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Say Goodbye to Sediment: How to Drain a Water Heater

Plumber crouching to drain a hot water heater in property

Let’s be honest: do you take your hot water supply for granted? Don’t worry if the answer’s yes – we all do!

To keep your home water supply running smoothly, though, you’ll need to drain the water heater tank regularly. And if you’re feeling confident, it’s something you can attempt to do yourself. So, here’s how to go about draining the tank, and when to call a plumber.

Do You Need to Drain a Water Heater?

Yes. Over time, sediment builds in the water tank. This build-up causes corrosion, and it could shorten your tank’s lifespan. It could also cause leaks, clogs, and eventually lead to no hot water.

How Often Should You Drain a Water Heater?

The general consensus is that water heaters should be drained at least once a year. However, if you’re in an area with “hard” water, consider draining the tank every six months.

How Long Does it Take to Drain a Water Heater?

Want to know how to drain a hot water heater quickly? The good news is that the process is quick! The whole job can be completed in under 60 minutes.

How to Drain Your Water Heater

Are you ready to drain your water heater? Here’s what to do.

  • Shut off the power and water supply. Otherwise, you risk flooding and damaging heating elements. Check your owner’s manual(s) for instructions for how to do this.
  • Attach a garden hose to the drain valve: Any sturdy garden hose will do. Run the other end to a floor drain or outside. Make sure the hose stays lower than the drain valve so water runs in the right direction.
  • Run a hot water tap: To ensure your system flushes completely (and quickly), it’s good to release some pressure first. Run a hot water tap near your heater, or a tap on the upper floor of your home.
  • Open the drain valve: With the hose attached, open the drain valve to start draining.
  • Flush out remaining sediment: Once the tank is empty, flush out remaining sediment by turning the cold water on. Once the water runs clear, turn the cold water off for now.
  • Close your drain valve: Remove the hose and close the drain valve again.
  • Turn the water back on and fill the tank. Wait until the tank is full before turning the power back on. You will soon have hot water again!

How to Drain a Water Heater: Safety Tips

Keep you and your family safe when there’s water flowing, follow these four safety tips.

  1. The tank water could be very hot. Let the water cool down before you drain it! You can run your hot water taps to speed up this process.
  2. Consider wearing goggles and gloves for extra heat protection.
  3. Make sure you use either a floor drain or bucket when draining the water. Or, let the water flow outside from the hose. Insufficient space for draining can cause flooding.
  4. Always check for leaks after completing the water heater drainage. Make sure everything is securely turned back off. Even a small leak can cause flooding eventually!

When to Call a Plumber

Just because you can drain a gas water heater by yourself doesn’t mean you should! If you’re not comfortable draining your own water heater tank, don’t attempt it. Instead, simply call Fox Valley Backflow & Plumbing.

We’ll drain your water heater quickly and perform any other residential plumbing services you require. No job is too small for our team!

Call now at (847) 624-3872 to schedule a home visit for water heater drainage.

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Why Should You Choose a Professional Drain Cleaning Service?

The drain is one area of the house that is not thought about often. Only when there’s a maintenance issue this area is given any consideration. Once in a while, things need taking care of to avoid long-term maintenance problems.

 

 

A few handy tips and information can help homes maintain their drains sufficiently enough to ask for professional help only when required.

How Can Professional Drain Cleaning Services Help?

1. They can help eliminate a slow drain – Drains become slow when they face issues. Before becoming dysfunctional, drains begin to show slow performance. The professional drain cleaning service will identify if the slow drain is due to a blockage in the homeowner’s system or if it is caused by the mainline serving the home. They can diagnose the problem and ensure proper treatment so that the blockage doesn’t turn into something serious. If you can identify the source of the problem, well. If not, call the professionals.

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2. Drain cleaning services offer services to reduce home odors – Every home faces this issue. Even when the drainage may be working fine, there could be food items rotting further down the line or something more serious that causes a foul odor. Professional service providers will detect the source of the odor and take steps to get rid of it. They have the equipment and experience to deal with such problems.

3. Drain cleaners can help identify other serious issues – They are professionals who have the knowledge to recognize other serious issues. The problem may have something to do with the bathroom or the kitchen. If not fixed, the problem might lead to a blockage or a leak within the home. There could also be a potential problem with the vent in the drain that may threaten the safety of the people on the property. Timely involvement and detection of problems can help avoid major expenses later.

