General |

Among the most important components of your home’s plumbing system, the main sewer line holds a special place. Responsible for connecting all your home’s drain lines to a single line that runs out of the home and to your public utility supply, the main sewer line sees some of the most action of any pipe or drain in your home — and can be one of the most demanding to fix if problems take place within it.

At 24 Hour Rooter Connectionz Plumbing & Drain Cleaning, we’re here to offer a variety of services that assist in keeping your sewer line functioning optimally, from basic drain cleaning and repair methods through main sewer cleanout, sewer line repair and many other themes. It’s also important for homeowners to have a bit of knowledge on this system too, though — where it’s located, what might cause problems within it, and what the signs of these problems could be so you can quickly get our plumbers on the job if any of them happen to arise. Here’s a primer on each of these important areas.

Main Sewer Line Basics and Location

First and foremost, let’s go over exactly what the main sewer line is and where it’s located. This line runs from the piping in your home and out to your public utility supply, located in an underground line that runs along streets and through neighborhoods. It supplies all houses in the area with their wastewater — or drain water — which then gets sucked into a larger line that can be hooked up to main sewers for large cities, or local treatment plants for smaller communities.

More precisely, your home’s main sewer line will be connected to the city or town piping by a connection called a ‘street lateral’. This pipe comes directly from your home and down along the side of your house, usually covered up by landscaping so it’s not immediately visible. It leads out to this junction point with your local sewage system, where it then get funneled to the sewage line.

Common Reasons for Main Sewer Line Clogs

There are several possible reasons why your sewer line may clog, some of which are easily avoidable. Here are a few of the most common:

Repeated flushing of improper products (hygiene products, food, wipes, etc.) down the toilet
Grease and oils being regularly poured down the drains and into the main sewer line
Large amounts of hair getting caught up in the piping and causing a clog over time
Tree roots getting into the line and causing blockage
Extreme changes in temperature

Now that you know all the basics on a sewer line and why it might become clogged, our next sections will go over some of the most common signs that such a clog is occurring, plus what you should do if you notice any of them.

Low Water Pressure

If you’ve noticed a sudden, major drop in water pressure inside your home, there’s a strong chance that your main sewer line is clogged. You’ll want to get our 24 Hour Rooter Connectionz Plumbing & Drain Cleaning professionals on the job right away; it could be something as simple as grease buildup affecting the flow, or it may be much more severe like multiple blockages. You may also see water draining from a showerhead or bathroom faucet when the washing machine is running, another sign of low pressure.

Water Backups in Multiple Fixtures

If you have a backup in just a single sink or toilet, this could be limited to just that drain and due to issues like a minor blockage that’s easily remedied. However, if you notice multiple water backups happening simultaneously, then your main sewer line is probably the culprit.

In addition to signs like back up in sinks and toilets, you may also notice sewage smells coming from drains, see water coming up from floor drains, or simply see standing water where it shouldn’t be — a sure sign that something serious has occurred with your main sewer line. If you flush your toilet and see water coming up from a basement drain, for instance, this is usually a main line issue.

Slow Drains

Down similar lines, a single slow drain might not be cause for much concern, especially if there’s a simple reason for it; multiple such slow drains, on the other hand, certainly will be. This can be another sign of something going on with your main sewer line, and you’ll want to get our Rooter 24 team on the job right away to make sure your home’s plumbing systems are in good working order.

Poor Odors

Once again, a sewer line issue isn’t the only potential cause of poor plumbing odors — if these are in just a single location, you should look for other explanations first. But if you’re smelling a sewage odor coming from most or all of your plumbing fixtures, then this will be a clear sign that something has gone wrong with your main sewer line.

Flooding Yard

Finally, has water that’s clearly not coming from your sprinkler or hose system begun pooling or collecting in your yard, especially above the area where your main sewer line runs underground? This often means damage has occurred to the line itself, such as a tree root creeping into the line. You’ll want to get in touch with our team at Rooter 24 for a thorough analysis and repairs as soon as possible, to ensure that your sewer line is repaired quickly and doesn’t continue to leak.

For more on spotting the signs of a potential main sewer line clog that indicate a need for repair or cleaning, or to learn about any of our drain cleaning or main sewer line services, speak to the staff at 24 Hour Rooter Connectionz Plumbing & Drain Cleaning today.

The world of plumbing is one that features a unique interplay between clients and professional plumbers. While there are certain jobs that should only ever be carried out by professionally-trained plumbers, there are other simple plumbing tasks around the home that homeowners should handle for themselves — basic stuff like clearing drains, preventing clogs and ensuring you know the location of various shut-off valves, for instance.

At 24 Hour Rooter Connectionz Plumbing & Drain Cleaning, we’re happy to work directly with clients to assist them with any of their plumbing needs — including some of our more handy clients who like to try and DIY as many of their home needs as possible. While we encourage this in many cases and will provide support where we can, we’ve also seen situations where DIYers make costly mistakes that could have been avoided by simply calling our plumbers. Here are some of these mistakes to avoid — if you’re in these situations, it might be best to give our team a call.

