Author: Randy Reed

Disaster Restoration

How to Prevent Water Damage in Your Home

Randy Reed

Water Damage Los Angeles CA is a serious problem that can cause expensive repairs, mold growth, dry rot, and structural damage. The good news is that many forms of moisture damage are preventable.

Water Damage

Check your hoses, faucets, and appliances regularly for leaks. Look for rust-colored water, small puddles, extra moisture, and dripping sounds.

When water damage occurs, the first step in containing it is to shut off the main valve. This can help prevent further damage and can also give the plumber a window of time to come to your home and make the necessary repairs. Every person in your household should know where the water valve is and how to turn it off. This will allow you to contain the situation and can prevent further water damage, especially in cold weather when pipes are more likely to freeze and burst.

It is important to regularly close and open these valves so that they do not become stuck in place. They are often corroded and may not function properly if they haven’t been opened and closed for awhile. The water valve inside your home is your property, and you are not likely to be sued if you turn it off. However, the water valve in the street or meter pit is not yours, and you could be sued if you mess with it. The city will likely have to bring in heavy equipment if you mess with their valve, and they should be notified if you do.

Water damage can cause many problems in addition to the obvious physical issues such as rot, mold and mildew. It can also impact your quality of life by disrupting daily routines and forcing you to change plans. It can lead to financial headaches with the costs of repairing damage, inflated water bills and lost income from having to relocate or delay trips and events.

You can minimize the potential for these issues by having your plumbing company regularly check and repair these water valves. This is a service that can be performed at any hour of the day or night, and it will help to ensure that these critical items are working properly.

If you have any of these water valves that are frozen, gently warming the valve with a hairdryer or a heat lamp is the best way to thaw them out without damaging the pipe or other parts of your plumbing system. Adding insulation to the valve and the pipes connected to it will also help prevent future freezing. Installing water hammer arrestors will also prevent loud banging noises when you turn the valve on and off.

Inspect Your Hoses and Faucets

If you can’t determine the source of a leak, consider hiring a professional to perform a home or building inspection. This inspection will allow the experts to identify and resolve any issues, saving you the hassle of dealing with costly water damage in your home.

Water damage can lead to serious health and financial issues for homeowners, from swollen furniture and carpets to mold growth and structural damage. It can also affect daily life, preventing families from meeting commitments and obligations or engaging in recreational activities. In addition, repairing and replacing destroyed items adds to the cost of living.

Even a small amount of water can cause a lot of damage, but it’s important to address the issue quickly before things get worse. Leaving water damage unchecked can lead to rotting wood, mold growth and bacteria. In addition, the water can create a breeding ground for mosquitoes and other pests.

If your home experiences water damage, find an IICRC-certified restoration expert who can restore the property to its pre-loss condition. The restoration professionals will follow industry best practices and keep up to date on the latest techniques.

If you need to take photos during a restoration project, or any other kind of inspection for that matter, consider using SafetyCulture to streamline your process and make your work more efficient. SafetyCulture allows you to save photos directly from your mobile device and generate reports instantly, eliminating the need for printing, stapling, typing or sending reports via fax.

Turn Off the Water When Your Home Is Vacant

Vacant homes can be susceptible to many of the same water damage issues that plague occupied buildings. Leaking supply lines, toilet leaks and clogged drains can all lead to costly damage that is difficult to fix once it’s occurred. While some damage may be visible, many problems arise slowly and go unnoticed for days or even weeks.

The longer water is left unattended, the more significant and costly it becomes. Mold and mildew can develop in unused rooms, wood can rot and metal can rust. In addition, structural damage and biohazard contamination can occur. Water can also be extremely destructive to a building’s foundation, often creating cracks and shifts in the structure.

It’s important to turn off your home’s water when you are going to be away, but it’s also a good idea to have a friend or family member check on the property regularly. They can check the water meter, record the readings and look for any signs of a problem such as damp patches or foul smells. Regular checks also help to prevent water pipes from freezing – a common problem in winter.

