Residential Plumbing Tips Archives

08
Apr 19
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Clogged Drain with Standing Water: How to Fix It and When to Leave It to Professionals

Tags : bay area clear clogged drain clogged drain in kitchen diy clogged drain express plumbing hydrojetting services plumbing news professional hydrojetting

From the kitchen to the bathroom, a clogged drain starts as a minor nuisance, but it can quickly escalate to a full-blown catastrophe. While gentle plunging or manually removing the obstruction can sometimes solve the problem, clogged drains with standing water are another deal entirely. The DIY handyman within may try to rectify the issue at hand, but oftentimes your lack of expertise will make this process difficult. The next time you have a clogged drain with standing water at your home, here are some tips on how to fix it and when it’s best left to professionals.

What Causes a Clogged Drain with Standing Water?

Clogged drains have numerous causes, but each manifests itself over different lengths of time. In the bathroom, hair, dirt, and soap can generate a fair bit of buildup, especially if you have a larger family or an influx of guests for a special occasion. Causes of kitchen draining problems can include food waste, grease, and items that can’t be broken down by a garbage disposal.

Other times, clogged drains are out of your control. Tree roots can damage your pipes and obstruct water flow, while hard water and insoluble items and can result in mineral buildup. These two conditions are far easier to diagnose and usually require the help of a professional.

Why You Shouldn’t Use Liquid Chemical Drain Cleaner

When you have a clog, your first instinct is to go to the hardware store and purchase a liquid chemical drain cleaner. These cleaners work wonders on small clogs, but they also have several downsides. Liquid drain cleaners don’t always work on every pipe, and their harsh chemical makeup can actually corrode your pipes after just a few uses. On top of that, it’s also toxic and harmful to the environment. Although tempting, leave the chemical drain cleaners on the shelf.

When to Try DIY Solutions for Your Clogged Drain

If you’re in a pinch or short on time, there are some DIY solutions to help you fix a clogged drain. For minor clogs, pour vinegar down the drain followed by baking soda. This combo will create fizzing action that will remove some debris. Using a plunger and dumping boiling water down the drain is also proven to eliminate some clogs.

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When to Call a Professional for a Clogged Drain

When you’ve tried the DIY options to no avail, it’s time to call the experts. Not only can they diagnose the problem, but they can provide several options to clear the clog. Commercial-grade plungers used by pros can take care of some clogs, but powerful tools such as a snake or an auger are the only viable solutions for clogs that are deep within your plumbing system. Most often, these deep-rooted clogs are the main source of standing water or recurring clogs.

If that still doesn’t clear up the problem, our plumbers can use hydro-jetting technology, which shoots a high-strength burst of water through the pipes to help remove any obstructions.

Express Plumbing is a division of EPS Inc. in the Bay Area. Our team of plumbers will provide you with an estimate prior to completing any project. If you’re interested in complex underground construction services, visit our civil engineering division in the Bay Area for more information.

Don’t let a clogged drain and standing water make everyday life a pain. By knowing what causes clogs, some easy home remedies, and when to call a plumber, your water is free to flow throughout your home.

21
Mar 19
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Home Remodeling Improvements You Shouldn’t Do Yourself

Tags : bay area commercial plumbing do it yourself plumbing EPS Inc express plumbing home remodeling home renovation municipal plumbing pipe replacement plumbing home improvements plumbing issues plumbing problems residential plumbing underground construction

Thanks to the overwhelming popularity of home-flipping, renovation, and other home improvement television shows, the do-it-yourself (DIY) remodeling craze is at an all time. And with good reason. A proper remodeling job can revamp the aesthetic appeal of your home, raise its value, or get it ready to go on the market. However, the next time you feel the urge to channel your inner Tim “The Toolman” Taylor, take a step back and call an expert. Here are just some of the home remodeling improvements you shouldn’t do yourself.

Room Additions

If you’re adding another child to the clan or you just want more room to relax or entertain, a room addition makes perfect sense. But turning your plans into reality isn’t the same.

When you’re planning an addition, there are numerous factors to consider. You have to know if the wall is load-bearing, where the pipes and wires are, and how to properly maintain the floor and new roof. In many cases, you will need an experienced contractor to perform a room addition. When in doubt about your abilities or time constraints, make a call instead of leaving it to chance.

