The Sunny Plumber Phoenix Blog : Posts Tagged ‘Bathroom Plumbing’

Bathroom Plumbing FAQ: Is My Toilet Leaking?

Monday, August 28th, 2017

As professional plumbers, you can imagine that a lot of our business entails trips to bathrooms in our clients’ homes. This makes sense, considering the fact that this is generally, along with the kitchen, where the highest concentration of plumbing fixtures and components is. If trips to bathrooms are common, then calls regarding leaking toilets are extremely common cause for those trips. When you have to get yourself and your family up and out of the house in a timely fashion in the morning, a leaking toilet is a major setback.

Before you panic, however, you should keep the following tips in mind. Now, don’t get us wrong–we most certainly do not advise you to make every plumbing job or toilet repair in your home into a DIY event. However, there are a few simple factors that you may want to rule out before scheduling professional bathroom plumbing services in Queen Creek, AZ.

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What to Do if Your Toilet Is Overflowing

Monday, September 26th, 2016

We’ve all had plumbing appliances act up every once in a while, but the toilet has got to be one of the worst. Toilet overflows have the potential to cause a great deal of water damage in a very short period of time, and it can be tempting to panic when they happen. Fortunately, if you know what to do you can mitigate a lot of the damage a toilet overflow can cause until your plumber arrives. Read on to find out how.

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Ways to Save Water in Your Bathroom

Wednesday, January 14th, 2015

Many of us are aware of how crucial it is to save water for the good of the environment and, of course, to cut back on utilities. But few people are aware of what it takes to do so. You may have cut back on your time in the shower or started hand-washing a few items instead of running an extra cycle on the dishwasher, but it can still feel as though you’re not doing enough. Luckily, it’s easy to save some money in the bathroom when you employ the help of a plumbing specialist.

Choose the expertise of The Sunny Plumber to help you figure out how you can cut spending and take advantage of more efficient bathroom plumbing in Glendale.

  • Repair a leaky sink or shower ASAP. Did you know that even a small leak from your pipes can waste up to 20 gallons of water a day? You may feel as though a small leak is manageable, but it’s important to get it fixed by a professional as quickly as possible in order to stop the leak from damaging your home and to make sure your plumbing is in top working order.
  • Replace or repair your water heater. Does it take the water in your bathroom a long time to heat up? Do you tend to turn on the shower and then walk away while you wait for the water to get warm? Your older water heater may not be in the best condition. It may be that there is buildup in the pipes that keeps it from running possibly, or that you need a new system entirely. But whatever the problem, a technician is best qualified to handle the repair or replacement.
  • Use low–flow toilets and faucet aerators. Low flow toilets cut water usage by more than half over older toilets by using a high-pressure flushing system instead of mass amounts of water. You can also choose to add a low-flow showerhead or a faucet aerator, a small piece that you may be able to locate at a hardware store, which restricts the flow of water from your sink.

Call The Sunny Plumber today for more information about our bathroom plumbing service and how you can save some money on your plumbing in Glendale.

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How to Avoid Bathroom Plumbing Repairs

Wednesday, October 8th, 2014

Bathroom plumbing problems can come at the most inconvenient times. You may notice a major clog when you need to take a relaxing bath, or you may find leaks in your bathroom right before your big vacation plans. This could make any homeowner feel frustrated, which is why The Sunny Plumber has put together this list of a few easy ways to prevent sudden problems from ruining your day.

  • Use a drain cover. One of the most common reasons that drains clog is too much hair. Hair may become stuck to pipes that are lined with sludge, or it may gather in the P-trap, the curved section of pipe beneath your sink that looks like a sideways letter P. Prevent hair from causing clogs by using a drain cover in your shower and bathroom sink.
  • Avoid liquid drain cleaner. When homeowners experience annoying drain clogs, they may try to solve the problem with liquid drain cleaners that can be purchased at most hardware stores. But these harsh chemicals are unable to dissolve most types of clogs, and can seriously damage your pipes, leading to further repairs. Besides, these chemicals may cause injury to the eyes or skin. Instead, only trust household plungers or equipment used by professional plumbers to remove blockage.
  • Install a water softener. Another way to ensure your pipes continue to work as they should is by installing a water softener. Hard water, an excess of minerals in your water, may allow deposits to gather within your pipes, collecting until it reduces your water pressure significantly. This means you’ll need a plumber to descale your pipes, or worse, pipe replacement. Professional water softener installation keeps his problem from occurring later on.
  • Schedule regular maintenance. Finally, you should schedule plumbing maintenance services once a year with a certified plumber. With this service, components of your entire system are thoroughly cleaned and inspected. This can prevent sudden problems from occurring, and it allows you to control when a plumber enters your home, so you’re not surprised by repair needs in the middle of a busy day.

