It’s the end of February now and you know what that means! Spring is just around the corner! And what does Spring mean? Well aside from slightly warmer days and maybe a smidge less rain it also means opening up the house, getting more active, and, of course, spring cleaning! After a few cold months of being shut indoors to avoid the chill, it’s time to start the new season off on the right foot and clean up the home and all the dust and dirt it’s been gathering. That applies to plumbing too! This time on the Economy Plumbing Services blog, we’re looking at a few plumbing spring cleaning tips!

Inspect Your Pipes

Let’s start with the biggest first. Now is a perfect time to do a routine check of all the pipes in and around your house! Look for leaks, drips, or anything out of the ordinary. The sooner you fix them the less damage they can cause and the more money you’ll save! So take the minute to inspect them, look at any pipes hidden in cabinets or closets. Get an eye on the pipe now before it’s too late!

Clean and Clear Your Drains

When it comes to preventing clogs, an ounce o prevention is worth a pound of cure! Take a look at your drains, clean away any hair or debris thats building up around them. You can purchase a small drain snake to clear out any hair or debris thats building up just inside the drain. Avoid using chemical cleaners as these have just as much risk of seriously harming and deteriorating the pipes.

Clean Your Fixtures

While you’re at work with all of your drains, take a beat to clean the fixtures! Showerheads for instance can become clogged with mineral buildup from the water. This can become a bigger problem if left unchecked, and it definitely ruins the comfort of a nice warm shower! Wipe down the fixture or allow them to soak in white vinegar to break up the buildups.

Inspect and Clear Your Garbage Disposal

Garbage disposals put up with a lot of abuse in your day to day – so why not give them a little TLC. Sure, Valentine’s Day has passed, and no one wants to see you serving chocolates to your garbage disposal, but give it a bit of a spa day. In fact, check back next time and we’ll give you a full rundown on how to do this!

Check Your Gutters

Ok these might not be the first thing you think of when it comes to taking care of your plumbing but the fact of the matter is this – anything designed to carry water to and away from your home fits the bil! So. Back to your gutters. Nows the time to check to make sure they’re clear of any debris, be them leaves or palm fronds or what have you. Make sure nothing is blocking the path for water to drain off your roof and away from the home. Nobody wants a leaky roof!

Check the Water Heaters

Water heaters are another plumbing fixture in your house that get a world of use. If you haven’t takena  look at it recently now is the time. Check the temperature (should be around 120), look for leaks. Make sure the area around the water heater is free and clear of debris. And if you haven’t had a check up in a while, now’s the time to schedule it!

These are just a few things you can do to perform a spring cleaning for your plumbing and start the season off right. When it comes to your plumbing, staying proactive is going to get you the best results and avoid costly disaster. If you haven’t been maintaining yours as well as you could (or maybe should) don’t hesitate! Call your local plumber today to get a check up performed and see where you stand!

If Water Goes Through It Or To It, We Do It!

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There’s one place we all spend some peace and quiet each day – no not in bed, we’re talking about the bathroom! Whether you’re a morning constitutional type or a get-away-from-the-kids-for-just-a-minute type you’ve spent some time on the porcelain throne. Now, when you’re finished what do you reach for? The roll of TP? A package of wipes? A little dial next to the bowl? 

This time on the Economy Plumbing Services blog we’re taking a look at a few of the options for post number two clean up and how they compare in cleanliness and flushability.

TP, Bidet, Wipes – Who Wins?

Bidets

If you listen to podcasts or have opened your Instagram app in the past year chances are you’ve been marketed a bidet. Bidets are a bowl or receptacle designed to be sat on in order to wash one’s genitalia, perineum, inner buttocks, and anus. The bidet isn’t just for after using the restroom but can be used after sexual intercourse to help clean up. It can also be used to wash feet without having to fill up a tub. In addition to these stand-alone bidets that are more common in Europe, there are fixture attachments that can be added to the toilet itself – these are the ones being marketed on social media. These are fixed onto the toilet seat with a nozzle, with a hose connecting the water supply of the toilet to the bidet attachment. They can also attach to the hot water supply line for the sink to allow for warmer water

How do they hold up? When it comes to cleaning your bottom, bidets work in a more effective manner than just regular old TP, preventing iritation from the paper, and not smearing around waste. If you’re prone to rashes or UTIs, using a bidet can also help decrease those occurrences! According to Healthline, they’re good for your health too! 

