Plumbing Myths

Stinky garbage disposal? Throw some lemon rinds down it! Don’t know what to do with those eggshells? Go ahead and send those down the disposal too!

Problem solved right? Wrong.

There are many myths in the do-it-yourself plumbing world, such as those listed above. Unfortunately, believing some of these myths can cause a whole lot more trouble than triumph.

Below is a great blog posted by our friends at Horizon Services, Inc. They were able to wonderfully highlight 5 of the most common plumbing myths that will have you flushing your money down the toilet.

To read the original article in its entirety please click here.

Enjoy!

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Are you a homeowner who needs to learn about maintaining your plumbing system? If so, it’s important that you learn how to do so effectively without trying practices that may damage your system or your pipes. Here are five myths about home plumbing you’ll want to avoid.

Myth 1: Lemons Clean Your Garbage Disposal

While a running a lemon rind through the disposal may make your drain smell better, it won’t actually get it clean. To disinfect your garbage disposal, you will need to use a cleaning solution that includes a mild soap and warm water. Before you attempt to use it, however, make sure you disconnect the disposal from its power source. Spray the cleaning solution into the disposal, give it a few minutes to work, and then use a cleaning brush to scrub the disposal itself.

Myth 2: Running Water While Using The Garbage Disposal Helps The Waste Travel Smoothly

Many homeowners believe that they can put just about anything down their garbage disposals as long as they run water. The truth, however, is that some things do not belong in a garbage disposal no matter how much water you run. Hard or thick food items, such as banana peel and eggshells, can damage your disposal, which may require an expensive repair or drain cleaning. If you’re considering putting thick foods down your disposal, you’ll need to break them up thoroughly and mix them with water beforehand.

Myth 3: As Long As Things Keep Going Down My Drain, It Isn’t Getting Clogged

Even when your garbage disposal is operating, it may still be at risk of a serious clog. One of the early warning signs of an impending problem is a slow moving disposal, or waste fragments that remain on the discharge pipe. If you notice either of these signs when you use your disposal, it’s developing a clog, even though it may still be working. Stop using it right away until you have the clog removed.

Myth 4: You Can Clean Plumbing Fixtures With Hand Soap

Depending on the type of plumbing fixtures you have, hand soap may actually be damaging to the surface. Brass plumbing fixtures, for example, should be cleaned with gentle solutions such as cut lemons and baking soda. Toilet bowls, however, need to be cleaned with an effective disinfectant to kill germs and prevent infection.

Myth 5: Plumbing Fixtures Require Little To No Maintenance

This is one of the most dangerous home plumbing myths of all, because homeowners who believe it may run into serious problems later on. Pipes may be obstructed by clogs, wayward tree roots, or shifting home foundations. Homeowners should also inspect their sewer cleanouts for obstructions. All of these issues may lead to expensive plumbing repair, such as a sewer line replacement or a pipe replacement. The fixtures inside the home such as sinks, faucets, and tubs also need regular maintenance to avoid serious drain clogs.

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Feel free to give us a call at 303-465-1900 if you have any questions or concerns about plumbing myths you may have heard of that were not mentioned in this post. We would be more than happy to help!

*”Top 5 Home Plumbing Myths That Cost You Money.” Horizon Services Inc RSS. Horizon Services, 30 July 2013. Web. 26 June 2015.

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99 Dollar Drain Cleaning Explained

At McAdams Plumbing, we believe integrity is the most important part of the plumbing business. That’s why we want to take a moment to shine a light on 99 dollar drain cleaning services. Here’s the big question to wrestle with:

“Why is it that one company will charge 99 dollars for all drain cleaning services and another has multiple charges?”

While that seems like a straightforward question, that answer can be complicated.

Some plumbing companies specialize in only drain cleaning. These companies have less equipment, less insurance, smaller vehicles, and may not be licensed. You don’t need a plumbing license to be a drain cleaner, just the equipment and some experience. So with that in mind they may be able to offer all services for 99 dollars.