When you need preventive maintenance or repairs for your kitchen or bathroom plumbing in Chandler, AZ, the experienced, certified plumbers at The Sunny Plumber can handle it all. Give us a call today!

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Common Causes for Bathroom Sink and Shower Clogs

Friday, August 15th, 2014

No household plumbing problem is more frequent and more persistent than drain clogging. Chances are that you will need to deal with a clogged sink or shower drain in your bathroom at least once during each year. Fortunately, many times you can use a basic plunger to get rid of the clog. But for the times when a plunger isn’t enough…you’ll have to call skilled plumbers to solve the problem.

It’s important that you don’t use chemical cleaners as a second step to attacking a bathroom clog. These chemicals are acidic and harmful to drainpipes, and they also create toxic fumes. Rely on plumbers and their special tools to care for your bathroom plumbing in Gilbert, AZ. You can reach the team at The Sunny Plumber 24 hour a day whenever you need sinks or showers unclogged—fast.

The Frequent Causes of Bathroom Clogs

  • Hair: No other object causes as much grief for bathroom sinks and showers as hair. Hair often gets trapped in the sludge that lines pipes or is found down in the p-trap (the curved pipe section below the sink) and starts to accumulate. Eventually, the hair will form a thick plug that can be difficult for plungers to break through. Plumbers will use motorized drain snakes to remove hair clogs. To help reduce the chance of these clogs occurring, have a drain cover for both your sink and shower.
  • Soap scum: It’s difficult to prevent soap from going down the drains in bathrooms, and soap scum is a common problem as it begins to build up along the drain pipe. Not only does soap scum threaten to block up a drain, but it can create acidic chemicals that will damage the interior of the drainpipe.
  • Small objects: Any number of items sitting around your sink or on the ledge of a shower, such as the cap for a plastic bottle, can accidentally tumble down a drain and create a tough clog. Plumbers will find ways to extract the object (which can be important if it’s also a valuable object).

Leave the chemical drain cleaners on the store shelves and call for a professional plumber for your blocked drains. When you contact The Sunny Plumber, you’ll receive a skilled plumber who will take care of the problem quickly. You can rely on us for any plumbing service in Gilbert, AZ that you need for your bathroom.

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What Are the Effects of Hard Water on My Bathroom Plumbing?

Thursday, July 10th, 2014

Hard Water: A condition where water contains a high level of mineral suspension, particularly magnesium and calcium. Hard water is common issue from municipal water supplies. Although it is rarely unhealthy to drink hard water, it does not taste good and it makes it difficult to work up a good soap lather. However, the biggest worry from hard water, and the reason you need to find a way to treat it, is the effect that it will have on the plumbing in your home.

The best way to stop issues from hard water is through professional installation of a whole-house water softener. The Sunny Plumber specializes in water treatment systems of all kinds, including water softeners. With our assistance, you can protect your bathroom plumbing in Glendale, AZ and everywhere else in your house from the ravages of hard water.

Why is Hard Water an Issue for My Bathroom Plumbing?

Hard water leaves calcium deposits on plumbing, and this can turn into serious trouble for pipes and plumbing appliances.

On a basic cosmetic level, hard water creates unattractive build-up on fixtures. Usually an early sign that you have hard water is the appearance of a flaky yellow or off-white substance developing along your sinks, faucets, and showerheads. This is unpleasant looking, but it will soon lead to worse problems. Showerheads that contain excessive hard water deposits will soon start to lose nozzles and begin spray water in odd directions because the blockage. When you notice this happening, you need to take action, because the hard water is likely causing worse troubles out of your sight.

