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What should I avoid flushing down the toilet to prevent clogs?

The toilet should not be used as an all-pupose disposal device. Technically, you shouldn’t flush anything down the toilet, other than human waste and toilet paper.  Do not flush the following:

• Baby wipes, napkins, facial tissue or paper towels.  They may flush OK for a while; but they won’t dissolve in water like toilet paper, and they can easily cause clogs.
• Sanitary products or diapers.
• Q-tips, cotton balls or dental floss
• Hair
• Food scraps – that is what garbage disposals are for.
• Small toys
  

There is a series of round cap on the back or sides of your toilet. Remove the caps and you will see a nut which you can tighten. You also may have an uneven floor. For this, the bowl will need to be shimmed to stop the rocking. If the rocking is excessive, you should remove the bowl and check the stool flange to make sure it is not broken and replace the wax seal to make sure there are no leaks.

You probably have a clogged drain or sewer line.  We can clear this with a drain jetting machine. This is a device that sends a long cable down your drain. This jetter machine will break through and clean out whatever is blocking your sewer and drain pipes.  The cable comes in different sizes to fit different fixtures ranging from tubs and small sinks to large sewer lines.

Most faucets work with a rubber or composition washer that closes onto a metal washer seat. Over time, the washer harden and cracks or simply gets worn down. This causes the faucet to leak. You can close the faucet tighter to stop the drip, but this is just temporary. In fact, you’re just increasing the internal damage to the washer and faucet and the problem is only going to get worse. Usually when a faucet drips, the problem has a relatively simple solution:  the  washers or other internal mechanisms need to be rebuilt or replaced.  You can do this yourself or we can fix this easily and inexpensively.

Yes. Turn your faucets on and off gently rather than forcefully. This will greatly reduce wear and tear.

This chattering sound probably means you have a loose faucet washer.  To fix, turn your water off at the faucet and take your faucet apart from the top two handles and tighten the washers or replace them. Or call us and we can do it for you in a jiffy.

Contrary to popular belief, not everything!  Here are some tips to keep your garbage disposal working properly:

• First, always run cold water when running the disposal to move the waste all the way down the drain lines. Fats and grease congeal and harden in cold water, allowing them to be flushed through the system. Hot water, on the other hand, should not be used because it can dissolve fats and grease, which may then accumulate in the drain line.
• Most biodegradable food waste can be fed into disposers.  Non-fibrous foods such as meat, eggs, eggshells, apples, fruit and vegetable peelings are safe for most garbage disposal systems. 
• Avoid foods such as cornhusks, celery stalks, asparagus, artichokes or other material with high fiber content.
• Under no circumstances should you put glass, plastic or metal non-food materials through a disposer. This includes bottle caps, tin covers or aluminum foil, which are some of the items service technicians commonly find in clogged or broken disposers.  Avoid clam and oyster shells.
• Maintenance is easy. Grinding small chicken bones and eggshells actually helps clean the disposal by scraping away stubborn deposits or citric acid and pulp. Grinding a little ice is another way to clean deposits and get rid of odors.

You should always run water while food is passing through the garbage disposal;  even for a few seconds after you have turned the disposal off. This prevents the blades from running hot and it helps the food pass easily through the pipes

There is usually a connection between the dishwasher and the drain from the garbage disposal. Food left behind in the garbage disposal can clog that connection to the main drain and back water up into your sink. To prevent this, make sure that your disposal is free of food before running the dishwasher. Run the garbage disposal with plenty of water before turning the dishwasher on.

You may have galvanized pipes. These pipes are coated with zinc to protect against rust. . If this zinc barrier becomes corroded, the inside of your pipes will begin to rust. Unfortnately, galvanized pipes cannot be cleaned. Many dishwashers are equipped with a screen, located on the front- bottom panel of the machine. This screen may gather rust and be the source of the problem. You can try using a filter in the hot water line, but to fix the problem permanently, it’is recommended to replace the galvanized pipe with copper.

Tree and shrub roots require oxygen and water to grow. During drought conditions and in the winter, thirsty roots will travel long distances in search of moisture and oxygen. Often they follow the trail of moisture vapors escaping from small cracks, holes, or poorly sealed joints in water and sewer lines. The roots penetrate the opening to reach the nutrients and moisture inside the pipes. 

Some pipe materials are more susceptible to root invasion than others. Clay tile pipe is the most easily easily penetrated. Concrete pipe may also allow root intrusion, but to a lesser extent.  PVC pipe usually has fewer joints and the tightly fitted joints are less likely to leak as a result of settlement around the pipe. 

If left undisturbed, the roots will completely fill the pipe with hair-like root masses. The root masses quickly become clogged with toilet tissue, grease and other debris flowing from your home to the main sewer. A complete blockage may occur if the roots are not removed and enough waste material accumulates.

Once roots have entered the pipe, they continue to grow and expand, exerting considerable pressure at the crack or joint. This increased pressure can cause the pipe to break or collapse, in which case it will need to be repaired or completely replaced.

It depends on how old your house is. If your house was built before the 1980’s you have a higher chance of having lead in your water. Back then, lead was used in the installation of copper tubing. If water sits dormant in these pipes, the lead content in water will elevate. To protect yourself, either let the water run for awhile in the morning, or consider a water filter.

Yes. Most slowly draining kitchen sinks  are due to a buildup of food products, soap scum, grease and hair. Using a plunger can compact the clog and just make it worse. Over-the-counter drain cleaning liquids can burn your skin or damage pipes and sinks. Call Us for these kinds of situations. We’ll remove the clog quickly and efficiently without any harm to your sink, pipes or kitchen.

Regular filter replacement helps your heating and cooling system operate at peak levels and improves indoor air quality. It is important to change filters regularly to ensure proper air flow and to keep your home free from dust, allergens and germs.  Depending on the type of filter you have, you may require weekly or monthly filter replacements. MG Property Management will recommend the ideal filters and replacement schedules for your unit(s).

Most maintenance should be performed only by a qualified service technician. But here are some things that you can do to assure optimal performance:

• Keep ground mounted outdoor units clear of debris, clutter and weeds; they can reduce the airflow to the unit.
• Use caution with weed trimmers around the unit to prevent damaging control wiring.
• Keep pets away from the unit; pet urine can cause expensive damage.