Posts Tagged ‘Vancouver Plumbing’
I am sure everyone has experienced a plugged toilet or a sink before. And I am sure it came at the most inopportune time. Perhaps you had your relatives come stay with you for the holidays and your kitchen sink backed up. One of the reason we see a lot of these calls is because the increased volume down the drains can reveal or exacerbate a preexisting problem. Taking some precautionary steps can save you the inconvenience of inviting a plumber over to your dinner party. Have your drainage system inspected by a licensed plumber annually and also follow the steps below in order to cut down on potential blockages.
Reasons For Clogged Drains
Carelessness is the number one cause of blockages. Kitchen sinks are very easily clogged. As you can imagine food can build up in the drains and very easily cause a blockage. Be careful what you put down your sink, and if you use the a garburator, make sure to rinse it down with very hot water. Also avoid putting greasy food and oils down the drain. Bathrooms are another place where backups occur. Try to limit anything you flush down the toilet. You would be amazed at what we find sometimes. Try to avoid flushing paper towels, baby wipes and feminine products down the drain. Also limit the amount of toilet paper. Bathroom sinks and showers often get clogged by hair so be mindful of this.
It is easiest to avoid all this by snaking these drains annually. Or if you notice that its draining a little slow have it snaked more often.
You can pour certain chemicals down the drain and some will do the trick. However keep in mind that chemicals are harmful to your body, your plumbing system, and the environment. They may be a quick fix, but we never recommend doing that.
One trick that a lot of people use is to pour vinegar down the drain with a healthy amount of baking soda. Let the mixture sit for about 15 minutes and then pour boiling water down the drain. Pouring boiling water down the drain on a regular basis can help to prevent blockages.
Sometimes it is very simple to unclog your kitchen sink, especially if you have a double sink. Simply plug one side of the sink with the drain stop and have someone hold it tight. The take your toilet plunger and plunge the drain as you would a toilet. That will usually do the trick.
Prevent and Protect
Your plumbing system is like a machine. It needs regular maintenance in order to run smoothly. You should have all of your drains snaked at least once a year and periodically have a camera inspection to make sure there is not trouble spots where disaster could be looming. To see more check out our drain cleaning page
We would love to take a look at your system anytime! Call 604-283-2383
The handy kitchen garbage disposal is useful for getting rid of a variety of food scraps and waste that might otherwise create unpleasant smells in the kitchen. However, many foods can actually damage your garbage disposal or render it useless. These tips can help keep your garbage disposal running smoothly.
1. Avoid putting fibrous foods or tough-skinned vegetables into the disposal. The strings of celery, artichokes, asparagus, lettuce, corn husks, carrots, onion skins and potato peels can wrap around the blades, preventing proper operation of the motor. If you feel you must put fibrous foods into your disposal, do so in very small quantities, and run the cold water while you operate the unit.
2. Don’t put extremely hard foods into the garbage disposal. Items such as bones and fruit pits can dull and even break the unit’s blades. In a worst-case scenario, hard foods will jam the disposal, preventing blades from turning and causing the motor to burn out.
3. Keep grease and greasy foods out of the disposal. Greasy foods will distribute a film over the blades, diminishing their effectiveness. Eventually, the grease will begin to decay, causing an unpleasant odor in the kitchen. Pouring grease into a garbage disposal can result in clogged drains when the grease solidifies.
4. Contrary to popular belief, egg shells have no place in the garbage disposal. Some people claim that egg shells sharpen the blades of the unit, but this is not true. The shell’s stringy membrane layer can wrap around the shredder ring, and the shell itself will be ground to a sand-like consistency capable of clogging pipes.
5. Avoid putting expandable foods such as pasta and rice into the garbage disposal. Even small particles of these foods will swell with water and eventually clog the p-trap.
6. Exercise common sense, and don’t put non-food items into the garbage disposal. Avoid the example of homeowners who have placed rubber bands, twist ties, cigarette butts, pull tabs, fabric, sponges and plant clippings into their disposal units. These items cannot break down enough to wash down the drain.
The garbage disposal is a sturdy kitchen appliance; however, even the best model cannot handle unsuitable items. If you run into any problems with your unit, you should seek the help of a licensed Vancouver plumber or contractor. Ashton Service Group is a quality licensed Vancouver plumbing company. Call Ashton Service Group at 604-283-2383 or book online if you are still experiencing problems.
Do tub faucet leaks sound like a familiar issue in your Vancouver home? You turn on your shower, flip the switch to go from tub faucet to shower head and the tub faucet continues to leak. Not only is it rather irritating, but it draws from the water pressure in the shower head. Let’s take a look at why this happens and how to quickly fix it.
Why the Leak?
There is a valve in your tub’s faucet that diverts water from the tub to the shower head when the switch or lever is pulled to turn on your shower. Because the valve is not a perfect seal, the tub faucet will drip a small amount during a shower. However, if a large amount of water is coming out of the tub faucet and very little is coming from your shower head, it is likely a problem with that valve.
In some cases, the only way to know the root of this bathroom plumbing repair is to take apart the assembly and check all of the valve parts individually for damage. The specifics of the repair process will depend largely on the type of shower and diverter valve you have.
Fixing the Problem
To fix this problem, you can either replace part of or the entire shower diverter valve. Start by removing the faucet and pulling the screw that holds the shower diverter valve in place. Once the screw is removed, take out the rubber washer and replace it. Many times, this is enough to fix the problem.
If it is not, however, you may need to replace the entire shower diverter valve. There are some situations that make it hard to reach the shower diverter valve, such as when you have a shower handle instead of a faucet knob. If this is the case, you may need special tools or professional assistance in removing the knob to access the valve.
If you find that this does not fix the problem or that you are uncomfortable attempting this repair, contact Ashton Service Group who is experienced in removing and replacing shower diverter valves.