Your Holiday Wish List

By Bill Aldridge

I realize that it is less than a week until the Christmas holiday.  You are probably busy trying to put the last minute touches on the holiday decorations, the menu for Christmas dinner, not to mention completing Santa’s list and getting ready for the arrival of relatives.  So this is probably not the time of year that you normally spend a lot of time thinking about your plumbing.  But perhaps it should be.  With the holidays can come stress not only to you, your budget and your household, but also to your home’s plumbing.  The influx of guests can have a number of unexpected consequences to your plumbing that can do more damage to your holiday budget than a few Chistmas gifts ever could.  So in order to keep you from adding a plumber to your list of holiday guests, I have prepared a list of items that you should double check while you still have time.

The Ghost of Christmas Dinner Past

While the stresses of preparing the holiday feast can leave many overwhelmed, think of how your pipes feel.  Particularly if you allow relatives or family friends to help you with the cleanup after the dinner is done, there is a high probability that they might wind up putting something down the drain or the disposal that can stop your pipes up cold.  This being said, I have come up with a short list of items that you should print out and tack above the sink come Christmas.

Santa requests that you don’t put the following into the disposal:

Turkey

Stuffing

Gravy

Mashed Potatoes

Potato Peels

Onion Peels

Celery or Squash

Leftover Casseroles

Pumpkin Pie

(All of the above need to be discarded in the trash.  Thanks from Mrs. Claus.)

The problem with peels, rinds and fat is that they can stop either the disposal or congeal in the pipes leading from it.  If you notice that the water is slow to drain from your sink after doing the holiday dishes, try filling your sink with hot water and a few drops of liquid dish detergent.  Then pull the plug and hope for the best.  If you notice a foul odor emanating from the disposal, below is a video that shows you how to solve this problem.

Bathroom Backup

As bad as the kitchen sink can be when it comes to holiday backups, the bathroom can be even worse.  This is largely due to such things as grooming products, cosmetics and hair.  If any of your guests bring along with them infants or tots it is a certainty that they will also tote disposable diapers, which many people believe can be flushed.  (Mainly because it says so on the package.)  Toddlers are also renown for flushing toys and other objects down the commode.  So you need to keep a weather eye on them as well.

If the toilet does become clogged, don’t panic.  Below is a description of how to deal with this dilemma.

When it comes to sink clogs, the last thing you want to do is reach for a caustic drain cleaner.  (In fact if you have young children around I wouldn’t even have these products in the house at all.) 

Step #1: Remove the drain and clean it out.

Many times the clog is either in the drain or just below it where you can fish it out with a pair of needle nosed pliers.

Step #2: Remove the P-Trap

If it is further down the drain than that, then I recommend that you watch the video below to learn how to remove the Popup Assembly.  Any clog located beyond that point will require you to first attempt to plunge and then snake the drain.

The problem with caustic drain cleaners is not only are they dangerous to handle and use, but they don’t just dissolve the clog, they also tend to erode the pipes as well.  The cost of hiring a plumber to snake your drain is preferable to having him tear open a wall or floor to replace a burst pipe.  Also bear in mind that if improperly handled, caustic drain cleaners can also land you in the ER. 

If you absolutely, positively want to try to soften the clog, here is a recipe for a non-toxic drain cleaner that you can try.

First you need to drain all the standing water out of the bowl.  Then add a box of baking soda and a half bottle of vinegar into the toilet or sink and let it stand for several hours or overnight. .  This mixture will immediately start to foam.  After allowing the baking soda/vinegar mixture to do its thing all night long, try pouring a bucket of hot water into the bowl (or sink) and flushing the toilet, followed by one more round of plunging if necessary.  If this doesn’t get the job done, it’s time to call in the professionals.

With a little foresight and a handy backup plan you and your guests should be able to get through the holiday without yours truly having to come down the chimney.  So here’s wishing you a safe and happy holiday from the doctor of Plumbology.

Bill Aldridge is the Doctor of Plumbology at Aldridge and Sons Plumbing in Jacksonville, Florida.  For more helpful plumbing tips and how-to videos, go to http://aldridgesonsplumbing.com

Plumbing & the Great Outdoors

By Bill Aldridge

In the dark days before plumbing was invented, the bathroom was synonymous with the great outdoors.  Now that we have the modern convenience of indoor plumbing, most people don’t give the great outdoors much of a thought.  But maybe they should.  The reason I say this is due to the fact that a fair proportion of the plumbing issues we are called upon to solve involve situations caused by factors outside of the home.  Below are some examples.

