24/7 EMERGENCY SERVICE CALL NOW
904-225-5888

Plumbing issues, by their very nature, are a problem for most people. The layperson rarely has the skills and tools to effectively handle more than the most routine of jobs. When a plumbing situation develops in your home that is beyond the scope of your skill, it is prudent to contact a competent plumbing service to get the issue resolved quickly and properly.

Your House Smells Like Sewage

The smell of raw sewage within your home is indicative of a serious issue. Sewage leaking into your living space, even if it is in the basement, is a major health hazard. Don’t simply try to ignore the smell.

Your home’s sewage smell could be caused by a variety of issues. Drainpipes may clog over time if they aren’t properly ventilated. Backups in your sewage systems and pumps may result from storm damage or heavy rain. Using plungers may not be sufficient to remedy the problem. As time goes on, the backup is likely to grow.

If there is a sewage-like odor on your property, you should take a quick walk around your property to see if it is in your house, the drain near your backyard, or elsewhere. Wherever it is, It’s time to call the plumber when you smell something wrong. Call a local plumbing service right away.

You Have Overflowing Toilets

Unfortunately, overflowing toilets can be a normal part of life, especially when young children are present. Sometimes the problem is visible and simple to fix. Other times, however, the underlying cause is difficult to pinpoint.

Stop using water if your toilet is overflowing. If possible, use other facilities while you wait for a professional to check out the toilet for you. The water shutoff is typically located on the left or back side of the toilet, beneath the bowl.

You probably have a blockage if your toilet starts to flow immediately after a flush. Because they dislodge whatever is stuck, a plunger is frequently used to solve toilet clogs. Stop and call a plumber if a few plunges don’t work. A skilled plumbing service will be able to identify the cause and get the problem repaired.

Toilets occasionally overflow for no apparent reason. If water begins to back up on its own, you probably have a clog in the drain pipe itself, either in the main drain pipe or in the sewer line. This will require the expertise of a competent plumbing service.

You Have No Hot Water in Your Home

After you take a longer-than-usual shower, it is normal not to have hot water, but it is not right if it takes several hours for the water to heat back up. It may be time to replace your water heater and install a larger and more efficient unit. On the other hand, the heater itself may be fine, but there is an issue with the pilot light, wiring, fuse box issues, or something else entirely.

You can get assistance from your local plumbing service. They will help you get to the bottom of the issue and perform any needed repairs. If a more robust water heater is needed, the plumbing service people will be happy to install it.

Your Water Pressure is Too Low

Unacceptable low water pressure can have a variety of causes. It can range from integrity problems with your pipes to a clogged aerator or something entirely different.

If the problem is confined to one sink, then it may well be a clogged aerator, which is a small screen in the faucet itself. This problem can be resolved by removing the aerator from the faucet and cleaning out the debris trapped within the screen. Usually, this is done with a little scrubbing or soaking in vinegar.

Something else has gone awry if the low pressure is found at all sinks and faucets throughout the premises. This may be indicative of major problems with your pipes. Cracked or broken pipes in your home’s walls or under its foundation are frequently to blame for low pressure. If pipes are leaking, then every time you use water in your home, then water will go into the wrong places, and a competent plumbing service is required. This inevitably leads to a growing issue that could cause significant damage to your foundation, floors, or walls.

When your water doesn’t flow strongly, you should call a plumber to look at your plumbing’s internal workings.

Your Water Heater is Leaking

A leaking water heater will not only produce a mess in your house but also indicates that the useful life of your appliance may be coming to an end. There are many reasons why your tank may have sprung a leak. It may be so old that interior corrosion or buildup of internal sediment has simply compromised the integrity of the walls of the heating tank. Alternatively, there may be an issue with the drain valve or the inlet connections. Sometimes the unit may be receiving too much water pressure.

No matter the cause, the leak will only cause other problems to develop within your home if it is not addressed. It’s time to call a plumbing service with expertise in water heater repair and replacement.

Your best course of action is to hire a reputable plumbing service if you have a plumbing issue that you are unable to resolve on your own. If you live in Florida, then Bert Norman’s Plumbing is your service to call for all of your plumbing needs. They are experts in installing, repairing, maintaining, and remodeling plumbing appliances and the pipes that service them. Connect with them as soon as the first hint of problems occurs.

See our previous blog on this topic here.

Photo By mikespics at iStock

There are some house tasks that you can take care of on your own and some tasks that are better left to the professionals. When it comes to any plumbing issues, it is almost always better to consult first with a plumber. Plumbing tasks come with the added stress of potential water damage, so they are not something that should be taken lightly. Not to mention the cost of wasting water and how quickly a simple leak or running toilet can add up and make your utility bills unexpectedly high.

As mentioned, the problem with plumbing issues in your Jacksonville, FL, home is the risk of flood damage. It doesn’t take too much water to cause dry rot or other issues with your flooring, walls, or ceiling. Even worse, you could have hidden water damage that you cannot see now but is associated with the small leak you just spotted. A plumber knows where there is one leak, there is often another, especially if pressure irregularities or aging are to blame.

That is unfortunately not the end of the story, however, because water causes more than just damage to your home. It also creates the right environment for mildew and mold to form. In fact, it only takes a few drops of water for mildew to start to grow, and if the leak is in a dark, damp environment, as most leaks are since they are under sinks or inside of walls and floors, then you can have a mold outbreak growing under your nose. Not only is mold stinky, but it is a health issue and an allergen for many people, which is just one more reason why you need to call a plumber out to your Jacksonville, FL home if you think that you have a plumbing issue.

