Eco-Friendly Drain Cleaning Options

When it comes to drains and sewers in the house plumbing system, preventing serious clogs and back-ups is better than clearing them out after they build-up. Drain clogs can be removed inexpensively and easily if caught early. However, if the clog stays longer in the pipe, breaking or dislodging it becomes complicated. Drain clogs can cause germs and bacteria to breed and contaminate the home’s water supply. These clogs can also cause the water to back-flow and flood the home. Also, the home’s plumbing lines that are connected to a bigger sewer line can be clogged with the growing roots of the trees. This can also cause flood in the home, resulting in more damages and expensive repairs.

Not until recently, if the drain gets clogged, cracked, broken, or warped, the entire pipe would have to be excavated, unclogged, and replaced. Today, there are simpler, quicker, and cheaper drains cleaning options which are not only as effective as they used to be, but are also more eco-friendly.

One environment-friendly option is the high-pressure jetting. Devices of 300-400 psi are being used for this process. The high-pressure water jets clear most blockages that have been accumulated in drains like grease, debris, and waste. There are also numerous specialized plumbing tools used to clear stubborn drain clogs like chewing gum and graffiti. Mechanical drain snakes and plungers are some of the tools used by experienced plumbers to free up clogs.

Another green option is the use of bacteria-based drain cleaners. These enzymatic biological drain cleaners use natural enzyme and bacterial mixture to keep the drains clear. These enzyme cleaners multiply and eat away all grease, hairs, and any organic matter that have been build-up in the pipes, making them a long-term solution for drain cleaning.

Have a clogged drain or considering preventive maintenance drain cleaning? Contact Plumbing For Less in Atlanta today at 404-509-6866.

40+ Year Old Home? May be Time to For a Trenchless Sewer Line Replacement

When you are buying a home, it is a good idea to have your sewer line inspected, particularly in homes that are 40 years old or older.

What is Trenchless Sewer Replacement?

Trenchless sewer line replacement allows one hole to be dug where the problem area starts and another hole to be dug where the problem area ends. In one method of pipe repair called sewer pipe bursting, a burst can be done at the ending point. This consists of using a bursting head which breaks open the pipe and allows the machinery to pull another pipe right behind and put it in place. Another method of sewer line replacement is called sewer line relining. This method involves blowing a new liner into the space of the old sewer pipe. The liner is soaked in a resin that will later harden. A special bladder inflates the liner and it follows the exact contours of the old pipe and hardens in place. Either process can be done by the trenchless method of repair. No additional digging is needed. No lawns, sidewalks, or parking lots are torn up and destroyed.

Benefits of Trenchless Sewer Replacement

The following are several benefits of having a trenchless sewer line replacement:

• It takes less than half the time to replace new sewer lines with the trenchless method.
• Landscaping is not harmed or permanently destroyed.
• No backhoe or other heavy equipment is required.
• Repairs are generally more cost effective.

Many homeowners report that their biggest fear is needing to make expensive sewer line repairs. Avoid the possibility of opening yourself up for a large, expensive problem before it occurs.

If your home is over 40 years old, contact Plumbing 4 Less today at 404-753-9191 to have one of our professional trenchless sewer line replacement specialists come out and inspect your home.

Should I Hire A Plumber To Install My Garbage Disposal

Garbage disposal installation should be performed by a licensed plumber to ensure that no disruption to the pipes has occurred. Usually a pipe leading from the garbage disposal into the drain line where the ground food residue goes is connected to another pipe beyond the wall that cannot be seen.

In removing the old disposal, if too much torque is applied to the outlet pipe the pipe that it connects to beyond the wall could crack of come lose creating a leak that would allow black mold to grow.

Installing a trap, which is in between the outlet pipe and the pipe the other side of the wall, is a task that requires some knowledge about traps and where they should be placed in the outlet line.

Removing the garbage disposal is a difficult task for the novice because it does not fit like any other plumbing fixture. It is very heavy and cannot be removed without taking off the outlet pipe. There are a number of different seal rings and bolts that serve to keep the disposal in place and keep it from leaking.

Once the garbage disposal is down the sink rink lifts up and the plumber’s putty that is left under the ring must be completely removed. This ring cannot move while the mounting ring underneath the sink is being dismounted.