Cleaning: 5 Stars

Flushability: 5 Stars

Wipes

1. NO. JUST DON’T DO IT. We cannot say this enough! ‘Flushable’ wipes may be able to be flushed down the toilet in that they physically can move into the pipe but they don’t break down and will cause clogs which is a huge problem! Ok. With that out of the way – wipes are an effective way to wipe your bum and clean up waste because of their construction. They’re durable so they don’t break down, and often have some moisturizer or other addition that keeps them from irritating your skin.

But they sure don’t flush!

Cleaning: 5 Stars

Flushability: 0 Stars

Toilet Paper

The classic. Tried and true. Toilet paper has been the standard when it comes to bum wiping for years. But how effective is it? It’s cheaper than the other two options, that’s for sure. But the effectiveness wildly varies based on the type of toilet paper in question (the thickness, textures, etc.) as well as your individual technique. When it comes to flushability again it all comes down to your individual practice. A big wad of toilet paper can clog up a pipe quick, but conscious use and regular flushing should avoid most clogs.

Cleaning: Variable

Fluhsability: Variable

You know your own butt best, but if you’re considering a change up, looking at this data upgrading to a bidet might be the next step to take! If you want to get an attachment you can follow the simple instructions and install it yourself, however if you want the whole separate fixture it will need to meet local plumbing code!

If you need help installing a new fixture, clearing a clog, or any other plumbing problems – you know who to call!

If Water Goes Through It Or To It, We Do It!

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Last month we talked about how plumbers can fix sewer backups and get your plumbing back on track. Before that, we talked about what to do when a backup. Well, this time we want to talk about how you can prevent sewer backups in the first place! Think of it as a New Year’s Resolution from Economy Plumbing Services: avoid a sewer backup, prevent them!

Sometimes a sewer system is just poorly designed at the municipal level. There’s not much you can do in that case to prevent a backup, but we got a few other tips that are totally within your power!

How to Prevent Sewer Backups

Update Old Sewer Lines

The older the sewer lines the more likely you are to run into a problem. While there’s no guarantee when and where they might collapse on you, the older they are the higher and higher risk you run for a pretty terrible nightmare. In prior decades plumbers would install cast iron or clay pipes. Both materials are much more brittle than the modern plastic piping available. Tree roots can easily infiltrate and breakthrough these types of pipes, and the shifting of the soil can crack the pipes no problem.

If you have old pipes or suspect you might, look into getting them replaced earlier rather than later. It’s just as expensive but when you do it on your schedule you won’t have to deal with an emergency when your plumbing breaks down entirely.

Dispose of Waste Properly

Want to know the best way to prevent a sewer backup in the first place? Know what you can and can’t dispose of down the drain safely. This will help you prevent clogs in any sink/drain as well as clogs developing further down the line and creating a sewer backup!

One of the biggest culprits for clogs is grease. DO NOT pour any grease down a drain, ever! Grease and oils flow when they’re in a liquid form but as it cools and solidifies it turns into a slow, thick sludge that will cling to the sides of the pipes and help other waste find a foothold on its way out the pipe.

Toilets and drains are not trash cans. The only things that should be flushed are waste and toilet paper. Not baby wipes, not feminine products, not diapers nothing but toilet paper. Even products branded as ‘flushable’ rarely are.

Get to the Root of the Problem (Tree Root that is)

Tree roots are one of the most common enemies of a working, stable plumbing system. Tree roots naturally grow out through the soil searching for water to help the tree grow. Often that means seeking their way towards the pipes running from your house to the city sewer system. When the roots find this ready source of water they’ll grow along the pipe til they find a joint and start growing into the pipe, bursting the pipe or growing inside and causing a full blockage.

Prevent this from occurring in the first place in a few ways. For one, newer pipes have a smoother plastic material that encourages roots to grow around rather than through. You can also move trees from around your pipes, cut the roots up, or sow with salt along the pipes to prevent tree roots from growing near them in the first place. This final option is pretty intense and usually best served by doing it at the start, when the pipes are first installed.

