My Drain Company Blog : Archive for May, 2014

Benefits and Drawbacks of a Low Flow Toilet

Friday, May 23rd, 2014

Efforts at water conservation in Southern California have led to many homeowners installing low-flow toilets. These fixtures can reduce the amount of water used per flush by more than three quarters, thanks to their gravity assist and high pressure operation. This means substantial savings along with their environmentally-friendly water use.

We specialize in plumbing in Tarzana, CA that will make your life easier and more economical.

If you are ready to upgrade your house and downgrade the amount of water you use on a day-to-day basis, call My Drain Company today.

The low-flow toilet benefits

The water savings from a low-flow toilet can be tremendous. This will help your annual budget and it will contribute to water conservation efforts, which are always important in dry Southern California.

How much can you expect to save? It depends on your water usage, the amount of toilets in your house, the number of people who live there, and local costs per gallon. Here’s an example to give you an idea of what you might save: A low-flow toilet uses 1.7 gallons per flush, while a standard toilet uses 7 gallons. A toilet, on average, flushes 6 times a day. Over a year, with an average per gallon price of $0.04 (the baseline for So Cal), a standard toilet will use 15,000 gallons and cost $600. A low-flow toilet will use 3,500 gallons and cost $140. That’s a savings of $460 in one year! As an investment in savings and to benefit the environment, low flow toilets are a great choice.

The low-flow toilet drawbacks

Although low-flow toilets are designed to work through pressure or gravity to compensate for the reduced volume of water flow, they can have trouble with larger waste removal. They can run in particular trouble with paper-based waste and garbage. You should avoid using any toilet as a wastebasket, but with a low-flow toilet you could cause clog very easily. In general, you should expect increased clogging issues and should always keep a plunger handy in case. Low-flow toilets also cost more than standard models, but they should pay for themselves in less than a year.

Find out more about low-flow toilet installation

Installing low-flow toilets is a basic job for professionals. Call My Drain Company if you want to know more about how effectively a low-flow model can work for your home, as well as what you can potentially save. For your Tarzana, CA plumbing needs, look to our more than 15 years of experience.

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Why Small Plumbing Leaks Are Still Damaging

Friday, May 23rd, 2014

Here in Glendale, CA, plumber services are called upon to treat all manner of problems, and none of them are small. Even seemingly minor problems like small leaks have a way of turning into bigger ones very quickly. The sooner you get on a noticeable problem, the better off you and your plumbing system will be.

Here’s Why Small Plumbing Leaks Are Still Damaging

If left untreated, water will damage the materials surrounding your pipes. Wood and drywall can become swollen with moisture, leading to corrosion and rot. Electrical wiring could be damaged and in some cases the water may ultimately cause an electrical short. These problems don’t get better over time, and in fact small leaks may be more damaging than large ones because they can go for months before being detected, wreaking untold havoc in the process.

Furthermore, even small leaks can have a detrimental effect on your plumbing system as a whole. Pressure tends to drop when there’s a leak, even a small one, which makes it harder to clean dishes and can create comfort problems with your shower. More importantly, it often leads to higher water bills. You’re paying for all that water leaking out, after all, and even if it’s not a gushing river, it’s still money that you don’t need to be spending.

Finally, small leaks have a way of turning into bigger ones, especially if they’re caused by corrosion in the pipes themselves. A small leak could be just a warning sign of bigger things to come, and if you get on it, now, you could be saving yourself a create deal in unnecessary expenses.

The good news is that the Glendale plumbing experts at My Drain Company are here to help. We know why small plumbing leaks are still damaging, and we use the latest technological advances to pinpoint the exact source of the problem before fixing it. The longer you delay, the bigger the problem can become, so don’t hesitate! Pick up the phone and schedule a repair session today. Your plumbing system will thank you.

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When Should I Think about Replacing My Water Heater?

Friday, May 16th, 2014

Modern water heaters are durable appliances, but they will not last forever, even with the best possible maintenance care. At a certain point, you will need to replace the system with a new one. However, aside from experiencing a catastrophic breakdown in your current water heater, it won’t always be obvious that the time has come for a new installation. We will examine some of the times when a water heater replacement is your best option.

For a professional opinion, as well as installation services for a new system, call the team at My Drain Company. We handle water heater services in Glendale, CA that will provide your home with a steady and energy-efficient supply of hot water.

The Water Heater Is Older Than Its Estimated Lifespan

Depending of the model, water heaters usually last between 10 to 15 years. Check on the estimated service life of your water heater (it should be marked on the tank); if it is a few years older than it, you should schedule a replacement before the system begins to falter and lose efficiency. In general, any water heater more than 15 years old is overdue to be replaced.

The Water Heater Is Suffering From Corrosion

When corrosion enters a water tank and starts to cause rust in the components, it usually means the water heater has deteriorated beyond repairs. If you see corrosion on the tank, or if your hot water begins to take on a rusty discoloration, call on Glendale water heater specialists to see if the system is worth repairing or not.