Overtightening Plumbing Connections

Many home DIY plumbing tasks will involve connections, whether from one section of piping to another or from the supply end of a pipe into a fixture like a sink. When connecting these things, it’s very important that you tighten them as much as possible — but not so much that you break the products themselves.

If this happens, this means replacement parts will be necessary and likely also means you’ll need to get a professional plumber involved to ensure the connection is watertight and functional once more. Overtightening can also damage components like gaskets, which result in leaking fixtures that you’ll need to repair or replace before getting back to business as usual.

Using Drain Cleaners Too Often

If your drains are having minor clog or buildup issues, your first option here should not be chemical drain cleaners. While these tools can be effective on some occasions, they can cause damage to the internal mechanisms of your fixtures over time and should only be used in situations where more natural methods have failed.

Rather, your first attempt should be using a plunger, drain snake or some other barbed drain cleaning tool that will not eat away at your pipes. If these methods don’t do the trick, call on our team of professional plumbers at 24 Hour Rooter Connectionz Plumbing & Drain Cleaning.

Handling a Major Job Without Spare Parts

One quick way to tell an experienced DIY homeowner from a newbie in the plumbing world: Do they have a collection of spare parts handy? Plumbing is a world that requires precision; the more precision you have in your work, the fewer problems you’ll run into.

If you plan on tackling a new plumbing project on your own and don’t want to call our team of professionals, make sure that you’re carrying out all tasks with several spare parts ready for use. This will include standard items like washers and gaskets, but also more specific items like shut-off valves, air vents and piping connectors.

Using Improper Tools

Down similar lines, one of the most common DIY mistakes we see involves using the wrong tools for a job. If you’re trying to remove a corroded nut with a wrench when it’s best done with a socket wrench, you’ll end up causing significant damage to the nut and likely also scratch or warp the surface of your fixture in some way.

If you’re going to take on plumbing projects around your home, make sure that you’re using the appropriate tools for each task — this includes both standard hand tools and more advanced tools like pipe cutters, drain snakes, crimpers and saws. If you have questions here, call our team; if you’re inexperienced with using a recommended tool, this is one of those situations where leaving the job to the pros might be the right call.

Confusing Wyes, Tees and Elbows

Drain fittings are often an area DIYers try to attend to on their own, but they will commonly mix up the difference between wyes, tees and elbows. The primary function of all three is to join different pipes together — that said, there are key differences between them:

Wyes: Wyes feature a circular base that is connected to three different hoses, making them best suited for use in sinks.
Tees: Tees are similar to wyes but feature a more pointed joint between the circles’ connection points.
Elbows: Elbows are used when you want to turn a pipe at an angle rather than allow it to continue its original direction.

If you’re unsure of the difference between wyes, tees and elbows, our team can help — or, better yet, invest in some reliable reference guides so that you’ll know for next time you’re tackling a job around your home.

Using the Wrong Tape (Or Using the Right Tape Incorrectly)

Another common need within the plumbing world is the use of tape, including Teflon tape that’s often wrapped around various pipe threads. This tape must be wrapped in the right direction — but some DIYers wrap it backward, inadvertently causing major leaks and other issues. If you’re going to be using Teflon tape on your own, make sure that you double check the direction of the wraps (toward the pipe threads rather than away from them) both before and after you’ve completed the job — this will ensure long-term effectiveness.

In addition, it’s vital to ensure you’re using the right tape to begin with. Thin white or thick pink thread tape should be used for fittings that carry water; yellow gas-rated tape should be used for threaded gas line connections. Thread tape should never be used on compression or flare fittings, either.

For more on avoiding common DIY plumbing mistakes, or to learn about any of our drain cleaning or other plumbing services in Utah, speak to the staff at 24 Hour Rooter Connectionz Plumbing & Drain Cleaning today.

Time and simple wear-and-tear pose threats to various plumbing systems in your home, and a good example here is corrosion that may show up in certain pipes. Corrosion can be caused by several different factors, and leads to issues in both your pipes and the water they transport throughout your plumbing system — but it can also be prevented or remedied if you’re paying attention in the right areas.

At 24 Hour Rooter Connectionz, we’re happy to offer numerous services that assist with problems in your pipes and drains, from simple drain cleaning up through main sewer line repair and replacement. We’ve helped many clients deal with corrosion and other risks to their drains or other pipe systems, and we’ll do the same for you if you’re experiencing these issues. Here’s a primer on how pipe corrosion happens, how it affects you water and your plumbing, and how you can prevent and/or remove corrosion concerns from any part of your plumbing setup.

Pipe Corrosion Basics and Causes

Corrosion refers to an exchange of electrons, one that creates wear-and-tear on a molecular level. When it becomes significant enough, it will lead to visible concerns like rust, clogs and leaks. It can happen in various different pipe materials, from copper to cast iron.

