PHCC Educational Foundation Announces 2015 Scholarship Winners

The Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Educational Foundation is proud to announce the winners of 2015 scholarships awarded through the Foundation. Twenty students were awarded a total of $37,500 in scholarships funded....read more

 

5 Signs Your Home Needs Water Line Repair

Don’t know a thing about your sewer line and what it does? It takes care of the water after you finish with it by draining it into a septic tank or the public sewer. Should it block completely, you and your family will be greatly inconvenienced; all daily routines will be interrupted. To avoid this domestic calamity be alert to these warnings that you sewer line is under duress.

Clogging fixtures are the most common sign of impending trouble. Begin by checking all toilets in your home because their plumbing’s routes to the sewer line are short compared to those of other fixtures. They are also wider, so slow emptying there is an early warning of a clog. Next, look at all tubs and showers. Because they are found on a plane below sinks, slow draining and water buildup occurs there first.

The second sign is unaccustomed water behavior. This means things like water from toilet flushing backing up into the shower and a slow-emptying sink that affects toilet water level.  Gurgling or bubbling in the toilet bowl, too, means difficulties ahead.

The third sign is washing machine operation making toilets overflow. This means the main drain might be blocked. If the toilets empty correctly while the washing machine operates, the latter may need repair. Should you be lucky enough to have a main line clean out—an opening or passage in the sewer line that leads into a place that needs occasional cleaning—take off the cap and study the water flow. No water moving upward means no clog. Standing water means a problem looms.

Study your trees and the direction of the main sewer line. How old is the line? How old are the trees? You may be looking at the fourth sign of line blockage—tree roots, the number one reason for drain failure. In the case of older homes, roots can, over time, actually crush older fired clay pipe. If your home’s drains are gradually slowing, it’s a likely bet that roots are the root of the problem.

You can search for the final sign by doing a little work. If you’re still not sure if the clog is in the main drain or elsewhere, run a manual or powered snake into the drains leading to sinks, toilets, tubs, showers and any other plumbed fixtures. If they are all clog-free, the culprit is the main drain.

If these signs tell you your sewer drain is blocked or nearly so, it’s time to call in a professional cleaning expert. For information and advice concerning main sewer line repair in Carlsbad area, visit this website.

New Monthly Plumbing Quiz: Pipes And Valves

This month the focus of our plumbing quiz is pipes and valves. While it's just 10 questions long, these are questions most every novice plumber should be able to answer.....read more

3 Reasons to Quickly Get Rid of Mold From Your House

Mold can grow anywhere given the right food supply and enough moisture. Of course it disfigures everything it touches—shower walls, damp wood, drywall, siding, darkening and staining as it goes. Worse, mold is a catalyst that brings illness into the home. Avoid the temptation to delay confronting an infestation. There are very good health reasons to hit the accelerator when mold arrives. 

• Mold attacks the respiratory tact—In a 2004 study the Institute of Medicine reported evidence of a significant link between mold and upper respiratory symptoms, such as coughing and wheezing. Asthma sufferers experienced an increase in attack frequency and those with chronic pneumonia-like illnesses were also beset with asthma symptoms. Other studies point the finger at the relationship between children’s early mold exposure and the onset of asthma. 

• Molds provoke mycoplasma infections—These mold-linked microscopic organisms most frequently attack teenagers and young adults. Droplets spread by coughing and sneezing transmit them. Victims experience high temperatures, bronchitis, headache and fatigue. Often family members pass the disease around at home and then carry it off to school and work. This mold-originating vexation is often called “walking pneumonia,” asit can persist for as long as a month. 

• Mold can cause brain damage—Molds are the source of mycotoxins that affect the human nervous system. These powerful poisons enter the body at will and frequently lodge first in the sinus then, if untreated, go on to attack the brain.

Don’t fool around tryingto clean with vinegar and bleach. Serious infestations need professional attention. For mold removal plumber in Escondido area, visit this website.

 

Best Left to the Pros

Maintenance on major appliances is often best performed by those who do it for a living. In this photo, a technician employs specialized equipment in the course of servicing a residential air conditioning unit.

Keeping Your Air Conditioner Safe in the Off-Season

When summer finally comes to a close and it’s time to start giving your furnace some work instead, it’s important you don’t forget to prep your air conditioner for the off-season. By taking a few basic steps at the end of the warmer months, your A/C unit should remain safe and protected so that when the heat rolls back around, you’ll be ready.

Winter Cleaning

If spring’s the season for scrubbing down the inside of your home, winter’s the season your air conditioning unit gets the royal treatment. Take care to remove sticks, leaves, and other debris from in and around your air conditioner, and give it about a foot of space on each side to breathe. Don’t forget to clean out your filters!

Coil Care

Your A/C utilizes coils to send cooled air into your home, and caring for them is an important element of general maintenance. Refer to your owner’s manual for proper cleaning and care instructions to make sure your coils are ready for action next season.

Seal of Quality

If your air conditioner is a window-mounted unit, be sure to take a second look at the seals around its edges. A compromised seal impacts your home’s insulation, allowing heat in during the summer and letting it out in the cold season.

Consult the Pros

For surefire confidence, let the professionals get your appliance all set for the season. Please visit this website for more information about air conditioning services in Oceanside.

A New Angle on Sewer Line Repair

You may be able to clear a clogged drain yourself, but repairing underground lateral sewer like this one requires a professional plumbing company with specialized tools.