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

Plumber Tip: How To Prevent Plumbing Clogs And Other Common Problems

Monday, April 22nd, 2013

Nothing shuts your home down quite like a plumbing problem. Whether it’s a collapsed sewer line, or a major drainpipe blockage, your home can quickly become a health hazard during a clog. While some problems are inevitable, there are some major preventive steps you can take to reduce the change of a clog blocking your wastewater plumbing system. In this post, we’d like to share with you some ways you can prevent plumbing clogs and other common problems. For more info, or to make an appointment with an Olympia, WA plumber, call Brooks Plumbing today!

  • Install a grease trap. Grease, as well as fats and oils, is a major source of plumbing problems in the majority of homes. When we wash our pots and pans in warm water, the grease appears to be liquid, but as it cools, grease solidifies into a gel-like substance, which can quickly accumulate within the interior of your pipes. Installing a grease trap just after the drain to your sink or dishwasher is a great way to reduce the risk of clogging your drains with grease. If you cook a lot, or are otherwise concerned about your kitchen drainpipes, consider a grease trap.
  • Schedule a drain cleaning. Professional drain cleaning is the best preventive measure you can take against the risk of plumbing clogs. A qualified Olympia, WA plumber will have the right equipment and skill-set to approach drain cleaning carefully, avoiding the use of harsh chemicals to ensure that your plumbing remains structurally sound and working well.
  • Install a sump pump. If you’re at all concerned about whether the contents of your basement are safe from water, consider installing a sump pump. Moist and flooded basements are common problems for many homes. A sump pump sits either submerged or upright in a pit at the lowest part of your basement. It’s a great way to protect your belongings, or your basement itself if it’s unfinished.

These are just a few ways you can prevent plumbing clogs and other problems from damaging your home. For more information, or to hire an Olympia, WA plumbing expert, contact Brooks Plumbing today!

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Plumbing FAQ: How Does Professional Drain Cleaning Work?

Monday, April 15th, 2013

We rely on our wastewater disposal systems to keep our homes clean and hygienic. Unlike the pressurized water supply systems, our wastewater system relies on gravity to transport organic waste from the drainpipes in our homes into the sewer line and into the septic tank or municipal waste management system. Over the course of their service life, our drain systems accumulate waste and debris. When this builds up on the inside of our pipes, it can present all sorts of problems. Even minor blockages can eventually become serious clogs that require  Lacey, WA plumbing professional to remove. That’s why routine drain cleaning is so important: it allows your drains to operate as they should. For more information, or to schedule drain cleaning in Lacey, WA, call Brooks Plumbing today!

Let’s take a look at the process of professional drain cleaning. Your Lacey plumber will use a variety of tools and techniques, depending on the application, but let’s look at two steps, and then review the benefits:

  • Video pipe inspection. While this is not strictly part of the cleaning process, it is often a necessary aspect of professional drain cleaning. Knowing where the problematic areas of your drains are allows your plumber to concentrate his efforts and target specific blockages. It’s an excellent technology that removes much of the guesswork. By offering a first-person view from within the internal view of your pipes, you’ll be able to know exactly what’s going on.  If necessary, your plumber may recommend repair or replacement if it looks as though your sewer line is cracked.
  • Drain snake. You’re probably getting drain cleaning due to a partial or even complete blockage. Removing deep clogs is no job for a plunger. You need a drain snake. This is an augur attached to a long cable that usually has some kind of attachment at the front that allows for breaking up blockages
  • Benefits.  Rapid wastewater disposal leads to extended pipe life, odor elimination, and any discomfort caused by blocked and slow drains. The greatest benefit is preventing major and sometimes costly repairs and replacement.

For more information about professional drain cleaning and how it works, contact the Lacey, WA plumbing experts at Brooks Plumbing today!

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Plumbing Tip: How to Maintain Your Garbage Disposal

Monday, April 8th, 2013

Your garbage disposal grinds up food particles so that they can be added to your waste water disposal system, instead of being thrown in the trash. They were designed to reduce the amount of trash in landfills, and to create a more environmentally friendly way to dispose of food waste. But they cannot handle all types of food waste and they should only be used according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Because of what they’re used for and how much use they get, garbage disposals need routine maintenance just like any other system in the home. We’ve compiled a list of maintenance tips so that you can maintain your garbage disposal at home. If you need professional Olympia plumbing service, however, don’t hesitate to call the experts at Brooks Plumbing today!

