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The Impact of Hard Water on Your Plumbing System and How to Address It

 You may have heard people talking about the effects of hard water, but may not be fully aware of how it can impact the functionality and longevity of your plumbing system. Hard water contains high levels of minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, which can cause scale buildup and adversely affect your plumbing system. In this article, we'll explore the impact of hard water on your plumbing and how to effectively address it. Prestige Plumbing is here to assist with any hard water removal needs and keep your plumbing system running smoothly. The Effects of Hard Water on Your Plumbing System Pipe Scaling : Mineral deposits from hard water can accumulate inside pipes, causing scaling. Over time, this buildup narrows the pipes and reduces the water flow, eventually leading to complete blockages and reduced efficiency. Increased Energy Consumption : As scaling occurs in water heaters and boilers, more energy is required to heat the water, resulting in increased energy consumption and ...

Top Plumbing Tips to Keep Your Home Cool and Efficient this Summer

As summer approaches, it's essential to prepare your plumbing system to ensure a comfortable and efficient season. The rising temperatures and increased water usage can put stress on your pipes, but with the right precautions, you can avoid plumbing issues and keep your home cool. In this blog post, we'll share valuable summer plumbing tips to help you maintain a comfortable living environment. Implementing these best practices will not only prevent common problems but also save you time, money, and potential headaches. Inspect and Maintain Your Cooling System One of the key components of staying cool during summer is your air conditioning system. Ensure it's running efficiently by scheduling regular maintenance with a professional HVAC technician. Clean or replace filters, check refrigerant levels and inspect ductwork for any leaks that could lead to water damage or reduced cooling capacity. Check Outdoor Faucets and Sprinkler Systems Outdoor plumbing fixtures like faucets...

Emergency Plumbing Services: What to Look for and When to Call

Are you in need of emergency plumbing services in Ohio? When a plumbing emergency strikes, it can cause major disruptions to your daily life and even damage your property. That's why it's important to know what to look for in an emergency plumbing service provider and when to call for help. At Prestige Plumbing , we understand the urgency of plumbing emergencies and are dedicated to providing prompt and reliable service to our customers. Here are some tips on what to look for in an emergency plumbing service provider and when to give us a call. 24/7 Availability Plumbing emergencies can happen at any time, day or night. That's why it's crucial to choose a plumbing service provider that offers 24/7 availability. At Prestige Plumbing, we have a team of licensed and experienced plumbers available around the clock to handle your emergency plumbing needs. Prompt Response Time When you're dealing with a plumbing emergency, time is of the essence. You don't want to be ...

Plumbing Emergencies To Watch Out For

When a plumbing disaster strikes, don't panic and stay informed.  Unfortunately, plumbing emergencies are more common than most of us think, and that can be distressing for homeowners, especially those of us who are less prepared than we'd like to be. However, knowing about 2 of the most common emergencies can help you to take action should the time come. Here's what you should look out for:  Sump Pump Failure  A damaged sump pump can really put a damper on your day (no pun intended). A sump pump functions as an emergency device that  redirects water away from your home. So, what do you do if your emergency backup plan isn't in order? Your best shot at saving your home from a flood is to practice prevention. Make sure your sump pump isn't clogged, and if so, do some internal cleaning before the weather calls for heavy storms. Double-check that it can power on properly and that the switch isn't jammed. And, for tips on how to handle a flood, check out our most re...

What is Plumbing Excavation?

We're moving the Earth and tackling your exterior plumbing needs! When you think of the term "excavation," you probably think of construction work: contractors might use an excavator to level out the ground for home, deck, or pool building. However, plumbing excavation serves a bit of a different purpose. Although we do need to use excavation equipment to achieve our goals, those goals are not the same. Plumbing excavation refers to the process of digging into the ground to either repair or install sewage lines, water lines, or gas lines.  Do you have trees planted close to your home? If you do, you may eventually consider our plumbing excavation services. Why? Because tree roots can grow on-top of or around pipe lines underneath the soil, and they can puncture the pipes, disrupting the supply of water or gas to your home. Blockage in general is a main reason for excavation. If a pipe is blocked, it can cause major damage to your building. Another key reason for excavatio...

