Brooks Plumbing Co. Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Olympia’

When is Plumbing Replacement Service Necessary?

Wednesday, July 10th, 2013

For many homeowners throughout the Olympia, WA area, your plumbing system is probably taken for granted more often than not. While we can see when a light goes out, or when our AC gives us warm air instead of cold, plumbing problems have a way of sneaking up on you. With professional plumbing installation as well as maintenance services, you can minimize the risk of problems, but some issues are inevitable. There may even come a time when you need to replace your piping or water heater. That said, the line between repair and replacement is not always so clear-cut, so it’s best to consult with a professional plumber in Olympia, WA before you make any major decisions about your faucets, fixtures, piping, and plumbed appliances. Call Brooks Plumbing today.

So, how do you know when a plumbing replacement service might be necessary? Let’s look at some signs that might tip you off.

  • Frequent repairs. If any part of your home requires frequent repairs, it’s typically a sign that it should be replaced, and the same goes for your plumbing system. If you find that you’re seeing a bit too much of your plumber, then it may be time to consider replacing your water heater, bathroom piping, or whatever part of your home is no longer working well.
  • Old age. Is it time to retire your water heater? Like any aspect of your plumbing system, there may come a time when your water heater or drainpipes no longer work as well as they once did, evidenced by high energy bills, low flow rates, and inadequate performance. Don’t wait for the system to shut down before you call for plumbing replacement.
  • Multiple leaks. If you have not one but two or more leaks in your home, you may have a systemic issue with your supply or drainpipes. When your plumber arrives, talk to him about the condition of the piping to see whether it might be time for repiping.

The decision to call for plumbing replacement should be done in consultation with a professional Olympia, WA plumber who can accurately assess the issue at hand and recommend a viable solution.

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Are Strange Sounds Coming From Your Plumbing

Wednesday, June 26th, 2013

You depend on the pipes and plumbed appliances a lot on a daily basis to deliver clean clothes and dishes, hot showers, and fresh, potable water. You also need them to remove wastewater from your home efficiently and effectively so that you can keep your home clean and hygienic. But over time, your plumbing system may begin to make strange sounds. It can be difficult to sort out the good from the bad, but if it sounds unusual, strange, or occurs unexpectedly, it may be an indication of a problem that needs professional attention. When you need a plumber in Olympia,WA, call Brooks Plumbing. We can help you figure out where that sounds is coming and offer a thorough solution.

  • Pipes knocking. Does your pipe knock when you turn on the fixture? If so, then you might have an issue with your pressure. Unlike the wastewater disposal system, either your water supply is pressurized by the municipal water source or by the well pump that draws water out of the ground. In both cases, you need to have adequate pressure to operate a shower or run the dishwasher. But too much pressure can lead to pipes knocking against the walls and floor joists. This can be fixed by securing those pipes.
  • Water heater rumbling. Your water heater is a vital part of your home and you need to make sure that it operates well at all times. But over time, your water heater may develop sediment or scale, and when this builds up at the bottom of the tank, it can cause your water heater to rumble. This often means that the water inside the tank is being heated to potentially scalding temperatures. This can obviously be dangerous.
  • Water running. If you hear the sound of running water under the floors or near the concrete slab foundation of your home, then you may have a slab leak. Slab leak detection and repair can be challenging, so make sure you hire a reputable plumber to get the job done right the first time.

Call Brooks Plumbing when you need an excellent Olympia, WA plumber.

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Common Bathroom Plumbing Issues

Tuesday, June 18th, 2013

Trouble in the bathroom? As one of the most utilized rooms in the house, your bathroom endures a lot of wear and tear on a daily basis. Its primary system is that of plumbing: shower fixtures, bathroom sink vanity faucets, and, of course, the toilet, among others. You need your bathroom to operate smoothly in order to preserve the hygiene of your family members and your home. The bathroom can also be a place for relaxation, if you have a nice bathtub. But with all that wear and tear comes the need for repair. There are some common issues with bathroom plumbing that may turn up at your home sooner or later. Call Brooks Plumbing today when you need an Olympia, WA bathroom plumber.

