Most homeowners use drains daily, but few think about what happens to the wastewater, debris, and other items that make their way down the pipe. It’s important to be proactive about preventative maintenance to prevent clogging, backups, and other issues that may arise from buildups in the pipes. Waiting until a problem occurs can be stressful and messy, so it’s wise to keep your drains in good working order.
Awareness of what goes down the drain, from toilet paper to food, can help reduce the risk of clogs and keep your pipes clear. Having a trusted plumbing service contractor perform a routine drain cleaning is a simple way to ensure your drains are working well and maintain healthy plumbing. There are numerous benefits of keeping your drains clean, and some of them include the following.
Eliminate Blockages and Slow Drains
When mineral deposits and other items accumulate along the inner walls of pipes, the water flow can become restricted. This can be particularly troublesome during social gatherings, resulting in unpleasant interruptions. If not addressed sooner, these blockages can become more persistent, leading to overflows, sewer backups, and flooding.
It is best to book a professional plumbing service to clear any mineral deposits before they become unmanageable. With their expertise and specialized equipment, they can help ensure that your pipes remain free from blockages so your water flow remains unrestricted.
Prevent Foul Odors
It’s nauseating when you can’t seem to get rid of a lingering stench in your kitchen! Have you ever washed your sink countless times, yet the odor persists? This is usually an indication that you have a blockage in your plumbing. A buildup of waste, debris, and other material in the system can cause an unpleasant odor. This odor can be off-putting to family members and visitors.
Regular drain cleaning is necessary to help keep your home smelling fresh. A professional plumbing service provider can use specialized chemicals to clean the system and eliminate unwanted smells. An expert can also check for any underlying issues contributing to the odor and address them accordingly.
Save Money and Time
A regular drain cleaning service is an invaluable measure to help avoid costly repairs in the future. During the visit, a professional plumber can spot and fix potential issues before they become more expensive. Burst pipes, increased water bills, water damage, and corroded drain pipes are all issues that can arise from a poorly maintained drain system.
Corrosion of the pipes can result in water leaks, increasing your bills. In the United States, an estimated one trillion gallons of water go to waste yearly from leaking pipes and dripping taps. It is best to seek an annual drain cleaning service to avoid these costly scenarios. Severely blocked pipes can also be expensive to repair and may require the installation of new pipes. Regular drain cleaning means you may not have to worry about plumbing emergencies and repeated repairs or replacements.
Quiet Noisy Pipes
Noisy pipes can be a sign of trouble and should be addressed quickly by a professional plumber. If you hear clunking, cracking, rattling, or squeaking from the pipes, this can indicate that they were not installed properly or need repair. High water pressure can cause a loud banging noise as the pipes work overtime to push the water through.
In addition, blockages and sludge buildup can also be to blame, as the water has difficulty moving through the pipes. Regular drain cleaning can help clear out obstructions, allowing the water to flow more easily and helping to eliminate any loud banging. If you notice any of these issues, it is important to contact a plumber right away to prevent further damage.
Keep Your Family Healthy
Properly maintained drains are an important part of keeping your family healthy. Unclean drains can be a breeding ground for bacteria, fungi, and other pathogens, which can spread quickly, contaminating your water, food, and air. This can lead to serious illnesses for your family.
Regular drain cleaning is an effective way to combat this problem. By eliminating the conditions that promote the growth of harmful organisms, you can reduce your family’s exposure to these pathogens and keep them healthy. Regular cleaning also ensures that your drains are functioning optimally and prevents clogs and overflows.
Prevent Overflows and Flooding
Clean pipes are essential to reducing the risk of flooding in your home. When pipes become clogged with debris and other waste, the potential for flooding and overflowing increases. This can be a major problem, as flooding can cause tremendous damage to your home and belongings.
Regular pipe cleaning is a simple way to help prevent this from happening. By removing the buildup and waste from your pipes, you can help to ensure the water will flow freely without the risk of bursting pipes or flooding. Regular cleaning also helps to keep your pipes in good condition, reducing the chance of costly repairs or replacements in the future.
Pipe Longevity
If you find yourself experiencing a clog in your pipes, it may be tempting to reach for the nearest bottle of drain cleaner. However, this is not the best solution for the long-term health of your plumbing. Chemical drain cleaners contain harsh ingredients that can corrode and damage your pipes over time.
Seeking professional drain cleaning is the better choice for maintaining your pipes in the long run. A qualified plumber utilizes specialized tools and techniques to safely clear out blockages and restore your pipes to optimal performance.
Conclusion
Regular drain cleaning is an essential part of a home’s maintenance. It not only ensures that your plumbing system is functioning properly, but it also helps to prevent costly repairs in the future. The professionals at your local plumbing company can provide you with the knowledge and expertise to keep your drains clean, efficient, and functional.
Take the Initiative and Book an Appointment Today
For more than 30 years, Bert Norman’s Plumbing has provided comprehensive plumbing services to residential and commercial clients. Whether you need drain cleaning, faucet upgrade, re-piping, or plumbing inspection, our team can help you. Don’t wait any longer. Call us today!
See our most recent blog on this topic here.
Check out our reviews here.
Photo By aquaArts studio at iStock
The Pros And Cons Of Pebble Tile Shower Floors Your Plumber Wants You To Know
Like anyone, you’d want a luxurious and serene bathroom. A pebble tile shower floor is an excellent option if you prefer having an earthy aesthetic flair in your shower.
