3 Ways to Prevent a Slab Leak!

Today’s top plumbing lessons involve slab leaks; also known as a foundation leak, and a concrete leak. Knowing what a slab leak is and the many wayas in which you, the Annapolis home or business owner, can prevent such leaks. These leaks, folks, are tiny, pinhole leaks that appear within the copper water lines in the concrete flooring of the foundation of your home.

The good news is that there are symptoms for a person with a watchful eye like a plumber. The not-so-good-news is that slab leaks, for most homes, is just a matter of time before the water line breaks or leaks. This why your local plumbing company is, or can be, your very best friend.

#1 – Slab Leak Prevention And Education That Will Help Your Plumber!

* A sudden increase in your water bill

* Wet base boards or planters adjacent to the home

* Continuing sound of running water

* Cracks in the baseboards, wall, flooring and tiles

* Damp carpet and/or wood flooring

* Continuing running of your hot water heater

* Sudden increase in the humidity in your home

Note: In discovering you have a slab leak, the first 24 to 48 hours is critical and the time to contact your local plumbing company experts forthwith. Unless you want continued water damage and future mold making a new home, make the call.

#2 – Water in your home or business is traveling way too fast or too slow.

Ergo, you may not recognize the math but your Annapolis plumber will. If the speed of the water in the system exceeds 7 feet per second, the water will take the copper along with it which could be a nasty “ouch.” Water traveling too slow will heat up the calcium and minerals suspended in the water. This allows the water to congeal together, get heavy, and ultimately “stick” to the bottom of the pipe.

#3 – Poor quality craftsmanship.

This is where a cheap plumbing company earns their money. When making an inspection your plumber may discover that whoever did the work did not sleeve the copper pipe in plastic; a necessary requirement. Without a sleeve, the pipe rubs up and down against dirt, small rocks and pebbles in the ground as the water vibrates, ultimately causing the exterior to wear out. Also, remember that your conundrum may require a copper repiping overhead, or a copper reroute and your plumbing company won’t fail to epoxy coating the new piping, either.

Don’t let a slab leak destroy your Annapolis home! Call Heidler, Inc. at (410) 268-7191 to get it fixed.

WHY IS ANNUAL MAINTENANCE ON YOUR WATER HEATER IMPORTANT?

A water heater is any appliance you use to raise the water temperature in your home. It’s one of the most ignored devices at home. It works faithfully in the background. You don’t think about it as long as it’s working. But there is a need to maintain your water heater. For longevity, annual maintenance of your water heater is critical.

EFFICIENCY

As the water is pumped in and out of your tank from our Annapolis water supply, mineral deposits collect on the bottom. If your region is served by hard water, the sediment collection is even faster. The sediments are ugly and substantially reduce the efficiency of your water heater.

Your heater has to use more energy to do the same job. This inefficiency is reflected on your electricity consumption bill. The sediments if left unchecked increases the corrosion rate. This may lead you to replace the entire unit because of a small problem.

WATER HEATER MALFUNCTION

One day you may turn your shower only to be hit by cold water. That’s when it hits you your faithful servant has died. Your heater has broken down. A mere maintenance could have prevented this expense you barely can afford. Often, the causes are much cheaper to prevent than repair. Hence, annual maintenance saves you a lot of money.

MONEY SAVER

Support will allow technicians to detect a worn out anode and replace it. They will also clean your tank increasing your heater efficiency. Every tank is equipped with a long replaceable rod of zinc that is attacked first by corrosion. It’s called the anode. Replacing it is important. Its inspection and replacement are an important part of the technician’s job. It’s the small thing they do that saves the big buck.

ACCIDENTS

You have all heard of water heater explosions or electrocutions. Lack of maintenance causes all these problems. Electrocutions are especially frequent with instant shower types. These water heaters are of the tankless type where a coil heats the water. If the heater is not well earthed, the results can be catastrophic.

