These 5 improvements to your plumbing system will make the simple things you do every day better for the environment:

1. Tankless water heater. These energy-saving appliances drastically reduce your environmental impact. Water is rapidly warmed by a heating element that provides hot water on demand without a holding tank. Instead of heating 40 or more gallons of water 24/7, tankless water heaters only heat the water you use.
2. Low-flow toilets, fixtures and faucets. We’ve come a long way since the first low-flow fixtures and toilets were introduced to the market. New technology has made them not only more efficient, but more effective. Upgrading your plumbing system with environmentally friendly fixtures reduces the amount of water you use, and the amount of water you pay for.
3. Efficient appliances. Anything that uses water in your home is part of your plumbing system. That includes dishwashers, automatic ice makers, laundry machines, water heaters and centralized humidifiers. Water is becoming an increasingly valuable resource. The quality and price of water depend on our efforts to make our home water use more environmentally friendly. Upgrade your plumbing system with efficient appliances that make the most use out of the least water.
4. Aerators. Faucet aerators pressurize water that comes from your tap. By introducing air to the stream of water, aerators reduce water use without reducing water pressure. Aerators often increase your water pressure while reducing total flow of water in a home.
5. Pipe insulation. Water heaters are often located in the basement or remote area of a home. The farther hot water has to travel to the sinks and appliances in your home, the more heat is lost through the pipes that bring it there. A simple way to retain more of that heat is to buy and install pipe insulation around your hot water pipes. The flexible foam insulation is affordable and easy to install. More importantly, it will make your hot water use more efficient and environmentally friendly.

Many of these upgrades are simple projects that a plumber can accomplish in one visit. McAlister Mechanical can help make your home plumbing system more efficient and environmentally friendly. Contact a master plumber for your home plumbing upgrades.

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1. Coordinate Kitchen & Bathroom Fixtures. The faucets and sinks in your home are part of your plumbing system. Upgrading to more efficient and attractive fixtures is a good move. Take it a step further by coordinating the style throughout your home. The visual appeal of a coordinated aesthetic is very pleasing to prospective buyers and will give your home a thoughtfully designed feel.
   
2. Master Bathroom. If your home has multiple bathrooms, consider upgrading one to a master bath. Including a jacuzzi, tiled shower and granite countertops can add a sense of elegance to your home. The retreat-like feel of French doors, glass walls or a claw-foot tub will make a strong impression on buyers, and will give your home loads of class.
3. New Sinks. If you have an older home, chances are your plumbing and many of your fixtures have never been updated. A new kitchen or bathroom sink is a simple and affordable way to upgrade your plumbing. A beautiful sink can change the entire impression a room makes. From deep ceramic sinks to the sheer simplicity of stainless steel, a new sink will increase the value of your home.
4. Modern Pipe Materials. Home plumbing systems are made up of a network of water supply and drainage pipes. Many homes have old cast iron, galvanized steel or even lead pipes. A newer type of tubing called PEX could be an important plumbing upgrade for your home. This flexible, durable material requires fewer fittings, is easy to install, and is long-lasting.
5. Eco-friendly Toilet. Your toilet gets used every day and shouldn’t be overlooked when making plumbing upgrades. Modern toilets are designed to operate effectively and efficiently with less water. A new toilet can reduce your water bill and increase your home’s value.
6. Tankless Water Heater. Your water heater is the workhorse of your plumbing system. It heats water all day and all night so you can have it on demand. A good water heater will last for many years. While technology has improved the efficiency of traditional water heaters, a new alternative saves even more energy. Tankless water heaters supply on-demand hot water by rapidly heating water as it passes through a heating element. Instead of holding 40 or more gallons of water and heating it 24/7, it heats it as you need it. Tankless water heaters provide incredible energy savings. They are also a plumbing upgrade that will add value to your home.

Contact a master plumber at McAlister Mechanical today to assess what plumbing upgrades you can make. Our expert plumbers are trained to perform any upgrade to your plumbing system that you desire.

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While most plumbing systems are very durable and are able to last for several decades, there are some upgrades that shouldn’t wait.

