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Committing to a Maintenance Plan This Valentine’s Day

Posted on February 21, 2019 | by lsnow

If you have commitment issues, then Valentine’s Day is probably a nightmare for you! This time of year, people in committed relationships are flaunting their happiness all over the place, people in new relationships are committing to one another, and some are even proposing in preparation of making a lifetime commitment!

Lucky for you, Valley Plumbing is here to give you an opportunity to join our Quality Service Club! This plumbing maintenance program will help you keep your plumbing in working order while saving money, so it’s something you’ll want to commit to!

Are You Prepared For a Plumbing Emergency?

Let's be honest- no one is ever prepared for an emergency to strike, plumbing or otherwise.

The good news is that there may be ways of preventing an emergency from arising.

It is a well-known fact that regular plumbing maintenance can help you avoid plumbing emergencies. Some of the most common plumbing emergencies, like a clogged toilet, raw sewage back up, and a burst pipe, are preventable with consistent maintenance on your toilets, sinks, and drain pipes.

With a Quality Service Club membership, not only do you receive annual safety inspections, but you will also have emergency shut off tags placed on all your incoming water service valves and on your water heater. You also get priority service, so if an emergency should arise in your home, it takes top priority with our team!

Start Taking Care of Your Piping System Today

The best way to keep your pipe system in good shape is by having your drains inspected and cleaned by a plumbing professional every six to twelve months.

Don’t neglect your drains until you have a clogged drain that is causing foul odors, slow drainage, or even sewage to flood your home.

Clogged pipes can eventually burst, leading to a flood of potentially unsanitary water in your home! Getting regular drain cleanings from Valley Plumbing could save you from an emergency, or from needing costly pipe repairs. It can also make your piping system last longer.

Make Long Term Plans With Us

If, even after learning how our Quality Service Club can help you avoid plumbing emergencies and benefit your pipe system, you’re still not sure if you want to commit, consider this:

Signing up for a plumbing maintenance plan means you have a long term partner in keeping your plumbing up to snuff! In the same way that you trust your primary care physician with your health, you can trust the experts at Valley Plumbing with your plumbing systems! Our Quality Service Plan also guarantees you 15% off all other plumbing services!

If you plan on living in your current home long term, then take care of your plumbing long term with a Quality Service Plan from Valley Plumbing. Now that you know about how you can keep your home and plumbing in proper working order, let’s talk about how Valley Plumbing and Drain Cleaning can help you save money while you do it!

Give us a call today at (801) 341-4222 to speak with a reliable plumbing contractor in Salt Lake County, UT about how our Quality Service Plan can help you save money on your regular plumbing maintenance.

Why Worry About a Leaking Toilet?

Posted on January 23, 2019 | by lsnow

Does any mention of toilet repair make you start sweating, worrying about the cost and the mess a plumbing repair job will lead to? It doesn’t have to!

Valley Plumbing is here with some useful information that will help you feel a little more relaxed about that running water sound coming from the toilet.

Don’t waste your time worrying or stressing about a leaking toilet! Believe it or not, nine times out of ten, remedying a leaking toilet is a fairly simple task. Read on to learn more!

It’s All About The Toilet Flapper!

Okay, maybe not all about the flapper, but the chances are that if you have a leak in your toilet, it's because your toilet flapper needs to be replaced or at least repaired.

If you have a rubber cap flapper and can't remember how long it's been since the last time you replaced it, it's rubber edge may have worn out with age.

When this happens, the cap doesn't fit perfectly over the overflow pipe it sits on, so water can get in and leak into the bowl. If you have a tank ball flapper, wearing is possible but less likely than an issue with the chain. If the chain attached to the ball is too short, it can prevent it from properly sitting on the overflow pipe and covering it.

If you still have a seat disk flapper, you'd be better off replacing it than trying to fix it, as the disproportionate size of the seat disk makes it difficult to repair. No matter what kind of toilet flapper you have, call Valley Plumbing for help repairing or replacing it.

Get That Running Toilet Under Control

Now, if you checked your toilet flapper and found that it is not cracked or worn, and the chain is the perfect length, but you are still looking at a running toilet, what could it possibly be?! Don't panic.