Electrical Updates

Aside from replacing a light switch plate or a lightbulb, electrical updates are out of the question. Only skilled electricians should tackle electrical wiring or fixture-replacement jobs.

If you try to do electrical tasks without the right experience and skill set, you put yourself at risk of electrical shock or an electrical fire. An electrician can also ensure that everything is done up to code.

Plumbing Upgrades

A small leak from the faucet or a clogged toilet are no match for your DIY prowess, but any plumbing issues beyond that should be left to certified plumbers. When you try to tackle problems such as pipes or fixture replacement, you run the risk of a flood or sewage backup that can drain your bank account.

The key to a fully functioning plumbing system is preventive maintenance. By hiring a professional when you see a slow-draining sink, puddles of water in the basement, or another issue, you can avoid a plumbing catastrophe.

Major Landscaping Renovations

If you’re going to plop in a raised-bed garden, plant a new tree, or put in a few flowers and shrubs, go for it. These improvements require little expertise or labor and can add some serious curb appeal to your home. Larger jobs are another story.

When you’re planning to do a major landscaping renovation such as adding a pond, putting up a retaining wall, or building a shed, you want to make sure everything’s done to code.

Even the greatest books from the library and YouTube videos don’t always prepare you for a home remodel.

Plenty of obstacles can emerge, and juggling your job, family, and the improvement can put unnecessary strain on your life and relationships. With just one phone call, you can relax and put your trust in the hands of experienced individuals. It might cost you a little more, but you can’t put a price on peace of mind and a job well done.

Express Plumbing is a Bay Area plumbing company and a division of EPS Inc. Our company has been serving the Bay Area residential, commercial, and municipal sector.

Our plumbing technicians are experienced and can handle any plumbing and underground construction project required to get your home improvement project completed right and on-time.

If you’re looking to discuss any upcoming project, contact us today and let’s talk.

11
Dec 18
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End of Year Household Plumbing Tips

Tags : bay area EPS Inc express plumbing holiday plumbing emergency holiday plumbing problems plumbing disaster residential plumber san mateo

With any luck, you’ve gone another year without any plumbing mishaps. No leaks, bursts, backups, or overflows have damaged your home, and as the year draws to a close, it’s time to give something back.

Before the hectic time around Christmas and New Year’s, follow these end-of-year household plumbing maintenance tips that are sure to keep your fixtures and pipes running like clockwork.

Outside Plumbing Maintenance Tips

You may think only of your sink, washing machine, or bathroom when it comes to plumbing, but don’t neglect the outdoors.

The first step to maintaining your outdoor plumbing is to remove all of your garden hoses.

If exposed to the elements, the water in the hose can freeze and expand, causing significant damage to interior pipes and fixtures. Make sure to disconnect these hoses, turn off the shut-off valve, and drain any excess water.

Insulate Your Pipes

One of the costliest plumbing repairs occurs when a pipe bursts in the home. This can cause excessive flooding and damage that can drain your emergency savings account.

However, the problem is avoidable. Wrap any exposed pipes in your basement or crawl space with foam pipe insulation. Available from hardware or plumbing supply stores, this foam insulation keeps your pipes’ temperature above the freezing point.

Garbage Disposal Maintenance Tips

Whether you’re cooking for 10 or 100 during the holidays, your kitchen goes into overdrive. Your stove, oven, and dishwasher can usually handle the extra workload, but pay attention to your garbage disposal.

Even one that’s fully functional in mid-November can cause problems come January. During the holidays, use the acronym FOG to avoid:

Fats.
Oils.
Grease.

These three items can gum up your garbage disposal, rendering it inoperable when you need it most. You should keep coffee grounds, egg shells, and bones out of the garbage disposal to increase its longevity. Running only cold water also helps the device from overheating.

If you still run into problems, a trained technician is the only surefire way to repair the issue.

Fix the Leaks

You might notice an occasional drip of water coming from your sink or bathtub, but it doesn’t motivate you to fix it. That said, even a slow drip can add up. Just one drip per minute can add up to 34 gallons a year, wasting tons of money and freshwater in the process.

