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Smelly Drains: Diagnosing and Fixing Them – Boston, Worcester

16 Apr 2014

Drains can really start to smell, and some of those odors can be pretty bad, including the smell of sewage. Here is what to do -- and what not to do – about it.

Considering what they do, it’s a miracle that drains don’t smell up our homes all the time. What happens when your drain is suddenly smelly? Most likely, it’s one of two things: crud inside the pipe (which may be related to a clog) and sewer gas (which is always present in part of your drain system but isn’t supposed to get into the house). Usually a smelly drain problem is easy to solve.

Which One Stinks

Sometimes it’s hard to know which drain smells, so here’s a simple trick: Cover the suspected smelly drain opening with tape or a plastic bag (or both). Let the room air out for a bit. If the smell is gone, you’ve found the culprit. If not, move the tape or bag to the next likely suspect and test again.

Clogs and Crud

A really dirty drain can smell enough to carry into a room, and there are a couple of good clues that this is the source of your problem. A slow drain is one indication. A partially clogged drain doesn’t get rid of waste effectively, leading to more crud buildup. Ultimately, this may lead to a total clog, but it can take a long time. Meanwhile, the buildup just gets worse. The solution is to clean the drain thoroughly with a snake If you don’t know how or if you don’t know what this means, call a plumber.

The other way to tell if your problem is crud is the smell. A dirty drain smells bad, but there’s nothing like the gaseous pungency of sewage. Sewage smell indicates a different drain problem.

A few drains that are most prone to crud-related smells and their solutions:

  • Bathroom sink: The drain stopper assembly catches hair — then everything else — several inches below the drain opening. Remove the stopper and clean this section of pipe periodically to eliminate odors.
  • Tub/shower drain: Hair clogs lead to soap buildup and badly gunked pipes; clean thoroughly with a snake.
  • Kitchen sink: Garbage disposers are the culprits more often than drains. Freshen inside the disposer with Borax or a commercial disposer cleaner, and clean the gunk from the underside of the rubber baffle around the drain opening (you have to do this by hand, and it’s not pretty, but it works).

Smells like Sewage

If your drain smells like sewage, most likely it is sewage or sewer gas. Every drain in your house has a trap — a U-shaped piece of pipe that holds a small amount of water at all times. The water serves as a plug to keep sewer gas from rising up the drain. This works beautifully unless one of the following happens:

  • The original plumber or remodeler failed to install a trap, in which case you’d probably smell gas all the time.
  • The drain isn’t properly vented, and a suction effect in the system siphons the trap dry. The same thing can happen if the vent is blocked (from tree leaves, bird nests, snow, etc.).
  • The fixture served by the drain is too close to other fixtures, such as a toilet drain that’s too close to a sink drain; the force of the toilet flush can siphon the sink trap dry.

If you suspect a dry trap, run water in the fixture slowly for a few minutes, then shut it off This should fill the trap and stop the sewer smell. This can help diagnose the problem but not solve it. However, most venting problems can be remedied by installing an Air Admittance Valve (AAV), a pipe-less air vent that can go almost anywhere along a drain line. A plumber can help with this.

For more help, contact Greater Boston Plumbing and Heating.

Networx

Stop Using Drain Cleaners in Your Clogged Drains – Boston, Worcester

10 Apr 2014

While most people turn to strong drain cleaners when they have a clogged shower or clogged sink, the effects of these overpowering chemicals can damage both pipes and the environment.

Instead of turning to drain cleaning products, call a plumber. A plumber can professionally and safely unclog pipes without using dangerous and destructive chemicals.

Here are a few of the negative effects of over-using drain cleaners.

Where the Drain Cleaners Go

Although using a drain cleaner sparingly is just fine, many people turn to drain cleaners for all of the plumbing problems that they experience. Many people don’t realize what happens to the drain cleaners after they’ve left the pipes. The acid and alkaline from the drain cleaners are treated at the local sewage plant, and then liquidated back into the water supply. As you can see, frequent use of drain cleaners becomes not only harmful to the pipes that they pass through, but to the local environment, as well. A safe alternative to this would be to call Greater Boston Plumbing and Heating to have your pipes and drains professional cleaned. It’s a much safer and more effective option.

Mixing Drain Cleaners with Other Chemicals

When a drain cleaner gets poured down a shower or kitchen sink drain, it comes into contact with previous chemicals such as shampoo, soap, bleach, and an array of other substances. This can be particularly dangerous. When the chemicals break down, they form unnatural substances that can be toxic. You can avoid creating potentially toxic substances by reducing how often you use drain cleaners in your home. If you have been using a drain cleaner on the same drain for a long period of time, you need to have it looked at by a plumber. There is probably a serious problem going on with your pipes that powerful drain cleaners won’t fix. Continuing to use strong drain cleaners will rapidly deteriorate your pipes, leaving you with a multitude of problems.