Corrosion can arise from a number of sources, including:

Low PH: PH levels under 7 indicate acidic water, and this can lead to corrosion of your pipes.
Excessive heat: Temperature changes in the liquid passing through a pipe will impact areas where metal has started to erode due to corrosion.
The deposition of minerals: Chlorides, sulfates and carbonates can all cause erosion of the metal in your pipes.
High quantities of oxygen: Oxygen in normal levels isn’t a problem for pipes, but high concentrations can lead to corrosion through oxidization.
Electrical currents: In other cases, ungrounded electrical currents can create corrosion.
Water velocity: Water traveling at a very high velocity, especially if it’s hot, may wear down or corrode pipes earlier than expected.

Impact of Corrosion on Water

Corrosion may affect your actual water supply in various ways, including:

A change in taste: Corrosion may lead to the formation of iron bacteria, which can affect the taste of your water.
Contamination with other substances: Pipes that are corroding and leaking can allow contaminants into your supply, potentially leading to sewage issues or other concerns as well.
Unusual cloudiness: Cloudy or murky water may indicate that corrosion is becoming an issue for your pipes.
Health issues: In the worst cases, corrosion leads to contamination that, in turn, can cause health problems in humans or pets.

Now, which of these impacts actually takes place will depend in some part on the pipe material in question. Iron pipes, for interest, may turn your water a different color or change its taste when they’re corroded, but will not pose any health risks; lead pipes, on the other hand, pose significant health concerns when they’re corroded, one of the main reasons they’re less popular today.

Impact of Corrosion on Plumbing

And while the impact on your water is obviously of major concern in many cases of corrosion, this isn’t even the full extent of the problem. Rather, water pipe corrosion also causes several major issues to your pipes and other plumbing system components, including:

Erosion of the pipe itself: Corroding iron or steel pipes will deteriorate over time.
Leaking: This is especially common in corroded areas where water has become trapped, and can lead to flooding of your floors and other issues.
Increased water pressure: Water velocity increases as pipes corrode, leading to pressure concerns that may lead to burst pipes.
Mold or mildew growth: Leaking and trapped water can lead to excess moisture, which in turn can create the perfect environment for mold growth.

Preventing Pipe Corrosion

Luckily, there are some very basic steps you can take to prevent corrosion from taking place in your pipes before it ever becomes a problem. The simplest method is through basic water testing, in which you can determine the PH levels of your water. If levels are under 7, as we noted above, there’s a good chance your pipes are corroded and there’s too much acidity in your water supply — and you can get right to work removing this corrosion before it worsens.

Even if PH level is not under 7, you’ll still want to consider using a water softener in order to prevent further corrosion before it takes place. And if you actually have acidic water at any point, consider using a reverse osmosis system or just buying a lot of bottled water for drinking and cooking purposes — you may not be able to solve the corrosion problem itself, but you can at least prevent other problems from taking place.

Remedying Pipe Corrosion

The best time to address a potential corrosion problem with your pipes is before it happens, of course. But there are some steps that can help in more serious cases of corrosion, as well. The simplest task here is to clean pipes of any visible corrosion, but this will only have so much of an impact.

One additional option here is to use a trenchless pipe repair system, which allows professionals to conduct repairs without needing to dig up or otherwise disrupt your pipes. These are great in many situations because they don’t require any of the additional damage and secondary issues that come with more invasive methods; however, they often do require professional assistance in order to get the job done, and may not be suitable for certain types of pipe.

Another option is an epoxy lining system, which can be used to coat corroded sections of your iron or steel pipes, creating a new protective barrier that ensures against further corrosion. Again, these are typically best left to the pros unless you have experience with similar solutions.

For more on avoiding corrosion concerns in your water pipes, or to learn about any of our drain cleaning or other services, speak to the staff at 24 Hour Rooter Connectionz today.

If your home needs a new water heater, you have multiple options available to you on today’s market. These include traditional water heaters, which contain a tank that holds and warms your water throughout the day, but they also include modern options known as tankless water heaters, which utilize no tank and instead create on-demand hot water for the homes they’re installed in.

At 24 Hour Rooter Connectionz Plumbing & Drain Cleaning, we’re happy to offer numerous water heater services, including basic repair and replacement tips for situations where your current heater is wearing down or aging. If you’re considering a tankless water heater, we’re happy to provide you with tips and expertise in this realm, including recommendations on when the ideal time is to make this change. Here’s a primer on tankless water heaters and whether they might be a worthwhile upgrade for your home.

How Does a Tankless Water Heater Work?

Also known as on-demand water heaters, tankless water heaters are modern options that utilize no tank and instead produce the hot water that your home needs when you need it. Traditional water heaters utilize a tank to hold the water that’s been heated, keeping this energy from being wasted throughout the day.

Tankless units use pumps that force warm tap water through coils to produce hot water as needed, saving power while providing you an endless stream of hot water. This heat is provided by either a gas-fired burner or an electric unit, with both these serving as viable options depending on your home’s power sources and your personal preferences.

