Remodeling now could make you money later

       When it comes to spending your money, it only makes sense that you would want to be sure that the item or service you are purchasing is worth the expense. Especially in these times of financial uncertainty, many people are making the choice to put money back in their homes as insurance of better times to come.

      Homes that include updated bathrooms and kitchens naturally bring higher returns and have higher values. Adding an additional bathroom to your home is definitely a step in the right direction. The benefits bathroom and kitchen remodeling can be enormous if you choose the right way to do it and the right plumbing contractor for the job.

      The increased value in your home is a major benefit in the long run. Eventually the housing crisis will pass and nothing puts you and your family in a good spot to benefit like having a newly remodeled bath or kitchen when you plan on selling. Even if you have no plans to sell your home soon, the increased value can be used as home equity and help plan and pay for things like college, more home improvements, or even retirement needs.

     In a addition to the increase in value there is the increase in usable square footage if an addition or basement bathroom is added. Now is the time to take advantage of the lack of work out there for many plumbing contractors and get the lowest price possible. The cheaper you get it done now when the prices are lower the more equity you will have when the housing market increases. Buy Low, Sell High!

Call a Plumbing Professional at (513) 383-4242 for an in-home estimate now

Have you ever had one of these problems with a faucet in your house? We have compiled a short list of some of the most common problems we see with faucets and how to fix them.

• Lower than usual amount of water coming out of the faucet than normal. Many things can cause this to happen such as water pressure fluctuation or even hard water. Most of the time it is caused by hard water or other debris that may be in your water lines. This is easily rectified by un-screwing and removing the little screen or aerator from your faucet. This is the last point of the faucet that water will travel through before it ends up in the sink. These tend to get clogged up with lime and mineral debris that is common in hard water in many areas. A good soak in a cleaner such as Lime-A-Way or CLR  overnight will do the trick. This also works for shower heads and pull out sprayers at a kitchen sink. If your not sure how to remove the aerator then give your Cincinnati residential plumber a call and we will be more than happy to assist you. 

This is a picture of an aerator on a kitchen faucet

• When you turn on a faucet you hear a chattering noise or loud knocking.This is usually a sign of high water pressure. It could be the result of a worn or damaged water pressure regulator. These valves are located at your main water supply entrance to the house and do need to be replaced at times. There is another possibility also. If you removed and replaced your aerator make sure that all pieces went back in the order they were removed and that no parts are missing. This could create the noise as well. The replacement of a faulty water pressure regulator is usually a job for a professional to complete. If you are in need of such a service call a Cincinnati residential plumber  at (513) 383-4242 

       To all the people out there that want to know more about plumbing in their home town. We have an online tutorial coming up on YouTube that will help you with everyday plumbing problems. Our online videos will explain many common plumbing problems that the homeowner experiences and more. With every video you’ll receive a guided tour of DIY plumbing tips and how tos. Check us out by going to YouTube.com and searching for Cincinnati Plumbers. This is a free service provided to you by your own local Cincinnati Plumbers. Flow-Rite Plumbing Inc. is a full service plumbing Company that serves the greater Cincinnati Area. Check out our videos and our blog frequently so that you are up to date.

As always ,  Why be Wrong…..When you can Flow-Rite! 

       For all those You Tube fanatics out there we’ve got news for you. We will be uploading You Tube videos on plumbing tips and how tos very soon. So keep an eye peeled for your favorite how to episode. All you have to do is go to YouTube.com and type in Cincinnati Plumbers into the search field and viola! You will be able to see videos on DIY plumbing topics. Best of all we will be taking requests for topics that you want to see via our Ask a Plumber option on our contact us page.

      Keep an eye out for our self narrated videos on DIY plumbing in Cincinnati. Feel free to give us your feedback on our posts as well as our videos on YouTube. 

As always…..Why be Wrong?….When you can Flow-Rite!

Don’t be caught off guard this spring!

      Wet weather will be coming soon. Now is the time to have your sump pump checked out to insure that all is well before the rainy season hits. It is too late to find out when all that water has no place to go except all over the basement floor ruining clothes and other dry goods. 

