Lurking continued……

Posted on May 11, 2012 by theplumbersbride

Last week I told you about the change in the water, specifically chloramines.   Bear started talking to me last night about the filter I told you about, in last weeks post.   HOLD ON!!!  What filter I asked him.  I did not write about any filter.   Was I suppose tell everyone about a filter?  What filter? 

The filter I was supposed to tell you about is a carbon filter.  This carbon filter is similar to the filter installed in most refrigerators.  If you would like all of the water in your home to be filtered you will need to install a carbon filter.  The filter is installed generally close to where the cold water enters your house.  It can be installed either inside or outside.  The preferred method is outside or in the garage.  

This filter will remove the majority of the chloramines from the water; however it does not remove all of it.  We received a letter from the water district to not use the new water source in fish tanks.  The letter went on to say not to wash dialysis equipment with it either.  This really troubles me.  If the fish and dialysis equipment can’t handle it how, is, it ok for me to drink?

I personally would like a Big Blue carbon water filter installed in my home.  I am married to the plumber; shouldn’t I be able to get on the schedule?

Posted in Water Pipes | Leave a comment

This could be lurking in your attic….

Posted on May 5, 2012 by theplumbersbride

                                   

The water source of the Spring area has been provided via natural wells since the community of Klein was established. Recently the water source was changed from the natural well water, to surface water (Lake Houston).  Surface water has been the primary source of water for the Houston area for decades.

How does this affect you? Well, the Houston water source has always been treated with chloramine. The Spring natural water source was treated with chlorine. Many subdivisions in the area built in the 1970s and 1980s have galvanized pipes feeding water into their homes. These pipes build up minerals and deposits over the years. Now with the new water source you may have noticed discoloration or taste differences in your water. This is caused by the chloramine breaking down these deposits in your pipes. We are servicing more and more customers who are developing pin hole leaks in their water pipes due to this change. In some cases the pipes can begin to crumble in your hands in some of the older homes. If you feel this water change has begun to affect your home you should have a plumber look into this sooner rather than later. You do not want your home flooding due to this type of preventable problem.

Some neighborhoods that can be affected by this change are Bridgestone, Bridgestone West, Candlelight Hills, Champion Forest, Champions, Colony Creek, Cypressdale, Cypresswood, Enchanted Oaks, Lakewood Forest, Memorial Northwest, North Hill Estate, Northgate Forest, Oak Creek Village, Oakwood Glen, Olde Oaks, Prestonwood Forest, Shannon Forest, Spring Creek Forest, Spring Creek Oaks, Terranova, & Terranova West.

Posted in Water Pipes | 1 Comment

Do water heaters have an expiration date?

Posted on April 27, 2012 by theplumbersbride

Everything these days has an expiration date, right? Milk has an expiration date. It usually can last refrigerated until the date printed on the container. You can always fall back on your nose to be the last judge of whether the milk is good or not.  We all go to the doctor for an annual physical, or at least we should. We even take our car for the 3 month or 3,000 mile oil and filter change.

Maintenance, the habit of keeping things up so that we don’t have a BIG BILL to pay by not keeping things in our lives maintained.

Is there anything we need to do with our water heater? Yes, flush them out quarterly if not annually and have the temperature relief valve checked. Are you kidding me? I asked Bear. Is there anyone who really flushes their heater out every quarter or even every year? He said no, they don’t which is why heaters do not last as long.  The temperature relief valve is a safety device which keeps your water heater from over-heating and exploding.

If your water heater is older than eight years old you are getting close to the time of needing to replace it. Most plumbing companies will offer a free water heater inspection during a service call. If you are not having any issues but are just maintaining the upkeep of your home you can take a look at the manufactured date of the water heater.

Did you even know your water heater had a manufactured date? I didn’t. I decided to venture into the attic to see for myself. There were several things I noticed and had to ask the expert. The first thing I questioned was the MFG date. Do all water heaters have a MFG date? “No” Bear said. Some manufactures put the date into their serial number.

 Our water heater has the MFG Date of 01/2006. This date is also in the Serial No. as well RHLN0106534307. If you are unsure of the age of your water heater and would like the assistance of an honest plumber please give us a call, we would be glad to take a look for you.

 
Another thing I noticed, we have two water heaters.

One had corrosion on the top …  
…and one did not. 

