It’s a brand-new year! If house maintenance has made it onto your list of things to do this year, don’t forget your plumbing! From major projects to cosmetic changes, to basic necessities, to emergency repairs, every home has a plumbing job that needs to be checked off the list. If you want to get your plumbing squared away but don’t know where to start, we’ve compiled a handy list of plumbing resolutions to complete in the coming year!
Fix Your Toilet
We’ve all been there. Maybe you have weak water pressure. Maybe it has a perpetual run. Whatever your toilet inconveniences, it’s likely you’ve been putting off repairs for months. Perhaps even the better part of a year! So, what are some signs your toilet is in distress?
Strange Noises. If your toilet is making peculiar sucking, gurgling, or gargling noises, you may need professional repair.
Clogging. Clog me once, shame on you. Clog me twice, shame on me. If your toilet has a problematic clogging behavior that’s turning into a pattern, call your plumber!
Puddles of Water. If you find suspicious pools and puddles of water around your toilet, you may have a leak or a crack.
Wobbly Surface. Have you ever sat on a toilet and nearly teetered off? That’s not normal and completely within your abilities to repair!
Clear Your Clogged Drains
A clogged drain can cause more than a minor inconvenience. Mineral deposits, food debris, soap scum, and other materials can cause serious and expensive damages if left unattended. This year, you can take precautions to avoid clogged drains, such as installing mesh screens and filters on your sink and avoiding putting things down the drain that belong in a trashcan. The following are a few symptoms that your drains need treatment:
Regurgitated Water. If water bubbles back up into any appliance, such as a sink, shower, bathtub, or toilet, you likely have a clogged pipe.
Bad Odors. Sometimes you can smell the clog before you see it. Call a plumber if you start to smell foul odors from your pipes!
Slow to Drain. If your water fails to drain, you definitely have a clog! No mysteries here. Avoid pouring toxic drain cleaners into your pipes, as these can erode your plumbing. Call Bourgeois Plumbing to evaluate your clog immediately!
Inspect Your Water Heater
Baby it’s cold outside. Even the Louisiana heat has been chased away by a cold front. Now is the worst time to be left without hot water. You can extend your water heater’s lifespan with a few easy tricks:
Test Your Valve. Test the pressure release valve by placing a bucket below the discharge pipe on your water heater tank. Gently lift the lever on the valve. Ideally, the valve should release a little water. If not, it’s time for a replacement. A professional will be able to make the final determination.
Don’t Be Alarmed if You Hear Noises. Water heaters may be one of the only pieces of equipment where gurgling and groaning noises are not a bad sight! That is the sound of air entering your system as the water drains out. Contact a professional to evaluate these noises, as they may be indicative of issues that cannot resolve themselves.
Drain Your Sediments. Periodically flush your tank of sediments by using your drain valve. Open this valve slowly and allow the water to run until it is free of sediments.
Call Al Bourgeois Plumbing!
Do you have a persistent clog that won’t go away? A leak that’s driving you crazy? A water heater in distress? You’re in luck! Al Bourgeois Plumbing has been helping the Greater New Orleans area with all sorts of plumbing problems for over 50 years! Our expert technicians will be able to identify the source of the problem and keep your drains healthy for generations to come.