1. Lead pipes. Lead pipes are durable and can last over 100 years. Unfortunately, they are also toxic and can contaminate your water supply. Lead pipes are also extremely heavy. Hire a professional plumber who is licensed and trained to perform lead pipe removal. McAlister plumbers will acquire the necessary permits required by your municipality and will replace your lead pipes with a safer alternative.
2. Poor water quality. If your water is discolord, has an unpleasant odor or shows other signs of poor quality, it may be time for a plumbing upgrade. Water quality problems are often the result of old, damaged or contaminated water supply pipes within homes. A master plumber can diagnose the source of your water quality problems and recommend a solution.
3. Low water volume. Water pressure is important for convenience and for the health of your plumbing fixtures. Water supply problems can often be traced to the water supply pipes of a home. Corrosion, dents, leaks or other damage can all affect your water volume. An experienced plumber can isolate the problem and upgrade your pipes to return your water volume levels to normal.
4. Leaky pipes or fixtures. Leaks, no matter how small, need to be addressed sooner rather than later. By the time you notice a leak, it could already have done significant water damage to parts of your home that you can’t see. Slow leaks can create environments where mold and mildew grow unseen. They can also cause rot, structural damage and a host of other pains in the neck. Leaky fixtures can indicate outdated equipment, water pressure problems or corrosion issues. Leaking pipes and fixtures should be upgraded. McAlister plumbers can upgrade your home plumbing system with dependable pipes and plumbing fixtures that will last for years. These timely upgrades will improve your daily life and increase the value of your home.

If you observe any of these signs, call a professional plumber to assess your situation and make recommendations for improvement. McAlister plumbers are licensed and trained to perform these critical plumbing upgrades.

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These six things aren’t on that list:

1. Home additions. Knocking down walls is irresistible fun. It isn’t as easy as swinging a sledge hammer, however. Electrical wiring, ductwork or plumbing could be behind that drywall. Knocking out walls for home additions can also cause structural issues. Load bearing walls and beams need to be left intact for the safety of your home. Call a professional remodeler to handle your home addition project.
   
2. Bathtub swap out. Bathtubs are big, heavy and major remodeling projects. There’s no question you should hire professionals to remove, deliver and install a new bathtub in your home. Bathtub swap outs often require modifications to flooring, walls and plumbing. Expert plumbers can have it done in a matter of hours. A DIY bathtub swap out could take much, much longer than that. It is also likely that your municipality requires permits and inspections for this kind of work. Don’t gamble on a project this big.
3. Electrical work. Electricity is required for hundreds of daily tasks. Your home may rely on it for lighting, appliances, heat, hot water and a host of other conveniences. It is as dangerous as it is convenient, however. If your home remodeling project requires electrical work of any kind, you should rely on a trained professional to handle it. Professional electricians are experienced and licensed to handle any home electrical work you need done. They also have the proper safety equipment, training and tools to perform electrical work. Don’t take a chance with your safety and the safety of your home when it comes to electricity.
4. Plumbing repairs. Beyond plunging a toilet or snaking a drain, leave plumbing repairs to a professional. The water supply and drainage system of your home is a complex and delicate system. Diagnosing, acquiring the tools and tackling the job yourself could take weeks (or longer). A professional plumber is licensed and trained to handle any plumbing problem in a timely manner. If you think it’s embarrassing to hire a plumber for a routine job, think of how much more embarrassing it is to hire a plumber for a routine job that you’ve botched.
5. Installing siding. If you weren’t good at math in high school, you still won’t be when you’re trying to get the siding to line up on your house. Precise measurements and geometry is required to get your siding level and looking great. Professionals have experience and resources that you don’t have. Plus, the increase in the value of your home will more than make up for the cost of hiring experts to do a first class job.
6. Gas appliance repairs. This one should go without saying. Natural gas is a flammable and dangerous substance. Qualified professionals should handle all repairs that involve gas appliances. That includes furnaces and gas water heaters.

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The longer answer involves the age of your plumbing system, the material it is made of, the history of your home and the way you and previous owners of your home maintained the drainage system. Let’s get started.

Hair. Hair is an incredible drain clogger. You almost have to admire how well it does its job. Not only does hair easily slide down drains and gather in clumps. It’s also very sturdy and will not deteriorate. Soap scum, grease and other debris are easily entangled and attached to hair that lines your drain pipes, as well. 

