Plumbers in Portland OR

You probably have a leak somewhere. If you haven’t noticed any standing water, stained ceilings or drywall, or soggy spots, start by checking your toilets. Put a few drops of food coloring into your toilet tank and wait 15 minutes (do not flush while you’re waiting!). If you see color in your tank, it is leaking and the ball and/or flapper need to be replaced. If you can’t find your leak, give us a call and we’ll figure out where all that water is going. 

We recommend a septic inspection at least once every three or four years. That way, you can catch problems before they become major issues. If your septic tank gets too full, you can end up with unwanted solids, like paper, flowing into your drain field. These will eventually block the pipes there, which can be very expensive to repair. 

If your garbage disposal smells, there’s likely a buildup of food debris inside it. This debris can stick to the walls and refuse to drain. Get rid of the odor by placing ice cubes or citrus peels in it and running it for 30 seconds. Keep it running and squirt a generous helping of liquid dishwasher detergent into it. Finally, run cold water down the disposal for at least 30 seconds to wash any loosened debris away. If this doesn’t make your kitchen smell better, call us for further help. 

Avoid frozen pipes this winter by taking a few easy steps. Turn off your outside faucets and remove any hoses that are connected in them, allowing any water still in the pipes to drain out. Further waterproof your pipes with a kit or supplies from your local hardware store. Follow directions on the supplies to wrap and insulate your pipes this winter. If you have a sprinkler system, get it drained and blown out before the ground freezes. 

That white substance is mineral buildup and it may indicate that you have hard water. To remove it, pour a cup of vinegar into a bag. Tie the bag tightly around the faucet, so the mineral deposits are soaking in the vinegar. Leave it on overnight. In the morning, use a brush to scrape away the mineral deposits. If you can remove your sink aerators or your shower head, do so and simply soak them in vinegar overnight.

You may need to experiment to find out where you want to set the temperature on your hot water heater so you have enough hot water for your family’s needs but can save as much money as possible. Most people find that 120 degrees is the best setting for them. In fact, this is the standard that manufacturers use when they preset water heaters at the factory. If you can’t set yours to a particular temperature, start somewhere in the middle and work up or down from there.