Author: dpatterson

What Is Hard Water?

If a household starts experiencing issues with its water quality—including residue buildups and spots on dishes—it might be dealing with hard water. This can harm the plumbing system and household appliances, leading to costly appliance replacements and frequent plumbing repairs.

Hard water is characterized by high mineral content, particularly calcium and magnesium. The presence of these minerals can lead to various problems, including scale buildup on fixtures and appliances, dry skin and hair, stained dishes and clothing, and reduced appliance lifespan. To tackle these issues, homeowners of Augusta, GA, must consider installing a water softener.

Water Softener Systems 101

What exactly does a water softener do? Essentially, it removes minerals from the water through an ion exchange process. This process helps alleviate the negative effects of hard water and extends the lifespan of plumbing and appliances.

Different types of water softeners are available, including salt-based and salt-free options, each with unique differences. While salt-based systems are the most common units, they require property owners to replace the salt regularly. On the other hand, salt-free units do not need salt.

Common Symptoms of Hard Water

Knowing what symptoms to look for when recognizing signs of hard water is essential for homeowners. The faster homeowners notice the signs, the quicker they can schedule the installation of a water-softening system.

Plumbers recommend watching for common symptoms, such as dry skin, stained dishes, faded clothing, and scale buildup on fixtures. If homeowners notice any of these signs, they should quickly schedule water softener installation services.

The sooner a failing water softener is replaced, the better the chance households have of limiting damage to their plumbing system and appliances.

Top Benefits of Whole Home Water Softeners

There are many reasons for homeowners to install a whole-house water softener. It leads to longer-lasting fixtures and appliances and saves time and money by reducing the time homeowners must spend cleaning plumbing fixtures to remove hard water stains and sediment buildups.

In addition, softer water can improve the health of family members’ skin and hair, extend clothing life, and ensure sparkling dishes and glassware.

By removing hard water from a home’s water supply, property owners can protect their plumbing appliances and fixtures and save money on repairs and replacements.

About Universal Plumbing

The experienced team at Universal Plumbing offers complete plumbing services to Augusta-Richmond County. With more than 100 years of combined experience, they offer after-hours emergency services and hire trustworthy technicians. Call them today for water softener installation in Augusta, GA.

What Is Backflow? Essential Information for Homeowners

Backflow can be incredibly dangerous to households when water flows in the opposite direction in a plumbing system. Instead of the wastewater exiting, it re-enters the home’s water supply. If it persists, this problem puts families at risk of contamination and other dangerous illnesses. It can happen for various reasons, including a loss of water pressure, a cross-connection, and other factors.

In this article, Augusta, GA, plumbers explain the importance of backflow testing and the dangers backflow can have on a household.

Dangers Backflow Presents to Households

Backflow is extremely dangerous for households. If household members consume contaminated water, it can result in serious illnesses like E. coli and exposure to other bacteria and viruses. It can also cause the pipes and plumbing fixtures to corrode, resulting in expensive repairs and cleanup services.

To protect their families, homeowners need to schedule regular backflow testing to detect the presence of backflow before it harms the household.

What Happens During Backflow Testing

When homeowners schedule backflow testing with an experienced professional, they can expect the expert to take several steps to ensure their water supply is safe and clean.

Backflow testers use backflow prevention devices to ensure the system is working correctly. These devices prevent contaminated water from entering the home’s clean water supply. Plumbers must inspect the prevention device regularly to ensure it works. 

Annual backflow testing allows homeowners to protect their homes and water supply, prevent contaminated water, and comply with local regulations.

Why Backflow Testing Is Essential

Backflow testing is required to keep families and communities safe. By doing regular testing performed by trained plumbers, they can check the home’s backflow preventer and ensure it works properly. They can also test the water and ensure it is safe for every household. 

Backflow testing offers numerous advantages to households. This includes the following: 

• Prevents the spread of waterborne illnesses to protect the household and the community.
• Keeps a home’s drinking water clean and safe.
• Reduces the risk of damage to a property caused by water contamination.
• Keeps homes compliant with public health and safety regulations.

Regular backflow testing lets homeowners know that their home’s water supply is clean and safe for every family member. This provides their home with safe water to drink, bathe, and perform household chores. It also gives them the confidence that their plumbing system is not contaminating their local water supply, keeping the community safe from water troubles.

About Universal Plumbing

The experienced team at Universal Plumbing offers complete plumbing services to Augusta-Richmond County. With more than 100 years of combined experience, they offer after-hours emergency services and hire trustworthy technicians. Call them today for backflow testing services in Augusta, GA.

How to Prevent Garbage Disposals From Malfunctioning

When garage disposals malfunction, they can not only inconvenience households but also lead to messy clogs or smelly odors. This makes it essential for homeowners to take steps to keep their garbage disposals functioning properly. 

