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!

 

There are typically two kinds of people in this world … the kind who have zero interest in the inner workings of their business’ plumbing systems and the kind who need to know every intricacy imaginable. For those of you who have little interest, it’s easy to fall into the trap of believing in common myths perpetuated online about how your plumbing really works. Here are a few of the most common weird plumbing myths clarified to help you demystify the plumbing in your business.

Myth #1 Plungers Fix Everything

Sure, plungers can certainly come in handy, especially for everyday issues. However, using a plunger for a serious clog can actually make it worse! Know when it’s time to put down the plunger and call a professional.

Myth #2 Leaky Faucets Are Okay

Remember … leaky faucets = wasted water, and wasted water is bad. Period. Even the slightest drip can lead to a huge amount of water lost each year. So do your part, save some water (and some money) and get those leaky faucets fixed asap.

Myth #3 In the Southern Hemisphere Water Drains Clockwise

Sorry to say, but this all too common myth is completely false. The direction water circulates has nothing to do with where you live and everything to do with something called the Coriolis force and the actual structure of your plumbing.

Myth #4 Animals Can’t Swim Into Your Toilet

It’s actually not that uncommon for a creepy critter to navigate through your pipes and pop up in your toilet bowl. Some of the more adventurous are snakes and rats, so it’s always a good idea to keep your eyes open just in case.

Myth #5 It’s Okay to Flush Your Goldfish

So this is a tough one because you can flush a dead fish down the toilet, but a fish that’s alive is definitely a no-no. Why? Believe it or not, these fish can actually reproduce and grow to become oversized, freaky giants, causing havoc on the eco-system.