Tankless water heaters are available in a variety of sizes, ranging from 25-100 gallons. For most homes under 3,500 square feet and that feature three to four bathrooms, 50 gallons is typically more than enough hot water for your needs. The numbers on your tank’s model will correspond roughly to the amount of gallons it can hold at a time, so be sure to measure your home and your expected water usage before purchasing one of these units.

General Benefits of Tankless Water Heaters

Tankless water heaters offer several distinct benefits over traditional water heaters, including each of the following:

Efficiency: Tankless water heaters are generally more energy efficient than conventional models, largely because they do not need to spend all day constantly heating water; rather, they only heat it when needed.
Cost savings: According to HomeAdvisor, you can expect to save an average of $130 per year in energy costs if you switch from a traditional water heater to a tankless unit. This money can go toward other projects around your home or provide you with extra savings.
Convenience: Tankless water heaters provide hot water on demand, so if you need a shower in the morning or to run the washing machine in the evening, your unit will be able to provide this energy without delay. This convenience can allow you to reduce your total home energy consumption, compared with a traditional model that must run throughout the entire day to keep water hot.
Safety: Tankless units also provide improved safety, and gas models can ensure your home is free from carbon monoxide poisoning.

Disadvantages of Tankless Water Heaters

Although tankless water heaters offer some distinct advantages over traditional models, they do have a few disadvantages as well, including the following:

Installation cost: Installing a tankless water heater can be expensive. While you’ll see significant savings over time, it’s important to have a realistic budget and consider what installation costs will do to your home’s bottom line.
Space: Tankless water heaters are smaller than traditional tank options, but there could be some situations where their fit isn’t as ideal.

Tankless Water Heater Recommendations

When deciding on whether to install a tankless water heater, consider each of these elements:

Type of tankless water heater: Tankless water heaters come in various forms, including gas models that provide additional safety.
Installation cost: You’ll need to assess how much it costs to install your new unit, plus how quickly you can recoup up-front costs due to improved efficiency.
Energy efficiency: Tankless water heaters are generally more efficient than traditional options and can help you save money, but you’ll want to decide on a specific model and be aware of its specific efficiency factors and how these compare to traditional models.
Your home’s water usage: Tankless water heaters that provide a greater volume of hot water can help you save money throughout the day by ensuring that your family has all the hot water it needs, rather than letting it go unused. In tank options, significant amounts of water are often wasted.
Storage space available: Tankless water heaters are much smaller than traditional units, and can even be mounted on the wall rather than sitting on the floor.
Impact on home value: Tankless water heaters cost more up front, but also improve property value and curb appeal. It’s important to consider how this upgrade will affect your personal financial situation, and how these improvements may drive value when you’re ready to sell your home.
Do you prefer endless hot water, or a higher flow rate? Tankless water heaters are limited to about five gallons of hot water per minute, while traditional heater flow rates are higher.

Schedule a Tankless Water Heater Consultation

Our team of plumbers is here to help if you’re considering a tankless water heater, but unsure if you should pull the trigger. We’ll visit your home and perform a full consultation, then offer our recommendations. Call the team at 24 Hour Rooter Connectionz today to book an appointment, and we’ll help you find the right tankless water heater for your home!

When it comes to your drain cleaning needs throughout Utah, the team at 24 Hour Rooter Connectionz is your one-stop shop. We’ve been providing drain cleaning, main sewer line clearing and numerous related services to Utahns for years, helping them keep drains clear and avoid the costly issues that may arise if drains or sewer lines are blocked, damaged or otherwise impacted.

In addition to our comprehensive drain cleaning services, we’re also here to provide expertise and important information that will help you with the long-term care of your drains and main sewer line, even when our plumbers aren’t around in-person to assist you with it. One particular area we often advise clients on: The use – or, more appropriately, lack thereof – of chemical drain cleaners. While these cleaners are often the first tools homeowners reach for when a drain is clogged, we do not recommend this practice for several reasons. Here are these reasons, plus a word on proper drain protection and how to avoid the need for chemical drain cleaners altogether.

Lack of Effectiveness

The first and simplest reason we don’t recommend chemical cleaners for your drains: They just aren’t that effective, no matter what their commercials or labels might tell you. While they’ll do fine clearing out certain kinds of minor clogs, they will struggle in a major way with anything more significant – if the clog is due to damage in your pipe, for instance, chemical cleaners will not only have no impact, but might even worsen the damage (more on this in a moment).

Compared to other drain cleaning and care methods, including pipe jetting and other formats, these chemicals just don’t do a very good job. And when you combine this with the other major downsides they come with, you’ll see that there’s very little benefit to using them.

Pipe Damage

We just noted the potential for drain chemicals to worsen pipe damage, but that isn’t even the full extent of the risk here. Especially for pipes that have had chemicals poured down them several times to clear them out, particularly within a short period of time, these chemicals will do more than just clear out clogs – they’ll also risk the quality of your pipes.

