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Showing posts with the label commercial plumbing

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...

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...

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 ...

How to Thaw Frozen Pipes

You woke up to find that you have frozen pipes... now what do you do?! Frozen pipes aren't all that uncommon during the winter months but that doesn't mean they are any less stressful. Outside of preventative measures, there are a few things you can do to help speed up the thawing process. The first step can be a little tricky, you'll need to locate where the freeze is actually at. The most effective way to do this is to test each faucet. If no water or a very small amount trickles out, chances are the pipe leading to that spot is frozen. A majority of the time if one pipe is frozen, there are others also affected. If you are able to see pipes, like in the basement or under sinks, you may be able to identify it that way as well. Frozen plumbing will oftentimes result in a white frost and bludge at the problem area. If you are able to access the frozen area, you're in luck and have easier thawing options.  Once located, you will want to open both the hot and co...

Little Known Plumbing Facts

We use plumbing every single day, oftentimes in more way than one. Despite the importance and prominence of modern plumbing in our lives, many people don't know very much about it. Prestige Plumbing strives to educate our clients on plumbing, how it works, and the best ways to care for your residential and commercial plumbing . Are you interested in knowing more about your plumbing? If you answered yes, here are a few little known facts about modern plumbing. 1. If you have a leaky faucet that drips just twice an hour, in one week you will have wasted OVER one gallon of water. 2. There is a long time saying that if you are in the Southern Hemisphere, water will flow the opposite direction of here in the Northern Hemisphere. This is false! Water is free moving and can flow in either direction wherever it is in the world. 3. Standardized plumbing can be traced back to around 3,000 B.C. to the Indus River Valley civilizations. 4. The flushing toilet wasn't invented until ...

Why Does My Home Have Low Water Pressure?

Water pressure is the strength at which water is pushed out from your faucets and showerheads. The water pressure psi should be somewhere between 40 and 45 psi and should not exceed 60 psi. Most pressure regulators are adjusted by turning the screw on top of the adjuster. Dealing with an unusually low water pressure can affect daily tasks like showering and washing dishes. A lighter flow can be quite annoying, especially if you have tried to make a pressure adjustment. There may be an underlying cause if you are noticing extended periods of dropping water pressure. One of the most commonly fixed culprits is a leak somewhere along the line. Even a small leak can cause a sudden drop in pressure since not all the available water is making it to the tap in use. If you think you have a potential leak, you can check around your home and basement for sudden wet spots. If you aren't seeing any new moisture but are still concerned you can turn off all taps in the home, record the water ...

Tree Roots and Plumbing

Did you know that tree roots have a high growth rate during the early weeks of fall? The sudden growth of roots can lead to plumbing issues when roots find their way into plumbing pipes. Most home water waste lines pass through front or back yards where trees and bushes roots can find cracks and cause major blockages. If you notice sudden changes in shower drainage or toilet flushing, you should consider the risk of tree doing plumbing damage. Slow draining or gurgling while water is going down are two of the most noticeable signs. Many times a homeowner will opt for a quick pipe snake to but the clog, but if the problem continues you should have a more explorative look from a professional plumbing contractor the specializes in video drain inspections, like Prestige Plumbing. While sinkholes are a little less common, spots in your yard that seem to be sinking or extra wet can be a good way to identify the spot the problem area. When a tree root begins to damage a pipe, water ...

Common Plumbing Questions

We here at Prestige Plumbing understand how frustrating plumbing repairs and issues within your home or business can be. Sometimes they aren't as severe as they initially seem to be. Plumbing something that every home has, but not every homeowner fully understands. We're here to help clear up some questions we hear a lot when working in our customer's homes. 1. What should I do if my faucet is leaking? Often times we hear, " Well I tried to tighten the faucet and knobs, but it is still leaking." Most of the time a leak comes from a worn-out internal seal. Once we have the faucet apart we have a better understanding of if more than just a seal or two needs replaced. 2. My drain is clogged, how can I fix it myself next time? Prestige Plumbing really recommends having a professional deal with a moderate to severe clog. Drain cleaners can damage your plumbing, and a professional can fully clear the clog quickly and completely. There are a lot of different re...

Descaling a Tankless Water Heater - How To Do It and Why It's Important

Navien Tankless Water heater installed by Prestige Plumbing Descaling is an important part of tankless hot water heater maintenance . While you don't need to do it monthly, or even yearly, it should be done no less than two years. When a tankless water heater warms water, something called dissolved solids are left behind. Over time, these solids build up in your water heater and can poorly affect the flow and efficiency. In extreme cases, your how water may even overheat leading to major repairs being needed. So how to do descale your tankless water heater? You'll need a few items: 1. A System Descaler - Generally this is composed of a pump, bucket, and a few hoses. 2. Descaling Solution - You will want to ensure this is food safe and biodegradable. 3. Proper Valving - Most of the time this is no worry when your tankless water heater is installed by a professional, but making sure the correct valves are installed it crucial. If you aren't sure or think something i...

Frozen Pipe Prevention

With cooler temps getting closer by the day, it's important to make sure your home or business is ready for the dangers that come along with them. Frozen pipes are one of the most common plumbing emergencies despite only being a concern for a few months of the year. Frozen pipes lead to not being able to use your water, and can burst leading to flooding. Even if your pipes don't burst, there can be damage done from the ice expanding inside of them. We have a few simple tips to help keep your water flowing freely through your pipes.  Keeping your residential or commercial property warm can go a long way with avoiding frozen pipes. This might seem like a common sense answer however when people leave for holiday trips, they often times turn the thermostat up to save money on heating costs. This small temperature adjustment can be just enough to allow freezing to happen. Keeping the home about 55 degrees is recommended.  Allowing the faucet to drip can keep just enough...