Tag Archives: plumbing

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

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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:

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san mateo clogged drain expert

Proper Maintenance to Avoid A Clogged Drain

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Clogged drains account for the majority of residential plumbing emergencies.  Homeowners and business owners throughout the Bay Area can avoid a clogged drain by following a few maintenance tips on a regular basis.

Prevent a Slow Clogged Drain in the Kitchen

Preventing slow and clogged drains is the first step in avoiding a plumbing emergency.

Cooking Grease, and coffee grounds are two of the major every day items that go down the drain.  Avoid putting them down the drain all together by adding them in an old coffee can and dispose of them in the trash instead of the kitchen sink.

Coffee grounds are also great for plants, if you have a backyard garden, add them to the mulch pile, and watch your flowers bloom.

Clogged Bathroom Drain

Soap scum and toothpaste account for many of the bathroom drains our plumbing technicians see.  It’s quite difficult to avoid this but there are other things you can avoid such as hair going down the drain which will help you drains remain clear longer.

Place a screen that will catch the hair before it goes down the drain and create a clogged build up.

There are custom screens specific for your drain available at the local hardware store.  Snap a picture on your phone before going the store, this will help you get an exact fit screen.

Maintaining Drains while Saving the Environment

The EPA says that Americans toss approximately 4.5 pounds of garbage every day.  Avoiding clogged drains by properly maintaining them also includes not putting things down the drain that can hurt our environment.  Medications, flammable liquid, and paint are a few of the items to avoid all together.

Here are the alarming results of pouring these 7 things down the drain.

Our Bay Area residential plumbing experts are available to help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week including holidays and weekends.  As an emergency plumbing company, we enjoy sharing some of the things you can do every day to avoid having to call us in the first place.

If you’re following a proper drain maintenance plan but still end up with a clogged drain, give us a call and we’ll be happy to serve you anywhere in the Bay Area.

 


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Join our Bay Area Water Conservation Efforts – Tips for the Family

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By now, parents throughout the country are relieved from the “back-to-school” rush.  Our Bay Area water conservation efforts have been implemented since we started in 1989.

As the #1 referred and preferred Bay Area plumbing contractor.  Our company is family owned and operated, we love the community we serve and always want to educate on preventative measures and tips to save our environment and save money for our clients.

Probably, the the last thing on your mind right now is water conservation, but we must remember the importance of saving water for our environment, and if that doesn’t interest you, how about saving money for yourself along the way?

Use these tips to make water conservation a fun learning experience for the kids, and something that will teach them good habits that last them a lifetime.

 

Water Conservation at Home

Must the faucet stay on the entire time while their brushing their teeth?  Once the brush and toothpaste is in their mouth, the average brushing time is two minutes.  Teach kids to shut off the faucet while brushing their teeth, this will save water and a hefty penny on your water bill

Conserve Water at School

Hygiene is a very important part of not spreading infectious diseases at school, remind kids to wash their hands before and after recess or anytime they eat, but also remind them to shut off the faucet while they’re scrubbing their hands.

This will help in the effort of conserving H2O and will quickly become a habit they follow at home.

Make the learning experience fun and rewarding.  It’s not a matter of you “have to do this” but “you should because”.

Discuss the details with the children and allow them to participate in these efforts that will help our environment and their future.

Debora Bekins, a Bay Area residential plumbing client said to one of our plumbers in San Francisco “I took my kids to the aquarium, and explained to them how important it is to keep our environment clean and healthy so we can enjoy things like this.  We wouldn’t want all these fish not to have water anymore, would we?”

That might be a little drastic, but not far off.  Whatever works for you and your family, do it.  Get the kids involved in your efforts and they’ll be so excited to share with their friends and teachers at school.

Water Conservation Tips for Mom and Dad

Set a good example by following the same instructions given to the kids

Fix leaks quickly and don’t let them get worse.  We are a 24 hour plumber!