There are some other possible issues that can also be remedied relatively easily. If the toilet flapper isn’t to blame, check the water level inside your tank.

If the water level is too high, it can cause water to spill over into the overflow pipe and run into the bowl. You might also want to check other mechanisms in your tank like the fill float or fill valve.

Great Tips For Toilet Maintenance

Finally, once you find and repair whatever was causing your toilet to leak, make sure to take care to focus on better toilet maintenance to avoid this issue again in the future.

Not sure what "good toilet maintenance" looks like? You can start by keeping your toilet bowl clean using mild cleaners. Be aware of what is being flushed down your toilet.

Anything other than human waste and toilet paper can clog up the drain and cause damage to your pipes. Finally, check the mechanisms in your tank regularly (about every six months) to make sure they are working correctly.

Share your favorite toilet maintenance tips below for all our readers to use them! Call Valley Plumbing in Salt Lake City if you’re having recurring toilet issues. Our plumbing experts are standing by now to help you! Call (801) 341-4222 today!

Automated Shower Plumbing Could Be Easy!

Posted on December 20, 2018 | by lsnow

With the popularity of smart home hubs growing in recent years, people can now use their smartphones to control their TVs, their home security systems, the temperature in their homes, the lights in their homes, their ovens and more!

With everything else in the house becoming automated and digital, doesn't it make sense that your shower should be too? Read on to learn more about how you can get your own automated digital shower, with a couple bathroom plumbing adjustments.

1. Setting up Your Smart Home (And Smart Bathroom)

In today's day and age, having a smart home is no longer a dream out of a science fiction movie.

Smart Home devices, such as the Amazon Echo and Google Hub, are top-selling holiday gifts because they promise the ease and convenience of being able to control a number of appliances in your home.

With a smart home set up and digitally automated fixtures, you could turn your bathroom into your own personal oasis. Your shower and bathtub, your sink faucet, even your toilet can all have features that make the room more relaxing.

This way when you come home from a long day of work and unwind with a simple "hey, Google…" All you have to do is have the digital appliances and fixtures installed, then connect them to your smart home hub.

2. Unwind in a Digital Shower

Admittedly, installing a digital shower isn't as simple as just calling up a plumber and replacing your shower.

There are a variety of different features to choose from, so it's important to do your research to get the perfect shower for you.

If you're the kind of person who just enjoys soaking in the bath after a long day of work, for example, there are 2-in-1 shower tubs that can easily switch from tub fill mode to shower mode. If you want to be able to start running the shower, or adjust the temperature, before you even enter the room, then a shower that can be turned on via a smartphone app, or remote.

Want to create a soothing, spa-like atmosphere in your shower? In that case, you'll want a shower with built-in music and chromotherapy, or color light therapy. There is a digital shower out there for everyone; you just have to find it!

3. Making The Most of Your Shower Head

If you're going to have automated shower plumbing installed, why not have a new shower head installed with it?

Adjustable tile shower heads, or body sprayers, are one popular option with automated systems.

They are an especially good idea for people with recurring injuries since they can be adjusted to spray different areas of the body.

Rain showers are a good option for a spa-quality shower. Installed directly overhead, a rain shower gives the relaxing feeling of standing under a warm rain. Paired with soothing music, this makes for a wonderful spa experience, right in your own home!

Call Valley Plumbing today to speak with a plumbing professional about installing automated shower plumbing in your home! Give us a call at (801) 341-4222 for service in Salt Lake City. Don’t forget to share this article with your friends and loved ones who might be interested in automated showers for their own homes!

How These Brilliant Water Damage Cleanup Tips Can Help You Avoid Disaster

Posted on October 21, 2018 | by lsnow

Flooding in your home can lead to severe water damage, which can end up costing you thousands of dollars to repair. If you're not careful, unaddressed water damage can also evolve into more complex plumbing issues that will end up costing your not only more money but your peace of mind as well.

The following tips are designed to help you clean up water damage so that you can put it behind you and look forward to living safely and happily in your home.