Root Intrusion

The reason so many people live in the suburbs as opposed to the big city is for the fresh air and greenery.  The only problem is that green things like shrubs and trees have roots that run deep. If you think an oak tree is big, you should see their root systems.  While the roots are used to provide the nutritional requirements of trees, they are also preprogrammed to search for any source of available water.  It’s this love of water that makes root intrusion one of the primary reasons that sewer lines clog, sometimes partially and sometimes completely.  This is why it is important to call out your friendly neighborhood plumber before a slow sewer becomes a stopped sewer.  We have the tools to inspect and correct root intrusion before it ruins your day. 

Leaf Litter

Autumn is the time of year when leaves fall from the trees.  It is also a time of the year when converging cold fronts come together to create heavy rain as they pass through Jacksonville.  Put the two together and you the formula for a disaster of biblical proportions.  Leaf litter tends to clump together, clogging gutters and drains.  As anyone who works around water knows, if it can’t find the shortest way to exit a building or parking lot, it will make some other arrangement.  This means backups and flooding, either of which can be expensive to remediate.  So rule number one to keep this problem from causing damage is to make sure that gutters and drains are kept free of leaf litter.  Depending upon the amount of trees you have in your yard you may need to clear them out several times in the fall and winter

Critters

While most people as a rule do not live with wildlife, sometimes wildlife decides to move in with them.  Small animals such as squirrels, raccoons and the occasional opossum have been known to set up housekeeping in or near homes, sometimes blocking a drain or vent in the process.  Even nesting birds can clog up the works, particularly in vent stacks that need to remain open in order for your plumbing to perform its job properly.  They have also been known to clog up downspouts as well.  I have also known fire ants to nest in leaf litter that has been left untended for too long.

Wear and Tear

Believe it or not, simple wear and tear on outdoor fixtures and pipes are rampant in the winter months.  Even though we don’t see the kind of weather extremes that they do up north, the occasional hard freezes that we do experience take their toll as pipes, faucets sprinkler lines and hoses contract and expand, sometimes resulting in cracks that tend to foster leaks.   My advice to homeowners is to check all their outdoor faucets and sprinkler system at least twice per year (Spring and Fall) to make sure that they are all functioning properly and that there are no noticeable defects.  Also this is an excellent time to also inspect your sewer cleanout to prevent potential sewer backups. (see video above)

The bottom line if you hope to keep your home free from the ravages of the great outdoors is to take the time to do a little preventative maintenance twice per year.  And thank your lucky stars that you don’t live in the part of the country where bears, cougars and coyotes reside.  Because it takes more than the services of a plumber to resolve those issues.

Bill Aldridge is the Doctor of Plumbology at Aldridge and Sons Plumbing in Jacksonville, Florida.  For more helpful plumbing tips and how-to videos, go to http://aldridgesonsplumbing.com

Some Like it Hot

By bill Aldridge

In my previous blog, “The Gargoyle in the Garage,” I wrote about the utility guzzling monster called a water heater that can devour up to twenty five percent of your home’s energy.  Other than replacing an old water heater with a newer more energy efficient model, there is one other way to put this beast on a leash: Reduce the water temperature.

The first thing you will want to do is determine to what temperature your water heater is already set.  To do this you will need to use a little kitchen tech.  Go ask your wife if you can borrow a candy thermometer.  Don’t worry macho man, she will know what it is you are seeking.  Once you fetch it, go to the faucet that’s closest to the water heater and run the water for about a minute.  This will allow the cooler water standing in the pipes to exit so that you can more accurately judge the temperature setting.  Hold the thermometer under the flow for thirty seconds or so until the mercury in the thermometer stops rising.  Then read the temp.  If the temperature is 120 degrees Fahrenheit, then this is the setting that nearly every manufacturer recommends.  If the temperature is higher than 120, then either you have an older dishwasher without a preheater in your home, or the thermostat on your water heater is set way too high.  (It’s probably cheaper in the long run to invest in a more energy-efficient dishwasher if the former is the case.) 