Drips in other places such as the basement or utility closet can also cause water damage that further drains your bank account. If you notice a leak or drip, the end of the year is the perfect time to fix it so you can start fresh come January 1. Although some of these are easily fixed with the turn of a wrench, don’t hesitate to call a plumbing professional if the problem is over your head or outside your DIY expertise.

With gift buying, parties, and New Year’s resolutions, you have plenty to worry about at the end of the year. Don’t add a plumbing disaster to the list. By following this checklist, you’re assured of a pristine plumbing system that won’t let you down.

All of us at EPS Inc. Express Plumbing wish you and your family a very happy holiday season, free from plumbing disasters and lots of cheer.

06
Nov 18
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Avoid Thanksgiving Plumbing Issues

Tags : bay area plumbing express plumbing garbage disposal holiday plumbing problems licensed plumber plumbing meltdown san mateo plumbers thanksgiving plumbing tips

Thanksgiving is one of the most exciting times of the year. You invite friends and family into your home to celebrate what you’re thankful for while feasting and drinking to your heart’s desire. Unfortunately, the added company can also wreak havoc on your plumbing and home sewer system. Follow these easy tips to avoid Thanksgiving plumbing issues.

Don’t Abuse the Garbage Disposal

When used correctly, the garbage disposal is among the most convenient appliances in the home. If it’s abused, you’re on a dangerous path to clogs and backups. While it can easily grind organic matter such as the flesh of soft veggies and fruits, other items are problematic. Avoid bones, coffee grounds, eggshells, starchy vegetables, oils, and fats, as these can cause significant clogs that only a licensed plumber can repair. A sink strainer is a nice fail-safe if you have little helpers, or you haphazardly throw items into the sink by habit

If you’re Eco-conscious, throw all of the organic items you can’t put in the garbage disposal into a separate container. Together, the vegetables, fruits, coffee grounds, and other leftovers make one amazing compost that’s perfect for the garden.

Create Bathroom Ground Rules

Everyone has their own habits when it comes to the bathroom, but don’t let that prevent you from being the supreme ruler of the commode and shower. Space out showers at least 15 minutes apart to allow the drains to clear. Put up a sign that informs others that only toilet paper can do down the toilet, and if you have any hints of plumbing issues involving your flushing mechanism or a float, fix it before the holiday. By following these two simple rules, the chances of a sewage backup go down exponentially.

Don’t Play Handyman

Modern websites like Wikihow and YouTube have turned generations of bashful DIYers into proactive versions. In a perfect world, this means you could fix your plumbing just by watching a video or reading a short excerpt from a book. In reality, you could mess up your plumbing to the point of no return. Ignore Mr. or Mrs. Fix-It inside your head, and leave the problem to a professional.

Prevent Plumbing Issues With Proper Maintenance

If you notice some warning signs of plumbing issues such as slow draining sinks or showers, leaks, low water pressure, or a lack of hot water, tackle the problem immediately. A call to a licensed plumber before Thanksgiving is a surefire way to fix the issue and eliminate it at a fraction of the cost. Procrastination only exacerbates the problem and leads to further repairs and costs down the road — just when you’re saving up for Black Friday.

Some home plumbing and sewer issues are unavoidable, but with just a bit of forethought, you can avoid a Thanksgiving plumbing meltdown. That’s something you can definitely be thankful for.

Our crew of experienced plumbers have been serving the Bay Area since 1989. Got a question? Give us a call or send us a message.

12
Jul 18
-

bay area plumbing problems issues emergency

Avoid These Common Summer Plumbing Issues Around the House

Tags : bay area bay area sewer expert clogged drain clogged toilet drilling engineering peninsula pipe replacement plumbing emergency san francisco san mateo sewer repair sewer replacement underground construction

Fun in the sun isn’t enjoyable if you’re having to deal with summer plumbing problems! While you’re getting ready for a trip to the beach, a backyard BBQ and evening parties, if you’re a homeowner in the Bay Area, you’re never worry free. There are always issues around the house, and plumbing issues are one of them. Let’s get you prepared.

Most Common Summer Plumbing Issues

Clogged Toilets & Drains

With swimming comes more showers, with kids out of school, the toilets will be working double time. Talk with your kids and explain proper use. If you’ve got teenagers discuss the things they should NEVER put down the toilet to avoid clogs. For the shower drains, it may be a good time to invest in a drain plug to catch all the hair. Keep a plunger handy, just in case they do get clogged, and give us a call if you ever need our residential plumbers anywhere in the Bay Area.