In Annapolis and abroad, water heaters need constant maintenance. It saves you not only unpleasant surprises but also money. When it comes to your choice of maintenance technicians, you need to make a wise choice. Make sure the company is registered. Also, check on its reviews online. Ensure it has the right manpower to handle your type of water heater.

If you haven’t had your Annapolis, MD plumbing system checked out, there’s no better time than now to call Heidler, Inc at (410) 268-7191! 

Top 5 Tips for Winterizing Your Home

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has found a blob of unusually cold temperature in the North Atlantic south of Greenland. This cold is confusing scientists who are recording the hottest year on record. It may be why we had the one of the coldest, most brutal winters on record in the Northeast last year. We’ve heard many horror stories of entire plumbing systems including the freezing up of septic tanks when this had never happened before. Whether or not this winter will be a repeat remains to be seen.

What Should You Do About It?

We pretty much know about sealing up around our windows and doors to save on heating bills. It is what we don’t see our plumbing that needs attention this year. Making sure that all bases are covered is not a do it yourself project. You will need a full review of your entire system by a professional to be sure you don’t suffer the same damage this year. In some cases some structural changes may need to be made. Here are 5 tips for winterizing your home:

Follow the Water

1. Your plumber will turn off the main water valve that supplies your home from the water company. If this valve is rusted or does not work properly he/she will replace it. If you have a well the well pressure tank will be drained. 2. Next, he/she will open and drain all faucets both inside and outside and flush all the toilets, empty all toilet bowls and remove and clean all clean out plugs. If there is a floor drain in the basement it will be drained and filled with antifreeze. At the same time he/she will check all pipes leading to appliances and replace any cracked ones. Drain plugs will be replaced and the system filled with antifreeze. 3. The water heater is next. The power will be turned off at the electrical box. The thermostat will be turned to off or pilot. The cold water line will be closed. Then the tank will be drained by attaching a hose to the drain valve at the bottom of the tank with the water drained off outside. 4. If the home has a septic tank it should be drained at least once a year, preferably in late fall. This will ensure that there is less liquid in the tank and less likely to freeze. 5. Insulation. Insulation will keep your water warmer longer and save energy. Most of all it will prevent pipes from freezing. This is critical. The insulation should be wrapped around the pipes and fastened securely. As you can see this work requires a professional plumber who can ensure that all parts of your system are winterized.

Winter is nearly here! To get the best advice on winterizing your Annapolis, MD home, call Heidler Plumbing at (410) 268-7191 today.

 

A garbage disposal can be a very handy asset in to a kitchen. When it comes to the proper use of garbage disposal, there are specific things that you should do in order to ensure it continues to work as effectively as possible. The following are some great tips that will keep your garbage disposal running smoothly for many years to come

A few basic tips.

First of all, use cold water and not hot water when using the garbage disposal. Cold water will help it run effectively and not overheat the unit. Hot water can cause fat to melt and then later solidify again, causing a blockage in the drain.

When using the garbage disposal, you should only feed a little food waste in it at a time. Make sure that utensils do not fall into the garbage disposal. Run the disposal until the food has been shredded completely, turn it off, and allow water to keep running to make sure the pipes are flushed clean.

Keep the garbage disposal working effectively for as long as possible.

When it comes to bones, read the manual. Some units are different from others. If you have any doubts about it, do not put bones in the garbage disposal. Typically, higher-quality units will be able to handle bones. Turn the unit off when using it only if the water is still running.

Keep in mind that not everything should be put in the garbage disposal.

Do not put the following items in the unit: hard shells from crabs, shellfish, and shrimp, hard bones, popcorn kernels, celery, banana peels, artichokes, corn cobs or corn husks, potato peelings, fruit pits, onion skins, coffee grounds, egg shells, rice, pasta, grease, and any trash item like rubber bands, paper, and cigarette butts.

Run the garbage disposal regularly.

