Is your hot water heater making odd noises? Is it knocking and rumbling so loud that it could wake up the neighborhood? Don’t worry! We’ve got you covered! The issue can likely be fixed without replacing the whole unit. Typically a noisey water heater is caused by excessive sediment build up in the tank. Think of minerals like calcium and calcium, and disolved metals like iron.

When “hard water” flows into a hot water heater unfiltered, a thick layer of sediment can build up inside the tank. That sediment causes water to become trapped right atop the heating element at the bottom of the tank. When the heating element is turned on, water heats up and begins to boil. That boiling water creates air bubbles that bubble and bubble until, bang!, boom!, rumble!, they finally escape the sediment layer. This is no different than a pot filled with water on a stove. If that pot is filled to the top with water, covered with a lid, and brought to a boil, the lid will shift and jump and bounce. The same thing is happening within your hot water heater.

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Clean Drains Help You Keep Your Plumbing Running Smoothly, and Keep Your Home Safe From Mold And Mildew Growing In The Drains!

The drains that are found throughout your home have important jobs to do: remove water and waste from the home and deposit it into the sewer system or the septic tank. If any of the drains in your home becomes clogged it can lead to quite the problem. You might experience a backup of water or waste on the floor of your bathroom or kitchen. If the drain is clogged you won’t be able to use the appliance or fixture that is associated with it, further reducing the amount of workable rooms in the home. Furthermore, if you leave a clogged drain alone, it can wind up costing you thousands of dollars in repairs. Make sure you hire a plumber in Dallas, TX to clean the drains of your home before it’s too late.

Drains in the Bathroom

Most homes have more than one bathroom, unless we are talking about a small apartment or condominium. When you have more than one drain you have double or triple the chances of running into a clog. A bathroom, if it is full bath, will have multiple drains. There will be a drain for the sink, the shower or tub, and maybe even the washing machine. Some homes are now featuring larger bathrooms that house the washer and dryer.

The drains in the bathroom are used multiple times per day by everyone in the home. It isn’t just water that is going down these drains either. There will likely be hair, soap, toothpaste and body care products that will find their way down the drains of the bathroom. If one of the drains in your bathroom becomes clogged it can put a cramp in the schedule of everyone in the home. A drain solution from the big-box home improvement stores won’t work. You need a reputable and experienced plumber to clean your clogged drains.

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Owning a home can be very stressful. It’s gets even worse when you have a leak somewhere in the home. Many leaks can be attributed to a poorly working toilet or other issue with how it is connected to the plumbing system of the home. Finding a leak long after it started can mean thousands of dollars in repairs to the walls, flooring, and plumbing fixture itself. The minute you experience any issue with your toilet it’s important to have a Mesquite, TX plumber take a look to find what’s wrong and make the necessary repairs. Let’s take a look at the common toilet plumbing issues that plague homeowners in today’s post as well as when it’s time for a new install.

Common Toilet Plumbing Issues

Every home will experience problems with their toilet at one point or another. These problems, if left alone, can lead to massive water problems in the home. If the toilet with the problem is not on the bottom floor of the home it can send water down to the next level. The most common toilet plumbing issues are outlined below in this post.

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Thousands of homes in the Mesquite, TX area have a garbage disposal installed in the kitchen. This appliance is an important one because it grinds up any food that finds its way into the sink from bowls, plates, cups, pots, and pans. Even if you have a garbage disposal most plumbers will recommend that you avoid dumping as much food down the drain as possible. Take the extra five seconds and scrape the leftover food debris into a trash can instead of letting it go down the drain. Today, let’s take a look at some tips for keeping a garbage disposal in good working order.

Run the Disposal Often

One of the most important tips you should follow is to run the disposal often. Even if you don’t have anything in the sink to grind up the disposal still needs to operate every couple of days. Simply turn the water on and then activate the disposal. Let it run for a minute or two so the parts move around. This helps get rid of any food left in the disposal so it does not harden or create a foul smell. By running the disposal often you will be able to avoid corrosion, rust, and parts failing.

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Owning a home is a big responsibility. The to-do list never seems to end, especially when it comes to monitoring the big-ticket appliances. These include the refrigerator, washing machine and water heater among others. A water heater is one of the most important appliances in your home. It provides hot water for every spigot and other appliances. It also does not have a long life expectancy, especially if you do not care for it properly. If the time has come to replace the water heater in your Mesquite, TX home then you will want to know what to expect for the process.