Following these steps will prevent a clog from developing in your pipes, and with clogs not developing you won’t have to worry as much about a full-blown sewer backup. And that’s the peace of mind we all want!

Have plumbing troubles already?  Give Economy a call! 

If Water Runs Through it Or To It, We Do It!

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2022 is fully here! As most folks decide on some New Year’s resoltuions to make this the best year yet, they tend to be in the usual space: Eat better, work out more, read more books – you get what we’re saying.

But what if the resolution was for saving you money and preventing a disaster? That’s right you have the power to not just save yourself some cheddar but also to help prevent a plumbing disaster from striking your home! Here’s how. Take these resolutions to heart and you’ll be able to avoid having to shell out tens of thousands of dollars to repair a plumbing calamity.

I Resolve to…

Only Flush What Can Be Flushed

We talk about it all the time, enough that we feel sick of it but it’s clear we have to do it. Only flush toilet paper and human waste. Not baby wipes, not feminine products, not diapers nothing but toilet paper. Even products branded as ‘flushable’ should be thrown in the trash, not down the toilet. 

Resolve to only flush what needs to be flushed and you’ll be doing your best to prevent a clog from developing.

Use My Garbage Disposal Properly

Garbage disposals can stand up to a lot but just like toilet drains, some things still shouldn’t be sent down the pipe. Treat your disposal kindly, don’t send grease and oil and fat down it, and it’ll serve you for a long time to come. Thankfully, taking care of it like this will also mean you’re avoiding sending anything down that could clog up your pipes. With your toilet and sink drains covered your pipes should be relatively clog free going forward!

Maintain My Hot Water Heater

Hot water heaters get a lot of use day in and day out. Whether it’s washing hands, dishes, clothes, heating up water for cooking, or taking a shower it’s getting used daily. Make sure your hot water heater is up to the task by getting it routinely checked out. It might mean having a plumber come in and flush the tank and perform a check-up but you’ll be happy you did.

Perform or Have Routine Maintenance Done

A lot of plumbing issues could be resolved if you took a routine, regular approach to them. Resolve to make sure you’re taking a look at your plumbing maintenance regularly throughout the year. What’s regular? Well start by calling out a plumber to an inspection. When it comes to pipes and plumbing there’s no telling just where you stand, especially if you aren’ the original homeowner from when the plumbing was first installed. So get a professional to take a look, and take it from there!

Remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!

Be Water Conscious

In Arizona especially, water usage is a huge concern. You can do your part by practicing water conservation methods with your plumbing. Things like taking shorter showers and turning off your faucet while brushing your teeth can save thousands of gallons of water which helps the community at large! When everyone does a little, we all benefit a lot!

Buy and Install Drain Guards

For just a few dollars you can add extra protection to all your drains throughout your home! You’re already taking care not to let anything go down the drain that shouldn’t but even things like hair or dog fur can get swept down the drain and cause a blockage. Instead, pop a drain guard in your tub and you won’t have to worry about excess hair forming a big ol’ ball of problems down the pipe.

These are just a few resolutions you can make for yourself that will deliver a much better plumbing experience over the coming year!  Need to start with a professional check-up? Call Economy Plumbing Service!

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From all of us in the Economy Plumbing Services family to yours!

Whether you celebrate Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas, the Winter Solstice – whatever your winter holiday of choice, we hope you have a great one.

We’ll see you Next Year!

Happy Holidays!

– Economy Plumbing Services LLC

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Backups are perhaps the worst experience most folks will encounter when it comes to plumbing problems. When wastewater starts flowing up through the tubs, drains, and out of toilets – well you KNOW something is wrong. When this happens you’re dealing with a backup (the water is back flowing ‘up’ into your home).

How Plumbers Clear Backups

When you experience a backup the first thing to note is you need to call a plumber right away! Even if the water goes down and seems to ‘clear’ on its own, the next time you run a washing machine or shower it’s liable to flood right back up.  When you call a plumber out here’s how they’ll clear that backup problem.

