Keep Pet Hair Out Of The Drains

Pets are a wonderful thing to have in your Reno home. They bring such joy to the pet owners, and they quickly become a member of the family along with everyone else. That being said, there are certain things which can happen that can cause some issues in the home. For example, if pet hair gets down into the plumbing system and causes issues. This can be an expensive and frustrating situation. Luckily, there are a few tips which can help prevent this from ever happening in the first place.

Brush Pets Before Giving Them A Bath

A simple but practical piece of advice is to brush pets before ever putting them in the bathtub to give them a bath in the first place. Not only does this feel good to the pet, but it gets all of that excess fur off of them. They can shed fur no matter what season it is or what the temperature outside feels like. As such, they should be brushed down well before they are given their bath in order to ensure that they do not clog up the pipes.

Keep Animals Away From Exposed Piping

The piping system in your home looks like the greatest plaything in the world to a dog or cat. Make sure that you keep exposed pieces of pipe out of sight from pets. They would be very tempted to chew on it and cause potential problems to the piping as a result. If you just make sure that they can't see it, then they won't even think to bother with it.

Use A Drain Strainer

Drain strainers capture all sorts of things that we do not want going down the drain. They can very well be used to manage the pet fur that may try to flow down the drain as well. It is advisable to put one of these in before giving an animal a bath. They can be purchased at just about any home improvement store.

Keep Pets Well Hydrated

Finally, remember to keep your Reno pets well hydrated. They will be less likely to have an interest in the water in the piping system if they are well hydrated. Their water bowls should be refreshed at least twice a day to make sure they are drinking enough water. If so, they are unlikely to look for alternative sources of water.

Don't let your fluffy pup clog up your drain! If you need drain cleaning in your Reno, NV home call Ira Hansen & Sons PlumbingPlumbing at 775-624-8378 today!

Detect a Water Leak in Your Home

Having a home, apartment, condo, or other type of living space in Reno with a water leak is bad news for the areas that the water is constantly touching. Anybody with a water leak or one that thinks that might have a water leak needs to get it checked out as soon as possible.

If there is water damage on the floor, then the entire floor including the subflooring will probably have to be replaced. This translates to any other area in a house that needs to be replaced due to water damage.

How to Check for Water Leaks

There are quite a few manners in which to detect a leak, some being completely free and can be checked rather quickly whenever the time is you enter the room yet. Believe it or not, there are actually companies that are dedicated to finding water leaks in a person's home or in the plumbing on the property under or near the home. The workers who are trying to find water leaks send out sound waves that bounce back a certain way to indicate to the operator that there is a water leak somewhere.

Looking for dark spots, crunchy areas that make a crunching sound when pushed or stepped on, and wet areas that are not supposed to be wet or look different upon inspection. Always make sure that you actually have a water leak before you decide to call a contractor or construction worker.

What to do If You Have a Water Leak

If you are certain that you have a water leak, try to get someone that is a professional that deals with water leaks and replacing plumbing or construction work for a living. Then, shop around and try to find the lowest estimate.

A water leak absolutely needs to be fixed if you want your home to stay in the best shape as possible.

How You Can Prevent a Water Leak

There is no way to absolutely, positively make sure that a water leak will not happen under any circumstance, but one of the most proactive approaches is by having new plumbing installed. This will get rid of the damage that has already taken in the past, while drastically reducing the risk of something like this occurring again.

Call Ir Hansen and Sons Plumbing at 775-406-6964 today to get your Reno, NV system checked out by a professional plumber!

Why is Annual Maintenance on Your Water Heater Important?

Most people know they need to do annual maintenance on their HVAC system, but they forget about the importance of annual maintenance for their water heater. There are a number of reasons why a yearly water heater checkup is important.

All you need to do is pick up the phone and call us! We're Reno's premier plumbing company at your service. Here's what our professional plumbers can do to ensure that your water heating system is running in tip-top shape:

Check for Leaks

One of the things you should do at least once a year if not more often is to check your water heater for leaks. If the floor around your water heater is wet, it could be a sign of a leak, and if you have a leak, it could be a sign that your water heater is failing.

If the unit fails altogether, it could flood your house. If you find what looks like a leak, you should call a plumber right away

Flush the Tank

Sediment can build up in your hot water heater's storage tank over time, especially if you have hard water. That sediment can clog your water lines and also corrode your tank over time, which can cause leaks. To get rid of the sediment, you have to flush the tank.

To do this, you shut off the electricity or gas, shut off your cold water inlet, attach a garden hose to the drain valve and ensure it is going to a floor drain or outside and then you open the pressure release valve. Ensure your tank drains all the way to remove all the sediment. Doing this at least once a year will improve your energy efficiency and also prevent your water heater from failing.

Check Your Pressure Relief Valve

Your pressure relief valve releases pressure so your water heater doesn't build up pressure and explode. Checking it to see that it's working properly has very similar steps to draining your tank. You shut off the power source and the cold water inlet.

You then put a bucket under the pressure relief valve to catch any water that might be in there and trip the release valve lever to ensure it lets off pressure. If you don't hear a hissing and see water vapor or air escape, then the valve needs to be replaced.

Doing annual maintenance on your Reno water heater can ensure it operates properly and also catch any issues before they cause big problems.

If you haven't had your Reno, NV water heating system checked out, call Ira Hansen Plumbing at 775-406-6964!