Drain cleaners – can they cause long-term damage?

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There’s nothing worse that turning on your sink, only to notice that it’s filling up faster than it’s draining. Or worse, to find out it’s not draining at all.

We’ve heard a lot of wives tales about how to clear this up, and we’ve also heard a lot of horror stories. So, what do you do? Are drain cleaners safe? Do you call a plumber?

Drain cleaners in general are made of a chemical or enzyme based formula - which work to eat away at clogs. In the process these clearing formulas often sit against your pipes, creating heat and gases and possible eating away at them too.

There isn’t a one-size fits all approach to at home drain cleaners because not every home, pipe system or clog is the same. The majority of problems occur when homeowners use drain cleaners repeatedly or frequently on a reoccurring issue.

We recommend trying natural methods to clear out any simple clogs (good ‘ol baking soda and vinegar can sometimes do the trick), if it’s your first time and you’re confident your pipes are in good condition, go ahead and try a drain cleaner. If you’re still experiencing problems after that – it’s time to give us a call at (970) 221-1274. You can also visit our website at http://www.apexrooterandplumbing.com/. />
*Image source:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/17534006@N00/3294300940

Does your septic tank need to be checked?

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We get a lot of questions about knowing when it’s time to get your septic tank checked. What are signs that you’ve pushed the limit? Here’s a quick guide:

Signs that your septic tank needs a check-up:

Waste water seeping into the field – when your septic tank isn’t serviced, the sludge level rises allowing waste water to discharge into your yard or the field. Be mindful of excess water in or around your home.

Foul odor – often times, as your septic tank beings to back up, you’ll notice a sour, or putrid odor.

Waste water backups – finding waste backup in toilets, sinks or other places around the home is a sure sign that something isn’t functioning correctly.

Water bubbles – discovering the presence of bubbles in your toilets – bubbling back after a flush means something could be off. Also, take notice of sinks that begin to make a gurgling sound as they drain.

These are the four main signs that your septic system is due for a check-up. Your septic system may not be the most glamorous part of your home, but it’s definitely one you want keep in good working health.

*Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/81833876@N00/5227436224

Plumbing tips for getting your cabin ready for the summer season.

Spring is finally here which means summer is around the corner. For all of you that are anxiously awaiting the arrival of summer and getting to your cabin it is time to start thinking about about these plumbing tips to help you get your cabin ready for the season:

1)      Inspect all of your plumbing to make sure there is no freezing damage.

2)      Open valves to hot water tank and the sink faucets and check for leaks

3)      Purge air from lines by opening up the sink and bathtub faucets

4)      Turn on power to water heater after the tank is filled with water

5)      Flush any pipes that had plumbing anti-freeze in their lines

6)      Check you septic tank level

Now that you have your cabin prepped for the season you can relax and enjoy your family and friends or some time to yourself!

 If you would like more information on getting your cabin ready for the summer or are located in the Northern Colorado and would like assistance, call Apex and talk to one of our technicians about how we can help.  (970)221-1274 or visit www.apexrooter andplumbing.com.

Apex Rooter, Plumbing and Septic Services Shares Backflow Prevention Q&A – Part II

·         Who can perform a backflow test and certification - Only qualified testers that have completed cross connection training courses and hold the appropriate state certification(s) may perform the backflow device test.

·         I have an in ground lawn sprinkler system at my residence. Am I required to have a backflow device and have it tested - In ground sprinkler systems are required to have a reduced pressure principle backflow prevention device installed on the water line servicing the system. The backflow device must also be periodically tested in accordance with the state testing requirements.

·         What can you do to prevent backflow situations in your home or business?

o   Be aware of and eliminate and/or protect cross connections.

o   Maintain air gaps on sinks and when using hoses.

o   Do not submerge hoses or place them where they could become submerged.

o   Use hose bib vacuum breakers on fixtures (hose connections in the basement, laundry room, and on outside faucets/spigots).

o   Install approved backflow prevention devices on lawn irrigation systems and on fire sprinkler system services.

o   Do not create a connection between an auxiliary water system (well, cistern, body of water) and the water supply plumbing.

·         Why should you be concerned?

o   Backflow may affect the quality of the drinking water at your facility and has the potential to create health hazards if contaminated water enters your water supply plumbing system and is used for drinking, cooking or bathing.

o   Backflow events occur more often than you might think although most do not create health hazards.

o   Unprotected cross-connections with water supply plumbing or public drinking water piping systems are prohibited by law.

o   You are responsible for protecting your water supply plumbing from backflow that may contaminate your drinking water and the drinking water of others. This includes complying with the plumbing code and not creating unprotected cross connections.

