4 Signs of a Failing Water Heater
Like any other appliance, your water heater will wear over time and eventually need to be replaced. Knowing the signs of a failing water heater is the best way to avoid being stuck for days without hot water. Here are four signs that it may be time to replace your water heater.
1. No Hot Water
Water that won’t heat up or won’t stay warm is usually the first sign of a failing heater that most homeowners notice. Continue reading
Bathroom Remodel: Cool Bathtub Upgrades
Homeowners thinking about a bathroom remodel in an older house have a lot of upgrades to consider. One of the most important aspects of this type of project is upgrading your bathtub. An up-to-date tub is often the centerpiece of a successful bathroom remodel. Here is a look at some of the most compelling choices.
Freestanding
Many older homes have standard tubs that are attached to walls on three sides. Traditional tubs of this type, called alcove tubs, do little to make a bathroom more visually appealing. To upgrade the bathroom during a remodel, consider installing a freestanding tub. Freestanding tubs add a sense of classic elegance to the bathroom that is sure to please everyone who uses the space. Continue reading
What You Need to Know About Your Main Sewage Line
Your sewer or septic drain line has a special role: it’s not exactly part of the city sewer system (or your septic system), but it’s not exactly indoor plumbing either. Instead, it connects the two. Here’s what you need to know about the main sewage line.
1. You’re Responsible for Upkeep and Repairs
The sewage line may be referred to as a sewer line or drain line. When homeowners hear the phrase sewer line, they may assume that the term refers to part of the sewer system managed by the city.
However, this drain line on your property is actually your responsibility. It’s the main drain line that runs from your home to the city sewer. Usually, the sewer line doesn’t require a lot of care. However, you should have your plumber check it with a video line inspection on a periodic basis. Continue reading
How to Avoid Plumbing Emergencies
Plumbing emergencies due to broken or leaky pipes, clogged drains, overflowing toilets, and broken water heaters are stressful and costly, especially if you have an emergency at night or on a weekend or holiday. Take care of your plumbing to prevent expensive emergency repairs.
Take Care of Your Drains
You can avoid most drain clogs by taking care of them properly. Dump cooking grease and fat in the trash instead of down the drain so it does not harden and clog the pipes under your kitchen sink. Continue reading
When to Know It’s Time to Get a Professional Sewer Line Cleaning
To maintain the best comfort and sanitation in your Greater Pittsburgh area home, you need to maintain a well-functioning plumbing setup. Unfortunately, your plumbing is likely to suffer over time as sewer line blockages begin to develop. These blockages can render you unable to use some or even all of your plumbing fixtures, and they can develop from several common problems:
- Greasy buildups
- Roots in your sewer lines
- Collapsed sewer lines
While you can’t always prevent sewer line problems from developing, you can get those problems resolved with a professional sewer line cleaning. To get the best and lowest-cost results from this service, you need to get it as soon as sewer line issues begin to develop. In this article, we’ll provide some examples of signs that tell you it’s time to invest in a line cleaning ASAP. So, read on to stay on top of your sewer line work!
Your Plumbing Fixtures Are Draining Slowly
Do you find yourself waiting and waiting for your sink, shower, or other plumbing fixture to drain fully? If so, chances are good you need a sewer line cleaning, which will help your fixtures to drain quickly once more.
There Are Unpleasant Odors in and around Your Home
You won’t always see signs of sewer line problems. Sometimes, you may smell them. After all, backed-up sewer lines can cause unpleasant odors to waft into and around your home. These odors are due to a number of problems that come with line blockages:
- Sewage
- Gasses
- Grease in your lines
Sewage is Bubbling Up in Your Yard
Some signs of backed-up sewer lines are quite dramatic. For instance, you may notice sewage backing up into your yard or even back up into your plumbing fixtures. If you notice this problem occurring, you know you’ve got a pretty bad clog on your hand, and you need to get a professional line cleaning handled ASAP.
Call Our Plumbing Company for Quality Sewer Line Cleaning Services
Have you detected any of these signs? If so, then chances are good you’re about to find yourself faced with a serious sewer line blockage. Before things can get that serious, you need to call the pros at Mitchell Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning. Our plumbers in the Greater Pittsburgh area offer quality work that will resolve all of your sewer line issues in no time at all.
If you are looking for a Plumbing, Heating & Cooling in the Greater Pittsburgh Area area, please contact us by filling out our online request form.
Noisy Plumbing? What You Need to Know
Your plumbing system should operate relatively quietly, which is why it can be quite alarming when you start to hear noises from the pipes and other water systems in the home. Often, these noises are an early diagnostic tool that can help you catch a plumbing problem early, which can help you repair the issue before more extensive damage occurs.
Here are some common noise types and what plumbing problems they may indicate.
Bangs and Clanks
Loud bangs and clanks from your pipes or water heater can be highly alarming, but the cause can be easy to trace. Continue reading
4 Underrated Ways to Take Care of Your Plumbing System
Common plumbing system maintenance advice includes mesh screens on your drains, professional drain cleaning when your drains clog, and periodic professional plumbing inspections. But unless you’ve done quite a bit of research on the subject, you may not realize how many other simple steps you can take to preserve your plumbing.
Here are some of the less frequently discussed methods of helping out your drains and other plumbing system components.
1. Eschew Bar Soap in the Shower
You know that dumping melted grease down the drain can cause a clog when the grease hardens. But did you know that soaps actually contain fats as well? The fats in soap help to create soap scum, which can cause unsightly buildup in your bathroom sink and bathtub. But worse, soap scum can help to clog your drains. Continue reading
Why Is A Bad Smell Coming From Your Clean Kitchen Sink?
You come into the kitchen and stop short when something unpleasant assails your nose. Did you forget to take out the trash? No, the smell is coming from the kitchen sink drain.
In some cases, a smelly drain could mean you need plumbing help. In other cases, it could just mean you need to clean your disposal. Here are three possible reasons for the unwanted odor.
1. Dishwasher Drain
Most of the time, food debris will rinse down the dishwasher drain before it starts to get too smelly. But occasionally, the drain could collect debris rather than draining it away.
Continue reading
Zoned Heating and Cooling: Why It’s Right for Your Pittsburgh Home
We all want to stay comfortable in our homes, of course. That’s why we maintain dependable heating and cooling in our homes. If you’re looking for one of the best HVAC options for your Pittsburgh area home, you might consider a zoning system, which offers a number of great benefits:
- Money savings
- Better comfort
- Quick installation
How a Whole House Humidifier Can Be Beneficial
Air that is too dry can cause problems in your home. The solution? A whole house humidifier. Here is how a whole house humidifier could improve your health and the health of your home — and a look at the whole house humidifier options available to you.
Why Is Balancing Your Home’s Humidity Important?
If your home is too humid or too dry, both you and your home will suffer the consequences.
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