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Tureks Plumbing, plumber Appleton Wisconsin, has put together a list of home plumbing myths. You may think you know it all when it comes to plumbing DIY’s, but these debunked myths from plumbing company Appleton Wisconsin will say otherwise.
Plumbing Myths Debunked
Continue to read this list of home plumbing myths from pipe repair Appleton WI if you want to improve your homes plumbing.
Toilets Flush in Other Directions in Other Countries
No, south of the equator, toilets do not flush in the other way states Fox Valley Plumber. The concept is inspired by the Coriolis Effect, which explains why cyclones spin. Although cyclones do spin in opposing directions across the Northern and Southern hemispheres, there isn’t enough water in toilets to cause this effect. Furthermore, the jets control the direction in which toilets drain.
Garbage Disposal Blades Can Be Sharpened With Ice
It’s hard to believe that ice could sharpen the “blades” of trash disposal, yet the myth persists. Perhaps it’s because it’s been suggested that ice cubes be used to clean garbage disposal. Instead of blades, garbage disposals contain two teeth-like features called impellers that ground particles into a liquid while the machine rotates.
A Brick in the Toilet Will Save You Money
Some people claim that placing a block in the toilet tank can conserve water. However, this will prevent your toilet from flushing properly. Check out how to detect a bargain if you need a higher working toilet.
Grease is Melted By Hot Water, Preventing Clogs
Sure, hot water dissolves the grease and flushes it away. However, after the grease has liquefied, it cools, hardens, and gradually builds up in the pipes. The grease attracts food particles, lint, and hair, blocking the pipe. And those clogs are so far away that even a domestic snake wouldn’t be able to reach them. It will cost you about $150 to hire a professional to clear the line.
In contrast, cold water hardens grease before it reaches the sewage system, allowing it to float to the municipal sewer. The disposer motor is additionally cooled by cold water, extending its life. Just pray it doesn’t turn into one of these 100 bizarre plumbing mishaps that have occurred in real life.
Flushable Wipes Are Safe For Your Toilet
One of the most common causes of pipe obstruction is “flushable” baby wipes. They don’t degrade in the same manner that toilet paper does, making it detrimental to your pipes.
Drain Cleaners Are Safe
Another plumbing suggestion is to stay away from liquid drain cleaners. Liquid drain cleaners may harm pipes since they eat away at them. Instead, use a plunger or, better yet, an auger to get the job done. What if you don’t have either? Without a plunger, here’s how to unclog a toilet.
If Your Water Heater is Rumbling, It Could Explode
It’s unlikely that your water heater will blow up. However, it’s more than likely in need of a good cleaning, explains heating company Sacramento. A significant silt buildup within the tank usually causes a rumbling or gurgling sound. Steam bubbles rising through the sediment provide the sound. Failure to solve the problem might result in your water heater failing prematurely.
Tank Cleaners Aren’t Harmful
It’s a mystery why they are still around; maybe it’s because they look so well with Grandma’s hair. Toilet pieces might wear out as a result of certain drop-ins.
You Can Clear a Clogged Sink With a Plunger
If you’ve put drain cleaners into the sink, you can’t use a plunger to dislodge the blockage. Likewise, if you’ve poured drain cleaner down the drain, don’t use a plunger on the blocked sink since the chemicals may cause significant burns when they’re forced back up through the sink by the plunging.
Contact our Tureks Plumbing team if you have any questions or concerns when it comes to these home plumbing myths.
The Tureks Plumbing staff, pipe repair Appleton Wisconsin, is ready to answer your plumbing inquiries in plain English and walk you through the fundamentals of routine repairs. Leaky faucets and malfunctioning trash disposals are only the tips of the iceberg when it comes to plumbing issues. Let’s look at some of the most often asked plumbing questions.
What Kind of Pipe Material is Used?