 
Why? What does this mean? Should we do something about this? Should I clean the corrosion off of the heater????……Bear……If you see this on your water heater then it may not be an active leak at the moment, but there was one at some time or another. This should be taken care of fairly easily by replacing the corroded parts. He also told me I should not clean anything on the heater, ever.

 
I hope you have found this post helpful. If so please leave a comment in the comment section of this article. Thanks for visiting. If you have a question that you would like me to ask Bear please send them my way.

Posted in Water heater | 7 Comments

Is your plumber a hero?

Posted on April 20, 2012 by theplumbersbride

If my husband is your plumber then you have a hero working for you.  The other day my husband called and said he was heading back to the shop.  I could tell he was a little shook up on the phone, but he also said that he was. 

You see, he was working on a residential job and had gone back out to his truck for some supplies.  He was picking up a few things and noticed a mom and her son running to their back yard trampoline.  He continued to work and looked up right at the moment  the boy fell out of the trampoline and cracked his head on a sender block.  The mother immediately started screaming out of control, and panicked.  Bear dropped everything and ran over to the little boy.  He had some paper towels and immediately started putting pressure on the screaming child.  The mother was screaming like crazy “I don’t have my car”!!  Bear calmly said “call 911”. 

It took the paramedics 15 minutes to get there and he had the boy calmed down by talking to him.  He is such a patient man.   I asked him what he had said to the little boy.  15 minutes is a long time.  He said that he told the little boy he was very brave.  The little boy was 4 years old and told Bear, “I am not as brave as my big brother”.  The paramedic walked up to the boy and Bear and said “are you the dad” Bear laughed, “no I am the plumber working across the street”.  The paramedic pulled Bear’s hand with the towels away from the wound to check it out.  He quickly put and back and said “hold it on there” while he got some supplies. 

The boy stayed calm for Bear.  Others tried to take Bear’s place but the boy would begin to struggle, so Bear obliged to stay with the boy until they took him away to the hospital. 

I think he is a hero and he probably saved that little boy’s life.  If you ask me, it was truly a heroic act.

Posted in Bear | 2 Comments

Top 3 solutions: Odor coming from the shower.

Posted on March 20, 2012 by theplumbersbride
  1. DIY – poor 2 cups of Clorox into the shower.
  2. DIY or plumber – Run a roto rooter machine in the shower drain
  3. Plumber – New Shower pan

First you could try pouring Clorox into the shower, if that resolves your problem great.  If the smell comes back you could try cleaning your drain with a machine roto rooter machine, if that resolves your problem great.  If the smell comes back again or that step did not work at all then you may have a faulty shower pan.  The solution is to tear out the shower and install a new pan.  We would be glad to help with step two and three if necessary.  We have many calls from frustrated customers who have water pouring into their closets because a shower pan was not properly installed. Save time and money by using a licensed plumber the first time.

Posted in Shower | 3 Comments

AC drain

Posted on March 16, 2012 by theplumbersbride
A summer tip from your Happy Plumber – A cup of Clorox poured down the AC drain in the hot summer months can help prevent blockages.
Posted in Maintenance | 3 Comments

How many gallons of water can a leaky faucet waste?

Posted on March 16, 2012 by theplumbersbride
Did you know a steady leaky faucet could waste up to 5 gallons of water a day.
Posted in Fun Facts | Leave a comment

Tile shower

Posted on March 16, 2012 by theplumbersbride
Another helpful tip from your Happy Plumber – If you are having some bathroom remodeling done which would include a tile shower, make sure a licensed plumber installs the shower pan. We have many calls from frustrated customers who have water pouring into their closets because a shower pan was not properly installed. Save time and money by using a licensed plumber the first time.
Posted in Shower | 2 Comments

tankless misconception

Posted on March 16, 2012 by theplumbersbride
Another helpful tip from your Happy Plumber – A common misconception of the tankless hot water heater is that the hot water will be instantly hot. That is not the case. There are two factors. The first is the temperature of the incoming water to the heater. The second is the distance the water has to travel from the heater to the faucet. The tankless heater gives you endless hotwater, not instant. So if you have a large family this would be a good fit for you or if you are like me you could take the longest hot shower : )
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The bath houses from the early 1900s used Chicago faucets. Does your plumber know that?

Posted on March 13, 2012 by theplumbersbride
Posted in Fun Facts | Leave a comment