Prevent Basement Flooding: Prestige Plumbing

  Prevent basement flooding with these tips from Prestige Plumbing. They say April Showers bring May flowers, but the change in weather conditions is not all daisies and tulips for some. This is because, from here through summer, we're in the prime season for flash floods. That means potential basement flooding and repair costs, not to mention hours of cleanup. However, the good news is that there are a few preventative measures you can follow that might save you from the consequences of excess rain and thunderstorms.  First of all, if your basement has flooded, don't panic. Turn off your water valve and call an experienced plumbing service immediately . If this requires you to completely shut off your plumbing, make sure not to use your washer, dryer, dishwasher, or other machines that rely on water as the main energy source. Shut off electricity, but if the water in the basement is blocking your path, do NOT pass. There may be open circuits that could cause electrocution. If...

Should You Repair or Replace Your Laundry Faucet?

Leaky water faucets may require an experienced plumber.  Sometimes, it can be hard to tell if your faucet needs attention, and this is especially the case with laundry faucets, which are built differently than the average system. You may be wondering if it's appropriate to repair or replace the unit; where's the line, and when should you call in a professional? Take a look below as we expose two areas of evaluation: Water pressure When water releases, does it come out slow and weak? Or does it shoot out with high pressure? Whatever the case, neither are good scenarios. Abnormal water pressure can have many causes and is not always a faucet issue. You'll first want to decipher the cause. Doe the pipes need tightening? Do you need to check your pressure regulator? If you evaluate these concerns and the results are still unsatisfactory, you may need a plumber to address seam and fixture issues. You will also need to contact a plumber should the direction of the water point at ...

The Best Option to Prevent Leaks

Flood and Leak Protection With the amount of rainfall we collect in Ohio, it is the safest option to invest in a flood and leak prevention tool to prevent water damage before it occurs. As you collect water damage in your home, you are risking weakened structure, the potential growth of health-threatening mold, or high costs to fix the problem. It is better for you to invest in our LeakSmart tool to give you the peace of mind you deserve. This tool has the ability to detect leaks within your home and stop water damage before it even begins. At the first sign of leakage, the LeakSmart tool will shut off your water, give you alerts through the system, and send a message to your phone, letting you know what happened. Also, with this tool, you have the ability to turn your water off from anywhere at any time, just for added security that your home is safe from the dangers of water damage. Our complete LeakSmart system consists of the valve, the sensor, and the hub. These three powerhouses ...

Why Tankless Water Heaters are The Best Choice For Your Home

  Tankless water heaters are a newer type of heating system compared to the more traditional water heater tanks. However, they provide a host of benefits:  1. They are more attractive than traditional heaters . This may seem like a silly reason to go tankless, but it’s true. They have a more modern design and take up much less space than a tank. Given their massive appearance, traditional heaters are usually closeted away, but tankless heaters can sit on a wall. 2. They save money in the long run.  Tankless water heaters are more expensive upfront in comparison to those with tanks. However, the Department of Energy estimated that this purchase has a return investment of up to $108 per year in energy bills. This is likely because tankless water heaters don’t follow the same heating process as traditional heaters. Unlike a tank that constantly reheats water and uses energy throughout the day, tankless water heaters provide instant hot water at the ready. So, this means that...

The Do's and Don'ts of a Clogged Drain

                   Clogged drains and pipes are no fun to play with. Whether it was food, hair, or grease that clogged your drain, getting it unclogged is the main goal. The good news is that you are able to DIY most clogged drain situations, how you do it is what counts. There are a lot of "home remedies" when it comes to unclogging drains that can either work, or cause serious damage to your pipes. Because of this, at  Prestige Plumbing  we thought it might be important to let you in on some do's and don'ts of having a clogged drain.      First we will start with the Do's. When your drain is clogged it is most commonly just grease and hair build up that's the culprit. Running boiling hot water down your drain can help to weaken and break down the caked-on grease and build up, fixing the clog. You can try to safely remove the blockage if you notice that it isn't too far down into your drain. In order to r...