When you run the garbage disposal regularly, it will prevent odor problems and ensure that it will continue to work effectively. A good rule of thumb is to run the disposal every single time you put food in the sink and anything goes into the unit.

Time to get your Annapolis home garbage disposal ready for the holiday season. Call Heidler Plumbing at (410) 268-7191 today.

How Hard Water Taints Your Family Home

It is amazing to see how much damage hard water does to a family’s home without them even knowing. Having hard water run through your pipes is a detriment to your family home, for it is the reason that your bathroom shower doors and curtains have a caked-on white film that is impossible to get off.

Hard water is behind your faucets and fixtures being tarnished and, one could arguably say that hard water is the reason that your house demands less money on the marketplace because your bathroom fixtures look worn down and damaged, not to mention the expensive shower doors that are ruined by hard water as well.

Can you imagine feeding your baby hard water? The same stuff that causes the mineral deposits that slowly clog all of your pipes and drains, and causes all of your fixtures to look as if they had been tumbled through rocks? The notion is almost preposterous.

How Hard Water Taints Your Home

There are two types of hard water, good hard water and bad hard water. While both types of hard water are relatively bad for the appearance of your house while ruining your pipes and drains, one type of hard water can actually be quite healthy for you while the other type of hard water can actually slowly destroy your body.

See, technically, mineral water is hard water. Mineral water is water that trickles down from mountains into springs and is taken by manufacturers who lightly filter it and serve it to their customers in bottles.

If this hard water were running through your pipes, you would still have water spots all of your dishes, sink fixtures that look like they were plastered with chalk and your hair would look like it was rubbed in sand, brittle and try, although it would be healthy for you to drink.

Then there is bad hard water that trickles into suburbs water supply from syringe-infested inner-city water drains which is then lightly filtered and sent to your suburban home for your children to bathe in and consume.

Why Soft Water is Best Alternative for Your Household

Soft water is essentially rainwater. Rainwater does not have any minerals in it at all whatsoever. If you were to wash your hair in rainwater, it would not damage it, it would actually repair it and provide it with some the natural moisture needed to make it manageable and look beautiful.

Your dishes would look flawless, every time and your clothes would not look dingy and worn out, as they would if they were subjected to hard water they’ll look as new as the day that you bought them.

If you have a hard water problem and need to speak to a professional about your options, please contact us.

Knowing about the water in your Annapolis home is important. Call Heidler Plumbing at  (410) 268-7191 to learn more about treatment options!

 

The temperatures are dropping as fall is beginning to roll in. It is during this vital time that homeowners should be prepared for colder weather by ensuring all household plumbing is working as expected. Here are three household plumbing disasters to look out for.

Frozen or Broken Pipes

Although there is some time before winter, frozen and broken pipes are common during during periods of cold, so they should be watched out for early on. Cold outside air can damage pipes in parts of the home that are not well insulated, like beneath sinks and in crawlspaces.

Frozen and broken pipes can turn into major loss of water if not treated, which can be very costly. In order to prepare for this during the fall months, put pipe sleeves on bare pipes to insulate them and keep the house at a warm temperature at all times.

Clogged Drains

All plumbing systems are at risk for clogs, however, most stopped-up sinks drains are an easy fix. With the right tools, water can be seeping through easily again in no time. Stubborn clogs can be very irritating and a hassle.

If a clog cannot be cleared after a few tries, it is important to call a professional, as too much force on pipes can cause permanent damage.

Damaged Hot Water Heater

Hot water heaters are one of life’s necessary evils. They are expensive, but also required. It is typically a big problem when a hot water heater fails. If hot water heaters are not cared for properly, they are more likely to fail.

Some causes of harm to hot water heaters are neglect, high water pressure, internal rust, and improper sizing of the device in comparison with the size of the house. During the fall months, get the tank drained and cleaned. This will remove any sediment and buildup that the heater may have. Again, this is important to do before heading into winter.

It is important to watch out for these home disasters during the fall months before heading into winter. Preventative maintenance and some care for the home are likely to avert disaster.

