leak detection, and drain cleaning. But if disaster does strike, they can also show up quickly and perform expert plumbing repairs to get things back to normal for homeowners as fast as possible.

Gas Leak Detection and Repair

Gas lines are another area of home plumbing where professional plumbers are indispensable. Gas leaks are an extremely dangerous problem in homes with multiple gas appliances. Not only can they lead to devastating fires or explosions, but natural gas poisoning can be deadly at high levels of exposure.

Due to the dangerous nature of gas line leaks, homeowners should immediately evacuate their homes and call the gas company and a gas-certified local plumber if they suspect they have a gas leak somewhere in their homes. Professional plumbers have the training and equipment needed to locate and repair gas leaks safely. But professionals can do more than just gas line repair. They can also handle gas line inspections, installation, and general maintenance to ensure the home’s gas lines and appliances are safe and in good condition.

Water Heater Maintenance and Repair

While not quite as scary as a gas leak, burst pipe, or sewage backup, water heater problems are nothing to scoff at. Hot water is crucial for bathing, dishwashing, general hygiene, and overall comfort, so a broken water heater is the last thing any homeowner wants - especially in the colder months.

Fortunately, homeowners can call local plumbers to help ensure that the home’s water heater works efficiently. Plumbers can perform vital water heater maintenance tasks like flushing the hot water tank to remove sediment, inspecting and replacing the anode rod (an anti-corrosion device inside the tank), testing safety mechanisms, cleaning gas burners, and checking the exhaust system for leaks. But even with maintenance, things can still go wrong, and plumbers can be there in a hurry to perform water heater repair, so homeowners won’t be stuck having to take cold showers!

About Super Plumbers

Super Plumbers is a local family-owned and operated business serving Tyler, TX, and the surrounding neighborhoods for over a decade. They provide competitive pricing, financing, and 24/7 emergency repairs. Call them today for plumbing services in Tyler, TX.

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Don't Be Tricked By Plumbing Emergencies This Halloween

Prevent Scary Plumbing Emergencies

During Halloween, trick-or-treating is a favorite pastime of families and children. But, everyone has become so accustomed to treats that no one stops to consider the “trick” part anymore. This season is also marked by changes in habits, like spending more time at home indoors, which can cause stuff in the house to start playing a few tricks of their own.

Plumbing is a treat because it is surprisingly reliable, given the amount of work it does. However, a home’s plumbing is not averse to playing a few tricks of its own when higher demands are placed upon it without proper prevention methods. Here are a few of the tricks that plumbing in the home can play during the Halloween season and how homeowners can prevent them.

Every Home Benefits From Drain Cleaning

That gurgling noise may not be from a creepy Halloween soundtrack. It could be coming from the sink drain, indicating that a clog is forming. During the fall, families fall back into a routine of school and home life, separated from summer vacations. Additionally, fall is the traditional season that people start to host themed get-togethers to celebrate. With the combination of staying home more and more people using the facilities, drain clogs, and other plumbing problems are common.

Before hosting guests for Halloween parties, make sure the drains are ready. Routine drain cleaning is available from professional drain cleaning services all year long. Most homeowners prefer to avoid problems like backed-up sinks and showers because they can cause embarrassing interruptions to Halloween plans. This year, rule out the chance this trick will trip up plans by calling for a drain cleaning service before a drain clogs.

How to Prevent Clogged Toilets

More guests and more time at home means more traffic to the toilet. For homes that aren’t ready, this can be a recipe for a Halloween disaster. There are a few things homeowners can do to help prevent clogged toilets. One is to be mindful of what goes down the drain. For example, avoid flushing large amounts of toilet paper at once, as this can quickly lead to a blockage.

Also, keep all foreign objects except toilet paper out of the toilet bowl, as these can cause problems. Finally, it's a good idea to have drains cleaned regularly by a professional to help ensure they're clear and free-flowing because sewer line clogs can also cause toilets to malfunction. Following these simple tips can help prevent toilets from clogging and becoming an inconvenience. If clogged toilets become a consistent problem, homeowners should call a plumber to inspect for bigger underlying issues.

Schedule Water Heater Maintenance

Water heaters can send chills down spines by failing in the middle of a shower, and they can haunt the family with creepy noises like screeching in pipes and thumping behind walls. Avoid the loss of hot water by keeping up with routine water heater maintenance by a professional.

Luckily, maintenance is all it takes to make the water heater run smoothly through the fall. Water heater maintenance takes a close look at the tank and ensures that no leaks or corrosion is present while draining and flushing the inside of the tank of sediment. Technicians will also check all valves and the anode rod. The result is a more reliable water heater that will last longer, require fewer repairs, and save on energy bills.

About Super Plumbers

Super Plumbers is a local, family-owned and operated business serving Tyler, TX residents and the surrounding areas. They offer flat-rate pricing, 24-hour emergency service, and financing. Call them today for plumbing services in Tyler, TX.

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Three Ways to Prevent Clogged Toilets

Reasons Why the Toilet Keeps Clogging

There’s nothing worse than a clogged toilet. At first, one may try flushing it one more time–hoping the problem will fix itself. However, once the water starts rising, there’s no getting around it: there’s likely a clog preventing waste from leaving the system.

The bad habits of homeowners cause most toilet clogs, so clogged and overflowing toilets can be avoided by practicing better habits. As long as homeowners follow a few simple practices, they can prevent these problems from happening. Not only would this reduce stress and inconvenience, but it could also prevent serious plumbing problems in the long run.

