You have a plumbing problem, but your landlord isn’t answering the phone. Do you call a plumber, or do you wait? You might not want to call a plumber since plumbing issues can be expensive, but if it’s an emergency, you need to call a plumber as soon as you can. How can you tell?

How can a plumber save you money? If you have daydreams about a cost-effective DIY fix, take a look at why a professional fix for your plumbing problems is a less expensive option in the long-run.

Extra Equipment

Unless you have a full professional-level tool set, you need an expert to bring their equipment for the job. Whether you have a clogged drain, broken pipes, or another installation issue, a plumber has the right tools for the job.

Have you noticed your toilet running and filling with water when no one has been in the bathroom for a while? You don’t have a phantom toilet; you have a malfunctioning toilet. You can check to see if one of these issues is causing your toilet to randomly run and fill.

Reason #1: A Damaged Flapper

When you remove the lid off the toilet tank, you will see an arm that runs horizontally from the outer toilet handle. At the end of the arm is a chain, which connects to the flapper.

Are you moving out of your parent’s house and into your first apartment? If this is the first time you’ve lived on your own, take a look at what you need to know about renting and your new home’s plumbing system.

Who Is Responsible for Repairs?

It’s your landlord’s duty to make sure your apartment is habitable. This means the home must have working basics—such as heat and plumbing. While specific laws vary by state, most require the landlord to maintain working plumbing inside of the building. This includes the condition of the pipes, toilets, sinks, and other related fixtures.

The start of the summer season means sun, fun, and plenty of parties. Even though your guests bring good times galore, they also invite plumbing problems. Before your warm weather get-togethers and backyard barbeques get underway, take a look at the top summer party plumbing issues and how to correct them.

Kitchen Conundrum

Your kitchen sink isn’t a garbage can. Even if you have a disposal, putting the wrong things into your plumbing can cause serious problems. If your summer involves parties with a cook-out style, don’t put these items down the drain:

Spring has sprung. With the warmer weather comes a host of potential plumbing issues. Before the season gets into full swing, take a look at the springtime plumbing checklist that can save you time, money, and headaches.

Check Your Sump Pump

A mild, low-snow, or rain-free winter means your sump pump hasn’t seen action in months. When spring showers strike a barely functional or not working sump pump can equal a major basement flood. If your pump has gotten no or minimal use over the winter season, you’ll need to check for leaks, clogs, and other potential damage that may have gone unnoticed.

One of the most common things a plumber deals with is a drain clog, and though several ways exist to clear the drain, one way will clear the drain and clean the inside of the pipe out at the same time. Hydrojetting uses high-pressure water to clear the drain and has some benefits over mechanical devices.

The Problem

The pipes that carry waste out of your home have many different things flowing through them. These things include minerals, metals, hair, soap residue, dirt from the bathtub and shower, and the waste from the toilet. All of these go from your drain line to the sewer system.

Sooner or later, your kitchen sink could become clogged or slow to drain. Certain types of food and kitchen habits are particularly troublesome for both your drain and your garbage disposal. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to either prevent or slow down the chance of food-related clogs.

Here is more information on the common types of kitchen sink and garbage disposal clogs, signs that you have a drain problem, and some prevention tips.

Common Food Items That Cause Clogs

A variety of different food items can cause your kitchen sink or garbage disposal to back up, but certain items are particularly troublesome. Here is a list of some of the most common sink and garbage-disposal-clogging items.

Grease and Fats

Grease, butter, and oils are at the top of the list of clog-causing food items. These substances build up a coating on the pipes and then congeal to form a clog.

Egg Shells

Egg shells are rough on your garbage disposal blades, plus the membrane can get caught and cause blockages. Finely ground shells can also build up in the drain and cause blockages.

Coffee Grounds

Coffee grounds don’t fully dissolve in water and tend to attract other materials, such as grease, to form a thick coating that blocks the pipe.

Potato Skins

Potato skins are another item that doesn’t do well in garbage disposals due to their high starch content. They break down into a paste-like substance which then contributes to existing clogs.

