My Drain Company Blog : Archive for March, 2014

Signs to Look for with Water Heater Repair

Monday, March 31st, 2014

Water heaters tend to be the silent heroes of the household: doing their jobs anonymously and in silence while tucked away in some forgotten corner. They’re designed to last for many years, but when problems arise, they tend to be large ones. Water heater repair in Northridge can handle most significant problems, but they can’t get to work until they know that something’s wrong. You can help if you understand the signs to look for with water heater repair, and check your unit regularly to see if you can spot them.

Did you now that My Drain Company handles water heater repair in Northridge? We’re absolutely dedicated to your complete satisfaction. Pick up the phone and call us today!

  • Strange noises. Noise can include humming, rumblings, strange gurgling noises or drips akin to leaks. The sources of the sounds can vary wildly. Gurgling noises, for instance, likely come from water moving through sediment built up in the bottom of the tank, while loud pops suggest problems with the heating components inside the tank itself.
  • Leaks. This one is a bit of a no brainer. If you spot puddles of water around the base of your heater, or along any of the lines leading to and from the tank, there’s a significant problem. A leaking tank usually means you have to replace the whole unit, though leaks around other components may only necessitating changing them out (or perhaps just adjusting their fittings). In any case, a trained technician can examine the heater and determine the best course of action.
  • The water. Water from your tap can provide some important clues on the state of your water heater. For instance, if it appears rusty or muddy, if it struggles to heat up, or if it has a strange metallic taste to it, that could indicate problems with your heater. (It could also stem from issues elsewhere in your plumbing, which is why a trained expert should be called in.)

Now that you know what signs to look for with water heater repair, you can respond by calling My Drain Company to get to the bottom of the problem.

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Understanding Your Plumbing Installation Needs

Wednesday, March 19th, 2014

The plumbing system in your home encompasses more than the pipes running through the walls and floors. Your plumbing consists of all the systems hooked up to water lines and waste water lines, which includes the sewer line, the fixtures in your kitchen and bathrooms, and large appliances such your hot water heater and your laundry machine. Sometimes it can be difficult understanding what new installations you’ll need to get the most from your plumbing. What updates are best? What fixtures will help you reduce water?

There’s no better way to understand your needs for plumbing installation in Glendale, CA than to seek help from professional plumbers. Call My Drain Company today and make use of our more than 15 years of experience in the plumbing industry so you’ll receive the installation that will improve your life and your budget.

What are some possibilities for plumbing installation?

We’ve listed some options to consider for your plumbing that will help you start thinking about how you want to upgrade.

  • Low-flow toilets: Let us take out your old toilet and put in a unit that will make a significant cut in your water bills each month. Low-flow toilets can work as effectively as standard models. According to the U.S. EPA, a low-flow toilet will reduce water use from 20–60%, approximately 13,000 gallons for the average family.
  • Garbage disposals: Older homes often do not contain garbage disposals, and installing one can make much easier, as well as eliminate a large amount of food waste. Installation requires professional plumbers to hook up your new disposal to a waste water line.
  • Whole house-repiping: Here’s another option to consider for an older home. The pipe material for most homes used to be galvanized steel. A durable material, but one also prone to corrosion with age. A whole house repiping job will prevent numerous repair problems as well as increase the value of your home.
  • Sump pumps: If you live in an area with a high-water table, you can experience high levels of moisture and even flooding in your basement. A sump pump will remove excess water from an area and place it into the waste water system, helping to prevent damage to your home and the growth of mold and mildew.

There are many more possibilities for upgrading your plumbing with new installation. Call our specialists at My Drain Company today and talk to them about ways to better your home and your life with new plumbing installation in Glendale, CA.

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Common Problems with Storm Drains

Wednesday, March 5th, 2014

Here in California, we don’t normally get a lot of rain. Unfortunately, that often means that our civic drainage systems are unprepared for any kind of serious storms, like the kind we experienced at the beginning of the month. Storm drains exist to prevent the kind of flooding that heavy rains engender, keeping your property safe and dry during even the biggest winter storm. Here in Glendale, drain cleaning services can install a storm drain for you, as well as correcting with your existing storm drain. Common problems with storm drains are usually something a trained expert can fix.

Most storm drain problems all stem from the same source: clogged or overloaded pipes.  Clogs can occur via build-up in your system, damage to the pipe itself, and saturation of the ground, as well as more direct causes like tree roots or even animals lodging debris at the grates. When rain storms hit like they did at the beginning of the month, those clogs can quickly turn disastrous, leading to all manner of serious problems. What kinds of problems? The most troubling is flooding, which can severely your yard and basement, and lead to a great deal of costs to repair. Yard erosion can be a particularly big problem, especially if your home is on a hill or somewhere else with higher elevation (very common in Glendale)

In some cases, storm drains that are too small can also cause flooding problems. This is actually fairly common in California, where we consistently underestimate the severity of our rains. In any event, the result is much the same as it is with clogged storm drains: flooding, backing up and wreaking havoc on your property in the process.

A reliable professional service can come to the rescue when you’re dealing with common problems with storm drains. Drain cleaning and repair services in Glendale, CA can be performed by the experts at My Drain Company. As our name implies, drain cleaning is our specialty and we have years of experience treating problems with storm drains. We also offer 24-hour emergency service for those times when the flood waters are rising. California’s rainy season can be a lot more destructive than people give credit for. Call us today and let us help you cut the damage off at the pass.

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