Are You Making These Laundry Machine Mistakes?

Pretty soon you’ll be spending more time outdoors, and you know what that means - more laundry! From wasting too much water to using the wrong settings, here are some of the most common laundry mistakes you probably don’t realize you’re making:

Mistake No 1. Overloading the machine
You might be busy and pressed for time, but imagine how much money you can waste by ruining your clothes in the washing machine. Even the largest capacity machines have their limits, so if they’re too full, the water and detergent won't be able to reach everything. As a result, dirt will get trapped and your clothes will remain dirty.

Mistake No 2. Using too much detergent
It’s best to follow your detergent’s instructions before using. Using too little or too much can affect how clean your clothes will turn out. However, if you have a large load it is OK to use a bit more detergent. Bonus tip: If you have hard water, you might actually need more than you are using.

Mistake No 3. Forgetting to switch up machine settings
Keeping your machine on light load when you’re getting ready to fill it up or forgetting to switch from hot to cold is a common mistake that many of us innocently make. Before turning on the water, make sure you’re not using too much or too little and make sure you follow instructions on your clothes before finding the correct water temperature setting.

For example, most of your black tops probably need to be washed with cold water, and if you use too much water for a light load, you’ll be wasting water you don’t need.

Mistake No 4. Keeping shirts buttoned up
This might sound like a good idea in theory, but the truth is keeping your buttons closed can lead to “poppage”. So before you throw your shirts in the laundry, take a moment to unbutton your shirts.

Mistake No 5. Not leveling your machine
Say your machine isn’t leveled, vibrations can damage your floor and cause a terrible sound. Fix this issue by placing a level on top of your machine and adjusting the feet.

For all of your plumbing, draining, and health concerns, contact New York Plumbing and Sewer Rooter! We are available 24/7 for plumbing needs. Give us a call at 516.874.7937 or visit our website to learn more about our services.

How to Protect Your LI Home This Spring

April showers bring May flowers! Although winter is behind us and sunny days are ahead, doesn’t mean we’re out of the woods yet! For Long Island folks, spring can bring problems just as much as winter can. From plumbing to electrical complications, we've put together a few ways you can protect your LI home from the most common springtime issues:

Flooding
To say it rains often on Long Island would be an understatement. Some days, you wake up to a flash flood warning alert on your phone and head on the road only to run into road closures. But what’s worse is when these days affect your home. Especially if you live on a low part of the block or near the shoreline, home flooding can occur. To protect your home from such an event…

1. Buy flood coverage. Standard homeowners insurance typically won’t cover a basement under water, so know the different types of insurance and cover your property accordingly.
2. Choose a go-to plumber. Choose a plumber that offers 24/7 emergency services. Call them up and ask about their services - plug that number into your contacts for when a flood occurs. They can help drain your flooded home and even offer preventative solutions.

Power Outages
Though they haven’t happened yet, rest assured that thunderstorms are on their way! When lightning strikes, here is how to protect your home from possible power outages:

1. Purchase a generator. The best way to keep the power running (your fridge, lights, hot water, etc.).
2. Have backup batteries. Your flashlights from last season might run out of battery, so keeping an extra supply on hand for unexpected storms is necessary.
3. Store non-perishable meals. Beans, beets, soup, PB&J - you name it!

Sprinkler Issues
Now is a good time to check your outside sprinkler system, so you can have a luscious green lawn before summer arrives!

1. Check the outside hose valves. (Aka hose bibs). Make sure they are not broken from freezing temperatures.
2. Inspect all your valves. The valves on your sprinkler system might be damaged. If something looks out of the ordinary, call your local plumber.

At Nassau Plumbing and Sewer Rooter, our professionals are trained and ready to help you with any and all of your spring plumbing needs. We offer several plumbing, sewer, and drain services, including basement flood clean out, yard drain repair, and leak repair. We are here 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for your plumbing emergencies. Give us a call at 516.874.7937 or visit our website to learn more.

