Aug 16

Drain Stoppage Prevention Tips From Your Local Tempe Plumber

By City Wide Plumbing drain stoppages, Phoenix Plumbing, plumbing, plumbing tips, plumbing trouble No Comments

Avoid clogging your kichen drain by not placeing hard-to-grind, stringy, fibrous waste, such as poultry skins, banana peels, carrots, celery, or cantaloupe pulp, down the garbage disposal. The disposal can’t sufficiently grind these food products and it will clog your sink drain. You need to also run cold water down the drain for about 15 seconds prior to using the garbage disposal and after to flush the waste down the main drain.

If you have a musty sewer smell permeating in areas of your home try running water in all drains chances are the musty smell is from dried out plumbing. If this doesn’t work or the smell comes back a couple days later call a professional you may have other plumbing issues.

Make sure you avoid pouring fats down the drain. Fats can solidify-which can cause a drainage issue and clog your pipes. Pour fats and different types of cooking oils in a throw away container such as an old milk jug or old coffee can and throw out with your garbage.

To help prevent hair from clogging your drains, install strainers in each tub and shower to capture the hair before it goes down the drain. When combined with soap build-up, hair can bring your drains to a complete standstill.

Feb 07

It’s the Law: Before you dig, call Arizona Blue Stake!

By City Wide Plumbing backflow cages, backflow device, backflow prevention theft, drain stoppages, freeze protection, Gilbert Arizona, local news, Mesa Arizona, Phoenix Plumbing, plumbing, plumbing tips, plumbing trouble, Slab Leaks No Comments

Arizona Blue Stake was established by utility owners as a one-call notification system to assist local homeowners and excavators in identifying the location of underground utilities to prevent damages to facilities.

Notify the Arizona Blue Stake Center at least two (2) working days (excluding weekends and legal holidays) before excavating to have all underground pipelines and facilities located and marked.

Calling 811 will help save lives and protect infrastructure. Knowing where underground utility lines are buried before each digging project begins helps protect you from personal injury, expense and penalties. There may be multiple utility lines in the same area at varying depths. Even simple digging projects can damage utility lines and disrupt vital services to an entire community. Having underground utilities located can help prevent undesired consequences

Wait for the project site to be marked by all utility owners. Once all utilities have been properly located, you are officially ready to dig.

Respect and protect the marks. Have utility lines re-marked if initial markings are more than fifteen (15) days old.

Use caution when digging. Always hand dig within two feet of either side of any marked line. Some utility lines may be buried at a shallow depth, and an unintended shovel

Be Aware utility companies may not mark where the line continues into your property (anything on your property is considered privately owned and maintained.

If damage occurs, notify the appropriate facility owner IMMEDIATLY.

Each marking represents the location of the underground facilities and the color represents the type of utility (gas, water, electric, communication, etc…). These marks are temporary and fade with time.

White– proposed excavation

Pink– Temporary Survey

Red– Electric, traffic signals and street lights

Yellow– natural gas, petroleum, nitrogen, butane, and propane.

Orange– Communication, cable television, fiber optics

Blue water systems, slurry pipes, irrigation and wells

Purple– reclaimed water

Green– Sanitary Sewer Systems

There is a penalty for failure to comply. Owners of underground facilities must locate and mark all their facilities at that location within 48 hours. Failure to do so could result in a fine of up to $ 5000. You or a contractor cannon begin excavating until all utilities have been marked or be subject to a maximum fine of $ 5000.

Information courtesy of:

Arizona Blue Stake

Arizona Corporation Commission

City of Mesa

City of Scottsdale

Oct 29

Peek at the Plumbing before You Purchase

By City Wide Plumbing Phoenix Plumbing, plumbing trouble No Comments

Are you buying a new home?

Check the plumbing in the new home before you purchase.

Often we hear about people buying a home and then finding out they have plumbing issues that could have been detected before purchase. We’ve composed this list to help you avoid that happening to you.