  • Shower drain clog. Because of the amount of soap, hair and gray water that goes down your shower drain at such a rapid and continuous rate, there may come a time when you have a clog that needs dislodging. If it’s persistent, it’s best to have a professional try to remove the accumulation rather than approach it yourself. Using an auger improperly can damage your plumbing; a plumber can also make sure that the job is completed thoroughly.
  • Vanity trap issue. Your bathroom sink vanity has a U-shaped bend underneath the drain, just like any other component of your plumbing system. But if you have a slow drain, or if an accumulation becomes lodged within the trap, you may have to call for a professional plumber to remove the blockage.
  • Toilet won’t stop running. The toilet is often the largest consumer of water in the home, although today’s low-flush models have cut this consumption in half. Nevertheless, if your toilet won’t stop running, this can mean a higher utility bill every month because of all the wasted water. There may be a problem with the flush valve.
  • Showerhead leaking. This could be a problem with the threads onto which your shower fixture screws, but it could be a problem with the shower water valve itself.

Make sure that you have any of your bathroom plumbing problems taken care of by a professional. Call Brooks Plumbing today to speak with an Olympia, WA bathroom plumber.

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Grease Traps and Commercial Plumbing

Thursday, June 13th, 2013

If you run a commercial kitchen or restaurant then your grease trap and plumbing system are both critical to your daily operation. If you start to have problems with your grease trap or if your commercial plumbing system is clogged or leaking, call the Olympia, WA commercial plumbers at Brooks Plumbing today. We have years of experience working with all different types of businesses to help them improve the function of their grease traps and the efficiency of their plumbing system. Here are a few common issues that we see with commercial grease traps and plumbing systems.

Common Grease Trap Repair

Grease traps are an essential part of a commercial kitchen or restaurant. Often they are also required by law. The melted fat and grease that result from cooking can cause big problems for city sewer lines which is why restaurants are required to have a grease trap. Grease traps, as their name implies, allow restaurants to drain out water and other debris while simultaneously restricting grease from getting into the sewer lines. Grease traps need to be cleaned regularly to remove the solidified fat solids. These are a few of the most common grease trap problems that we see. If you need a Olympia plumber to fix your restaurant’s grease trap just call Brooks Plumbing today.

  • Clogs – If you start to smell a foul odor from your drains or if there is waste water coming up through your drains, it likely means that you have a clog with your grease trap. This could because it is full or because the pressure inside the trap is off. When you need an Olympia, WA plumber make sure that you call Brooks Plumbing. We’ve repaired countless grease traps and can get yours working again fast.
  • Leaks – Waste water leaks are also a common with grease traps. Any piece of equipment that handles a lot of water is going to have problems with leaks. If you’ve started to notice that your grease trap is leaking and you need an Olympia plumber just all Brooks Plumbing today.

For all your commercial plumbing and grease trap repair, installation or maintenance just call the Olympia, WA plumbers at Brooks Plumbing.

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Plumbing Tips: Benefits of a Sump Pump

Monday, June 3rd, 2013

If your basement is prone to flooding, you had best contact a professional plumber to discuss the installation of a sump pump in your home. Sump pumps are a great way to protect your home and your possessions from water damage. It is necessary that your sump pump installation is completed by a qualified Olympia plumbing professional. That is why you must schedule your sump installation with an Olympia, WA plumber at Brooks Plumbing. When you work with a professional plumber on our team, you will have no doubts about the quality of the service that you receive. Our plumbers have the years of training and experience necessary to ensure that your sump pump is there for you when you need it most.

A sump pump is installed in your basement, and is responsible for pumping any water that leaks into your basement to the appropriate drainage channel. Positioned at the lowest point of your basement, water will naturally head towards your sump pump, allowing it to relocate that water to more appropriate area than your basement floor. There are a number of benefits to the installation of a sump pump in your home, assuming that you have yours professionally installed for maximum performance levels.

First of all, even relatively small amount of water can do serious damage to your home and any possessions in your basement. Most basements are used as storage areas, and the items stored therein can be subjected to water damage or even mold growth if surrounded by a damp, musty atmosphere. Any appliances may be damaged and rust if water pools around them as well. Plus, wooden components in your basement may rot if they are constantly damp. Your home and your possessions are too important to be subjected to such issues. Contact Brooks Plumbing today with any questions you may have about the benefits of a sump pump.

Call now to speak with a sump pump specialist at Brooks Plumbing. We have the answers to all your questions and can help you decide if a sump pump installation is right for your home. Whatever your Olympia plumbing needs may be, Brooks Plumbing is the company you can count on for outstanding service.

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Plumbing FAQ: Tank or Tankless Water Heater?

