Why don't my shut off valves to my faucets or toilets work?

I am often lead to the bottom of a kitchen sink to find shut off valves under a kitchen faucet aren't shutting off properly. Most of the time when there is an emergency or a stoppage at the kitchen sink, the homeowners first and logical thought is to shut off the water to that kitchen faucet so nobody can use it until the line is cleared by a plumber. So they try and turn those old valves off under the kitchen faucet, and 1 of 3 things will happen; 1) the shut off valves begin to leak creating a whole new problem 2) the shut off valve does not turn the water off at all or 3) it works perfectly the way it should. Now, keep in mind that in most cases these valves have never been touched in 10 or 20 plus years, so the components in the valve are stuck or jammed or have just failed. I also find this to be the case when a homeowner has a leaky or running toilet, they want to turn the water off at the shut off valve to turn just that toilet off until it is repaired. So my quick tip would be to bypass the shutoff valves under the sinks and toilets if they are 10 plus years old and turn the main water off to the house, if is absolutely necessary, to keep from futher problems. Or call sunrise plumbing to inspect your homes shutoff valves. The plumbing market now offers shut off valves far superior to what was previously on the market. Let us help with your plumbing system.

www.sunriseplumbingtexas.com

Rockwall Plumbers

Can you "dispose all" in your disposal?

I have been on many calls with a disposal being jammed, not draining, or just not doing anything. 

What I have found is that most people believe that a disposal is supposed to "dispose all" you put in it. 

I'm really sorry to say that this not at all true. Disposals have to be used with some regard or some good judgement.

Believe it or not but your leftovers are the worst. Spaghetti, rice, and any kind of noodles swell with water so they expand in the disposal and if it does get past the disposal then it must go thru the plumbing configuration below your kitchen sink, which is also a bad idea. 

Other things I have found in disposals or in the plumbing pipes under the kitchen sink are freshly cut vegetables, egg shells, coffee grinds, and on a funny note I have also found shot glasses and wedding rings, also not a good idea.

My suggestion is always to scrape leftovers in the trash can and rinse off your plates from there in the sink. It might be an extra duty to take out the trash nightly after dinner because no one wants leftovers smelling up the house, but it sure beats having a jammed or stopped up drain.

For more info visit: www.sunriseplumbingtexas.com

Prolong the life of your Water Heater

Another question I am asked quite a bit after installing a Water Heater is "what can I do to make my Water Heater last as long as possible?" 

My answer is always to make sure your flush it at least once a year. 

The easiest way to do this is to grab your garden hose and hook it up to the valve at the bottom of your water heater, run it to an exterior location of the home and if it's not possible find the nearest tub (make sure the shower curtain or door is closed, and then turn the valve on at the bottom of the heater where you connected your garden hose and let it run for about 15-20 minutes. 

This flushes all debris and sediment out of your water heater tank therefore cleaning it up.

I always say make it part of your spring cleaning so that you never forget.

If you practice this you are going to get the most life out of your water heater.

For more info please visit: www.sunriseplumbingtexas.com

Water Heater Life Expectancy

One of the most commonly asked questions when someone is thinking about replacing the Water Heater in their home is "What is the life expectancy of a Water Heater?" Their isn't an absolute answer but on average a Hot Water can last between 6-10 years. If the Water Heater in your home is 10+ years old you may want to consider replacing that unit. You could possibly get more time out of it but it is a gamble. Also I have seen 4 year old Water Heaters leak and need to be replaced. Remember the AVERAGE life expectancy of a Water Heater is 6-10 years. What's the age of your Water Heater?

For more info visit sunriseplumbingtexas.com