Remember to keep up with a regular maintenance schedule. Call Heidler Plumbing at (410) 268-7191 to get your Annapolis home inspected. 

3 Potential Causes of a Slow-Flushing Toilet

There are a number of reasons that may be leading to slow flushing toilets in your home and if this is happening to you, you may want to call out a plumbing company to give you some assistance in taking care of the problem, but you should also be aware of the things that may be leading to this issue.

Here are a few things to look for, which may ultimately be causing the toilets in your home to be flushing slower than they should.

Clogs and Deposits

There are a ton of pipes that connect and run the toilets in your home and they will absolutely develop clogs at some point. Although you may not have flushed anything down the toilet that you should not have, buildup will occur from calcium and different minerals that are in the water in your pipes, often time’s causing a slight blockage.

Mineral deposits are something that are going to develop regardless of how well you take care of your piping system, unless you have them cleaned and take preventative action in the future to prevent buildup. However, a lot of the time when pipes are clogged, it is a combination of various materials and mineral buildup, which can easily be cleared out by a qualified plumber.

Partially Filled Tank

If your tank is not filled to the proper height, your toilets are inevitably going to run slow, but the good thing is that this is an easy remedy. This is the first thing that you should check, as the simple solution in this problem is to add water to the tank, which should take care of the problem.

However, sometimes when people add water to their tank it does not fix the problem entirely, which could point to other potential problems in your system, which need to also be addressed.

Blocked Vent

Often time’s the vent a toilet will get blocked, which will only give you about half the power that is needed to flush a toilet. When this happens, you are not going to get the full amount of power that you would get in a regular flush, meaning you will have to flush the toilet several times, wasting a lot of water in the process.

This will definitely make your toilet run a lot flower than it should, but luckily is something that a plumber can without too much hassle.

Your Annapolis toilet issues can be a nuisance. Call Heidler Plumbing at (410) 268-7191 today, and get your toilet working!

A Guide to Choosing the Right Type of Water Heater for Your Home

If you’re reading this, you are probably having water heater issues. Not many people even think about their water heater until they have a problem of some sort. It’s one of those things that people take for granted. However, if it’s time to fix or replace your water heater, here are some things that may help.

What Kind of Water Heater do you Have?

There are basically 2 different types of water heating systems. Those that use storage tanks, and those that don’t. The two most common ways to heat the water are, electrical current or a combustible fuel. Electricity can come from a multitude of sources, and combustible fuel can be anything from natural gas to wood.

Storage tank water heaters are what most folks grew up with. Electricity or some type of fuel heats an insulated container that keeps water hot and ready to use. The temperature of the water stays the same all of the time. Even if it’s not used, the heater will periodically come on to keep the water hot.

Tank-less heaters have not been around for long, but they are gaining popularity rapidly. This type of heater warms a coil that the water flows through as it’s being used. By not keeping the stored water hot all of the time, there is significant energy savings.

Should You Repair or Replace?

With storage tank heaters, deposits can build inside the tank. Over time, it can cause serious damage. If this is the case, you probably need a new heater. Plumbing is usually pretty basic, but you will still want to have a professional look at it. If maintained properly, it can last for decades. They have few parts, and a very simple design.

Tank-less heaters actually use more energy when they operate. The coil that the water flows through, turns cold water to hot very quickly. It also maintains that temperature for as long as you want/need. If you have problems with this type, you will definitely need to seek professional help. The system is complex, with many technical parts.

To decide on the right system for you, determine how much hot water you use, and how often you use it. Talk to one of the guys down at the appliance store. Most of them will give you a straight answer. But remember, they work on commission.

Not sure what water heater works for your Annapolis, MD home? Call Heidler Plumbing at  (410) 268-7191, and get the best advice.

Wonderful Kitchen Renovation ideas

Is your home kitchen looking a little dull? Then it may be time to give your kitchen a renovation. Renovating your kitchen can have an immediate impact on the way your home looks and feels. From the small changes to the big changes, there are many wonderful home renovation possibilities for your kitchen.