Water your lawn early morning or late evening

Remember to turn off the sprinklers on rainy day

Go to a car wash that recycles water instead of washing it in the driveway

Don’t run the washing machine and dishwasher until they’re completely full

According to the EPA, the average American family uses more than 300 gallons of water per day per home.

If you implement these small water saving tips at home, you will not only be helping the environment but will also see a drastic change in your water bill.

“Maybe you could use the savings to take a trip with the kids to the aquarium or somewhere to enjoy the beautiful nature we so well need to protect and preserve.”

Let’s share and keep this conversation going.  Do you use any other methods of conservation? We would love to hear from you and share it with others in our Bay Area community.


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Average Cost of Hydro Jetting in San Francisco Area

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Slow sewage lines or clogged drains? Hydro jetting commonly referred to as high pressure jetting is used by our San Francisco professional plumbers to quickly remove the blockage and build up.  It’s effective and efficient.

About the Hydro Jetting Process

We begin by determining the location of the problem first using a video camera inspection, this will quickly pinpoint the location.  A combination of a snake and Hydro jetting may be used if tree roots are involved in the blockage.

The snake will break up the particles in the blockage, while the high-pressure water jetting clears the drains completely and removed any remaining particles on the interior walls of the pipes.

Average Prices of Hydro Jetting Plumbing Services in the San Francisco Area courtesy of HomeAdvisor.

 

High Pressure Drain Cleaning Vs Snake

Hydro jetting is very common with commercial plumbing projects, especially restaurants.

In a residential home, the process works great for removing sand, silt, and build up in clogs such as hair and other grease and food particles.

Using a snake to unclog a drain only breaks up the particles and leaves the buildup on the interior walls.  The high-pressure process of hydrojetting can completely clean the pipes which a snake cannot compare to.

Benefits of Hydro Jetting to Clear Drains

Time is money.  The quicker a project a completed, the less costly it is.  The high pressure drain clean process is environmentally friendly and avoids the use of chemicals to clear the drains.

The hydro jetting machine can release high pressure of 7000 lbs per square inch to clean your clogged drains or sewer lines quickly and without and problems.

Our expert Bay Area plumbing technicians provide drain cleaning services in the San Francisco area to both commercial and residential clients.

We’re equipped and experienced to handle your plumbing needs no matter how big or small.  Rely on our experience to help you the next time you need a hydro jetting contractor in the Bay Area.


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What’s The Operating Cost of an Electric or Gas Water Heater

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The cost of water heater operation is just as important as the type of water heater you purchase.

Daily expenses are becoming more important to monitor for homeowners in the Bay Area and across the country.  With rising living costs, we often get asked by homeowners which water heater costs more, an electric or gas water heater? Here is some information to consider.

cost-of-water-heaterA water heater is an essential part of our everyday life, so when you’re faced with making a decision on installing a new water heater, remember that the average shower is about 8 minutes and uses 10 gallons of hot water every time.

An average water heater runs three hours every day, a 50 gallon, 55,500 watt water heater with a .90EF and electricity rate of $.16 per kilowatt will cost an average operating cost of $781 per year.  The majority of water heaters do have a label listing the annual operating cost, but it may vary depending on individual usage.

There are many choices when selecting a water heater, and the first one you’ll need to make is whether you want a tankless water heater or a traditional water heater.  A tankless water heater also saves on water usage and overall energy.  Get more info about traditional water heaters vs tankless water heaters.

The up-front cost is more expensive than the traditional water heater, but overtime, the savings make a lot of sense for homeowners concerned with energy savings.

Energy Operating Cost of Water Heater

Electric Cost

The federal average price in the U.S. for electricity is $0.09 per kWH.

Gas Cost

The federal average price in the U.S. for gas is $0.93 per therm.

Which Water Heater Costs Less?

Photo: Huffington Post - Saving Money For Your Family

Photo: Huffington Post – Saving Money For Your Family

An electric water heater uses electric resistance coils to heat the water, while a gas water heater uses the heating from burning natural gas.

