For some business owners, DIY plumbing fixes just come naturally. For others, the whole concept of plumbing is a complete mystery better left to the professionals. No matter which of these two categories you fall into, it’s helpful to have a good understanding of the truth about plumbers and the activities, responsibilities and risks professional plumbers undertake day in and day out.

Plumbing is Hard Work

The amount of physical strain experienced by a professional plumber is no joke. Musculoskeletal injuries are highly common and caused by the countless number of awkward positions plumbers find themselves in regularly in order to get work done. Not to mention injuries incurred from slips or falls on wet flooring and burns from heating equipment or hot pipes.

Plumbing is Lonely

This can be a bonus for those who prefer to work alone, but the downside is you’re the only worker hauling your heavy equipment and tools. When it’s time to pull out the major machinery needed to reach areas like waste disposal lines and water supplies, you’re typically on your own.

Plumbing Requires Skills

Plumbing involves so much more than finding and fixing stubborn clogs. Plumbers are extremely skilled laborers who are experts in diagnosing your plumbing problems and determining the most effective and efficient means to solve those problems. This includes using a wide variety of equipment, understanding regulations and building codes, and reading and preparing blueprints as well.

Plumbing is Dangerous

Plumbers are often exposed to some pretty nasty conditions that can potentially make a person very sick. For instance, raw sewage can harbor many types of bacteria like dysentery, tetanus, hepatitis, salmonella, leptospirosis, E.coli, and worse. They are also exposed to many dangerous materials like lead, harsh chemical drain cleaners, and asbestos. Plumbers really do put their lives on the line every single day, which is why so important that they know what it is that needs to be done in any given situation.

The Truth About Plumbers from Action Plumbing

The professionals at Action Plumbing are proud to face whatever plumbing problems come their way, and have the training, skills, and expertise necessary to performs their jobs safely, thoroughly, and effectively. For more information about our invaluable staff of dedicated plumbers, contact us anytime.

Many business owners don’t notice common plumbing noises until nighttime when quiet has finally set in. Then suddenly, as if out of nowhere, a clank or clunk can throw you into a tailspin and make you wonder if something is seriously wrong with your plumbing system.

More often you’ll find that everyday noises are no cause for alarm, however, it’s important to note that ignoring important signals could create major problems. So how are you suppose to know the difference? Here are a few of the most common plumbing noises you may encounter with explanations to help you determine whether or not you need to take action.

Rushing Water

If you listen carefully, it can be easy to figure out whether the sound of rushing water is coming from inside a drain line or from a major leak. Remember, your dishwasher and washing machine needs to release wastewater. This wastewater is discharged directly into your drain line and heads out into your drainage system, sometimes creating an audible “whoosh” that can easily catch you off guard.

Dripping Water

Dripping water is the sound of money wasted on your water bill, and typically the sign of a leaky pipe. It could also simply be a leaky toilet or faucet, so it’s important to locate the source of the drip and determine whether it requires a simple fix or the help of a professional plumber.

Rumbling

It’s very common for sediment to build up inside your water heater. When this sediment heats up, it releases moisture into the tank, causing a rumble or popping sound. If you hear something like this happening, it’s a good sign that your water heater is in need of maintenance so that the corrosion causing sediment can be removed.

Banging

Although a loud bang can be jarring, it is often caused by a pipe hitting something nearby as your water is running through it. A common fix for this is adding additional insulation to muffle the sound.

If you have questions about the most common plumbing noises or would like to talk to a specialist to help you determine what’s causing noises in your business’s plumbing system, contact Action Plumbing today!

With the ability to go to the closest sink, turn on the faucet, and get as much water as we want, it can be easy to forget how increasingly limited our water supply is becoming. Many argue it’s being caused by several factors working together. From population changes to climate shifts and land development, the causes continue to change, but one fact does remain … water conservation is more important now than ever before. However, some critics don’t agree, and to help clear up any confusion, we’d like to address a few water conservation myths that perpetuate the issue.

Myth 1 – We Don’t Need to Conserve Water

Often an excuse used by people who’ve never experience a water shortage, it’s important that we all do our best to conserve water at every opportunity. This includes everything from small home conservation efforts, to conservation efforts made by entire metropolitan areas.

Myth 2 – Conservation Doesn’t Make a Difference

If only one person conserves water for one day, it absolutely DOES make a difference. If we work together to conserve water in a variety of ways it can add up very quickly, especially if your community is experiencing a drought.

Myth 3 – There’s More than Enough Water in the World

It’s a fact that ⅔ thirds of the earth’s surface is covered in water, however, just 1% of that is considered drinking water. And this small segment is fighting pollution contamination, all while our growing population is diminishing its supply.

Myth 4 – The Demand for Water Isn’t Increasing

With the growth explosion in our population over the last 50 years, we are undoubtedly using more and more water. Our demand for drinking water has more than double over this time.