In this post, plumbers from Augusta, GA, explain some simple tips homeowners can use to prevent their garbage disposals from malfunctioning. These include knowing which foods are safe to put down the disposal, why running cold water is essential, and how to limit the amount of food that goes down the disposal at once. 

Avoid Clogs by Keeping These Foods Out of Garbage Disposals

When homeowners quickly wash dishes and push scraps down the disposal, it can be easy to toss all of the food down the system without thinking about whether any foods are harming the unit.

But doing this can lead to garbage disposal clogs and other defects. 

To avoid problems, plumbers recommend only putting relatively safe foods down the disposal. This list typically includes soft foods. Some examples are cooked meat, fruit pits, citrus rinds, and ice. 

There are certain foods households should avoid. These include bones, fruit pits, cooking fats and oils, stringy or fibrous vegetables like celery and corn husks, and starchy foods. 

If households are still determining if food can go down the garbage disposal, they should always throw it in the wastebasket instead of down the drain.

Run Cold Water to Prevent Garbage Disposal Issues

One of the easiest ways households can prevent garbage disposal problems is to run cold water down the drain while using the unit and immediately after turning it off. 

Running cold water is a simple step, but it can have big advantages. For one, it can prevent clogs by keeping the food flowing through the system, resulting in a clean garbage disposal. It can also keep the system from overheating, preventing food scraps from baking on the blades and eliminating foul odors. 

Homeowners should also put ice cubes down the disposal. This can help remove food particles and sharpen the blades.

Watch How Much Food Goes Down the Drain

Plumbers also recommend that homeowners watch how much food goes down the garbage disposal at once. When cooking or washing dishes, homeowners might quickly push a bunch of food scraps down the drain at once. However, this can lead to blockages if too much food is put into the garbage disposal. Plumbers suggest homeowners cut large food scraps into smaller pieces to avoid clogs.

To keep their systems working correctly, homeowners must schedule garbage disposal repairs or replacements at the first signs of an issue, including a clog, humming noises, or if the system stops grinding food accurately. During services, plumbers will try the garbage disposal reset button and make any needed repairs.

About Universal Plumbing

The team at Universal Plumbing offers quick-response plumbing services to the Augusta-Richmond area. With more than 100 years of combined experience, they offer after-hours emergency services and only hire trustworthy technicians. Call them today for garbage disposal services in Augusta, GA.

How To Avoid Plumbing Issues on Family Vacation

Summer means family road trips and relaxing vacations. But before Augusta, GA, families pack their bags and hit the road, a little preventative plumbing care can ensure a worry-free trip. Local plumbers recommend taking simple steps to protect their homes against water damage while away, including turning off the main water supply, shutting off the water heater, and scheduling a professional plumbing inspection.

Turn off the Main Water Valve Before Vacation

When homeowners go on vacation, the last thing they should be worried about is if their plumbing system is malfunctioning or if they will come home to a flooded house from a water leak or pipe burst. To avoid these problems, homeowners should turn off their main water shutoff valve before leaving on vacation.

Performing this simple step allows homeowners to:

• Property owners can relax and enjoy their well-deserved vacations with peace of mind, knowing their homes are protected from potential leaks and floods.
• Protect their homes from a burst pipe or hidden leak. If these issues occur, they can cause major water damage and can lead to expensive repairs.
• Save money on water bills by preventing wasted water if a leak occurs. Turning off the water prevents additional water from flowing into the house, resulting in higher water bills.

Turn off the Water Heater To Prevent Damage

When homeowners leave on vacation, they often overlook the importance of turning off their water heaters. This might seem like a minor task, but it’s an essential precaution for homeowners.

If a water heater develops a leak or other defect while the household is away, it can lead to numerous issues for the homeowner upon their return from vacation, including water damage from a malfunctioning water heater. If the system leaks or bursts, it can cause major wreckage to the house. Water heater problems can also cause energy bills and water bills to rise, as more water and energy than is necessary will be used.

Instead, homeowners can prevent these issues by simply turning off the water heater. This will give homeowners peace of mind that their home is protected from potential water damage and prevent excess water and energy from being used.

Schedule Plumbing Inspections To Identify Defects

To allow homeowners to fully relax on their vacation, they should schedule a pre-vacation plumbing maintenance with a professional. This allows plumbers to fully inspect the system and look for key defects that can cause damage later.

In addition to having a professional check out their system, homeowners can also perform tasks on their own, including:

• Look for leaks, cracks, dripping faucets, and other defects.
• Listen for unusual sounds like gurgling or odd sounds that can indicate clogs or blockages.
• Check the water heater tank for leaks, corrosion, and other defects. Homeowners should also inspect the pilot light to ensure it’s lit.

By taking these simple steps, homeowners can rest assured that they’ll avoid major plumbing issues while on vacation.

About Universal Plumbing

The experienced plumbers at Universal Plumbing perform quality services in the Augusta area. They have over 100 years of combined experience, hire trustworthy technicians, and offer after-hours emergency services. Call them today for plumbing services in Augusta, GA.