Check the pipes. A lot of pipes may be hidden in walls, so you may not be able to see everything. Even so, look in the mechanics room or in the basement, under sinks and around toilets. Look for poor connections where leaks are most likely to happen. If you see evidence of water damage, stains, dampness and/or mold, start asking questions: Was this fixed? When? If you’re not getting specific answers, it may indicate that there are expensive repairs in the future.

Check the shut-off valves. You’ll find them around the water heater, behind bigger appliances, to the outside of the house for hoses and sprinkler systems, and to the main water supply. Do the valves twist easily or require a good deal of force? Do they leak when you turn the water off and back on? Do the taps still work a little even though you’ve turned the water off? You may want to have these replaced as a precaution if you have trouble turning the valves or they drip when you test them. When the valves are in poor working order, it’s best to replace them before there’s an emergency.

Check the taps and flush the toilets. How does everything work? Do you see any leaks? Is there a problem with the water going down? Do the taps continue to drip once you turn them off? All of the fixtures in a house may need basic maintenance, such as taps needing new washers or the main cleanout valve needing a cleanout.

Even if you detect some plumbing problems, you may decide the pros outweigh the cons. If you decide to buy anyway, your best bet is to ask for a professional plumbing inspection to provide an estimate. This decision can work to your benefit, as you can negotiate repairs into the final asking price, and avert problems before you move in. We can help.

Call City Wide Plumbing for quality plumbing at an affordable price. 480-966-8795

Mar 13

6 DIY Tips to Avoid a Plumbing Emergency

By City Wide Plumbing AZ, local plumber, Mesa Arizona, Phoenix, Phoenix Plumbing, plumbing tips, plumbing trouble No Comments

Plumbing emergencies are never a good thing and always happen at the worst times. With regular maintenance from a plumbing professional and a few DIY tips, you can drastically reduce your chances of having to deal with a plumbing disaster. Try these 6 tips to help prevent potential plumbing disasters and water emergencies in your home.

Know Where the Water Shut off Valve is Located
Usually located by the front door of you home, shutting off the main valve to the house can stop a small problem from turning into a disaster. If that valve does not work call your local city water department and they will shut it down at the meter.

Fix Problems Quickly
Even small leaks can corrode pipes and cause significant water damage or mold. Re caulk showers and tubs to prevent leaks.

Never Use an Exposed Pipe as a Hanger
Hanging laundry from exposed pipes can be tempting but it can loosen joints and fasteners and cause unwanted plumbing problems.

Avoid Chemical Drain Clearing Products
Chemical products seem like a quick fix but repeated use can erode pipes and cause leaks.

Reduce Water Pressure
High water pressure stresses out your pipes and increases the likelihood of leaks. Have your home water pressure tested, go to Home Depot or Ace Hardware and buy a gauge that screws on your hose bib.

Turn Off Water While on Vacation
Use the shut off valve and turn off your water next time you go out of town. A small leak left unattended for just a few days can cause exponential water damage and even start fires if the water reaches electrical wiring.

City Wide Plumbing

Follow these 6 tips and if you ever feel like you are in over your head don’t pause to give us a call, City Wide Plumbing @ 480 966 8795. We are the local Valley plumber for over 30 years, we have all the expertise and tools necessary to handle any plumbing emergency you encounter. Licensed, bonded and insured.

May 17

Sewer Smell Plumbing Tip

By City Wide Plumbing Phoenix Plumbing, plumbing repairs, plumbing tips, plumbing trouble, sewer, sewer smell No Comments

P-trap

A sewer smell can be an unpleasant experience and can usually be solved by a process of elimination. Here are some tips you can do to try and resolve the nasty odor.

Drains are designed to hold water in what is called a P-trap, the water acts as a barrier to keep sewer gas from permeating the home. Start by running water down the drains and flushing toilets especially the ones that do not get used often to restore the water in the p-trap.

