One of the best ways to comply with this program and save water is to install low-flow plumbing fixtures like showerheads, faucets, and toilets.

The program calls for conservative methods to reduce water usage, by encouraging the use of low-flow plumbing fixtures in both our homes and businesses.  Installing low-flow plumbing fixtures in your home offers several benefits, which are outlined below.

For more information on the program and saving more water, check out Start Saving at EPA.gov.

Shower Heads

A great place to start saving inside your home is with a low-flow showerhead.

They reduce water consumption by more than 40%, and help you significantly lower your monthly bill.

Showers also use energy to heat up water, and cutting down on water usage saves energy. This can save you up to $50 on heating costs every year.

Another great attribute of low-flow shower heads is carbon dioxide emissions reduce as a result of the lower amount of energy being used.

Faucets

Another plumbing fixture that can greatly reduce water consumption is the low-flow faucet.

Water flow can be reduced by up to 75%, by upgrading regular 2.0 gallons per minute (GPM) faucets to 0.5gpm for wash hand basins. Using low-flow faucets reduces water usage, energy, and sewers costs because of the lowered water usage and reduced cause to heat up the water.

Also, the amount of water removed from water bodies is decreased thereby protecting the water cycle and alleviating the stress on the water supply for public consumption. In addition to this, low flow faucets decrease energy use emissions linked with treating, distributing, and heating clear water.

Infections can also be prevented because the risk of splashing associated with hand washing is removed.

Toilets

It is estimated that by replacing old toilets with low flow toilets, you can save as much as $100 on general utility bills.

A low flow toilet will use an average of 1.6 gallons of water per flush when compared with standard toilets that use as much as 3.5 gallons.

They are designed to drain more effectively, thereby improving its flushing capabilities.

In a typical home, conventional toilets make up as much as 30% of the water usage monthly. With the use of low flow toilets, however, they use 60-80% less water than conventional toilets.

Toilets are usually the largest water drain in most households, so saving this much water will definitely have a huge impact on your finances.

Also, low flow toilets come in dual flush systems, saving you even more water. The dual flush system is designed in such a way that there are two flush buttons; one for liquid wastes, which dispenses a little quantity of water, and the other for solids, which dispenses just enough to flush wastes down the drain.

Summary

Installing these devices in your home is a great start to protecting the water reservoirs in your area. We can’t live without water, and it’s our job to protect it for our children.

For more information on how you can protect your family from overusing water, contact us today.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Plumber

Fix It All Plumber, Kevin Sipes

The post Benefits of Installing Low-Flow Plumbing Fixtures in your Home first appeared on Fix It All Plumbing.

Rule #1: Don’t Panic!

This can be pretty tough, right? Well, I’m here to tell you that you don’t have to worry anymore because this article has a tip you can take with you to every party you attend.

A Close Call At A Graduation Party

Everything was going fine, except when my wife came up to me after returning from the bathroom. She said she clogged the toilet and it’s going to overflow. Me being a plumber, I ran to that bathroom to save my wife from the embarrassment. I ran as fast as I could to see if I could stop the overflow.

When I got there I could see it was luckily not overflowed but at the brim. Thank you, Lord!

I found a plunger, carefully fixed the clog and went back to the party. I assured my wife there was nothing to clean up and everything was fine.

When we got home I told her there was something I wanted to show her. She gave a cheesy look and I said “in the bathroom.” Not knowing what to expect, she slowly inched into the bathroom.

That’s when I showed her there wasn’t much she could do about not clogging the toilet. At parties, it’s obviously more likely to happen. However, I showed her a trick to stop the overflow.

“I wish I would have known this…”

If you run into this situation again, look behind the toilet for the main shut off valve.

Sometimes these are hidden behind a wall, but in many cases, they are not. Simply close the valve (righty tighty, lefty loosey) to stop the flow of water into the bowl.

My wife was astonished at how and said, “I wish I would have known this. Thank you!”

“But wait! There’s more,” I said.

If you can’t move the valve by hand, because it’s stuck, you can remove the toilet tank lid and see if the flapper is open. If it is, close the flapper. If it’s not or won’t stay closed when you close it, grab the float ball and lift it to the surface of the water.

“You now have the tools to go to a party. Haha,” I said. LOL.

Don’t forget about Rule #1: Don’t panic. Then use this trick to save your bathroom or someone else’s.

Just Your Friendly Neighborhood

Fix It All Plumber, Kevin Sipes

The post “Please Stop!” Toilet Overflow Quick Fix first appeared on Fix It All Plumbing.