Rethink Your Shelving

One excellent idea is to take a look at the available shelving in your kitchen. If you do not have a lot of shelving in your kitchen, then now is the perfect time for you to add some high quality shelving into your kitchen.

Improving the shelving in your home is the perfect way to increase your storage capabilities.

Add a Bit of Color

If you feel like your kitchen is lacking color, then you may want to paint your kitchen. Go to your local paint store and ask for some recommendations. Finding the right paint coat can add a new sense of pop to your kitchen, and make it a lot more appealing.

New Sink for Added Convenience

If you are looking to add some convenience to your kitchen, then one amazing option that you can add is a hot water option at your sink. This hot water option would allow you to quickly make a great number of recipes, and speed up your cooking time in the kitchen. This is an excellent kitchen renovation idea that is much easier then it would appear.

Updating Your Cabinets

If you have kitchen cabinets, but the exterior of these cabinets is starting to look a little out of date, then you may want to consider updating your cabinet doors. This can be as simple as updating your handles, or as complicated as completely redoing the cabinet doors. The right cabinet exterior can really make your kitchen pop.

The appliances are the heart of any kitchen. Your refrigerator stores your food, and your oven is critical to cooking your food. Many kitchen’s are still utilizing outdated fridges and ovens. If your kitchen has not had a new oven or refrigerator added in awhile, then it may be necessary to check out a new appliance. There are many exciting new models that can be added to your kitchen, which can increase the functionality of your kitchen as well as giving your kitchen a more modern look.

As property values continue to increase, one of the best ways to increase the value of your home is to renovate the kitchen. Try out these kitchen renovation ideas today.

Your kitchen is a central part of your family life, so make it beautiful. Call Heidler Plumbing at (410) 268-7191 to transform the look of your Annapolis, MD home with unique kitchen remodeling ideas.

Top 3 Water-Wasting Appliances in Your Home and What You Can Do To Reduce Your Water Use

With so much attention on conservation efforts lately, now is a great time to consider which appliances in your home are wasting the most amount of water.

Any combination of two or more of these appliances can mean that you are literally flushing your money down the drain each month. Consider these top three water-wasting appliances and what you can do to reduce wasting all that water.

1. The Bathroom Toilets

Depending on how many toilets you have in your home, these units can easily waste gallons of water each day when not running effectively. Defective and worn parts in the tank can cause the pressure to dump water into the toilet all day long, adding up to much higher water bills each month.

Contact you local plumbing repair company and inquire about the installation of low-flow toilets. These units use a fraction of the water to remove the same waste when the toilet is flushed.

2. The Hot Water Heater

The hot water heater is responsible for keeping the water temperature hot 24 hours a day. When the tank is not working properly, it will run longer and harder, burning off water more quickly and wasting dozens of gallons of water. Consider having a local plumber install a new tankless water heater to reduce the amount of water you are wasting.

These new system only heat the water as needed, reducing both the wasting of water and the need for energy to heat the water. Even a new traditional tank water heater is more energy-efficient than models released only a few years ago.

3. The Washing Machine

Many washing machines that were installed over 5 years ago are not as energy-efficient as the ones being manufactured today. The newer washing machines not only need less energy to run, they use less water to get your clothes clean.

Energy star rated washing machines can reduce your water consumption each time you do the laundry and reduce your water bill each year by hundreds of dollars. Th way the newer washing machines work is they take in less water, cleaning the clothes in a fraction of the water.

If you are not able to make changes to these appliances yourself, make certain to call a local plumbing professional and allow them to recommend the best water saving units. Once you decide, the plumber can install the appliance quickly for you.

Now more than ever, conservation doesn’t require a lifestyle change! Call the professionals of Heidler Plumbing at (410) 268-7191 to see how easy it is to conserve water in your Annapolis, MD home.