What does this mean to you?  Electric water heaters are more energy efficient than gas water heaters but due to high electricity costs, the electric water heater is more costly to run.

At our San Mateo plumbing company, we provide commercial and residential water heaters, we’ve been serving the Bay Area since 1989.  We’ve provided water heater installations and repairs for all types, models, and energy requirements.

We work closely with every client to help them make an informed decision about their new purchase and installation.  Our technicians are experienced, and willing to assist you when you need a new water heater.

With every project, our professional plumbers work with our Bay Area residential and commercial plumbing clients to ensure they make important decisions early which intern saves them both time and money.

Give our team a call for a free estimate on your next electric or gas, traditional or tankless water heater installation.


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Plumbing Tips For Summer

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This Summer’s Quick and Easy Plumbing Tips By Your Bay Area Trusted Plumber.

Increased water usage is a given during the hot days of summer, whether it’s indoor or outdoor, homeowners generally use 25% to 40% more water during the summer months.  Our plumbing company always provides Bay Area homeowners and business owners with tips to improve their plumbing and reduce cost.  So here are a few you may want to consider.

san francisco contractor

Away on Vacation?

If you’re going away for a week or so during the summer, turn down the water heater before you leave, this will help you save on energy during the time it is not in use.

Traditional water heaters generally have a life span of 8 to 11 years, know how old your water heater is before you leave to avoid any disasters while you’re far from home.

Tip: If you’re unsure of the age of your water heater, look at the last four digits of the serial number, they generally represent the month and year the water heater was manufactured.

For the future, you may want to consider a tankless water heater to avoid issues, and enjoy long term savings.

summer plumbing tips

Entertaining at Home?

Whether you have a pool or not, laundry loads tend to increase during the summer months.  The heat is on! So it’s no surprise we change our clothes more often.  Enjoy special summer promotions and replace old appliances around the house to energy efficient appliances, or conduct a quick visual inspection of all the hoses on your appliances to insure no leaks are occurring from the increased usage.

Outdoor cookouts and indoor get-togethers are a blast during the summer months, but avoid shoving left overs down the garbage disposal and the drains.

Landscaping Around the House?

Keep an eye out for the trees around the house, no one wants to deal with a sewage backup or tree roots finding their way into the sewer line instead of having summer fun.  If you suspect anything, give our Bay Area sewer experts a call, we’ll quickly inspect and help you avoid or fix any clogged sewer line quickly so you can get back to enjoying summer.

Water your lawns early morning or late evening when the sun is not around.  If you water your lawn while the sun is out, the water is evaporating and you’re wasting energy.

There are hundreds of ways to avoid plumbing disasters, and many more tips to save on energy in your home or business.  Plumbing challenges do come up no matter what the season is, but we want you to know our professional plumbers at Express Plumbing are here to assist you any time you need us.

We’ve been serving the Bay Area’s trusted contractor since 1989, and we hope you’ll have a fun filled summer free from plumbing problems.


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Common Summer Residential Plumbing Projects

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Every year you may encounter major or minor home repair and plumbing issues. Depending on the age of your home, some issues might be larger and quite costly.

summer plumbing projects bay areaMany homeowners opt to embark on summer projects early to address these issues. Plumbing projects are those that affect your everyday life inside or outside the home.

Some projects you can do alone, and others will require a professional plumber to handle.  If any of your projects need us, schedule your free estimate early by giving us a call.  We serve the entire Bay Area including San Francisco, Alameda County, San Mateo, Burlingame and all surrounding areas in the Peninsula.

Here are a few of the common plumbing projects our residential clients have requested.

Installing a Hot Water Heater

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Hot water heaters are one of the most important appliances in the home. They are instrumental when it comes to heating cooking and bathing water. When these appliances malfunction, they can cause all sorts of problems. Leaks are just one issue you may have. Installing a new hot water heater requires specific expertise.