Other companies say 99 dollar drain cleaning but have many stipulations. This price may not cover:

• access fees
• travel fees
• diagnostic fees
• labor fees
• hazardous/difficult access fees
• time/length fees
• machine breakdown fees
• stair fees (which are fees charged to carry equipment up and down stairs, and yes they will charge you per stair).

These are just some of the many charges that increase that 99 dollar drain cleaning fee to $150.00+.

Another trick of the trade is to offer the 99 dollar drain cleaning service but then send out a salesperson with the plumber who will then work very hard to sell you a camera service after your cleaning. These people are persistent and very good at what they do. They’ll tell you how important it is to camera the line, how it can only be done after a drain cleaning service so you should just do it now, and they’ll even offer your what looks like a discount for having the camera service done in conjunction with the drain cleaning. Now your bill is up over $300.00 when all you needed was a mainline run.

The last, and probably most deceiving, practice is to charge 99 dollars for a drain line “clearing,” not “cleaning.” When this happens the plumber will basically just punch a hole through the blockage in your line for 99 dollars, then charge extra if you want the entire line fully cleaned. A “clearing” service usually comes with no warranty.

All of this information is offered to help make you a more informed consumer. If you are hiring a company for a drain cleaning service, ask them to tell you exactly what the fee covers and to tell you what other fees you could possibly see. All companies know what their drain cleaning fees are and what up charges exist.

With McAdams Plumbing, you’ll get a fully cleaned line, no matter which drain is backing up, for the same price we quote you up front. No games, no hidden fees. We’ll put it all right out there for you so you know exactly what you’re paying for.

Thanks for reading along and we hope you learned something!

The Proof is in the Plumbing!

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Grease: Your Drain’s Worst Enemy

Thanksgiving is around the corner, which offers us this week’s blog topic: grease in your drains. It’s important that you remember after that big meal full of sleep inducing turkey, not to pour grease and food scraps down your drain. Most people are under the impression that you can put some food in your garbage disposal, I mean, that’s why it’s there right? Wrong! Even though your garbage disposal may be able to handle small, non-fibrous food scraps, your drains are not designed to. Food waste, grease, and debris builds up in your drain pipes and causes blockages.

The best way to avoid this problem is to ALWAYS brush all of your food scraps into the garbage before you wash your dishes. This will ensure you keep your drains clear and clog free and your garbage disposal free of performance reducing grease. In order to properly dispose of grease and oils, especially if using a turkey fryer, follow these steps:

• Once cooled, pour cooking oil and grease into a non-recyclable container; add kitty litter or coffee grounds, seal the container, and place in the trash.
• Scrape food scraps from dishes into trash. Minimize the use of your garbage disposal because even cooked foods contain oil and grease that can clog sewer lines.
• Remove oil and grease from dishes, pots, and pans with a paper towel or napkin.
• Pre-wash dishes, pans, and pots with cold water before putting them in the dish washer. Hot water does not remove oil or grease but rather liquifies them. Once they cool they return to solids and can clog the sewer lines.

For additional information about how to care for your drains in a safe, natural way, please take a look at this article from our friends at Networx.com:

http://www.networx.com/article/care-for-your-drain-the-natural-way

Hope you enjoyed the blog. If you have any questions or comment please leave them in the comment section below or call us at 303-898-0851. Remember to follow us on Facebook and Google+.

The Proof is in the Plumbing!

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Things That Shouldn’t Go In Your Drain

So after the last couple of weeks MP has decided to start a blog series called “Things That Shouldn’t Go In Your Drain.” Very simply, we are going to show you what some of our customers have mistakenly put down their drains that have had unfortunate (and sometimes expensive) results. Of course to save them from any sort of embarrassment we are going to keep their names and locations completely anonymous. I mean, let’s be real, we’ve all done really silly things! Sometimes you just don’t fully think before you act, but if it can help someone else not make that mistake in the future, it’s a good thing. If our readers out there have made some of these mistakes as well and want us to make a blog about their misadventure, send your stories and pictures to [email protected].

