FAQ Plumbing Repair

There are several things that could cause low water pressure, including a partially closed or malfunctioning shut off valve, a crimped water line, or deposits that gather in older galvanized pipes. If your neighbors have strong water pressure, the problem is most likely between the water meter and your home. Other problems might include inappropriate pipe sizing. Frontier Plumbing can identify the problem and explain your options.

Maybe. First, check the emergency shutoff under your sink to make sure it’s fully open. If rubber washers or seals have begun to deteriorate, it could be effecting your water pressure, so check those. Calcium and lime build-up will also cause low water pressure.

The hot or cold connections to your water heater may be blocked. Check your water supply valve and make sure that it is open all the way. You may need to replace your water heater’s plumbing connections.

There are several things you can do to prevent clogged drains. Here are a few suggestions:

• Do not rinse fats or cooking oils down the kitchen sink. Liquid fats solidify in the cold pipes and create clogs.
• To help prevent clogs, fit all your tubs and shower drains with a strainer to catch hair, soap chips, and other debris; clean the strainer regularly.
• Frequent use of ice and cut up lemons or limes will help clean and maintain your pipes and garbage disposal and keep it fresher-smelling. Avoid placing celery or stringy vegetables down the disposal.
• Avoid using caustic liquid drain openers, such as Drano or Liquid Plumber, on a clogged drain, as the ingredients become caustic when mixed with the clog and can severely damage pipes.

Kitchen and laundry drains are connected in most homes. Lint from the laundry drains meets the grease buildup from soap, food and other products, causing a nearly solid substance to form, causing blockage. Using filters and strainers will help, but you’ll also need to get the drains snaked periodically as well.

Caustic chemical drain cleaners are just a temporary ‘fix’ at best. Frontier Plumbing advises against using such drain cleaners to unclog your drains. Such caustic chemical cleaners can severely damage your pipes, which will probably need to be repaired by a professional plumber in the future. If you cannot snake the drain yourself, contact a professional to do so. Never use caustic drain openers in a drain that has a garbage disposal. Another disadvantage to using chemical cleaners instead of contacting a plumber is the fact that these cleaners pose a danger to children and pets because of the toxicity of the chemicals present.

You probably have a blocked drain. Stop using your sink. Then, try clearing the obstruction with a force cup (plunger). If necessary, turn off the water supply valves below your sink. If these measures fail, call Frontier Plumbing & Drain to auger your drain.

There is most likely an accumulation of soap scum and hair build-up in your drain. Your drain will need to be cleaned out, or possibly replaced entirely. Call Frontier Plumbing for help.

Such water back ups indicate major blockage somewhere within your plumbing system. You should stop using fixtures and contact us for service right away. You may need to have your main drain cleared out or your septic system checked.

Periodically inspect your pipes. The appearance of rust or lime deposits may indicate that a leak is starting and you should have a professional inspect them. Performing occasional inspections can stop a small problem from turning into a large and expensive one. Leaking pipes can damage floors and belongings and become much more costly than if the problem is detected and resolved early.

Call a plumber immediately. Leaking water heaters usually indicate that the bottom of the tank has rusted out. There are really no good repairs for this problem, and you most likely will need a new water heater.

Check your faucets and make sure they are turned off tightly. The washer, seats, ‘O’ ring or cartridge is most likely aged and worn and should be replaced as soon as possible.

This is probably due to deteriorating stems in your faucet as is evidenced when washers, ‘O’ rings or cartridges become worn out or broken. Replacing these worn parts in your sink may fix your problem. If your faucets are old, inefficient or outdated, you may consider replacing them.

Since the dishwasher and garbage disposal share the same drainage pipes, water backing up into the garbage disposal and into the sink is usually caused by food left in the disposal that was not broken down, which can clog your drain. Turn your garbage disposal on and run it until everything is clear of food particles. Or, there could be a foreign object causing blockage that needs to be removed from the garbage disposal/drain. You should stop using the dishwasher until you can fix the problem, or call a plumber to clear your drains, or suggest another course of action.

You may be able to insert an Allen wrench into the bottom of the disposer and “crank” it to help free up a jam. If this doesn’t work, DON’T USE IT! You could cause serious damage to the disposal motor or even your home’s electrical system. We can usually fix a jammed garbage disposal. If we can’t, then the unit will probably need to be replaced. Frontier Plumbing can recommend the best option based upon your need and budget, and get you grinding again in no time!

Most likely, the smell is from food that has not been properly disposed of in the garbage disposal. Drop a tray of ice cubes into your garbage disposal and allow the unit to run until the ice cubes have completely broken down. Then flush the sink with cold water. Periodically adding sliced lemons or limes to your disposal will help keep it smelling fresher.