Drain backup problems are caused by a clog down the line, the cause of that clog can be a few different things including a clog from things that shouldn’t have been flushed down the toilet to a problem in the sewer line pipe itself, or even intruding roots (you might be surprised how often that is the case).

Locate the Cleanouts

The first thing the plumber is going to do when they get to your home is to look for the cleanouts. A plumbing cleanout is an easy access point for a plumber to gain further access to your plumbing drain lines to clear clogs and debris. These are often a simple black pipe with a twist-off on top sticking up in the front yard. Plumbers can remove the cap and begin running their snake down the line.

If you can, make sure you know where your cleanouts are to save some time, and be a huge help in a tough situation, such as if the call is at night, or if your yard is a bit overgrown.

Run the Snake

We have talked about snaking pipes a ton on here. With the cleanout access, the plumber can start running the snake down the drain line to clear whatever the source of the clog is. The snake will be pushed down the line, then the snake, if it’s able, is twisted to spin and push through the blockage, breaking it apart. In some cases, this is all that needs to be done to clear the line!

Replace Sewer Lines

Sometimes backups are caused because of a break down in the sewer line. The pipe might be breached, or even collapsed. To diagnose this problem a plumber will find the clean out and run a camera line down the pipe. They’ll be able to find the clog (if its still in the line) and see what might be causing the problem. There might be ovaling in the pipe, suggesting that the material has failed, the ground has shifted around the pipe, or most likely, a tree is growing nearby and the root system has penetrated the pipes. 

Whateve the cause, if your sewer lines are damaged they need to be repaired or replaced so that the backup is cleared and doesn’t come right back. It’s often the most expensive option, but it will fix the issue – so long as the issue isn’t caused by flushing things down the drain that shouldn’t be!

If the drain line is damaged or old and breaking down, the other good news is you’ll be getting newer, better-made materials installed in their place. Longer-lasting durable pipes that are designed to keep working for years to come!

With the line replaced, your backup troubles should be completely taken care of! Hopefully you weren’t without water for long, that can be a headache all it’s own.

If Water Runs Through it Or To It, We Do It!

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A sewer backup is probably the worst thing many folks will deal with when it comes to their plumbing. You’ll have wastewater overflowing into your tubs and floors, creating a serious headache when it comes to cleaning up, not to mention a serious health hazard! This time on the Economy Plumbing Service blog, we’re going to tell you everything you need to know about sewer backups!

What is a Sewer Backup

Your home has two main lines for its plumbing, the supply line, and the drain line. The supply line brings fresh, clean water from the city into your home. The drain line is the line that takes all of the wastewater from your sinks, toilets, and drains and moves it to the city sewage lines. A sewer backup is when your sewer line doesn’t drain, and instead, the wastewater comes flowing back into your home, usually through the drains in tubs or under toilets if the seals on them are broken. This is caused because there is a serious blockage in the line.

What Causes a Sewer Backup

Causes You Can’t Control

The fact of the matter is, not everything is within your control. There are a few situations that can arise without your say so and you’ll just have to roll with it when these happen, unfortunately.

• Flooding
• Clog in the City Line
• Soil Settlement

Causes You Can Control

• Tree roots
• Age of pipes
• Pouring grease, oils, fats down drains
• Poor design!

How to Spot a Sewer Backup Early

When your sewer line first starts to develop problems you’ll likely notice a few signs but you might be inclined to dismiss them as normal. But please, for your sake and ours take these signs seriously!

Slow Drains

The first sign of a problem is slow drains throughout the hose. If a single drain is slow, that points to a problem in that fixture, that can usually be cleared on your own using a hair remover, or a plunger (never a chemical cleaner!). But when the slow down seems to be hitting multiple drains, that’s a total sewer line problem.

Waste Backing Up

When wastewater from the toilet backs up into the tub or a washing machine pushes water out a toilet, you know things are a problem. A serious problem

Is it an Emergency?

Yes. If your sewer line is so backed up that waste water from your toilet is hitting other drains and sending filth and germ-filled matter into the floor of your bathroom – it’s an emergency and needs help fast. Make sure everyone stops using the plumbing in your home and place a call quick.