Picking the Right Plumber

First and foremost you will want to pick the right plumber for this type of project. You should never perform an install of a new water heater on your own. This is a complicated project that involves tying in water and gas lines to the unit. The team at Flow Plumbing has the experience and tools to perform this task for you. Once you decide that it’s time to replace the water heater in your home you can pick the replacement unit based on your home’s needs.

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Ugh! There are few things grosser in life than taking your morning shower only to discover that the shower drain is no longer draining but regurgitating water back up into the shower pan or tub. Or perhaps when you flush the toilet it comes up through the drain in the bathtub.  In some cases, it can appear to be sewer water that’s being sent back up through the drain. A common misconception is that dirty water is sourced from the sewer. However, most of the time this isn’t the case.

If you’re experiencing water being recycled upwards and out of your shower drain this is a sign that there is a problem with your home’s plumbing infrastructure. Typically, when water is no longer being drained properly it’s an indication of blockage or another issue. In this scenario, here are some things you can try to fix the problem.

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Photo Credit: pickhvac.com

Is it time to make a change with your water heater in Mesquite, TX? Maybe your current water heater has reached its age limit. Maybe you found a leak. Maybe you’ve noticed corrosion on the valves. Whatever has gone wrong with the heater means that it’s time to enter the market for a new one. As you begin your search for a new water heater you might want be thinking about a tankless water heater. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of tankless water heaters so you can make an informed decision.

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Owning a home comes with a lot of responsibility. One of the most challenging aspects of being a homeowner is making sure there are no issues with the sewer system or pipes in the home. When issues arise they can lead to leaks, disruption of service, and even thousands of dollars in damage if a pipe bursts. Many homes need to be repiped, which is a common plumbing service offered by Flow Plumbing. Repiping is the process of replacing the pipes throughout the home. Here are some signs that it’s time to replace the pipes in your home.

Age or Lack of Remodel

Do you know the year your home was built? If the home was built prior to the 1970s and has not been remodeled you should consider having the pipes replaced. This is an intensive job that should only be performed by an experienced plumber. The pipes installed in homes that are 50 or older were done so using galvanization. These pipes tend to burst and corrode as they age.

The flooring and parts of your walls will need to be opened up in order to remove some of the old pipes and replace them with new ones. Make sure you are ready for this intrusive project that is necessary if you want to prevent a disaster.

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One of the biggest reasons why homeowners wait until the last minute, or until it’s too late, to replace a failing water heater is because many don’t think about it. Most water heaters are in an area of the home that is rarely visited. They might be tucked away in closet constructed specifically for the heater. It might be in a cordoned off room of the basement. Either way, many homeowners don’t see their water heater often. You need to change that habit right away and begin looking for these six signs of a failing water heater.

1) Age: How Old is Your Water Heater?

The first sign is less of a sign and more of keeping track of the age of your appliances. How old is your water heater? Was the appliance present in the home when you purchased it? Did you ask the former owner when it was installed? If not, you might want to have a plumber come inspect the water heater to determine its age and if it is near the replacement age.

The majority of water heaters are designed to last anywhere from 10 to 15 years. If your heater is closer to 15, you need to start saving and planning for a replacement now. When a water heater fails completely it bursts and floods the home. This will wind up costing you more in repairs than replacing the heater before it bursts.

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Clogged drains are problems that no one wants to deal with, especially in the heat of the summer. When you notice a clogged drain you should rectify the situation immediately so that it does not worsen to the point of an overflow or other serious problem. If you haven’t experienced a clogged drain yet you should follow our tips in this post to prevent the drains in your home from becoming clogged.

Utilize Hot Water, Baking Soda, & Detergent

Hot water isn’t just important to use when washing your hands or the dishes. It also makes for a great tool to preventing clogged drains. After each time you pour something down the drain you should run hot water. The hot water will help prevent oil from food building up in the drain and continuing down through the pipes.

Baking soda is a great tool for cleaning different things around the house. It works especially well when paired with detergent. The two combined can do wonders for cleaning out the drain in your kitchen sink. Not only do baking soda + detergent help move grease and oil through the drain but it also helps rid the drain of odors left behind by food. 

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