Brooks Plumbing Co. Blog: Archive for the ‘Plumbing’ Category

3 Causes of Garbage Disposal Clogs

Friday, May 30th, 2014

Considering how much work kitchen garbage disposals does on a daily basis, it seems they should breakdown and stop working more than they do. Thanks to the sturdy construction of modern garbage disposals, most will keep working for many years despite sometimes having objects go down them that should never go down them. (Example: popcorn kernels. A good rule of thumb is that if you can’t chew it, your garbage disposal can’t either.)

However, you can rarely escape garbage disposal clogs forever. When your disposal stops working, don’t make the mistake of trying to put your hand down the drain to “dislodge” whatever has stopped it. Try the reset switch on the bottom of the unit first, and if that doesn’t work, call for a professional plumber to safely and effectively fix the problem.

Brooks Plumbing has 20 years of experience with repairs for kitchen plumbing. If you need help with your garbage disposal in Olympia, WA, make us your first call.

3 of the reasons for garbage disposal clogs

  1. Liquid fat, oil, grease (FOG): Perhaps no other food product in a kitchen can do as much damage to a disposal than these hot liquids. They seem innocuous enough when poured down a drain, but once they dry they solidify into tough waxy substances that will start to coat the drainpipe and restrict water flow. In a disposal, they will soon jam up the mechanical parts and prevent drainage. Plumbers will need to clean out the drains and the clean the interior of the disposal.
  2. Actual garbage: Don’t let the name fool you! A garbage disposal is never for inorganic garbage. Plastics, paper, tin foil, etc. all go in a true garbage receptacle. In the garbage disposal. They will quickly jam it up. There’s also some organic garbage that shouldn’t go here (see the rule above about chewable material): fruit pits and seeds, popcorn kernels, bones, eggshells. Another concern is coffee grounds, which will become caught in the garbage disposal’s trap, leading to clogs. Place coffee grounds in the garbage or a composting bucket.
  3. Pasta: Surprised? The trouble with pasta is that it expands in water. If it goes into a garbage disposal, it can become caught in the disposal trap, or it might remain in the pipe and continue to expand until it creates a clog. This also applies to rice, which expands in water.

You should have few troubles from your home’s garbage disposal if you refrain from putting the above objects down the drain. But if you still run across a repair problem with your garbage disposal in Olympia, WA, contact Brooks Plumbing. We promise quality in everything we do.

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3 Different Ways to Clean Your Drains

Wednesday, April 30th, 2014

Be honest: when you first read the title of this post, did you immediately think of a bottle of liquid drain cleaner, the type sitting on a grocery store shelf near the mops and sponges? That’s what most people conjure up in their heads when they hear “drain cleaning.”

But the truth is that there are few methods worse for cleaning your drains than using a store-bough bottle of corrosive, toxic chemicals. These liquids will damage your drains, leave behind poisonous fumes, and can hurt your skin and eyes. Avoid them at all costs.

Let’s look at three ways that professional plumbers will handle cleaning your drains. These methods not only won’t damage the drains (or you) but do a much more thorough and dependable cleaning job. For a plumbing company that can offer you superb drain cleaning in Olympia, WA, call Brooks Plumbing today.

Effective Methods for Draining Cleaning

  1. Drain snakes: Think of drain snakes (also known as “drain augers”) as long corkscrews that can go down a drain pipe and drill into a thick clog. The twisting action of the metal ends of a drain snake screw into blockage, and then either removes the block or breaks it up. Although you can purchase manual drain snakes from hardware stores, you should allow a professional plumber armed with a motorized drain snake to take care of those clogs you can’t remove with a standard plunger.
  2. Hydro-jetting: This drain cleaning method uses high-pressure blasts of scalding hot water from a nozzle to scour the inside of drains. Hydro-jetting is extremely effective at breaking up clogs, but also at fully cleansing drain interiors of grease, fat, oil, soap scum residue, and all the other sorts of debris that will build up inside drains over time and lead to further clogging and spikes in pressure. Because of the potential danger of high-pressure water involved in hydro-jetting, leave this job to trained plumbers with the right protective gear.
  3. Targeted cleaning with video pipe inspection: This last one isn’t so much a drain cleaning method as it is an approach to effective drain cleaning. Video pipe inspection equipment is the result of miniaturization technology that allows a plumber to send a small digital video camera with a LED light down into plumbing at the end of a length of fiber-optic cable. The camera returns a video feed to a monitor that allows a plumber to examine problems with drains and where they are located. This is useful for targeted drain cleaning that must address specific issues. Video pipe inspection eliminates the guesswork that once went into drain cleaning, streamlining the process to save time, money, and materials.