This is because these chemicals are meant to eat away at materials to help remove clogs, something that also requires the presence of heat. But this erosion may also take place on pipes, especially older metal ones; in addition, the heat created during the chemical reactions may damage PVC and other plastic pipes by making them too soft, and therefore unable to properly hold up to the elements.

Safety Concerns

Not only are chemical drain cleaners less effective and prone to creating just as many problems as they do solutions, they’re also potentially hazardous and unsafe in a few settings. Here are some of the risks they carry:

Dangerous to children or pets: If you have kids or pets in the home, keeping chemical drain cleaners around risks them being exposed to dangerous chemicals. Any chemicals in your home should always be stored well above where children or pets can access them, if they must be present at all.
Fumes: Especially if you’ve used different types of drain cleaner in the same drain over time, it’s possible for a chemical reaction to begin brewing within your system. For instance, some cleaners use ammonium while others use bleach – this combination can lead to toxic fumes beginning to emit around your home, sometimes without you even knowing it.
Improper use: Finally, if used improperly – such as in a poorly-ventilated area, without gloves or safety equipment, or in coordination with a plunger (this should never be done) – these chemicals can create direct safety issues, not only to kids but to adults as well.

Impact on Environment

Another big negative of chemical drain cleaners is the impact they have on the environment. Bleach isn’t the only potentially harmful chemical found in these cleaners, many of which emit gasses that not only impact those who live in the house, but also can get into the water supply and impact surrounding areas. Chemical cleaners move from your drain into the septic tank, where they may then be filtered and released into groundwater – this is harmful to the surrounding environment, plus could be avoided by simply taking other approaches to your drain cleaning.

Drain Protection and Cleanouts

That last sentence above is perhaps the most convincing argument against using chemical drain cleaners: There are better alternatives out there. The first of these is simple drain knowledge and care during daily use – use drains properly, especially toilet drains, and don’t allow them to become dumping grounds for materials that might clog the drain and create issues. In addition, have drains periodically inspected or cleaned out to ensure they don’t deal with any grime or other buildups across a period of months or years.

And as you dig into this latter area, the value of working with experienced drain care professionals becomes clear. We’ll help you limit your drain clearing services only to those that you truly need, avoiding the risk of spending more money than required on simple drain care. We also offer general expertise on how to keep drains clear in the months between our drain inspections, ensuring you won’t have any need for chemicals or other drain cleaning solutions in these months.

For more on the problems with chemical drain cleaners, or to learn about any of our drain cleaning or sewer line clearing services, speak to the staff at 24 Hour Rooter Connectionz today.

The hottest part of the Utah summer is fast approaching, and for those dealing with an older or worn-down air conditioning unit, getting it replaced before the dead of summer hits is very important. And if you’re in a position where you’re considering upgrading or replacing your AC unit, one of several important facets here involves having a proper understanding of the new unit you purchase and its primary features.

At 24 Hour Rooter Connectionz, we’re here to offer numerous air conditioner services and other HVAC solutions in Utah, in addition to our high-quality drain cleaning and plumbing services. We’ve assisted many clients with not only high-quality air conditioner repair and related solutions, but also with understanding the important components and features of an AC unit if you’re considering replacing yours. Here are several of the important factors to keep in mind while you’re learning more about outdoor air conditioner units.

Models, Stages and Speeds

First and foremost, beware that there are a number of different air conditioner models out there, with varying features and qualities. Generally speaking, there are three model types you’ll be considering for a new AC unit:

Single-stage: The most basic model, one that includes simple controls that only allow for simple on or off switching by the user. These are usually found in older homes and are less common for new units, though they do still exist.
Two-stage: This model comes with multiple cooling features, usually a high- and low-stage option in most cases. This allows for improved comfort levels plus less strain on the AC unit itself over the years.
Variable-speed: The very best AC units today, however, are known as variable-speed units. These come with multiple speed or stage options for cooling, allowing the system to toggle between them and maximize both occupant comfort and limited strain to interior components. While these are the most expensive units, they’re also the ones that will provide you the best efficiency and features.

Cooling Capacity

In addition to choosing an ideal unit in terms of model and speed, it’s important to consider cooling capacity as well. This is measured in BTUs (British Thermal Units) or SACCs (Seasonally Adjusted Cooling Capacity), the latter of which is newer and only seen on some models. Within BTUs, which are more common, a typical outdoor unit required roughly 20-25 BTUs for each square foot of living space it will be cooling.

While you should also speak to a trustworthy HVAC professional about your specific cooling capacity needs before ordering, this is a simply way to get a general idea of how much capacity you should be targeting. Meeting this capacity threshold is important, but so is ensuring you don’t go too far over it, as an AC unit with too high a capacity will create issues like short-cycling and overuse of energy.