Leaks in Washing Machine Hoses

Swimming, sports, showers, only mean that your washing machine will be working overtime these summers months, to prevent washing machine hose leaks, check them often and replace them before they begin leaking in order to avoid a leak in the house. Plumbing issues can come from anywhere, you can’t stop them all, but with a little attention to detail, one can avoid a few plumbing problems from becoming bigger disasters.

Sewer Line Plumbing Problems

We are the Bay Area underground sewer experts because we get called for sewer repair and sewer replacements on a daily basis, so we know this can happen, and it does! Whether the roots from trees expanded during the wet winter months and found their way into the sewer line or the collection of residue and hair has finally reached maximum capacity, avoid sewer line problems by not only installing drain plugs in the summer but all year long.

If you have a sewer issue, minimize the repair by hiring our trenchless “no-dig” plumbers. We have the equipment and expertise to handle any sewer and underground pipe repair without digging. The process is efficient, minimizes the disruption to the ground above, thus the cost and time to repair is much less.

Summer is meant to be enjoyable, follow these small tips to enjoy the kids being out of school, have outdoor fun without having to deal with plumbing issues that will drain your excitement.

We at EPS Express Pluming enjoy helping our Bay Area community and are called upon by commercial, residential, and municipal clients to provide engineering, plumbing, drilling, and building services when they need it. We’ve been serving the San Francisco Bay Area since 1989. We look forward to helping you when you need us most 24/7 including holidays and weekends.

13
Jun 18
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Weekend Plumber? Tricks of the Trade from Your Bay Area Plumbing Contractor

Tags : bay area clogged sink daly city dishwasher emergency drilling dripping faucet emergency plumbing engineering heavy construction leaky faucet plumber tips san francisco san mateo stinky dishwasher underground construction

As a Bay Area plumbing contractor, we give thumbs up to those that want to roll up their sleeves and be a weekend plumber. We get called all the time to repair what hubby or someone around the house tried to fix, but we also respect that you’re willing to do it yourself. Here are a few tips to help you be the weekend plumber hero.

Weekend Plumber Tips and Tricks!

Clogged Sink

Before going out and renting a drain snake, give your wet/dry shop vac a try. Use its suction power to pull hair or gunk out of a clogged sink. Many solutions are also available in the hardware store, that will help you unclog the sink quickly by breaking down the gunk down the drain, but a shop vac should make it even better.

If the problem persists, it could be a much deeper problem and you need a plumbing contractor at that point. Give our Bay Area plumbing crew a call, we’re here to help, when you DIY methods have failed.

Leaky Faucet (drip, drip)

Drives you crazy doesn’t it? Most common leaky faucets are caused by deterioration of the seal. Over time, the seal breaks down and must be replaced. Your local hardware store can sell you a replacement seal.

Besides the faucet leaking, how about that toilet that won’t stop running! That is probably the worst because with the sound of a running toilet, all you hear is your money going down the drain. You’re paying for all that wasted water.

Now, we know the first thing you want to do is walk up to the toilet and jiggle that handle! May work, but how often do you actually plan on doing that? Stop jiggling and replace the flapper inside the toilet. It’s an easy fix and commonly supplied at your local hardware store.

Stinky Dishwasher

Got vinegar? Clean the seals around your dishwasher using a brush and hot soapy water. The scum that builds up around the seals can get pretty stinky. Once you’re done, run the dishwasher at the hottest setting with vinegar inside, that should clear it up pretty quickly!

We just have to mention that as a trusted plumbing contractor in the Bay Area, residential plumbing is a division within our operation.

We are the Bay Area #1 choice for heavy construction, underground construction, engineering, and drilling for residential, commercial and municipal clients throughout the Bay Area.

However, we love helping local residents and homeowners. We consider you our neighbors and we are here for you when you need us. Contact us for any plumbing project in the Bay Area. No matter how big or small. We’ve been serving the Bay Area since 1989, and look forward to serving you. When you contact us we will confirm technician availability for your particular location.