     Flow-Rite Plumbing of Cincinnati offers a 10 point residential inspection of all your plumbing fixtures to insure they are in tip top shape for a fee of $ 35.00. This includes all major plumbing fixtures, drains and their valves. Do you know where to shut off the water to your house in case of emergency? Not only will we show you where and how but we will label it as well.

      When it comes to the rainy season the most important of these ten points is your sump pump and floor drains. We offer a full line of replacement sump pumps if yours is on the fritz and most are installed the same day. We can even install battery back up systems for your existing pump in case of power failure. We also have available a water powered back up system for your sump pump that never needs recharging. There are many possible problems that can cause a pump to go south so let our technicians take a look at yours during an inspection to make sure it is fully operational when the wet weather comes this spring.

Give us a call today to schedule your inspection at (513) 383-4242

Remember that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Don’t be caught off guard this rainy season.

A pic of a bad sump pump we replaced in 2008

      It’s that time of year when the weather in Cincinnati can drop down in the single digits. The local weather man might not always be right but we all need to take their forecast into mind. Especially when they say that the wind chill will make it seem even colder.

       The wind chill affects us the same way it effects our plumbing piping on or near the outside walls. If the forecast calls for temperatures that will fall below the 32 degree freezing mark then be prepared. Remember you also have to take in account what the wind chill factor is. This is especially important when the forecast calls for more than one day of continued cold weather below the freezing mark.

    In the last few days we have replaced burst piping under sinks and in many outside walls. This is primarily due to homeowners that have not taken the simple steps to protect their piping. The most simple solution to preventing pipes from freezing on these ever so chilly days is to turn up the heat and make sure that the heat can get to the piping either through the walls or into that sink cabinet. Most homeowners have told us that they thought they would save money by keeping the heat set at a lower temp. Well they did save money that would have otherwise gone to the gas and electric company however they spent those savings in double when they pay for the Cincinnati Plumber to replace their busted water and drain lines because they froze.

     Please see our post on how to prevent frozen pipes and follow the list very carefully, it may save you a costly service call to a Cincinnati Plumber.

If your in need of frozen pipe repair in Cincinnati then call us today for service at

 (513) 383-4242

We have been giving the homeowner/business owner tips on how to keep the plumber away since 1997

      We enjoy being knowledgeable about your plumbing problems and serving the customer how we would like to be served. With knowledge and respect! Most plumbing companies don’t mind showing up to fix your problem, at least hopefully they do, then take your money with no real explanation or preventative measures discussed. A lot of companies think that no explanation is necessary either because their technician is working on commission trying to up sell you or they just know simply how to install faucets, toilets and maybe run a drain snake only. However they still charge a rate that reflects the fact that there should be a knowledgeable plumber on site. We hear this all the time about companies that have been there before us.

     If you have had this happen to you in the past then give Flow-Rite Plumbing of Cincinnati a call for affordable and no nonsense plumbing service. (513) 383-4242 When you call us or email us about a plumbing repairs we don’t just give you a ballpark price without asking questions. We give you an professional opinion based price always based on knowledge of the problem. We ask questions and give possible scenarios so you the customer are informed and have multiple solutions when possible. As always we recommend that you call at least two other companies for pricing. Remember that if something seems like it is an emergency it may not always be one that you have to pay emergency rates for! Most emergency calls we receive are things that can wait until the next day after we explain what to do in the meantime. This is another attribute you won’t usually find at other plumbing companies when they answer the phone!

       When a service call is arranged and we are on site you will be given in writing the amount to perform all work discussed. The only time this amount changes is when additional work is added by the customer. An example would be if we were there doing the initial work and the customer asks ” while you are here how much would it cost to replace the toilet upstairs?” This of course would be in addition to the work that was priced originally.

 If you haven’t used our services yet and live in greater Cincinnati then give us a call and see for yourself!

Do you put the right chemicals in your toilet to clean it?

