Tureks Plumbing Services Blog: Archive for the ‘Plumbing Problems’ Category

WHAT NOT TO FLUSH DOWN YOUR TOILET

Thursday, March 9th, 2017

Do Not Flush These Objects Into Your Toilet

There are only two things that need to be flushed down a toilet: human waste and regular toilet paper.

There is one reason why a clogged toilet is one of the leading plumbing problems in a household. People throw things into the toilet that they shouldn’t.

Some people think of the toilet as another trash can where they can dispose of anything they like. But when you throw foreign objects into the toilet, you will not only cause clogs in the toilet. Apart from that, you can experience other problems like damage to the septic tank and pollution. Furthermore, you will need to spend money to fix these problems.

What are the objects that you should not throw into the toilet?

Food and cooking oil/grease

Some homeowners think that it is all right to throw grease into the toilet because it is a liquid. However, grease can congeal when it cools down. And when that happens, the solidified grease can clog the pipes.

Cleaning pads and wet wipes

Plumbers from around the country have seen a marked increase in toilet clogs and backups in sewage pipes. The culprit? Wet wipes.

Instead of throwing used wipes into the toilet, find a trash can and throw these there.

Dental floss

Dental floss is non-biodegradable. Over time, as more of this item accumulates in the toilet, it can cause clogs.

Cotton balls and Q-tips

Cotton does not break down after you flush it down the toilet. Instead, it accumulates and forms clumps which then cause clogs, especially in areas where the pipes bend.

Diapers

Diapers expand when these are put underwater, making them difficult to flush down toilets. However, if you manage to flush one, it can get caught in the bend of the pipe and cause a clog.

Expired pills

If you find expired pills in your medicine cabinet, do not flush these down the toilet. Although these will not cause the toilet to clog, it can cause water pollution. And when the water you flush down the toilet finds its way to the groundwater supply, it can harm wildlife.

Tissues and paper towels

If you prefer to use paper towels and tissues, do not throw these into the toilet. Unlike regular toilet papers, these do not dissolve in the water.

Cigarette butts

If you must smoke in a bathroom, dispose of your cigarette butts properly. When you throw cigarette butts into the toilet, these will simply float on the water. And when the water flushed down the toilet gets to the groundwater supply, that water will be loaded with lots of harmful chemicals.

Have a clogged toilet? Contact us for help!

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How to Deal with Basement Flooding

Friday, March 3rd, 2017

basement flooding

Basement and Bathroom Flooding

Any type of flooding in your home is a problem, but two of the worst types that your household could experience are bathroom flooding and basement flooding.

Bathroom flooding can be a disgusting process for all because of the human waste factor and how it can impact your entire household’s daily hygiene routine. Despite this, basement flooding remains a much bigger concern. Aside from the fact that it can be caused by everything from overland flooding, to infiltration flooding, to sewer backup, to a combination of two or all three of these types of flooding (different levels of nastiness for flood water), it can also lead to serious structural damages that can make your home unsafe to live in.

Since the basement is part of the house’s foundation, compromised elements in this room can alter the integrity of the entire structure. It’s important to mention as well that because of the room’s location, it’s quite prone to mold growth, which can pose health risks for you and your family. Molds are not easy to treat, and getting rid of them will not only set your finances back, but it will also be a great inconvenience to your family since you will be asked to evacuate your home until the situation is properly resolved.

Suffice it to say, basement flooding is a situation that needs to be addressed as soon as possible. You can’t let dirty water just sit in the room and breed all sorts of potentially harmful elements; the quicker you get rid of the water, the better. For this job, you will need plumbing specialists to help drain the flood and also correctly identify the cause of flooding.

Urgently addressing the situation is required if the flooding is caused by sewer backup. Applegate and Fox Valley plumbers say that while contaminated water is the main issue, other factors worsen the problem. Flooding can place extra pressure on the pipes underneath the home and this can result in the heaving of basement floors, especially when improper backwater valves are used.

Also, weeping tiles are connected to the municipal system through sanitary sewer laterals or storm sewer laterals, and sewage can be pressured back into the weeping tiles; this may result in great damage to the home, which will not only require repairs but replacement of materials as well.

If you need to have your basement serviced due to flooding, your insurance company may be able to help shoulder the cost due to sewer back-up, so do get in touch with them to see if your insurance policy can actually cover the cost of sewer backup damage. If it does, you won’t have to worry much about getting your home properly restored.

Contact us today for more information.

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DIY Plumbing or Hire a Professional?

Thursday, August 25th, 2016

DIY Plumbing

DIY Plumbing or Should I Hire a Professional?

The DIY route’s main charm is the promise to save you money; by not hiring the pricey services of the professionals, you truly can prevent a heavy cash outflow. But, here’s something everybody should know about DIY projects: They do not always go as planned, especially if it’s your first time undertaking such work. It doesn’t matter if the task is a simple or a complex one; if it’s your first time, you can bet that things will not go as smoothly as the YouTube tutorial you might be following.