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Sooner or later, every home will face the drain clogging problem eventually. Whenever you are faced with the prospect of a blocked drain, engage a professional from the Schaumburg, Illinois drain cleaning service.

When choosing a professional drain cleaning service, ask for a free estimate. Most companies provide a quote. The rate may vary from one to another. But knowing the upfront costs will help you decide which service to go for the cleaning and also give you an idea of how much it is going to cost you.

Though the drain clog might bother you most during the daytime and that is when it is best to get it fixed. But emergencies may happen any time during the day. Select a service that will do the plumbing even during nighttime if required.

Is there a money-back guarantee? In the event that the cleaning was ineffective or the level of service wasn’t as expected, ask for money back. A company that provides money back is sure of its service levels. That helps you be assured you will get quality service.

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Schaumburg, Il – Why All Sewer Cameras Are Not Created Equal

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Why You Shouldn’t Flush Feminine Products

Ladies! You are being warned not to flush feminine hygiene items down the toilet. Tampons advertise flushability right on the box. You’ll reconsider flushing tampons, maxi pads, wipes, and other “flush-friendly” products after learning that they can damage your plumbing or septic tank.

Ladies, take heed—flushing sanitary products could cost you money. You’ll learn in this essay how feminine products can harm your plumbing. We’ll also examine a few additional items that are frequently flushed but shouldn’t be.

What Plumbing System Damage Sanitary Products Can Cause

You have probably seen signs in women’s restrooms asking you not to flush feminine items. Although these warnings are frequently found in public restrooms, it’s a good idea to heed this advice even at home. There are various reasons why sanitary products like tampons shouldn’t be flushed down the toilet.

A tampon’s size may grow after flushing as a result of water absorption. A tampon will expand to roughly ten times its original size once it has absorbed water, which may surprise you. Once the tampons have expanded, they may block drains and sewers, clog toilets, or become stuck deeper down the plumbing system.

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Non-bio-degradable

Tampons won’t disintegrate; they’ll stay in one solid mass. Tampons won’t disintegrate if they become stuck in the plumbing system, instead causing a clog. It’s possible for your toilet to fully clog and overflow if more tampons are flushed. Then you will need to contact a plumber.

Tampons or pads may occasionally be able to pass through your plumbing system, but they may cause an obstruction enroute to the main sewer. If you don’t have a septic tank, your waste will be sent through the sewage system, and if a blockage occurs farther down the line, it can damage your neighbors.

Difficulties with sewage treatment plants

Many tampons do make it to the sewage treatment facility in the city. The pumping station may then be affected, or the filters may become clogged. Chemicals are used in sewage treatment facilities to break down objects that shouldn’t have been flushed. A filtration mechanism is also present to capture non-biodegradable items. These actions are not very ecologically friendly and may be problematic for plant workers. The process of removing hygienic objects from sewage is messy, time-consuming, and expensive.  If these products had been thrown out in the first place, they would have avoided the plumbing system altogether and saved money and potential plumbing damage by going straight to the landfill.

Issues with septic tanks

Feminine products can clog your septic tank if you have one. They will also take up room in the tank because they don’t biodegrade. As a result, the liquid levels will increase and human waste may start to clog the distribution pipes.

Napkins or wipes

Since it will break down once sufficiently wet, toilet paper is made to be flushed. This will make it possible for it to pass through the sewage system without getting stuck. Other paper goods shouldn’t be flushed because they are thicker and more likely to produce a blockage, such as kitchen roll, tissues, or wipes. Even if it says flushable on the packet, never flush any kind of wipe.

Diapers and pads

It’s also usual to flush diapers or maxi pads down the toilet, however doing so is not recommended because they are bulky and expand when wet. After flushing a few pads, a clog can develop quite rapidly. Dispose of pads and diapers in the garbage in a hygienic manner.

Things for personal hygiene

Do not flush anything used for other personal hygiene, such as dental floss, cotton balls, swabs, q tips, bandages, or condoms. Although they shouldn’t be, medications, narcotics, and cigarette butts are frequently flushed. Avoid flushing or letting pet or human hair fall down the drain so that it can enter your plumbing system.

What to Do if Something Shouldn’t Have Accidentally Been Flushed?