Give us a call for a free estimate on a new traditional water heater or tankless water heater installation. Learn more about investing in a tankless water heater.

Pipe Replacement

Older homes often have plumbing components that are outdated. There are instances when plumbing pipes require replacement. Our Bay Area experienced plumbers know what pipes are needed for your plumbing system.  We are the experts in trenchless pipe replacement, ask us all about it by giving us a call for a free estimate.

Upgrading Plumbing Hardware

Faucet and fixture replacements are probably the top requested calls.  You may choose to replace them because you don’t like the look anymore, or because they’re no longer functioning.

Replacing a bathroom or kitchen faucet is easy, but if not professionally done and well installed, you may end up with a leak and a more costly project.  Repair and Maintain things early to avoid plumbing problems.

Experienced plumbers are those that are certified to work in this industry. They have the expertise required to fix plumbing problems. At Express Plumbing, we’ve been serving our Bay Area neighbors since 1989.  We only hire experienced plumbers, and we guarantee your satisfaction with every plumbing project we perform.


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Sewer Line Problems – Tips To Avoid Tree Roots in the Sewer Line

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The most common clogged sewer line repairs are the results of tree roots finding their way into the sewer line.  It seems almost impossible to avoid this situation underground, but here are some tips to help you avoid costly sewer line repairs.

Although Express Plumbing specializes in sewer line problems and repairs, we believe prevention is the best policy and this is one of the reasons we are the #1 referred sewer line experts in San Mateo and all Bay Area cities.

Locate Your sewer line

It’s best practice to know exactly where the lines are in your yard and around your home, before you start digging or planting.  Homeowners and business owners can easily find the exact location of underground utilities by contacting the local public works department or the national “Call Before You Dig” 811 number.

Choose Sewer Line Safe Plants

If you’re planning on planting around your home, and you’ve located your sewer lines, try to choose plants that are safe for your sewer line and do not have expanding and overgrowing roots that will reach the distance.  Limit the amount of plants you place close to your sewer line location to avoid sewer line plumbing problems.

tree roots sewer line problems

Here are a few trees to avoid placing over your sewer system.

  • Australian acacias
  • Ash
  • Beech
  • Birch
  • Cypress
  • Elm
  • Eucalyptus
  • Maple
  • Mesquite
  • Mulberry
  • Pepper Tree
  • Poplar
  • Sycamore
  • Willow

If roots have already invaded your sewer line, you may have a problem that needs addressing immediately.  Sometimes the roots from a neighbor’s home will encroach onto your sewer line and this will require you to work closely with the neighbor to address the problem.

Catch  Sewer Line Problems Early

sewer line camera inspectionClogged drains happen all the time and for different reasons, but if you notice you’re having a continuous problem with drains clogging, it may be time to look closer and avoid a bigger plumbing problem.

Frequent Overflowing toilets are also another sign that it may be time to have a regular sewer line inspection done.

Our San Mateo plumbers perform sewer line repairs in the Bay Area frequently.  We also help many homeowners avoid costly sewer line repairs by providing a sewer line inspection service.

It’s important to know what’s lurking in your sewer lines and a video camera inspection can help us catch small plumbing problems before they become a serious plumbing emergency.


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Bay Area Residential Plumbing Leaks and Repairs

How Proper Plumbing Maintenance Prevents Emergency Problems

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While we apply the principle of regular maintenance in every part of our life, we tend to dismiss it often when it comes to our home plumbing maintenance needs.  We call a plumber when we need one, but a few preventative steps can avoid emergency issues from even coming up in the first place.

Bathrooms and kitchens are not the only spaces affected by plumbing issues, there are other parts of the house that are impacted.

Regular checks are the best way to avoid costly repairs. These can be done seasonally by an experienced plumber. Plumbing inspections are significant when the home is older and has dated hardware. During these visits, a plumber can pinpoint potential problems.