  • Avoid certain materials. Don’t thrown bones, eggshells, coffee grounds, and other prohibited substances down the garbage disposal. Compost them or throw them in the trash. Also, make sure that no non-food items such as silverware or bottle caps are in the sink when you turn on the disposal. These can get stuck within the unit. The first step to maintenance is proper usage.
  • Freshen with citrus. Use lemon or orange peels to freshen up the garbage disposal occasionally. This will help eliminate foul odors from invading your kitchen.
  • Clean the blades. Throw a couple handfuls of ice cubes and a bit of rock salt into your disposal, and run it with cold water to clean the blades. You can replace distilled white vinegar for the rock salt if that’s closer to hand. This helps to remove debris from the blades so that it can operate effectively.
  • Use it regularly. A garbage disposal needs to be used on a regular basis to ensure that it works properly. Because of their proximity to water, unused moving parts have a tendency to rust and corrode when not used regularly.

Cleaning and unclogging your garbage disposal can be dangerous. It’s always better to have a professional come take a look at your disposal unit if you think there is something seriously wrong with it. For professional Olympia, WA plumbing, including garbage disposal repair, call Brooks Plumbing today!

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Kitchen Remodeling Tip: How to Plan for a Kitchen Remodel

Monday, April 1st, 2013

Remodeling your kitchen is a great way to make the house you live in feel more like a home. When you move into a home, you are not necessarily going to love every aspect about it. Even if you have remodeled in the past, tastes and styles change with the times. If you are considering scheduling kitchen remodeling service, contact the Olympia kitchen remodeling professionals at Brooks Plumbing Company. We will work closely with you to ensure that your new kitchen is exactly what you wanted. Here are tips for planning ahead to make your kitchen remodel a resounding success.

First of all, you must have a crystal clear idea as to why you are remodeling your kitchen. Is it a purely aesthetic change? If so, the installation of new fixtures, appliances and even countertops should do the trick. However, if there are problems you have with the functionality of any aspect of your kitchen, now is the time to address them.

If you intend on having new fixtures installed, do you want to upgrade them at the same time? If you want to incorporate a garbage disposal into your kitchen then you must bring that up beforehand. Are you planning on purchasing a new refrigerator? That’s fine, but if part of the reason you are doing so is for the convenience of an icemaker then you may need a water line connection. Depending on your vision for your new kitchen remodel and the condition of your existing pipework, some repiping may even be necessary.

It can be easy to get overwhelmed during this process. Remember, just because you should have a clear idea of the changes you want to make, the timeframe you have in mind and the budget you have available, you do not need to have all the answers. Working with a qualified, professional plumber will help you make the right choices. Contact us today to get started.

The kitchen remodeling pros at Brooks Plumbing Company want to you feel at home in every area of your house. That is why we are so proud of the remodeling services we offer. Give us a call if you are thinking about undertaking an Olympia kitchen remodeling project. Call Brooks Plumbing Company today!

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Plumbing FAQ: Does my home need a grease trap?

Monday, March 25th, 2013

When you think about grease traps you likely think about commercial restaurant and kitchens that need to dispose of lots of fats, oils and grease—sometimes called FOG for short. These types of food waste don’t break down and can form terrible clogs. In fact, in some municipalities it used to be illegal to dump FOG down your home drain because it required extra maintenance and treatment from the water utility to remove them and remove clogs in city pipes. Homeowners had to install grease traps and get them regularly maintained, cleaned and sanitized. Because garbage disposals are so prevalent now grease levels in city water are likely rising again. Contact the Lacey, WA plumbing experts at Brooks Plumbing

if your home has constant clogs from fats, oils or grease. We can help you figure out if a grease trap is right for you. Here are few things to consider before that.

Why Install a Home Grease Trap?

Unless you’re opening a donut store in your home or if you do a lot of frying your home probably doesn’t need a grease trap. However, if you do find yourself doing a lot of frying in your home or if you’re trying to start a small restaurant then it could be a good idea to install a grease trap. This will protect your plumbing system and help you keep your plumbing system working well. Contact the Lacey, WA plumbing experts at Brooks Plumbing if your home is having any plumbing issues.

