Frost Free Wall Faucet for your MN Home

Every spring we get a number of calls from homeowners who have turned on their outside faucet for the first time to discover water coming out of places other than the end of the faucet.  This also occurs when the temperatures warm up and what was once a “frozen wall faucet”  is now a “thawed cracked wall faucet”.

While as a plumbing contractor we enjoy these calls for the work, we feel for the homeowner who is experiencing the problem.  It is also unfortunate because it could have been avoided with a little preventative plumbing service.  A frost free wall faucet or frost free silcock installed during the warm season would have prevented leaks and broken faucets.

Frost free outdoor faucets have a long neck on them that goes through your outside wall into your home.  The handle on the faucet which is outside closes the water off inside your home where it is usually warmer. This prevents the water from freezing at the handle thus breaking the handle causing the leaking or preventing you from turning your faucet on in the spring.

Frost free faucets are a good way to help prevent pipe damage in case you forget to use your shut off valve or you don’t have a shut off valve going to the faucet.  However, it is always best to follow the following ideas when fall arrives or you go on an extended vacation.

• Have a shut off valve installed  – Most newer homes have this already.  It is usually within viewing from the wall that your faucet is attached.
• Turn the shut off valve off - I recommend this during the winter or if you go on vacation or are away from the house for any extended time.  The frost free is only good if it is shut off.  I have heard of homes where kids have turned on the outside faucet when people are out of town.  What could be a fun prank for the kid could be a very expensive water damage claim with the possibility of the basement wall falling in.
• Disconnect yard hose - Your yard hose can hold water next to the faucet unless it is disconnected.
• Install a frost free water faucet - Having a plumber do this for you will offer a little insurance just in case your autumn gets to busy that you forget to turn off that shut off valve.

Minneapolis Saint Paul Plumbing Heating Air can help you with your outside faucet replacement or repairs along with any other plumbing service needs you have in your home.  You can reach us by phone or schedule your appointment online.

Garbage disposals are a wonderful thing.  You turn on a switch and all the extra food and scraps are ground up into small pieces to go down the kitchen waste drain.  Sometimes I wish TV news and opinion pieces could be disposed of so easily.

The basic design of a garbage disposal, also known as waste disposal, is pretty straight forward.  I won’t go into details on how it works since it is not important.   The idea is that you put waste into a hole in your sink.  You run water into the hole as you turn on a switch.  Blades inside turn around until the waste is gone from being chewed up and flushed away.  Many homes do this numerous times a day and it works great.

However, as the garbage disposal ages, the blades dull, the motor wears down and some blades disappear.  This causes bigger chunks of food to be flushed down the drain.  This may cause your drain to clog up over time or immediately resulting in the need to contact a drain cleaning company.  The extra pressure on your pipes may even cause plumbing leaks under your sink.

Garbage disposal technology has come a long way.  Insinkerator has a great disposal that we install.  I have one in my home that I really like.  Love is such a strong word.  It is very quiet, especially compared to my previous one.  I was shocked at how quiet it was.  I had to put something in it to make sure it was working.  It chops up the food quickly and thoroughly.

Keeping your garbage disposal working correctly or getting a new one is key to keeping your pipes healthy and leak free.  Below are some things to look for in a new garbage disposal:

• Garbage Disposal size – The size is important.  We sell and install 3/4 hp disposals.  That is one size less than commercial size.  This will ensure that it will not clog up on you.
• Noise Level – Make sure you get a quiet unit.  The high quality built ones will whisper quiet.
• Warranty – This will make sure you don’t need to replace it anytime in the new future.  Look for a 6 year warranty.
• Garbage Disposal Installation – Look for a plumber that installs a particular brand.  They will put their name behind it.  This will mean they will put the most reliable equipment in.

The next time you are having problems with your pipes in the kitchen such as clogging and leaking, look at your garbage disposal and see if it is working properly.  Call your local plumber like Minneapolis Saint Paul Plumbing Heating Air when you would like at getting a new garbage disposal.

The internet is a wonderful thing.  I know, I am not breaking any new ground with this statement.  The resources available to you now for searching for services is amazing.  A company like ours can now get so much more information to the homeowner about what is available and what services we can provide you.

However, with every great advancement in convenience, a price is paid.  The price to be paid with the internet and search engines is the confusion of do you have who you want or you think you are dealing with to service your home?

Have you ever done a search on Google, Yahoo or Bing on a term such as plumbing service, plumbing leak, or pipe repair?  The options that come up are mind boggling.  To fine tune your search for where you live, you can put in the name of your city like, “St Paul, MN”.  This is where it starts to get confusing.

We used to be known as St Paul Plumbing and Heating Co and Minneapolis Plumbing and Heating Co.  The St Paul Plumbing and Heating name goes back to 1918.  The Minneapolis Plumbing and Heating Co name goes back to the early 90′s.  To make things easier for everybody we combined the name to Minneapolis Saint Paul Plumbing Heating Air.

Plumbing companies in the cities here like to put “St Paul Plumbing” or “Minneapolis Plumbing” in their websites or somewhere prominent  including the name they present.  There are legitimate reasons for listing cities in the website to make sure that your site comes up when somebody types, “Plumbing Service St Paul, MN.  However, listing the name of the city like St Paul or Minneapolis before the term “plumbing” is more of an attempt to direct the homeowner away from their true destination.  Homeowners like yourself may not know who you are dealing with until it is too late or you have wasted time talking to the wrong company.