• Use a drain catch or hair trap, especially on your shower drain.
  
• If you have long hair, brush it before you take a shower or wash it in the sink.
• Gather loose hair while you shampoo and prevent it from washing down the drain.

Grease. Yum! That bacon was delicious. Time to clean up. Just wash the liquified grease down the drain, right? WRONG. Dumping grease down your drain, even while running hot water, is never a good idea. As the water and grease travel down the long system of drainpipe to the sewer, they cool down, coagulate and create clogs. Grease is notorious for creating clogs deep within your drainage system. Grease clogs are hard to reach and hard to remove.

• Pour hot grease into old milk cartons, then throw them away.
• If you suspect a grease clog, pour a few gallons of boiling water down your drain to loosen it up.

Garbage / Food. Drains are made for water, but lots of other things make their way into them. Keep your garbage disposal clean and in working order. Throw away solids into the trash or compost. The system of pipes that leads from your sink to your sewer is full of bends and curves. Just because something fits down the drain doesn’t mean it will make it through your pipes. If grease or hair is already inhibiting flow, a chunk of leftover dinner could block the whole thing up.

• Run your garbage disposal full of ice once a month to keep the blades clean and sharp.
  
• Put food scraps in the garbage or compost bin instead of flushing or rinsing them down the sink.

Sagging Pipes. While rare, sagging pipes can sometimes stop the flow of drain water. Pipes are designed to slope away from drains and toward the sewer system. If pipes bear weight or are subject to the natural sinking of your home, they can sag. If they sag enough, they can reverse the flow of water and cause slow or completely stopped drainage. This is a serious problem and requires a professional plumber.

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Bigger jobs, however, are best left to professionals. The potential for further damage and cost is too great to not entrust major plumbing issues to a trained expert. McAlister Mechanical plumbers can quickly diagnose and easily fix these serious plumbing issues:

1. Frozen Pipes. Frozen pipes are more than just an inconvenience. A frozen pipe can burst, crack and wreak all sorts of havoc on your plumbing. Resist the urge to use a blow dryer or space heater to thaw the pipes. A professional plumber knows how to thaw frozen pipes without causing cracking or additional damage. Pipes that are thawed improperly can cause a whole new host of problems.
   
2. Blocked Main Line. If your main sewer stack is blocked or underperforming, it can cause very unpleasant conditions in your home. A blocked main line can redirect waste from your toilet up through your shower, bathtub and sink drains. Special equipment is required to safely and effectively clear a main line. The equipment can be rented, but it is expensive and should only be operated by someone trained to do so. A professional plumber can do the job quickly and expertly.
3. Water Heater Repair & Replacement. Water heaters don’t last forever. A gas water heater can have pilot light or thermocouple issues. Its burner can also go out or become clogged. Electric water heaters have complex heating elements and thermostats that draw large amounts of current to heat your water. Water heaters can also leak, become clogged with sediment, corrode or just plain stop working. Diagnosis, repair and replacement of water heaters are all complicated tasks that require the attention of a professional plumber. Water heater replacement also requires permits. Your water heater may also come with a warranty that could be voided if the unit isn’t installed by a professionally licensed plumber.

 Additional plumbing jobs that should be handled by a professional:

• Low water pressure trouble shooting.
  
• Sewer line blockage. This is a serious issue and can create a nasty mess if you don’t nip it in the bud. If sewage starts seeping up through your basement drains, it’s time to call a plumber.
• Toilet replacement. Toilet replacement isn’t rocket science, but it does require precision placement of a wax ring that makes a water tight seal. If installed improperly, what you flush down the toilet could end up all over the floor.
• Hot tub installation / inspection.
• Dishwasher leaks.
• Shower installation. Showers get heavy use nearly every day. They are more than just at tiled corner of your bathroom. They require properly installed drain, shower pan and shower liner.