With that in mind, the first step is figuring out when you need a plumber, which doesn’t have to be a hard task if you know what you are looking for. The following list is a quick list of the top times you need to call a plumbing company. If you see any of these things occurring in your home, go ahead and call a plumber so you can get it figured out before you end up needing an emergency plumbing service. It is always better to deal with a plumbing issue when it is just a small nuisance versus a much larger one. While it is not a complete list, it does manage to hit some of the biggest issues you will probably hit.

Water Heater Issues (No Hot Water)

The number one way that people figure out their water heater needs attention is because they lose their hot water. 9 out of 10 times, if you don’t have any hot water, it is because your water heater needs to be repaired. You don’t have to wait until your water heater dies, however, note that it could need to be repaired and other signs occur before the water stops heating. For instance, if you notice pressure issues or that the water temperature of your hot water seems to fluctuate on a regular basis, this is a sign that something is going on with your water heater. Usually, it indicates that there is sediment building up, which you will have to address at some point.

Leaks

Another obvious issue that indicates you need to call a plumber if you notice any leak anywhere in your home. You might seek leaks under a faucet, around the toilet, at the water heater, and in dozens of other areas around your home. If water runs through an area, then there is always a risk that there could be a leak there. Regardless of where you note the leak, there is nothing that should be leaking. Ignoring a faucet leak can cost you hundreds of dollars a year, and ignoring a leak under a sink can lead to floor damage. In short, if you see a leak, you always need to call for help.

Clogs in Drains

Another issue that requires immediate attention is a clog in any of your drains, and keep in mind that a toilet clog counts. There are several different reasons why you might have clogs in your drains, from tree roots that obstruct your sewage lines to improper sewage habits like using flushable wipes or dropping water-soluble things down your drain. Whatever the reason, a plumber can get to the bottom of it and get your drains flowing regularly again.

Sewage Smells

There are two reasons why you might smell sewage in your home, and neither are great situations. The first is if you have a partial blockage and the methane gas is coming back up your pipes. This is why some drains may smell like sewage when you walk by. The other is because you actually have a sewage backup in your floor drain, which can be a very unwelcome discovery. In both scenarios, you will need a plumbing company to help resolve the issue.

Appliance Installation

A lot of people don’t think about calling a plumber when they purchase a new appliance, but there are actually a fair amount of appliances that need to be hooked up to your plumbing system. Refrigerators with ice machines, garbage disposals, water heaters, and dishwashers must be hooked to the main plumbing line. Depending on where you place these items, a new plumbing outlet might even need to be established. Therefore, this is a great task to call a plumber for assistance with so you can ensure everything is done correctly and there won’t be a leak hiding behind the installed appliance.

If you are searching for a plumbing company in Jacksonville, FL, contact Bert Norman’s Plumbing and we will help you fix any issue promptly.

 

Photo By: brazzo at iStock
Photo By bgblue at istock

The plumbing system in your Fernandina, FL, home is very complex. With all of the videos online these days that can teach you to do home repairs, more and more homeowners are making home repairs DIY projects. While this is fine for some jobs, if you are having an issue with your plumbing system, you should hire a licensed plumber.

If you are having any of the following issues, you should call a licensed professional as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the worse the problem will become.

#1 Multiple Clogged Drains

When just one of the drains in your home is clogged, it can be very frustrating. Just one clogged drain can make daily household tasks difficult. When you have multiple clogged drains in your home, it can make things even more challenging. If you have multiple clogged drains, you should call a licensed plumber immediately. The problem could be due to a large clog located deep in the plumbing system, affecting every drain in the house. This is a major job, and it should not be a DIY project. A plumber might need to send a camera down the drain to figure out exactly where the drain is located so that it can be removed. Until you call a professional, your drains won’t function properly.

#2 Leaking Pipes

If your pipes are leaking, it is an emergency situation, and you should call a licensed professional immediately. In some cases, you will see water dripping from the pipes under the faucet. If the leaking pipe is behind a wall or hidden, you will notice water spots on the ceiling, on the walls, or near the floor. If you don’t call a licensed plumber immediately, you are putting your home at great risk. If you don’t call a professional immediately, your home can sustain serious water damage. If the foundation or load-bearing walls are affected, the safety of your home and family will be at risk. Also, the water leaking from the pipes can promote the growth of mildew and mold. These issues can threaten the health of your family, particularly those with allergies and respiratory issues.

When you call a professional, they will repair the leaking pipe and then evaluate the extent of the water damage.

#3 Leaking Faucets

If there is a leaking faucet in your Fernandina, FL home, it is not something that should be ignored. It is important that you call a licensed plumber right away. Some homeowners will try to repair the problem themselves by tightening the faucet with a wrench. Unfortunately, this is just a temporary fix. A faucet is made up of tiny moving parts. If the faucet is leaking, it means that something inside isn’t functioning properly, and it needs to be repaired by a licensed professional.

Some people will just ignore the problem. After a day or so, you get used to the sound of the dripping water to the point where you don’t even hear it anymore. Ignoring the problem is a costly mistake. A dripping faucet can waste up to five gallons of water each day, which will cause a significant increase in your water bill. If you ignore the issue, you will be paying a lot of money for wasted water.

As soon as you notice that the faucet in your home is leaking, you should call a licensed professional.

#4 Water Heater Issues

If your water heater isn’t functioning properly, you should call a professional right away. There are several signs that your water heater needs to be repaired.

  • No hot water: If you aren’t getting any hot water or if it isn’t getting hot enough, you should call a professional. The problem could be with the thermostat, the heating element, or gas or oil water heaters; there could be a pilot light problem. It would take the experience of a plumber to figure out what is causing the problem and then make the necessary repairs.

 

  • Running out of hot water: If you notice that you can’t even make it through a shower without running out of hot water, the water heater is probably the problem. When sediment builds up on the bottom of the tank, there won’t be as much room for the stored hot water. When there is less room, you will have less hot water, which could be why you are running out so fast. The issue could also be a faulty heating element, and only half of the tank is staying heated.