Friday, May 24th, 2013

There are few appliances that have as direct an impact on your day to day comfort and convenience as your water heater. Access to dependable hot water is luxury that many of us may take for granted, but when there is a problem with your water heater it becomes pretty clear, pretty quickly, just how important it really is. It makes sense, then, that you should want to find the water heater most appropriate for your home and personal needs. Speak with the Olympia, WA plumbing technicians at Brooks Plumbing today to discuss your water heater options.

The big decision that must be made when shopping for a new water heater is whether you will opt for a traditional tank water heater or whether a tankless on-demand water heater is right for you. Both have their benefits. The input of a qualified Olympia, WA plumbing professional is a great benefit when making the decision.

Standard tank water heaters are still the most common option. These water heaters store a reservoir of hot water and continually heat it so that it is always ready to go. While this is an effective method of ensuring you have hot water when you need it, it also allows for a certain amount of standby energy loss. This happens when heat radiates through the storage tank, meaning that your water heater must in turn replace the lost heat, resulting in more energy consumption. A well-insulated tank is a good way to minimize this energy loss.

If you are interested in avoiding standby energy loss altogether, eliminating the storage tank is a step you must take. A tankless on-demand water heater allows you to do this. These water heaters superheat cold water as it passes through when called for at a point of use. They are much smaller than tank models and can be installed in closets or other tight areas. If you are short on space, going tankless may be a good idea. These systems are more prone to being overwhelmed than their traditional tank-model counterparts, though.

Ultimately, it is up to you whether a tank or tankless water heater is right for your home. Make sure that you are able to make an informed decision. At Brooks Plumbing, our Olympia, WA plumbing professionals can help ensure that you wind up with the right water heater for your home.

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Plumber Tip: Common Kitchen Plumbing Problems

Thursday, May 16th, 2013

Indoor plumbing is one of the truly outstanding modern luxuries that homeowners enjoy. It is difficult for most of us to imagine living without running water and a piping system to dispose of wastewater. Every time you wash your hands, take a shower, do the laundry or use the toilet, you depending upon the success operation of you plumbing system. Like any other system in your home, your plumbing system is going to experience problems from time to time. Your kitchen plumbing in particular is heavily used and, frequently, abused. Here are some of the common kitchen plumbing problems that your Olympia, WA Plumbers at Brooks Plumbing deal with frequently.

Clogged kitchen drains are an extremely common problem that many homeowners have to deal with. In many cases, the causes of clogged drains can be traced directly back to improper use of those drains by the homeowner. It is very important to be mindful of the types of materials you allow to go down your kitchen drain. One important rule to remember is that not everything that is liquid can be safely poured into your kitchen sink. Grease and fat, for instance, are liquids when they are hot. When they get into your drain system, though, they will cool down. When they do, they coagulate and can trap other debris and food particles within your drain. This is a very common cause of clogged drains, and a frequent cause of unpleasant drain odor.

Another problem that many homeowners encounter with their kitchen plumbing is a broken down garbage disposal. Again, simply being a bit more mindful of what you attempt to put through your garbage disposal can help avoid this problem. In addition to grease and liquid fats, avoid putting very fibrous foods, such as celery and cornhusks, through your garbage disposal. They can tangle up in the blades and damage the motor. Very hard items, such as animal bones, should also be avoided.

If you have any issues with your kitchen plumbing, or if you have any questions about your plumbing in general, contact Brooks Plumbing today. A professional Olympia,WA Plumber on our team will be glad to help. Call us today for more details.

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Tips from Plumbers: Benefits of Low-Flow Fixtures

Monday, May 6th, 2013

More and more, homeowners are paying more attention to the impact that their day to day life has on both their budgets and their environmental impact. It may seem impossible to balance the modern conveniences and luxuries we love with our desire to reduce consumption of resources, including water. By taking advantage of modern innovation, though, you can enjoy the same great convenience and luxury as always, while saving resources in the process. Consider the many benefits of low-flow plumbing fixtures in your home. Here is some information from the trustworthy plumbers in Olympia WA at Brooks Plumbing.

As with any investment in your home, there is an upfront cost that comes with upgrading your plumbing fixtures. Once the plumbing installation is completed, though, you can begin to enjoy the potential savings that using less water allows. If you have an old toilet, for example, you may be using more than twice the amount of water per flush that a new low-flow model would use. In order to qualify as low-flow, a toilet must use less than 1.6 gallons of water per flush. When you compare that to the 3.5-7 gallons of water that many older toilets use, it is clear to see that there are a lot of savings to be had. Plus, reducing your water consumption is a great way to make your home more environmentally friendly.