Now the fun part begins. The garbage disposal which is very heavy must be held in place while the attaching ring and bolts are tightened in place. It takes skill to keep the installation from leaking.

It would be advisable to consult with a plumber about the type of garbage disposal required by the homeowner based on the kind of usage. Disposal units have various rates of power measured in horsepower such as ¼ hp, ½ hp and ¾ hp. A plumber can recommend the best rate of horsepower for the usage the disposal will get.

One more good reason to hire a plumber is the homeowner has a person to call if a problem occurs. That is comforting rather than trying to figure out what went wrong on the homeowner’s part.

For garbage disposal or any other general plumbing projects contact the pros at Plumbing For Less, Atlanta's premier Plumbing company. 404-509-6866

The Benefits Of Hiring A Licensed Plumber

Plumbers do various jobs around residential and commercial properties. When hiring a plumber to perform a job it is very beneficial if the plumber is licensed. Some of the benefits include better knowledge of the related problem, proper insurance regulations, the proper use of equipment and the overall safety of the home when installing.

Differences Between Licensed Plumbers and Unlicensed Plumbers? 
The licensed plumbers can be found in the yellow pages or in various ads. When you get into contact with the plumber you can ask him or her if they are a licensed plumber. If the plumber says yes you can ask to see their business license, or you can contact your local county clerk of court to verify if the plumber is licensed. Licensed plumbers have taken the proper education classes and have past State and National tests to become licensed. This shows that the licensed plumbers are well knowledgeable in their field of trade. Un-licensed plumbers have not taken the proper educational classes or test that licensed plumbers have. Licensed plumbers are always bonded and have a form of liability insurance. These methods are very important because if a mistake is made on the job than the plumbing company can pay for the damages with their insurance. Un-licensed plumbers usually are not bonded or insured, which can create troubles if a mistake is made.

Cost Effective
Most homeowners will hire un-licensed plumbers because the un-licensed plumber will charge cheaper for the job than a licensed plumber. This method sounds great at first, but many problems can be associated with this. If an unlicensed plumber uses poor equipment and performs the job below average; than the homeowner will have to hire someone else to fix the problem. This means that the cost of the job will double. Studies have also shown that un-licensed plumbers generally use cheaper materials that will not last as long as the materials that licensed plumbers use.

Continuous Education
In order for licensed plumbers to keep their license they must stay constantly educated about their trade. Many licenses require general education classes every few years to keep a plumbers license active. This shows that licensed plumbers are continuously learning more techniques about their trade to make their jobs easier and beneficial for the people they work for.

When hiring a plumber for work in your home or office you should always be looking for a licensed plumber, contact the pros at Plumbing For Less, Atlanta's premier Plumbing company 404-509-6866.

Hire A Plumber For Bathroom Leak Repairs

For homeowners, the kitchen and bathroom tend to be the most important rooms in the home, and for obvious reasons. You cook, wash, bath, and take care of daily needs in both of these rooms. When the homeowner encounters a problem with either, it may be time to consider a professional plumber to address any needed repairs.

The bathroom, as compact and simple as it may seem, can pose a challenge when fixtures develop problems at any level. As much as some homeowners would love to classify all of these problems as DIY projects, it may not be the case. Even a homeowner with an aptitude for plumbing may want to consider a professional. Timely repairs are critical when dealing with plumbing related issues, in either the bathroom or kitchen. Homeowners that are pressed for time due to long work hours and other commitments may not have a enough time to set aside for repair projects.

Depending on the age of your bathroom, the skills of a professional plumber may be necessary to complete any repairs. Traditional installations that rely on materials such as copper pipe will require experience with preparing and soldering joints that will be long lasting and leak free. Combining copper plumbing with more modern solutions such as cross-linked polyethylene pipe, or PEX, will also require professional knowledge in order to ensure that unions are fashioned correctly.

The repair of fixtures used in tubs and showers offer a unique challenge to any professional. Depending on construction methods, access to plumbing may be difficult and may even require opening walls, and restoring them to original condition after the plumbing repair has been completed.

As much as sinks and toilets seem very straight forward, a plumber with years of experience will be armed with tips and tricks that will effect quick and efficient repairs. These types of repairs may not be obvious to the homeowner, who typically assumes the worst. It is not uncommon for a DIY project to escalate into a major repair simply because the obvious fix was unfortunately overlooked.