When a house or apartment is vacant, the water is left on for much longer than when it’s occupied. This can cause a variety of problems, including increased energy bills and water waste. A leaking water heater can also cause extensive damage. In some cases, it can lead to the pipes bursting and flooding the entire building.

In most cases, homeowners insurance does not cover water damage that occurs while a home is empty. However, it’s still a good idea to talk to your insurer about your coverage. A water damage lawyer can help you work with the insurance company to avoid their manipulation tactics and get you true coverage for your losses.

Water damage can be a devastating experience for families, especially if they are dealing with mold and mildew growth, biohazard contamination or structural damage to their home. The stress and costs of addressing these issues can impact school, work and recreational schedules, and put pressure on financial security.

Get a Leak Detection Sensor

Water damage is a common and expensive home problem. Even the smallest leak can lead to serious issues, such as mold growth and structural problems. It is important to keep an eye out for any signs of water damage year-round. Detecting and responding quickly to leaks can prevent costly repairs, stress, and potential health problems.

Water spots, stains and discoloration are telltale signs of hidden water damage. Be sure to look in all areas of your home for these red flags. If you are looking for a new home, be sure to check out the history of any water damage in the home as well. If a home has experienced previous water damage, it is especially important to know whether or not it was repaired.

If you see a spot on the ceiling or walls that looks like it may be water damage, touch it to determine how old it is. Different types of materials react to water differently. Softer or mushy materials indicate the damage is new, while firmer materials may suggest the damage has been present for some time.

Leaky pipes are not always easy to find, but a smart sensor can help you avoid major problems. These sensors work with an app to notify you of a possible leak via local alarm, email, text or phone call. They can also turn off your water supply line when a leak is detected. They are available at most hardware stores and online, making them a simple addition to your home.

A sudden spike in your water bill could be a sign of hidden water damage as well. Oftentimes, this is due to water loss from leaking pipes, but it can be caused by other things as well. If you notice a significant increase in your water bill, it is a good idea to examine your home for any signs of damage, such as stains or musty odors.

While it is impossible to predict the future, preventing leaks and other water damage can be easy with some proactive steps. Leaky pipes and clogged drains are common causes of water damage. A few simple precautions can prevent these issues from happening and save you money in the long run.

Plumbing

Why Grease Trap Servicing Is Necessary

Randy Reed
grease trap servicing

Grease traps prevent solid grease and oil from entering sewer lines and causing sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs). Regularly cleaning and pumping grease traps helps to keep them working properly.

Professional Grease Trap Servicing technicians are the best way to clean and service your restaurant’s grease interceptor. They also dispose of the waste correctly and ensure that you comply with city regulations.

What is a grease trap?

A grease trap is a system that keeps fats, oils, and grease (FOG) out of sewer lines, where they can cause blockages that disrupt business and lead to expensive repairs. It also helps limit water pollution by keeping FOG from washing into municipal wastewater treatment systems, where it can damage pump stations and cause overflows.

Grease traps come in two forms, manual and automatic. Both work similarly by cooling wastewater and separating it into 3 layers. The FOG rises to the top of the trap and is trapped using a series of baffles, while solids settle at the bottom, and the separated clear water exits through an outlet baffle.

Most cities require restaurants to have their grease traps regularly inspected and pumped. Inspectors typically measure the depth of the top FOG layer and the settled sludge layer to ensure that they are within regulatory limits. They may also check the grease trap for signs of clogging or other problems. In some cases, the city may require grease trap cleaning on a set schedule, such as every 14 days or 90 days.

Getting your grease trap serviced on a regular basis is the best way to prevent blockages and other problems. A professional can pump out your grease trap and dispose of it properly, ensuring that the grease is removed from your restaurant’s drain lines.

If you are considering installing a grease trap, you should consult with a local plumber or licensed contractor to ensure that it is installed correctly and meets all local regulations. A professional can also help you choose the right size grease trap for your establishment and provide you with tips to reduce the cost of maintenance.

