Avoid These Common Plumbing Mistakes

You know you need a plumber when your faucets leak or your drains back up. But sometimes you can end up with a plumbing problem by simply making a small, easily-avoidable mistake. So as your Long Island plumbing experts, we’d like to tell you about a few common plumbing accidents you want to avoid:

Using the garbage disposal as a trash can. Rinsing a greasy pan or peeling potatoes over the sink and then letting it go down the garbage disposal is a big no-no. Although it has the word “disposal” in it, this device is way more fragile than a trash can, so don’t make the mistake of overusing it.

Putting too much weight on your showerhead. Between shampoo bottles and soap bars, there’s only so much you can fit in your shower. And while hanging a storage rack on your showerhead might sound like the perfect solution, keep in mind that these objects can be heavy. If you place too many personal items on these racks, it might cause your showerhead to snap off, which will have you reaching for the phone and your plumber’s contact information. 

Flushing toys down the toilet. Kids do the darndest things, and sometimes that means they throw toys in the toilet and flush them. Whether it’s an action figure or a golf ball, it’s going to cause a clog. But kids aren’t the only ones! Oftentimes flushing too much paper down the toilet can back up your plumbing as well.

Pulling hard on the faucet handle. Like many plumbing fixtures, faucets need to be handled with care. And while we know you want to stop that annoying leak that’s keeping you up all night, pushing or pulling hard on your faucet handle is not the solution. As a matter of fact, pulling too hard can break the handle and cause an even worse problem!

Want to know which other common plumbing mistakes you should avoid at all costs? If so, click here.

We understand that mistakes happen, which is why we are here for all your plumbing needs 24 hours, 7 days a week. So, if you run into a problem and aren’t sure what to do next, contact Nassau County Plumbing and Sewer Rooter! To learn more about our emergency services and other plumbing and drain solutions, call us today at 877.713.8136 or visit our website for more information. 

#TipsTuesday: Quick Tips on Toilets!

With Fix a Leak Week getting closer and closer, we're gathering more tips and tricks on how to use your appliances more efficiently! This week...the toilet. Being one of the most important appliances in the home, it's important to understand all the little quirks that go with it. Courtesy of elocalplumber.com, we've listed some here:

• The toilet uses the most water out of any household appliance. Toilet leaks only add to the water consumption and, thus, should be checked for consistently. Note they are not always noticeable. To see if there is an internal leak, put food coloring in the tank and check the toilet bowl later. If the bowl water is colored, there is a leak from the tank. This may mean you need to replace the tank ball or flapper. This test should be performed at least once a year. 
• A slow flushing toilet should never be ignored because it can cause overflows and backups. The usual causes are partial clogs, sediment buildup, or malfunctions with equipment in the tank. Conduct periodic checks on your toilet to diagnose the problem. 
• Household cleaners are oftentimes detrimental to the proper functioning of a toilet. This is especially true for drop-in cleaner tabs. When they are almost dissolved, the tank flushes the debris into the toilet bowl and it often gets stuck in the port holes, which are vital to the flushing mechanism. This debris is very hard to clean and you can be left waiting months for it to completely dissolve without the help of a professional. 
• Never flush sanitary items down the toilet. An eco-friendly alternative to flushing these clog-causing products is to dispose of them in bio-degradable bags, such as the ones produced by Golden Group International. 

For more plumbing information or to get your leaks fixed, call NY Plumber and Sewer! LIKE us on Facebook for weekly updates and more tips.

Reminder: Get Your Drains Cleaned Annually

As we begin the New Year, NY Plumber & Sewer wants to remind you how important it is to get your drains professionally cleaned at least once annually! What better time to check this off your to do list than now? Getting your drains cleaned professionally at the beginning of each year is a simple way to avoid the problems clogged drains can create.

Again, our highly trained professional plumbers provide sewer and drain cleaning services as well as other plumbing services. We specialize in clogged sewer lines and clogged drains to residential and commercial customers. If you have any sewer or drain emergencies call us and we'll be there within 30 minutes, 24 hours per day, 365 days a year.

Keep your headaches to a minimum in 2014 and take care of this today! Call our office anytime at (718) 354-8013 or visit our website for more information.

Don't let a Clogged Disposal Ruin your Holidays

Did you know that one of the most common home repair mishaps during the holiday, is a clogged garbage disposal.  Rather than going through the trouble of having it fixed, we have put together a few tips that will keep your disposal from malfunctioning during your holiday festivities!

If you do have a garbage disposal in your home, chances are it has been clogged a few times.  It is also quite common to have to replace the disposal all together.  Sometimes we find ourselves in a scramble to clean up and we end up dumping every morsel of food from the plate into the disposal, especially during the holidays when you are entertaining multiple guests at once.  Sometime the disposal is up to the task, but other times its NOT.  The easiest way to keep your disposal running is by knowing what not to put in it.  Avoid egg shells, potato peels, coffee grounds, rice, pasta, asparagus, celery, carrot peels and anything that is hard, fibrous or gummy.  Also know your limits, overflowing a disposal is an easy way to break it.  If you notice that your disposal is taking a bit longer than usual, it may  be time to sharpen the blades.  Of course, following all of these recommendations does not guarantee a clog-free disposal but it will definitely help your chances.  For more info on how to keep your disposal running efficiently visit: http://goo.gl/NjvGVp.

If your disposal does clog at any time call New York Plumbing and Sewer Rooter, we are available 24/7 and also 30 minute emergency services.  Call : 516-874-7937!