 

  • Rusty hot water: If the hot and cold water is coming out rusty, you likely have corroded pipes. If just the hot water is coming out rusty, the problem is likely with the water heater and should be checked out by a plumber immediately. The rust is likely due to corrosion or sediment that has built up inside the water tank. Rusty water isn’t safe for bathing, cooking, or drinking; therefore, you should call a professional as soon as you notice the problem.

 

  • Strange sounds coming from the water heater: If your water heater is working properly, you shouldn’t hear anything more than a low-level hum. If you hear a banging or clanging sound coming from the water heater, there is likely sediment knocking around inside. If you don’t call a plumber right away, the sediment can damage the tank, resulting in a flood.

 

  • Moisture or water around the water heater: There should never be water or moisture around the water tank. It could be something simple like a broken or disconnected hose or something more serious like a leaking water heater. Because both issues can cause serious water damage, you should call a plumber right away.

If you are having any issues with the plumbing system in your home, contact Bert Norman’s Plumbing Inc. We are a family-owned and operated business and are certified by the state. We have been providing quality plumbing services to residential and business customers in the area since 1985.

We understand that plumbing issues can be serious, and many can put your home and family at risk. Because of this, we offer emergency service 24-hours a day, 7-days a week.

If you need the help of a plumber, give us a call today.

Reasons-To-Call-A-New-Plumber-_-Jacksonville,-FLNew homeowners may not realize just how much maintenance your pipe systems need.
You can avoid having to have impromptu plumbing service calls by hiring a plumbing service to perform preventive maintenance on your plumbing systems. A well-maintained plumbing system will not break down as often as a poorly maintained one. It’s important to use preventive maintenance as a means of damage control. Preventive maintenance will help you save money and prevent damages by repairing and cleaning your plumbing system before fixable issues get out of hand. If you live in the area you should contact Bert Norman’s plumbing from all your
plumber needs.

Reasons You May Need to Contact a Plumber

You may see that you need a plumbing technician in between scheduled maintenance calls if you are experiencing plumbing issues. Some of the most common plumbing issues can go unnoticed or be neglected, leading to bigger issues in the future.

Falling sink

If your sink has fallen and is now detached from its under-mount, you need to contact a plumbing technician right away. This can lead to a heap of problems if left unchecked. Your plumber will first need to access the pipes beneath the sink to ensure there is no damage. If there is then your professional plumbing technician will fix or replace the damaged pipes. Allowing a fallen sink to persist may result in other connected devices malfunctioning such as the dishwasher. If this is damaged the repair of this appliance can be added to the bill. Contacting a professional plumbing technician as soon as your sink falls can save you loads of money on the repair.

Preventive maintenance could have topped your sink from falling. There are signs that show your sink needs to be maintained and reattached to its under-mount. If you notice the sinks adhesive is breaking down, you should have a professional plumbing technician apply more adhesive to secure it. Preventing the sink from falling would be a lot more cost-effective and less stressful.

Leaking Pipe

Leaking pipes can happen from anywhere and at any time. Certain habits may cause your pipes to leak faster than others. The best way to prevent leaky pipes is to follow simple rain etiquette practices and have you trusted, local plumbing technicians clean your pipes periodically.

Chemical drain cleaners can be harsh on your drains. Professionals will be able to clean your drain with minimal to no abrasions. This is important because over the counter drain cleaners can exasperate issues and lead to bigger more costly problems in the future.

Many things can lead to leaks in your pipes, those things include corroded pipes, clogs, incorrect pipe installation, joint damage, cracks in the seals, cracks in the pipes, high water pressure, corroded pipes. Leaking pipes should not be ignored regardless of the cause. Understanding the cause can help you and your plumber avoid leaks in the future. Bert Norman’s Plumbing is knowledgeable and experienced enough to determine the cause of the leak and help prevent further leaks from occurring in the future. If you’re in need of a local plumbing technician contact Bert Norman’s Plumbing.

Pipe Corrosion

Pipe corrosion is a serious problem. Pipe corrosion usually occurs in older homes and for various other reasons. If you have lived in a home that is 50 plus years, you may want to look into replacing our pipes with newer, sturdier materials. Updating your pipe system can help increase the value of your home and prevent pipe corrosion.

Pipe corrosion could be the result of a low pH in our water. If your water’s pH level is below 8, it can dissolve the barrier in your piping, which can lead to leaks. Contact a skilled plumber to learn how you can fix this issue.

High oxygen levels in the pipes can also lead to the erosion of your pipes. Higher than normal oxygen levels can lead to rust. Rust can lead to leaks and pipe corrosion, as well as bad health. Ingesting rust can be dangerous. If you suspect your pipes have become rusty contact your local plumbing company to access the problem and make suggestions on how to best handle the issue.

High Water Pressure

Fixing your water pressure is an easy task. Contact a professional plumbing technician to ensure your water pressure is where it should be. High amounts of water pressure can lead to the corrosion of pipes; it can also lead to water turbulence which also leads to corrosion. Water turbulence can sometimes occur during sharp turns, elbows, and other obstacles. Hire a plumber to help prevent water turbulence by rearranging a professional for more practical and more efficient operation.

Clogged Drains

Clogged drains happen in every household. If your drain is constantly clogging you may need to call in a professional. Luckily, if you live in Jacksonville, FL, or its surrounding area, you can contact Bert Norman’s Plumbing for clog removal service. Clogged drains occur for many reasons. All kinds of debris get lodged in your clogs. The key to clean drains is prevention.