What to Do When The Sewer Backs Up

The first thing to do is make sure no more water is flowing to this waste line. If it’s from a faucet, turn the faucet off, close whatever valves you have or turn off the washing machine. If the water is getting close to an outlet or other electrical fixtures turn off the electricity to the area. If you know your breaker box and fuses well you can just shut those particulars off, otherwise turning off the electricity to the whole house will be a solution.

Now you can start to address the problem. You do not want to use chemical cleaners for this and there’s a few reasons for it. For one, clogs can be caused by physical things in the line that the cleaner might not break down. For two it can further eat away and damage the pipes. For three when they dont’ work and you call out a plumber to hep they could be injured by the chemical cleaner stuck in the pipe. So just don’t do it.

First, you can attempt to clear the clog by using a plunger to clear out the clog shaking it loose using the pressure. Another option is to use a snake to try and clear the clog, one that’s made for catching hair can be a great option to start clearing the line.

If the wastewater is still backing up, well, you need to call in the big guns and fast. Until a plumber comes out and fixes your drain you won’t be able to use any of the fixtures in your home. No showers, no tubs, no sinks, no toilets. Any time you do use one the water will get stuck in the drainage system and have to flow somewhere and when it does – it isn’t pretty. So call the plumber.

If Water Runs Through it Or To It, We Do It!

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Economy Plumbing Service LLC is family-owned and operated, has over 27 years of experience, and is licensed, bonded, and insured. But we wouldn’t be all those things without YOU.

When we started our operation in 90’s it was smaller, much smaller. With just a handful of tools equipment, the right people and the passion to do it right we started to offer Tucson and the surrounding era plumbing services they needed. Now, almost three decades later we’ve grown and we’re doing bigger and better jobs.

We couldn’t do what we do, and live our lives without YOU!

So as we sit down around the table this holiday, to share our thanks with our friends and family we’ll be sharing that we’re thankful for you – our customers, our clients, our community.

Thanks from all of us here at Economy Plumbing Services, and Happy Thanksgiving!

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Thanksgiving is a pretty special holiday when you think about it. It’s one of the few we have that isn’t about giving gifts to one another or celebrating a cause – it’s about thankfulness, realizing what we have to be grateful for as we continue our lives. It’s also more than a little bit about getting around that dinner table and enjoying an incredible meal together!

With all that gathering and cooking and eating, well they can do a number on your home’s plumbing! Here are some top tier plumbing pro tips to survive this Thanksgiving and avoid disaster!

Don’t Put Leftovers Down the Drain

Ok, here’s the biggest thing you can do to save yourself a plumbing heartache – don’t put leftovers down the drain! It might be tempting, but this is almost certainly a guaranteed way to clog it up. Throw those leftovers in the trash or a compost pile instead. While you’re cleaning up after cooking make sure you’re not pouring any fats or oils down the train – those will solidify in the pipes and cause you serious trouble. Instead take paper towels to mop up the grease from pots and pans and toss those in the trash, or use a jar to save and reuse the grease. But whatever you do, don’t put it down the drain!

Run That Garbage Disposal Right

The garbage disposal is a hell of a tool that we have ourselves these days but you need to use it correctly to get the best results. Start running your disposal before you put any food in, running water to let the drain fill with water. Then put the food waste into it. Allow the disposal to run and let the water to continuing running for a bit after turning the disposal off to make sure the waste doesn’t end up clogging the drain.

Use Drain Strainers

This is a tip you can start right now in all of your drains. Use sink and drain strainers to prevent any food from passing into the drain and clogging it! Keeps the water flowing while making sure nothing gets into the drain and clogs it. Use these in your bathrooms sinks and tubs as well to keep hair etc. from running down the drains and ruining your day! Remember, all of your waste lines, your sinks and drains and toilets, all run into one main sewer line away from your home.

Strainers are an ounce of prevention – which we all know is worth a pound of cure!

Wait Between Showers

Another common situation to arrive in the Thanksgiving holidays is hosting guests. If this is the case for you, make sure you are all spacing out showers enough – it’s not just about the hot water! Each shower washes dirt, grime, and hair down the drain. Waiting at least 10 minutes between showers allows your plumbing enough time to disperse all the water through the lines and into the city mainline. This is especially crucial if you didn’t take our earlier advice about using drain strainers!

