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Modern plumbing is designed to be safe, convenient and protect us from the old horrors of open sewers. So it fails in its job if sulfurous, rotten egg smells waft from drains and water pours from faucets.
There are many reasons this can happen, including clogged drains, cracked drain pipes, loose-fitting pipe connections, blocked vents and sewer back-ups.
With their know-how and expertise, the licensed professional technicians of Valley Plumbing can help you get to the root of your odor problem and find a solution.

1. Faulty Vents and Traps

To prevent sewer gases from backing up into homes, modern sinks in kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms are usually equipped with curving P-traps underneath.
They collect water in the bottom of their U-shaped pipe to form a seal that doesn’t allow sewer gases to back up.
But if the traps dry out because of lack of use, high temperatures, or a leak, then this protection is removed.
The P-trap also requires proper venting, permitting air to come in to equalize the fluctuating pressure in the sewer lines, enabling the gases to flow up the stack to the outside.
If the venting gets plugged with snow, debris, or animal nest, the air can be pushed back down, breaking the seal in the P-trap and letting the noxious sewer odors flow in.

2. Water Heater Odors

Water heaters are a prime culprit when it comes to rotten-egg water smells. Odor-causing bacteria can grow in their moist interiors if the heat hasn’t been set high enough to kill the bacteria or if the water heater hasn’t been used for a long time.
A corroded anode rod can also be the culprit. Discolored water – brown, yellow, red, green – can also indicate corrosion in the water heater or pipes.

3. Sewer Line Back-ups

Gases from sewer lines backing up are not just bad smelling but can contain methane and bacteria that may pose dangers to your health, causing headaches and worse ailments.
As well, high concentrations of methane gas are combustible, which could lead to an explosion in an extreme case.
If the problem is in the main sewer line, then the city or municipality will handle it. One way to tell if this is the case is if your neighbors also have the issue.
However, if the sewer is backing up through a single sink, toilet, or other drains, then the problem is in your private sewer line (which connects to the mainline), and you will have to contact a plumbing professional for help.

The case for going green is very compelling. It’s good for your social conscience and your wallet. Making green choices is easy; you just have to identify the opportunities, develop a plan and stick to it. Be on the lookout for ways to be green at home, work and play.

Filter Your Own Water

One of the easiest and most effective ways to go green is to stop buying bottled water.
Instead, have a water filtration system installed at home and benefit from clean, clear, tasty water when you like without the plastic bottles.
Not only is buying water bottles very expensive, but the bottles also tend to end up in landfills. That’s not environmentally friendly, now is it?

Plan Your Earth Day Events

Start an annual tradition of participating in local Earth Day events on April 22. Salt Lake City has numerous festivals and events, depending on your interests (athletic events, concerts, planting gardens, crafts, children’s activities, etc.). They all have one thing in common though; celebrating the planet and all of its gifts.

Hot Water Helper

If you’ve got a traditional hot water storage tank, it is well worth your while from an environmental and financial point of view to update to a tankless heater. When water is stored in a tank, it tends to cool over time, using more energy to do the same job.
A tankless water heater heats water on demand; the supply is steady and reliable; they cost less to run and generally have a longer lifespan, increasing cost savings.

Actively Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

There are so many things that you can do to reduce your carbon footprint.
At work, try reusable plates, cutlery, and cups; only print when you have to; use a laptop instead of a desktop computer; when you go home for the weekend, unplug your computer and appliances.
At home, reduce your water usage. Get leaks fixed; take showers instead of baths. Turn water off when lathering hair, washing hands, shaving or brushing your teeth. Recycle your cooking water to water plants.
Before you purchase something, see if you can re-use, fix or re-purpose an item that already exists. If you do make a purchase, make sure that the item is recyclable.

Eco-Friendly Fixtures

Green your water use by installing eco-friendly water fixtures. A dual flush toilet greatly reduces your water use by using less water for liquid waste and more water for solid waste.
Eco-friendly faucets will regulate water flow so that you don’t waste water. Low-flow showerheads significantly reduce your water flow without reducing your water pressure, which means that you don’t have to compromise.

On March 22nd, join the world in celebrating World Water Day. This day hopes to spread knowledge and focus attention on the world’s supply of freshwater, and the preservation and sustainable usage of this natural resource.
Of all the water on Earth, only 2% is classified as freshwater. Out of that 2%, half is frozen. The increase of urbanization and resulting lifestyle changes have humans using, and wasting, more water than ever before.