To prevent your drains from becoming clogged, you should always strain food that goes down the sinks, refrain from pouring oil down the sinks, use a strainer for the bathtub, and schedule recurring drain cleaning services from your local plumber.

Using cover the counter drain cleaner for your pipe systems can actually backfire. Drain cleaners are harsh on your drains and can lead to a larger more stubborn clog. Over the counter drain, cleaners can’t break through every clog. Thick and stubborn clogs can become larger masses that will become a semi-permanent fixture in your pipe system if left to grow. Removing a stubborn clog can be very costly. You can save on the cost by contacting a plumber once you notice the issue.

Other reasons to contact a plumber include water heater issues, sump pump problems, and rapid water leaks. Some of these plumbing issues can cause serious damage that must be addressed with the help of a professional plumbing technician. If you live in the Jacksonville, FL area, contact Bert Normans Plumbing for satisfactory plumbing work.

Photo By AndreyPopov at istock

Those living in the Callahan, FL area know that plumbing works just like any other mechanical system. Drains-and-Pipes--Some-Common-Reasons-To-Call-A-Plumber-_-Callahan,-FLSometimes, it can go very smoothly with all parts interacting just as they should. This is when you know everything is in order and working properly to serve the plumbing needs of your home.

But beware, because just like any other ordinary mechanical system, anything that can go wrong with your home’s plumbing will. Anything from clogged drains to broken water heaters and more, you know that when the going gets tough, it’s time to call the plumber. So look no further than Bert Norman’s Plumbing, which can service Callahan, FL and other areas within this fine coastal state.

A good plumber can fix anything, from clogged drains to leaky pipes and more. The plumbing services at Bert Norman’s are many, and you can choose from a list online.

The signs of a clogged drain are many, but they are accurate and to the point when it comes to your drain cleaning service needs. Some signs to watch out for include foul odors which emit from the drain that is clogged, as well as backup. In fact, when one plumbing fixture backs up into another, the proof is evident that you have a clogged drain in dire need of immediate attention.

Drains in your home are intricately connected and what happens with one can affect the other. Take, for example, your bathroom. Your toilet gets clogged, but then you soon start to notice some backup into the tub or the sink, or perhaps both. This can pose a serious threat, especially as you begin to notice sewage that seeps into your shower or tub. You think of every possible nightmare that could happen with your plumbing, up to and including the unimaginable expense that might be involved. Since all three fixtures use the exact same drain, this could indicate a line blockage, which is something that needs to be addressed by a professional.

There are many common issues that lead to drain clogs, including lost jewelry, hair that gets stuck, and grease and oil that binds to the inner walls of your pipes and hardens rapidly. Other substances such as solid food and even tree roots can also get stuck, and may require the use of hydro-jetting to get them loosened and out of the system.

There are other substances that lead to drain clogs, such as wipes that are declared “flushable,” tampons and other feminine hygiene products, and, in some cases, paper towels that are mistakenly flushed down the toilet. Anything that doesn’t dissolve quickly in water can be prone to causing a clog, and care needs to be taken when deciding what goes down the drain and what doesn’t.

The mechanical snake is used when the drain becomes clogged with tangible objects such as human hair and excessive bath tissue. With a mechanical snake, the plumber can reach into the pipes and grab the object that is causing the clog, whether its hair, bath tissue, or even a piece of jewelry. The only drawback is that this method is used only with these objects, but with food, grease, and other substances, mechanical snaking is ineffective and hydro-jetting should be used.

When using the hydro-jetting method, the plumber gets into the drain using a special pointed tool that aims at the source of the clog and eliminates it. This method is commonly used with items that no ordinary plumbing snake can get, such as hardened grease and bits of solid food. What happens during the process is that the plumber will get in there and blast away at the items using roughly 1,500 to 4,000 pounds of pure water, which is designed to tackle the toughest of clogs.

What’s best about the hydro-jetting method is how safe it is for your system. It uses no harsh dyes or chemicals and doesn’t cause any kind of damage to your pipes or drains if done by a professional. The only downside is that you may be expected to spend more money than you’d like to have this done, but the long-term savings are definitely worth it. Plus, having clean drains will allow you to enjoy making the most of your water and provide you relief in the process.

Hydro-jetting can pick up where the mechanical snake leaves off. It can not only break up hardened debris such as tree roots or solid food, but it can get the layers of substances that harden along the walls of your pipes.

Pipes that leak can cause their own share of problems, from mold and mildew that’s readily seen to a moldy smell in your bathroom or kitchen. This is due to the water that leaks onto an area such as your counters or floors, which can result in the growth of mold to begin with.

You may even notice the sudden appearance of wet spots or cracks that appear along the drywall of your home. Yet these cracks may start to widen, which is enough to set off alarm bells and have you calling for the plumber.

When you ignore a leaky pipe, high water bills can result. This is due to the fact that several gallons of water are lost per month through pipe leaks, which can more than triple by the end of the year. With this in mind, calling a plumber for an inspection is critical prior to setting up a work order.

In most cases, simply repairing or replacing a single pipe won’t do. It becomes critical that the plumber do a complete re-piping of your entire system, which would allow for brand new pipes to replace the old ones. And although the investment may seem heavy, the long term benefits are many.

Whether you’re facing a drain clog or a pipe leak, there’s no need to worry. A good plumber can help you fix your issues right away. Simply call Bert Norman’s Plumbing or visit them online for a free estimate.

Photo By Victor Moussa at Shutterstock

Your home is bound to have plumbing issues at some point in your home’s life. This means you will need a plumber at some time in your span of living there. Finding-Your-Plumber-_-Fernandina,-FLHiring a regularly occurring plumbing service can help you cut down on maintenance needs. A regular plumber can also help you save money by ensuring all of your plumbing system pieces are operating functionally and optimally.