Follow our pipe guide below to figure out what kind of plumbing material you have in your home:
Clogged drains or a water leak may appear at any time, even in recent houses. These are the most frequent plumbing concerns, whether you’re living in an older house undergoing renovations or just buying a new home and want to be prepared:
Toilet is clogged
Clogged drains in the bathtub or shower
Garbage disposal clogged
Dripping faucets
Pipes that are leaking
Water pressure is low
Toilet isn’t flushing
Sewage odor
Sink drains slowly
How To Keep My Pipes From Clogging?
Having clogged plumbing may be significant pain. Whether it’s a clogged tub or a significant obstruction in your central sewage system, treating the issue as soon as possible can help you avoid additional harm. The most effective approach to prevent blocked pipes is to watch what you dump down the drain and toilet. As a starting point, consider the following suggestions:
When utilizing the trash disposal, run cold water through it.
If there is no trash disposal, a drain strainer should be employed.
Pouring grease or oil down the drain is not a good idea.
Run hot water over the dishes after they’ve been washed to remove any fat.
Drain stoppers in the shower and bathtub should be cleared.
Only toilet paper should be flushed down the toilet.
Septic tanks should be pumped every two to three years.
Avoid coffee grounds, bones, oil, fruit peels, and other fibrous things in the trash disposal.
What is the definition of a plumbing emergency?
Plumbing issues may not always arise during regular business hours, as helpful as that would be. When leaks and blockages occur on the weekend or in the middle of the night, you must decide whether or not you need to contact your Appleton emergency plumber.
Is there a water leak in my house?
If your house is constructed on a slab or your pipes, run underground, detecting a water leak might be challenging. The following are the most prevalent indicators of a water leak:
Flooring that is damp or spongy
The sound of flowing water coming from the walls has increased the monthly water bill.
Water pressure drop
In one area of the yard, the grass is greener.
If you’re having any of these problems, call your Appleton, WI plumber for help with leak detection.
What is the average lifespan of a water heater?
Water heaters typically last 8 to 12 years. Maintaining your device regularly can help it last longer. If you have a traditional tank water heater, emptying it once a year will assist in removing silt and minerals that may accumulate at the bottom. If your water heater sits in the garage, ensure that your garage is sealed so animals and weather don’t ruin your heater, explains our friends LMS Garage Doors. If your water heater isn’t too old but is showing symptoms of wear and tear, contact a water heater repair professional in Appleton to get it back up and running.
Is it necessary for me to get a new toilet?
If your toilet is causing you trouble, it may be time to replace it. The following are some indicators that it’s time to replace your toilet:
Clogs that do not go away
After each usage, flush many times.
Toilets that are more than ten years old are inefficient in energy use.
Continued leaks
Will the sewage line repair necessitate tearing up my yard?
Tureks Plumbing can conduct most sewage line repair work without digging using trenchless sewer repair methods. The expense of traditional sewer repair is split between the sewage line repair and the repair of yard work, driveways, or flooring. Our professionals use trenchless sewer line repair to handle your plumbing issues with the least amount of damage to your property.
Is damage from a busted pipe covered by homeowners insurance?
One of the most typical homes insurance claims is for damage caused by broken pipes. Most insurance companies will pay for damage caused by leaky or broken pipes if the problem could not have been avoided. You may take the following actions to prevent damaged pipes or leaky appliances:
Ensure baths and showers are properly caulked and sealed, and check for leaky faucets both inside and out.
If you live in a chilly climate, insulate your pipes.
Inspect and replace appliance hoses on your dishwasher or washing machine regularly.
What can I do to keep my pipes from freezing?
Follow these pipe insulation procedures to avoid frozen pipes:
Before covering the pipes with insulation, run a heating cable along with them. The line will maintain a steady temperature in the pipes.
Look for noticeable cracks around the foundation or basement on the exterior of your house. Fill cracks with spray foam or caulking.
Turn off your outside faucets’ water valves. Allow extra water to drain, then use an insulated dome to keep the faucets freezing.
You may allow warm air from your house to reach the pipes under your sinks by opening the cabinet doors.