Warranty Considerations

Next up, for any new AC unit you’re considering, you want to keep warranty high in mind. Typically, a manufacturer’s warranty will come with any new AC unit that’s purchased, and these tend to be pretty similar across most manufacturers: They’re usually either one or two years in length, and cover parts and labor for the unit.

Now, one very important additional consideration for any warranty: Your ability to stay within it and not void it. There are several elements that may be required here to maintain a manufacturer’s warranty, from yearly inspections of the unit to certain requirements in terms of air quality or quantity. You will have to be sure the unit is run properly and is not exposed to any premature wear-down risks that might void the warranty.

Energy Efficiency

Another important metric to be aware of when it comes to an AC unit is the SEER rating, or seasonal energy efficiency ratio rating. This number describes how energy-efficient a given unit is, with a higher rating corresponding to a more efficient unit.

Many units with high SEER ratings will not only have efficient features, but also the ability to turn into an energy-saving mode that turns off the fan when the thermostat signals the compressor to turn off (this won’t happen in many standard units). And while you may have rightly guessed that units with higher SEER ratings may cost more, the result is a more efficient system that limits your costs and recoups this higher price quickly.

Noise Control

You’ll also want to think about noise control, especially if you plan to install the unit near your bedroom window or anywhere close to your patio where people spend time. Many modern models today have multi-stage compressors that operate in virtual silence, but older single-stage models we went over above will generally be a bit louder. Even if you’re considering a louder model, though, you can look into an item like a sound blanket that will limit noise during operation without impacting the quality of the machine.

Humidity and Other Comfort Features

Finally, there are many modern AC models that offer humidity control levels, plus help improve home comfort. These options are much better when paired with a variable-speed unit, as humidity control is far easier to attain when the system is operating at lower speeds. In addition, variable-speed units do better at pulling humidity out of the air, which makes your cooling faster and more efficient as well.

Finally, if you have room in your budget, you may consider other comfort features that vary widely based on the models you’re looking into.

For more on the important qualities to consider in an AC unit, or to learn about any of our HVAC, drain cleaning or other plumbing services in Utah, speak to the staff at 24 Hour Rooter Connectionz today.

There are many areas of home plumbing where both homeowners and professional plumbers will play varying roles, and drain quality is a good example here. While it’s the responsibility of a homeowner and those living in a given home to take good care of their drains and maintain general drain quality, plumbers also regularly assist clients with long-term maintenance themes like drain cleaning, drain repair and others that may impact water flow in your important drains plus your main sewer line.

At 24 Hour Rooter Connectionz, we’re proud to serve as your one-stop shop when it comes to all drain cleaning, sewer line repairs and numerous other plumbing and HVAC services. We work directly with and in support of our clients, assisting with everything from basic tips on how to care for your drains to specific services like drain cleanout or pipe jetting. This includes assistance with certain DIY home areas for drains – but also certain themes you should not try to handle on your own, and should rather be leaving for our plumbers for both safety and quality reasons. Here’s a detailed primer on several DIY drain care areas, from daily usage to chemicals and other solutions, plus when it’s time to swallow your pride and call in a plumber for assistance.

Improper Drain Usage

First and foremost, one of the top causes of drain issues within homes is improper usage of said drains to begin with. Specifically, there are numerous products or materials put down drains, whether we’re talking sink drains, toilet drains or others, that simply should never go down them. These items may include all of the following:

Starchy items like pasta, rice, potatoes and others (these should not go down the garbage disposal, either)
Greases, fats or various forms of oil
Eggshells and various types of bones
Stringy or fibrous foods that may create blockages
Coffee grounds
Tissues, paper towels and other related products
Feminine products like sanitary napkins and others
“Flushable” wipes (this term is deceptive, at best)
Clumps of hair

Rather, drains should be heavily limited in terms of what goes down them. Most water and liquids are okay, at least in sink drains – but toilet drains should have nothing but human waste and approved toilet paper products flushed down them, period. You’d be surprised how quickly you may be dealing with major drain or main sewer line issues in your home if you’re regularly sending unapproved items down the drain.

Drain Chemical Issues

For many dealing with any kind of drain clog, the first approach is to reach for the chemical drain cleaner as a solution. And while this sort of product might indeed help with your temporary problem, it’s actually doing more harm than good in the long run.

This is because drain cleaners made from chemicals are harmful to your pipes over time. Many of their bottles claim to be “safe” for pipes or have qualities that reduce corrosion, but these are not true – all drain cleaning chemicals will wear down your drain over time, and could eventually lead to major cracking or leaks.

The only commercial liquid that you should ever use to clean your drains is an all-natural enzymatic product. These use natural enzymes to break down materials clogging up drains, enzymes that will have no impact on the actual pipes themselves over the course of a period of time. However, these solutions will only work for minor clogs, not for more significant ones.