Small issues in your plumbing system may not be very noticeable to you or the residents in your home. Although you may not notice the small issues such as a running toilet or constantly clogging sink, these issues could be damaging then you realize. To ensure these small but fixable issues do not become out of hand contact Bert Norman’s Plumbing service to have a professionally trained plumber assist you with facilitating a properly functioning and safe environment for you to live in. Bert Norman’s Plumbing service is available to residents in and around the area.

Running Toilets

Most homeowners can fix this simple issue on their own. Running toilets aren’t a huge problem when it happens few and far in between instances. You may not even realize your toilet is running at all. The real issue occurs when the toilet is constantly in a state of running. If you notice after every flush your toilet is running this causes other issues for you in the future. You should contact a plumber as soon as you notice the problem.

A spike in the water bill will most likely be the thing that peaks your attention. Many people believe the biggest culprit for a high water bill is leaking or broken sewage pipes. This isn’t always the case, however. A big contributor to a spike in the water bill may very well be a running toilet. A running toilet can go through an entire gallon of water in just half a minute. Due to the subtleness of a running toilet, the problem often persists without the homeowner or residents ever being aware of it. The toilet accounts for about 30 percent of the home’s overall water usage on average and is one of the biggest consumers of water in a home. This added waste of water will ruin you saving plans by making you pay for wasted water that is just being sucked down your drains. Contact Bert Norman’s Plumbing to hire a plumber with an eye for detail and to ensure a running toilet does not turn into a money-eating problem for you.

Leaking Toilets

Toilets can sometimes spring a leak. The leak may manifest in the form of a constantly running toilet or other ways, depending on where the leak has taken place. If your toilet is leaking then it would be completely worth a total replacement both economically and environmentally. A leaking toilet may waste thousands of gallons of water every month depending on how large the leak is. This amount of wasted water can cost you an additional $2,000 a year or more. Once you replace an old toilet with a new one, you won’t have to replace it again for nearly 25 to 50 years. The initial investment will pay off in the long run. Consult Bert Norman’s Plumbing company in Fernandina, FL, to discuss what changes your toilets may need to run more efficiently. Having a skilled plumber assess the cause of your leaking toilet and help you make decisions on the next best steps can help you save thousands of dollars each year.

Clogged Drain

Toilets are major components of our everyday life. Maintaining your toilets is important and so is the maintenance of your other plumbing appliances. Drains are especially important and can lead to other problems if they aren’t cleaned properly. One of the biggest issues that drain causes is clogging and the backup of water.

People often use commercial chemical cleaners to unclog their drains not realizing that drains need regular maintenance and professional cleaning. Using commercial cleaners like Drano will grant you temporary relief from a clogged drain that you can be sure will soon come back. Clogged drains will also lead to other issues if left unaddressed by a professional plumber. Contact Bert Normans Plumbing so you can schedule a regular plumbing maintenance plan and drain cleaning service today.

Poor Drainage

The biggest issue with a clogged drain is slow or poor drainage. If you notice the water is beginning to back up in the shower or sinks, or sometimes even your toilet you need to contact a plumber. They will be able to assist you with the unclogging and slow drainage of those appliances by finding the root cause and removing debris from your pipes to ensure water can flow properly. By contacting a plumber for a clogged drain early in the development of the problem, you can prevent massive build-ups from accumulating, thus preventing an emergency, and helping to save money on those much-needed plumbing services.

Dirty Water and Bad Smells

A clogged pipe is usually obstructed by a mass of debris. The debris is the perfect place for bacteria and insects to thrive. Things such as food, waste, and other organic matters lodge themselves in the pipes, forming a large mass that won’t budge or move. The chemical drain cleaners used can only do so much. Oftentimes the drain cleaners can’t remove the entire clog and some will remain. Debris will get stuck in the remnants, recreating the problem once again. The water that backs up into the tub or sink is very unhealthy for consumption and topical use.

Clogged sinks also cause bad odors to permeate the home due to the bacteria and other things that may be lurking in your pipe systems. It will trap the odor of things that go down the pipes and you may notice a constant foul smell emanating from your plumbing systems. Bert Norman’s Plumbing will clean your pipes and ensure your drains are free of debris. If you live in or around the Fernandina, FL, area, contact Bert Norman’s Plumbing for emergency and non-emergency service.

Photo By cunaplus at Shutterstock

Plumbing service is always a critical must, and those who own homes or run businesses know the high price of plumbing gone bad. Quality-Plumbing-Service-_-Jacksonville,-FLAnything from a drain clog, an aging water heater, or leaky water fixtures are all the basic plumbing necessities of your home’s indoor plumbing. Pipes can go bad due to wear, tear, or simple aging, and nothing is more stressful than a pipe that suddenly bursts without any warning.

Drain clogs have symptoms of their own, and they are many and varied. Keep in mind that all of your drains are interconnected, and that what happens in one affects the others. In your bathroom, if your toilet or sink drains are clogged, they can back into each other. And when you see this happening to your fixtures, then you know it’s time to call on the professionals at Bert Norman’s of Jacksonville, FL for your plumbing service needs.

Anything can cause a drain clog. Grease and oil collection can align the walls of your pipes and start hardening once they cool, thus causing a drain clog that slows the passage of water into the sewage system. Other items, such as food bits, hardened soap scum, jewelry, and small toys often have sneaky ways of creeping into your drains and getting stuck without warning.

A leaking or malfunctioning garbage disposal can be another cause of your drain cleaning woes. One good sign that your disposal is on the brink is the sudden appearance of fruit flies that lurk around your sink area. Thankfully, good plumbing service also includes the ability to repair or replace a broken garbage disposal.