If you do need to reset the thermostat and you have a gas water heater, the process is simplicity itself.  Look for the dial located on the front of the gas control. (It us usually either red or black) To adjust your water heater simply rotate the dial to a slightly cooler setting and then come back in about six hours to perform the cookie thermometer test once again.  Repeat as needed until the temperature is registering anywhere from 115 to 120 degrees.

If you have an electric water heater, the procedure is a bit more complicated. First of all you will need to go to the breaker box and throw the switch labeled “Water Heater” in order to kill the juice to the unit.  Next you will have to remove an access panel or two (if you happen to have a dual element heater) and pull the insulation to one side so you can see the thermostat.  (It should have temperature readings clearly visible.)  It may also have a plastic cover that you will need to remove.  The thermostat adjusting screw should be located just above the element.  You will need a small standard screwdriver to adjust the temp. Make sure you replace the cover and redistribute the insulation to as close to the way you found it as possible. Then reinstall the access panel(s) and switch back on the power.  Wait at least six hours before retesting the water temp.

When it comes to water temperature, having the temp set too high not only wastes money, it can also be dangerous, particularly if you have small children at home.  Any setting at or above 130 can produce second degree burns even on adults.   Many people find that a setting of 110-155 degrees is not only sufficient for washing and bathing, but it saves them money month in and month out.  In fact the only time that you ever want to set a water heater to 140 degrees is if and only if the water emanating out of it has a distinctly unpleasant aroma.  This could be caused by bacteria, which can be eliminated by turning the temperature up to 140.  Just remember to turn the temp back down before anyone uses the hot water in any sink or shower.  An hour or so at 140 should prove sufficient to eradicate any bacteria.  The hot water you get into by forgetting to turn the temp back to 110-120 could haunt you for the rest of your life.

Another money saving tip is to insulate the pipes that emanate from the top of the water heater.  The handy video below demonstrates how to perform this task.

Bill Aldridge is the Doctor of Plumbology at Aldridge & Sons Plumbing in Jacksonville, Florida.  For more helpful plumbing hints and how-to videos, visit http://plumbers-jacksonville-fl.com

Pardon Me, But There's a Drone In My Drain

By Billy Aldridge

During the past few months I have told all of you about the hi-tech revolution coming soon to a kitchen and/or bathroom near you.  I have regaled you with everything from the latest in singing shower heads and computerized commodes, to refrigerators and washing machines that are wifi equipped.  So I guess it should come as no surprise that technological wizardry is on the horizon that could well change the way in which plumbers perform repairs.

English: Man using a ground penetrating radar. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Hi-tech plumbing tools are nothing new.  Plumbers, including yours truly, have been using everything from flexible fiberoptic viewing systems and electromagnetic line locators, to bionic ears and ground penetrating 

radar for a number of years.  While most of these devices are useful in locating hidden pipes and leaks, they still need a human being to work the controls.  The next generation of tech tools will not only be able to go where no plumber has gone before, but there is a high probability that they will not only be autonomously controlled, but they will be able to perform the repair without any assistance from the operator.

What I am referring to are roboplumbers, or more precisely robots that can worm their way down the drain in order to locate and repair plumbing.  Any of you who watch the evening news has seen Unmanned Aerial Vehicles such as the Air Force’s Predator Drone.  Tasked with surveillance in far off places as Afghanistan, UAV’s such as the Predator fly the unfriendly skies of the middle east while their operators are located in places such as Las Vegas.  What many people do not know is the fact that the military has a number of other UAV’s that are autonomously piloted, meaning that they are programmed to fulfill their mission without human input of any kind. 

Rethink Robotics — Brooks and Baxter (Photo credit: jurvetson)

Another item that most of the populace is unaware is the fact that there are hundreds of drone manufacturers  out there, some of whom are busy creating autonomous robots for the masses that clean, assemble and perform specialized tasks.  Also, these robots are not limited to flying.  Some roll, others walk and several swim or slink.  One such robot manufactured by Rethink Robotics named Baxter, is designed to perform all kinds of repetitive production tasks.  Another is an articulated robot named Pipe Snake.

“A team of U.S. Air Force Academy graduates has designed the Pipe Snake, a telescoping robot that can climb vertical plumbing shafts and even navigate curved pipes to locate victims of natural disasters. The Pipe Snake can carry medical supplies or other payloads, giving victims in inaccessible places a shot at immediate attention while first responders figure out what to do next.” 