If you or one of your family members accidentally flushed a pad, tampon, or another item on the above list, don’t panic! It’s unlikely that there will be immediate repercussions unless you’ve been flushing sanitary items for a long time, and there’s already a blockage. You may need to call a plumber.

The best course of action is to keep an eye on your plumbing system as a whole and how well your toilet flushes. Watch for any indications that a clog may exist in your system. Common signs include slow drains, sluggish flushing, an unpleasant odor coming from the pipes or a gurgling sound after flushing the toilet. If you experience any of these signs, call a plumber.

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Barrington, Illinois – Clogged Drains and Pipes What You Should Know

Plumbing issues are like pests that sometimes will not go away easily.

Barrington, Illinois – A clogged drain can occur anywhere and anytime. Some problems can be solved without calling a professional plumbing service. Most experienced plumbing companies can detect the root cause of a clogged drain in a few minutes.

If the clog is not a massive obstruction they can usually unclog the drain within a couple of hours. However, this is not always the case.

Either way, it is always good to have the experience of a professional. This will help you understand what the main reason is behind the clogged drain so you can prevent it from happening again.

Do You Suffer from Clogged Drains in Barrington, Illinois?

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Grease: Cooking oils and greases generally stick to kitchen drains & pipes. Hair grease starts in the bathroom drains. If grease is not removed quickly then it can attach itself to any surface and become hard. This would be a good time to call in professional plumbing service to unclog your drains. Schedule regular maintenance to eliminate problems in the future.

Hair: One of the most common things found in a drain is hair. It clogs a drain almost instantly. This is when draining anything becomes troublesome. Hair and skin oils and lotions can be problematic for your drains.

If possible, always cover your shower and bath drain with a filter or screen. In addition to using organic products, this can help the drain to remain clear.

Do You Suffer from Clogged Drains in Barrington, Illinois?

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Food: It is not surprising to know that food can cause a lot of harm to your pipes and drains. All food pieces can potentially obstruct your drains and pipes. It takes more than water flow to break down food. As we all know this can lead to a bad situation. Making a bad problem worst is not a good idea. Always call professional help to unclog your drains and avoid using drains as garbage disposals.

Paper: Several types of paper are out there. Some claim they dissolve (not), and some have plastics and other dangerous materials in them. Always use toilet paper in the bathroom and paper towels in the kitchen. Napkins & diapers do not belong in the bathroom. Keep all facial tissues; wet towels, wet wipes, and anything other than toilet paper out of the toilet.

Bath Salts: Pampering your body after a tiring day can be invigorating for your mind and body but not your drains. To eliminate the chances of a clogged drain, it is better not to use bath salt. It does not dissolve in water easily and can lead to a clogged drain.

It can be almost impossible for a homeowner to avoid a clogged drain, but preventive measures can stop a bad problem from becoming worse. If you need a drain unclogged in or near Barrington, Illinois Call fox valley plumbing & backflow.

Do You Suffer from Clogged Drains in Barrington, Illinois?

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Handling Your Own Shower Drain Installation Project – Palatine, IL

Whether you are a bathtub or shower person, most people look for shower-only options when buying a home. This simple fact means more than a few homeowners spend a weekend upgrading or installing showers in their bathrooms. Fortunately for you, it is a fairly simple process.

A collector or pan refers to the horizontal surface located at the bottom of the shower. The collector typically consists of a non-slip surface slightly banked towards the center or wherever the drain is located. Combined with three to four-inch walls around the side, the goal of your shower drainage plumbing is to get the water to flow to and down the drain.

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You can physically build a collector for your new shower, but you really need to think about it. Do you really want to get into the complications of getting the sloping correct, not to mention making sure every aspect of it is waterproof? And I mean every aspect!

It is much easier to simply buy a pre-cast collector online or at your local Palatine, IL Lowes, Home Depot, or hardware store. Building one might sound like a great idea, but you will probably feel differently after a couple of hours.

Regardless of how you go about getting a pan, you should make every effort to use one that has the drain located in the same spot as the original pan. Moving the drain pipes can be a task, particularly if the builder used a unique framing structure. If you are determined to move the drain, you are going to have to cut back the pipe or lengthen it, which may mean ripping up large chunks of the floor. Put another way, you are going to be looking at a multiple weekend project.

Assuming we have our drain lined up, the actual hook-up is fairly simple. The drainage pipe should be facing vertically up to the collector. It will often look like a “U”, which means it acts as a cleanout to keep nasty smells from coming back up from the drain.