Have Your Plumbing Checked Out Before Thanksgiving

There’s still time! Have a plumber come out and give your plumbing a look and assess the current state of things. You’ll be happier you did this than having to deal with a clogged line in the middle of Thanksgiving dinner! We said it before but we’ll say it again – an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and getting a plumber to make the repair before it becomes an emergency is definitely the more cost effective option!

Need a plumber right now? Want to get a checkup done before the holiday hits? You know who to call!

If Water Runs Through it Or To It, We Do It!

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If you start seeing cracks or leaks from your toilet, or it uses too much water when flushing, then you should consider replacing it. You may call in the plumber or go the DIY route. If you want to DIY, it’s not an easy task and may take the whole day, but it would save you some cost. In this case, here are the steps to follow.

Before installing the toilet

Before installing the toilet, examine the bathroom to ensure it doesn’t have manufacturing defects that may prevent its results in leaks or cause it not to seal thoroughly. Sometimes, the inlet connecting the bowl to the tank or the bottom outlet may be deformed and cause problems.

Be sure to confirm the toilet measurements and check the installation instructions before you cut the hole into the floor to install the waste line for the toilet.

Installing the toilet

• Ensure the toilet foot is flat. Otherwise, it has a higher tendency to rock and break the seal, leading to leakage and odors.
• Confirm that the floor frame for the toilet installation is adequate. Your toilet should ideally be between two sets of joists set about 12 inches on-center, and the blocking is nailed on one side of the drain as reinforcement for the closet flange area. This will reduce movement at the fixture that can break the wax ring’s seal.
• Locate the flange assembly and toilet waste pipe in the finished and rough floor to space the toilet reasonably. If the toilet waste connection is too close to the toilet wall, it may make replacement impossible without moving the waste pipe which is a lot of work.
• Cut the hole in the subfloor to fit the waste line and make it a little larger than the drain. Also, it’s ideal for the toilet to sit on the finished flooring, so you don’t have a dirt-trapping joint with the finished floor abutting the fixture. Make sure that the waste pipe connection opening has proper sizing. The waste hole should typically have a diameter between 3 and 4 inches. The waste pipe cutout opening must have a small diameter to securely bolt the toilet’s mounting flange to the waste pipe.
• Secure the closet flange to the subfloor after installing it using stainless steel or brass screws. If you have a vinyl floor, the flange can be on the subfloor directly but if it’s a tile, raise the flange to the tile’s height using the plywood spacer. You can ensure longevity by using brass closet nuts, bolts, and washers instead of plated steel often packed with the toilet. Then place the sealing wax ring of the toilet on the closet flange before setting the bowl in place.

Be sure to get your toilet mounting bolts ready before you set the toilet on the toilet flange.

• Install the two mounting bolts of the toilet by sliding the heads in the toilet mounting flange. Then position the mounting bolts of the toilet properly opposite each other and in a parallel line to the wall behind the location of the toilet. If you set the wax ring on the flange, it will help to hold the toilet mounting bolts and make them upright. Some people may prefer to securely push the wax ring to the clean toilet bottom around the waist opening of the toilet. Then you stand straddling the toilet’s bowl and hold it over the waste pipe. You may or may not need a spotter to lower the toilet base or bowl down from on top of the waste opening.
• After setting the toilet and pushing it down to the toilet flange, rotate the toilet slightly right and left one or two inches to seal the wax rings together. You can also seal a single wax ring between the upper surface and the underside or bottom of the waste pipe and toilet mounting flange.

With this approach, you’ll be able to provide plenty of wax and a thorough seal that minimizes the risks of future leaks from the toilet base. In addition, the toilet bolts are supposed to protrude up through the mounting holes at the toilet base.

• Tighten the nuts gradually on the bolt of the closet, alternating between the two sides until it’s snug but make sure you don’t over tighten it.
• Lastly, apply a silicone caulk bead to the front and sides of the toilet foot and leave the back unsealed. This will enable you to spot leaks before it develops into severe damage.

Conclusion

Doing your toilet installation by yourself can be stressful and may take a whole day, but it’s not impossible. You may as well save yourself the stress by calling a professional plumber.

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