We service the entire Bay Area including Atherton, Belmont, Burlingame, Half Moon Bay, Los Altos Hills, Menlo Park, Millbrae, Pacifica, Palo Alto, Portola Valley, Redwood City, San Carlos, San Francisco, San Bruno, Stanford, Woodside, Fremont, Mountain View, Colma, Foster City, Daly City, Brisbane, Union City, Hayward, Newark, San Leandro, Foster City.

07
May 18
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trenchless sewer repair and replacement san francisco company

Why Hire a Trenchless Plumbing Company?

Tags : bay area plumbing emergency san francisco sewer contractor san mateo sewer repair sewer replacement sewer specialist trenchless sewer company trenchless sewer repair

No one ever wants a plumbing emergency, but when it happens, sometimes it involves going into the pipes underground. Deciding to hire a trenchless plumbing company instead of a traditional plumber is extremely important and here’s why.

A Trenchless Plumbing Company Doesn’t Dig!

This is possibly one of the most important reasons, but the one that will get your attention the most is cost and time. If a pipe underground needs to be repaired or replaced, there’s no other way to get around it but dig up a whole mess, unless trenchless technology is used for the pipe replacement.

Digging up the surrounding area will require additional costly repairs once the pipe is replaced. Let’s not mention the plants or trees if they happen to be above the dug up area.

A trenchless plumbing contractor will use advanced technology to get to the underground pipe through one point of entry. EPS Express Plumbing in San Mateo is a trenchless plumbing company that specializes in underground pipes. From new installations, to replacements using pipe reaming, installations of underground utilities and everything in between. The process is simple, effective, and quick.

Watch this video, where our commercial plumbing crew performed a sewer rehab in Daly City CA. Using the trenchless pipe reaming process to install 1700 feet of 18″ HDPE pipe through an existing old 12″ vitrify clay pipe. Can you imagine if the 1700 feet of road had to be dug up to get the job done?

Sure this project is huge when compared to the front or backyard, but the same concept applies. Trenchless sewer repair and replacement happens everywhere, whether you’re a resident in the Bay Area or own a business. Our team of expert plumbers is here to assist you in choosing the most effective method to repair, replace, or install underground pipe.

Contact Nick Bechwati, our hands-on owner for any upcoming project, no matter how big or small. Companies, homeowners, businesses, and municipalities rely on our expertise, unwavering commitment to excellence, combined with experience and the best equipment available today. If you have a plumbing problem, installation, or repair. We’ve been serving the Bay Area since 1989 and look forward to serving you.

We provide trenchless plumbing services in the Bay Area including surrounding areas such as Atherton, Belmont, Burlingame, Half Moon Bay, Los Altos Hills, Menlo Park, Millbrae, Pacifica, Palo Alto, Portola Valley, Redwood City, San Carlos, San Francisco, San Bruno, Stanford, Woodside, Fremont, Mountain View, Colma, Foster City, Daly City, Brisbane, Union City, Hayward, Newark, San Leandro, Foster City

10
Apr 18
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Plumbing Inspection Before Buying a Home

Tags : bay area daly city escrow plumbing inspection fremont home buying inspection home inspector pipe inspections plumbing expert plumbing inspectors plumbing problems plumbing questions real estate plumbing inspection san leandro san mateo

Are you buying a home and worried about plumbing problems? You should perform an inspection that will put your mind at ease. Besides structural inspections, a plumbing inspection is also something to consider.

Nothing compares to the joy of home ownership, especially for first time buyers. Preparing to purchase your dream home involves much more than liking the floor plan, there’s a lot more to consider.

Moving Expenses

Besides the purchase price of a home, you’ll want to consider all the expenses and fees relating to moving, time off from work, trucking, moving company if you’re not doing it yourself and the purchase of furniture if your current furniture doesn’t look good in the new house.

Repair Costs

Although home inspections are performed, there are unplanned repairs that come up. Whether your home is new or old, plumbing issues tend to arise at any time.

Most common plumbing problems are related to hardware and connections, leaks in various areas, and hot water heaters that stop functioning shortly after moving in.

Make sure you save extra cushion money for these unplanned repair costs.

Regular Plumbing Maintenance

Stay consistent in maintaining your home plumbing, implementing regular inspection and maintenance can prove to be a huge cost savings over time.