Spring Plumbing Tips

You know that winters are cold and problematic, but you rarely see how badly they wreak havoc on your plumbing. From pipe bursts to clogged drains, there are many reasons why you will need to inspect your plumbing when spring rolls around. For every space in your home, there are certain situations to inspect:

Bathroom

• Install a fan - Spring means that humid summers are only a few months away. If you don’t have one already, install a fan to prevent humidity from getting trapped inside your bathroom and shower,

• Flush - After a long winter, check your toilets to see if they are flushing properly. If the handle must be held down for more than a few seconds, it’s possible you need a part replaced or repaired.

Kitchen

• Clean the garbage disposal - It’s probably been months since you’ve checked to see if your garbage disposal is working properly. Grind ice cubes and orange rinds for about 30 seconds in the disposer. Pour a small amount of liquid dish detergent into it while it’s running, and then rinse away debris with cold water for another 30 seconds.  

Yard

• Check your drains - Are your drains, gutters, and downspouts filled with debris? If so, hose them down and pull out any twigs and other debris. When April showers arrive, the last thing you want is for the water to not drain properly.

• Inspect for leaks - Check your outdoor valve for leaks. A leaky valve means your hose won’t be work properly. If you suspect a leak, call your expert plumber to clear it out.

If you ever run into a plumbing problem that you can't fix by yourself, contact the experts at Nassau Plumbing and Sewer Rooter. We know that plumbing emergencies can happen at any time, which is why we are here 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Give us a call at 516.874.7937 or visit our website to learn more about our services. 

Spring Home Maintenance Checklist

Take a deep breath, Long Island - the cold weather is finally past us. We bet many of you will be out and about enjoying the beautiful temperatures this weekend, which has us thinking: why not start prepping your home for summer?

Picture this: You step into your backyard for the first time in months. The snow has finally melted, the tree buds are starting to show. But all around, it looks disastrous - the grass is browning, your patio is covered in debris, the deck looks empty. And that’s when you make a mental note: time for spring maintenance!

As your rounding up your maintenance checklist, make sure to add these tips:

Trim your trees
By now, your shrubs have probably outgrown themselves. They might be blocking your view from the front window or hanging over  your neighbor’s property. Either way, you’ll need to call your gardeners or dust off your hedge trimmer if you have one. You can also prune them a few inches to allow them to regrow healthy and tall!

Powerwash the patio
Whether you have a deck or patio, don’t let debris get in your way. Clean the surface by powerwashing every crevice until the dirt is almost entirely gone. Then you can put your furniture back on display.

Check downspouts and pipes
Gutters, downspouts, and pipes can encounter many problems during the winter months. Between snow and ice, the aftermath of all that precipitation isn’t a pretty picture. The next time it rains, take notice: does water flow easily into the gutter and out the downspout? Are there any leaky faucets or sweaty pipes? Signs that indicate these exterior parts aren’t working as efficiently as they did last summer is an indication that you need to call a professional for repairs. 

Decorate
Now comes the fun part - aside from re-assembling your outdoor furniture, add decorative accents. This includes hanging outdoor lights, planting flowers, purchasing new waterproof pillows, and putting out those bird feeders once more!

What are your favorite ways to decorate for warmer weather? Tell us on Facebook or Twitter! And remember, if you run into any pipe or drainage problems while prepping your outdoor space for spring, call Nassau Plumbing and Sewer Rooter! We are here 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for any and all of your plumbing emergencies. Give us a call at 516.874.7937 or visit our website to learn more.

Why It Snows In Spring

Dear Long Island,

Did you wake up feeling weather confused? So did we! If you’re a New Yorker, you know very well that snowflakes can fall just as easily in spring as they can in winter - as soon as the weather warms up, it gets cold again.

Why does this happen? We’ve got the science behind it all:

Is global warming to blame? 
Some people believe that global warming is to blame, but the truth is that snow in spring isn’t new. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Climatic Data Center, “Even with a warming planet, you're always going to have some places that are unusually cold for a day, or even a month, while at the same time other areas are unusually warm."

How does it occur? 
Snow in spring occurs when a blast of cold air hits an area. For example, a high pressure system in the west can push the jet stream north in that area. And when this occurs, the jet stream will dip south in the east, creating low pressure. Cold air from the north move through this trough and lasts for a few days. Afterwards, the jetstream ridge will stay over the east coast, carrying warm air with it.

