Category: Plumbing

Most people don't even realize when they have a hard water problem in their home. The sure signs of a hard water problem include a white film around faucets and tubs, dishes that never seem to get clean, poor quality drinking water with an unexplainable smell or taste, and even clogged pipes. If left alone, hard water can wreak havoc on a plumbing system by causing a buildup of minerals like calcium and magnesium. There are products on the market that advertise their use as a water softener, such as chemical liquids and powders, however these products are not the way to go. Such products can ruin clothes and even cause serious health risks to family members. A proper water softener installation done by a professional Salt Lake City plumber from Valley Plumbing can remedy hard water problems, without the added complications of subpar products.
Calcium and magnesium deposits are the main causes of hard water. The purpose of an effective water softener is to eliminate these unwanted minerals. A water softener is a mechanical system that is most often installed right where your water supply enters the home. The system will remove calcium and magnesium, replacing them with sodium or another harmless mineral like potassium. The process by which these minerals are replaced is known as an ion exchange.
A water softener contains a mineral tank that is filled with resin or zeolite, which are tiny polystyrene beads that have a negative charge. Since calcium and magnesium have positive charges, these minerals will immediately grab on to the beads. A powerful brine solution is then flushed through the tank to wash the mineral deposits off of the beads. Common salt is used to help create the brine solution.
After the beads have collected the calcium and magnesium deposits, the tank begins a 3-phase regenerating cycle. Once the phases are complete, the extra brine is then flushed from the mineral tank and the system is reset. Water softeners use either a mechanical water meter, electric timer, or a computer to determine when the system needs to be recharged and flushed. Valley Plumbing can help you to choose the best water softener for your home and budget.
If you are in the Salt Lake City area and are in need of a water softener installation, contact Valley Plumbing at (801) 341-4222.

Bathroom repiping is a topic that isn't widely covered enough yet on the web. There are some common misconceptions and beliefs about the amount of time that goes into getting the job done, and today I plan to address that. I will go over the basics of bathroom repiping and explain just how long it may take to accomplish.

The first misconception is that plumbers can get any job done in about an hour. This is false beyond belief, for the most part. Although some plumbing jobs are quick and simple, repiping is not. Just like any other job there is a due process that must happen for the job to continue. Steps such as inspection, testing, the tear-down and the reassembly each must happen for the job to come to a finish.
Aside from the process involved, another major aspect that must be taken into consideration is the size and dimensions of the bathroom. It may seem like common sense, but the actual size of the bathroom and the placement of the pipes, play a critical role in determining how long the service will take. Smaller bathrooms with pipe access panels are typically the quickest to get done, while bathrooms that are either too large or too small may take longer.
Another factor to consider is where the bathroom is located in the house and if it's not on the ground floor. Some apartment complexes, multi-home units and bigger houses have bathrooms that are just in odd places or on a second or higher floor. These factors can play a large role in determining the length of time for repiping. In general, no two homes are exactly alike so times will vary.
Overall, the time it takes to complete bathroom repiping depends on multiple factors. The biggest ones being the size and dimensions of the bathroom as well as the location within the home. Other factors may not be known until the plumber fully examines the area to be repiped.
Is your bathroom in need of a full repipe? Call Valley Plumbing today at (801) 487-4770 for the best services in Salt Lake City! 

The main cause for your leaking faucet is worn out gaskets, washers and/or O-rings. Over time these parts tend to become rigid and will start to develop small cracks that allow the water to drip from the faucet. This is an easy fix and just requires your local plumber or that you, replace the worn parts. If you leave this kind of drip un-repaired it can and will lead to corrosion over time. Corrosion is a much bigger problem and will cause the faucet structure as a whole to fail. This in turn will cause the need to replace the faucet and also tends to create many costly structural repair issues in your home.

Some other issues that can cause drips in your faucet are hard water and improper installation. Hard water will over time cause mineral deposits in the internal sections of your faucet leading to drips. To deal with the mineral deposits someone will have to take the faucet apart and clean it. It is highly recommended to replace all gaskets, washers, and O-rings when doing this. Lastly, sometimes during installation an O-ring or washer may not have been seated properly. In this case the installer should go back and make sure that all the parts are in the faucet properly and that everything is tightened down to the proper specification.
Now that you have learned about the issues that may cause a faucet to drip you can get the problems corrected. The faucets in your home should be checked at least four times a year to prevent problems from becoming major headaches. Once a season take a look at the faucet and see if it is operating properly. Make sure to also look under the faucet, if you are able to, and look for signs of water damage. Taking a few minutes every season to spot problems with your plumbing will save you from having a lot of headaches in the future.
Is your Salt Lake City home in need of a faucet repair? Call Valley Plumbing today at (801) 487-4770 for immediate solutions!

There are several pros and cons in purchasing a tankless water heater system versus a traditional tank water heater.
Pros
• Increased energy efficiency
• Lower operating costs
• Increase in space savings
• Potentially longer lifespan
• Compact
Cons
• Limited output
• Additional cost up front
• Larger instantaneous energy requirement
• Expensive and mechanically complicated
In this modern economy, many people are looking for newer and progressive ways to save money and energy. The appeal of “on demand” hot water, and compact design, have many people considering switching to tankless water heating systems.
If you are considering "upgrading" to a tank less water heater from a traditional water heater, there are several things to consider. While there have been claims that a tank less heater will save you money in the long run; you most likely will not reap the benefits of this in less than twenty five or thirty years. You also want to take into consideration to cost you will have to pay up front which is usually at least twice as much as the installation of a traditional water heater. If an initially greater financial investment is not an issue for you, it might be an option to consider.
On the other hand, although they are much more compact that traditional water heaters, tank less heaters are also quite a bit more mechanically complicated and require a much higher output of energy. Before considering the installation of a thankless heater, you will need to make sure you have an electrical or natural gas system, which can handle the increased load each time the unit is turned on. If you are considering passing your home onto your children, or grandchildren, perhaps it could be a viable option for you; however, aside from its streamlined, compact design, the tank less heater doesn't really have much other appeal. The complicated design of the modern tank less ads another financial burden if it happens to break down, as not all plumbing technicians are trained to repair these devices.
Looking into different water heaters for your Salt Lake City property? Call Valley Plumbing and Drain Cleaning today at (801)487-4770 for a water heater installation!