Category Archives: In The News

How to choose a toilet.

Don’t buy one of the “ALL IN ONE TOILET IN A BOX KITS” FROM YOUR LOCAL  HARDWARE CHAIN STORES!

Remember you get what you pay for when it comes to toilets!

As a Plumbing contractor/ Installer in Cincinnati I have had the chance to see a lot of different toilets perform on the jobs we perform. First of all any toilet that you can purchase now days is going to be a 1.6 gallon flush volume or lower. This is mandated by the E.P.A. for water conservation. It’s a good thing to conserve water however the problem lies in the toilets ability to flush the waste away with less water than the older traditional toilets no longer available.

There are few manufactures that have really solved this problem thus far. Our knowledge of on the job experience as far as callbacks and complaints go have left us with a few favorites. Like I said before” you get what you pay for when it comes to toilets”.

Below is a list of a few toilets we install and recommend installing if you’re doing it yourself!

  • American Standard Cadet 3
  • Gerber Avalanche

Any pressure assist type toilet with a Sloan valve in it.

Pressure assist type toilets are the cats meow when it comes to a 1.6 gallon flush. They cost 90 to 100 dollars more but are an asset to the plumbing industry as far as toilets go! They work off a very simple principal and that is incoming water supply pressure. Most people have a substantial amount of water pressure supplied to their homes now days. To reap the benefits of a pressure assist toilet you would need to have anywhere from 40 to 60 lbs psi of incoming water pressure. Basically the toilet uses your water pressure with the volume of 1.6 gallons to increase flushing capacity of solids and waste without ever getting the tank wet. It still has a tank  however inside that tank is another small football size tank which houses the 1.6 gallons of water and uses that pressurized water to flush quicker and stronger when you push down on the tank lever.

I can’t ever remember having a service call to unclog a pressure assist toilet because someone used too much paper or just overloaded the toilet. There is only one drawback to the functionality of this awesome flushing toilet and it is……….that it’s  more noisy than a tank type toilet when you flush it. You won’t hear an alarm or bells ringing but it will make a louder flushing noise when you flush because of that pressure I spoke of earlier. So if you can put up with a little more noise when you flush and pay that initial 90 to 100 dollars more, then you won’t be dissatisfied with a Pressure assist toilet!

Take advantage of a knowledgeable Cincinnati Plumber and Call (513) 383-4242 

Roots in the sewer

Do you have roots in your sewer?

Many people who find that they have roots in there sewer usually have had a clog form where all the drains in the house are backed up. Usually they first notice the back up at the lowest point in the drainage system and that point is usually at the basement floor drain or the floor drain in the water heater room in ground level houses.Then they call a Cincinnati plumber to come and use a drain snake to clean out the sewer.

Next is when the problem rears it’s ugly head just as the plumber pulls back a big ball of roots attached to the end of his auger that have found there way into your sewer piping somehow. Not only is this a common problem with sewers outside the house but a very common problem among older houses piping even those that don’t have a public sewer connection but connect to a septic tank.

The most common misconception about how the roots got in the pipe is when the homeowner says “well there aren’t even any trees around where you say the problem is”. It doesn’t even have to be a tree in close proximity to the sewer line.It can even be from shrubs such as thick ground covering like ivy varieties as far as example of what people don’t consider trees.We have seen a lot of cases where the culprit is a boxwood type shrub planted just next to the house in the flower beds.

All this may make it seem like you shouldn’t  even plant any vegetation in your yard just to be safe.The fact of the matter is that it is not really the plants fault at all.Don’t get me wrong it’s not the best idea to plant a tree or shrub directly over the top of a known sewer location no mater how deep the sewer is.This is all easier said than done though as I have large shrubs and bushes in my own front yard in fairly close proximity to my buildings sewer.

When I said it wasn’t the plants fault that your sewer has roots in it. It’s the truth.The reason a plant of any kind puts it’s roots in a sewer is simple really.Lets think about it.inside any sewer pipe there are at least three things that a plant  of any kind needs to survive. These are WATER,NUTRIENTS and OXYGEN.