It’s that time of year again! We are coming up on National Hug a Plumber Day on April, 25^th.  If you are wondering what date it falls on each year it is the last Wednesday of the month. Are you wondering what National Plumber Day is and how it started? Perhaps you’ve never heard of this holiday. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Have you ever had the desire to hug your plumber? That’s what we have been hoping.

The history of plumbing dates back to 3000 to 4000 BC when the first pipes carrying water were constructed to transport water along the Indus River (India). Approximately 2500 BC the Egyptians started using copper pipes to carry water for use in bathrooms, irrigation, and sewer systems. Yes, restrooms were found in Egyptian tombs for use after death.

The National Hug a Plumber Day history is somewhat of a mystery. It likely started in the United Kingdom. As Americans, we have embraced the day to show appreciation for plumbers who ensure we have consistent access to running water for baths and showers, kitchen use, lawn watering, laundry and so much more. Not only do we count on having immediate access to water in our homes, we trust that it is clean. There are many reasons to thank our plumbers and one of the best ways is to give them a hug whether it is National Hug a Plumber Day or not.

If you are wondering if there are other days plumbers are recognized throughout the year, check out World Plumbing Day, an international day to celebrate plumbers, falling on March 11th, each year.

Benefits of Hugging Your Plumber

There is actual benefit that has been scientifically proven behind the power of a hug. In fact, a study performed shows that a 10 second hug a day can improve your all around health including fighting infections, boosting you immune system, easing depression, fighting fatigue, reducing stress and lowering your risk of heart disease.

When you hug, your body releases a hormone called oxytocin. When this is released, it causes you to feel happy and connected to others. Oxytocin has often been called the “love hormone” because of the emotions one feels when it is released. This hormone alone is responsible for helping lower the risk of heart disease by lowering blood pressure due to the calming effect it has. Oxytocin can also relieve pain, according to Max Planck Institute for Medical Research.

Hugging is beneficial in many ways, and starts at a young age. In fact, infants who are hugged frequently grow up to be less stressed than other adults who were not frequently hugged during infancy. Studies also show that a hug can help reduce fear. Even if it is an inanimate object, like a teddy bear, hugging can keep one calm. This could explain why children like to sleep with their stuffed animals tucked closely beside.

While the holiday is called National Hug a Plumber Day, we think you should take that opportunity and enjoy hugs from everyone, plumbers and non-plumbers alike.

The post National Hug a Plumber Day first appeared on Fix It All Plumbing.

I personally have found things like broken glass, paper clips, and small metal pieces. Other plumbers have found GI Joe figures and wedding rings.  There is a common joke among plumbers that goes like this….

”What sounds like a bottle cap in a disposal, and cost $100.00?    Answer: “A bottle cap”

Adding the wrong things down the disposal can definitely be costly.

Top 5 Things to Never Put Down Your Garbage Disposal

1. Potato & Carrot Peels (Really any peels can clog it).
2. Pasta, especially spaghetti (Pasta expands when wet and will clog the disposal or fill up the disposal trap).
3. Rice (Avoid putting rice down the disposal for the same reasons as the pasta).
4. Grease (During cooling process, it solidifies and causes blockage).
5. Fruit Pits (This one may be obvious). The disposal can’t chop these up and they will damage it. Examples include peach, avocado, plum pits, and even watermelon seeds.

If you do happen to need a plumber to repair your disposal or anything else, call us at 615-568-5051

Blog by Kevin Sipes,
Master Plumber
Nashville, TN

The post 5 Things Not to Put Down the Garbage Disposal first appeared on Fix It All Plumbing.

Rental Home with Leaking Bath Faucet

A customer called with a leaky bathtub faucet in a rental property that she owned and managed. The
problem was so severe the water supply to the entire house had to be turned off. To save money,
the customer had used an unlicensed contractor that does cheap work for apartment complexes. The
person had “fixed the faucet”” and had provided a temporary fix that quickly failed. She could not reach
this person, who had taken the money and run, so to speak. They would not answer the phone or return
voicemails.

Replacing the entire Faucet versus a Hard to Find Faucet Part

The faucet was out dated and the proper part to repair it was not available and would have to be
ordered online. Sometimes it is really best to simply replace the whole faucet. In this case, the best
choice was to replace the faucet. I understand money can get tight but at the same time, paying a low
price for a quick fix often turns out to be a waste of money.

