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When you hear the word “plumbing,” it’s likely to conjure up images in your mind of the faucets and fixtures that pour water forth throughout your home. Maybe you even think about the drains that whisk away wastewater. These are the components of your plumbing system that you actually see and have direct interaction with, so it makes sense that you’d think of them—but there is one component in particular that not too many homeowners give much thought too, and that’s their sewer line.

While out of sight (and probably, out of mind), a sewer line problem can leave you with a major inconvenience, not to mention a mess and potentially expensive plumbing repairs. Early detection of sewer line issues is advantageous. But how does a Fort Lee, NJ plumber know that a sewer line needs help?

VIDEO CAMERA PIPE INSPECTION

This service involves the use of a slender fiber optic cable, which is inserted into your pipes with a small camera at the end. This can be used for any of your pipes throughout your entire plumbing system, and allows our professional plumbers to thoroughly inspect your pipes without disrupting them at all.

Video pipe inspection is part of plumbing maintenance, which you should have performed at least once a year. But that doesn’t mean you can’t call to schedule this service on your own. However, how do you know when you need to have your sewer line inspected? Keep reading for some warning signs.

Foul Odors: This is probably the most apparent sign of trouble with your sewer line—the development of foul odors in your home, especially from the drains. If you can smell sewer odors coming from any part of your plumbing, it’s time to have one of our plumbers inspect the situation.

You may be dealing with something as simple as a blockage. Or, you could have a leak due to tree root intrusion. But in some cases, the sewer line pipe has aged to the point that it has begun to corrode, and as a result may require replacement.

Backed Up Drains: One slow-moving or backed up drain in your home isn’t likely cause for immediate concern. It could be something like hair stuck in your bathroom sink, or food scraps in your kitchen sink. However, if you have multiple backed up drains throughout your home, you’re likely looking at a major problem with your sewer line.

Soggy or Bright Green Patches in Your Yard: Have you noticed that there’s one area of your yard that’s more lush and green than others? In the absence of something like a broken sprinkler head, it’s extremely likely you have a leak in your sewer line that is basically fertilizing that area. This, like the other problems mentioned above, can be cause by pipe corrosion, and could require a sewer line replacement.

The best thing you can do when you suspect a problem with your plumbing system is call our pros to set up an inspection ASAP. This can prevent even a small problem from turning into a much bigger one.

When you want quality service and guaranteed satisfaction, call on BZ Dependable Plumbing & Heating Inc.

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It’s important to know where the water shutoff valves are in your home. Should the plumbing system spring a leak, it’s an inconvenience, but you can certainly go to a dedicated shutoff valve (located beside the toilet, sink, or fixture it services) or turn off the water to the whole house to stop the flow of water and then call in a plumber for help.

Of course, if a plumbing leak occurs while you’re at work, there’s no way to know about it, and no one home to shut off the water.  What can you do in this situation? And is there any way to prevent it from happening?

ACT QUICKLY

When you come home to soaked carpets, a wet floor, or a spraying pipe, don’t panic. It’s important to act fast to get the problem under control. Be sure the area is safe, and then shut off the water, either to the appliance or fixture itself or to the whole home.

Then, you need to take steps to clean up the area as quickly as possible. If water were able to pool all day, it could already have caused damage to the foundation of your home, your cabinets, carpets, or items in the room. But you shouldn’t wait to find out. These damages get worse by the second, so grab a mop and a bucket, all of the towels you have, or even a wet/dry vacuum cleaner if you can get ahold of one and get started.

CONTACT YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY

In case you are worried about damages to your home or the cost of repairing the leak, be sure to contact your homeowner’s insurance provider ASAP. It’s possible that the leak won’t be covered, but it’s better to know now than to wait for the cost of damages to add up. Sometimes, when you wait too long, your insurer can cite the length of time as a reason to deny a claim, so acting quickly is always your best bet.

