The Top Ten Most Common Household Repairs: May 10, 2010
Most people don’t pay much attention to their household items, such as their mechanical systems. We take for granted our water heaters, toilets, faucets, furnaces, until the stop working. Then, comes the panicked call to Grand Lake Plumbing & Heating. In this issue of Around the House, we wanted to educate you on the top ten most common household repairs, and how Grand Lake Plumbing & Heating can help you when your appliances need some extra TLC.
“Old Reliable” churns away in your basement or utility room day after day, month after month, year after year. Expect every once in awhile, when the modern water heater doesn’t do what it’s supposed to do. That’s when you call a plumbing contractor saying “no hot water.” This is the #1 reason why people call a plumbing or heating contractor, according to a survey taken a few years ago by the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Information Bureau (PHCIB) in Chicago. A related problem, a leaking water heater, came in at number five out of the top ten.
Regular care and maintenance can forestall most of these breakdowns. Have your plumbing & heating systems inspected, cleaned and checked at least once a year. At Grand Lake Plumbing & Heating we offer three different service agreements, plumbing, heating, and a combination of plumbing & heating, for you. We will come to your house once a year and perform a yearly service inspection to make sure your systems are in the best working condition. For more information please click here.
Homeowners also need to consider replacing ancient water heaters, toilets, furnaces, boilers and other appliances with new high-efficiency or water-saving models. Most of us are in the habit of squeezing out every last day of service out of such equipment. Yet any unit more than 12-15 years old probably can pay for itself within a few years through reduced energy or water usage.
Here are the rest of the most common household repairs identified by Grand Lake Plumbing & Heating:
#2) Clogged drain – Many of these calls could be avoided by taking greater care in what you put down drains, especially the kitchen sink drain; the most used and most clogged drain in the house. We also recommend regular treatment with Bio-Clean, which is a biological drain cleaner sold through Grand Lake Plumbing & Heating.
#3) Dripping Faucets – This is an annoyance that most homeowners have to deal with from time to time as the washers in the faucet wear out. You can extend the life of your faucet washers by not turning them off with too much force. You may also consider replacing your older faucets with those that feature washer less valve cartridges instead of rubber washers. Since the valve mechanism is contained in one cartridge, these faucets are easier to repair and replace. In addition, cartridges are generally more durable and do not leak because they do not deteriorate with friction or age as washers do.
#4) Leaking Pipes – In extreme cases, these can cause expensive damage to floors and belongings. To stop a small leak from turning into a big one, take a look at your pipes periodically to check for rust or white lime deposits that may indicate a leak is starting.
#5) Leaking Water Heaters – Most often when you have a leaker, it’s time to get rid of the water heater. Usually leaks indicate rusting through at the bottom of the storage tank, for which there is no good repair. By the time this happens, the water heater is usually so old you’d benefit from replacing it with a more energy efficient model anyway.
#6) No Heat – When your furnace or boiler stops operating, it can make for a long, cold night. An ounce of prevention here is worth of ton of cure. It’s important to make sure you heating system is functioning properly before the first or last cold snap hits. Have Grand Lake Plumbing & Heating do a thorough examination and cleaning in later summer or early fall every year to prevent any mishaps from happening.
#7 – #8) Running & Leaking Toilets – This is not only an annoyance, but a waste of water and money. Leaky toilets can cost you upwards of $100 a year on you water bills. If you hear a low humming noise, or if the toilet continues to run into the bowl after the toilet is flushed, it indicates that some part of the mechanism solves the problem with cost. Otherwise you may need to replace the entire mechanism.
# 9) New faucet Installation – Many homeowners replace faucets not only when they break down, but for decorative reasons as well. This is the ninth most common reason for a service call.
#10) Malfunction Food Waste Disposers – This can be a messy headache for homeowners. Here are several tips to keep you unit in good working order. First, always run cold water when grinding to move the waste all the way down the drain lines. Fats and grease congeal and harden in cold water and can be flushed through the system. Hot water should not be used because it can dissolve fats and grease, which may then accumulate in the drain line. Almost all biodegradable food waste can be fed into disposers. However, they should not be used to grind clam or oyster shells, corn husks or other material with high fiber content. Under no circumstance should you put glass, plastic or metal non-food materials through a disposer. This includes bottle caps, tin covers or aluminum foil, which are some of the items our service technicians commonly find in clogged or broken disposers.
After reading this issue, please make sure you do a Spring walk through of your house to make sure all of your plumbing & heating systems are in working condition. If you have any questions or concerns please give Grand Lake Plumbing & Heating a call, or you can schedule an appointment online that meets your busy scheduling needs, just click here!