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1. In-Tank Cleaners Keep Your Toilet Fresh & Clean. Most in-tank cleaners should actually be called deodorizers. In-tank cleaners mask the color the odor of bacteria and other toilet growth, but they do not eliminate them. By relying on in-tank cleaners, you may cause a larger problem in the long run. “Gunk” can continue to grow unchecked until it becomes a nasty problem.
2. All Plumbers are Experts. A lot of people claim to be plumbers. A lot of them are handy and can get the job done. But not everyone is a licensed and professionally trained plumber. And because approximately fifteen percent of the value of your home is tied up in plumbing systems, you should protect that investment by hiring a trained expert. In addition to having expert training and education, a professional plumber is more likely to be insured and able to offer a warranty. Pros will also have a thorough understanding of the plumbing permit and regulation process of the city or municipality in which you live.
3. Old Fashion Soap & Water Always Does the Trick. Keeping your bathroom and kitchen fixtures clean and shiny not only makes them look good, it increases their lifespan. Washing them with soap is not the answer, however. Soap residue can corrode your fixtures, damaging their appearance in the long run. When you wash, make sure to take the extra step of wiping your fixtures clean with a wet cloth to remove any residue.
4. Pay Less For a Fixture with a Lifetime Warranty. Buying cheap quality with a lifetime warranty means that when it breaks it’ll be replaced with another cheap quality fixture. You’ll be out the installation and removal costs, and you know it’ll break again. Let the quality of a product guide your purchase instead of the promises of extended or lifetime warranties. It will save you time and money in the long run, and you’ll have a better experience each time you use your plumbing fixture.
5. A Small Leak Isn’t a Big Problem. Au contraire! A leak, no matter how small, is always a problem. A leaky pipe or faucet can lower your water pressure, cause cumulative and expensive water damage, and cost you a lot money. One drip per second wastes nearly 350 gallons of water per year! Address leaks in your plumbing as soon as you become aware of them.

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It makes food scraps disappear, reduces the amount of garbage you have, keeps your home plumbing fresh and clean and increases the value of your home. Wow!

Learn to take care of it so it can keep taking care of you:

1. Use it. Your garbage disposal is like a fully restored vintage Camaro: it loves to race. Regular use of your garbage disposal will help prevent rust, clogs and corrosion.
2. Keep the Blades Clean. Fill your garbage disposal with ice and rock salt once a month. Flip the switch and plug your ears while the ice and salt scour your blades clean. Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to give your kitchen a pleasant aroma for days.
3. Use Cold Water. Running your garbage disposal with hot water can cause grease and fats to liquefy and accumulate. Using cold water assures that all food particles are processed. This will reduce clogs and grease build up in your garbage disposal.
4. No Hazardous Materials. Just like you shouldn’t flush certain items down the toilet, you shouldn’t shove certain things into your garbage disposal. Stick to soft foods. Chemicals, trash, metal, cleaners, cosmetics and non-organic matter should all go into your garbage can or recycling bin.
5. Soft Foods Only. Popcorn kernels, eggshells, bones and fruit stones will make your garbage disposal sad. Fibrous foods like corn husks and onion skins will bind the blades something terrible. Don’t put these items in your garbage disposal, either:
   • Banana peels
   • Celery stalks
   • Potato peelings
   • Corn husks / corn cobs
   • Artichokes
   • Coffee grounds or filters
   • Fruit pits and hard seeds. This includes avocados, peaches, plums, etc.
   • Egg shells. These bad boys get obliterated into a fine silt that clogs pipes like nobody’s business.
6. Vinegar & Baking Soda. You don’t need expensive cleaning products to keep your garbage disposal fresh. Good old fashioned vinegar and baking soda will do the trick. Grind up some citrus peel, such as orange, lemon or grapefruit for an extra zesty clean smell.

Additional tips:

• Remove all silverware, knives, utensils and non-food items from the sink before turning your garbage disposal on.
• Run cold water 30 seconds before and 3 seconds after each use.
• Prep larger items by cutting them into smaller pieces. This will ease the strain on your garbage disposal and help it to last longer.

Keeping your garbage disposal happy just takes a little extra time and attention. Keep it clean, feed it soft foods, and it will be in your service for years to come.

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So when it suddenly goes on the fritz, most of us tend to panic.

Fortunately a non-functioning water heater doesn’t always mean a costly repair.