Simple DIY Solutions

Luckily, there are two very simple DIY solutions that are generally available for standard drain clogs or even routine drain cleanouts. These are as follows:

Hot water: Heat your tap to very hot, but just before boiling point. Take a large pot of this water and pour it down the drain that’s in need of cleaning, then wait just a minute or two before pouring a similar amount of cool water down the same drain. The hot water that comes first will loosen up many clog types, including melting certain stuck-on buildups, while the cold water second will flush away any clogs you’ve just dealt with.
Baking soda and vinegar: Pour half a cup of baking soda down the drain in question, then follow that up with a half cup of vinegar. This is best done at night after the drain is done being used, and allows you to let it sit overnight. In the morning, flush the drain with hot water and notice how much clearer it is.

Other Options

If the above issues do not work for a clog you’re experiencing in a drain, you have a couple physical solutions you might consider as well:

Plunger: The type of plunger you use will depend on which drain you’re dealing with, but it will likely either be a cup or flange plunger. This item allows you to create a major seal of air around the drain, then push the clog through the drain so it’s no longer an issue.
Snake or auger: This is a tool that’s fed through the drain, with a handle that spins and hooks onto any clogging items, allowing you to pull them out.

Calling in the Pros

No matter your level of comfort or experience with any of the above DIY areas, it’s vital to have a local plumber on-hand to assist if things move beyond the point where your sills are viable. For some homeowners, this might mean assistance with certain parts of what we’ve already gone over here if you’re not comfortable; in other cases, handy homeowners will only call in our plumbers for detailed jobs like sewer line jetting or others that require specific professional training.

For more on DIY methods to prevent drain clogs plus important mistakes to avoid within these, or to learn about any of our drain cleaning, other plumbing or even HVAC services, speak to the staff at 24 Hour Rooter Connectionz today.

The main sewer line of any home is one of the most important plumbing locations on that property, and it may be exposed to a few unique threats or risks due to its placement underground in your front or back yard. One such potential threat that you at least have some degree of control over: Tree roots that may infiltrate your sewer line from nearby trees on the property, causing damage, leaks and related issues.

At 24 Hour Rooter Connectionz Plumbing & Drain Cleaning, we’re happy to help with a variety of main sewer line repair services, including for issues where tree or plant roots have impacted your line. Why is this a potential issue for many homeowners depending on the location of trees or plants in your yard, and what can you do to take precautions and ensure this issue isn’t a risk for your main water line? Here are some of the key factors you should be aware of and keeping an eye on as a home or property owner, including a note on which trees tend to have the most invasive root systems.

Tree Root Growth and Main Sewer Line

First and foremost, for those who are unfamiliar with this realm altogether, a quick word on how this issue takes place. Most of us are well aware that trees and plants have root systems below the earth, but some don’t realize how extensive these can be – especially for many tree species.

Tree roots can extend dozens of feet in any direction below their hosts, and they’re capable of sensing where water is located. As such, if they’re planted close to your main sewer line, they may grow toward it in search of the water that’s inside it – and in some cases, may even grow into the pipe itself, cracking or completely damaging the pipe’s exterior in the process. If this happens, this becomes one of the most expensive plumbing repairs out there. Rather than deal with this issue, take some basic precautions involving the trees and plants in your yard and your main sewer line.

Pipe Location and Space

The first basic precaution to take here is finding out and noting where your main sewer line sits within the yard, plus the location of any other pipes or plumbing systems. In many cases, this information can be obtained simply by calling the national 811 “Call Before You Dig” number that helps you find the location of underground utilities. If this is not the case, contact our team for assistance. Our plumbers will be able to easily identify the location of your main sewer line and any other underground pipes in your yard.

Once you know this location, take some time to measure the distance from the pipe to any major trees or plants in the area. Trees should have 20 to 30 feet of space between them and the location where any major pipes are, especially if they’re known to have expansive root systems. In addition, such trees should also be placed at least this far away from the home foundation, as tree roots can also damage this expensive home element.

Water and Nutrients

Another big theme here to avoid any infiltration of your sewer or pipes from roots: Ensuring the roots have the proper water and nutrients to begin with, which will make them less likely to reach out and invade other areas.

For whichever trees or plants you have in your yard, you should be doing research on the proper nutrients and watering quantities they require – and then meeting these needs regularly. In addition, if you’re planting any new trees or shrubs, we recommend going for options that don’t have extensive root systems (in a moment we’ll go over some of the tree types that have the most extensive roots).

Maintenance and Prevention Themes

Also vita here is maintenance of the actual sewer line itself, which should be done regularly through basic inspection and any required cleaning or other services. If you leave your main sewer line without any services for several years, for instance, it may develop cracks or leaks on its own – and these, in turn, will expose more water, nutrients and oxygen to the soil, which will attract nearby tree roots.

For some, prevention of sewer line issues is important enough to take proactive action. The main tool at your disposal here is a root growth barrier, which involves slow-release chemicals that keep roots away from the sewer line area. There are also simple physical barriers that do not involve any chemicals for this purpose. We often recommend these kinds of prevention techniques to clients who have had previous root growth issues into their pipes or other parts of their system, as this signals aggressive roots that should be controlled in some manner.