CALL A QUALIFIED PLUMBER

All in all, you’ll need a professional plumber (not a handyman!) to fix this leak. Your professional plumber will be able to locate the source of the leak, find the right method of the repair, and fix the problem efficiently with something that’s not simply temporary. Make sure you hire a licensed plumbing contractor and not a fly-by-night service or a neighbor who’s good with repairs.

TAKE STEPS TO PREVENT THIS

In the future, you know this is something you want to avoid. Luckily, there are steps you can take to keep you aware of what’s going on in your home, even if you are nowhere near it, or to prevent these leaks from causing major damage.

Automated water leak detection systems are becoming more and more common in homes across the country. These connect to the pipes or sit on the floor to detect water leakage. If a leak occurs, it can either close off the water valve (with more advanced systems) or send an alert to your phone so you can take off and address the problem.

Schedule service for your plumbing in Englewood NJ with BZ Dependable Plumbing & Heating Inc.

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Would you believe that frozen pipes are never a concern for people in some parts of the country? In New Jersey, though, it’s something all homeowners have to think about, whether or not they’ve ever dealt with severely frozen pipes. When the problem does come up, you have a lot to consider. Will you simply take better precautions from now on? Will you call on a plumber in Teaneck, NJ to help? Should you consider major plumbing rerouting?

We cannot answer the toughest questions for you. We can, however, help you understand when it’s time to call a plumber for your frozen pipes and when you should do something on your own.

(201) 837-6700

WHY PREVENTATIVE MEASURES ARE MOST IMPORTANT

A frozen pipe is likely to crack thanks to the pressure of an expanding and thawing pipe. Hopefully, you won’t have to call in plumbers for your frozen pipes—because you have taken preventative measures before a winter freeze. If you haven’t done so yet, now is the time to start!

  • Insulate exposed piping by wrapping it in heat tape or a fitted pipe sleeve.
  • Keep the heat on in your home even if you plan to be gone for several days. As the weather cools, monitor your indoor temperature and make sure it stays above 55 degrees in all parts of the house.
  • In case freezing weather is predicted, you should keep the cupboard doors under the sink open and make sure heat can reach those pipes.
  • Keep faucets at a drip in freezing temperatures, or at least the faucet furthest from where the water supply enters your home. The constant movement of water can prevent pipes from freezing.

HOW TO IDENTIFY VULNERABLE PIPES

Identify any pipes that move through un-insulated portions of the house, or portions that you don’t normally heat. In particular, look for pipes that run through an outside wall, where frost and cold spells have a much greater chance of affecting them.

Pipe openings into the main house don’t always have insulation nearby. Neither do electrical outlets. You can winterize them by filling the holes with acrylic latex caulk or the like. You can also add insulating sleeves to vulnerable pipes and insulating tape, both of which can be installed by a trained plumbing service.

A trained plumber can perform an inspection of your home and let you know which spots may need attending to.

WHEN YOU SHOULD CALL IN PLUMBERS FOR FROZEN PIPES

The best thing you can do is take every measure you can to prevent your pipes from freezing in the first place. Of course, pipes can freeze despite your best efforts. In this case, if you’re asking yourself “should I call a plumber for frozen pipes?” check to see whether you can find the source of the freezing along an exposed pipe. While you may be able to thaw it on your own, professionals have quality thawing equipment that can do the job faster and safely.

You should also call in plumbers if you cannot find the frozen pipe, or if there is any sign the pipe has cracked. In this case, shut off the water while you wait for a plumber to come, open the faucets, and protect the floors with towels and buckets.

WHAT NOT TO DO

At some point, it may make more sense to thaw the pipes on your own. We recommend calling in plumbers in severe cases, but if you do attempt thawing, be sure to follow these safety measures:

  • Do not leave a portable heater unattended.
  • Never use an open flame.
  • Do not turn the faucets off.
  • Do not ignore a potential crack or hole in the pipe.