Check your clean outs to make sure the plugs are installed and secured.

Another culprit could be a bad wax ring seal between the toilet flange and the base of the toilet.

This wax ring can occasionally leak, sometimes from a rocking toilet that has broken the seal causing sewer gas to find its way out from under the toilet. If that’s the case, you’ll have to remove the toilet and replace the wax ring. If the toilet rocks, use shims between the stool and the floor and caulk the joint. This will ensure that a rocking toilet doesn’t ruin the new wax ring.

A more serious problem would be a broken or cracked sewer line or even a loose connection joint in the vent in the ceiling or wall. If you’ve addressed the three easier possibilities, contact a plumber who specializes in hunting down leaks .

May 10

Locate! Locate! Locate!

By City Wide Plumbing home repairs, Phoenix Plumbing, plumber, plumbing, plumbing repairs, plumbing tips, plumbing trouble, remodeling No Comments

I cannot stress enough how important it is to locate your utilities before starting a home improvement project. No matter how big or small the project, locating your utilities first will save you spending money in unnecessary repairs later. Call Blue Stake before you dig for public utilities outside of your home. Call your local plumber or locating company for all private utilities inside your home.

This is an example of a small job gone wrong. A company came out to install a doggie door. As they cut into the block wall they got flooded with water. The tech installing the door cut through a copper water pipe. Luckily the homeowner is not out any money, the company is taking care of the repairs, but this could have all been avoided had they had the utilities located first. After the plumbing, concrete patch and paint, I’m sure the company is going to spend more on repairs then it cost to put the door in.

Dec 18

Emergency Water Shut Off

By City Wide Plumbing Gilbert Arizona, holiday plumbing emergency, holidays, local news, Mesa Arizona, Phoenix Plumbing, plumbing, plumbing tips, plumbing trouble, Slab Leaks, water heaters No Comments

It is important to know where your water shut off valves are located. You also need to make sure that the valves are in proper working order. Internal shut off valves are usually located behind toilets, refrigerators, wash machines, under kitchen and lavatory sinks, and above water heaters. If any of those items malfunction you can quickly shut off the water to isolate the problem and have a lower risk of water damage. There is also a main water shut off valve located outside on the main service riser. If the valves inside are not working or you can not locate the valve you can shut off the water to the entire house. Some town homes, condos, or apartments may not have service riser shut off valve if this is the case or if the valve is not working you can call your local water company emergency line and have them shut off the water at the meter.

Call your local plumber for a location and inspection of your shut off valves. Also test them regularly, after time the valves can corrode and freeze.

Dec 07

What is a slab leak?

Leaking pipes inside or underneath the concrete of a house’s floor or foundations are called slab leaks.

What are signs of a slab leak?

Hear running water, when no water should be running.
Warm or hot spots on the floor
Cracks in walls or floor
Mildew, excessive moisture under carpet, or musty odor
High water bills

What to do if you think you have a slab leak?

Call a plumber who specializes in leak detection or a locating professional to pinpoint the location of the leak using thermal imaging, pipe locating, and sound equipment.

If a leak is detected, how does a plumbing professional repair it?

One option is to jackhammer the floor and repair the leak in the ground. A plumbing professional will take up some tile or carpet and jackhammer the concrete to reach the leaking pipe. They will then cut out the bad section of pipe and solder a new one in place, and most companies will rough patch the concrete. It us up to the homeowner to replace any tile or carpet but some home owners insurance will cover this type of repair.

A second option is the reroute the line. This is where a plumber will run a new line from through the walls and attic to eliminate the leaking pipe in the ground. Most plumbers will only reroute one line unless you would like to re pipe the entire home. This option does cause some damage to the drywall and most insurance companies will not cover this type of repair.

Oct 16

When you need plumbing for your home away from home, call City Wide for all your plumbing needs.