Remember to look for the “Since 1918″ on any website you visit to make sure you are learning about the correct company for the following services:

• Plumbing Leak Repair
• Hot Water Heaters
• Toilet Repair and Installation
• Frozen Pipe Thawing
• Drain Cleaning
• Plumbing Fixture Installs and Repair

Everybody here at Minneapolis Saint Paul Plumbing Heating Air are ready to help guide you through the inconvenience of plumbing leaks or just having your house checked over.  We will continue to try to make contacting us and help prevent you from arriving at the wrong destination on your journey through the World Wide Web.

Pro Series PS-C33

A sump pump is a great piece of equipment to have in your basement.  Water that is drained from around the outside of your basement walls flows into the sump pit which is usually in a corner of your basement.  The sump pump then pumps the water out of the sump pit out of your home via plumbing pipes. Without it, you would either flood your basement or have your walls fall in.

However, your sump can only help you if the electrical power is on to your house.  It can be very stressful and scary when you see water coming out of the sump pit and your electricity is out. This commonly happens during storms which involve large amounts of rain and lightning.

The great news is that there is a solution.  Battery Backup Sump Pumps will be there for you when your electricity abandons you.

Battery backup sump pumps like the Pro Series PS-C33 pictured on the left are designed to work when the power goes out.  They are equipped with a battery that will power the pump just like if the electricity is still on.  The amount of time that the pump will run without electricity depends on the type of battery that is attached.

Not all battery backup sump pumps are the same.  We have installed a number of different brands including a brand that is run by water pressure and not batteries.  Here are some tips on choosing the right one.

• Sump pump efficiency – There are some very efficient models now.  An example is the PS-C33 which pumps 3x more water for the electricity used than the average pump.
• Warranty – There are 1, 3 and 5 year warranties available.  Choose the one you are most comfortable with.
• Sump Foot – This is what you put the sump pump on to keep it out of the debris so it does not get clogged up.
• Double Float – This will make sure that if one float gets stuck the other one will still allow the pump to work.
• Power Out Alarm – This alarm will let you know when the electricity is out and the battery is being used.  This is helpful when a breaker goes out and the power to the whole house is not out.
• Battery Low Alarm - You will be notified when the battery may be getting old or is not being charged for some reason.

As with every piece of equipment, the installation is critical to insure that everything works correctly.  The plumbing of the piping that runs from your sump to the outside of your house is very important.  The improper pitch or location of the discharge pipe will impact the operation of the sump pump.

A quality plumbing company like Minneapolis Saint Paul Plumbing Heating Air will be able to talk to you, review your application and install your sump pump.

Leaky plumbing fixtures and pipes can be much more than a nuisance,  if not dealt with swiftly and thoroughly, you could be facing major water related damage.

Leaky faucets and shower heads? Piece o’ cake, right?  After all, you can see them, hear them and, very often, fix them yourself before the constant dripping drives you plumb crazy, that is.

But what about those leaks that aren’t so easy to spot?  Water leaks can happen anywhere in your home.  Here are some of the more common occurrences, and the probable cause behind each.

• Refrigerator Icemake line – If you have a built-in icemaker, you have a built-in potential floor messer!  In fact, the wet spots you see on the floor might indicate a crimped icemaker line, and if it’s crimped, it’s just waiting to burst.  Also, anytime you move your refrigerator to clean behind it or for any reason at all, check for water.  If you find any, remember this:  the smaller the water accumulation, the more damaging the problem can be. Slow, steady leaks can eventually rot your wood floor, while big, messy leaks are easier to detect and solve before serious damage ensues.

• Toilets – Ever seen those hanging bowl deodorants?  Well, don’t buy them.  They’re prone to slipping and lodging deep in your plumbing system, and can block the line outright or give grease and other debris something to cling to.  Also, certain chlorine tablets cleaners may corrode internal components, and before you know it, you got a major hard to get at leak.  With toilets, here another truism:  the water you don’t see is the water that can hurt you. Small leaks can head straight to your sub-flooring and, over time, rot the wood.  If you see a grayish stain in the vinyl flooring around your toilet that won’t come out, give your local plumber a call because it probably means you have a below the surface leak.

• Water Heater – The telltale sign?  Once again, wet spots on the floor.  Probable cause?  Internal rust or overfull drain pan.  Fact is most water heaters are designed to last a maximum of 15 years.  So check yours often, and make sure there’s a floor drain beneath it.  Also, new water heaters include a relief valve that is attached to a pipe running down the side of the water heater.  This may leak water due to high pressure.  Call a licensed plumber if you see this as it could be a sign of a dangerous situation with your water heater.

One final bit of advice.  Every now and then, turn off all faucets and water using appliances, and don’t flush your toilets for at least one hour.  Next, record the water meter reading.  If the flow indicator is spinning or the meter reading changes while no water is being used, there’s an excellent chance a water leak is lurking somewhere within your home.

Ultimately, the best way to fix a leak is to find it before damage strikes!  The best way to accomplish that is with a house-wide plumbing inspection.  To schedule an inspection or if you have concerns, contact Minneapolis Saint Paul Plumbing Heating Air either online or by phone.