If you need a heavy clog cleared away, or if you want cleaner plumbing in general, call Brooks Plumbing today. We offer expert drain cleaning in Olympia, WA with the finest technology available.

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Why Trust Professionals When It Comes to Drain Snakes

Tuesday, April 29th, 2014

Drain clogs occur more often than any plumbing issue, and so homeowners want to have solutions on hand to eliminate them quickly. A plunger will often do the job for basic blockages in sinks, showers, and bathtubs. But if the plunger fails, people ill often reach for one of two other tools: chemical drain cleaners and drain snakes.

Let us make this very clear: Do not use chemical drain cleaners on drain clogs! (Or anything else in your pipes.) The acidic action of these chemicals can cause severe harm to your drains, and they leave behind toxic residue that isn’t good for you either.

Drain snakes on the other hand… these are excellent tools for removing or breaking up clogs. You can purchase them in hardware stores and most large general merchandize stores. However, you should leave them on the shelf and turn to professionals when you need drain snaking.

For drain cleaning in Olympia, WA from a plumber armed with the best drain snakes and other unclogging tools, call Brooks Plumbing.

The reason you should allow plumbers to take care of handling drain snakes is that misuse of the standard commercial drain snake could damage the inside of pipes. Most commercial-grade drain snakes (also called drain augers) use manual cranks to turn the coils of the line that corkscrew into the clog to either withdraw it or break it apart. This manual power is often inadequate for the task, and if you’re unused to operating a drain snake, they can scratch the pipe interior.

Professional plumbers use more advanced manual drain snakes and have the training to get the job done without harming your pipes. They also use powered drain snakes, which are hooked up to electric- or gas-powered motors, to handle the difficult clogs. There are few drain blocks that a powered drain snake can’t handle—but few people can handle a powered drain snake without the right training. (They’re also too expensive and bulky for most consumer use; it’s less expensive to hire a professional plumber than to purchase a mechanical drain snake.)

A drain snake is not the only way a plumber can eliminate serious drain clogs. When a plumber comes to your home, he or she will inspect the pipes and the clog (often using video inspection equipment) and figure out the best way to tackle the problem. Rely on their expertise rather than troubleshooting the issue on your own and possibly coming up with the wrong solution.

For the drain cleaning in Olympia, WA that clears the clogs and keeps them from coming back, trust to the 20 years of experience at Brooks Plumbing.

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3 Basic Considerations of Bathroom Remodeling

Friday, April 4th, 2014

We often give little thought to how much use our bathroom receives through the day. But after you have a full remodel done, you’ll understand how central it is—and how much better it is thanks to the work of professional remodelers. A complete bathroom remodeling job is an excellent way to enhance your life.

A bathroom remodel doesn’t have to occur just on the surface, with new cabinets, faucets, wallpapers, and window frames. With the right plumbers working on the remodel, you can re-vamp the basic way that the room functions so you’ll have fewer future repairs and lower water bills. Here are 3 basic ideas for remodeling your bathroom that you might overlook.

Our specialists in bathroom remodeling in Olympia, WA at Brooks Plumbing can help you with these upgrades and many more. Contact us today to start designing your ideal new bathroom.

  1. Replace your pipes: During a bathroom remodel, the construction work exposes most of the plumbing. This provides an excellent opportunity to replace aging or outdated pipes, such as galvanized steel pipes that may have started to corrode. The remodelers can also put in flexible and easy-flow plastic CPVC piping, which will permit more creative re-design concepts that won’t have to work around fixed rigid pipes.
  2. Install a low-flow toilet: Standard toilets consume a large amount of water with each flush. Your standard toilet probably uses between 4 to 7 gallons of water each time you pull the handle. But if you have a low-flow toilet put in during a remodel, you can reduce water waste a tremendous amount: current low-flow models consume around 1.6 gallons of water per flush. Factored over a year, or even a month, that translates into enormous savings in water use.
  3. Upgrade your tub: The largest new installation you can make in a bathroom is a new bathtub/shower, so you’ll feel tempted to leave your current one in. But this is a good chance to upgrade both the look of your bathroom and the quality of your time in the tub. Contoured tubs, whirlpool tubs, water jet tubs, or even a retro-free standing tub are all possibilities for your remodel that may fit your vision for a new bathroom.