Only Flush Toilet Paper and Waste Down the Toilet

For many people, flushing something down the toilet is “out of sight, out of mind.” After all, once an item leaves the bowl, does it matter where it goes? Of course, it does! Clogs can build up deep within the home’s sewer main, leading to leaks, burst pipes, and the dreaded overflowing clogged toilet.

The only things that should be flushed down a toilet are human waste and toilet paper. In 2019, KYTX reported on plumbing systems in Tyler, Texas, noting that homeowners should refrain from flushing:

Feminine hygiene items
Diapers and baby wipes (even wipes that claim to be “flushable”)
Condoms
Cigarette butts
Paper towels
Napkins
Food residue

Toilets are engineered to break down toilet paper and waste. The other items, however, do not break down easily in the plumbing system. Over time, they can lead to a huge toilet or sewer line clog that can cause extensive damage.

Consider Toilet Paper Usage

Even though toilet paper can be flushed, it doesn’t mean that toilet paper usage habits can’t cause clogged toilets too. Flushing too much at once is a common cause of toilet clogs. To prevent clogs from toilet paper, people can use less toilet paper or flush more than once during the process so that all the toilet paper used isn’t flushed at once.

Homeowners can also install bidets to use less toilet paper. Popular in European countries, bidets release streams of water using a nozzle to clean one’s behind. Still, most turn to toilet paper to get the job done, so homeowners should also avoid folding toilet paper before flushing it to prevent clogs.

Be Mindful of Sewer Line Clogs

The most important part of the toilet is hidden from the naked eye. It’s the sewer main. This is where waste goes when one flushes it. When there’s a clog in this system, water won’t drain properly from sinks, showers, and toilets. So if the toilet is frequently clogged, it may be due to a clog in the sewer line.

Homeowners can help prevent sewer line clogs by:

Disposing of fats, cooking oil, and grease in the garbage and not down any drains
Throwing away hair from the shower drain instead of letting it go down the drain
Regularly cleaning the home’s drains
Preventing soap scum from building up around drains

Homeowners with frequent toilet clogs should turn to a professional plumber for help. Any DIY measures could cause more harm than good.

About Super Plumbers

Super Plumbers is a local family-owned and operated company serving its neighbors in Tyler, TX, and the surrounding areas. They offer upfront pricing, personalized service, and 24/7 emergency repairs. Call them today for a clogged toilet repair in Tyler, TX.

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What Causes Poor Water Pressure?

What Causes Water Pressure Problems?

Low water pressure is a common plumbing problem around the home. Water pressure issues can sneak up quickly or slowly happen over time. During plumbing inspections, plumbers test water pressures in a home and often discover that the pressure is low.

When water pressure is too low, everything is a little harder. Loads of laundry must wait longer for the wash basin to fill with water. Showers are less relaxing affairs. Toilets take forever to refill after a single flush. Luckily, no one has to live with water pressure issues.

This article is a quick guide to the problems that commonly cause water pressure issues. If homeowners notice poor water pressure, they can use this guide to help direct plumbers to the source of their problems.

Too Many Leaks

This may seem obvious, but leaks are a massive problem. The EPA estimates that 10 percent of homes have leaks that waste at least 90 gallons of water daily. Since plumbing is designed to operate at certain pressures, any leaks cause a corresponding pressure drop. When several leaks are present in a home’s plumbing system, the loss in pressure can be noticeable and frustrating.

Leaks happen for a couple of reasons. First, outdated piping becomes corroded or brittle and starts springing pinhole leaks. Second, normal wear and tear on a plumbing system expose weaknesses in fittings and pipe joints.

Leaks are a hassle for two main reasons: leaks waste money on wasted water and cause a drop in water pressure. Homeowners should keep an eye out for leaks by looking for signs like:

Wet spots on the lawn
Spikes in water bills
Sounds of running water
New insect problems
Wet areas on the floor
Moisture climbing up walls

Plumbers will address leaks by detecting the leak and making the necessary repairs. In most cases, each leak can be attended to separately. In extreme cases, plumbers may recommend a repiping project to tackle outdated plumbing materials.

Clogs and Mineral Buildup

Another common cause of low water pressure is obstructions in the pipe. How do obstructions get into new, freshwater piping? Besides food waste, clogs come from two main sources:

Mineral Scale: Freshwater carries minerals dissolved within it that contribute to hardness. These minerals can merge onto the inside of piping and obstruct flow. Common treatments include installing water softeners to reduce the mineral content of water.
Corrosion: Old piping, especially metal piping, is a victim of corrosion. Most metals react to oxygen in the water, which causes pipes to corrode. Corrosion forms scales and flakes on the inside of piping that obstructs flow.

Before making any necessary repairs, some ways plumbers can remove clogs and build-up are drain snaking and hydrojetting.

Closed Valves or Faulty Fixtures

An important observation for a homeowner to make about low water pressure is how extensive the problem is. Is one fixture affected or entire bathrooms? The whole house? Knowing this can help narrow down the causes of low water pressure.

If the low water pressure only affects one fixture, the likely cause is the fixture itself. Sink faucets and showerheads have valves that can become dislodged and partially block flow. If the loss of water pressure is more widespread, homeowners can check the main shutoff valve and the water meter valve to ensure they are not closed or partially closed. The valves not being completely open can restrict flow to multiple fixtures. This method of narrowing down the source can help homeowners and plumbers work together to fix low water pressure.

About Super Plumbers

Super Plumbers is a family-owned and operated company with over a decade of experience serving its neighbors in Tyler, TX, and the surrounding areas. They provide upfront pricing, 24-hour emergency service, and financing. Call them today for plumbing services in Tyler, TX.