Pebble tile shower floors have numerous benefits, but they have their downsides. This blog post has detailed some pros and cons of including these shower floor options in your bathroom ideas. Continue reading to discover more.
Advantages of Pebble Tile Shower Floors
Some strong points of pebble tile shower floors include: –
-
They Create a Therapeutic Effect on Your Feet
Of course, many will freak at the thought of standing on a pebble shower floor. But, unlike rocks, pebbles are rounded because of their continuous contact with flooring water. Perhaps, the common myth that pebbles are sharp is why some people shy away from pebble flooring.
What makes the shower floor comfortable to step on is the roundness of the pebbles. The floor will be more comfortable if the stone is more natural. The various-sized rocks and the uneven surface provide additional massaging in the shower. Think of it for a moment. Every time you enter the bathroom, you get a little foot massage. Don’t you want that?
-
Easy to Install
Even though laying the pebbles can be time-consuming, a plumber can install a pebble shower floor easily and quickly.
-
Pebble Shower Floors are Affordable.
For any home improvement project, you want something that will give you optimal benefits without breaking the bank, like pebble shower floors.
Pebbles can be collected from lakes, rivers, and beaches. But of course, you can always get a professional to install pebble tiles in your shower for a more cohesive pattern since they’re inexpensive. Plus, there are better ways to spend your weekend.
The price of pebble tile flooring will vary depending on the type of material and where you buy them. But generally, a plumbing technician will charge the total cost of installation based on the size of your pebble tile and shower base,
-
They Offer Variety and Aesthetic
Pebble tiles come in various shapes, sizes, and colors, making incorporating them into any aesthetic easy. How water flows around your pebble tiles and how the floor feels against your feet is greatly determined by the pebbles a plumbing contractor installs in your bathroom. If you fancy stepping on stones, consider rounded rocks flooring instead of flat ones.
You can choose from a wide selection of neutral colors, including brown, sea-green, and slate. You can also get sets that include different colors if you wish to add more glamor to your shower but uniquely. Getting a tone color to match the walls and other plumbing fixtures in your bathroom can be difficult. Regardless, a pebble shower floor is naturally attractive and ideal for homes with natural designs.
So, what are the Disadvantages of Pebble Flooring?
Despite their inherent beauty, affordability, and versatility, pebble tile shower floors have their shortcomings, including:
-
Pebble Shower Floors Use Too Much Grout
A pebble tile shower floor will require more grout during installation than a mosaic floor of a similar size. Most mosaic and regular floor tiles have a smooth surface after their placement. With these tile options, the gaps to be filled with grout are uniform. Thus, the plumber can easily estimate how much grout is required.
However, pebble floors need so much grout to fill the uneven spaces and get an even surface. Again, because pebbles come in different sizes and shapes, their grout is more pronounced than on standard tiles.
-
They’re Not Long-Lasting
The high exposure to sealer and grout makes it difficult for pebble tile shower floors to last long. Harsh cleaning chemicals and hard scrubbing wear the grout down, reducing its lifespan.
Also, pebble shower floors are subject to running water erosion, making them more vulnerable to many issues. Stone surfaces can last for a long period, but when water grinds on them, they can slightly change shape with time. The rocks will crack and retain moisture, especially if you’ve got an uneven pebble tile shower floor.
Even though you could have ideas of minimizing the damage due to your shower floor drain from the pebbles, it will not last. The only solution will be partnering with a plumbing company for regular maintenance.
-
They Give Room for Water Retention
Compared to ordinary bathroom tiles, pebble floors retain a lot of water. Their naturally uneven surfaces cause water to sit in the pebble instead of the shower drain. This can lead to mold and mildew problems in your shower, which are serious health hazards, especially for allergic persons.
Most tile manufacturers choose to cut half pebbles. But this will take away the natural attractiveness of the pebble shower floor. To avoid mold growth, always dry your pebble shower floors after use. But this can get pretty boring and tiresome, oh, and expensive.
-
They’re Intolerable to Hard Water
If you live in regions with hard water, you want to contact a plumbing specialist for other bathroom installations but not pebble shower floors. The reason is the high mineral content in water can add to the potential water retention in pebble flooring.
-
Pebble Shower Floors Have High Maintenance Costs
Maintaining pebble flooring, in the beginning, is a bit easy, but as it nears its end of life, more work is needed. These stone floors require re-sealing every six months to keep them in shape. This can be very expensive in the long run.
Let Bert Norman’s Plumbing Handle All Your Bathroom Plumbing Needs
When weighing the pros and cons of pebble showers, the decision rests on you. But there’s no denying pebble flooring is one of its kind.
Are you considering upgrading your bathroom? Bert Norman’s Plumbing is the plumbing company to hire. Our plumbers offer a seamless experience and ensure our customers are always satisfied. For more information about the other plumbing services we offer, call to speak to our team today!
Conclusion
Installing a pebble shower floor requires the expertise of a professional. A certified plumber has to inspect your home to establish the nature of your shower floors before the pebbles can be laid. This is necessary to eliminate any risk of water leakage due to the pebble floor.
See our most recent blog on this topic here
Photo By MicroStockHub at iStock