To avoid your heating system crashing during the cold months, get your HVAC system examined once a year. The low weather may have an immediate impact on your plumbing.
Allow your faucets to drip slowly and quietly. Even a small quantity of water running can help avoid frozen pipes.
Contact Tureks Plumbing Today for Plumbing Services in Appleton WI
Our professionals are ready to assist you with the upkeep of your house. We’ll assess the issues, explain the situation, and provide simple remedies to bring your home back to normal as soon as possible. So for all of your plumbing and HVAC requirements, give Tureks Plumbing a call today.
The stench of a noxious sump pump is alarming. Homeowners in Wisconsin want to know whether the stench coming from their sump pump is normal or if it indicates a greater issue. In the majority of situations, repairing a stinky sump pump is simple. A plumber Appleton Wisconsin should be called in certain cases.
Reasons Your Sump Pump Smells
That’s when Tureks, your plumbing company Appleton Wisconsin, enters the picture! We’ve assembled all the details you’ll need to understand why your sump pump stinks. Due to the fact that sump pumps deal with waste, homeowners want to make sure the scent isn’t out of the norm. With these pointers, the distinctions are easily discernible. However, should there be an emergency, please call your emergency plumber Fox Valley.
What Is The Purpose Of A Sump Pump?
First and foremost, homeowners must comprehend the role of the sump pump in their house and why it is critical that it stay odorless.Your Fox Valley Plumber states, because of the quantity of rain that falls in Wisconsin, sump pumps are very vital. What your sump pump performs for your house is as follows.
Sump pumps are used to collect and transport water away from your property. It can accomplish this with both indoor and outdoor water (water you use on a regular basis). The water is pumped from the pump to a safe water disposal facility, such as a storm drain or a dry well. This keeps your basement from flooding.
The sump pump does this by sitting in a sump basin located at the lowest place in your basement. When water or dirt is pushed into the foundation by pressure, the water naturally migrates to the basin since it is the lowest point. The water then exits your house via one-way valve-equipped pipes and into a secure location.
A fan-like device called an impeller also drives water toward the pipe’s sidewalls, creating a low-pressure zone. As a result, the water continues to flow through the pipe. When it comes to water, the longer it sits, the more issues it poses. Your basement will not be flooded if everything works properly.
When some components of the system go unmaintained for an extended length of time, the sump pump scent emerges. As a result, the next time you contact Tureks, put maintenance at the top of your priority list!
What Is That Smell?
When sump pumps have a problem, they might smell like a number of things. These odors may make your basement stink, causing you to avoid it entirely. Here are some of the most prevalent odors associated with sump pumps.
Gas
The sump pump may emit a gas-like odor. The odor seems to be gasoline at first, but it is really coming from the sewage. When the sump pump dries up, sewer gas escapes into the house, causing the odor to enter your home. This gas is derived from trash and consists of both benign and dangerous gasses. In a nutshell, be careful of a gaseous odor!
Mildew
Mildew is a frequent odor associated with sump pumps. Mold and mildew develop within the sump pump because it is continually wet. As with anything that gathers water, you’ll want to keep the sump pump as dry as possible without compromising its operation.
Sulfur
Perhaps you can smell rotten eggs—or, more precisely, sulfur—from your sump pump. Sump pumps are known to emit a bad stench for a variety of reasons, the most prevalent of which being dirt build-up.
Waste
Here’s one that’s self-evident: waste. Waste enters the sump pump on a regular basis, which is unpleasant to think about. As a result, waste materials accumulate over time. Clogs may occur as a result of these build-ups. In most situations, cleaning the sump pump is all that is required to eliminate the odor.
Why Your Sump Pump Might Smell
Although the preceding part delves into some of the reasons for a sump pump odor, it’s critical to understand all of the facts. Sump pumps keep your plumbing system clean on a daily basis, so know where to go if anything goes wrong. Some of the most prevalent reasons for a sump pump odor are listed below.