So MP was called out last week to a loyal customers house because she said she had a clog in her kitchen sink. She tried using a store bought liquid clog remover (which any plumbing pro will tell you is a big no-no), but it didn’t solve the problem. So we trucked on over to her house and this is what we found when we got there:

Yikes! That’s just what was floating in the sink! Any guess what that stuff is? Well if you followed us on Facebook you’d know, believe it or not, that it’s an over the counter dietary fiber supplement. Yep, that’s right. This is what happens when you pour almost a pound of soluble fiber down your sink!

So we tried to run our high pressure jetter machine (which runs at 1500 psi!) through the drain in order to break up this blockage, but it just couldn’t cut through it. So we had to go after it the old fashioned way, by disassembling the pipes under the sink. This is where it gets really fun:

Yep, solid all the way though.  It’s no wonder the jetter couldn’t break it up, this stuff was the consistency of rubber! Don’t believe me? Watch the video.

Now, I know what you may be thinking: “If that’s what happens when fiber supplements get wet, why would I ever put that in my body?” Well, it just so happens that our Marketing Director Chris has a degree in Human Nutrition and he can tell you that when used in recommended dosages soluble fiber is completely safe and very beneficial. It does exactly what it’s supposed to do; draws water into your digestive tract in order to promote regularity. But if you were to drink almost a pound of it, you’d most likely end up in the hospital, so don’t!

That’s all we have for today. Hope you enjoyed the blog. Leave your comments below and as always we’re open for suggestions on future topics!

The Proof is in the Plumbing!

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Why Use a Residential Only Company?

So one of the questions we get from time to time is “What makes a residential plumbing company different from everyone else?” Well lucky for us we have a blog space here on this crazy world wide web so we get to tell you. Let’s look at the big 3 reasons a residential only company is best for your home:

Reason #1: Cleanliness

This is a big deal for most home owners. You know that plumbing work can be messy, the last thing anyone wants is to have an already dirty company come out and make things worse. That’s where we come in. Being a residential only company means we don’t take our equipment into restaurants in order to unclog multi-gallon grease traps (which stink something awful by the way). We aren’t picking up the sulfur smells of refineries or the sludge and grease from auto repair shops and hair salons. Grease pits from Restaurants. We use state of the art equipment that has only ever seen the inside of other people’s homes, much like yours. And what do we do when our equipment gets messy? We CLEAN IT! Crazy, right? But we care about the same things you care about, and one of those things is the cleanliness of your home.

Reason #2: Awareness

Plumbers who spend large amounts of time working in commercial environments lose a general awareness of their surroundings. They’re used to working in large, open areas or in buildings that are still without decorations, or even walls for that matter! You can drop, throw, and bounce things while banging into walls and tossing your trash on the ground without worry. Oh what freedom! But you certainly don’t want that in your home. At McAdams Plumbing we spend all of our time in residential homes, so we’re used to working carefully and methodically in small spaces in order to provide you with a great product and limit any damage to your home. Every time we go into a home our goal is to leave without you ever knowing we were there (aside from the repair, obviously).

Reason #3: Integrity

Our plumbers are licensed, certified, bonded, and fully insured in order to take care of you and your home. We aren’t just going to grab a guy off the street and send him into your home. We want you to feel safe and sound whenever you use McAdams Plumbing so we’re all drug-tested and background checked as well. We tell you this because we want you to know we are always going to do the right thing, even when no one is looking. Our customers are our most valued resource, so that’s why we find it easier to just always be honest with you. You’re not going to find any corporate fast-talkers here, just friendly people, much like yourselves, trying to make an honest living.

Ok, I think that pretty much covers it! As I like to say, our company is run by it’s customers, so if you have any questions, concerns, or topics you’d like us to address please leave a comment or send an email to [email protected]. Just do something creative so I know you’re not a robot (again, stupid robots!)

