FAQs & Tips | Progressive Services

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We invite you to take advantage of our knowledge, but please be aware that Progressive Services cannot be held responsible should you try to make any repairs yourself and not choose to use a highly trained Progressive Services plumber. Please check back frequently as our library of plumbing tips is continually growing with shared knowledge and tips on how to maintain your plumbing system.

PLUMBING TIPS

Absolutely the most aggravating of all plumbing problems, clogs can get very messy and without the proper equipment, trying to free them up can actually make matters worse. Use of liquid drain cleaning is not always the solution either. Unless you have a Progressive Services plumber perform a video inspection of your drainage system, there is really no way of knowing what is causing the blockage. It could be grease, calcium or even tree roots. Sometimes the best way is to take steps to not have a clog. Here are a couple ways to avoid a clog, especially in an older plumbing system:

Never flush sanitary napkins, baby wipes or very thick toilet paper down the toilet. These can expand or get caught on corroding pipes and cause clogs.
Use strainers in drains to catch hair in showers and tubs.
Never put fat, grease or cooking oils down the drain. These fats solidify in cold pipes and cause clogs. To dispose, put it in a Tupperware or zip lock bag and leave it on your counter until it solidifies. Then dispose of it in a compost bin for garbage collection.
If utilizing septic treatment, be sure to flush down in the toilet closest to the septic tank.

Never use your garden hose to try to free up a blockage! This could back siphon into your drinking water or cause the blockage to expand, causing more damage.
Running a snake is what a Progressive Services plumber will use for most clogs, but knowing how to operate the equipment is very important as this machine can cause injuries, making the savings null and void.

A toilet back up could be as easy to remedy as utilizing a plunger. Sometimes an auger is needed. An auger is a piece of equipment designed to unstop toilets without damaging the porcelain by leaving scrapes and scratches. In some instances, however, retrieval is nearly impossible. In this case, the toilet will need to be replaced.
Bathroom sink clogs are usually caused by a blocked P-trap, which is the U-shaped pipe directly underneath your sink. The P-trap has threaded connections so they can be taken apart and accessed to remove a blockage or retrieve an item such as a diamond earring or something else accidentally dropped down the sink drain. Never use a drain cleaning chemical and then attempt to open the P-trap! Once again this could cause an injury that could cost twice as much as a repair by a licensed Progressive Services plumber.
Bathtub and shower clogs can be a little more difficult to solve. They have a P-trap as well but are not accessible. Sometimes a chemical drain cleaner can be used if there is not a lot of standing water. A snake would work a lot better but it is not guaranteed to. Soap, shampoos and cleaning agents can form blockages as hard as a rock. A Progressive Services plumber has the equipment to take care of these difficult clogs.
Kitchen sink clogs are caused by many different things. Grease is the biggest culprit which, combined with food particles, can make a very thick paste that is deposited over time along the inside wall of the pipe, eventually closing the pipe. A snake can sometimes open the line enough to drain it, but it isn’t the most effective way to clear the line of the obstruction. A video inspection of the line would be the best way to see the extent of the clog so that proper actions can be taken.

The next time you are looking at a repair on a 3-gallon-a-flush toilet, think about replacing it with a low consumption toilet. There are many styles and colors to choose from and you will save money on the back end. How about those shower heads? Check out low flow shower heads too as they can save you a lot of money in water bills as well. Always check washing machine hoses for bubbles or worn spots. If you see anything that looks suspicious, REPLACE IT! If you can’t see the brand name of your bathroom or kitchen faucet, that could mean an adventurous hunt for replacement parts. Replacing with a name brand will make future repairs and finding the parts much easier. Call Progressive Services if you buy a faucet from a do-it-yourself store and we will gladly install it professionally and quickly.

Your supply of hot water is generated from a water heater. There are many different brands of water heaters but generally there are two types: gas or electric. Both heat the water to a desired temperature and supply it for your consumption. The rule of thumb is that if your water heater is ten years or older, replacing it may be the best thing to do if you are experiencing problems. Each water heater comes with the date it was built right on it. If it is a fairly new water heater, there are numerous components and circumstances that could be affecting the operation. Common sense tells you not to mix electric and water, so it’s best left up to a professional to diagnosis and repair. You can also check the electric panel and see if the breaker labeled "water heater" has “tripped”. If so, simply reset it, but know that something caused the breaker to trip. If the break continuously trips, we recommend you have a Progressive Services technician give it a full check up.

On gas water heaters, be sure to shut the gas off if you are experiencing hot water issues. Then contact a qualified plumber to diagnosis and repair it. We do not recommend you try to make any repairs or modifications to a gas water heater as this may be very dangerous.

Is your water bill very high? A drip from a faucet could use up to 2,000 gallons a year. That small drip can add up fast. You may also be losing water through the tank on your toilet. If you suspect your tank maybe leaking, put a few drops of food coloring in your tank and see if it shows up in your bowl prior to flushing it. Use our handy drip calculator to see exactly what that drip is costing you.

Hidden leaks will need to be investigated. Progressive Services can locate and repair hidden plumbing leaks using the latest technology, including thermal imaging cameras. Such equipment cuts down on invasive and sometimes unnecessary holes, and allows us to pinpoint the leak for a faster repair.

Call Progressive Services. We will remove the roots without damaging your sewer system. Roots can grow to enormous lengths completely undetected until it finally closes the pipe. It has been said that you can dump root killer down your drain to kill the root; however, even though it may kill the root, it can still block the pipe. Some cases require a portion of the sewer system to be replaced. We recommend you consult a professional plumber.

This could be a couple of things. If you are on a well, it could be just the natural smell of the water supply. If you are on city water, check that the temperature of the water heater is not set to low. We recommend setting water heaters at no higher than 120 degrees. Proper maintenance on your water heater will eliminate the smell. We also recommend a complete flushing of the tank and a check up.

How can I conserve water in my home or business?

Wash clothes and dishes only when you have a full load.
Wash fruits and vegetables in a bucket of water then use that same water to water house plants.
Place water saver washers in showerheads or replace with a water efficient showerhead.
Check to make sure there are aerators on the faucets.
Do not use toilets as waste paper baskets or as trash receptacles.
Hot water recirculation pumps are a great way to conserve water; they cut down on running water until the desired temperature is reached.
Replace 3-gallon flush toilets with 1.6 gallon-flush toilets.
Know where your master water shut off is located. This could save water and reduce or prevent damage.
Post a hotline in business bathrooms to report leaks or water waste to facility managers or Progressive Services.
Publish your business's monthly water use in company newsletter to show progress toward water saving goals.
Contact your local water utility to see if any rebates are available for purchasing water efficient fixtures, equipment or for facility audits.

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