Our expert plumbers perform small repairs before they become a big issue or spread to other areas in the home.  Here are the top 3 costly plumbing repairs you can avoid.

1 – Water Heater Repair

Water heaters can malfunction for various reasons. Age is one of the top reasons for these problems. It can cost more than $500 to have this work done. If leaks have resulted because of your water heater, other problems may arise. Depending on the location of the heater, leaks could cause flooding. When water heaters are not working, it is impossible to get hot water in the home. This affects both bathing and cooking.  Our Bay Area plumbers specialize in tankless water heater installations as an option to the traditional water heater.Why You Should Hire A Professional For Water Heater Services 2

2 – Septic Tank Repair

Problems with a septic tank can be not only costly but complex. This type of repair requires expertise and equipment. It is important that you hire a plumbing company that can accommodate this work. Indoor plumbing is limited or interrupted with septic tank repairs. This may be a timely repair that could put your home at a standstill.  You may want to consider a septic to sewer conversion.

3 – Installing Pipes

The problem with your home’s plumbing may point to its pipes. There are instances where entirely new pipes are required. If considering new piping, you’ll want to save on time and money by looking into trenchless technology which cuts the amount of time it takes and does not disrupt the surface since no digging is involved, this means less cost is spent on repairing the surface above

When you maintain your home’s plumbing, you extend its life. The function of the home is impacted by proper plumbing. It is important to address issues like leaks as soon as they occur. These are problems that can lead to bigger issues. Regular maintenance is a good way to protect your home and the belongings it stores.


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Why is Pipe Insulation so Important?

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Applications of pipe insulation are often overlooked and misunderstood by homeowners. They never understand how important pipe insulation is when it comes to plumbing. However, if you knew where and how to use pipe insulation, you would not only end up increasing the face value of your house but also improve the overall energy efficiency.

energy efficient

There are a large variety of materials for pipe insulation. You can find pipe insulation in either polyethylene, rigid foam, rubber, glass or mineral wool. The purpose remains the same in every type of insulation. Take a look at the following advantages of pipe insulation, regardless of the type of materials employed:Why You Need Water Backflow Preventers 2

Thermal Insulation In Cold Weather

Imagine taking a shower in extreme cold weather and you notice that there is no hot water. This is a worst case scenario that can happen during the cold winter months due to the bursting of pipes. This would then result in taking a cold freezing shower. Pipe insulation can help prevent such accidents and also save you from the crippling repair and cleaning costs that follow thereafter.

Pipe insulation allows for the smooth flow of water by slowly transferring the heat to the much colder environment outside from the pipes, preventing the liquid from freezing up. Therefore, it is also important that during installation of pipe insulation, immense care is taken to avoid any gaps that might expose the pipes to external cold air.

Providing Warmth Within The House

Pipe insulation is quite handy during the cold winter months as it brings a new option to the table for keeping each room in your house warm and cozy. This means that no matter what the temperature is outside, your house can stay as warm as you want. Insulation pipes make it quite sensible for application due to ever increasing heating and fuel prices. If you use sleeves to clad the pipe, you can insulate your cold and hot pipes quite effectively and deal with any damage caused by extreme temperatures.

Energy Conservation

Efficiency of the water heater can be greatly improved with the help of pipe insulation. The amount of heat lost within the surrounding environment is greatly reduced. The reason why it is hard to retain hot water without the insulation is because pipes can generally bleed heat out into the surrounding areas creating a drop in the temperature of hot water.

To sum it up, a good pipe insulation can help you improve the overall efficiency of your house, save energy and save hundreds of dollars spent every year on energy bills. It is important that you do not ignore the small wear and tear of the insulation pipes as they may turn out to be a big expense for you one day.

We’ve been providing quality plumbing and engineering services in the Bay Area since 1989.  We take great pride in giving our clients information that will help them save time and money.  If you have other home improvement ideas you’d like to share, let us know and we’ll be happy to mention you when we do.


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