For more information or for assistance with a clogged drain, contact Greater Boston Plumbing and Heating.

wetrythisathome.org

Gas Water Heater Repairs – Boston, Worcester

12 Mar 2014

Home plumbing systems need maintenance, repairs and upgrades periodically. This is less challenging than a bathroom or kitchen upgrade, but in many cases, these types of jobs often require a plumber.

Most repairs to a gas water heater are made at the burner control. If your heater leaks, the tank is rusted through and the entire unit must be replaced. Call a plumber to replace a gas water heater.

Below is a quick troubleshooting guide to gas water heater problems:

  • If the unit suddenly stops heating water, try relighting the pilot. If it does not stay lit, the thermocouple probably needs to be replaced. If that does not solve the problem, you may need to clean the burner.
  • If the flame is mostly yellow rather than mostly blue, clean the burner.
  • If water isn't heating sufficiently even though the thermostat is turned up and the flames are blue, drain the tank and refill it.
  • If you have hard water, unscrew and remove the anode rod once a year. Look for a 1-inch nut in the top of the heater. Loosen the nut; the anode rod will be attached. If it's encrusted with minerals, replace it to get more efficient operation.

Pressure-Relief Valve

A temperature- and pressure-relief (TPR) valve is a safety device that provides an outlet for water in case the unit overheats. To test that it's working, pull up on the little lever; water should flow out. If not, or if water drips from the valve, the temperature- and pressure-relief valve needs to be replaced. .

For any of the above tasks, if you are uncomfortable, contact Greater Boston Plumbing and Heating.

diyadvice.com

Bathroom Remodels with Licensed Plumbers Save You Time and Money – Boston, Worcester

05 Mar 2014

It is finally time to remodel the bathroom! Whether you want more space or you want to stop looking at outdated tiles and fixtures, bathroom remodeling can give you a great ROI when you sell your home.

But, hiring a professional plumber for a bathroom remodeling project is a must. They can handle all of the needs associated with remodeling your bathroom. It does not matter if you  are merely upgrading the fixtures, or doing a full bathroom remodel.

While DIYers may help you save money on labor, plumbing companies with professional designers and licensed plumbers will be able to better help you maximize your space and stay on budget. Ultimately, hiring professionals may save you time and money.

Greater Boston Plumbing & Heating can help you with custom designs and we will always provide a full detailed estimate as part of our bid process. We will also help you select any new fixtures like faucets, sinks, showers, doors, tubs, etc.

We have experienced bathroom remodeling experts with the product knowledge and design ideas you are looking for in order to upgrade your bathroom. If you want help designing and remodeling your bathrooms, contact Greater Boston Plumbing & Heating. We are happy to provide any references.

We look forward to making your dream bathroom come to life in your home!

Frozen Pipes and Furnace Problems from Below Normal Temps - Boston, Worcester, MA

12 Feb 2014

Extremely low temperatures have become the norm creating a long busy winter season for plumbing companies because of frozen pipes and malfunctioning furnaces.

More and more homeowners are experiencing problems with flooding, frozen pipes and even frozen drain lines that started just before Christmas. More and more homeowners are contending with malfunctioning furnaces and frozen pipes in this latest round of below-normal temperatures.

To prevent frozen pipes, homeowners should be aware of the obvious causes like cracks in the walls or broken windows. Another cause of frozen pipes that most homeowners don’t think about is the cold air coming in through the dryer vents.

If you don't have a damper on your dryer vent, the wind will blow right in there. A lot of time you see dryer vents that are right near water pipes. The cold air will follow the vent right in and freeze the pipe.

Some homeowners attempt to address problems with frozen pipes themselves. Oftentimes this can be a recipe for disaster, since the average person does not have the proper equipment or training to deal with these plumbing issues.

Here are a few important suggestions for homeowners while they are waiting for professional plumbers to arrive. Locate your main water shutoff and turn it off after the pipe has frozen and before a pipe bursts in order to prevent flooding. Additionally, rather than using an open flame, which can lead to insulation igniting, Apply heat from an electric hair dryer or a hot rag on the frozen pipes.

Preventive measures are also good to keep in mind. The ideal temperature to keep the thermostat varies depending on the age of the home. If you have an older home you'll want to keep it a little warmer, newer homes are better insulated and don't seem to have as many problems. If you have a crawl space in your house you probably want to keep it at least 65 or 70 degrees.