Understand Why Water Damage Happens

Water damage can be caused by a number of other issues in your plumbing or HVAC systems. Some of the problems that lead to water damage, like a leaking garbage disposal or sink drain that causes water to accumulate in the cabinet under the sink, are usually relatively easy to clean up and repair. Other causes, like hidden water leaks and burst pipes, are going to be a bit more trying.

It’s important to understand what caused the water damage because it can make a difference as to how you clean up. Here are a few situations in which you may experience water damage:

When your AC unit or water heater leak.
When your sump pump breaks.
When your toilet is leaking.
When you encounter a sewer line backup.
When a clogged gutter causes water to collect on your roof, eventually causing it to leak.
When a severe storm or hurricane hits your home.

Address Water Related Issues as Quickly as Possible

When it comes to water damage, the sooner the problem is addressed, the better it is all around.

Quickly cleaning up and repairing parts of your home that were affected by the water damage can save you from dealing with future problems like mold and mildew growth.

Mold is known to aggravate respiratory issues like allergies and asthma. Another danger with water is the threat of electrical failure, which can mean that the water may cause a fuse to blow, or it may cause an explosion or electrical fire.

Prolonged exposure to excessive water can also weaken your ceiling, walls, and even the very foundation your home sits on! Not to mention the bacteria and parasites that could be present if the water damage came from a sewage backup!

For all of these reasons, it is of the utmost importance that you address any form of water damage as soon as possible.

Keep Your Air Clean With an Air Scrubber

Finally, once you get your house looking back to the way it once was, you may think the work is done, and you can forget about water damage for a long time!

Unless you already ran an air scrubber in every room in the house, you would be mistaken. The effects of water damage can linger in the air, unseen by you, if you don't know how to get rid of them!

An air scrubber is a portable air purifier that sits in the center of the room and passes the air through several filters until it comes out clean. They can remove things like bacteria, dust, and mold spores from the air, that you would otherwise be breathing!

3 Do's and Don’ts of Professional Plumbing Jobs

Posted on September 21, 2018 | by lsnow

If you are new to the plumbing industry, you may be wondering what you can do to give yourself the edge over some of your more established competitors.

There are three simple tips you can follow to set yourself apart as the most trustworthy, qualified plumber for just about any job. Let’s call these tips “the dos and don'ts of plumbing jobs”. They are as follows:

Do prioritize customer service
Don’t forget your protective gear
Do keep learning on the job

If you take those tips to heart, your plumbing career is sure to flourish. Let’s take a closer look at each of them.

Do Prioritize Customer Service!

Prioritizing your customers and their needs will automatically make you stand out among other competitors who prefer to put their focus on how much they can charge for a simple plumbing job.

One simple way that you can let your customers know you care about them by being honest with them and working with them to find the best solution to their plumbing problems.

Remember that excellent customer service leaves an impression on your clients, and they'll be more likely to call you again in the future or refer you to their friends and neighbors.

Don’t Forget Your Protective Gear!

Another thing you can do to ensure your plumbing business thrives is always keeping job sites as safe as possible. This includes knowing the regulations and codes in your city, as well as always wearing your protective gear. While you may feel that a hard hat or gloves are not needed on every job, they are critical to avoiding unwanted injuries or other accidents.

Other kinds of protective gear you should bring with you on every job include:

Heavy-duty work boots.
Latex or leather gloves.
Safety goggles or glasses.

Do Keep Learning On-The-Job Skills!

The longer you work in the plumbing industry, the more you'll pick up little tricks to help you be more efficient on the job.

These tricks can range from how to find and retrieve fallen hardware, to how to make your own makeshift power tools.

Here are a few more plumbing tricks to add to your repertoire:

You can use the reamer of your pipe cutter to scratch a mark into the pipe or tube, to know where to cut
Cutting PVC pipes can require no more than a bit of string. Just run it under the section you're going to cut, and pull up while alternating pulling each end of the string up (as if flossing)
If you need to but a bend or curve in a threaded rod, you can use the hole in the back end of your adjustable wrench to bend it.

The above are just a few little industry tricks, but you’ll find so many more for yourself as you continue to work on more and more plumbing jobs. As long as you remember to prioritize customer service, wear all your safety gear at all times, and take note of all the tricks you learn, your plumbing business will thrive!