Now, if you already have some experience with repairs or you simply have the special gift of “tinkering” with things successfully, then by all means, go and DIY! However, before taking on any project, be sure to evaluate the task thoroughly; know your limits and recognize when to hire the pros.

For example, with plumbing, you should be able to differentiate the difficulty of certain repairs and installations to be carried out. Say, you need to replace a faucet or an old washing machine hose, or fix toilet hardware; ask yourself, “Are they the DIY plumbing or hire-a-professional type of tasks?” Actually, those are plumbing jobs that you can do yourself because there aren’t too many risks surrounding these issues.

Hire a Professional Tasks

Hire-a-professional tasks, according to the plumbers that Applegate and Fox Valley residents turn to, are for big ticket projects such as remodeling and renovations because experience and highly technical skills are required for these. Other tasks only pros should take care of are sump pump repair, backed up toilets, and other gnarly issues that can compromise safety and living conditions.

Plumbing tasks that truly should never be done through DIY are anything involving gas appliances or lines. A Fox Valley plumber says that you should never take risks with anything that involves gas. A misstep with a gas appliance or pipe can be very dangerous. Experienced plumbers have a tried-and-tested safe procedure for installation and repair; you can have the assurance that the job will be completed properly.

So, here are the rules of thumb in determining if a DIY plumbing job is something you can do or if it needs a professional:

  •         If the job is something that you don’t want to pay for twice, hire the pros.
  •         If it’s a big-ticket item, call the pros.
  •         For replacements of small plumbing hardware that you’re familiar with, take the DIY route.
  •         If a repair doesn’t require special skills, tools or require strict safety standards, you can DIY.
  •         For anything that involves gas, call the pro.
  •         If you want to restore the proper working order of your plumbing system as soon as possible, call the pros.

If you have a plumbing problem in Fox Valley, contact the plumbing experts at Turek’s Plumbing today!

 

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Why Do My Pipes Rattle When I Flush The Toilet?

Tuesday, June 21st, 2016

Pipes Rattling

Why Do My Pipes Rattle When I Flush The Toilet?

If you live alone and your plumbing makes all sorts of weird noises, it’s certainly hard not to get spooked. It is especially easy to get spooked on cold nights when the plumbing is more likely to rattle. Blame the horror movies that used faulty plumbing as a prelude to the appearance of a serial killer or another suspicious creatures. 

The Big Question

“Why do my pipes rattle when I flush the toilet?” you ask yourself. The odds of that being due to the presence of some creepy creature is unlikely, so stop scaring yourself. According to a plumber in Fox Valley, that noise is usually caused by loose pipes, high water pressure, or a water hammer.

 

Three Potential Causes To Address Rattling

These three potential causes are very easy to for a Fox Valley plumber to help you address.

Loose Pipes

For loose pipes, plumbers just need to secure them in place so they don’t go jiggling about and making noises. To do this, plumbers access the pipes through an open area where the pipes are exposed, such as in the basement. But if there’s no access panel and all pipes are concealed, plumbers cut through the wall or ceiling (and replace the cut part after), inspect the loose pipes, and then clip them in place. When this minor repair is completed, you can test the fixtures to see if using them will create those rattling sounds again.

Strong Water Pressure 

Now, when it comes to strong water pressure that causes pipes to vibrate, highly trained and experienced plumbers say that the easiest solution is to install a pressure-reducing valve. This little implement can make sure that the water pressure in your home is just between 40 to 60 pounds per square inch or PSI.

Water Hammer Arrestor

And as for a water hammer, which is caused by fast-closing valves like faucets and toilet fill valves, one of the solutions is a water hammer arrestor — this is added to the offending pipes. Take note that only professional plumbers should perform this repair. Adding a water hammer arrestor usually requires cutting and soldering pipes – it’s a lot of work that requires precision. Another solution to consider for a water hammer is to replace the toilet’s fill valves with quieter, slow-shutting fill valves.

 

Plumbing noises such as rattling pipes are easy to fix so, don’t delay in taking care of this problem. Call in the professionals at Turek’s Plumbing to help with your plumbing problems. Timely repair will restore your peace of mind. Timely repair can also prevent further damage to your pipes, which is more complicated and expensive to resolve. 

 

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Do You Have More Than One Clogged Toilet?

Friday, June 10th, 2016

clogged toilet

What Do You Do When You Have More Than One Clogged Toilet?

All toilets, at some point, will clog. Older plumbing systems might lead to more clogs than newer systems. And misuse, like flushing down things you shouldn’t flush in toilets, inevitably leads to clogging. So don’t get too stressed out when one toilet starts to overflow. Take a plunger to it and take care of it.