Plumbing Inspection

Keeping an eye on your plumbing hardware will help you avoid larger plumbing emergencies.

While you may be in awww of the new home, before you purchase one, take a closer look at the hardware in kitchens and bathrooms or wherever you see a connection.

Each home has a variety of different water sources in its design. These are the locations where problems are likely to arise.

Faucets
Shower Heads
Pipes
Connections

Our Bay Area plumbers have assisted many homeowners by inspecting a home before purchase. This will ease your mind during the purchase, and help you rest easy without any worries.

Investigate Leaks Early

Reports by the Environmental Protection Agency have revealed that the average household leak can result in the loss of 10,000 gallons of water.

Often these leaks occur in places that homeowners are unaware of. Basements, for example can leak for quite some time without being spotted.

If you are aware of a leak it is important to do a thorough investigation. Finding the source of the leak is the only way to fix the problem. Our professional plumbing company offers plumbing video camera inspections, and advanced leak detection to help you find the problem quick.

When standing water is allowed to remain in place, additional damage can occur to the surrounding areas, floors, walls, etc… The earlier you detect and repair plumbing problems, the less costly it will be.

If you’re looking to purchase a home, rely on our Bay Area residential plumbing services to help you make a decision prior to purchase.

Pride of home-ownership comes with buying your dream home without the hassle of plumbing problems and additional unplanned costs. View a list of our Bay Area plumbing service areas, we look forward to helping you when you need us.

03
Jan 18
-

Frequently Asked Plumbing Questions

Tags : bay area clogged drain express pluming leak detection leaky pipes pipe replacement plumbing maintenance pluming problems prevention san mateo water heater water softener

Here are some plumbing frequently asked questions sent to us in the Bay Area. Our plumbers are always eager to help you find ways to avoid plumbing emergencies. Before you call a plumber, read these common FAQ’s.

PLUMBING FAQ – FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How Can I Avoid a Clogged Drain?

Pay close attention to what you put down the drain. Clogged drains in the kitchen happen because people aren’t conscious of what they put in them.

Bathroom drains get clogged because of hair, soap scum and residue from shampoo and toothpaste.

Use screens to catch the hair and avoid it from going down the drain all together. Use drain cleaner on a monthly basis to maintain your drains and keep them clear from residue.

Can I Prolong the Life of My Water Heater?

Everything has a life span including faucets, fixtures, and water heaters. You can extend their life by having a water softener installed in your home or business. The goal is to minimize scale build up which also damages pipes, and appliances. If water flows efficiently without any build up, the life span is prolonged on all things plumbing in the home.

Do I Have to Replace my Faucet if It Drips?

Not always! When a faucet is dripping, it generally means the small mechanism on the inside needs to be replaced, or repairs.

It’s something you can do yourself if you’re not ready to replace the fixture all together. Turning your faucets on and off gently is another way of prolonging their life.

Most Popular Plumbing FAQ – Can I Prevent Leaky Pipes?

When a leak starts, it’s really too late. It’s important to avoid it all together by inspecting your plumbing on a regular basis. A visual inspection is sufficient, you’ll want to look for signs of rust in areas around the pipes. This is an indication that the pipe will eventually have a crack or a leak. A leaky pipe can cause damage and increase your water bill tremendously. Catching the problem early and preventing it all together is the best option.

Our Bay Area plumbing company is called upon by homeowners and business owners to conduct an on-site inspection on a regular basis. We call it “PPP” Plumbing Problem Prevention.

What to Do if My Water Heater or Pipes Leak?

You should contact our plumbers quickly. We offer 24/7 plumbing service including weekends and holidays. Most often when water heaters leak, it means the bottom has rusted, there’s no way to repair that, and may require a replacement. If you cannot locate the leak, we have leak detection equipment that will pin point the source so we can repair the pipe leak or perform a pipe replacement.

Whatever you do, don’t procrastinate when there’s a leak, the damage only gets worse.

My Toilet Keeps Running, How Can I Stop it?

If you have a toilet that continues to run even when it’s not flushed, it’s best to repair it quickly. First, it’s annoying, second it can be quite costly. The water is wasted, but it’s like you’re literally “flushing money down the toilet”. This is quite a common plumbing repair, and well worth your immediate attention.