WHEN SHOULD YOU CONSIDER DRASTIC MEASURES

If your pipes keep freezing time and time again, no matter what you do or how well you insulate the pipes, it may be time to take drastic measures. This is also true if the freezing keeps happening inside the walls or elsewhere you cannot easily reach for insulation or thawing.

In this case, you might need to have the pipes rerouted. A professional plumber in Teaneck, NJ can help you decide whether this is the case, so at some point, it’s certainly worth calling in a plumber to discuss your frozen pipes.

BZ Dependable Plumbing & Heating Inc. can help with your frozen pipes in Teaneck, NJ. Call today for exceptional customer service!

(201) 837-6700

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When you’re a renter, you often don’t have to pay for some of the necessities that come into your home, like water. When you own your home, though, you start to see that the bills add up a lot faster than you think. You’re responsible for every drop of water that comes in through the meter, on top of every bit of fuel and electricity you use.

It’s worth it to take the time to assess your home systems and make some changes that could benefit your wallet in the long term. This might be surprising, but your plumbing system tends to use up a lot of the resources you need, and not just water. Find out how to cut money by making a few upgrades to your plumbing!

1. A TANKLESS WATER HEATER

Tankless water heaters use only a fraction of the energy and fuel that tank water heaters do. Why? A tank water heater (the standard kind in homes) has to remain lit and running all the time. That’s 24 hours of energy and fuel usage so that hot water is always available when you need it.

But do you really need hot water 24 hours a day? Of course not! You only need hot water when you turn on the hot water tap, which happens when you shower and then a handful of times in a day.

Tankless water heaters heat up the water “on demand” instead. So, when you turn on a hot water tap, the heat exchanger ignites, turning off again when you don’t need it anymore. This can save a lot of money over the course of a year.

2. WATER SOFTENER

A water softener is not like other water treatment systems. It is not designed to clean your water in order to make the drinking water pure. It’s designed to clean minerals out of the water which are usually safe to ingest.

Minerals like calcium and magnesium are commonly found in water. It’s an issue known as “hard water.” Hard water leaves mineral deposits behind in the pipes, in the water heater, and other plumbing fixtures. This buildup can clog up a system and force you to replace plumbing components sooner.

A water softener uses a brine solution to “scrub” minerals out of the water. It replaces the minerals with salt ions. You’ll notice a difference when cleaning, washing your hair, and rinsing dishes!

3. LOW-FLUSH TOILET

A low-flush toilet is able to use less water with every flush. When compared to toilets made about 20 years ago, they use about 1/3 of the water used back then. How can they get away with this and not constantly clog up?

It’s the pressure that allows for better drainage, not the water volume. Pressurized air assists in pushing down the water at a faster rate. You can save even more water with a toilet that has dual buttons, one for liquid waste and one for that which you’d rather not think about.

To get better plumbing in Englewood, NJ contact the pros at BZ Dependable Plumbing & Heating Inc.

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What’s the most annoying plumbing problem you can think of in a home? For many people, it’s a leak in the pipes somewhere or a leak from a faucet. But the good news about a leak is that you can always shut off the water to temporarily get the problem under control. For even more people, the most annoying plumbing problem is one that can lead to mayhem if not fixed properly the first time around: a clogged toilet.

We know, we know: it’s not exactly a problem you want to discuss. But it always helps to have a plan in place for the next time this happens to you, whether it’s at your home or a guest’s. Here are our professional tips on what to do about a clogged toilet (and some advice on when it’s time to give up and call in the pros!).

ACT FAST

First, what’s most important is that you act quickly as soon as you notice the toilet won’t flush. Do not flush the toilet a second time! If it didn’t work the first time, there’s no reason to believe it will again, and you risk overfilling the toilet.

Instead, you want to stop the flapper to keep additional water from pouring into the bowl. The flapper is the drain stop that leads from the tank to the bowl. Open up the top of the tank and reach in to move the flapper into place. (Remember, this water is clean!)