      If you put the store bought little toilet fresheners in your toilet tank then you are asking for a service call from your neighborhood plumber! We have all seen the little blue thingy hanging inside the toilet tank before somewhere or another maybe even in your own toilet tank.

      Do yourself a favor and take them out or don’t buy the next one. If you have multiples in the closet then throw them away or sell them at the yard sale. The chemicals in these things almost always contain some sort of chlorine or bleach chemical which will certainly cause premature failure of your toilet tank rubber parts and very likely end with a service call to your friendly neighborhood plumbing company.

      The chlorine in these magic blue water making sanitizers affects all of the essential interior parts of your toilet tank by deteriorating them quite quickly. I know, this is something that is not written on the package when you buy these things at your local supermarket but if they did that they wouldn’t sell any would they? 

       If you like the blue water then add blue food coloring to the tank every time you flush or you can simply add a hanging toilet bowl sanitizer in your toilet bowl to freshen the appearance of the water after you flush. Of course these too can create a possible problem by being dislodged and falling into the toilet creating a clog! Once again call the neighborhood plumbing company.

     The best means of keeping a toilet clean is to physically clean the toilet bowl and the fixture itself the old fashioned way with toilet bowl cleaner and a brush! Trust me I know it isn’t pleasant. I do it myself at least once a week in my own home.

Call your neighborhood Cincinnati Plumbers at (513) 383-4242

Grease traps are essential to plumbing performance!

      Grease traps are often known about in the commercial field of plumbing however they are usually not understood fully. Yes they do trap grease as the name well suggests. The big misunderstanding is that they trap this grease without ever needing maintenance or cleaning. This is the big problem amongst most commercial property owners.

      A grease trap is designed to hold a given amount of grease or food debris. Each trap is sized according to the fixture or fixtures it serves as per plumbing code or other authorities. When a grease trap reaches its capacity due to normal usage then it needs cleaned of all food and grease debris so it can function properly. If this cleaning is not performed on a regular basis then the grease trap ceases to perform properly and lets the grease go into the plumbing piping which is what we intended to stop by adding a grease trap in the first place.

      Like I said before this is a common misunderstanding in the commercial field of plumbing maintenance. As a plumbing professional I see this happen all the time especially in a restaurant setting. I receive calls for clogged drains only to find that a grease trap has not been maintained properly by regular cleaning and has caused a back up due to grease in the lines downstream of the grease trap. Now the bad news comes.

      Since the lines downstream of the trap are now laden with grease build up you have only one choice to remedy this problem. First of all you need to empty and clean the grease trap of all debris. Secondly and the most costly of the two is that you need to have a plumbing companyuse a hot water jetter to clean the grease out of the drain lines. This perplexes most people who think that they don’t have large amounts of grease in the everyday use of their facility. It is really simple to determine whether you have enough grease going down your drains to cause the problems you are facing. You called a plumbing company because you have a clogged drain didn’t you?

      You would be surprised to hear how many times I have explained this in more than a nice way that this is the problem and yet the management still calls us to clean out the drains over and over again costing them more in the long run than it would cost to just clean out the grease trap when it needs it on a routine basis. I don’t mean to rant but this seems like a no brainer to me! If you want to pay us to keep cleaning the drains because you can’t maintain a cleaning program well then bring it on. We love customers like you.

      I guess I shouldn’t seem like I’m complaining but it boggles my mind how someone can be given a professional opinion on something and experience it over and over again and expect different results!

       For the best overall results call a Cincinnati Plumber at (513) 383-4242

As Always,       Why be Wrong…….When you can Flow-Rite!

Do you want a Free Sewer Cleaning?

       If you live within the jurisdiction of the Cincinnati Metropolitan Sewer District, then you may be entitled to a free main line sewer cleaning. If you pay sewer fees to this sewer provider then you are entitled to a free sewer cleaning as long as it is found to be the sewer districts problem. You can learn more by clicking on this hyperlink http://msdgc.org/wib/  Remember that there are limitations.

