This page is entirely for you, our fellow Saskatchewanian homeowner. We have seen our fair share of plumbing and heating problems through the years. So many of them could have been prevented with a little knowledge and care. We might be eliminating some work by sharing our knowledge. However, we are your neighbours first and your plumbers or gas fitters, second. Maybe you will even use the money we help you save on a few upgrades.
Always make sure your faucets close fully. Even a small constant drip, which may seem insignificant, can have a large effect on your water bill. If your faucet won’t stop dipping it will need to be repaired.
Having low flow fixtures installed in your home will save you money. There is an upfront cost involved at first however those costs will be mitigated in time by consistantly using less water. The new high efficiency toilets use approx. a quarter of the water that toilet used 40 years ago while either maintaining or exceeding their flushability.
If you see staining on your drain lines or water lines it may be a sign there is a leak. If you do notice staining it is best to have the concern addressed sooner rather than later to lessen any further damage to your home. Another way to discover a leak is a change in smell inside your home.
Even though you can’t see inside your drains it is important that they are clean in order to function properly. Preventative drain cleaning saves money as it can avoid emergency situations.
Anytime your toilet starts making a different noise than usual whether it is inside the tank or when you flush it, it is important to take note. If the noise is coming from inside the tank it may require new internal components. If the toilet sounds strange i.e. gurgling when flushed it may be a sign that your drain line inside your home are plugged or starting to plug.
A leaking toilet is something that can be very easy to overlook. If you can hear water running after the toilet is filled it could be a sign that your toilet is leaking. It may not be leaking on the floor however it could still be leaking down the drain. Another way to check is to insert dye into the tank of the toilet. If dye appears in the bowl without flushing it is a sign that the toilet is leaking.
It is always important to follow manufacturers recommendations for using garburators. A large number of drain cleaning calls are caused by improper use of a kitchen disposal unit. A few tips include; Always run copious amounts of cold water while grinding, don’t put too much down at once, do grind some hard particles to help clean the inside of the unit, do grind citrus fruit peels to help freshen up and reduce smell, and don’t put anything down that isn’t biodegradeable.
One of the most common drain cleaning calls is caused by or partially caused by grease. This is usually in the kitchen sink drain line. The grease starts to accumulate inside the pipe walls which in turn will start to collect food particles. This can lead to a blockage of the entire line. It is best to let grease congeal in a container and then dispose or recycle it as opposed to letting it go down the drain.
Floss is something that should never go down the drain. It gets tangled up and sticks to everything in the drainage system. Always discard floss somewhere other than in your plumbing system.
Hair is something that inevitably goes down the drain. It in turn eventually causes a a blocked or partially blocked drain. One tip would be to install a strainer in the tub drain to catch the hair before it gets down the drain.