Is Your Main Sewer Line Clogged? Here's How to Tell.

         Plumbing is easily on of the most important inventions ever made. It has allowed us to control and direct water into our homes for our own uses, as well as keep clean and dirty water separated for the sake of our health, hygiene, and well-being. So what happens when the plumbing in your home is less than par. If your drains are all clogging, slow to drain, or you smell a funny smell when water sits in your sink then you may be experiencing a clog in your main sewer line. At Prestige Plumbing we think it is important to educate everyone on what to do if they are having a plumbing emergency, so we are going to give you tips on how to tell if you have a clogged main sewer line, and what steps to take if it turns out you do.  How to tell if your main sewer line is clogged: If more than one drain in your house is running slowly, it is probably not a coincidence, but a sign that one clog is causing issues for all of them. Usually it will start on the fi...

How To Fix A Clogged or Humming Garbage Disposal

       Imagine you have just made a huge dinner and have thrown your little food scraps down the drain, only to find your garbage disposal is not working, or it is making a humming sound. Now what? How do you fix a broken or clogged garbage disposal? Don't worry, at  Prestige Plumbing  we have the expertise it takes to repair your garbage disposal.       If your garbage disposal starts to make a humming sound, typically that means that while your garbage disposal is getting power, the blades are not rotating. This could be a sign that the motor is clogged or jammed and that it is failing to grind. If a plumbing emergency like this occurs at your home there are a few steps you can take to fix the disposal yourself, before having to call us in.       Firstly, if you notice that your garbage disposal is making any weird sounds or is not working, cut the power to the garbage disposer by unplugging it from under the...

5 Plumbing Upgrades to Try

5 Plumbing Upgrades to Try If you haven't upgraded your home's plumbing system, you could be wasting money. There are many things that you can try to help you save money.  Buy a New Water Heater Traditional water heaters let hot water sit unused until it cools down. This means that you have to run the water until it gets hot, this results in wasting water. Replace your water heater with a tankless water heater from Navien.  Switch to Low Flow Low-flow fixtures provide great savings. Your shower heads and faucets can also be put on low-flow setting. This option is also more eco-friendly and lowers your carbon footprint. Take Care of Your Pipes Another way to save money and upgrade your plumbing lies in the pipes of your home. Often times, pipes aren't insulated properly and this causes pipes to freeze in the winter. And because pipes aren't properly insulated they cause the water heater to work, this results in excess water waste. It is important to contact a professiona...

Drain Video Inspections

Is your home or business constantly in need of plumbing attention for clogs, leaks or slow drains? Have you called a plumber, but no matter how many times the problem is looked at no one can seem to find an effective solution? Sounds like it's time to bring out the high-tech problem solvers for your issue in the form of a video inspection of your drain or pipes!  Video inspections start with a professional plumber coming to your home with a specially designed waterproof camera that will be inserted into your water or sewage lines. This will allow your service person to be able to visibly see any problems in your drains that would have in the past been completely inaccessible, apart from tearing up parts of your building. This can include pipes that run under cement or even plumbing that runs underneath the foundation of your residence or business. Catching on to how this can truly help you find the root of your plumbing issues ?  After the plumber receives and inspects the vi...

3 Reasons Why Your Dishwasher Is Clogged

          Try to think back to a time when your only option when washing dishes was to wash them by hand.  Nowadays, it's rare to walk into a home and not see some sort of dishwasher. If you have a busy household, you probably consider the dishwasher an indispensable appliance. Every now and then, the dishwasher can start acting up and present deeper problems. For instance, say you run a load but when you open the door, you find a pool of water at the bottom of the unit. It's possible you just uncovered a plumbing issue that you have to deal with.      Potential causes of water not draining properly from a dishwasher can range from clogs in the filter basket to the drain hose all the way to the garbage disposal. If those aren't the causes, odds are you have a more serious problem stemming from a blocked sewer line. Don't let the problem fester or you could end up with expensive water damage on your hands.     Common causes...