      You may ask why would a plumbing company want to inform their possible customer that they could save money by not paying a plumbing company fees to unclog their drains. To us here at Flow-Rite Plumbing it is simple. Why not help a possible customer out for free when in return they might remember us when they do have to pay for a plumbing service call later for something else maybe. Who knows maybe our good deed will be returned? If not, we still performed a good deed by telling the customer about this service provided for no cost when we could have charged them for a sewer cleaning!

      We don’t want to have to pay for something we don’t have to either! So pass it along to your neighbor or friend and don’t forget who told you about it!

Why be Wrong…….When you can Flow-Rite!

What is a backflow preventer?

      If your asking this question then you obviously need a crash course on what a backflow device is as it could save your life some day. Backflow preventers are overlooked in most cases because of the lack of knowledge about their need and what they do. Backflow preventers are commonly a plumbing code requirement in most all up to date jurisdictions. The need for backflow preventers hinges on the need for safe drinking water for all public humanity. The use of these devices along with the annual testing of them where applicable can protect the public water supply from becoming poisoned by contaminants that could make someone dangerously ill or even cause death.

       The annual testing of these devices is very important because it insures the probability that the device is functioning properly in order to protect the public water supply. Although there are many forms of backflow prevention that are not testable they still exist in every persons home as we speak. That is if we as humans don’t by-pass these safety measures provided. One example of a non testable backflow preventer is an Air Gap which is simply the space between the end of a faucet where the water comes out and the point at which the water would overflow onto the floor if you filled the fixture that the faucet serves. This is a common backflow device that is implemented in every house around the world.

      The way this device works is really simple and has no need to test annually. The air space between the faucet outlet and the possible level that the sink or fixture could overflow creates an area of free space or air at which the possibly contaminated sink water could never be siphoned back into the faucet. Thanks to gravity this can’t happen. This cannot happen because the sink water cannot travel though the air without being under pressure and physically get into the faucet if it were open and had no water pressure at the same time. An example of this would be if there was a water main break on your street.  This would result in a loss of water pressure to the entire house and at the same time create a siphoning effect at the faucet, possibly sucking up any nastiness that was in the sink water. That nastiness could get into your water piping within the house. The next time you turn on your faucet to get a drink of water it contains this nasty contaminated water that is all of a sudden in your drinking glass. Drink up!

      Another backflow prevention device that some residences have is located where the water supply in a residence ties into an irrigation system. If you have an irrigation system for your lawn then you may be aware of such a device as it should be tested annually and the results will be forwarded to the local authorities having jurisdiction so they can make sure the device is working properly to prevent lawn fertilizer from being in contact with your drinking water. These devices are usually kept track of by your local health department.

       You may think this wouldn’t happen to you but it is an unfortunate circumstance that does happen to people and it is unexpected when it does. This is why the plumbing industry has plumbing codes that they follow in order to protect the public drinking water. As I stated before, the only way one of these safeguards can be by-passed is by human intervention. Sometimes this can be done unintentionally by adding a hose to the faucet outlet or some other means of by-passing the air space between the two points as discussed earlier. If this happens then there is a possibility of contaminating your water within your own house and in extreme circumstances you could contaminate the water all the way to the water main in the street.

      There are many different types of backflow preventers in place especially in commercial buildings where the possibility of contamination is more prevalent because of constant usage more so than in a residential setting. These devices are among the ones that should be tested annually to eliminate the possibility of contamination to the buildings water or the public water in the water main outside of the building. In order to test these devices you must have knowledge of their mechanical workings and be a licensed backflow tester by the state or locality in which they are located. Flow-Rite Plumbing has licensed backflow testers in Ohio and Kentucky. 

Call today for a quote on your backflow testing needs! (513) 383-4242

As always…Why be Wrong?….When you can Flow-Rite!

Going “Green” can hurt the pocket book at first !

       Going “Green” can severely affect the homeowners or business owners budget at first glance. However the advantages of energy efficient plumbing fixtures and systems can be rewarding in the long run. With the ever changing economy  bringing the need for cost effective fixtures and appliances there comes an added expense for the purchase of such things at least initially. Thankfully the government has rewarded us with tax incentives in the year 2009. You can earn up to 10 %  tax credits back on the total cost of  green technology fixtures and appliances. This even includes doors, windows and other such building materials. Check out your federal tax laws for further info and limits. Check out our Cincinnati Plumbers website for more info.