Knowing that you can reach a professional plumber to handle both general repairs and emergencies offers the homeowner piece of mind knowing that help is only a phone call away. It is very true what they say. Some things are best left to the professionals.

For complex bathroom or kitchen leaks contact the pros at Plumbing For Less, serving the entire Atlanta and surrounding areas. 404-509-6866

Unclog A Toilet Using A Toilet Auger

The toilet is one of the most important parts of a house. Toilet hygiene should be maintained and this includes avoiding toilet clogs. Toilet clogs are among the most common problems that affect the toilet. When the toilet is clogged, waste material cannot be flushed to the sewage system and if the situation is severe, the water and other waste products spill off and flow to other places in the house.

Unclogging a toilet can be quite tasking depending on how severe the clog is. It is therefore important to ensure that you avoid having a clogged toilet. First of all, you should never flush heavy product papers down the toilet drain. These include polythene papers, photocopy papers and manila papers. The type of toilet paper used should be easy to disintegrate in water. Avoid having too much paper in the toilet as it might lead to clogging. The type of paper thrown into the toilet should be safe for the septic tank and plumbing systems.

You should only flush a small amount of toilet paper at a time to avoid clogging. The non-paper materials like toys, stones, metals and cloths should never be thrown down the drain. These will definitely clog the toilet. Lastly, children and people who are new to using flush toilets should be taught how to use them to avoid clogging occurrences.

If you happen to have a toilet clog, there are several ways to go about it. One of the toilet clog removal methods is using a toilet auger. A toilet auger is basically a tool with a long sleeve handle and an offset hand crank. It also has an auger bit at the tip that is used to unclog a toilet and remove obstructions like a piece of cloth. It is about 3 feet therefore long enough to go deep into the toilet. It is the most effective way of unclogging the toilet therefore it is usually the last option when all the others have failed.

The toilet auger can be purchased at hardware shops or special plumbing shops. It might be quite challenging using the toilet auger for the first time. It is therefore important to have a plumber do the unclogging for you. It is very easy to find a professional plumber in Atlanta. Plumbers in Atlanta can be found online. Before settling on one, it is wise to read reviews on the plumber you are interested in in order to make a wise decision.

Replace and Repair Water Heater Heaters

Many do not know it, but the biggest aspect of your home plumbing system is your hot water heater. This tall cylinder, normally hidden in closet, garage or attic, heats and stores hot water for home consumption.

A hot water heater uses electricity or gas to heat elements inside the tank that in turn heat the water to an appropriate temperature. This temperature is normally well above 120 degrees and is hot enough to severely burn someone. Herein lies part of the danger of a hot water tank system.

Hot water heaters mix electricity and water; two things that do not mix well. For the average homeowner, a clogged toilet may present a serious challenge. Replacing and repair hot water heaters, on the other hand, require the services of a professional plumber.

There are a myriad of things that can go wrong with a hot water system. Commonly, the thermostats that control the temperature of the water will die and need replacing. The average homeowner may have the tools necessary, but not the correct part. A professional plumber will have the tools, parts and most importantly the knowledge to make the repair quickly and safely.

Another common problem is the element itself will burn out. This will require the entire tank drained of water and the element replaced with a new one. Homeowners who lack knowledge of draining tanks and turning off water valves to the tanks should contact a professional for this service. If you do not turn the water off, you stand a good chance of flooding your home.

If you live in an area with extremely hard water or use a water softening system, your tank will eventually need full replacement. This will mean draining the tanks, removing them and replacing them with new systems. Since an average tank holds 50 gallons of water, the homeowner who attempts such a task must have somewhere for the water to drain, or a catastrophe could occur. A professional will be able to drain and replace the tank easily and dispose of the old tank as well.

If you are a real do-it-yourself person, then by all means attempt to repair or replace your hot water tank. When an accident happens and there are pools of water on the wife’s floor, call a professional plumber to come and repair what you have fixed.

In need of a new hot water heater or just need the old one inspected. Contact the pros at Plumbing For Less, Atlanta's premier hot water heater replacement plumber. 404-509-6866