Thanks everyone, and remember, the Proof is in the Plumbing!

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“Credit Kipp J Schoen Photography: http://schoenphoto.zenfolio.com“

For this weeks blog McAdams Plumbing wants to make sure our friends and patrons are prepared for the upcoming holidays and all that they can bring.

First off, we need to let you know that like most businesses, McAdams Plumbing will be closed from Sunday, December 23rd, through Christmas day, Tuesday the 25th. We will re-open with our normal business hours (7am-7pm) on Wednesday, December 26th.

With the holiday schedule in mind we want to make sure that you don’t delay taking care of plumbing problems if you notice them. The last thing anyone needs to worry about over the holiday is having a plumbing emergency during such an inconvenient time. Here’s a list of some of the common problems folks run into during this time (Hint: use this as a check list to be sure none of these are going to sneak up on you!):

Toilets Constantly Running

Many times folks have a bathroom they use infrequently except when visitor come to stay. When the activity in these bathrooms increases it can expose bad fill valves or warped flappers that cause the toilet to run constantly or fill improperly leading to a poor flush. Test your toilets a few times before company arrives to be sure that everything is working properly.

Visitors Flushing Unflushables

Unflushables, get it? Like “Untouchables.” Anyways, as much as we wish they would, guests don’t always follow the same rules of the home as you do. Make sure your guests know that the ONLY things you should flush down the toilet are human waste and toilet paper. Even “flushable” sanitary products can present a problem so avoid it all together and make sure people put trash in the pale, not the toilet.

Clogged Sink Drain

If your sink drains slowly now, it’s only going to get worse as your kitchen activity increases over the holidays. Don’t allow yourself to get stuck in a situation where your drain clogs in the middle of Christmas dinner preparations, have it taken care of in advance. McAdams Plumbing can normally get in and out and have the drain cleaned in less than an hour. Check our Drain Cleaning page for deals!

Clogged Shower/Bathroom Faucet Drains

With the increased holiday activity kitchen drains aren’t the only ones that get clogged. Check your shower and bathroom faucet drains as well. If any of these drain poorly look at getting those taken care of as well. As you’ll see on our Drain Cleaning page if you need multiple drains cleaned MP gives you 50% off any additional drain cleaning with the purchase of a full price initial drain cleaning. That’s a deal you just can’t beat!

Garbage Disposal

Another common problem we run into is broken or clogged garbage disposals. Remember, garbage disposals are meant to handle minor scraps left over from food preparation and cleaning. Do not use it at a garbage can! Too much food can overwhelm the garbage disposal and jam or break it. Also make sure your running cool water down your drain when operating your garbage disposal to keep the motor cool and the waste flowing down.

Shower Leaks

Many times guests using showers forget to close the door all the way or pull the curtain completely closed. More than once have we been called out for an emergency leak repair when it turned out that someone simply left the door partially ajar during a shower and allowed water to seep into the floor. Save yourself the headache (and emergency service fee) and remind your guests to fully close the door or curtain when showering.

Hoses and Sprinklers

We covered this topic in our What About Your Sprinkler Systems? blog but it’s worth mentioning again. If you haven’t already make sure you disconnect your hoses for the winter and have your sprinkler systems blown out right away. This will help avoid major problems with frozen pipes over the winter.

And finally…

Sump Pumps

Sump pumps work to push water from under your home, that could become a problem, out to a safer area. If your sump pump fails and the increased moisture of the winter season raises the water table under your home the result could be a basement flood! Make sure your sump pump is working properly; if you are unsure feel free to call MP at 303-465-1900 and we’ll do our best to answer your questions.

Ok, I think that covers quite a bit! Make sure if you have work you’d like to have done before the holiday break call and get on the schedule. Things tend to fill up last minute and we don’t want anyone to get pushed aside. As always if you have any questions call, email, or leave a comment below. We’re always monitoring our blog so give us your suggestions or questions, we’re here to help!

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