There may be a time when you turn on your garbage disposal only to have it regurgitate a mountainous mess of food bits, both great and small. Before you know it, both sides of your sink are covered in leftovers, leaving you with a giant mess in which to deal with.

Thankfully, the contractors at Bert Norman’s have plenty of experience in assessing and treating your garbage disposal needs. As part of good, quality, plumbing service, your plumber can look at your unit and determine the course of service at a cost that’s affordable to you. They have vast knowledge of all types of makes and models and can give you a reasonable estimate of the cost of parts and labor involved. Good plumbing service includes the installation of a garbage garbage disposal, repairing an existing one, or simply maintaining one on a periodic basis.

And homeowners should beware that a bad garbage disposal can be another leading cause of a clogged drain. In fact, if it fails to properly grind your food up, then it can choke the very life out of your drain and cause the kind of damage that leads to the need for professional plumbing service.

DIY efforts may appear to be normal, even heroic, but they are hardly recommended for your drain cleaning needs. Home drain cleaners such as Draino can cause more harm for your pipes and drains, thus leading to more costly and time consuming repairs down the road. Therefore, it’s best to rely upon good, quality professional plumbing service from a licensed professional.

Many times, a plumber can use a mechanical snake to pull out solid debris from a clogged drain, This method is commonly used in cases where a bathroom drain may suffer a clog with origins that can be traced to a collection of hair or two-ply toilet paper. Other cases will need to use other measures of drain cleaning, however, and these include those where drains are clogged due to food, oil, grease, or soap scum build up. In those cases, it becomes critical for the plumber to use hydro-jetting, where several pounds of pure water are injected straight into the drain pipe without the added use of harmful chemicals.

There are many other modern-day plumbing amenities we have all come to rely upon; and, in some cases, even taken for granted. For example, water heaters are certainly nothing new to homeowners, and those who live within the Jacksonville, FL area know all too well that without a reliable water heater comes much undue plumbing distress.

Hot water has a variety of uses within the home, and without it, basic tasks of normal daily living cannot be done as well as you’d like. Think of those long, warm, luxurious tub baths that are a source of comfort and luxury right after a hectic day at the office. Plus, those nice, steaming morning showers that have you feeling clean and ready to start your day are the result of a good water heater that does its job and does it well.

Your plumbing service does include water heater installation and repair, which is a major source of help once your unit loses the steam it needs to keep you and your home clean and sanitized. The plumbing service team at Bert Norman’s knows all too well that taking a cold shower is no fun, and that we humans take great pride in how well we keep ourselves nice and clean. Sometimes, a new unit can break down due to poor installation or a missing part, but older units with a lifespan of ten years or more will need to be replaced as soon as possible.

The good news is that newer water heater models stand a far better chance of running much more efficiently and of being in full compliance with EPA standards. Plus, a better, more improved model can greatly reduce your monthly water bill, thus saving you even more money in the long run.

This is especially true if you decide to have a tankless water heater installed. Tankless water heaters are reliable about heating only the amount of water you will need to use in the course of a day. It also uses far less water due to the fact that it doesn’t need to come up through the pipes to the source of output, as the unit is very tiny and typically uses much less water than traditional brands.

Whatever the issue is, don’t wait. Trying to fix it yourself may come across as noble, but the consequences are great and outweigh the benefits. You can call or visit online today to speak with a professional for an appointment with Bert Norman’s Plumbing.

Photo By kurhan at Shutterstock

You Have Influence Over Whether Your Drains Get Clogged Or Not

Fernandina, FL residents have a fair amount of influence over whether their drains get clogged or not. Plumber-Tips--Be-Careful-About-What-You-Put-Down-Your-Drains-_-Fernandina,-FL-Yes, there are some contributing factors that are beyond their control. However, there are plenty of other contributing factors that are not. For instance, local residents are the ones who control what they put down their drains, which can have a very real effect on whether they will need to call in a plumber or not in the future.

What Are Some Things That You Shouldn’t Put Down Your Drains?

Here are some examples of things that Fernandina, FL residents should avoid putting down their drains if they want to avoid having to call in the plumber:

Oil and Grease

Both oil and grease are substances that interested individuals should never put down their drains if they want to avoid having to call in a plumber as much as possible. This is because both oil and grease can congeal under colder temperatures, meaning that they can congeal on the inside of pipes. On their own, this would be bad enough. However, what is particularly unpleasant about congealed oil and grease is that they are sticky substances. Thanks to that, both of them can cause other flushed items to get stuck inside the pipes, with the result that what started out as a minor issue can turn into a serious blockage much sooner than what interested individuals might expect.

Rice and Noodles

Speaking of which, rice and noodles also shouldn’t be flushed down the drains. In their case, it is because they can swell up when they absorb water, thus causing them to take up a much bigger space in the pipes than what their initial appearance would indicate. Granted, both rice and noodles will break down with sufficient passage of time, but they will still be more than capable of creating a problem bad enough for a plumber to have to be called in before then.

Egg Shells

Food waste should never go down the drains. Yes, certain forms of food waste can break down on their own, but they are still big enough and solid enough to block the pipes. Having said that, there are some forms of food waste that are even worse, with an excellent example being egg shells. The main issue with egg shells and other hard substances is that they won’t be breaking down anytime soon. Thanks to that, if they get stuck in the pipes, they are going to be stuck there for a very long time to come.

Flushable Wipes

Flushable wipes can come as a surprise to a lot of interested individuals. After all, their very name says that they can be put down the drains, meaning that this comes as a challenge to that claim. However, the fact of the matter is that flushable wipes should be considered an edge case, meaning that people should be careful when flushing them.