However, if you are concerned about the amount of treatment that has to be done to your city’s water supply then doing your part to remove your fats, oils and grease from the sewer system could be a good idea. A grease trap can be installed at your home near your sink drain. You can either get it regularly serviced by a company or use bacteria to keep the trap clean and to avoid the foul odors commonly associated with grease traps.

For all your Lacey, WA plumbing services, including plumbing repair and plumbing installation, contact Brooks Plumbing.

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Plumbing FAQ: Common Sump Pump Problems

Monday, March 18th, 2013

Sump pumps protect our basements from flooding. Because our basements are below ground, they are prone to flood first in the event of a rapid increase in the level of water in the ground. A sump pump is a simple device that removes water from your basement and sends it to a drainage system. Because they are placed at the lowest spot in the basement, in a small pit, they are able to handle water first before it reaches the rest of the basement floor. We depend on them to protect our basement from water damage. Like any other mechanical device, however, your sump pump can require repair at some point in its life. We’ve gathered together a list of some common sump pump problems that may help you. If you need a plumber in Olympia, WA, call Brooks Plumbing Company.

  • Insufficient pumping. Occasionally, your sump pump may be overwhelmed by the amount of water flooding into your basement. It may not be powerful enough, or it may be old and at the end of its service life. It’s important to install only high quality sump pumps and to make sure they are professionally installed. That way, you can be prepared for flooding.
  • Clogged. If your sump pump does not have a lid, dirt and debris can easily begin to fill that space and cause the unit to clog. Alternatively, if your sump pump sits directly on the bottom of the pit, it is prone to clogging.
  • No power. If your sump pump has no power, then it cannot hope to prevent flooding. Your circuit breaker may have tripped or you may have blown a fuse. Maybe you unplugged the sump pump by accident. It’s probably a good idea to install a battery backup for your pump, so that it can continue to work if this happens again.

These are some of the most common plumbing problems. Remember, it’s important to take care of any problems so that your home is prepared for the worst. It’s often impossible to know when flooding is going to occur, so make sure your sump pump is always in good working order. Need a plumber in Olympia? Call Brooks Plumbing Company today!

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Plumber FAQ: How Video Pipe Inspections Help

Monday, March 4th, 2013

Video pipe inspections are a relatively new piece of technology that Olympia, WA plumbers use. It allows us to see deep down into the plumbing system to find clogs and leaks. This is a huge benefit to us and we wanted to share some of the advantages that it has. At Brooks Plumbing, our plumbers in Olympia, WA offer complete plumbing repair and installation. If your drains are slow, if they’re leaking or If they’re completely clogged, call the Olympia plumbers at Brooks Plumbing today!

What Is Video Camera Pipe Inspection Equipment?

If you’ve ever seen a spy move where they slide a thin wire under a door or through a window opening in order to look inside the room—that’s sort of like our video camera pipe inspection equipment. The camera and wire are about the thickness of a pencil and can be fed down into your drains and pipes. Our plumbers have a separate unit with a screen that shows us what the camera is seeing in your pipes. We can control the camera so that we can see any blockages, cracks or clogs that might be down in your plumbing.

What Are the Benefits of Video Camera Pipes Inspections

The main benefit of video camera inspections is information. It allows our plumbers to go into each job with as much information as possible. We can pinpoint where the clog is and what it’s made of. That allows us to quickly attack it and remove it. Instead of having to fish around in your plumbing with a long, metal snake we can just send the camera down the pipe to find out exactly where the clog is.

Benefits of Professional Plumbing Maintenance in Olympia

During regular plumbing maintenance visits, your plumber should use video camera equipment to inspect any suspicious problems with your plumbing. When you have an Olympia plumber inspecting and regularly cleaning your plumbing system you might be able to find small clogs or problems early before they turn into larger, more costly repairs.

Call the Olympia plumbers at Brooks Plumbing if you need any plumbing repair or maintenance. We can work on any kind of plumbing system and fix all kinds of problems. Call us today to talk with one of our friendly plumbers in Olympia, WA. Contact Brooks Plumbing today!

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Plumbing Tips: Bathroom Plumbing Upgrades

Tuesday, January 29th, 2013

If you are starting a bathroom remodeling project, Brooks Plumbing provides bathroom plumbing installations throughout the Lacey area. Always call a professional Lacey plumber you trust to install any new plumbing equipment. Your bathrooms get a lot of use, and that’s why you want to make sure that the plumbing is installed correctly.