A properly maintained grease trap can protect your kitchen and the plumbing in your entire building. If you are not having your grease trap cleaned on a regular basis, it can lead to major blockages and costly repairs. To avoid these issues, it is important to hire a professional company to clean your grease trap on a regular basis. The company will inspect your grease trap and then pump out and dispose of the grease in accordance with all local regulations.

Why do you need a grease trap?

Having a grease trap isn’t just an option for restaurants and food service companies; it’s required by many municipalities and local codes. Purchasing the right size grease trap, along with properly maintaining it and following all health code regulations, will help you stay in compliance and avoid costly fines.

In addition, a well-maintained grease trap will keep fats, oils and grease (FOG) from entering the sewer system, where they could cause blockages and back ups. This helps protect the integrity of municipal and county sewage systems, as well as keeps businesses running strong by avoiding potential fines and even shutdowns.

Grease traps are also an important safety measure for restaurant customers. A clogged grease trap can produce an unpleasant odor that will waft into the dining area, making diners uncomfortable and potentially turning them away. And a back-up in the kitchen’s drain line can cause a messy and dangerous situation for workers who are trying to prepare food for guests.

Regular grease trap maintenance and cleaning is necessary to ensure that the device is functioning properly, and that a company can maintain proper sanitary practices in its kitchen. It’s important for employees to know the signs that a trap is overdue for cleaning so they can notify their commercial plumbing service as soon as possible.

If employees wait until a trap is completely full, there is a high risk of a blockage in the incoming or outgoing lines. This can lead to a number of problems, from an overflowing sink to an entire building clogged with greasy water and foul odors.

A professional grease trap service can help prevent these issues by ensuring that the device is clean and working as it should. They will vacuum the trap and remove any solidified grease, then use soap and water to clean the inside of the trap, including the lid and sides. And they’ll dispose of the grease in a safe and environmentally responsible manner. Although it is possible to clean a grease trap yourself, using a professional can save time, money and hassle.

How do you clean a grease trap?

A grease trap must be cleaned regularly to keep it functioning properly. It also protects your restaurant from costly plumbing backups during mealtimes that can drive away customers. Performing a thorough cleaning every 90 days helps minimize foul odors, prevent the trap from overflowing onto your property or into the street, and ensures that the trapped FOG is disposed of according to regulations.

The first step is to remove the grease trap lid and set it aside. Then, use a stick or dowel to measure the waste in the trap. Record these results in a FOG pump out report.

Next, carefully use a scraper to remove all solidified fats, oils, and grease from the lids, sides, and baffles of the trap. It is a good idea to wear rubber gloves during this process. Once the majority of the waste has been removed, rinse the trap with water to remove any remaining soapy residue.

Many restaurants try to cut costs by skipping grease trap cleaning services or trying to do it themselves, but this can lead to disastrous consequences. The best approach is to enlist the services of an experienced professional, such as Mahoney Environmental. Not only will their skilled technicians perform a thorough trap cleaning and repair, they can also offer helpful tips to keep the grease trap in good condition between services.

A qualified professional can also help you stay in compliance with your city’s laws and regulations regarding grease trap cleaning and disposal. They will ensure that the grease is disposed of correctly and on schedule, as well as provide you with reports to show that your trap is being maintained regularly.

Another important step is line jetting, a service that uses high-pressure water to clean out your trap. This service can clear out stubborn, built-up FOG in the plumbing lines, keeping the grease trap clean and functioning properly. It’s a good idea to have your vendor take a photo of the plumbing before and after this service, as this can help you spot issues in the future and avoid expensive, time-consuming repairs.

How often should you clean a grease trap?

Whether you run a restaurant, bakery, cafe, or another type of food service establishment, you need to have your grease trap cleaned regularly. It is a legal requirement in many areas and failure to comply with local regulations can result in costly fines. Grease trap cleanings also help to keep your kitchen area sanitary and safe. Grease and oil buildup in the trap can cause unpleasant odors, as well as clogs that will spill into water or sewage lines. Regular grease trap cleanings prevent these issues and ensure that your business complies with all local regulations.