By City Wide Plumbing drain stoppages, holiday plumbing emergency, Phoenix Plumbing, plumbing, plumbing tips, plumbing trouble, Slab Leaks, water heaters No Comments

We have hundreds of satisfied Apache Junction Arizona customers, winter visitors, and out of state customers with property in the East Valley and Metro Phoenix. City Wide Plumbing is licensed, bonded, and insured. Call 480-966-8795 and we will help.

Our plumbers get many work opportunities due to the constant plumbing maintenance on winter vacation homes in the EastValley and Apache Junction. Our plumbers provide their services to commercial office buildings, hotels and residential homes.

Need a referral for another type of contractor? We have names and phone numbers of tile setters, flooring contractors and air conditioning contractors that we have used for many years. This way you can hire contractors you can count on!

Jun 01

Service Calls

By City Wide Plumbing Phoenix Plumbing, plumbing, plumbing tips, plumbing trouble, Slab Leaks, water heaters

Before You Call for Service:

Plan the best time for reoccurring smells or banging – it’s always frustrating if the problem doesn’t happen when the plumber arrives.
Locate any of the original paperwork or get the information off the appliance to help identify the model and part numbers so theplumber can come prepared.
Group plumbing problems together and make one call.

When Calling for Service:

Tell them, to the best of your knowledge, exactly what’s wrong when you talk to the office.
There are thousands of brands and of thousands of different parts, a plumber can’t be expected to carry them all. So, provide as much information as you can (i.e., size, part, model numbers and previous history etc.).
Make sure you give the dispatcher all of your information, gate codes, unit numbers, cell phones. Nothing is worse then when a tech in at the gate and is not able to reach you.
Don’t expect a quote over the phone. Yes sometime the issue is straight forward and you can get an average cost, but you have to remember the person on the phone can not see the problem and they usually are not a plumber. Free in home plumbing estimates.

Before the Plumber Arrives:

Remove or restrain pets from area. They maybe sweet and friendly to you but they may not like the stranger coming through the door.
Empty cabinets and sinks where work is to be performed.
Clear a path to water heater or crawl space entrance.

After the Plumber Arrives:

Explain what you see as the problem and everything that has been done previously. This will speed the work and lower your plumbing bill.
Ask for a quote, you should always know what to expect before the plumber starts the job.

Before the Plumber Leaves:

Inspect the work to ensure what you expected was done. Make sure everything every thing working properly.
Ask questions about this or future projects.

May 18

10 Water Saving Tips

By City Wide Plumbing holiday plumbing emergency, Phoenix Plumbing, plumbing tips, plumbing trouble

Here are some great ways to save water and keep some pennies in the piggy bank.

Turn off then water when brushing your teeth. The average bathroom faucet runs 2 gallons per minute.
Upgrade older toilets with water efficient models, not only will you save water but your local water company may also offer rebates for each toilet.
Fix leaky faucets, you can save 140 gallons a week.
Install water efficient shower heads, they can save you up to 750 gallons per month.
Keep a bucket in the shower to catch water as it warms up. Use that water for your pets or plants.
Monitor your water bill. Your bill and water meter are tools that can help you discover leaks.
We spend half the time in the shower avoiding the water while soaping up, for big water savings turn off the water while lathering up.
Don’t forget to check outdoor faucets, sprinklers and hoses for leaks.
Teach your children to turn off faucets tightly after each use.
Know where your main water shut off valve is located. This could save water and prevent damage to your home in an emergency.

May 16

6 unusual ways to unclog a drain

By City Wide Plumbing Phoenix Plumbing, plumbing tips, plumbing trouble

I was scouring the Internet today looking for different ways to try and unclog a drain with out calling a plumber. Let me know if you have tried any of these or if you have any do it your self tips to clear that pesky drain.

1. Pour 1/2 cup of salt down the drain followed by boiling water. Continue to flush with very hot tap water until the clog is clear.

2. Pour 1/3 cup baking soda and 1/3 cup vinegar down the drain, it should start to bubble with foam. Cover drain with a wash rag until it stops foaming, then run very hot water for 2 – 3 minutes.