In short, the issue is that while flushable wipes will break down, they won’t break down as fast as toilet paper. As a result, it is very much possible for flushable wipes to get stuck in the pipes where they will obstruct the free flow of water as well as other substances. Even worse, flushable wipes can get tangled up with other flushed items such as cotton swabs, sanitary pads, and paper towels to create what is called ragging, which can be even more frustrating to say the least.

Paper Products

On a related note, people shouldn’t be flushing most paper products. They can flush toilet paper without having to call in the plumber. However, that is because toilet paper is meant to be flushed down the drains. Unfortunately, other paper products are not, meaning that they can contribute to blockages as well. In particular, interested individuals should watch out for water-absorbent paper towels because those paper products can swell up by soaking up the water flowing through the pipes, thus making them even more threatening as potential causes of clogs.

Household Fluids

Household fluids shouldn’t be flushed down the drains. Generally speaking, they aren’t going to cause clogs and other plumbing-related issues that will need to be resolved by a professional. However, they can be hazardous, meaning that it is a bad idea to send them into the water supply. On top of that, while most household fluids won’t be causing plumbing-related issues bad enough to warrant a plumber’s attention, that is by no means a universal rule. There are some household fluids that can cause serious damage to the material of the pipes in the plumbing system,

Medications

The flushing of medications won’t force people to call for the plumber. However, it is nonetheless a serious problem, meaning that it should be avoided as much as possible. There was a point in time when people were recommended to flush their unused medications rather than leave them sitting around, but that turned out to be a serious mistake when that resulted in a wide range of undesirable chemicals being introduced to the water supply. Nowadays, people should know better, meaning that the flushing of medications is very much something to be avoided even if it won’t result in the need for a plumber.

Contact Us

Curious about how to minimize the need for plumbing services? The best solution is to speak with a skilled and experienced plumber who can put their expertise and experience at the disposal of interested individuals. Plumbing maintenance plus other plumbing services can do a great deal to minimize the chances of serious plumbing problems popping up, meaning that they can save people a lot of time, effort, and even money in the long run. To learn more about this as well as other plumbing-related issues, please contact us at Bert Norman’s Plumbing as soon as time permits. Our representatives are happy to help, meaning that interested individuals shouldn’t hesitate to consult them.

Are you thinking about calling a plumber but you’re not sure if that’s really what you need? Maybe you don’t know if a plumber is really going to take care of things for you. Signs-You-Need-a-Plumber-_-Callahan,-FL-Or maybe you think that you can take care of things for yourself. Well, the best thing that you can do is definitely to call a professional if you find yourself in any of the situations that we’re going to talk about below. Your Callahan, FL house definitely deserves someone who knows what they’re doing.

You Have a Leak

If you notice a leak then you should absolutely be calling in a professional. You may notice something that seems minor. For example, you could have a faucet that drips occasionally. That may not seem like a problem or it could seem like a problem that you can take care of yourself. The truth is, it could be a bigger problem than you think. A small leak can actually cost you a whole lot over the long run. Even just a little drip could add up to a whole lot more than you might think.

And if you try to take care of these problems yourself, without calling in a plumber, you could end up with a bigger mess. That’s because the pipes in your home are a whole lot more delicate than you might think. It’s really easy to break something or strip the pipes or a number of other things that could mean an even more expensive interaction with a plumber. You want to make sure that you’re calling a professional to get everything handled quickly and right.

You Have a Clog

Many people think that they can just use a drain cleaner if they have a clog. When it comes down to it, however, you could actually cause more problems than you might think. You want to make sure that you get rid of that clog because it could be causing damage to the inside of the pipes. But if you put a drain cleaner in you may actually be doing more harm than good. That drain cleaner itself may not actually clear the clog. It may just push it down further, where it’s harder to remove. And even if it does help temporarily, that’s going to mean more problems going forward.

Plus, that drain cleaner is made with chemicals and chemicals are bad to have in your home and to put into your drains. If your family gets into them it could be extremely dangerous. If you just pour them down the drain you could corrode your pipes, kill the necessary bacteria in your septic field and definitely cause pollution into the environment. Those chemicals get into the ground and they get into the water and that is all going to cause you a whole lot of problems in the long run. You want to make sure you’re avoiding them and calling a professional plumber instead.

You Want to Change Something

If you have any kind of plumbing needs that you want to change it’s essential that you do something about it the right way. You don’t want to change out faucets and other essentials without getting a professional plumber to help you. They know what they’re doing and how they can help you get things done right. They have a better understanding of how all of those plumbing fixtures actually work and that’s going to be extremely important when it comes to fixing things around your home.

If you want to change something in your home it may seem like it’s not a big deal, but the truth is you could be setting yourself up for some big problems if you don’t call the professionals. After all, they’ve done the training that it takes to really understand the problem. They know how to make sure that the fixtures you swap out are really going to work in your home and how to make sure that they’re set up the right way. On the other hand, you could find yourself with a whole lot of serious problems if you try to do something and make a mistake.

You Don’t Know What’s Wrong

It’s entirely possible that you don’t even know what’s going on with your plumbing. Maybe you’ve noticed that something is different but you’re not really even sure what it is. Well then, calling a plumber can help you figure out the problem. It could be a strange smell, drains that seem to take just a little longer than normal to clear, a gurgling sound when they do drain or anything else at all. All of these are signs that something is wrong and that you need a professional to take care of it.

Keep in mind that a change in water pressure could also be a sign that something is happening. In fact, it could mean that you have a leak somewhere that you don’t even know about. Those kinds of leaks can be the worst and they’re even more important to talk with a plumber about because you’re going to have a bigger mess if they’re left alone. The longer a leak is left to go in your home the worse it’s going to be because it’s going to cause more damage. But a professional can take care of it before you even realize there’s a problem.