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To connect the drain, you are going to create a water-tight connection between a drain cap on the top of the pan and the drainage pipe. Systems vary, but you are typically going to do this by putting a coupling piece on the top of the drainage pipe. This is then covered with gaskets and literally screwed into the drain cap. The drain cap should act as a locknut, to wit, it screws directly onto the coupling.

The tricky part of this process is getting your drain cap to fit into a watertight position in the pan. This is accomplished by backing off the drain cap once you are sure everything fits together. At that point, you put plumbers putty around the underside of the cap and then screw it back on. The putty should form a tight seal between the cap and the shower pan, which keeps water from trickling under it and into the framing under the shower.

Obviously, bathroom showers come in a wide variety of styles these days. If you purchase a collector, they almost always come with plumbing instructions or the store can note anything unusual you should know. It sounds complex but is typically pretty straightforward. Have fun!

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Invisible Causes of Water Damage – Schaumburg, IL

What causes water damage? Learn how to inspect air conditions, plumbing, appliances, and more. Learn how to detect the hazards in your home or business.

If you want to prevent water damage in your home or office, you must first learn where to look for and what are the different causes of this kind of damage. This article covers the invisible causes of water damage, those that are a little harder to detect by simple do-it-yourself inspections.

There is additional material about the visible causes of water damage that you need to read in order to fully understand the subject. A good understanding of the subject will not only provide you with great techniques to prevent water damage but also will help you save money and will keep your house in good shape, preserving its value for many years. While you can control some of the causes for damage, others cannot be predicted and therefore cannot be prevented.

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Plumbing:

Plumbing equipment usually develops leaks due to failures in joints or hose attachment.
Internal wall leaks are even harder to discover and can cause major damage.

Pipes:

The common problems in pipes are blocked toilets and drains (especially kitchen drains), failure of garbage disposals, and roots in sewer lines.

Weather:

Unpredictable summer storms, floods, and other water accompanied disasters such as hurricanes, blizzards, and tornados are some more reasons for water damage.

Heating Systems and Air Conditions:

Neglecting air conditioners leads to poor performance, expensive operating costs, and moisture issues. Moist cooling ducts promote mold and other water-borne bacteria.

Appliances:

Water heaters, washers, and dryers tend to crack over time, allowing water to trickle. Although these appliances will start leaking slowly, this leak can grow and cause a flood when completely failed. Hoses tend to deteriorate inside out, resulting in leaks as well.

Basements:

A wet basement is caused by moisture accumulations that drip through the foundations. When moisture evaporates, it increases humidity even if there are no leaks or standing water. Another common cause is condensation on the cold concrete walls and floors during more humid time periods.

It is recommended to inspect your home periodically to ensure that it stays in good condition and keeps its real market value. A periodic inspection will also help prevent high-costs restoration projects after water-related disasters.

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Plumber Cuts Through Root Infested Sewer – Chicago, IL

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Fox Valley Plumbing & Backflow Licensed Plumbers Proudly Serving Barrington, Illinois

Barrington, IL Fox Valley Plumbing Services

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Barrington, Illinois: Cook and Lake County residents, Fox Valley Plumbing & Backflow Plumbing technicians are plumbing specialists who offer complete plumbing services for both residential and commercial clients.

Toilets, showers, sinks, water heaters, sump & sewage pumps, drains, or sewer pipes–we know how important a quick response can be.

Full Product & Service Warranties

All Services include a full one-year workmanship warranty. Call For Details!

Exceptional Service Guarantee

– If you aren’t happy, neither are we. We strive to make YOU happy. At Fox Valley Plumbing, we make sure you understand everything we are providing, no fancy language with hidden costs.

– At Fox Valley Plumbing & Backflow Plumbing Services, your plumbing problem becomes our problem the moment you contact us.

– We take pride in reaching your location promptly, diagnosing your plumbing issue quickly, and taking action.

– Fox Valley Plumbing & Backflow emergency plumbing service professionals bring with them all the specialized equipment typically needed to inspect, detect and repair burst pipes, major clogs, backups, and other plumbing catastrophes.

– We’ll explain the problem and solution and fix it right the first time. We’ll even help you prevent future plumbing problems by inspecting your entire system as part of our service to you.

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Elgin, Illinois – Does Your Hose Faucet Leak in the Springtime?

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