Myth 5 – Water Shortages Only Happen in Undeveloped or Underdeveloped Areas

Although it is extremely common for underdeveloped nations to experience severe hardships because of the lack of suitable drinking water, many communities all over the U.S. experience regular droughts and need to band together to conserve water as much as possible.

Water Conservation Myths Debunked

As you can see, every little bit you can contribute to water conservation can have a tremendous impact on your home, your community, your area, and your world. Encourage others to conserve water whenever possible and help keep our fresh water supply clean and plentiful! If you have any questions about conserving water or have a leaky faucet, toilet, or pipe that is wasting water regularly, contact Action Plumbing today for assistance!

Spring has finally sprung, which means it’s time to add some quick plumbing maintenance tasks to your spring cleaning list. Here are some helpful spring plumbing tips for your business to get you started!

 

• While you’re doing your regular spring cleaning, pay special attention to your kitchen, bathroom, and appliances so you can get a realistic idea of whether or not any problems have popped up over the winter.
• Make sure you clear any debris from your gutters, downspouts, and drains so they’re ready to handle seasonal rainfall.
• Be on the lookout for leaves, sticks, and bird nests that may be clogging up your vents or pipes.
• Inspect your hose bib and faucet for cracks, especially if you forgot to remove the host in the fall.
• One of the most important spring cleaning tasks you can do is to make sure your sump pump is in good working condition. Test it out by pouring two or three buckets of water into your sump pit to make sure it turns on and off when it’s supposed to keep your plumbing system safe.
• Check out your drains by pouring a gallon of water into any that are infrequently used. This will help prevent odors by filling the trap and clue you into whether you have any slow drains that may need to be snaked.
• In order to prevent water supply valves under your sinks from sticking, turn them on and off a few times.
• If you have any drains without strainers, pick up a few and use them to prevent your drain lines from getting clogged by soap, hair, or other debris.
• Check your shower heads for built-up mineral deposits. Remove any deposits by soaking your shower head in vinegar. Soak overnight if possible and use an old toothbrush to scrub away any residual residue.
• Flush out corrosion causing sediment by draining a few gallons from your water heater tank. For instructions specific to your make and model, visit the water heater manufacturer’s website.
• Check for leaks, cracks, or bulges in the hoses for your washing machine, ice maker and dishwasher. Be sure to replace the hoses that are more than 10 years old or appear to be damaged.
• Consider installing a flood alarm that will warn you in the event you do have any flooding by sounding when it comes in contact with the water.

 

If you have any questions about our spring plumbing tips or are in need of any assistance with the tasks listed above, don’t hesitate to contact any Action Plumbing representative today.

As you walk around your office, chances are good that you’re busy thinking about things that need to get done or planning out your day. One thing you’re probably not thinking about is your plumbing (at least not most of the time).

To help put the historical significance and importance of plumbing into perspective, here’s a list of our favorite plumbing facts for business owners that you’re sure to enjoy.

1. It’s common knowledge that we spend an average of 33% of our lives sleeping, but have you ever wondered how much of your time is spent on the toilet? It’s a little known fact that we spend nearly 3 years on the toilet in one lifetime!
2. We take indoor plumbing for granted now since its successful resurgence in 1829 when Boston’s Tremont Hotel was the first hotel in the U.S. to offer this amenity. However, evidence of indoor plumbing can be dated back to 2500 B.C. in the palaces of ancient Egypt, according to archeologists.
3. The Egyptians also used one of the most popular materials we use today for their plumbing — copper piping.
4. Bathrooms have had many different names spanning over a wide variety of cultures throughout history. It was known as the “house of horror” by the Egyptians, the “necessarium” by the Romans, the “smelly house” by the French, and the “necessarium” by the Romans.
5. Albert Einstein reportedly said that he would have been a plumber if he could do it all over again. (Lucky for us he never figured how to turn back time.) In honor of his plumbing aspirations, the Plumbers and Steamfitters Union in Washington, DC gave him a set of gold-plated plumbers’ tools after making him an honorary union member.
6. In 1775, the first patent for a flushing toilet was issued to Alexander Cummings.
7. Sir John Harrington built a flushing toilet for his godmother, Queen Elizabeth in 1596, which made “John” a popular nickname for it in the U.S.
8. Enough copper piping has been installed in the U.S. since 1963 to circle the globe 200 times. It comes out to be about 5.3 million miles long, which is more than 28 billion feet!
9. Americans use nearly 40% of their household water each year by simply flushing the toilet.
10. You can save nearly 18,000 gallons of water each year by installing a low-flush toilet.
11. More than 9,000 gallons of water is wasted in an average U.S. home just running the faucet the faucet while waiting for the water to heat up.
12. While you’re wasting that 9,000 gallons you’re also wasting up to 15% of your annual heating costs!