Professional bathroom remodeling

Brooks Plumbing offers full-service bathroom remodeling in Olympia, WA. We can handle all the plumbing and repiping you need, and install any new fixture you desire. To help guide you, we offer a wide range of fixtures from which to choose, and our staff of experts will help you select the furnishings that will work best together. We can make your remodeling move smoothly and quickly toward a final product that will meet or even exceed your expectations.

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Plumbing Considerations to Make During Kitchen Remodeling

Monday, March 31st, 2014

The kitchen is often located at the heart of a house, and you may find that your family spends as much time gathered in the kitchen as in any other room. It’s not only an area for food storage and preparation; it’s part of your family’s daily social routine. Remodeling your kitchen, whether for a fresh surface appearance, to increase its size, to add new appliances, or for all of these reasons, will help enhance your life.

Kitchen restoration goes deeper than cabinets and countertops. The plumbing is part of the process, and you should take a few things about it into consideration when you plan for a kitchen remodel.

Brooks Plumbing can help you with the plumbing changes and upgrades when you have kitchen remodeling done in Olympia, WA. We’ve assisted homeowners with plumbing, from pipe installation to leak detection, since 1994.

What to consider during kitchen remodeling for your plumbing

  • Complete repiping: If you live in an older home (usually pre-‘60s), you may have outdated pipes made from galvanized steel. Although steel is hardy and durable, it also corrodes with time. During the period that you have your pipes exposed in the kitchen for the remodeling, have plumbers perform state-of-the-art plumbing replacement to change out steel pipes for copper, CPVC, or PEX plastic pipes that will last for many years without degrading.
  • Upgrade your fixtures: You need plumbers to handle adding new fixtures like sinks and faucets for your kitchen remodel. (And, if you don’t already have a garbage disposal, place this at the top of your list of priorities for new fixtures.) Skilled plumbers can help you determine which fixtures will work the best for the remodel.
  • Add water filtration: During a remodel is an ideal time to put in under-sink water filtration, which will help you get higher quality water from the faucet than you would from unfiltered tap water coming from the municipal supply.
  • Go “tankless” for your water heater: Another opportunity that a kitchen remodel offers is a time to take out your old storage water heater and install a tankless model that only heats up water as you need it, saving you on your utility bills each month.

Talk to expert plumbers about your remodel

When you call up Brooks Plumbing about your kitchen remodeling in Olympia, WA, we’ll lay out a plan and a timeline so you will know what work we’re doing and what other places you might want to add conveniences. Make your kitchen remodeling a chance to enhance your life in many different ways: work with experienced plumbers.

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Why You Should Never Conduct Plumbing Repairs Yourself

Thursday, March 27th, 2014

When it comes to home plumbing, many people fancy themselves DIY experts because they have a box of wrenches, some extra gaskets, and the willpower to get jobs done inexpensively on their own. Self-sufficiency and economy are admirable goals… but there are some important reasons why you need to leave plumbing repairs any more complex than using a sink plunger to trained professionals, as we’ll explain.

Finding dedicated and skilled plumbers to handle any repairs for plumbing in Tumwater, WA is simple: call up Brooks Plumbing, where our skilled team has helped keep plumbing healthy since 1994. We aim for “Quality in Everything We Do.”

Why you must leave plumbing repairs to professionals

  • Professionals have the right tools: A box of different-sized wrenches does not a professional plumber make. Contemporary plumbing requires a range of high-end equipment that goes beyond wrenches. For example, professional plumbers use hydro-jetters and mechanical drain snakes to handle clogs, and to locate leaks they use intricate sound equipment and pressure sensors. All of this equipment is expensive and difficult to operate, so you should only trust professionals when it comes to repairs.
  • Professionals have the time and dedication: Unless you are a professional plumber, you won’t have the time and focus necessary to handle important plumbing tasks. (Not to mention that, without proper training, it will take you much longer to do any repairs.) Professional plumbers will dedicate their time and effort to making sure you have the best repairs necessary.
  • Professionals will protect your home: Amateur plumbing repair poses a major risk to your home if it goes wrong. Plumbing errors can lead to leaking and even flooding, causing a chain reaction of problems that will cause you to need to call up professionals eventually. Avoid potential catastrophes in your plumbing and bring on the experts from the beginning.
  • Professionals will save you money: In plumbing, DIY will rarely cut down on your costs—it will create more costs because of the need for additional repairs, the drain on your time, and the potential to waste water from improperly executed work. Hiring a professional will cut down on later expenses.