More than likely, the parts in your toilet tank have become worn due to a build-up of foreign matter around the flushing rim. Try pouring a bucket of water into the toilet bowl to clear the bowl and stimulate flushing. The adjustment mechanism probably needs to be fixed for a permanent plumbing repair solution. If we can’t fix your toilet, you will have to replace it with a new one.

Try opening the lid of the toilet tank to see if the flapper is seated over the drain properly. If it’s not, turn off the water supply valve. Your toilet’s ball cock, flapper or other parts are likely very worn.

Most likely, the toilet ball cock or flapper is defective. Look inside the tank to ensure the ball cock isn’t stuck on something. If not, then consider a toilet ‘tune up’ to replace the ball cock and flapper.

Add a few drops of food coloring to your toilet tank. Wait a few minutes and then look in the toilet bowl. If you see that your bowl has the same color, then you’ve got a leak (which could be wasting hundreds of gallons of water each month). Frontier Plumbing can install a low-flow toilet that can save you long-term water dollars.

Your washing machine hose is likely defective, or you may have a blocked drain. Stop using the washing machine, and turn off the water supply valves in back. Consider having the drain professionally cleaned and replacing both water supply hoses.

Check that your water heater circuit breaker switch is set to the ON position. Your water heater thermostat or heating element(s) may be damaged (which are often caused by power surges or lightning strikes), and need to be replaced. If the problem persists, you should have your hot water heater diagnosed.

You can prolong the life of your water heater by flushing it yearly to prevent buildup of sediment in the tank. If you have a gas water heater, you should periodically inspect your water heater burner. The flame under the heater should appear blue with yellow tips. If it’s mostly yellow, or if it’s sooty under there, your flue may be clogged – which is dangerous situation! Contact a professional to have it checked. Your water heater should be checked by a service technician at least once every two years. He or she can also check the drain valve for signs of leakage, and the anode rods for corrosion.

The longevity of a water heater depends on many factors: its quality, how well it is maintained, water quality in your area, proper installation, and amount of use. Check the warranty for your water heater. If your less expensive water heater is guaranteed to last for six years, with proper maintenance, it could last for eight. We recommend buying a high quality water heater to begin with, if possible. After all, a water heater works twenty-four hours every day! So when you buy a water heater that is guaranteed to last for ten years it could last for twelve if properly maintained.

There are several things you should do to protect your home in the event of freezing weather:

• Wrap exposed hose bibs and pipes with insulation or old towels affixed with duct tape or rubber bands.
• Open your closet doors to allow warm air to circulate.
• Allow an outside faucet drip slightly to keep the water circulating and to prevent any freezing of the pipes.
• If a vacuum breaker blows off, try to turn off the valve and call a plumber to repair.

There are several things you can do to conserve water and reduce your carbon footprint in your home. Here are a few suggestions:

• Install low-flush toilets to help conserve water. These models use about 1/2 the amount of water of a regular toilet.
• Install low-flow shower heads and faucets to reduce your water usage. Installing a simple aerator in your faucet will help conserve water too.
• Install a tankless water heater. Newer models provide instant hot water and eliminate the need for a tank. So you use less energy heating water that you’re not using.
• Lower the thermostat on your water heater. Even a few degrees lower can help you save on your gas or electric bill.

Over time, galvanized pipes become rusty and the pipes develop a buildup of rust/iron oxide. The only way to resolve this is to replace the old pipes. Call Frontier Plumbing for re-pipe options.

Hot water odors are caused by a combination of magnesium, sulfur and various bacteria, all of which must be present to cause the odor. Replacing the magnesium rod installed in many water heaters can keep odors under control. The odor can also be controlled by killing bacteria present in the pipes. Call a plumber for help with this.

The pop-up drain or basket strainer in your sink or lavatory may be worn so that it no longer works. The problem could also be caused by a loose lift rod connection. Look down your drain to see if you spot hair or any other foreign matter and, if possible, remove it from the drain. Hair and soap scum should be removed as soon as possible. You can try to tighten the assembly nut connecting the waste mechanism to the lavatory drain. An inefficient waste assembly or basket strainer probably needs to be replaced.

Be advised, this could be a dangerous situation, and you should contact a plumber for help at once! Most likely, there is a leak under the slab of your house. A plumber will need to locate the source of the leak and correct it. To prevent the problem from reoccurring, we may recommend that you replace the entire piping system in your home. This procedure may be covered under your homeowner’s insurance policy.

Faucet dimensions and sink openings are generally standard, so the answer is usually yes. There are a few exceptions, so check the size of the sink opening before you buy new fixtures.