Sooner or later the same minds that designed Baxter and the Pipe Snake are bound to put their heads together in order to come up with a device that can not only snake its way down the drain but perform repetitive tasks once it arrives.  Whether this means that plumbers will have another tech tool to work in hard to reach places, or whether the robots will try to muscle us out of the business is anybody’s guess.  All I know is I dread the day I pick up the phone only to hear the homeowner on the other end of the line tell me, “I’ve got a drone stuck in my drain.”

Billy Aldridge is one of the Doctors of Plumbology at Aldridge and Sons Plumbing in Jacksonville, Florida.  For more helpful plumbing tips and how-to videos, go to 

http://plumbers-jacksonville-fl.com

Springtime Means Time for Spring Cleaning

By Billy Aldridge

They say that April showers bring May flowers.  But what they don’t tell you is that they also bring with them clogged drains, corroded hose bibs and backed up toilets that if left unchecked can cause a lot of damage to your home.  So springtime is a good time to do some preventive maintenance on your plumbing, before the summer heat takes its toll.  Below are five items that you should attend to in May.

   1.      Is Your Toilet a Water Hog? – Utility bills being what they are, the last thing you want to do is pay for wasted water.  The toilet uses a significant amount of water when it is working properly.  When it leaks it can be a real water hog.  There are two ways to check for leaks in the toiled: by sight and sound.  The first is to add six drops of food coloring to the tank.  Don’t flush, just walk away for five or ten minutes and then return to see if the water in the bowl is clear or colored.  If it is tinted, then you have a leak.  The other way is to flush the toilet, let it fill and then listen for a minute or two to hear if the water continues to run intermittently, which happens if the flapper valve is not working properly. (Check out the video below to see how to correct this issue.)

   2.     The Heat is On – Due to minerals in the water, the water heater has a tendency to lose efficiency over time.  To help alleviate this problem, it’s a good idea to drain your water heater once a year.  To do this all you need is to connect your garden hose to the drain knob (which acts like a spigot).  Next, turn the power to the heater off.  (If you have a gas heater you may need to seek professional assistance, unless you are completely comfortable reigniting the pilot light.) Once you have led the opposite end of the hose outside, turn off the water inlet to the tank so that it won’t fill and then open the knob that drains the tank. (If the water refuses to drain, turn the water back on in order to blow the sediment out.) Once the tank drains completely, turn the water back on for thirty seconds or so to allow the flow of water the opportunity to knock off some of the deposits that have built up inside the tank.  Then close the drain, disconnect the hose and turn the water on to let the tank fill back up. (Note: if an air lock should occur during the process, simply open the hot side of the faucet to allow the system to breath.)

   3.      Don’t Get Hosed  – Even though we don’t have much in the way of winter frost in North Florida, that   

IMG_2525 (Photo credit: UGA College of Ag)

doesn’t mean that your outdoor spigots don’t take a beating from the elements.  Before you waste any water during the long hot summer, you need to check the hose bibs for cracks, corrosion and leaks.  If you find that the tap is difficult to turn or that you detect a leak at the hose bib when you attach a hose, this is the time to perform maintenance, as opposed to  the middle of July when the thermometer hovers at ninety five degrees.

   4.      Down the Drain – Springtime is also quick time for root growth.  Roots have a tendency to make a beeline for water and as a result can clog drains and sewer lines.  Any crack or crevice that provides ingress will allow roots to grow inside your sewer lines.  This will slow and can eventually stop the flow of water to the sewer.  If you notice standing water near sewer drains, call your local plumber to inspect the line before the flow stops and water manages to backup into your home.

   5.      Keep Your Mind Out of the Gutter – Gutters and downspouts also need to be checked and if necessary flushed out to prevent water from backing up.  This can result in everything from ceiling leaks to mold. 

By performing periodic preventative maintenance on your plumbing system you will mitigate more serious problems, prevent damage to your home and save yourself time and money.  Ignore these items and the first gulley washer of the summer might leave you hot and bothered as you reach for the phone to call your local plumber. 

Billy Aldridge is one of the Doctors of Plumbology at Aldridge and Sons Plumbing in Jacksonville, Florida.  For more helpful hints and how-to videos, visit their website at http://plumbers-jacksonville-fl.com