If you need a professional plumber to come out to your Callahan, FL home then you need to call Bert Norman’s Plumbing. Our team can come to your home whenever you need us and we can make sure that you’re going to have everything you need taken care of. Whether you’re looking to get your home looked over or you know that there’s a problem already, we can help you. Our team is ready to go and ready to schedule your appointment at any time. Just give us a call and we’ll help you figure out what to do.

Photo By Cunaplus_M.Faba

Did you know that in 2018, more than a quarter-million gallons of human waste were spilled in Jacksonville, FL? Common-Plumbing-Problems-and-How-You-Can-Solve-Them-with-Plumbing-Service-_-Jacksonville,-FL-The incidence was attributed to equipment failure and massive summer rains witnessed in the city. It is always important for you to take good care of your home’s drainage system, and luckily, here are a few tips to help you out.

Clogged Drainage Systems

Before getting to know what you could do to reverse or rehabilitate a clogged drainage system, you should know what causes it in the first place and how it may affect your homestead. You may have clogged drainage because of harmful garbage disposal practices such as flushing down synthetic fibers, including wet wipes, diapers, and cotton wool. Also, your drainage may naturally clog due to the presence of hair, oil, dirt, and soap residues, as well as accumulated grease, large food particles, and hot wax.

A clogged drainage system may have detrimental cost implications, and it generally devalues your home. For starters, you may begin noticing foul smells coming from your bathroom or experience occasional and sometimes frequent running toilets.

Possible Solutions

Solving drainage problems will take more than removing hair that’s stuck in your bathroom sink or bathtubs. However, the fact is that you’d need a plumbing service provider to help extract any synthetic fiber wastes that may have been flushed down the toilet. One way to ensure your drainage system remains unclogged is by hiring the services of a professional plumber to do frequent maintenance checks on all your pipes. They may also be able to help out with complicated plumbing issues that may occur as a result of HVAC system failure and even external drainage.

Broken Water Lines

Low-pressure water flow, especially from your showerhead, is something that should get you worried. It’s usually a telltale sign that you may have broken water lines. Other indications may be wet soil patches or even puddles in your backyard when the damage is substantial. Also, you may be getting frequent visits from plumbing service providers. If left unchecked, this could lead to a spike in your water utility bills. It may happen due to soil particles gradually settling on top of the underlying water piping system over time, thus creating pressure and eventual stress that could break the pipes.

Other factors that could increase the chances of your water lines breaking include faulty or sub-standard initial installations, damage from rodents and pests, dysfunctional tuning of pressure systems, and wear and tear.

Possible Solutions

You may call a plumbing service company the moment you spot the telltale signs mentioned above for a quick diagnosis of the problematic areas. Also, you could always ensure that when having the water systems installed, you choose a trusted professional and equally quality piping systems with favorable warranty policies, which are not susceptible to invasion by pests and rodents. The cost may be high but not higher than what you will spend on repairing a broken water line.

Backed-up Sewer Systems

Sewer backups are costly to repair, especially when they happen on a large scale. The mainly caused by clogged drainage pipes that block the outlet of waste products. The sewer system is also subject to wear and tear, hence old drainage pipes may soon malfunction and inconvenience you, your neighbors, and at other times the whole neighborhood or township.

A sewer backup is quite easy to spot. First, the repulsive smell coming from the diseased sewer line is anything but exigent. You may also notice a gurgling sound emanating from your drains and water backing up in the bathtub or shower when you flush the toilet. This does not require a plumbing service provider.

Possible Solutions

A clogged sewer is avoidable through regular cleaning of the drainage systems in-bound the sewer line, a job that any qualified plumbing service provider in Jacksonville, FL, would be willing to provide. Also, plumbers advise that people should be careful of what they flush down the toilet as it ends up in the sewer system, which may be serving more than one neighborhood. Plumbing service providers remind homeowners that replacing the system could not only be destructive but also financially draining.

How do you know that you may have a mold or mildew crisis on your hands? You may notice fuzzy white patches on your basement floors or orange films forming around your kitchen and bathroom drains. These are known as molds and can be quite problematic if left unchecked. Molds and mildew grow from accumulated spores growing on moist grounds that range from household furniture to the walls. Mold spores are quite harmless before they have found fertile ground to grow on after which they can be quite dangerous to your health. Mold and mildew infestations may result in allergies and asthma among people with compromised immunities due to other liver infections, HIV, or old age. As such, it is important to determine how they come about and consequently figure out effective plumbing maintenance measures that could prevent their occurrence, as well as, ways through which you can root out the plants after they have grown.

Molds and mildew growth depend on a few factors, including past flooding in your home. If you live in flood-prone areas, you are at a greater risk of having molds and mildew growing in your household. It may also grow due to the presence of stagnant water around your bathroom, kitchen sink, or drainage gutters. Additionally, if you have any clogged drainage or sewer systems around your homestead, you might want to get that fixed as molds and mildew thrive in such environments.

Possible Solutions

Plumbing services providers claim that molds and mildews require vigilance to prevent a full-blown infestation. The basic steps towards mitigating the growth of molds and mildew include installing dehumidifiers, ensuring that you leave your bathroom door open after a shower, and having proper ventilation in the basement if your house gets rather humid. Nevertheless, you should have a trusted plumbing service provider on speed dial for regular checks.

Get In Touch

Homeowners can take advantage of Bert Norman’s Plumbing that provides workable solutions for plumbing problems experienced in Fernandina Beach, Jacksonville, and Yulee, FL. The company’s plumbers are always there for you, during after-hours in case of plumbing emergencies. Additionally, they offer plumbing services, including faucet repairs, installation of sump pumps, and water softening systems as well as plumbing inspections.

Photo By NATTHAPONG SUNTORNDECH at Shutterstock

Plumbing Emergency?

Call Now