PREPARE THE AREA

You may want to lay down some paper towels around the toilet to prevent a disgusting cleanup job and make things easier on yourself. A plunger may make a splash, and it’s important to keep things as sanitary as possible. You may even want to wear long, rubber gloves.

USE THE RIGHT PLUNGER

The right plunger is of a high-quality heavy-duty rubber, and should have a flange attachment at the bottom. You may have to go to a hardware store to get this, but it’s worth it; standard flimsy plungers often do not work. The flange at the bottom should create a tight seal with the unique fit of the toilet drain that helps to create better suction.

PERFECT YOUR TECHNIQUE

Perfecting your plunging technique is key to seeing that the clog disappears. Make sure water is able to fill up in the cup. You may need to add water from the sink to the bowl. Get it sealed over the hole, and then start moving the plunger. Push down with force and pull up sharply. You need to put just as much effort into both actions, and you may have to repeat this a couple dozen times.

CHECK YOUR WORK

After some work, try flushing again and make sure water drains completely. If it does not, repeat your efforts. Usually, this will work eventually. However, you should know when to give up. If it doesn’t seem like the clog will give up, there may be a more serious problem, and you should call in plumbing professionals to have a look.

For your plumbing in Bergenfield, NJ, trust the professionals at BZ Dependable Plumbing & Heating Inc.

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When dealing with plumbing problems in the home, the bathroom is the most common place to have them. It’s the most concentrated point of of the plumbing system in many cases: the spot where three or four outlets at the minimum occupy a very small piece of space. And it sees heavy use every day. It’s the first place you visit when you get up in the morning and the last place you stop at on the way to bed at night. When problems arise there, they can bring your household screeching to a halt very easily. Keeping an eye out for trouble in your bathroom can be a good way to stop problems before they start.

THERE ARE VERY FEW SMALL PROBLEMS

Some problems with your bathroom plumbing have fast and simple solutions. We’ve all dealt with the unpleasant task of fishing a hairball out of the shower drain, for instance, or unclogging the toilet with a plunger and a little elbow grease. That can often lead us to assume that any problem can be handled ourselves. In point of fact, most bathroom problems require a trained plumber to properly solve, and attempting to apply do-it-yourself solutions to them is apt to cause more harm than good.

Take the issue of clogs, for instance. A store-bought cleaners or snake is intended to handle a clogged shower or bathroom sink, but buying over-the-counter means getting a solution that is designed to partially treat a wide array of clogs. That means the same methods are applied whether it’s caused by hair, toothpaste or even a child’s toy thrown down the drain. And because the store-bought solution only addresses the problem in a general way, the clog can quickly re-form just a few weeks or months later.

A professional plumber, on the other hand, can used specialized tools such as motorized snakes with rotating heads to properly take care of the clog. That way, it won’t come back as soon as you blink, and if you can determine what caused it in the first place, you can take steps to ensure that the same clog doesn’t crop up again!

KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR ANYTHING STRANGE

Few bathroom plumbing problems arise in a vacuum, and chances are that a plumbing issue in your bathroom will demonstrate symptoms before they make the outlet in question unable to be used. Some of them are obvious – if you see water flowing across the bathroom floor, there’s probably an issue – but others can be quite subtle. Generally speaking, you should watch for anything out of the ordinary in your plumbing. Specific signs can include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Slow Drains. Drains that remove water slowly or not at all can indicate a leak or a clog.
  • Odd Sounds. The sound of running or dripping water may mean a leak somewhere you can’t easily spot.
  • Low Pressure. Problems in the water pipes can reduce the pressure of your bathroom faucet or shower.
  • Running Toilet. A toilet that keeps running, or runs for excessively long periods of time – even after you jiggle the handle – is usually in need of a look.

Here in Hillsdale, NJ, resolve bathroom plumbing problems by calling BZ Dependable Plumbing & Heating Inc.

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