In addition to proper installation, you want to be sure that your bathrooms have the design and look that matches your tastes. Our professional plumbers can provide both. Also, hiring a plumber to install your bathroom fixtures and plumbing is much faster than trying to do it yourself, not to mention preventing issues. You also want to make sure that your plumbing system will provide lasting results. Contact Brooks Plumbing for Lacey bathroom remodeling services today!

Here are some of the upgrades that you may want to consider for new bathroom fixtures and plumbing.

  • Low flow faucets and fixtures: Save water and money with these simple upgrades.
  • Dual flush toilets: Older toilets waste gallons of water with each flush. Consider this upgrade to help conserve water.
  • Water heater upgrades: Consider a tankless water heater for on demand hot water.

With all the use that your bathroom gets, you want it to work as efficiently as possible. With the help of a professional plumber, you can be sure that your bathroom plumbing will get installed correctly to prevent problems for you in the future.

The Lacey plumbers at Brooks Plumbing have many years of experience working with all different kinds of bathroom installation jobs. We can get your new fixtures or pipes in quickly and without sacrificing quality. Call us for your next bathroom remodeling job! Contact Brooks Plumbing today!

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Plumbing Tip: Basic Water Heater Components

Monday, January 14th, 2013

If you are looking for ways to extend the life of the water heater in your home, we’ve put together some tips for you. We’ve also included an outline of the basic water heater components so that you can understand how the equipment works and how to take care of it. Call the Olympia water heater experts at Brooks Plumbing today!

Most homes have a standard tank water heater, and these will need routine maintenance to ensure worry-free and lasting results. Tankless water heaters do not have a storage stank, but they still need basic maintenance. We are focusing on the tank water heater since these are more common and require a little more maintenance.

One of the safety features in a tank water heater is the cold water supply valve, which is a shutoff valve that will need to be turned off before any repairs or maintenance is done on the tank. The sediment in hot water heater tanks needs to be flushed out regularly so that it doesn’t burn inside the water tank from being heated by the burners. The cold water runs through a dip tube.

Because cold water is denser than hot water, the cold water settles at the bottom of the tank and rises as it is heated. Once this happens, it is supplied to the showers, sinks, and other applications through the hot water discharge.

In some models, there’s a metal rod in the tank called a sacrificial anode that attracts corrosion instead of the tank itself getting corroded. Some have alarms that alert you when it is time to replace the anode. If you hear popping noises, there could corrosion or sediment burning inside the tank.

Contact Brooks Plumbing if you have questions or would like to hire a Olympia plumber for routine maintenance.

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How Can I Save More Water and Energy in the Winter?

Monday, December 17th, 2012

As the heating season approaches savvy homeowners begin cooking up their schemes to roll back energy costs this winter. What many homeowners do not give much consideration to – often until a problem arises – is the conservation of water throughout the winter. Both are important, if for different reasons. Brooks Plumbing has some information to share with you about how you can improve both your energy efficiency and water conservation this winter. Cut down on the amount of resources you use and watch the saving begin to add up this heating season.

Some of the most effective ways to save energy during the winter months are also the simplest. Did you know that you can reverse the rotation of your ceiling fans? Flip a switch on the fixture and keep them going clockwise. This is generally the winter setting and it forces heated air back down to the living space from the ceiling. You can also buy shrink-wrap and weather-stripping to winterize your doors and windows. Keeping the heat inside your home is one of the most basic ways to reduce heating costs during the winter. Of course the best way you can keep your home heating system as efficiently as possible is to schedule regular, professional maintenance. When your heating system is operating effectively, efficiency soon follows.

Saving water during the winter is a bit different. Some water saving methods are automatic in the winter, such as cutting down on the water you use to maintain your lawn. This is much more of a spring or summertime concern. One thing people tend to do in the winter is spend more time in a nice, hot shower. It may be a nice respite when you get back from the cold outdoors, but remember that you are paying for that water just like always. The biggest water waste concern in the winter is the freezing of your pipes. Make sure that they are properly insulated and, if you are going away, be sure to drain them to prevent bursting. A burst pipe, as you can imagine, is a pretty serious way to waste water.

For more information about cutting costs and increasing water and energy efficiency in Olympia, WA this winter contact Brooks Plumbing. Let us help you improve your comfort while retaining more of your budget. Schedule service today.

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