The Importance of World Water Day

The amount of freshwater is growing ever more scarce. Over-consumption and the lack of usage regulations are quickly depleting the amount of water that will be available for future generations. This problem has led to what is known as the “water crisis”; a name for the lack of healthy or sufficient water sources. There are several factors that have led to this crisis.
The agricultural water crisis is due to extreme amounts of water being used for crop irrigation and the production of factory-farmed meat. In North America, and around the world, people rely heavily on water-reliant crops such as rice, corn, wheat, and cotton. Irrigation for crops is estimated to account for up to 70% of all water usage, and the production of meat requires much more water than the growth of vegetation.
Effects of the water crisis on aquatic ecosystems are dire. Since these environments rely on a healthy - and often copious - water supply, any disturbance of the delicate chemical levels can cause these natural balances to become unregulated.

Conserving Water Every Day

Although the discussions that will take place leading up to World Water Day are important and necessary, conserving water must be an objective every day. There are several small, easy changes that can be turned into water-conserving habits, such as:

• Turning off the faucet when brushing teeth.Opting for quick showers instead of baths.
• Washing vehicles using a bucket rather than a hose.
• Limiting the amount of water used to wash dishes.
• Washing laundry using the correct settings, and only when the washer can be fully loaded.
• Water-Saving Plumbing Technology

With the necessity for reducing water consumption drastically becoming inevitable, individuals can take action in their home or business to conserve as much water as possible. Advancements in plumbing technology have allowed for the production of water-efficient hardware, including the following:

• Low-flow shower heads (also known as energy efficient shower heads).
• Low-flush toilets.
• Dual-flush toilets, equipped with two levers to choose amount of water used with each flush.
• Faucet aerators, which act to break up the flow of water into minuscule particles, effectively providing the same amount of moisture, while using less water.
• Garden hose nozzles.
• Automatic (timed) faucets.

Celebrate World Water Day in Salt Lake City, UT with the plumbing experts at Valley Plumbing by installing water-efficient plumbing technology throughout your home or place of business. Contact (801)-405-9334 to speak with a professional today.

Sometimes it’s the little things that make us wonder how they came to be that way… Do you know which direction your toilet bowl swirls? Take the video quiz below to find out! You may be surprised to see what you find.

Fact or fiction? Truth or lies? Myth or reality? Sometimes it's not so easy to know the difference. Some stories seem completely believable despite being completely false, while others appear so fantastic that we believe incorrectly that they could never happen. Some stories and beliefs related to the plumbing in your home fall within these categories. Here are just a few examples.

A Snake Can Mysteriously Appear In Your Toilet - True

It's creepy enough to make anybody's skin crawl, but it's also possible. Snakes don't usually frequent the sewer system unless they're chasing rats or frogs that call it home. These animals are capable of crawling through the pipes to eventually reach your toilet bowl.
Of course, if you live in a place where snakes aren’t commonly found, chances are very slim that you'd ever find one in your toilet. But you could find a rat or frog.
If the mere thought of lifting the lid and finding a critter below gives you the heebie-jeebies, you can have a multi-flap installed. These devices allow waste and water to escape your toilet while preventing any wildlife from entering.

A Toilet Plunger Is the Only Tool You'll Ever Need to Get Rid of a Clog - False

Plungers are great at eliminating a clog when too much paper has been sent down the toilet. They can also be effective for removing clogs in your sink when they're located in close proximity of the drain.
Tougher clogs or those further removed from the drain will require special tools that are at the disposal of any qualified plumbing professional. They include augers and a state-of-the-art process known as hydrojetting. This method uses a concentrated stream of pressurized water sent down the pipe to blast away even the most stubborn blockage.

Under The Right Circumstances, Your Water Heater Could Blast Off Through the Roof – True

A great deal of heat and pressure can build up inside a residential water heater. They are built to be able to handle extreme pressure. They also have a built-in safety mechanism that relieves excess pressure when it climbs to dangerous levels. That's why the temperature pressure relief valve on top of your water heater is a critical component to your family's safety.
If it gets stuck or malfunctions and the internal pressure of your tank can't be relieved, the tank could potentially explode.
We recommend testing your temperature pressure relief valve periodically to make sure that it functions and allows hot water to escape. It's also a good idea to have your water heater maintained every year by an experienced professional.
At Valley Plumbing, we are always looking out for our customers’ well-being and safety. So, when you need an experienced plumber for your Salt Lake City home, call us at 801-341-4222 to book your appointment.