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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.

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.