Common Faucet Issues & Repairs

Plumbers Should be Licensed & Insured

Had she called a licensed and insured plumber, he would have correctly let the plumber diagnose the
problem. He then would have explained the proper way to make the repair. In the long run, this would
have saved her money. Simply put, if you have a heart problem, visiting a general practitioner would be
a waste of time and money. You would want to see a heart specialist.

Here at Fix It All-Plumbing we are plumbing specialists. We will not repair your drywall or pull wires for
a new electrical switch. But we will help you get it done by recommending a good company that would
specialize in that kind of repair work. We only do pipe. We will stand behind our work. We answer the
phone. If we’re not available, we will return your call by the next day

We welcome all your plumbing questions 615-568-5051

Blog by Kevin Sipes,
Master Plumber
Nashville, TN

The post When it comes to Plumbers, “You get what you pay for.” first appeared on Fix It All Plumbing.

We hope this will help some of the readers of this page.

Where is that smell coming from in our bathroom?

Water is held in place by gravity to act as a barrier, preventing the escape of sewer gases. If a plumbing fixture is not used over a month or so, the water in the trap will evaporate, allowing odors to enter the living space from the sewer or septic system.

Most of the time a sewer smell coming from a bathroom is in that big jet tub that is never used. Most houses that we are building today will have a big drop in tub (whirlpool) and most people will use it once or twice and never again. When a tub is never used the trap under the tub will go dry and this will allow sewer gas to come back up the line. If you will run the faucet for just a minuet once a month it will stop this from ever happening.

This can also come from the toilet. This problem is a little more trouble to repair. The wax ring could have gone bad or most of the time it comes from a remodel.

To save time and money a “plumber” will not rise the flange when a bathroom floor is tiled. This will prevent a good seal between the toilet and floor. The trap for your toilet is in the toilet and not in the plumbing system like every other plumbing fixture. The plumbers at Fix It All-Plumbing would be happy to repair this problem for you.

I have put in new washers but my faucet keeps leaking, why?

This could have a couple of answers:

First would be your seats. This is normally on older faucets. You have a seat and a washer if the washer is only changed and the seat is cracked the faucet will start to leak again really quickly.

The most common problem is your water pressure. Water Pressure is measured in PSI (Pounds per Square Inch), your household PSI should be at a max of #80. The city pressure could be as high as #150, this is because the city has to be high enough for the last house on the big hill to have good water pressure. This is why it is the home owner’s responsibility. If your pressure is high only one thing can be done to repair this problem. A P.R.V. (pressure reducing valve) will have to be installed. This is not very hard or costly but should usually be done by a licensed plumber. It should also be changed out every six to eight years. I always say “the first day you put in a P.R.V. is the best day for a P.R.V.”  The plumbers at Fix It All-Plumber can make this repair for you and your home. This will help your faucets and plumbing system.

Our toilet will only flush part of the time…why?

Most of the time this is a blockage that will float it the toilet. Sometime it is out of the way, and other times it will float in the way. Sometimes the toilet will have to be pulled to remove the blockage, other times a plumber can get it out with an auger. Most of the time this will take a professional plumber, because it’s a matter of feel, doing it many times you will know how to move the auger to remove the blockage. Fix It All-Plumbing would always be happy to help you with this or any of your plumbing problems.

This is a page that I will always add too so come back often to see if your plumbing problem is listed or give us a call at 615-568-5051 to see if we can help you in any way.

Blog by Kevin Sipes (Master Plumber)

Nashville, TN

The post Common Questions a Plumber is Asked first appeared on Fix It All Plumbing.

How extensive is the plumber’s experience?

Prior to scheduling the house call be sure to ask about the plumber’s credentials. During a plumbing disaster, a master plumber possesses the training and experience to solve any major leaks or flooding problems. In contrast, a plumber’s apprentice generally does not have the training or expertise for floods and major leaks. Not to mention, sewer back-ups and floods are not covered on most home insurance policies

Is the plumber licensed in Nashville TN?

Always hire a plumber licensed in Nashville or whatever town you reside in, regardless of the savings. Because some home insurance policies and certain plumbing fixture warranties (water storage tank) may reject reimbursement or parts replacements, always hire a licensed plumber, familiar with local plumbing codes in Nashville.

In the event the emergency repair does not work out, should I inquire whether any parts or service include a guarantee?

Depending on the plumbing repair, certain parts and services include a warranty, depending on the plumbing fixture. For instance, a water heater replacement would be covered under a warranty. Most plumbers in Nashville provide a one-year guarantee on the installation.

The post 3 Questions to Ask Before You Hire a Plumber in Nashville, TN first appeared on Fix It All Plumbing.