The Water Heater Can No Longer Meet Your Demands

When a water heater begins to lose its regular supply of hot water, or if it cannot heat the water to the level you expect, then the system is probably too worn down to be worth keeping. Sometimes repairs can restore your hot water, but if a technician thinks that repairs will no longer be enough, then it’s time to replace the water heater.

You Wish To Take Advantage of Tankless Water Heater Technology

If your water heater costs more to run than you think it should or if you find that your household uses enough hot water that you regularly run out during the day, then you should look into the possibility of installing a new tankless water heater. These systems do not run out of hot water because they heat up water “on demand” only as you need it. They also cost less to operate since they do not need to keep a supply of water constantly warmed up for use.

If you have doubts about whether it is time to replace your water heater in Glendale, CA or not, call My Drain Company and speak to our experts. We can arrange an appointment to examine your current water heater and help you decide whether you should repair or replace it. We can handle both jobs to make sure you continue receiving the hot water you need for daily life.

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Grease Trap Repairs in Commercial Plumbing Systems

Friday, May 9th, 2014

Grease occasionally goes down the drains of residential kitchens, where it solidifies into a solid waxy material that can lead to clogs. However, this is nothing compared to the volume of grease, oil, and fat go down the drains of a commercial kitchen every day, whether it’s the kitchen of a restaurant, hotel, or cafeteria. These kitchens require industrial strength grease traps to keep their plumbing working, and also to comply with local codes prohibiting excess waste entering the sewer system. Commercial grease traps need to remain in excellent condition with repairs and maintenance.

To protect your commercial kitchen, schedule repairs for your grease trap as soon as you notice any problems from it. You can call My Drain Company any time of the day or night when you need repairs now. We know how important your business is to you, and we will strive to give you the professional service you require to keep it running the way you want it.

Repairs for Grease Traps

You can avoid many common grease trap repairs if you clean out the trap regularly and schedule annual maintenance for it to make sure it isn’t developing issues that could lead to repairs. However, you cannot avoid all problems, and sometimes repairs are necessary.

A common trouble that can affect a commercial grease trap is when the pipes that either enter or leave it develop clogs. Plumbers can assist with this using hydro-jetting equipment, blasting high pressure hot water along the pipes. The scalding temperature of the water is particularly effective at clearing out grease clogs. Drain snakes, which are used to clear standard drain pipes, are not powerful enough to unclog grease traps, and since hydro-jetting can be harmful in untrained hands, this is a service you must leave to professionals.

Grease traps will produce noxious smells if the food waste inside them begins to rot. If these smells continue even after you clean the trap, you may have an issue with the odor baffles. Poor installation could also be at fault, usually from a trap that was incorrectly sized. Call for professionals to investigate; you don’t want terrible odors affecting your business.

Keeping the grease traps for your commercial kitchen in good shape not only makes for a better kitchen, it keeps your business within the parameters of health and sewer codes. Don’t let a malfunction in a grease trap threaten your company: Call for the Glendale, CA plumbing professionals at My Drain Company right away.

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3 Different Ways to Clean Your Drains

Thursday, May 1st, 2014

Most people think of drain cleaning as a simple task easily accomplished with a store-bought cleanser. In point of fact, however, such simple solutions usually only defer the problem instead of properly solving it. If you live in Northridge, our plumbers are nearby who can perform drain cleaning services that properly correct the problem instead of just papering it over with a one-size-fits-all solution. Drain clogs are often very different, and food particles in your kitchen plumbing can differ a great deal from hard-water build up in your bathroom. The professional Northridge plumbers at My Drain Company can tailor the solution to fit the problem, using a wide variety of options.

Here are 3 different ways to clean your drains that plumbers often make use of:

  • Video cameras. Video cameras don’t strictly clear out the drain, but they can be used to get a better idea of what’s causing the cog. The plumber can send a tiny camera down the drain on a flexible line, then monitor what it sees through a video screen on the other end. It lets him or her determine exactly what you’re up against, then find the right tool for the job.
  • Drain snakes. Drain snakes are basically flexible wires with bristle heads on the end, and like cleansers, you can buy generic models in any store. But professional plumbers often use mechanized snakes with a lot more power behind them, as well as snakes with rotating heads that can match the exact nature of the clog. They’ll use that to break up the clog into small pieces, or flat-out pull it up in the case of smaller clogs.
  • Hydro jetting. Hydro jetting uses a fitted hose that shoots concentrated bursts of water down your pipes. The water’s extreme pressure levels scour the pipes clean – dealing with all the build-up, not just the specific clog – while leaving the pipes themselves untouched. Hydro jetting is very safe, but requires a plumber’s training to use properly.

Here at My Drain Company, we are familiar with the different ways to clean your drains and we know how to use them right. If you live in Northridge, our plumbers are just a phone call away. Contact us today to make an appointment!

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