Tell us, what makes one toilet better than another?
Sandy: Hi Tom. We are back again, and this month we have Part 2, Paragon Plumbing with Andy Ulibarri owner of Paragon Plumbing.
Tom: Sandy, our last column with Andy ended with you saying you had a gazillion plumbing questions and that is why we have a Part 2 for Paragon Plumbing.
Sandy: Well, maybe a lot of questions, but we don’t have the space for a gazillion questions.
Andy: And I probably don’t have a gazillion answers.
Tom: I need to come clean about a few pieces of information I got wrong last month. First, Don Huntley, the previous owner of Paragon Plumbing, moved to Idaho, not Montana. Secondly, Andy started out as Don’s first employee but left the business operation to do some other things for a few years and returned to Paragon Plumbing as the owner, about four years ago. There, I said it. I made a mistake!
Sandy: I am going to remember that, Mr. Reilly!
Sandy: So, Andy, what is the most common thing people do that they shouldn’t be doing regarding their plumbing systems?
Andy: First, thanks Tom, for setting the record straight. Sandy, I would have to say putting or pouring grease down the kitchen sink drain. Grease solidifies in the sewer pipes and is the cause of most common blockages.
Sandy: Homeowners, we have a clue. FOG: Fats, oils and grease.
Andy: Sandy, you are spot on with the clue: When liquid fats solidify in a drainpipe, it can lead to major problems in your home and your city’s sewer system. It can form tough clogs that can stop up a drain and are extremely difficult to remove. I have seen grease disrupt local sewer systems and septic tanks by forming large clumps of solid fat that float around and clog up the whole system.
Tom: Grease should be scraped into the garbage or poured into some other container then put in the trash.
Andy: Correct, Tom.
Sandy: I am a great advocate for putting leftover grease in the trash can. I give myself an A++++
Andy: Another common misconception is that flushable wipes are not flushable. Do not flush anything that says “flushable” down a toilet.
Sandy: That is unless a homeowner wants to pay you, Andy, to come out and unclog the drain.
Andy: Haha, spot on, Sandy. Another common mistake is treating the garbage disposal like a compost pile. Scrapes should be scraped into the trash and only small crumbs and food bits need to go through the disposal.
Sandy: Andy, I am sure you have been on many holiday emergency calls when that disposal grinds to a halt. Too many eggshells, too many coffee grids, celery stocks and maybe a few pieces of silverware and chicken bones.
Andy: Spot on Sandy and add a few more to your list: potato peels, pasta, rice, oats and fibrous veggies.
Tom: Andy, what do you recommend as the best way to clean the disposal?
Andy: We tell folks to use dish soap and hot water. Squirt some liquid soap down the disposal drain, turn on the hot water and run the disposal for 30 seconds or so. Repeat that if you haven’t cleaned it in while.
Sandy: Is there a difference between being connected to a municipal sewer system or a septic system?
Andy: Yes, most definitely. You shouldn’t even have a garbage disposal if you use a septic system. Anerobic bacteria that breaks down solids in a septic will not break down organics such as food items.
Sandy: Great tips, Andy. What else should I be doing that I am probably not doing?
Andy: Most folks don’t flush out their water heaters on an annual basis. That really should be done to add efficiency and longevity to the water heater.
Tom: That is a pretty simple process, too, using a garden hose, having some place for the water to drain and turning two valves.
Sandy: That would be the supply and drain valves, correct?
Andy: Yes, and open a hot water faucet somewhere in your home, also. Making sure as much sediment gets out means doing this until the water exiting the tank runs clear. Yes, this can be a DIY plumbing chore.
Tom: How about drain backups? Other than flushing things that you’re not supposed to down the toilet, what else do you see?
Andy: Roots are a common cause for regular backups. Folks need to be careful about what is planted near a sewer line, whether septic or municipal sewer. Plant roots seek out the nutrients in the sewer systems and can find their way into the tiniest of openings eventually clogging the line.
Sandy: Do you usually send a camera into the line first to see what the blockage might be?
Andy: Yes, we have a camera we use to hopefully let us know what we are getting into. Be it a line break that requires replacement or a root ball, knowing what the blockage is helps us choose the best response for our customer.
Tom: Over the past several years, local codes have been promoting water conserving plumbing devices from toilets to faucets. Can you give our readers some advice about the good and bad with these devices?
Andy: Absolutely. For starters, the low flow or 1.6-gallon flush toilets can be a great water saving feature when they work. We tell people to get a good toilet so as not to have to flush multiple times, which defeats the purpose of the device to begin with.
Sandy: Tell us, what makes one toilet better than another?
Andy: Sure. In the bottom of the water holding tank on top of your toilet, there is a flapper valve that opens when you flush the toilet. With the lower water usage toilets, the amount of water is less so to create more pressure to evacuate the toilet, a good low flow toilet will have a larger opening for the water to pass through.
Sandy: Good to know. Faucet aerators are designed to use less water as well. There was a time when we could remove them to increase the water pressure. We can’t do that anymore.
Andy: Correct. The ability to remove them also defeats the purpose of having them in the first place. Manufacturers are making them permanently attached to the device now.
Tom: Great tips. Can you help our readers with a few more tips that will help prolong our plumbing systems’ life?
Andy: There are several. I recommend you exercise your shut off valves (also referred to as angle stops) regularly, like every six months or so. You will find these under your sinks and next to the toilets. You may also have them near your refrigerator if it contains an ice maker (not all installations have these, but they can save you from a flood if something breaks).
Sandy: Exercising them simply means turning them on and off so they don’t get locked up.
Andy: Correct.
Tom: There are a lot of little things we need to pay attention to regarding our plumbing systems. Not all homeowners have the knowledge or capability to perform these tasks or even know how to.
Andy: We understand that. That’s why we offer free plumbing inspections in the Quad Cities area. We have a specific checklist that we fill out and leave with the customer.
Sandy: That is awesome. If folks call your office at 928-775-2343, you can set an appointment to have a tech come out and do this. What a great service to the community. Andy, we appreciate Paragon Plumbing being in our community
Tom: I will say that, Andy, you and your team at Paragon Plumbing come prepared with the equipment needed to complete the job and you are great at providing detailed estimates and clear, transparent answers to homeowners’ questions and I ditto what Sandy said. It is great to have Paragon Plumbing in our community and thanks for sharing valuable homeowner tips.
Sandy: Thanks, readers, for your support of our column: At Home with Tom and Sandy. QCBN
Tom Reilly, Architect, 928-925-5692
Sandy Griffis, Executive Director, Yavapai County Contractors Association. 928-778-0040
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