How often your grease trap needs to be cleaned depends on how much FOG (fats, oils, and grease) you produce and how large your trap is. A good rule of thumb is to have the trap drained when it reaches a quarter full. This will prevent foul odors from developing in the trap and ensure that it remains effective. Many municipalities require businesses to have their traps drained and cleaned on a specific schedule, so it is important to know the exact requirements for your region.

A dirty trap will become less efficient over time, and this can cause problems for the rest of your building’s plumbing system. The FOG will then find other ways to escape the trap, including through the drains in sinks and dishwashers. This can lead to blockages and other costly problems. To avoid this, have your trap drained on a regular basis and make sure that the baffles are clean.

The best way to ensure that your grease trap is cleaned regularly is to have a professional company handle it for you. These companies use high-end equipment to pump the grease out of the trap and dispose of it properly. They will also inspect the trap and provide you with a report of its condition. If you do decide to clean your trap yourself, be sure to follow all the necessary safety precautions. It is also a good idea to wear a mask when handling the grease, as it can be quite stinky.

Plumbing

How to Prevent a Clogged Drain

Randy Reed
clogged drain

A clogged drain can be an expensive and disruptive problem. The first step to preventing serious issues is to be proactive and prevent drain clogs before they happen. Fortunately, you probably have everything you need to avoid a costly clog — from a bent wire hanger to baking soda and vinegar. Contact Platinum Plumbing for more tips.

Most liquids and soft foods are fine to chuck down your drain, but there are some that aren’t. Flour, cornstarch and oatmeal are examples of foods that turn into gooey, sticky substances when mixed with water, and can catch other food waste to clog your drains and pipes. Vegetables are another example of foods that are good for you, but not your plumbing. Fibrous veggies like celery, carrots and potatoes can wrap around garbage disposal blades, cling to pipes, and cause hard-to-remove blockages.

Even the smallest objects can get caught in a drain’s u-bend, causing a clog. That’s why it’s important to cover sink, tub and shower drains with strainers to keep out hair, small toys and other items that may fall down the drain.

Grease may seem like a safe substance to pour down your drain, but it’s actually one of the most common causes of blocked or clogged drains. Cooking grease solidifies as it cools, forming a plug that can cause a drain to clog. To prevent this, pour cooking grease into a container and save it for trash day or check to see if your area has recycling programs that accept cooking oil.

Coffee grounds are also a problem, because they mix with oils and fats to form a thick texture that coats the inside of pipes. They’re best disposed of in the trash or used for composting instead.

Eggshells are another common drain clogger because they’re sharp and can collect other waste to create a blockage. Seafood shells are a big no-no too, as they can become lodged in your drain and garbage disposal and be difficult to remove.

Paper towels are a bad choice for putting down your drain, as they absorb the liquids in your plumbing system and expand into thick, gooey mass that can clog your pipes. Likewise, if you flush toilet paper, it will contaminate groundwater and kill healthy bacteria in your plumbing system. If you need to wipe, use a cloth or tissue instead, and dispose of them properly. Even so-called “flushable” wipes should be placed in the trash and not the toilet.

Oils and Grease

Fats, oils and grease (FOG) are the biggest villains when it comes to clogged drains. When these greasy substances are poured down drains they quickly solidify, coat the walls of pipes and combine with other debris to form tough clogs. When these clogs occur wastewater cannot flow through your pipe system, causing backups and overflows that are both messy and unsanitary.

Many people make the mistake of pouring leftover cooking grease down the sink or dumping it directly into the garbage disposal. This is a big no-no! FOG can cause serious damage to your pipes, drains and appliances. It is best to collect grease in a jar or can and dispose of it in the trash.

When cooking, frying or baking, it is important to wipe off all utensils and cookware before washing them. This way, any traces of food can be removed, and the grease can be easily rinsed away with water.