But when both bathrooms seem to be acting “in concert,” and you’re at your wits end because not one, but two toilets are clogged you need more than just the humble plunger to fix the problem.

 

Two Is Not Better Than One

When you have one clogged toilet in the upstairs bathroom and another one in the downstairs bathroom, it might mean your septic tank is already full. This is if your property’s on a septic system. Another reason for both toilets getting backed up is a clog in the main sewer line. This is if your house is connected to the main sewer.

Whether it’s a full septic tank or a clogged main sewer line, both indicate serious plumbing problems. And only licensed plumbers have the knowledge, experience, and the tools to take care of the problem.

Incidentally, water backing up out of your toilets is one of the red flags to watch out for where the main sewer line is concerned. This is because toilets have the most direct path to the sewer, and the biggest drain in your house. A number of issues could be causing the main sewer line clog, like massive tree roots in your waste line.

 

Resolving the Clog

Immediately call your licensed Fox Valley plumber when you have two clogged toilets. Googling the problem and seeking advice in online forums are not going to be of much help. Only trained plumbers know how to figure out exactly what is causing the clog in your toilets.

The plumber will need to assess the clog. What happens when the toilets are flushed? Will the water come up and overflow? Or will it simply settle a little bit and then go down? Does water back up in your sink or tub when all taps are running?

With appropriate assessment, your plumber will be able to tell the extent of the clogged toilet, and from there, resolve the clog permanently.

It’s a nightmare to deal with toilets that are clogged. It is especially stressful when the clog happens when everyone else is asleep. With the right plumber, who can also do emergency service, you’ll get the right solution to the problem. So contact your local Fox Valley plumber now before your toilets start backing up.

 

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Why Flushable Wipes Are Causing Plumbing Problems

Friday, May 20th, 2016

Why Flushable Wipes Are Causing Plumbing Problems

It’s true, flushable wipes are causing plumbing problems across Fox Valley 

Moist towelettes, wipes — it doesn’t really matter what you call them, but they’re great for staying sanitized. They’re so much better than regular tissues since they’re already wet; plus, they don’t scratch the skin. A lot of times, as well, they come with skin boosters like antibacterial components or vitamins; some are even come with a refreshing scent.

Where we see the most common plumbing problem is in homes where parents are using flushable wipes for potty training Toddlers.

We know, parents swear by flushable wipes for keeping their children clean and comfortable during this process. Typically we end up buy packs of them and while they are meant for toilet training they quickly become useful for cleaning everything from toys, counter tops, faucets, and many other elements in the space we are spending time working with our little ones. From there they get flushed. Why, because the package says FLUSHABLE. It makes complete sense. 

These wipes are not just turning up in pipes where little ones are present. We find that these plumbing hazards are bringing additional delight to germophobes across Fox Valley as well. However, as great as these disposable wipes are in keeping people clean, they are a significant cause of plumbing problems for a lot of places, including Fox Valley homeowners and Appleton, Wi residents.

Why flushable wipes are causing plumbing problems

  • According to our plumbing engineers who are tasked to deal with the problems caused by these flushable wipes, the material for this great cleaning tool is still not as biodegradable as your typical tissue paper, which actually still gets caught in plumbing pipes.
  • These wipes are woven so well that they don’t disintegrate easily, so they just collect in drains and build up into a huge bulk. They are not designed to tear quickly because they’ll be less effective as cleaning tools. Even deliberately tearing them is not easy – a child can get frustrated trying to rip them to shreds.
  • To make the problem worse, there are so many wipes on the market nowadays that claim to be “flushable” when they’re not. Of course, when they’re labeled flushable, people automatically ditch looking around for a trash bin nearby, and turn to the toilet for quick disposal.
  • Our master plumbers also point out that the term “flushable” is so casually plastered on packaging without any proof. Most manufacturers don’t hold great accountability for properly educating users on responsible wipes disposal. They don’t make important instructions as prominent as they could.
  • Another issue here is that there are no reliable groups that are constantly testing everything, from the said product to their packaging.
  • Lastly, a lot of people really don’t want to throw their soiled wipes in the trash. With this behavior, it certainly is no wonder these wipes are clogging up and damaging plumbing systems.

What can be done?

We are not saying flushable wipes are terrible and you should not buy them. We understand how convenient and useful they are. The easiest and smartest solution is simply to throw them in the trash. Other than that, there really is nothing more that can be done to prevent wipes from clogging up drains. However if you continue to flush them regularly, there will come a time where your toilets and tubs will get backed up. Trust us, we see it all too often. The plumbing professionals at Turek’s Plumbing are here to help you get rid of clogs and clear the problem through your main clean out. It’s not a complicated repair but it does take the tools and expertise of a professional plumber to repair. Save yourself the hassle and throw those things in the trash. 

 

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