Before the next winter season, wrap heat tape around your piping system to keep the heat around the pipes before they freeze or using foam pipe or regular pipe insulation. Another simple fix is to leave a faucet running a bit to keep water moving through your piping system since generally moving water does not freeze.

If you pipes have frozen, contact Greater Boston Heating and Plumbing.

WGRZ

Low-Flow Toilets May Not Work in Your Home – Boston, Worcester

15 Jan 2014

Many homes around Boston and Worcester are older homes. Today, more and more homeowners are interested in saving money and resources, which has people investigating low-flow toilets. Older homes were built assuming that toilets would use more than 3 gallons of water for flushing. Today’s low-flow toilets use 1.6 gallons.

If you are considering changing to a more efficient toilet, keep in mind that there is a chance the plumbing in your older home may not be sufficient.

The pipes that take waste away from your toilet and your home need to slope between 1/8-in. and 1/4-in. per foot for the water to carry solid waste to the sewer. If the pipes are too steep or too level, the flow of water allows waste to collect in the pipe and that means you could get clogged toilets. Some old homes may even have a “negative slope” where water stands in the pipe. With a negative slope the waste is carried away only by the force of gallons of water flowing through the pipes because you have an older toilet that uses several gallons of water.

Here are a couple signs that your plumbing may not work for low-flow toilets:

  • The original toilet occasionally clogs, even when not flushing solids. This could be the toilet or a clogged waste pipe.
  • After lifting the toilet off the floor you see standing water in the waste line. That is a sign that your pipes have a negative slope.

In both scenarios a professional plumber can fix the problem. If your plumber says your plumbing may not work for a low-flow toilet, consider having a fixture with a pressure-assisted flush installed. When the toilet is flushed compressed air is released that forces the water out of the bowl and forcing it down the drain.

For  more information on if your home can handle a low flow toilet, contact Greater Boston Plumbing and Heating.

Prevent Frozen Pipes and How to Thaw Pipes if They Freeze-Worcester, Boston

08 Jan 2014

Frozen pipes occur most frequently when they are exposed to severe cold, like those in unheated interior areas like basements and crawl spaces, attics, garages or kitchen cabinets.

With the cold arctic air and wind chills that have been hanging around Worcester and Boston we have been experiencing some of the coldest weather in years. With single digit temperatures, frozen water pipes in unheated basements and crawl spaces are a concern for homeowners.

The American Red Cross suggests tips on how to prevent pipes from freezing and what to do if water pipes freeze.

Why Pipe Freezing is a Problem

Water expands as it freezes. This expansion puts tremendous pressure on metal or plastic pipes. No matter how strong, expanding water can cause pipes to break. Pipes that freeze most frequently are those that are exposed to severe cold, like outdoor hose bibs, swimming pool supply lines, water sprinkler lines, and water supply pipes in unheated interior areas like basements and crawl spaces, attics, garages, or kitchen cabinets. Pipes that run against exterior walls that have little or no insulation are also subject to freezing.

Preventing Frozen Pipes

Before the onset of cold weather, prevent freezing of water supply lines and pipes by following these recommendations:

  • Drain water from swimming pool and water sprinkler supply lines following manufacturer's or installer's directions. Do not put antifreeze in these lines unless directed.  
  • Remove, drain, and store hoses used outdoors. Close inside valves supplying outdoor hose bibs. Open the outside hose bibs to allow water to drain. Keep the outside valve open so that any water remaining in the pipe can expand without causing the pipe to break.
  • Check around the home for other areas where water supply lines are located in unheated areas. Look in the basement, crawl space, attic, garage, and under kitchen and bathroom cabinets. Both hot and cold water pipes in these areas should be insulated.
  • Consider installing specific products made to insulate water pipes like a "pipe sleeve" or installing UL-listed "heat tape," "heat cable," or similar materials on exposed water pipes. Newspaper can provide some degree of insulation and protection to exposed pipes.

During Cold Weather:

  • Keep garage doors closed if there are water supply lines in the garage.
  • Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing. Be sure to move any harmful cleaners and household chemicals up out of the reach of children.
  • When the weather is very cold outside, let the cold water drip from the faucet served by exposed pipes. Running water through the pipe - even at a trickle - helps prevent pipes from freezing.
  • Keep the thermostat set to the same temperature both during the day and at night. By temporarily suspending the use of lower nighttime temperatures, you may incur a higher heating bill, but you can prevent a much more costly repair job if pipes freeze and burst.
  • If you will be going away during cold weather, leave the heat on in your home, set to a temperature no lower than 55° F.
  • Do not pour antifreeze in your pipes to prevent freezing. It is the pipes that bring water to your home that you want to prevent from freezing. Additionally, antifreeze is a poisonous, hazardous substance, you don’t want this in your sewage system or leaking  into your soil.