Pasta and Rice

Dried pasta and rice, even after cooked, can continue to accumulate water and swell up after they go down the sink. Their starchy content also make these foods easily stick to grease and other material already coating the sides of the pipes.

Signs That a Drain Problem Is Eminent

Drains often give you plenty of signs that you are about to get a nasty clog or other plumbing issues. Here are three different signs that a kitchen sink problem is on the horizon.

Bad Smells

You will notice this musty or stinky odor as soon as you walk into the home or your kitchen. The scent might either smell like mold or sewage.

Slow Draining

Chronically slow drains are a classic sign that a clog is in the pipes and not far from completely blocking the flow.

Gurgling Sounds

Gurgling sounds are an indication that water is building up further down in the pipes and sometimes you can see the water pooling just below the drain.

Tips on Kitchen Sink Clog Prevention

Here are some simple ways in which you can help prevent kitchen sink clogs as well as treat minor ones in the future before they get too big.

Clean Sink After Each Use

Wipe down and clean your sink after each use, clearing out food debris. Even if you don’t use your sink that often, fill it up with extra hot water and let it drain at regular intervals.

Throw Problem Foods in Trash

Don’t put any foods in the garbage disposal or down the drain unless you know for sure that it won’t cause a problem. Instead, put troublesome food in the trash or compost bin.

Use Bio-Clean

Bio-Clean is an innovative plumbing product that addresses the source of the issue. Rather than push clogs further down the drain, it dissolves organic buildup, leaving your pipes clean and trouble-free.

The product is a dry powder so it will last for several years in your kitchen cabinet. To activate it, simply combine it with warm water and pour it down your backed-up drains.

A clogged kitchen drain is never fun and can be extremely inconvenient when you’re trying to plan a big meal. If you find that your clog is not resolving itself, or you have chronic clogs, then call a plumber and have your drains cleaned. At Two Men and a Snake, we can tackle your clog. Call us today and we will quickly work to resolve your drain clog problem.

If you have ever been thru a Nebraska winter you’ve probably taken the necessary precautions to keep your pipes flowing during these next few months. If you haven’t unfortunately plumbing emergencies can have you in a panic. The most common plumbing emergency in the Omaha Metro Area during these fridgid months are frozen water lines. In many cases before you even realize there is a problem our plumbing has already been damaged.  Now is a great time to prepare your homes plumbing supply. A few minutes today and you can save yourself the nightmare of a flooded home!!

Warning – Warning!! Never use a torch of any kind to thaw a frozen line! You can damage the pipe by thawing to quickly, causing the lines to split. But most importantly you can start your home on fire. Many times frozen lines are in between the exterior wall and the interior drywall. This area is very small and tight, there is also insulation in these places. The insulation typically runs up the wall to the attic area. One spark of a flame and fire can spread throughout your home in a matter of seconds..

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Here are some tips to prevent a frozen plumbing pipe.

Tip 1: Heat tape is a very inexpensive remedy to prevent a very expensive problem.

Tip 2: Turn on your faucets and let them flow. Just a small stream will do. If water is moving, it cant freeze.

Tip 3: Leave cabinets open to expose plumbing to heat. Just a few degrees difference and having constant air flow, can make a huge difference.

Here are some tips if you your plumbing pipes are frozen.

Step 1: Even though no water will be flowing, turn your faucets connected to the frozen plumbing pipes on. This will allow the pressure to relieve itself, room for expansion and contraction and help prevent the line from splitting when it begins to thaw.

Step 2: One of the most common items used to thaw your frozen pipes is a blow dryer. Other items that help to thaw are a  heat lamp, or a space heater. These items will heat the frozen pipe in a safe, slow manner. You do not want to thaw the line to quickly,this can result in the lines splitting. Take your time. You can do it!

Step 3: Leave it to the professionals at Two Men And A Snake Inc,. Our staff is specially trained in resolving these issues in a safe cost effective manner. We have special equipment that is designed to connect to your frozen water lines and send a current thru them. Thus, saving your pipes while thawing them in a safe, quick manner.

Questions? Call Joe @ Two Men And A Snake Inc,. (402) 991-1979

Omaha, Nebraska Metro Area

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