Before making an emergency call to your plumber, we suggest you take a deep breath, roll up your sleeves and check out the problem for yourself.

Troubleshooting Tip #1  Check your pilot light.

• If you have a gas water heater, remove the small panel at the bottom of the unit and check to see if the pilot light is lit.
• Spark it with a match or lighter to re-ignite it. If it stays lit, your water heater should kick-in and start working properly.
• If the pilot light on your water heater doesn’t stay lit, you may need to replace the thermocouple or have the burner cleaned.

Troubleshooting Tip #2  Replace the thermocouple. (It sounds like part of the International Space Station, but it’s actually a simple device that you can replace on your water heater.)

•  Consult your owner’s manual. It should have easy-to-follow instructions for how to remove and replace the thermocouple.
• Turn off the gas before you do remove anything from your water heater.
• Following the instructions in your user’s manual, remove the thermocouple by detaching it from both sides of the pilot line.
• Replace the thermocouple on your water heater with a new one that is cut to length.
• Turn on the gas and check for leaks, then re-light your pilot light.

Troubleshooting Tip #3  Hit the reset button.

• If you have an electric water heater, locate the reset button and press it until you hear a click.
• If you don’t hear a click, or it fails to restart the water heater, reset the breaker.
• If a breaker reset doesn’t do the trick, you may need to replace the thermostat.

Troubleshooting Tip #4  Replace the thermostat.

• Shut off the power to the water heater, and switch off the breaker it is connected to. You don’t want to electrocute yourself!
• Use the owner’s manual to locate the thermostat wires, then disconnect them.
• Remove the thermostat and have it tested by an appliance dealer. If it is faulty, replace it.

Troubleshooting Tip #5  Replace the heating element.

• With the power still switched off, remove the access panel on the water heater.
• Loosen the terminal screws and pull the wires away from the heating element.
• Remove each component of the element and have them tested by an appliance dealer. If they are faulty, replace them.

Voila! Your water heater should be up and running in no time. If these steps fail to fix your hot water heater, or if you don’t feel comfortable performing them on your own, call us at (612) 423-2453. McAlister plumbers are experts at troubleshooting and repairing faulty water heaters.

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Not only does sending trash down the toilet pose environmental risks, it could mean a call to your plumber. There are only a few things you should flush—and you know what they are.

Here’s a list of what you absolutely shouldn’t flush:

1. Diapers. Diapers may contain items that are safe to flush, but the diapers themselves are not. You can cause major blockage to your pipes, your toilet and/or your sewer system.
2. Cosmetics. There is no perfect way to throw away cosmetics. Landfills are currently the best place for them to end up. The chemicals they include cannot be removed by water treatment facilities, making flushing them down your toilet a bad idea.
3. Batteries. Old batteries contain harsh chemicals that can poison aquatic environments and leach harmful chemicals into drinking water. Never flush them down the toilet.
4. Medications. Flushing old or unused medication down the toilet is particularly harmful. Water treatment facilities and sewer systems do not have the ability to filter or destroy chemicals from medications that enter the water supply. Discarded medications can increase bacterial resistance to pharmaceuticals, poison aquatic environments, infiltrate drinking water and cause a host of other problems that we don’t even know about yet.
5. Cleaning supplies. Harsh detergents, bleach and other cleaning chemicals are not meant to be added to the water supply. Most urban water treatment facilities recycle much of the water that enters the sewer system. When you flush bleach or other cleaning chemicals down the toilet, they will return to your home through your tap. Don’t flush them!
6. Trash. Besides being harmful to your water supply, trash can also cause clogs, back-ups and damage to your pipes. A problem of much larger scale is the potential blockage of sewer pipes that entire neighborhoods depend on for properly operating sewer systems. Keep your trash out of the toilet.

Flushing any of these things down the toilet will be harmful to either your plumbing, the environment or the very water supply that you depend upon. Keep in mind that most water treatment plants are not designed to destroy, filter or remove pharmaceuticals or cleaning chemicals from the water supply.

The things you flush can also cause damage to the city sewer system. Everyone in a neighborhood has the potential to affect the health of their sewer system. If a neighborhood sewer pipe backs up or becomes clogged, hundreds of homes can be affected.

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