      In the world of plumbing this points to a few key fixtures such as Water Heaters and Boilers as well as radiant heating applications. Not only do these energy saving fixtures save us costly natural gas and electric bills in the long run but they also provide us with a little incentive such as tax credits and in some cases a credit from your local gas and electric company also!

       If a consumer sits down and does the math regarding how much gas and electric bills will decrease they would see that the up front initial money to purchase and install an energy efficient fixture would save them money in the long run. This is easier said than done though. I know because I have tried to convey these savings to many people regarding a new  replacement water heater such as an Eternal Hybrid Water Heater. The consumer just can’t get past the the pay me now or pay me later aspect of green technology that I try to make as clear as possible. It’s human nature in a way. They look at a $ 800.00 water heater install compared to a $ 2600.00 water heater install. 

      It’s a no brain-er right? I wouldn’t agree. The amount of money you can save by not heating water when you don’t need it with the more expensive water heater will save you an extra $ 30.00 a month on average! Yes it will take some time to make the difference up at $ 30.00 a month but after that you are home free with nothing but savings on your gas and electric bill. Don’t forget about the 2009 tax credit  that you get at the end of the first year. 

      I have a simple example that most will understand. A Lot of people go to a wholesale or discount membership type shopping club such as Costco or Sam’s Club to name few. The reason they go there is to find a better price on buying a larger quantity of product they use quite often at a substantially lower price for the amount they receive. They buy it at a discounted price although its more than they can use in a week and they save in the long run because they know they are going to use that staple item in their everyday lives. What is the difference if you purchase a water heater that lasts you longer and saves you more money in the long run because you haven’t spent all your savings on the gas or electric to make it work. To me this is a no brain-er!

As always, Why be Wrong?…..When you can Flow-Rite!

Call Cincinnati Plumbers at (513) 383-4242 for more info on green technology

 Do’s and Don’ts of installing a water heater

 Do’s

1. Do consult with multiple plumbing companies for pricing of an exact or better replacement before attempting it yourself.
2. Do  compare your price quotes from other companies, comparing not only their prices but whether it is easier to have them do it instead of yourself.
3. Do make sure that if you have a plumbing company install your water heater they and their installers are licensed and insured in the state and locality you reside in.
4. Do consult your local plumbing code official about updates that may be necessary in order to comply with current plumbing codes.
5. Do turn the cold water off to the selected water heater.
6. Do be prepared to be without water for at least an hour or more to the entire house.
7. Do turn off all gas and/ or electric to the water heater.
8. Do have your new water heater already purchased and ready to install including all water, gas or electric fittings that you may need.
9. Do follow all installation instructions provided by the manufacturer.
10. Do drain your existing water heater of all water that is left in the tank after turning off the water supply. 
11. Do make sure all water, gas and electric connections are leak tested and properly joined for your safety.  
12. Do have a helper on hand for assistance when needed.
13. Do install the water heater according to all local codes and call for an inspection after it is installed correctly.
14. Do discard of the old water heater in a manner appropriate to your local trash pick up service.

15. Congratulations you have installed a new water heater.

Don’ts

1. Don’t  try to perform this work without the correct plumbing tools and fittings necessary.
2. Don’t try and move heavy objects such as water heaters by yourself.
3. Don’t ignite a gas water heater or turn on the electric to an electric water heater before it is filled with water and you have leak tested the gas and water piping.
4. Don’t forget to call the plumbing inspector in your locality for an inspection to ensure that the water heater has been installed according to current plumbing code.
5. Don’t discard of your old water heater inappropriately!
6. Don’t dislike a plumber because he or she charges a fair rate to perform a service such as installing a water heater. Plumbers are professionals by trade and get paid fairly to perform this service.

As always…  Why be Wrong ?…..When you can Flow-Rite !