It is also a good idea to keep a jar or can on hand for collecting used cooking oil and grease, so you don’t have to pour it down the drain. If you do need to empty your drain of grease, it is best to use a rag to wipe down the inside of the drain and then dump the remaining grease into a metal can that can be disposed of with the trash.

Another great way to help prevent drain clogs from grease is to use a 50/50 mix of hot water and vinegar. This mixture is a non-toxic alternative to chemical drain cleaners and works just as well.

One other thing to remember is that it is best not to flush any kind of wipe down the drain, including baby wipes and cleaning wipes. Even so-called “flushable” wipes can cause a stubborn clog if they are left to build up in the drain pipe. They should be placed in the garbage can or toilet. This is especially true if you have older pipes that may be susceptible to corrosion and other problems.

Hair

Hair is one of the most common causes of clogged drains. The average person sheds 50 to 100 hairs a day, and many of those hairs end up in the shower drain where they mix with soap residue, shampoo, grime, and other debris. Over time, this can lead to a buildup that stops water from flowing through the drain, creating murky water and bad odors. Using a drain cover that is designed to trap hair can help prevent this, as can regularly flushing the drain with hot water and/or a mixture of baking soda and vinegar.

One of the most surefire signs that you have a hair mass in your drain is when your bathtub or sink begins to fill with water that takes a long time to drain. In severe cases, the water may not drain at all and could cause water damage to your home.

Another sign is when a foul odor starts wafting up out of your sink or tub. As hair decomposes, it creates a musty odor that can spread throughout your home. If this is happening, it’s important to call a professional for a drain cleaning as soon as possible.

Using a homemade hook made out of a piece of thin wire, such as a coat hanger wire, can be a great way to fish out a hair clog without resorting to chemicals or tools like the drain snake. Simply slide the wire down into the drain where you suspect the blockage is, and try to hook any hair that is caught up in it. A few tries may be necessary before you’re able to pull up the entire hair mass from the drain.

If you’re not comfortable with making your own DIY hook, there are small plastic drain clearing tools that can be purchased at most big box stores. These work similarly to a piece of coat hanger wire, and are easy enough for most homeowners to use. Lastly, there are also a variety of commercial drain cleaners that include a hook-like device for fishing out hair clogs.

Toys

If you have young children, you already know that toys can make their way into the toilet or the sink. Even older children sometimes forget that nothing other than toilet paper, human waste and degradable paper towels should be deposited down the drain. Unfortunately, a toy that ends up in the toilet can cause a massive clog and require professional help to resolve.

If your child flushes a toy, try to remove it as quickly as possible. If the toy is visible, put on gloves and reach inside the toilet bowl to grab it. However, don’t use a plunger — plunging pushes the toy further down the pipes and can damage the toilet.

A flexible drain snake, like the Vastar DRAINSAVER, is ideal for getting small objects out of the toilet and other hard-to-reach places. It features a wide head that reaches deep into drain pipes and flexes at the P-trap, where most obstructions occur. The product has positive reviews from customers who say it works well to clear out hair and other debris in a wide range of plumbing fixtures, including bathtubs, showers and kitchen sinks.

For a more permanent solution, consider installing a strainer or stopper that catches unwanted elements before they enter your plumbing. It will also prevent objects from washing down the drain, which can lead to clogs and other problems.

Another great way to keep foreign objects out of your drains is to install a drain guard or screen over your sink opening. These are available in a variety of sizes, shapes and materials to fit your specific sink. Some are designed to catch food particles, hair and other common clog-causing materials, while others are able to handle larger items, such as cigarette butts or rags.

For more serious clogs, a chemical drain cleaner can be helpful. A product such as the XionLab Safer Drain Opener can break up and dissolve grease, hair, food particles, soap scum, paper products and more. It is septic safe, which makes it perfect for toilets and showers. A review of this product found that it worked to remove mild clogs in about two hours, but that tougher ones may take longer or require multiple treatments.