Why Plumbing Maintenance Is Essential

When homeowners schedule annual home services, they might overlook booking plumbing maintenance, but they shouldn’t. While some households schedule plumbing services only when the system malfunctions, proactive plumbing maintenance is extremely beneficial.

Regular plumbing maintenance can help homeowners avoid unexpected breakdowns and repairs, extend the lifespan of the plumbing, and save money. This post will explain why maintenance is important. 

Help Avoid Plumbing Breakdowns and Repairs

A benefit of scheduling routine plumbing maintenance is that it allows plumbers to perform an inspection of the plumbing and tasks to help prevent problems. They can proactively identify plumbing defects during the inspection and quickly repair any problems they find to help prevent the problem from getting worse and leading to larger consequences. 

Experts perform numerous tasks during maintenance services that can help avoid issues and future repairs. These include water heater maintenance tasks, checking plumbing fixtures in the home to ensure they work correctly and aren’t wasting water, and ensuring the water pressure is at the correct level to help prevent leaks and pipe damage. 

Help the Plumbing Last Longer 

Scheduling regular plumbing maintenance is also essential for prolonging the lifespan of the plumbing components. When the parts of a plumbing system last longer, it can prevent them from breaking down prematurely and requiring replacement earlier than expected. 

Plumbers can keep plumbing appliances and fixtures running correctly for longer with preventative maintenance tasks and by identifying defects during the inspection. This allows them to perform the necessary repair before the problem causes damage or corrosion that requires replacing the affected component.  

Help Lower Bills and Costs

Performing routine plumbing maintenance can also help homeowners save money. Preventing problems and repairs and extending the life of the plumbing will help save money on future repair and replacement costs. However, well-maintained plumbing systems can also help homeowners save on their utility bills. 

Water heater maintenance is an essential part of plumbing maintenance. It not only helps extend their lifespan and prevent problems but also keeps them operating more efficiently, keeping water heating costs lower and saving money. Additionally, water bills can be reduced if plumbers find and fix a water leak while inspecting the plumbing during a maintenance visit, 

About Universal Plumbing

Universal Plumbing is a commercial and residential plumbing company serving the Augusta area. They provide flat-rate pricing, after-hours emergency services, and fast response. Call them for plumbing services in Augusta, GA.

How to Lower the Household’s Water Costs

If property owners are looking for ways to save money around the home, one great place to start is with water costs. This post will share some easy ways to reduce a household’s water usage and save on water bills, including using less water during daily tasks, getting water-saving plumbing fixtures installed, and identifying water leaks.

Reduce Water Use During Daily Tasks

When household residents don’t think about how much water they use, it can be easy to waste and rack up high water bills. One way to lower water bills is to be more mindful of how much water is being used during common tasks and make minor changes to reduce water waste.

People can conserve water by turning it off when performing daily tasks, like brushing their teeth, shaving, and reducing the length of their showers. Water can also be saved by running the washing machine or dishwasher only when there is a full load instead of doing several smaller loads. Using the dishwasher instead of cleaning the dishes by hand can also help to use less water.

Homeowners can also save water outdoors. When doing yard work, property owners should only water the grass in the early morning or late evening when the temperatures have dropped. Watering the lawn in the afternoon can cause it to evaporate faster, increasing the amount of water needed to keep the lawn healthy.

Install Water Efficient Fixtures to Replace Old Ones

An easy and effective way to lower water bills is to install water-saving plumbing fixtures to replace old and inefficient fixtures, such as toilets, showerheads, and faucets. These water-saving fixtures come in many styles, so homeowners don’t have to sacrifice comfort, water pressure, or style to save on water costs.

One type of water-saving toilet is a dual-flush toilet, which has two different flushing options that use different amounts of water. A low-volume and high-volume flush allows people to use even less water when only flushing liquid waste. Property owners can also install low-flow faucets and low-flow showerheads to reduce water usage and save money. These devices can combine air with water to create good water pressure while using less water.

Identify Water Leaks

Another effective way to reduce water bills is to identify leaks and call for water leak repair. Quickly catching leaks can limit the amount of wasted water that is lost and lower water bills. Some signs property owners should watch for that can indicate a water leak in the plumbing system include:

• Lower water pressure coming from the plumbing fixtures
• Water bills that are higher than usual
• Wet spots around the house
• Water stains or damage on the walls, ceilings, or floors
• Mold and mildew
• Sounds of running water when water is not being used

Another way to determine if there’s a leak that property owners might overlook is using the water meter. If a water meter continues running when no water has been used inside or outside the home from fixtures and appliances, it can indicate a leak. Homeowners should schedule water leak detection and repair services as soon as possible to save water and reduce water costs.

About Universal Plumbing

Universal Plumbing has over three decades of experience serving the Augusta area. They offer flat rate pricing, fast response, and the latest technology. Call them for plumbing services in Augusta, GA.