The Plumber You Deserve in Boston, MA

Yes, there are measures you can take before the cold weather arrives to prevent frozen pipes. Disconnect, drain and store your garden hoses. Remember, if your house is equipped with interior shut-off valves, to close them, then open the outside faucet and drain out all the water. You can keep it open so that any water remaining in the pipe can expand without causing a pipe to burst.

Homemade Hook MethoD

You don’t need special tools to unclog a shower drain. You probably have what you need in your nearest closet.

1. Straighten a wire coat hanger and bend one end into a hook no more than a half-inch wide.
2. Remove the drain cover. If there are screws holding it in place, remove them and be careful not to drop the screws down the drain.
3. Push the coat hanger hook down the drain until you hit the bottom of the trap.
4. Twist the hanger back and forth and in a circular fashion and try to hook the clog.
5. Carefully pull the hook up and out of the drain and shake the hair clog off into a waste basket.
6. Repeat the process going deeper each time and adjusting the size of your hook until there is no more hair on the end of your hook.
7. Run hot water down the drain to be sure the drain is no longer backing up. If the drain is still clogged, try the following method.

Plunger Method

Learning how to unblock a shower drain can be as simple as plunging the drain.

1. Plunge the drain with a sink plunger. A sink plunger is different from a toilet plunger and has a shallow red rubber cup and a shorter handle than a toilet plunger.
2. To be effective, the plunger’s cup needs to be under at least an inch of water, so the best time to plunge a shower drain is when there is standing water in the shower pan.
   • Place the plunger cup over the drain to form a tight seal and plunge down once to release the air trapped in the plunger cup.
   • Grasp the plunger handle firmly and quickly pump the plunger up and down 15 to 20 times before pulling the plunger away from the drain.
   • If successful, the plunger will have pushed the clog through the pipe and you’ll see the water drain away quickly. If the water still doesn’t drain, repeat the process several more times or try the following methods.

Chemical Drain Cleaners

You can also use chemical drain opener products. The directions on the bottles explain how to unblock shower drains with drain opener chemicals, but this method is also the most dangerous.

1. Wear rubber gloves and wear eye protection
2. Carefully follow the directions on the bottle.
3. Avoid inhaling the chemical fumes.
4. Be patient. Caustic chemicals often require a lot of time to work effectively.
5. If the chemical drain opener doesn’t work and you have to call a plumber, be sure to inform him that you’ve poured chemicals into the drain and show him the bottle so he can take proper safety precautions.

The best way to prevent sump pump failure is with planning and maintenance. It’s true that your sump pump could be defective, but more often than not, problems arise due to a lack of maintenance or careless installation.

Maintenance is key to preventing sump pump failure. If you haven’t heard your pump run recently, test it by running a water hose into the sump pit or pouring in a five gallon bucket of water. When the water reaches a predetermined level, the pump should turn itself on, pump out most of the water then turn itself off again. If you have a backup pump, test it a few times each year to determine if it will work in the event of a blackout. And make a note of when the battery is due to be replaced. The backup pump won’t work if the battery dies. When testing your pump, make sure the discharge line’s airhole is clear. The float switch on the pump shouldn’t be restrained so make sure electrical cords aren’t tangled around the switch. Finally, remove any gravel in the sump pit and check that the screen that covers the sump pump’s water intake is clear of debris.

Contrary to common belief, it’s actually possible to stay warm this winter without breaking the bank. There are easy cures for those skyrocketing energy bills. Whether your water heater is electric or gas, water heating costs play a big role in your monthly energy consumption. As appliances go, your water heater is one of the top energy using appliances in most any house. Cutting consumption starts with forming simple habits. Save more money this season on your water heater bill (energy costs) by following these energy-saving tips.

Turn your water heater down. Most heaters are set to a default of 140 degrees, but the optimal setting is 120 degrees fahrenheit. This setting allows you to have plenty of hot water while consuming less energy and eliminating the risk of hot water scalding you or a family member.

Short showers are key. Reduce your time spent in the shower and avoid baths altogether. A bath with just a few inches of water in it can cost you a lot more money than a shower. You can even turn the water off while shampooing or shaving and then turn it back on to rinse to use less water.

Don’t let the water run while you brush your teeth shave or turn away to grab dishes for the dishwasher.

Wash only full loads of dishes and choose shorter cycles. You can also choose to use cold water for laundry loads, which will lower your bill significantly.

You can also replace an old inefficient water heater with a modern energy efficient model. You might even consider a tank less water heater instead of a traditional one that always has to keep its water tank hot. Compare the merits of conventional water heaters to tank less heaters with this helpful water heater info graphic.

“Hard water” is the term used to describe water that contains dissolved minerals like calcium, sulfur, magnesium, iron, or others. These minerals don’t make the water inherently unsafe to use, but they can wreak havoc in other ways. Hard water can cause visible stains or buildup on sinks, faucets and bathtubs. It can also cause buildup inside pipes and appliances, potentially causing clogs or malfunctioning. The minerals can prevent soap from getting sudsy and leave your skin and hair feeling dry and dull. Hard water can also affect how well laundry detergent cleans your clothes and how clean your dishes look after running the dishwasher.

The water softening process uses a specialized appliance, a water softener, to remove mineral ions like calcium and magnesium from the water. Installing a water softener is a convenience, not a requirement for having safe water, and there are pros and cons to evaluate before deciding whether you want a water softener in your home.

The obvious major advantage is the disappearance of the annoyances caused by hard water in your home. Dish soap and shampoo will lather more freely, and you’ll notice that you need to use less soap than before. Your skin won’t feel so dry after a shower. Your clothes will emerge cleaner from the laundry, and your dishes will be less spotty after a dishwasher cycle.

On a larger scale, you’ll find that home appliances will work more efficiently, and you’ll spend less time cleaning buildup from faucets. You’ll extend the life of household plumbing and water-using appliances and use less water overall.