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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.

Halftime Flush, Fact or Fiction?

If you are a Super Bowl fan, then you have probably heard that thousands of spectators who are watching the game at home will flush their toilets at the same time during Half Time. Some of these stories are true because several cities have noticed that water usage does increase during the Super Bowl’s halftime break.
Many television viewers are in a hurry to get back to the television to watch the musical performance, and they also don’t want to miss any part of the football game.
In many homes, people are in a rush to visit the bathroom during the Super Bowl’s halftime show so that they can also scurry into the kitchen to get more snacks and beverages.
While water usage may increase during this time, it won’t cause any widespread plumbing issues for an entire city. However, if you have a home with old bathroom fixtures, sewage lines and water pipes, then having numerous guests flushing toilets at the same time can overburden a building’s plumbing system.
If you plan to have a Super Bowl party in your home, then it is important to prepare ahead of time by making sure that your home’s plumbing system is in tip-top condition. Contact a plumber to have your home’s drainage devices cleaned and repaired to avoid having overflowing toilets.

Don’t Drop the Chicken Wings

When you have a Super Bowl party, make sure that your guests understand what they can put inside your kitchen’s garbage disposal. If one of your guests decides to drop the remains of their barbecue chicken wings down the garbage disposal, then a disaster will occur.
Before Super Bowl parties, make a written list to hang on the wall above your kitchen’s sink to prevent a broken garbage disposal. In addition to keeping chicken wing bones out of the appliance, don’t put hard or fibrous substances such as eggshells, potato skins or rice in the garbage disposal.
These items will break your garbage disposal’s blades or create a clog in the drain underneath the sink. If you do have a problem with your kitchen’s garbage disposal, then call a plumber!

 If You’re Not Going Green, You’re On the Losing Team

Instead of spending a lot of money on huge cases of bottled water for your guests, have a water filtration system installed inside your home. When you are having a lot of guests at your home for a Super Bowl party, they will need to have more drinking water than you are normally used to and you may also use more water for preparing snacks. By using a filtration system, you can remove the impurities from your home’s water so that it has a fresh flavor.
Call Valley Plumbing and Drain Cleaning in Salt Lake City, UT today at (801) 405-9334 to learn more about garbage disposal safety, drain cleaning and water filtration systems.

There are many things that you do to ready your home for the winter, but paying special attention to your plumbing and the weather is essential.
Taking a proactive stance with active steps to prevent your pipes from freezing could save you time, money and some serious stress. A frozen pipe will often burst, which is a plumbing emergency no one wants to endure.
Here are some pointer on how to keep your pipes from freezing and what to do if they do indeed freeze.

Warm Pipes with Hot Water

These preventative steps are basic but very effective. Want to avoid frozen pipes? Run the hot water regularly to flush through the system. It doesn’t get much easier than that.
Even that small amount of heat may be all you need to keep water moving and avoid freezing. Another handy trick? Leave a few faucets running at a tiny trickle all the time. The moving water will keep freezing at bay.

Think About Exterior Pipes

The pipes that are most vulnerable to freezing are those that are in contact with the coldest temperatures. Make sure that you know where exterior pipes are located in your home. Also make sure that these pipes have access to warm air.
Pay special attention to pipes in exterior walls. Leave cabinet doors open under sinks (kitchen and bathroom) so that there are no barriers to the warm air surrounding the pipes.

Heat Tape is Helpful

The more heat that you can circulate through your pipes, the better. One very effective way to make sure that your pipes retain as much heat as possible is to wrap them in special heat tape. This requires precision to be done right, so this is a good job to refer to your plumbing.
If you are looking for a quick DIY fix, you can always wrap the pipes in foam insulation.

What if my Pipes Freeze?

Despite your best efforts, pipes can still freeze. Don’t panic just yet. You may very well be able to salvage your pipe and avoid flooding damage.
What do you have in your home that conducts heat? The top three for this job include a heat lamp, space heater or even your hair dryer. The reasons that these are good choices is that they heat the pipe quickly, but evenly. They also pose less of a fire hazard than some other heat-generating household tools, like a blow torch.

Attic Windows, Garage Doors Closed

You need as much warm air inside your home as possible to surround those pipes to keep them from freezing. Leaving your garage door open in the winter is giving cold air a free pass into your home, threatening those exterior pipes.
If you leave your windows open in the attic, you are giving hot air an escape route up and out of your home.
Plumbing emergencies can be stressful. It’s important to act quickly and calmly to get the help you need. At Valley Plumbing and Drain Cleaning in Salt Lake City, UT, we’re here to answer your questions. Call us at (801) 405-9334.