If you would like more information on backflow installation, testing and certification for your home or business, call Apex and talk to one of our technicians.  (970)221-1274 or visit www.apexrooter andplumbing.com.  Apex is licensed and insured – License No. 000189979

Perks of being an APEX Plumbing Technician!

Most people may perceive that the job of a plumber might not have as many perks as some occupations.  Some days I would have to agree, however if you service areas located in the beautiful mountains of Colorado you might agree that there are a few perks to our job.

During any service call, it isn’t rare to see the most majestic of views and the most beautiful of creatures big and small roaming through areas such as Red Feathers Lakes, Crystal Lakes and Livermore to name only a few. 

Our technicians have frequent sitings of the cow moose and her calf’s breaking through the trees  or experience a bull elk dart out in front of our service trucks knowing that impact would most likely damage the vehicle rather than the strong powerful animal.

It wouldn’t be fair if we kept these experiences to ourselves and not share with our customers and all of you that dream of experiencing the beauty of Colorado first hand.   We hope that you enjoy our photo gallery!

If you are interested in learning more about Apex Rooter and Plumbing, call (970) 221-1274 or visit www.apexrooterandplumbing.com.

 

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Can plumbing go green?

With people heading in environmentally friendly directions and wondering how to make their daily lives more “green” we thought we’d share a couple tips on how to make your plumbing a greener endeavor.

  1. When buying new appliances, make sure to purchase appliances that are energy efficient. They’ll save energy as well as put money in your pocket.
  2. When buying fixtures (faucets, shower heads etc.) make sure to look at the “water-saving” options. They often have the same water pressure but are much better on the environment.
  3. Do you leave your water running when you brush your teeth? Turn it off… it’s the little things that count in the long run
  4. Turn your water heater down. Most water heaters are set to 130, turn yours down to 110 and you’ll keep it from working so hard and lower your energy bills!


Most of this is just normal common sense stuff. Don’t forget that our most important resources is not electricity or gas, it’s water. Let’s all do our part to take care of this precious resource!

*Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/53611153@N00/4159468673

Our Truck Tanks are full of political promises!

As a small business owner, I listened to the campaign promises from both sides and like many Americans believed both candidates when they promised to preserve our small businesses. It is now a full year later and there hasn't been a change for the better. I think my plumbing company's trucks (that are filled daily with crap) say it best, and more importantly summarize how many American small business owners are feeling:

 

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Our Top 6 Tips for Cutting your plumbing costs!

One of the number one questions we get is how to cut plumbing costs. These are our top tips for cutting your costs!

  1. Turn off your water heater when you are gone for the weekend or heading on vacation. By doing that your heater isn’t working to stay warm the entire time you’re gone.
  2. When you are gone from home for extended periods of time, shut off your well.
  3. Always maintain your water heaters. Get them flushed out and make sure their cleaned out regularly.
  4. If you have a toilet that runs or isn’t draining right, make sure to have it adjusted. Making sure your toilet is running right not only saves you money, but water as well.
  5. If a pipefitting looks questionable or if something looks off, have it looked at and repaired. Having something like this fixed is a lot cheaper than fixing a major plumbing issue later on.
  6. Regular maintenance. Having everything checked out and regularly maintained will keep big problems from occurring and will save you valuable money later on.


If you have any questions or any tips you’d like to share, leave them in the comments below!

*Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7729940@N06/4001018465

Getting personal with Apex, a few deep questions.

Do you want to get to know Apex a little better? Ever wonder what helps us get up in the morning or some of the philosophies we follow? Here are a few questions, answered by George Langel, owner of Apex.

Question: What makes you feel heroic? OR What helps you get up in the morning and inspires you to do what you do?

Answer: We feel heroic every day, it is amazing how in certain cases our customers have no clue how they are going to get through a plumbing crisis, then we show up and we just get it done.

For instance, their are families that gets into town for a vacation and find a plumbing disaster. They feel like their entire vacation is shot, they call us and we get someone over, take care of it and they are back on vacation in no time and happy customers!

Question: What is the most challenging place you’ve ever gone?

Answer: Every job during the winter – places where we have to build a tunnel in 6 feet snowdrifts – use snowmobiles to get equipment in.  We’ve been called to the top of a Colorado mountain, where there is no electricity, no water and we just get things going.  Getting our customer taken care of is what is important, no matter where they are.

Question: After all these years owning and operating Apex, what is the one thing that you have learned and can share?

Answer: To always be open and willing to search for outside resources to have the right solution to fixing a problem – not relying on my own knowledge but using others in the industry to make sure the customer is taken care of!

Anything else you want to know about us? Just leave a comment and we’ll get back to you!

*Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/72211347@N00/327122302

Apex has made a couple changes!

We've been making some changes to our website and we have to say that we think it's pretty great! Come on over, check it out and say hello!

www.apexrooterandplumbing.com