Replacing a drum trap to a PVC P-trap

Stop living with leaks and start living leak free.

Lets just start off and say drum traps were a terrible design. Most the time bathtubs would get clogged after the drum trap. Cleaning the drain though the drum trap would create headaches with broken pipes and drum trap covers that wouldn’t recreate a tight seal. It’s important to have that tight seal because otherwise the water would leak out from the drum trap cover. As drum traps got older and older plumbers started to slowly replace them with PVC p-traps. PVC was discovered in the 1800’s but never really used until the 1900’s. PVC is known to be stronger then cast iron and galvanized pipes. PVC has it’s own issues flaws as well. For instance if you install PVC in a very cold space make sure you insulate properly just in case.
P-traps are now what every new house installs. Even though cast iron lasted over a hundred years, the bottom line is that PVC is cheaper and gets the job done faster.
My personal opinion is that we would still be using cast iron pipe if it weren’t so expensive and hard to install. Buy as every contractor knows it’s all about price and quality work.
Call Hiawatha Plumbing today to help you unclog, or install your bathtub p-trap.

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Winter plumbing check list?

Make sure before the winter months and the ground freezes you mark where all your drain clean outs in your yard are. You never know when that unexpected drain clog will happen. Don’t forget to mark the clean outs before it’s to late. If you don’t have any outside clean outs make sure you drain your outside exterior sillcocks/hose bibs. If they freeze and break they will need to be replaced in the Spring.

Call Hiawatha Plumbing today for help!


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Average cost to clean your main sewer line

Calls come in everyday to clean clogged main sewer drains. First off, know that each and every sewer line is different. Never can two sewer lines be identical. The average cost of cleaning a main sewer line is normally under $140. There are a couple different ways to clean a main sewer line and I think it’s wise to talk briefly about them. If a house or commercial building has a proper floor main sewer line clean-out near the front of their foundation you could get a sewer line cleaned for around $130 for under 90 feet. Companies do charge more per foot after 90 feet. If one can only clean a sewer line through a stack pipe it could take a little longer. Note: that some stacks have smaller opening to clean a sewer line. If a stack line has a smaller opening we always suggest in the future to increase the size. getting a bigger blade through ones sewer line will be more beneficial to them. For the most part sewer lines never have to be jetted. If a company offers to jet your main sewer line before cleaning it with blades be hesitant to way they want to proceed that way. 95% of sewer lines can be cleaned with blades. For ones that don’t know what jetting is, it’s high pressure water that cleans ones line. We suggest getting lines cleaned by blades before water ever is even introduced. Number one, jetting costs more and number two jetting again isn’t always needed. If one knows that their line needs a jetter you should go ahead an proceed.
Most the time the average sewer line costs under $150 to clean. We suggest to clean and maintain ones sewer line every 12 months. Also, after receiving a main sewer line cleaning think about cleaning your floor drain at the same time. Debris is always left in there and will back up your drain soon after and if not will harden in your line. By cleaning sewer line every 12 months you will get the best results from roots and all other sorts of debris from growing and spreading worse in ones main sewer line.
If you must go about cleaning your sewer line through your toilet the price is higher for pulling/resetting your toilet. Toilet lines are the LAST WAY we want to clean your main sewer line. Cleaning a sewer line is all about the size of the blade we can get through the line
Call Hiawatha Plumbing for any questions.
We look forward to hearing from you!

Dual Flush Toilets Pros and Cons

Some countries make dual flush toilet mandatory. Dual toilets are also known as “Green” toilets. These toilets flush no more then 1.6 gallons, compared to the standard toilets that flush 3.5 gallons. Most dual toilets are designed to use gravity to remove waste through a large trapway. Older toilets use pressure siphoning. The larger trapways are to reduce the amount of toilet clogs. The cost of the dual flushing toilets start at $250 and can go up to about four times the price. Dual toilets have a very modern look to them so they can match with a variety of bathroom styles. These toilets can be purchased in one or two piece sets.
Some cons to the dual flush toilets is that there harder to install. Each model is different and requires a professional plumber. These toilets also may require more cleaning due to the lower volume per flush. The buttons on the top of the unit may be confusing at first cause there not marked well. In most cases the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. A dual flush toilet in the long run will save you money on your water bill.

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Granite sinks REALLY?

When beginning shopping for a stainless steel sink or a granite sink which should it be? There are many good and bad features to each sink. Granite is very durable because it comes from one large piece of stone. Every piece is unique and looks different from the next. Granite doesn’t stain easily at all and is heat-resistant. People have been worried about putting granite in kitchen cause of their fragility. But “If you
know how to care for your stone sink, it will last for a hundred years.”

Stainless steel sinks on the other hand have been around for a very long time. We all know how durable they are and how easy they are clean up. They blend with many colors and there affordable for everyone’s budget. They don’t chip, or stain, or tarnish. Just like granite sinks they are also heat resistant. Some of the defaults are that they scratch, get dull over time and are only available in one color.

Some questions to ask before purchasing a sink are:
• Do you want a sink with a single bowl or a double bowl?
• Do you want one with a soap dispenser? A hot water dispenser? A
filtered water dispenser?
• How do you plan to mount your sink: top mount or under mount
• Do you want a sink that is built in to your countertop?
• How deep do you need your sink to be?
• Do you want something custom?

http://www.hgtv.com/decorating/is-a-stone-sink-right-for-your-kitchen/index.html

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Don’t be frightened anymore….

Also, rats from time to time get into your broken sewer lines. Rats can also come up in your basement toilet bowls. Make sure to keep your lids down. Have you sewer line inspected by the professional today. Call Hiawatha Plumbing and get your rat issue handled today.

http://www.homeserve.com/help-advice/pests/rat-facts

Copper Water Leaks.

Copper Water leaks can be easy to handle or a nightmare depending on when you catch them and decide to fix the problem. Couple things to you watch for on copper pipes. When you see them changing color to a blue or green you should replace that section of pipe. Some people think when you replace copper pipes you have to replace the entire line. Just so you people know, that’s not true at all. Whenever you see a pin hole leak make sure you know where your main water shut off valve is. Then turn your house water off and call a plumber ASAP. Houses can be fun and enjoyable to live in, but by ignoring the major problems, it can turn owning a house into a nightmare.

http://www.croberts.com/erosion-corrosion.htm

If your a faucet fanatic, this is for you.

http://www.nowthatsnifty.com/2010/04/16-cool-facets.html#.T0RQhYePWcw

What did we EVER do before toilet paper?

“Since the dawn of time, people have found nifty ways to clean up after the bathroom act. The most common solution was simply to grab what was at hand:”

http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/40088

Water Pressure Advise

Hiawatha Plumbing can help and advise with any drain or plumbing issue.

So, you turn on the faucet in the shower and only two little streams of water come out of the showerhead. Then, you sigh at the thought of how long it’s going…
http://www.goodservices.com/waterpressure.php

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