Energy costs seem to always be on the rise, and it makes sense to cut costs wherever possible. One way to reduce expenses is to cut down on your energy costs. The price you pay varies from month to month, but the fact is that less usage equals a lower bill. Implement these smart ways to cut energy costs in the New Year.

Save on Lighting

Replace your outdated incandescent bulbs with energy-certified compact fluorescent lights or LEDs. They cost slightly more than older bulbs but last significantly longer and use as much as 70% less energy.
Turn off lights when not in use, utilize sensors for less populated areas and use natural daylight instead of artificial lighting during those sunny days.

Unplug It

Get used to unplugging almost everything. When electronics are plugged in and not turned on they still draw small amounts of electricity. If it’s a hassle to unplug everything, purchase a power strip and turn everything off at once. Keep printers, fax machines, and other office equipment turned off instead of using sleep mode for maximum electricity savings.

Consider Changing Out Your Energy-Wasting Appliances

Using old appliances that aren’t ENERGY STAR certified use more electricity than newer models. The cost of a new appliance is better for the environment and the energy savings allow you to break even. Keep your refrigerator full for best chilling results. Consider switching to a front-loading washing machine that uses less water.
When doing laundry, consider hanging clothes on a drying rack or a clothesline if it’s nice outside. Avoid the “Heavy Wash” and “Large Load” settings on the washing machine, these consume more water and energy.
It’s useful to only run your dishwasher when it is full since the majority of its energy consumption is from heating the water and drying the dishes. Allow them to air dry or manually dry them to save on energy costs.

Heating and Cooling

Install a programmable thermostat so you aren’t heating or cooling your home when you’re not there and adjust it to a lower temperature at night if you’re in a cooler climate and a higher temperature if you’re in a warmer climate. Most experts tend to recommend no more than 65 degrees at night for cooler climates.
Implement these simple but effective energy saving tips and start to see your utility bill shrink. Contact Valley Plumbing in Salt Lake City, UT at (801) 405-9334 to learn more about how to save on your costs.

As you deck the halls and make plans to gather the family for a holiday feast, consider your plumbing systems.
Sure, you may not think about your plumbing during the busy holiday season, but for many homeowners, this is their downfall. Plumbing headaches have a habit of cropping up at the worst of times.
To prevent a plumbing disaster during the holidays, you should take some time and pay attention to your plumbing systems. If you do this, you’ll be able to prevent the following problems and enjoy a tranquil and happy holiday season:

Problem 1: Frozen Pipes

One of the worst plumbing disasters a homeowner can face during the holidays is a burst pipe. These issues stem from frozen pipes that are exposed to cold air. To prevent this from happening, we recommend insulating your pipes with foam insulation to protect them from the cold.

Problem 2: Basement Flooding

You rely heavily on your sump pump to pump water away from your home when there is excess water on the ground. In the winter, there is increased precipitation, which leads to a harder working sump pump. For many homeowners, they only rely on the sump pump in emergency situations, leading to the motor in the pump becoming seized from disuse.
Quickly test your sump pump by pouring a bucket of water in the tank to see if it triggers the motor. If nothing happens, you’ll need to call for a professional inspection to confirm if the motor has seized.

Problem 3: Burst Pipes While You are Away

Many homeowners choose to take a vacation during the holidays. If you are leaving your home, we recommend keeping the thermostat set at 55 degrees or more. This will keep the home warm enough to prevent burst pipes and ensure you don’t come home to a mess after your vacation.

Problem 4: Spraying or Dripping Faucets

Some of the most common problems that affect the faucets in your home are corroded or worn out O-rings and washers and sediment building up in the spout.
The former causes drips and leaks while the latter causes a spraying faucet. Neither situation is ideal. Inspect your faucet before the holidays to make sure the water is flowing freely.
 

Problem 5: Inefficient Water Heater

Your water heater needs more energy to retain heat in the winter. Help it out by investing in a water heater insulator. These simple sleeves slip over the unit and protect it from the cold. This will help the unit retain heat, prevent unexpected breakdowns and help save you money on your energy bill.

Problem 6: Leaking or Freezing Outdoor Faucet

Your outdoor faucets need a little love before the holidays too. Even if you have remembered to remove the hoses, did you also remember to close the shut-off valve? The shut-off valve will keep water from entering the pipes preventing leaks and burst pipes in the area.
For more help with your holiday plumbing preparations, call Valley Plumbing today. Call 801-487-4770 today for trustworthy service in Salt Lake City, UT, and the surrounding area.