Why Does My Toilet Keep Clogging?

    Toilet clogs are one of the most common plumbing concerns homeowners experience. Occasionally, you can DIY your way through a toilet clog, but some cases may require the help of an experienced plumber professional like those at Prestige Plumbing . Dealing with clogs requires knowing the probable causes and through prevention. Knowing what to and not to flush down your toilet. Are you tired of your toilet clogging? Continue reading to learn the possible causes of a clog and the steps on how to avoid it.      When clogging happens, there is usually an item that is keeping the waste from flowing down. Incidentally, there are several non-flushable items that people tend to keep on flushing. Feminine products such as tampons or pads are the main suspects. They expand whenever you flush them and they take a long, time to breakdown in the sewer system. Next, you have your paper towels and cleaning wipes. You may think it's safe to flush them since the packaging...

Why You Should Switch to a Tankless Water Heater

    Tankless water heaters are quickly becoming the norm around many households across the U.S. People are tired of high water bills that seem never-ending and the ever so often cold water cutting on during their showers. Energy efficiency plays a big part as well for those who are concerned about how traditional water heaters are affecting the environment. Plus, who wants that big ole water tank taking up space in the basement? With a tankless water heater , all of these problems can be solved. In addition, they come with a load of incredible benefits that you may not have been aware of.     Some of the benefits included with a Navien Tankless Water Heater:      Energy efficiency is off the charts. Navien condensing technology provides up to 0.99 Energy Factor. These extremely efficient and eco-friendly units provide extra energy savings over a traditional tank and non-condensing tankless water heaters. A traditional tank only provides between a ...

Taking Care of Your Drains

Chemicals can be extremely harsh on your drains, so it's important to manage your  plumbing drains  in different ways. How are you supposed to take care of your drains when they become clogged or you just want to do a little preventative maintenance? Today we’ll be focusing on three of the most common problem areas and how to deal with them. The bathroom is home to showers, sinks, and toilets, which are three of the most  common plumbing problem  sites, and the fourth being the kitchen sink. 1. The Kitchen Sink Kitchen sinks see a lot of things they shouldn’t necessarily see. Focusing on keeping excess cooking grease out is one of the top ways to keep your drain in working order. Ensuring you have a drain plug with a catch while doing dishes is vital to keeping food that doesn’t belong in the drain, out of the drain. Things like eggshells, leafy vegetables, and stringy vegetables (like celery) are some of the most common culprits of food clogs. If you are one of thos...

Oh No! Sewer Backflow!

Sewer backup describes what happens when water comes up or is pushed into your home through the pipes from sewer or drainage systems. It is a very unpleasant type of water damage because it often involves dirty water from the sewers that will not only destroy your personal property but can also impact your health because it's so unsanitary. There are several potential sources of sewer backup: Blockage of a city sanitary main: If the city main gets blocked, it may cause water to back up into your home through your pipes. Aging sewer systems that require updates or repair. Tree roots: When you have older pipes, sewer lines and water entry pipes, tree roots can find their way into the pipes and cause blockages. You can check for this problem on your own lines by having a plumber check your pipelines with a camera and do some basic preventative maintenance on your home, which we will address in a little bit. City-related pipeline issues like combined pipelines or problems in the sanita...

Plumbing Tips to Prepare for Winter

The calendar has turned over to September, and now cooler weather is on the horizon with winter weather looming behind that! This is time of year to get your plumbing in your home ready for the winter months, so here are some tips to keep you from costly emergencies! 1. Put away hoses. This means disconnect, drain and store your hoses in a place where they will be protected from freezing. If any water that didn't drain out freezes, it could ruin your hose! 2. Turn off the spigot. Stores do sell "frost-free" hose bibb, also known as spigots or outdoor faucets. Now is the time to install one if you don't have one. If you don't want to invest in one, make sure that you turn off the inside line that leads to the bibb. If freezing air gets to the water in the line and it's not shut off, you risk getting frozen and then busted pipes! 3. Get any necessary maintenance. Have your sewer checked. Some plumbers offer camera inspections of lines. Getting your water heater ...