Positive Plumbing Choices For Your Home

When it comes to plumbing, you can never be too careful. Little leaks or other issues can expand quickly and leave you in a state of panic. To help alleviate the stress of a plumbing problem, you can make some precautionary decisions that will lower your risk. Just keep reading and when you're finished, start implementing these changes!

Drop the Drano

These chemical cleaners are effective in certain situations, but they can also damage your plumbing. People think they have cleared a clogged because the drain appears to be functioning, but this often isn't the case. These cleaners usually do just enough of the job to allow for passage, but they don't clear the entire problem. In addition to that, they are also known to eat away at your plumbing. 

Use Faucet Aerators 

Aerators might look small, but they can lead to big savings on your water bill. This attachment controls water flow from your faucet so that you are only using the amount of water you need to clean your hands, wash dishes and perform other tasks. They also help prevent costly faucet leaks and give you the peace of mind you desire.

Avoid Toilet Fresheners

They might make some pretty blue water, but they can also do serious damage to your toilet bowl. Over time, the chemicals used to provide a fresh scent can eat away at your toilet tank the same way Drano can. These tablets can also disintegrate in water and get themselves stuck in the flush valve of your bowl. Long story short, avoid the in-tank cleaners! 

Avoid Fiddling 

Adjusting the pressure valve on your water heater or fiddling with things you don't understand can only lead to problems. Know your own level of familiarity with plumbing and only perform the tasks that you have had success with in the past. 

Call the Professionals 

It is important to have trust in the plumbing service that you choose. The general rule of thumb here is; If you like the service you received last time, go right back to that team. There is no reason to try someone new to save a few bucks. Save the headache and trust the experts at Nassau County Plumbing & Sewer Rooter with all of your plumbing and heating needs. 

You want a plumber with experience, competitive pricing and 24/7 emergency service for your convenience. Luckily, we can provide all three of your needs and we do so with a commitment to excellent customer service. If you live in the NYC or Long Island area and need plumbing service, you won't regret calling the experts at Nassau County Plumbing & Sewer Rooter! 

To schedule service, call 877-713-8136 or visit us on the web! 

Decorating Your Bathroom for Halloween

Halloween is right around the corner and the Night of the Living Dead is sure to bring some surprises to the Nassau County area. Just kidding, but it doesn't hurt to get in the spirit of the season and what better place to start than the bathroom. There are a number of different things you can try and there is no limit on where you can take it. Put your creativity to the test and see just how festive you can make the bathroom or bathrooms in your home! 

Scented Candles

Everybody loves a pleasant fall scent. Whether it is a nice apple crisp or pumpkin pie, everyone enjoys satisfying their nostrils. So why not bring these scents into the bathroom? Yankee and American Candle both offer a line of fall flavored candles that are sure to spice up any room in your home!

Fall Curtains

The bathroom window really ties together the whole room. If your paint allows it, you should consider throwing a fall themed curtain on your rod. Maybe one that features a Halloween pumpkin or a nice orange and green blend that lets your guests know you're in the fall spirit!

Pumpkin Dispenser

Your soap dispenser doesn't have to be bland and boring, it can draw eyes to your beautiful vanity set up. If you don't want to go all out with the pumpkin, you could just pick out a dispenser that matches your fall themed bathroom. If you're really into design, you can also pick out some hand towels or napkins that bring together all of your decor. 

Spooky Shower Curtains

We've all seen the horror films where the man jumps out from behind the shower curtain to haunt his targets. Well, you could scare some guests by purchasing a spooky shower curtain of your own. You could go online and scroll through a number of curtains that feature shadows of Jason, Freddy Krueger and some of your other favorite Halloween villains. It is sure to spook at least one unsuspecting bathroom goer.  

Unfortunately, decor is not the only thing we have to worry about in the bathroom. Halloween leads us directly into Thanksgiving and that means more guests will be pouring into your home and using your plumbing. It is up to you to take the proper precautions and make sure your pipes, fixtures and faucets are prepared for a busy holiday season. 

To schedule plumbing service, call Nassau County Plumbing & Sewer Rooter at 516-874-7937 or visit us on the web!

Plumbing FAQ's

It takes a special person to be a plumber, and that leaves the rest of the world wanting to know their secrets. How to fix this, how to fix that, and all that knowledge lies in the brain of a single plumber. We can't tell you all of our secrets, but here are just a few of the answers to some of your most common plumbing questions. 

Why Is My Toilet Running? 

A running toilet might not seem like a big deal-- until the water bill shows up! Constant re-filling tanks are relatively easy to fix and well within the knowledge of most homeowners. It could be something as small as fixing the connection between the handle-flapper and the bar. If it is more complicated than that, you should call in the professionals at Nassau County Plumbing & Sewer Rooter and let us take a look at your fill valve.