Your toilet is not the only fixture in your plumbing system that can benefit from a low-flow replacement, though. Sink taps and shower heads are other areas where you can greatly cut down on the amount of water that you use. By using aerators add air into the water dispensed, you can enjoy the same great performance from your sinks and shower while cutting down on the amount of water used.

Speak with the professional plumbers in Olympia, WA that you can count on with all your plumbing service needs. Call Brooks Plumbing today. We are happy to help you enjoy greater water efficiency in your home. Do not sacrifice convenience for environmental awareness. With low-flow plumbing fixtures, you can have both at the same time.

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Plumber Tip: How To Prevent Plumbing Clogs And Other Common Problems

Monday, April 22nd, 2013

Nothing shuts your home down quite like a plumbing problem. Whether it’s a collapsed sewer line, or a major drainpipe blockage, your home can quickly become a health hazard during a clog. While some problems are inevitable, there are some major preventive steps you can take to reduce the change of a clog blocking your wastewater plumbing system. In this post, we’d like to share with you some ways you can prevent plumbing clogs and other common problems. For more info, or to make an appointment with an Olympia, WA plumber, call Brooks Plumbing today!

  • Install a grease trap. Grease, as well as fats and oils, is a major source of plumbing problems in the majority of homes. When we wash our pots and pans in warm water, the grease appears to be liquid, but as it cools, grease solidifies into a gel-like substance, which can quickly accumulate within the interior of your pipes. Installing a grease trap just after the drain to your sink or dishwasher is a great way to reduce the risk of clogging your drains with grease. If you cook a lot, or are otherwise concerned about your kitchen drainpipes, consider a grease trap.
  • Schedule a drain cleaning. Professional drain cleaning is the best preventive measure you can take against the risk of plumbing clogs. A qualified Olympia, WA plumber will have the right equipment and skill-set to approach drain cleaning carefully, avoiding the use of harsh chemicals to ensure that your plumbing remains structurally sound and working well.
  • Install a sump pump. If you’re at all concerned about whether the contents of your basement are safe from water, consider installing a sump pump. Moist and flooded basements are common problems for many homes. A sump pump sits either submerged or upright in a pit at the lowest part of your basement. It’s a great way to protect your belongings, or your basement itself if it’s unfinished.

These are just a few ways you can prevent plumbing clogs and other problems from damaging your home. For more information, or to hire an Olympia, WA plumbing expert, contact Brooks Plumbing today!

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Plumbing Tip: How to Maintain Your Garbage Disposal

Monday, April 8th, 2013

Your garbage disposal grinds up food particles so that they can be added to your waste water disposal system, instead of being thrown in the trash. They were designed to reduce the amount of trash in landfills, and to create a more environmentally friendly way to dispose of food waste. But they cannot handle all types of food waste and they should only be used according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Because of what they’re used for and how much use they get, garbage disposals need routine maintenance just like any other system in the home. We’ve compiled a list of maintenance tips so that you can maintain your garbage disposal at home. If you need professional Olympia plumbing service, however, don’t hesitate to call the experts at Brooks Plumbing today!

  • Avoid certain materials. Don’t thrown bones, eggshells, coffee grounds, and other prohibited substances down the garbage disposal. Compost them or throw them in the trash. Also, make sure that no non-food items such as silverware or bottle caps are in the sink when you turn on the disposal. These can get stuck within the unit. The first step to maintenance is proper usage.
  • Freshen with citrus. Use lemon or orange peels to freshen up the garbage disposal occasionally. This will help eliminate foul odors from invading your kitchen.
  • Clean the blades. Throw a couple handfuls of ice cubes and a bit of rock salt into your disposal, and run it with cold water to clean the blades. You can replace distilled white vinegar for the rock salt if that’s closer to hand. This helps to remove debris from the blades so that it can operate effectively.
  • Use it regularly. A garbage disposal needs to be used on a regular basis to ensure that it works properly. Because of their proximity to water, unused moving parts have a tendency to rust and corrode when not used regularly.

Cleaning and unclogging your garbage disposal can be dangerous. It’s always better to have a professional come take a look at your disposal unit if you think there is something seriously wrong with it. For professional Olympia, WA plumbing, including garbage disposal repair, call Brooks Plumbing today!

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