Now for the reason that the roots find their way in the piping and that is simple as well. First and foremost there has to be a point at which the hair like roots can enter the piping. This usually occurs at a joint where the sewer piping joins together underground with one length of pipe to another. These joints often become deteriorated over time especially in older types of piping such as concrete and cast iron types. A piping joint is not the only way roots can find their way in though. It only takes one crack or one pinhole in a piping system to let them in.

Once in the piping it may take months or a year for the root system to grow to a size where it becomes a major problem while catching all sort of debris such as solids and toilet paper in it’s hair like extensions.

The solution to these root infiltrations is not to treat the piping with chemicals! This is a huge misconception and bad advice if given to you by any one especially a plumber.

The only way to solve this problem is to replace the bad portion of piping  completely and remove all possible points of root penetration!

There are many people who waste their money time and time again by paying for chemicals to try and kill off the roots in their sewer piping slowly because of bad advice or what they read on the container of chemicals they buy at the hardware store. Take it from an expert that you will be calling a plumber sooner than later to replace the piping. It may take some people a while for it to sink in that spending money month after month on chemicals that don’t solve the problem just isn’t the answer. If that isn’t enough maybe the monthly or bi-monthly sewer cleaning calls that they pay for along with the chemicals will change their minds!

As always,

Why be wrong? …..When you can Flow-Rite!

Tank or Tankless Water Heater?

We have an answer for you!

I can guarantee that if you have a tankless water heater installed you will be disappointed with one thing for sure! The most popular complaint about tankless water heaters is that when multiple hot water sources are used at once the water pressure drops dramatically! This is the nature of the beast. Not one tankless water heater out there can give you the volume of hot water at one time that a common residential one and a half or two bathroom house desires.

Why waste the energy and expense of heating water when your not using hot water. This is typical of tank type water heaters that have been around for years. Since natural gas prices have gone on the rise we tend to start thinking about those tankless type water heaters that only heat the water when you need it and stop heating the water when you don’t. This is a great concept and has its usefulness.

The answer is in the middle.

There is even a better solution to the lingering high natural gas prices. This solution is a hybrid water heater. Sounds weird I know. This water heater is the best of both worlds though. Its venting method is cheaper to purchase and install than that of most all tankless water heaters.Its size is relative to less than half the size of a 50 gallon tank type water heater. Best of all it can produce endless hot water in a significantly higher volume than any tankless water heater on the market and take up only half as much more space than any tankless water heater. It also only heats the water only when you need it just like a tankless water heater does only with no pressure drop. Also this water heater is eligible for tax credits for energy conservation starting in 2009. All of this for only a slightly bit more than what a tankless water heater costs.There is also a better warranty included up to 20 years on the tank.

If you are looking for the your next water heater or a water heater for a new installation then do yourself a favor and check out this website. http://eternalwaterheater.com and Cincinnati Plumbers to Install this amazing water heater!

Winterizing Your Plumbing System

Winterizing your plumbing is a virtually cost-free alternative to frozen pipes.

  • Turn off the main shutoff valve or have the water company turn off service to the house.
  • Starting at the top floor, open all faucets, both indoors and outside.
  • When the last of the water has dripped from the taps, open the plug at the main shutoff valve if possible (if you have to, contact the water company), and let it drain.
  • Turn off the power or gas to the water heater and open its drain valve.
  • To freeze-proof the system, empty toilet bowls and tanks.
  • Remove the clean out plugs on all sink traps (or remove the traps, if necessary).
  • Once emptied, replace them and fill with plumbing antifreeze mixed with water in the proportions specified for car in your climate.
  • You won’t be able to drain tub and shower taps. Instead, add at least a full quart of antifreeze.
  • Don’t put antifreeze into a dishwasher or clothes washer.
  • If your home has a basement floor drain or a main house trap, fill each with full-strength antifreeze.