Why Is My Water Brown? 

Hopefully you don't have another Flint situation on your hands! This could be related to a number of different things and most of them are fixable. The Fire Department might be flushing out hydrants or your pipes could be old and rusted. This is something you should take seriously, but it might be out of our hands if it is non-pipe related.

How Long Should a Hot Water Heater Last? 

In most cases, water heaters last around fifteen years. Some longer, some shorter depending on your ability to maintain and repair it.

What Should I Do If Something Falls In the Toilet? 

When it comes to paper clogs, a plunger should suffice. But for those irregular shaped objects like jewelry or toys, you'll need the help of a professional.

Why Are My Pipes Noisy? 
Noisy pipes can give your home a spooky feeling, but their not that hard to fix. Often times, the noise is related to a loose fitting or air bubbles inside the line. Both are very fixable for you DIY-ers out there. A loose pipe can be secured with a proper fitting from your local hardware store. If air is your problem, your pipes need to be bled to relieve the pressure. 

If you have any more questions for us, we would love to answer them on your next appointment. Whether you need a drain cleaning, water heater repair or pipe installation, call Nassau County Plumbing and Sewer Rooter and ask about our 24/7 Emergency Service. 

To schedule an appointment, call 516-874-7937 or visit us on the web!

Different Uses For Copper Pipe

Copper piping is valuable and should never be wasted. Most plumbing jobs result in scrap copper and that leaves people thinking of some creative ways to utilize it. You could always cash it in, but there are also some DIY copper projects that are worth looking into.

Toilet Paper Roll
You'll first want to clean your piping to give it that beautiful shine. Once you have done this, you'll need to go to the hardware store and pick up some fittings that coincide with the diameter of your leftover pipe. Wrap the fitting around your new holder, screw it into the wall and gaze upon your DIY bathroom decoration.

Garden Guarder
Have you ever crushed your flowers with the hose by accident? Well that is in the past once you start using your copper garden guarders. Start by caulking a copper cap to one end of a tube and drive the other end into the soil in front of your flowers. Your garden now has a 24 hour watch dog.

Wind Chimes 
Copper gives off a beautiful shine and an even sweeter sound. Take that scrap copper and cut it at various lengths; the longer the tube, the deeper the sound. After you have 6 or 7 tubes, drill a small hole in their tops and loop some fishing line through the opening. Attach the other end to a stick and hang the chime for your enjoyment.

Gutter Cleaner
Use your hammer to flatten the last 6 inches of a long piece of copper tubing. Then take that end and bend it into a 90 degree angle. You now have a long, effective hook to clean the leaves out of those gutters this fall.

Towel Racks 
Now you can make a copper towel rack to go along with your toilet paper holder. Once you purchase matching holders, cut the pipe into the appropriate length. Feed the tube into the hole and then drill the fixture into the wall. You might want to go to the store and buy some new towels to go along with your fresh, metallic look.

If you have some other copper projects you want to share, please do so on our Facebook and Twitter pages!

If you need pipe repair or any other plumbing service, call the experts at Nassau County Plumbing & Sewer Rooter! We have been serving the Long Island area for over 50 years and there is no job we can't handle. To schedule service, call 516-874-7937 or visit us on the web!

The Man In the Toilet

Hello, 

My name is Tommy and I live inside your toilet. First a little background on me. I was born microscopically small because of a recessive gene on my dad's side and that is how I got in here. My parents lost me when I was very young, you know, because I am so microscopic and all. I was looking for friends and I found some down here in your toilet and we have a bone to pick with you.

First off, I know you're stubborn, but you can't keep flushing wipes down the toilet big guy. They might say 'flush-able,' but believe me they aren't. Once they get down here where we live, they never dissolve and they just cause a giant road block. So for our sake and yours, please keep the wipes in the trash bin.  

Secondly, please take the makeup products off the back of the toilet bowl. Your wife has so much of it that I am sure you are running out of room, but the toilet is no place to rest it. I have a friend who lives in a toilet a town over and he said a lipstick cover fell down his drain and they were out of commission for a week. I don't want that for either of us, so please don't put anything up there that could fall in! 

We also need to talk about you cleaning things up a little better. There are people living down here! When it is time for bathroom cleanup, make sure you get a good scrub in under the seat, lid and inside of the bowl. Don't use those tank cleaners because they could cause more problems than they're worth. Oh yeah, I almost forgot. Next time the drain starts to back up, use our friend the plunger instead of Drano. The chemicals in Drano do dissolve the clog, but they also eat away at the plumbing. 

