O'Neill Plumbing

Summertime Water-Saving Tips

Saving water lowers your bills while protecting the environment. It's one way many homeowners are going green. By changing your household habits and using plumbing upgrades, you can reduce your overall water usage, which allows you to enjoy lower water bills while knowing that you're becoming more eco-friendly.

• Use low-flow plumbing fixtures. Today's low-flow toilets use 1.6 gallons per flush. Dual-flush toilets offer an option to use less water for liquid waste while using the standard 1.6 gallons otherwise. Installing these toilets can save you plenty, especially in comparison to old toilets that can use more than 4 gallons per flush. Replace your showerheads with efficient models that use 2.5 gallons per minute, half of what traditional unrestricted showerheads use. Showering can account for 20 percent of your household water usage, so low-flow showerheads can put a nice dent in your water bill.
• Use faucet aerators. If your household sinks do not already come with aerators, consult your plumber to find the appropriate size aerator and have them installed. It's an easy job you can do with a phone call to your plumber, and will reduce the water flow from your faucets without sacrificing pressure.
• Change a few of your daily habits. By simply shaving five minutes off of your shower, turning the water off while brushing your teeth, or filling your sink with hot water while shaving instead of leaving your faucet running, you can reduce your water usage and make an impact. Consider using greywater from your washing machine to irrigate your landscape, and collect water from the bath while you're waiting for it to warm for the same purpose.

These are a few simple tips that can help you reduce your water usage. O'Neill Plumbing can help you understand other ways to reduce your home's water consumption, lower your water bills, and protect the environment. Visit us online to learn about our range of plumbing services, or call us at (206) 932-5283 for more information.

Tips for Keeping Your Sewer Lines Clean and Clog Free

All of the drains in your home eventually connect to your sewer line, which leads away from your house and to your municipal sewer. Avoiding clogs and debris buildup within your sewer line is possible by simply practicing good habits in your house, and regularly cleaning your drains. However, it does help to have a professional plumber inspect your sewer line at least once every two to three years and perform cleaning as necessary

Understanding the Causes of Drain Clogs

The same things that clog your household drains can eventually cause clogs or backups of your sewer. One of the main reasons clogs form is due to excessive buildup within drain and sewer lines. This buildup often consists of organic sludge, which is simply decaying matter that readily catches other objects and forms blockages.

Other materials help build up the sludge or cause problems on their own. Fat, oils, and grease poured down kitchen drains form a coating that that can cause sludge inside a drain line. This reduces water flow, and makes blockages more likely. Hair from bathroom drains does not break down and can catch on debris in a drain or sewer line and eventually build up sludge of its own, usually in the form of soap scum or shampoo.

Keeping Your Sewer Line Clean

Not all buildup is avoidable. While it can help to avoid pouring grease down your kitchen drain and to using drain covers to prevent hair from going down your pipes, buildup is a natural occurrence. Preventative maintenance is an important part of avoiding clogs. Use a moderate amount of baking soda followed by white vinegar to help clear sludge from your drain lines, which will in turn keep them flowing smoothly.

Your plumber can help clean your sewer line to keep it flowing freely. Many plumbers offer televised inspections of sewer lines to determine the level of buildup and whether it is time for cleaning. Contact O'Neill Plumbing at (206) 932-5283 if you have any questions about sewer line inspections or preventative maintenance.

Tips in Finding a Plumber

Knowing how to find the right plumber is essential, as every extra moment you live with a plumbing problem costs money. Sites such as Angie’s List feature informative reviews of plumber and can assist you in your search. Once you find a plumber, ask if he or she is licensed and be sure to verify this with the licensing board.

Preventative maintenance is also necessary—not only will this help you avoid a number of plumbing problems in the future, it will give you a familiarity with your sewer system that can certainly prove useful. For more information, watch this helpful video.

At Seattle-based O’Neill Plumbing, we offer a wide range of high-quality plumbing services, including sewer repair and pipe lining as well as water heater repair and replacement. Call us at (206) 932-5283 with any questions.

What Makes Roots Such a Big Threat to Sewer Lines?

Although pleasing to the eye, the trees and shrubs planted near your house may be wreaking underground havoc on your home’s plumbing system. You may think that tree and shrub roots are no match for clay, concrete, or PVC pipes, but once roots reach your sewer lines, they can crack and obstruct the pipes, requiring repair or replacement by a professional plumber. Why are roots such a big threat to your sewer lines?

• They can cause extensive damage to your sewer system. Many varieties of trees and shrubs need a lot of moisture and nutrients to grow. In order to get enough water, these plants will send out roots in search of moisture. Many trees are capable of sending their roots quite a long way for this quest. The roots can detect moisture from the cracks of your sewer system and will grow into the pipes at any point of entry. They can completely block the sewer lines with their hair-like root masses, which then gather grease and other debris that flows from the home to the main sewer line.
• No type of sewer line is immune to roots. Clay pipes, the most common kind of pipe in older water and sewer systems, are the most susceptible to root damage. Roots will penetrate any crack, hole, or poorly sealed joint in a sewer line. Concrete and PVC pipes are less susceptible to root intrusion but are not root-proof. Once roots penetrate the line, they can exert considerable pressure on the pipe, which then must be repaired or replaced.
• Root damage can cause extensive damage to your home itself. Once the sewer lines have been compromised, many problems can occur within the home. The water supply can be interrupted and floor drains and toilet can back up, potentially causing flooding or damage to appliances.

For high-quality plumbing work in the Seattle area, call O’Neill Plumbing at (206) 973- 3582. We offer a number of services, including plumbing, sewer repair and pipe lining, and water heater repair and replacement.

Is Your Plumbing Ready for an Upgrade? Check Out These Links to Find Out!

These websites can help you understand if it's time to replace your older and inefficient water heater with the new one, and why copper piping can be the best choice for your plumbing needs. Contact O'Neill Plumbing at (206) 932-5283 if you'd like to learn more.

• Visit this page from EnergySavers.gov to learn more about selecting a new water heater to replace your older one.
• Check out this PDF from EnergyStar.gov for more information about high-efficiency water heaters.
• Explore this article from the Home Energy Saver to understand how to get the most efficiency out of your water heater.
• Get an idea why copper plumbing is the best choice for your home thanks to its reliability and competitive warranty when you read this page from Copper.org.
• Read this article on ThisOldHouse.com for some creative uses for leftover copper piping left behind from a plumbing job.