Trees to Avoid

As we noted above, we strongly recommend avoiding aggressive root systems if you’re planning new trees anywhere in the vicinity of your main sewer line or other plumbing pipes. There are many tree varieties out there that have relatively limited roots, or even those whose roots primarily grow horizontally rather than vertically and will not be as great a risk to your system.

On the flip side, there are a few trees we recommend avoiding for this purpose: Willows, maple, elm and poplar trees chief among them. If you already have one of these trees on your property, we advise great care and regular inspection of your sewer line (we offer video inspections if you need one) – if not, you should look in another direction for your new trees if you’ve had sewer line issues in the past or are worried about them moving forward.

For more on avoiding tree root infiltration into your main sewer line, or to learn about any of our drain cleaning, sewer line repair or emergency plumbing services, speak to the plumbers at 24 Hour Rooter Connectionz Plumbing & Drain Cleaning today.

Dishwasher maintenance might not be on the top of your to-do list, but it’s not time-consuming or difficult, and it could save you thousands when you count the cost of water damage that could result from a leaking appliance.

As a homeowner, maybe you’re not an expert in plumbing, but you do care about your kitchen appliances. We’re here for you when you need expert help, but we’re also here to let you know what you can do on your end to keep your dishwasher in good working order.

What Do I Do If My Dishwasher Is Leaking Water?

Taking care of the dishwasher maintenance tasks listed below can help you prevent water leaks:

Check the Gasket: The gasket is the seal that surrounds the dishwasher — your favorite, hard-working appliance. If this tears or peels off, you could easily have a water leak next cycle. Regularly inspect the gasket to make sure it’s fully attached and isn’t torn. You can find a replacement product at most home improvement or hardware stores, and they’re relatively easy to put on yourself.
Inspect the Spray Arm: The spray arm is the spinning part that rotates and blasts water at your food-crusted plates. In other words, it serves an important function. Make sure the spray arm isn’t stuck or clogged with food particles. Also, check that it doesn’t become warped or cracked. This will severely decrease the efficiency of your appliance.
Examine the Drain Hose: The drain hose carries away dirty water, and if it begins to leak, you have a problem. Prevention is the best medicine, so make sure you check the drain hose periodically to check for loose connections or hose damage.
Clean the Interior Regularly to Prevent Odors: Since your dishwasher deals with the dirty stuff, you need to proactively deodorize to keep your appliance fresh-smelling. Use detergent to scrub the inside and run a cleaning cycle with specially made dishwasher deodorizer. Clean the filter too — this can get clogged with food particles and contribute to bad smells.
Take Care of the Dish Racks: Always repair dish racks when they break so they don’t rust or interfere with the appliance’s function. Don’t overload it! It’s tempting to try to slip one more plate in, but it could interrupt spray patterns and leave some dishes dirty.

Call in the Professionals to Fix Your Leaking Dishwasher

Looking for more helpful dishwasher maintenance tips, or maybe a fast, affordable repair? Call Connectionz Heating, Plumbing & Air today.

Should you call for furnace repair? Maybe it’s that extra sweater you had to wear all night. Maybe it’s the strange hum you heard while walking by the basement stairs. When in doubt, check this list for the top eight signs you should call Connectionz for furnace repair.

1. Your Heating Bills Skyrocket

You used to be able to predict how much you’d spend in heating bills every winter.

Not anymore.

Now you notice that every month the heating bills get higher than the last, and not just by a few dollars. That’s a sure sign your furnace isn’t performing as efficiently as it should, and we can help diagnose the reason.

2. Some Parts of Your Home Are Hot, Others Are Cold

Your furnace might be working fine, but is the ductwork in need of repair? This could be the reason behind the high heating bills, especially if some parts of your home are cold while other areas are hot.

Either way, it’s good for us to check out the system to resolve the problem.

3. You Continually Find Yourself Setting the Temperature Higher

You can’t stop turning up the heat! No matter what you set the temperature to, you always seem to need to crank it higher. That’s a sure sign it’s time for furnace repair.

4. You Hear Strange Noises

Your furnace shouldn’t make loud noises or strange sounds. Banging, clanking and clanging are signs of a problem.

5. Your Air Quality Has Dropped

Dusty air isn’t good for your respiratory system. If changing the furnace filter doesn’t help, call a professional.

6. Your Furnace Never Stops Running

If your furnace runs nonstop, you’ll see a spike in utility bills! We can find the source of the problem quickly.

7. You Smell Fuel

This is an emergency! Turn off the heat and call us right away. We may suggest you vacate the house until we can contain any active fuel leaks and guarantee it’s safe for you to return.

8. You Can’t Remember the Last Furnace Service Appointment

As a rule, you should have your furnace serviced at least annually. If you can’t remember the last time you had this done, schedule an appointment now and avoid all these other symptoms.

Furnace repair is efficient and affordable when you trust Connectionz Plumbing, Heating & Air. Call us anytime — we can solve your heating problems.