So when you need leaky pipes fixed, a water heater replaced, or a tough clog cleared, don’t reach for a tool belt… reach for the phone instead and call Brooks Plumbing. We can perform repairs for your plumbing in Tumwater, WA that will keep your water flowing.

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3 Protections for Your Plumbing Against Flooding

Wednesday, March 19th, 2014

In a city that receives as much rain as Olympia, flooding in your basement or ground floor of your house is always a frightening possibility—especially if you live on land with a high water-table. Even minor flooding can cause extensive property damage, ruin items in storage, and lead to structural weaknesses.

You do have options to help protect against flooding, however. Along with a number of home improvements recommended by the EPA, you can have protections added to your plumbing in Olympia, WA that will remove flood waters from your home and prevent wastewater from entering through your pipes. Contact Brooks Plumbing today to learn about the ways we can protect you from flood damage.

3 plumbing protections from flooding:

  1. Pedestal sump pump: Sump pumps are one of the main ways you can protect your basement from flooding and excess water seepage. (They can do wonders in non-catastrophic situations as well, removing moisture that can lead to damaging and unhealthy mold and mildew.) Sump pumps are motorized pumps that remove gathered water from a sump (a depression made to collect water) and remove it to a waste line. A pedestal sump pump sits above the sump and draws up the water through a pipe when a float detects a rise in water level.
  2. Submersible sump pump: The other popular option for sump pumps is a submersible model. These pumps sit down in the sump itself and draw water directly into their intakes. The water-tight motor then pumps out the excess water. Submersible pumps are generally more efficient and powerful at water-removal, but require more stringent maintenance because of their exposure to water. A good sump pump, whether pedestal or submersible, should last you about 10 years.
  3. Check valves in drains and pipes: Have plumbers install non-return valves, or check-valves, onto drains in the ground floor. These will prevent wastewater from flowing back into your property through the sewage pipes.

Whatever method or methods you choose to use, have professionals help you with the installation. It’s important that sump pumps remove their water to a place that will not cause flooding elsewhere, and professional plumbers will help make sure of this during installation. You will also need professionals to check and maintain your sump pumps to make sure they are not suffering damage because of acidic or dirty water.

Brooks Plumbing can help you install a variety of flood protections, and we offer maintenance and repairs for pedestal and submersible sump pumps. When it comes to protecting your plumbing in Olympia, WA, you can trust our thirty years of experience.

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3 Types of Bathroom Sinks to Consider

Monday, March 3rd, 2014

When people think of adding a new sink for their bathroom remodel, they often consider two basic kinds of modern sinks: the under-mount/top-mount model (a sink set down into the surface of a cabinet and mounted the counter with clips from underneath) and the drop-in model (similar to an under-mount, except a lip around the edge supports it from falling through the hole). However, there are some interesting style options available that can enhance your bathroom plumbing in Olympia, WA during a remodel.

Here are three models that we think you should consider as alternatives:

For any level of bathroom remodeling you are looking for, from replacing the sink to a complete re-do of all the fixtures, you can find the service you need at Brooks Plumbing. We carry many types of fixtures and furnishings so you can design your new bathroom the way you want.

1. Wall-mount sinks

These sinks attach directly to the wall and extend outward like a ledge. The plumbing underneath is exposed, although designed to look unobtrusive and fit in with the rest of the décor. Wall mount sinks give an immense feeling of space to a bathroom, and what they may lose in cabinet storage, they make up for in additional floor space and forward-looking modern design beauty.

2. Pedestal sinks

If you would prefer to have vintage charm to your bathroom rather than the sleek modern style of a wall-mount sink, then a pedestal sink is a great choice. (There are modern-looking designs as well.) Pedestal sinks take up less room than most other sinks, so if you are designing a small bathroom or wish to save space for another appliance, a pedestal sink is one of the best options available.

3. Vessel sinks

A vessel sink creates an interesting optical illusion for a bathroom: it looks like a large, independent bowl set on a table underneath a faucet attached to the wall. However, the bowl is set into the table, with plumbing underneath. Vessel sinks look extremely attractive and stand out as a feature in the bathroom, and this is a case where the material you choose for the sink will have an enormous effect on the appearance of the bathroom. They are distinctive and also simple to install.