We try and keep things neat and tidy down here in the drain but we are very little people. Sometimes it takes the help of a plumbing professional to take care of drain clogs. The best guys for the job are over at  Nassau County Plumbing & Sewer Rooter so I would suggest giving them a call. All of the neighborhood toilet people are raving about them. 

To schedule service, call 516-874-7937 or visit us on the web! 

The Biggest Plumbing Problems

No matter what kind of home you have, the plumbing is not going to last forever. Problems will occur at some point in time, whether you like it or not. That is why it is so important to have a good plumber you can call to fix them quickly. The first step in solving any problem is knowing what the problem is. So here is your list of the most troublesome plumbing and sewer problems:

Cracked Pipes 

It is not smart to apply the out of sight, out of mind saying to your pipes. While everything might seem fine on the surface, you have no idea what is going on underneath. If your home was built a long time ago, the plumbing likely was too, and that is not good for you. Over time, galvanized steel and copper pipes will start to develop cracks that can lead to major leaks and even floods.  

Tree Roots

If you have an older tree sitting on your property, you would be surprised at just how far its roots can stretch. If they stretch into your sewer pipes, you could be in trouble. The roots are not easy to navigate around, so infiltration can lead to total blockages in your sewer line and you might not be aware of it until it is too late. 

Drain Clogs 

If your kitchen and bathroom are constantly in use, there is a good chance at least one of your drains will become clogged. There are various DIY methods to unclogging drains, but sometimes the problem is just too large to get rid of without the help of a professional. You could have worse problems, but drain clogs can be tricky, so it is important to handle them quickly. 

No matter how big or small the problem might be, turn to the experts at Nassau County Plumbing and Sewer Rooter to take care of it for you. All of our plumbers are fully licensed and great at what they do. To schedule your next appointment, call us at 516-874-7937 or visit us on the web! 

When to Replace Your Plumbing

Time wins all battles, and your plumbing is not an exception. Eventually the repairs and quick fixes will catch up to you and the need for a new plumbing system will arise. Plumbing replacement can be an expensive investment, so it is important to know when the time is right.

Know Your Plumbing 

The first factor to consider is the age and condition of your current plumbing system. Copper, brass and galvanized steel have a life expectancy of around 80 years. Their lifespan is contingent on multiple factors, including damage, usage and corrosion. If you recently purchased a home, make sure you have the pipes inspected so you have a little background on the current state of your plumbing.

Pay Attention to Warning Signs 

It is important to include plumbing on your home maintenance checklist. The average person is capable of detecting possible plumbing problems before they occur, all it takes is a watchful eye. Check out your exposed piping and look for any discoloration, stains, dimpling, pimples or flaking- all of these are corrosion indicators. Corroded pipes can lead to unsafe drinking water and they need to be replaced immediately. 

Fix Them Up 

If you and your plumber have decided that replacement is right for you, here are your best options. Copper and brass tubing is outdated and often more expensive than its competition. Plastic tubing is your best bet, and there are even options that require less demolition to install. Cross-linked Polyethylene (PEX) piping is a new form of tubing that runs behind your walls much like electrical lines. This tubing is relatively inexpensive, it's durable, and it's simple to install- what could be better?

Nobody likes having plumbing replaced, but if it is necessary, why not have it done right? At Nassau Plumbing and Sewer we know a thing or two about plumbing, and we are here to help. 

Give us a call at 516-874-7937 or visit us on the web to set up a free estimate! 

What Can PVC Do For Me?

Polyvinyl chloride, better known as PVC, is a type of piping that has become extremely popular over the years. Today, it is available at nearly any home improvement or hardware store, it is easy to install and it offers a cost-effective alternative to other more expensive types of plumbing. 

PVC Doesn’t Rust, Rot or Corrode

PVC became popular because of it’s ability to prevent frequent plumbing disasters. Up until the late 1970’s, galvanized steel and copper were the industry standard and they weren’t cutting it. These materials tend to rot and corrode over time and lead to unexpected leaks and flooding. Experts suggest replacing galvanized systems with PVC systems, if they are more than 20 years old.

PVC is Flexible

While copper tubing might be physically stronger, PVC’s flexibility makes it last longer. It is more resistant to vibrations, water hammering and everyday abuse.

PVC Lasts the Longest 

Even though PVC is the youngest of all the plumbing materials, it will outlast its competition by a substantial amount of time. The average lifespan of PVC is estimated to be around a century or more! Compared to copper (50 years), galvanized steel (40 years), and brass piping (60 years), PVC is off the charts. If you want long lasting reliability, PVC is the clear cut choice.  

If you are tired of coming home to constant plumbing problems, we think you know what has to be done. At Nassau Plumbing and Sewer, we can provide you with the pipe repair or installation services you need. Call us today at 516-874-7937!