Call a licensed Cincinnati Plumber Today at (513) 383-4242

Chemical Drain Cleaners that are harmful to your piping !

      Any chemical drain cleaner that contains an acid such as sulphuric acid can and will harm your piping. Many off the shelf drain cleaners in a bottle can contain these acids in different amounts. The use of these drain cleaners can unclog your piping but at the same time can erode your piping from the inside out. I have noticed that some of the cleaners on the shelf contain these acids and state that they are safe for your piping! That is as far from the truth as can be. The instructions tell you to pour the solution over the clog and let it work on the clog implying that the cleaner does it all by itself. Like I said before these cleaners contain acids that can eat away metal and plastic. These are the two things that plumbing piping is made of so why would you deliberately pour these cleaners into your pipes? Just because the bottle says it’s safe for them, doesn’t mean it is!

     There have been many occasions that I have been to a house for a service call to unstop a kitchen sink or sink drain in a bathroom where the owner has used one of these acidic drain cleaners before my arrival. After a few times of getting chemical burns on my hands from handling the plumbing piping under the sink I began asking the owner if they put any type of drain cleaner down the drain before I got there. Sometimes just knowing if they did before you begin undoing sink piping can help prevent the plumber from skin burns.

     I made a good point about going to houses that have used chemical drain cleaners in their drains. The point is if I am there then the drain cleaner did not work very well. Also on a secondary note these same houses have had the chemicals sitting in the drain for hours. All the time the chemicals sat just eating away at the p-trap piping under the sinks causing the piping to form holes in it especially on older chrome metal p-traps. Of course there was a need to then replace the parts that might have otherwise been alright costing the customers more in the long run.

There are drain cleaners that can help dilute the clogs without harming the piping!

      These drain cleaners will contain a chemical known as Sodium Hydroxide or also known as LYE. Sodium Hydroxide is caustic and not acidic. These caustic cleaners will only eat away at clogs that are organic in nature. Organic in nature means that most everything that goes down a drain  like hair, grease, soap, foods, vegetable matter, or anything that was living at one time or another or that came from something living. It will not dissolve metal, plastic or other man made materials which is what your plumbing piping is made of. Nor will it break up large objects in your piping such as foriegn material that does not belong in the sewer to begin with. It also will not work well on roots in your sewer as you need to physically remove them even though they are organic.

      The caustic properties however will eat away at your skin which is organic also. So be careful when applying these cleaners and wear gloves and safety glasses. As I said before it would be nice if you told the plumber that you used a chemical drain cleaner so he or she can be prepared as well. Any chemical drain cleaner can help solve minor clogs but the best prevention is maintenance of your drain piping system even with chemical drain cleaners when the drain is not actually clogged.We recommend manual cleaning of your drain lines either with a sewer snake or a water jetter machine before applying the chemical drain cleaners for maintenance. 

Flow-Rite Plumbing sells its own drain cleaner for light to medium clogs and proper drain maintenance!

Give us a call today for all your Cincinnati Drain Cleaning Needs at

(513) 383-4242

As always…Why be Wrong ?…..When you can Flow-Rite !

How to choose a good plumber!

1. Ask your friends, family and neighbors first who they would recommend. This is usually the best way to find a good plumbing company! 
2. Take into consideration that they usually will remember who not to call instead of who to call!
3. Always ask if the pluming company they recommend gave them an upfront price and stuck to that price when it was all said and done.
4. If you are close then ask how much they paid for the services they received and maybe even ask to see for yourself.
5. Ask them if they called or contacted several different companies before they chose the one they used.
6. Ask if they called the first big plumbing ad in the phone book and stopped there.( If they did, then you might want to try shopping around yourself ! ) Remember those big ads get paid for by consumers like yourself.
7. Ask if this was the first time they used the company they are referring and if it is, then ask if the company was referred to them by someone else.

8. Remember to refer the company that you used and liked to your friends, family and neighbors no matter what profession or service they provide!

As always…. Why be Wrong ?…… When you can Flow-Rite!