To Thaw Frozen Pipes

  • If you turn on a faucet and only a trickle comes out, suspect a frozen pipe.
  • Keep the faucet open. As you treat the frozen pipe and the frozen area begins to melt, water will begin to flow through the frozen area. Running water through the pipe will help melt ice in the pipe.
  • Apply heat to the section of pipe using an electric heating pad wrapped around the pipe, an electric hair dryer, a portable space heater, or by wrapping pipes with towels soaked in hot water.
  • Apply heat until full water pressure is restored. If you are unable to locate the frozen area, if the frozen area is not accessible, or if you cannot thaw the pipe, call a licensed plumber in Boston.
  • Check all other faucets in your home to find out if you have additional frozen pipes. If one pipe freezes, others may freeze, too.

Future Protection

  • Consider relocating exposed pipes to provide increased protection from freezing.
  • Pipes can be relocated by a professional plumber if the home is remodeled.
  • Add insulation to attics, basements and crawl spaces. Insulation will maintain higher temperatures in these areas.

For more information, please contact a licensed plumber like Greater Boston Plumbing and Heating.

Prevent Frozen Pipes – Boston, Worcester

02 Jan 2014

Temperatures are falling into the teens and below, and a big Nor'easter has arrived. Both have plumbers preparing for overtime. Protecting water pipes is your first line of defense.

Plumbers will tell you that there's no substitute for insulating water pipes from the cold. Plumbers keep boxes of pipe insulation for water lines that could be exposed to freezing temperatures. They say water lines buried at least 18-inches in the ground rarely freeze in our area. But if they're exposed to a cold foundation wall or in a draft from outside air, there's a possibility of cracked pipes and big leaks. The pipes freeze, the water freezes, and the water pipes crack. Once the water defrosts, you will see the pipes leaking, you don’t know you have a problem until you have big-time water problems.

Older homes are more vulnerable to frozen pipes because of the plumbing that may not be insulated between the floor and the ground. Homeowners are also warned to remove hoses from foundation faucets that can cause split pipes during freezing temperatures.

Pipe insulation is easy to install is usually available at home improvement stores. If you have problems with frozen or cracked pipes this winter, contact Greater Boston Plumbing and Heating.

Happy New Year From Greater Boston Plumbing and Heating – Worcester, Boston

26 Dec 2013

Happy New Year from Greater Boston Plumbing and Heating! We would like to thank our customers and vendors for allowing our business to be part of your lives. We wish you a wonderful and prosperous 2014!

If we have had the pleasure of helping you with your plumbing needs, we hope that we solved all of your plumbing problems with the highest level of customer service available. If you are thinking of building a new home, remodeling a kitchen or bath or have any other plumbing need in 2014, we hope that you consider Greater Boston Plumbing and Heating.

It is our sincere wish that in the New Year you are surrounded by warmth, family, and friendship. From all of us here at Greater Boston Plumbing and Heating, have a healthy, happy and prosperous New Year.

Sincere best regards to you all.

Frozen Pipes are a Common Winter Problem You Want to Avoid – Worcester, Boston

11 Dec 2013

During the winter in Boston and Worcester plumbing service companies get a high number of calls from people needing their water lines fixed.  As the cold weather settles in, many homeowners are worried about their heating costs rising and keeping their houses warm. Another cause for concern this time of year is frozen pipes.

Most of the plumbing problems this time of year are due to freezing pipes. Typically the frozen pipes are caused by open cracks in foundations, windows, and doors that leave pipes susceptible to the outside elements.

Make sure all windows are closed and that cracks are sealed. Any pipes that are within 10 to 12 inches to the outside walls should be insulated.

If you find yourself in the unfortunate situation where your water pipes burst there are steps you need to take immediately in order to prevent a lot of damage in your home. First find the water meter, typically there is a main shut off valve there. Immediately shut that valve and then call your local plumber. Even just a minute of water running from a burst pipe can do thousands of dollars’ worth of damage to your home.

Also, to prevent frozen pipes, undo and turn off the water to your outside hoses and spickets. If you have an older home with a history of frozen pipes and the temperature is very cold, let some water slowly drip from your faucet overnight or while away. You can also keep the cabinet doors open underneath your sinks to let in the heat.

If find yourself with frozen pipes, contact Greater Boston Plumbing and Heating.


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