Make no mistake, even in the spring, we are expected to experience a cold (and sometimes snowy day) here and there. That is why Nassau Plumbing and Sewer Rooter is here for all of your emergency plumbing needs, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, even when you least expect a freezing cold spring day! Give us a call at 516.874.7937 or visit our website to learn more about our services.

Fix a Leak Week 2016

As Fix a Leak Week comes to a close, we’d like to remind you about a few facts and tips about saving water and how to fix those aggravating plumbing leaks:

Facts
EPA WaterSense reminds us to be more mindful about the water we use in our country and how it affects our environment. For example, did you know that 1 trillion gallons of water are used nationwide on an annual basis? By being more mindful of our water use, we can help to preserve the water that helps our planet to thrive.

In fact, when we aren’t mindful, we could be wasting over 10,000 gallons of water each year in our homes, which is the amount of water it takes to wash 270 plus loads of laundry!

Tips
Being that it’s Fix a Leak Week, we’ve searched high and low to provide you with these plumbing leak hacks:

Check for a leaky for toilet
If you suspect you have a leaky toilet, drop food coloring in the tank and wait for 10 minutes. If color appears in the bowl, then you know you have a leak that needs repairing. Don’t forget to flush the food coloring away!

Check for a leaky sink
Check under your skin for water damage, whether it be visible moisture or finishes that “bubble”. Then, turn on the cold water in your sink and inspect for damaged pipes or puddling. Next, wipe down all the pipes connections, turn off the water, and call your local plumbing expert.  

Regardless of when and where a leak occurs in your home, Nassau County Plumbing & Sewer Rooter can be there to fix them 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call us today at 877.713.8136 or visit our website for more information.

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on Long Island

Tomorrow is the day we celebrate the luck o’ the Irish once again! Looking for a last-minute event on Long Island to show your Irish pride? Luckily, there are plenty of ways to celebrate:

Parades

Nothing says St. Patty’s Day like a festive parade! Here are a few marches happening this weekend:

Patchogue Parade - March 19th at 10am
Rockville Center Parade - March 19th at Noon
Glen Cove Parade - March 20th at 1:00pm
Montauk Parade - March 20th  at 11:30am

Parties

Get your drink on with these celebrations happening later in the day:

Parlay Gastropub Irish Day - Brunch, DJ, and drinks happen from 4pm until close on March 19th in Rockville Center.

Bangers and Mash Gigs - Craft beer and music lovers join together on March 19th in Riverhead, Patchogue, and East End at various times throughout the day for some “Celtic insanity”.

Fulton’s Gate - Visit this traditional Irish Pub this holiday for Irish step dancers and pipe bands. There will be beef stew and live music all night long!

St. Patrick’s Day 5K - Ready, set, run on March 19th at the Irish Times Pub in Holbrook for those who love exercise more than Shepherd’s pie and soda bread. Learn more by clicking here.

What are your plans for the holiday? If you’re out celebrating but aren’t having much luck with your home plumbing, give us a call at 516.874.7937.  We are available 24/7 for plumbing needs and offer a wide array of plumbing and drain services. Visit our website for more info.

Is Your Water Safe to Drink?

They say we can’t live without water. But what if your water is contaminated?

There are many indicators that show your water might not be the purest. Here are the top telling signs that you might have water contaminants and what to do about it:

Signs
Is your water orange or yellow in color? If so, you’re probably dealing with iron, which might have a bitter taste and stain your laundry. Sulfur is another sign that your water is unsafe. Does it smell like rotten eggs? This is most likely caused by bacteria and can weaken the immune system. A third sign? Foam. If your water is foamy or milky, it might be a sign of methane gas or dilute sewage - which means your water is dirty and chemically-filled.

Precautions
If you feel your water might be contaminated and unsafe to drink, here is how you can take action:

1. Ask your water company. They are required by the United States Environmental Protection Agency to supply you with a Consumer Confidence Report to notify you of any contaminants.
2. Know about contaminants. Once you have your report, you can look up more information about contaminants and water testing in your area.
3. Test for yourself. The best way to know for sure if your water is safe to drink is to test it yourself. First, call the EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline, which will connect you to a local water testing agency.

For all of your plumbing, draining, and health concerns, contact New York Plumbing and Sewer Rooter! We are available 24/7 for plumbing needs. Give us a call at 516.874.7937 or visit our website to learn more about our services.