The biggest danger from hard water deposits is that it will start to reduce the available volume inside your bathroom pipes, both drains and incoming lines. As the calcium begins to build-up on the lining of the pipes, it will leave less and less room for the water to flow. Although it is extremely rare for calcium deposits to completely block a pipe, it will make it much easier for clogs to occur. It will also cause a huge spike in water pressure, and this could lead to massive leaks occurring in the plumbing.

Hard water will also affect water heaters, leading to corrosion, and you could start to lose hot water in the bathroom…the place where you need hot water the most.

As soon as signs of hard water begin to appear (you can’t get decent soap suds going in the shower, flaky deposits on the faucets, blocked-up showerhead), call a water treatment specialist, like one of our team members at The Sunny Plumber. We will guard your bathroom plumbing in Glendale, AZ from calcium and magnesium in the water supply with water softener installation.

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Common Problems With Bathroom Plumbing

Friday, May 23rd, 2014

Here in Paradise Valley, AZ bathroom plumbing tends to be fairly modern, which means it avoids a lot of the problems facing older home with older plumbing. Our dry weather and warm winters often prevent freezing pipes, and with a little care and maintenance, you can expect your plumbing to last a good long time. Even so, every component of your household runs into problems from time to time, and your plumbing is no different. The bathroom, in particular, often sees a lot of use, and as such can run into trouble from time to time. Here are a few common problems with bathroom plumbing.

  • Clogs. Clogged drains in the sink or the shower usually come from hair, toiletries and soap scum. The components can combine together to create a viscous sludge that will easily clog your pipes. Store-bought remedies rarely do the job, but a trained plumber can usually clear it up with a combination of training and professional equipment. (Similar clogs can occur in the toilet, though we won’t get into the causes. You can probably guess what they are.)
  • Leaks. Leaks often spring up around links between pipes, though sometimes they can occur when the pipes become corroded or damaged. If you spot a leak, first check to make sure the leak isn’t affecting the entire bathroom or the whole household. If it is, shut off water to the house. Otherwise, just shut off water to the affected appliance before calling the plumber.
  • No hot water. A lack of hot water can usually be traced back to the hot water heater, which requires periodic maintenance to do its job. The good news is that most plumbers can handle water heater repairs as well as piping, and will repair or replace the faulty component to restore hot water to your faucets.

If you encounter these or other common problems with bathroom plumbing, call upon the experts at The Sunny Plumber to help. Our expert plumbing service in Paradise Valley, AZ will hunt down the source of the problem and fix it as quickly as possible. We’re dedicated to your happiness, so don’t hesitate to call us today!

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How Hard Water Damages Your Bathroom Plumbing

Sunday, December 15th, 2013

You’ve probably noticed hard water deposits on your shower or faucet head from time to time: they’re those hard crusty formations. They come from mineral deposits in the water, which most civic water companies do a decent but not outstanding job of removing. What they miss ends up in your plumbing, and that can be a big problem. Here in Tempe, bathroom plumbing systems get a great deal of hard water, thanks to our desert environment.

This is how hard water damages your bathroom plumbing.

The main problem is clogging, which can get quite severe if the hard water is left untreated. You may be able to treat the deposits on the surface of the faucet of showerhead, but more hard water can appear deeper in the plumbing, where you can’t reach with a store-bought cleanser. Clogs are problematic not only because they deny you water, but the pressure they induce can place added stress on seals and fittings, possibly resulting in a breach.

Just as damaging, hard water scaling can corrode your pipes, increasing the chances of a leak or a rupture. This process can take a long time – years in many cases – but when a leak forms, it can damage surrounding wood or fixtures before it’s discovered.

A short-term solution is to call a plumber and have him remove the hard water deposits inside the plumbing (or replace the pipes if a leak has sprung up). But that won’t change the content of the water itself. For that, you might want to consider a whole house filtration system, which removes the minerals from the water. That not only results in no hard water deposits, but makes laundered clothes and skin softer, and improves the taste of food cooked with it.

If you know how hard water damages your bathroom plumbing, you know you need someone you can trust to fix it. In Tempe, bathroom plumbing problems can be solved by The Sunny Plumber. Our experience and know-how can get to the heart of the issue quickly, and solve them with speed and efficiency. Pick up the phone and give us a call today for your Tempe plumbing service needs!