3. Wet dry vacuum, first set it to vacuum liquids, to prevent a mess cover the vent. Then create a tight seal over the drain. With the vacuum turned to the highest setting, it can be powerful enough to draw up the clog into the vacuum.

4. For a hair clog, if you have a Nair hair remover laying around pour it down the drain, let it sit for about an hour then pour hot water down the drain.

5. Take a wire hanger, straighten it out and bend the end to make a small hook. Then push it past the drain cover and start fishing. You may get all sorts of nasty stuff out of the drain so if you have a weak stomach this may not be for you. When finish flush the drain with some hot water.

6. Pouring a cup of plain yogurt down the drain and leave for several hour. I’m not really sure how this works but several sources on the Internet swear by it.

Remember if non of these work the problem could be further down the line or you can have a more serious drain issue. Give us a call 480-966-8795 we offer same day service and free in home estimates.

May 14

Top 3 Reasons To Replace Your Water Heater

By City Wide Plumbing Phoenix Plumbing, plumbing tips, plumbing trouble, water heaters

No Hot Water!

The number one reason Chandler Heights homeowners replace their water heater is when their existing water heater stops working. There are a number of reasons water heaters stop working: if the problem is with the actual heating unit or controls, repairing the water heater may be possible. However, if the water heater is significantly damaged or the tank itself is leaking, water heater replacement is the only option. Cold showers are no way to start the day!

The End is Near!

Avoid the icy cold inconvenience of having your water heater fail. Water heaters have an expected useful life of 5-7 years for an electric water heater and 8- 10 years for a gas water heater, actual performance varies with family usage, water quality, environmental conditions, and a number of other factors. If your home water heater is over a decade old, you’ll want to start thinking about water heater replacement.

Save Energy, Save Money

Water heater technology has evolved significantly over the years. The big, old heavy water heaters we remember from our grandparent’s basements is yesterday’s news! Today, water heater manufacturers are leading the way with units that are extremely energy efficient. Environmental pressures are growing more intense every day: every little bit we can do to save the planet helps! Additionally, the less energy you use to heat your home’s water supply, the lower your utility bill is going to be. That means extra money in your pocket

Apr 11

We’re More Than Just Another Plumbing Company

By City Wide Plumbing Phoenix Plumbing, plumbing trouble

We’re More Than Just Another Plumbing Company

City Wide Plumbing has been serving Maricopa County with affordable plumbing solutions since 1982. Our 3 technicians have 82 years of combined experience in the plumbing industry. The combined experience of our staff is over 135 years!

We’re more than a plumbing company. We do more than fix broken pipes, clogged drains and sewer lines. We also are experts in:

Water heater sales and installation
- Electric water heaters
- Gas water heaters
- Tankless water heaters
Backflow testing, repair, and installation
Reverse Osmosis (RO) installation and repair
Water softener installation and repair
Electronic detection of hidden leaks
Grunfos hot water recirculation systems
Commercial Boilers
And much more!

When you remodel your kitchen or bathroom, think of City Wide Plumbing as your insurance policy for a perfect remodel. We are the remodel solution that will give you satisfaction and peace of mind for years to come.

City Wide Plumbing is a licensed contractor with the State of Arizona. We are bonded and insured.

Nov 23

Preventing Holiday Plumbing Problems

By City Wide Plumbing holiday plumbing emergency, Phoenix Plumbing, plumbing, plumbing tips, plumbing trouble No Comments

Do you know the havocs of improper usage of your garbage disposal? You can guess, it may lead to calling a plumber. Does your disposal have bad breath? It can be easy as pumpkin pie if you to get rid of that garbage disposal’s bad breath! Try adding ice and turn it on to help clean it and get rid of the odor. Add some hot water to it and all should go down the drain nicely! Remember, City Wide is here if you need us! Happy Thanksgiving!

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