Each type of sink, whether the three above or the more traditional drop-in and under-mount models, have disadvantages, and choosing one depends on the design scheme of the bathroom, your requirements for space, and the amount of maintenance and upkeep you’re prepared to do. However, speaking with an experienced bathroom remodeler will help you make the best choice to elevate your old bathroom into something beautiful, spacious, and relaxing.

Call Brooks Plumbing to talk to our remodeling specialists and learn how we can help your bathroom design and bathroom plumbing in Olympia, WA.

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Problems Addressed by Commercial Plumbing Repair

Wednesday, February 26th, 2014

Commercial plumbing problems can have a devastating effect on your business. Your employees can’t do their jobs if they can’t use the sink or the bathroom, and plumbing problems for a restaurant or catering business means you won’t be able to properly prepare your food. Here in Olympia, plumber services need to be able to differentiate between plumbing needs in the home and those faced by a commercial endeavor. Commercial plumbing repair services are well versed in the unique problems face by businesses with plumbing issues.

Here’s a short list of some common problems addressed by commercial plumbing repair:

  • Code upgrades.  Businesses, schools and other endeavors with commercial plumbing issues need to comply with federal, state and local codes as to their safety and functioning. Those codes frequently change, but you can’t always keep up with them, since you have a business to run. A good commercial plumbing service will keep abreast of the latest codes, and can perform upgrades to ensure that your plumbing system stays up to date.
  • Grease traps. Grease traps work to prevent clogs by catching the fat, oil and other waste products produced when you cook. This is of especial concern to commercial plumbing systems since restaurants handle large amounts of food and grease can build up very quickly. A commercial plumbing service can handle any problems with your grease trap, and ensure that your drain flow remains free and clear.
  • Clogged floor drains. A clogged floor drain can bring your business to a halt: preventing proper cleaning of the floors and even flooding your kitchen area in the right circumstances. Efficiency in these cases means working quickly: unclogging the floor drain to let you get back to work and then rooting out the source of the problem to make sure it doesn’t return.

If you encounter any problems addressed by commercial plumbing repair, then make sure you contact a service that can handle commercial issues, and not just residential plumbing. Plumbing services can be provided by an Olympia plumber at Brooks Plumbing. We work quickly and efficiently, and we’re dedicated to keeping your commercial plumbing system functioning at the best possible level. Call us today to set up an appointment. You’ll be glad you did!

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3 Common Repairs for Commercial Plumbing Systems

Monday, February 17th, 2014

Plumbing for businesses is not much different at the basic level than plumbing for homes. The difference lies in scope. Not only is the plumbing system of a business much more extensive than in a home, it also receives far more use and must handle an enormous volumes of fresh water and wastewater. Providing repairs for commercial plumbing systems requires special skill and equipment. It also requires plumbers who know city codes and will make sure that your plumbing meets those requirements.

Brooks Plumbing has provided quality service for residential and commercial plumbing in Olympia, WA since 1994. We are available all day, every day, for the highly trained assistance you need to keep your business’s plumbing working.

3 repairs we often do for commercial plumbing

  • Unclogging drains: No matter where you are, from a small cabin to a huge warehouse, plugged drains are problems. If your business has restrooms or a kitchen, you will probably run into clogs more often than any other problem. Unlike residential clogs, which are often solvable with a plunger, commercial systems receive enough use that clogs will require professional assistance to eliminate.
  • Sewer line repairs: As a business owner, you are responsible for the sewer line that carries all the wastewater from your property until it reaches the municipal line on the street. Damage to this main line (which often happens because of construction projects) can lead to catastrophic problems, such as flooding in bathrooms and damage to the foundations of the building. Basement storage areas are especially susceptible. These fixes are often extensive, but they need to be taken care of by professionals immediately.
  • Sealing leaks/pipe replacement: One of the most frequent troubles that can occur in a business is collapsing ceiling tiles because of water leakage. All building material will suffer damage when leaks occur, but the light material of ceiling tiles is the quickest to deteriorate. However, this is an excellent warning sign of leaking trouble, since most pipe leaks occur out of sight until they become serious problems. Professional plumbers can use leak detection equipment to locate all the pipe leaks and stop the potential damage it can do to the building. Plumbers can seal leaks or perform pipe replacements if necessary.

If something goes wrong with your business’ plumbing in Olympia, WA, you can’t procrastinate about having it repaired. You need to call a service that can deliver the repairs you need as soon as you need them. Make sure you call Brooks Plumbing when you need immediate help for your commercial plumbing needs.

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