| Question:
Recently my water bills
appear to be rather high. None of the faucets
appear to leak. What else could contribute to a
high water bill? |
| Answer:
You may want to check to see if a toilet is
leaking. First, check the water level to ensure
that water is not overflowing the tank by way of
the overflow pipe. This is the pipe in the
middle of the tank. It has a small tubing
connected to it. If water is running into the
overflow, adjust the fill valve to stop the flow
approximately 1inch below the top of the
overflow tube or to the water level mark stamped
on the side of the tank. Second, put a few drops
of food coloring into the tank to test the flush
valve mechanism. If the water in the bowl
changes color within 15 minutes, this is an
indication that water is leaking into the toilet
bowl and that the ball or flapper needs to be
replaced.
|
| Question:
How
often should I have my septic system inspected? |
| Answer:
Septic systems should be inspected and pumped a
minimum of once every three to four years. You
may not be experiencing any problem now, but a
full septic tank may allow unwanted solids to
flow into the drain field, which is the part of
the system that consists of a distribution box,
with a series of connected pipes. Each pipe
allows water to flow into a bed of stone, that
drains into the ground. If paper and other
solids flow into the drain field it becomes
blocked and ineffective. A blocked drain field
is costly to repair or replace.
|
| Question:
The
temperature of my hot water seems to be higher
than what I think I need. How can I conserve
energy, yet also be sure that there is an
adequate amount of hot water? |
| Answer:
Most people are comfortable with their hot water
set at 120 degrees Fahrenheit, which is also the
new standard that manufacturers use when
pre-setting it at the factory. If you have an
older model, set the thermostat at medium. On a
gas model, there is a dial on the front of the
gas valve. On electric models, the thermostats
(there may be two) are concealed behind the two
panels on the side of the tank. NOTE:
Turn off the electricity
before removing the panels. There are exposed
wires behind the panels containing HIGH VOLTAGE.
|
| Question:
I have a foul odor coming
from my garbage disposer. What can I do to
eliminate this odor? |
| Answer:
Foul odors occur from a buildup of food debris
within the disposer. To eliminate this odor,
place ice cubes and lemon or orange peels in the
disposer and run for 30 seconds. Next, squirt a
little liquid dish detergent into the disposer
while it is still running. Finally, run cold
water for about 30 seconds to rinse all the
debris away.
|
| Question:
I
am getting a foul odor from a bathroom in the
basement. We hardly ever use this bathroom
except when we have company. This is
embarrassing. What can we do? |
| Answer:
Plumbing systems are designed to prevent foul
odors from entering the house by means of the
trap attached to fixtures. Traps contain water
to seal out foul odors; if the water seal
evaporates, the odors enter the house. To solve
this problem, pour a bucket of water in each
trap, sink, shower and floor drain. This will
prevent the odors from entering the house.
|
| Question:
We
live in northern Ohio. Winters are cold and we
were told to turn off the outside faucets in the
fall before the freezing weather arrives. We did
this, however the pipes leading to our outside
faucet still froze and broke. What did we do
wrong? |
| Answer:
Turning off the water is not enough. You must
also disconnect the garden hose connected to the
faucet to allow the water in the pipe to drain
out. This will allow the piping to withstand the
cold weather.
|
| Question:
My
shower head and faucet aerators have a buildup
of a white substance around the area where the
water comes out. Is there anything I can do
other than replacement? |
| Answer:
The unsightly buildup is mineral deposits. To
remove these deposits from the showerhead, take
a plastic bag and pour a cup of vinegar in it.
Place the bag over the showerhead and use a
twist tie to hold it in place overnight. In the
morning, remove the bag and use an old
toothbrush to gently scrub the deposits off. You
might be able to remove the aerators from the
faucets and allow them to soak in the vinegar
overnight.
|
| Question:
Our
kitchen drain has taken longer than usual to
drain during the past year. Should we have it
cleaned? |
| Answer:
Before you have the drain cleaned, try using
something like Liquid Plumber drain maintenance products.
These products are designed to remove the usual
buildup of soap scum, grease and hair.
|
| Question:
When I am in the laundry room and the water
heater is operating, I hear a rumbling sound
coming from the water heater. What could cause
this? |
|
Answer:
Rumbling sounds coming from a water heater are
an indication that sediment is built up on the
bottom of the water heater. What you are hearing
is water that is trapped in the sediment and is
boiling. This is an indication that the water
heater is not operating efficiently. Sediment
will not allow the heat to transfer to the water
in the tank, which sends the heat up the flue.
You may try
draining a few gallons of water off the bottom
of the water heater tank. This is done by
attaching a drain hose to the valve at the
bottom of the tank. Allow it to drain for about
five minutes.
WARNING: HOT
WATER IS DANGEROUS. DISCHARGE THE WATER INTO A
FLOOR DRAIN, LAUNDRY TUB OR BATHTUB. HOT WATER
WILL KILL YOUR GRASS IF DISCHARGED ONTO THE
LAWN. HOT WATER WILL CRACK A TOILET BOWL IF
DISCHARGED INTO THE TOILET.
Many newer models
of water heaters have a new feature that
prohibits the buildup of sediment in the tank.
If your heater is an older model, it may be cost
effective to replace the water heater if the
buildup is severe.
|
| Question:
I
am hearing a whistle sound that seems to be
connected to the plumbing system. It comes and
goes at times, but I can't find the cause of it.
What could cause this? |
| Answer:
The sound you are describing is usually caused
by a toilet fill valve that is slowly leaking.
To locate the offending toilet, remove the lid
of each toilet tank and adjust the fill valve
mechanism until it stops. Once you have found
the toilet causing the problem, repair or
replace the fill valve.
|
| Question:
We
need to replace a toilet in our home. We have
heard coworkers and friends complain that the
new toilets do not flush properly, and that they
require multiple flushes. What is the
recommendation for toilet replacement? |
|
Answer:
When the federal government mandated that new
toilets use no more than 1.6 gallons per flush,
manufacturers had to develop a toilet that would
achieve this but that would also flush properly
(clear the bowl) and carry the waste to the city
sewer or septic system. Some of the early models
did not do this properly. Since then, the
complaints have forced the manufacturers to
develop new ways of flushing toilets. One new
way is the use of a pressurized toilet tank.
This model looks like a regular toilet, but it
has a pressure tank inside. When flushed, it
works like a commercial toilet. A large surge of
water enters the bowl and clears the bowl of any
waste. These toilets work well, but are not as
quiet as a conventional model.
When considering
a new fixture for your home such as a toilet, I
recommend you choose a fixture made by one of
the major manufacturers, such as American
Standard, Kohler or Eljer.
|
| Question:
There
are four people in our house, two adults and two
teens. We are constantly running out of hot
water. After a five-minute shower, the water
starts to turn cold. This change occurred quite
recently. Help! |
| Answer:
There are two possibilities. First, the dip tube
has broken off. This is a tube that forces
incoming water to the bottom of the tank so that
hot water will be drawn off of the top. When the
dip tube breaks, cold water entering the tank
mixes with the hot water and cools it down. This
can occur in both gas and electric models.
Second, if your
water heater is electric, the lower element that
heats the water may not be operating properly,
thus only the upper half of the tank will heat
up. The cause of this problem could be a bad
element or a thermostat malfunction. This type
of problem should be evaluated by a qualified
technician.
|