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Why Does My Bathroom Sink Drain Have a Big Bend In It?

Wednesday, September 18th, 2013

If you’ve ever looked under your bathroom sink, you’ve probably noticed a strange “hairpin” bend in your pipes. It seems odd and even counter-productive, but with most bathroom plumbing systems, it’s pretty much the standard. So why does your bathroom sink drain have a big bend in it instead of going directly to the wall? The answer can tell you a lot about the nature of modern plumbing.

The bend is commonly known as a U bend, and it’s appeared in plumbing since the late 18th century. The modern version was perfected by a British plumber with the unfortunate name of Thomas Crapper. (Yes, really.) It actually serves as a kind of vent. The shape collects water from your sink, which creates a seal between your bathroom and the larger sewer system beyond. That keeps sewer gases from creeping up the pipes and making your bathroom smell.

That function depends on a proper seal in the bend, and similar factors in your plumbing can affect it as well. Most plumbing codes require a specific length between the bend and the closest outside vent. This keeps atmospheric pressure from affecting the bend’s function and ensures that it does its job.

Because of its shape, U bends can also fall prey to clogs and blockages very easily. Toothpaste, hair gel, beard clippings and similar parts of our daily grooming rituals can become lodged in the pipe, often requiring professional plumbing services to clean out. It’s not always ideal, but when the alternative is a bathroom full of sewer gas, it seems like a small price to pay. You can help prevent such clogs by carefully monitoring what you dispose of in your bathroom sink.

When the time comes to clean out your U bend, or if the seal breaks and you find yourself beset by unpleasant odors, give The Sunny Plumber a call. Our trained Scottsdale bathroom plumbing experts cover most of the greater Phoenix area, including Scottsdale. Bathroom plumbing is a significant cornerstone of our business, and we have the experience and know-how to handle any issues you may come across. If you know why your bathroom sink drain has a big bend in it, you can anticipate some of the problems that we’re here to solve. Give us a call today!

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Is Your Mesa, AZ Homes Toilet Leaking? Then It May Be Time for Professional Bathroom Plumbing

Wednesday, July 10th, 2013

While it might be uncomfortable to talk about it, your toilet gets a lot of use every single day. It actually is one of the most important components of your home. If it starts to leak, it can cause huge problems for your home and also for your convenience. Here at The Sunny Plumber of Phoenix, we’ve fixed countless toilets and wanted to share a little bit about why yours could start to leak.

Mesa, AZ Bathroom Plumbing Repair: Toilet Leaks

Any piece of equipment that handles a lot of water is likely going to suffer leaks at some point. Check out our short list of some of the things that could be causing your toilet to leak. Call the Mesa, AZ bathroom plumbing repair professionals at The Sunny Plumber if you’ve started to notice any puddles of water around your toilet.

  • Wax seal – Underneath the base of your toilet is a large, donut-shaped piece of wax that seals the connection between your toilet’s drain and your plumbing system. If that wax seal is old and it starts to crack and dry out, it can let water leak out onto your bathroom floor. This type of problem can be fixed easily by your Mesa, AZ bathroom plumbing repair technician.
  • Water supply valve – If you look behind your toilet, you will likely find one or two water supply valve handles. These valves control the flow of water into your toilet. If their seals, gaskets or valves get old, loose or damaged, then water can start to leak out from them. If this is the case at your home, you should call your local plumber immediately to repair your toilet. They will likely have to turn off the water to your entire home in order to replace these parts.
  • Automatic shut-off – After you flush the toilet, the tank will start to fill back up. When it reaches a certain level, the water flowing into the tank will stop automatically. In most toilets, this is accomplished with the use of a float that operates the shut-off valve. But if that valve or the float is broken, then the water may just continue to flow into your toilet’s tank and eventually overflow. If this happens at your home make sure that you immediately reach behind the toilet and find the handle for the water supply valve. Shut it off and then call a plumber. Not doing so could result in large increases of water usage, which will inevitably increase the cost of your water bill.

No matter what kind of toilet you have, make sure you call the professional Mesa, AZ bathroom plumbing repair techs at The Sunny Plumber today for your toilet repair needs.

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