Sump Pump is Dry
Sump pumps dry out after a lengthy period of usage. Because the water no longer covers the air from the gasses, the sewage gas that gathers in the pump is discharged into the residence. In the best-case scenario, this results in a bad odor. Sewer gas leaks, on the other hand, may create health concerns and pose a fire threat in the worst-case scenario.
Water that has become stagnant
Sump pumps catch water before they dry up. For long periods of time, this water rests in the basin with little movement. Mold and mildew thrive in this atmosphere. This growth doesn’t affect the pump’s performance, but it does emit a musty, disagreeable odor.
The Sump Pump is Dirty
Your sump pump’s odor might be due to how unclean it becomes over time. Because the sump pump deals with waste, dirt and other material gather rapidly. Though this may not produce an immediate problem, the build-up over time might develop a blockage.
The Accumulation of Waste
The scent of the sump pump is caused by waste build-up. A sump pump is often utilized in a house, which means it gathers waste on a daily basis. When you use a sump pump for a long time, the waste accumulates. This, of course, produces a nasty odor to pervade your house.
Cracked or Shattered
A sump pump odor, in the worst-case situation, indicates a cracked or damaged section of your plumbing. This component might be found in your plumbing system or on the sump pump itself. In either case, your sump pump will be severely harmed.
How to Get Rid of the Smell of a Sump Pump
We can examine some of the remedies now that you understand the reasons for a sump pump odor. Professional sump pump maintenance is required once a year, but there are several things you can do at home to minimize the terrible odor it generates. Here are some of the most effective remedies for these frequent problems.
Repair Any Cracks or Leaks
Sealing the gaps and leaks is one of the best ways to decrease the sump pump smell, which is comparable to mildew. This applies to all of your home’s plumbing. Check for cracks or leaks in all of your pipes and water systems and cover them with waterproof sealant. Also, look for fractures on the sump pump or in the concrete around the system. This removes any extra moisture that might contribute to mildew or mold formation.
Make Sure the System is Clean
This solution for a sump pump odor may seem straightforward, but cleaning your sump pump requires both physical and mental effort. The process entails removing the pump from the sump pit (wear lots of protective gear) and cleaning it with warm water. Depending on how much water the environment gathers over time, homeowners should clean their sump pump every six months or once a year.
Bleach Solution That Has Been Diluted
Here’s another way to get rid of mildew odors. To get rid of mold and mildew, use a diluted bleach solution. You just need to pour a little amount of this solution into the sump basin. Even if mildew isn’t to blame for the stench, the bleach solution will assist to refresh the system and decrease smells.
Fill With Water
The simplest solution for a sump pump odor produced by a dry basin is to replace the sump pump. Simply refill with water and you will immediately notice a change! Sewer gasses are always present in the sump pump system, but they are difficult to detect when there is a layer of water on top of them. In a sense, the water filters the gas particles, removing the odor as well as the harmful side effects of sewage gas.
Maintenance
Performing preventive maintenance on your sump pump system is one of the greatest methods to avoid a sump pump odor. You can achieve this by cleaning your sump pump on a regular basis, evaluating the general condition of your plumbing, and having your system inspected by a professional once a year. It’s the most effective approach to eliminate smells!
Make An Appointment With a Professional
When you can’t seem to get rid of the sump pump odor, it’s time to see a specialist. Tureks skilled plumbers are available to assist you with any sump pump issues you may have. We’ll get rid of the odor and solve any issues we notice along the way.
Please Get in Touch With Us
In Appleton, Tureks wants residents to feel at ease in their homes. That means living in an odor-free environment with a sump pump that really works! The stench of a sump pump doesn’t have to bother you, so follow these steps to get rid of it as quickly as possible.
Please contact us or visit our website or Facebook for more information on our plumbing services. We provide plumbing guidance to Fox Valley residents on a number of concerns. You may get by without a plumber on occasion, but when you do, Tureks is there for you!