This is just a a small list of the plumbing FAQ our Bay Area plumbers answer all the time. Do you have something else you’d like to know? We’re a phone call or an email away. Send us a message and tell us how we can help you.

Our plumbers have been serving the Bay Area since 1989. We hire the best and most qualified technicians in the industry, rely on us for all your plumbing needs in Atherton, Belmont, Burlingame, Half Moon Bay, Los Altos Hills, Menlo Park, Millbrae, Pacifica, Palo Alto, Portola Valley, Redwood City, San Carlos, San Francisco, San Bruno, Stanford, Woodside, Fremont, Mountain View, Colma, Foster City, Daly City, Brisbane, Union City, Hayward, Newark, San Leandro, Foster City, and all surrounding areas.

08
Dec 17
-

Most Common Holiday Plumbing Problems We’ve Seen in the Bay Area

Tags : bay area holiday plumbing problems plumber plumbers plumbing plumbing disaster plumbing emergency plumbing problems san bruno san mateo

You’re right, plumbing problems aren’t specific to geographic locations, but we can only speak about our plumbing emergency experiences in the San Francisco Bay Area.

This time of year, everyone is in a festive mood as they should be, but there’s nothing worse than a plumbing disaster striking right in the midst of a holiday event, but our plumbing crew will tell you it happens all the time.

As a Bay Area plumber since 1989, we’ve been called night and day to deal with plumbing emergencies for businesses, homeowners, even municipality plumbing issues , the number of residential plumbing problem calls always increase around the holidays, why? The plumbing does take a large beating with the above average use during this season. Here are the most common residential plumbing problem calls we’ve received.

Common Plumbing Problems and Prevention

Garbage Disposal Stops Working

With so many tasty dinners around the holidays, of course their are many broken garbage disposals. There are however a few things you can do to prevent this from happening or at least delay it so you can remain in a festive mood. Your garbage disposal is not a dumpster. Keep things out of it, it’s that simple.

Sure, many will tell you to cut things into smaller pieces, or to only put certain types of foods down the garbage disposal. As your trusted Bay Area plumber, we say to avoid it all together around the holidays because we want you to enjoy the holiday season free from any unexpected plumbing issues.

Broken Water Heaters

We get called for this all the time, and it’s always fun when the water heater is not broken at all, the igniter goes off and no more hot water. This is usually a quick fix and we all get back to our holiday festive moods.

One year a San Francisco resident was so excited after finding out her water heater was not broken at all, it had just shut off, she had our tech Joe stay for dinner and celebrate Christmas eve with her family. It’s moments like these that we enjoy and help us love what we do even more.

We serve our community with dedication and a rapid response 24 hour a day, 7 days a week including the weekends and holidays. We do it with a smile. If you have a plumbing problem in San Francisco, call us and you’ll get a live person whenever you call.

Here are a few things you can do if you have a traditional water heater when you’re expecting a few overnight holiday guests.

Turn up the temperature, but never go over 120 degrees, it can be dangerous, this will help you stretch your hot water and insure everyone gets a nice comfy shower. Remember to turn it down right after they’re gone so you don’t waste too much and save energy.

If you have an on-demand water heater (tankless water heater), you don’t have to worry about hot water at all. When you want it, it’s there.

Last but not least, we hate to talk about a pesky, stinky plumbing matter, but we simply can’t avoid it because it’s one of the most common plumbing problems during the holidays.

Clogged Toilets or Sewer

With so many guests in and out of the bathroom, that’s bound to happen. Not to mention, after a few drinks, who knows what’s being flushed down the toilet. If you don’t normally keep a waste basket close, get one!

Remind your guests not to flush sanitary napkins, baby wipes, facial tissues, etc.

We’re always available to help including holidays and weekends, but it’s not a bad idea to keep a plumber near just in case. Leak detection, Sewer repair or replacement is our specialty.

These are just a few of the calls we’ve received in the past, we hope these tips will help you and from our entire plumbing and engineering team at EPS Express Plumbing, we wish you and your family a festive, holiday season filled with love, laughter and free of plumbing problems.

Rapid Response:

The Holidays seasons is one of our busiest months, we serve the entire Bay Area, but call us when you need a trusted, fast response: