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Tips & Tricks

  • Plumbing Tips

    • Tub Shoe in Plumbing
      A lot of people don't replace the tub shoe because it doesn't work. They replace it because it looks awful. Replacing it is simple by applying an overabundance of plumber's putty onto it to assure a good seal. Wipe off any additional putty, then place the shoe onto the drain opening, making sure to center it. You can prevent cross-threading by tightening it by hand. Then use a dumbbell wrench to tighten it. Clean off the excess putty. And you're done! Knight Plumbing, Inc. is the West Allis plumbing company you can rely on for tips, repairs and installations.
    • Old Laundry Tub Faucet Repair
      These faucets are usually very solid and well-built, often of brass. For the most part, just replacing the seals will be sufficient. Remove the faucet assembly and bring it along with you to the hardware store. Some of these older designs are unique. Only the right seal will work properly. Once installed accurately, the seal will enable the faucet to work perfectly. Whatever you decide to do, make certain drips are stopped. Homeowners are amazed at how much water is lost from a dripping faucet and how much higher it can cause your water bill to rise. If you are experiencing laundry tub issues, contact the plumbing company Wauwatosa relies on for on-time and affordable services.
    • West Allis Bathtub Faucets Handles
      If you want to replace these yourselves, pay very close attention to the exact size and threading of the connecting pipes. It would be best to take off the handles and take them along with you to the hardware store or plumbing supply outlet. You might be able to save money by just replacing the seals and cleaning off the handles. Then you can replace them and they'll work like new. If you have a tiled wall with faucets set above the tub, be extremely careful not to put too much pressure on the tile. If the tiles crack and you don't have any replacements, it won't look could and could cause leaks. Contact the plumbing company West Allis area residents rely on for fixture repairs and installations.
    • Kitchen Faucet Spraying Water Everywhere
      Water isn't any fun if it's not where you want it! In this case, you want it in the kitchen sink. Water might be spraying out of the end of the faucet if the screencap is loose or partially blocked. Tighten it or clean it out. If the water is coming out of the handle(s), the seals are probably worn. Take off the handles (be sure to turn off the shutoff valves!) and replace the seals. If the problems are even worse, just buy a new fixture. It's cheaper and takes less time than building an Ark. Contact the Oak Creek plumbing experts today to install your next kitchen faucet.
    • Installing a Gas Hot Water Tank
      Our plumbers are licensed, bonded, and insured. It's because stuff happens. Perhaps the house has plumbing issues that are not readily apparent. These might affect the water heater installation or perhaps be inadvertently damaged while you work. Sometimes, newer water heaters have different hookup considerations than your older model. A professional plumber can handle these complications. Knight Plumbing, Inc. provides a six-year, written warranty on all water heater installations in Greenfield and surrounding areas. You don't have to be licensed and insured to install a hot water heater. You would be wise to look over the job very carefully, be precise in ordering a new model (see how complicated it will be to hook up to your present gas pipes or electric lines). It's wise to call a professional plumber for this. Be very careful if you don't.
    • Basement and Bathroom Plumbing Contractors
      Carefully plan the location of the bathroom, taking into consideration ease of access, proximity to water pipes, and suitable, convenient drainage to the sewer. You'll want to make certain the bathroom is both convenient and effective. The location of the sanitary drain will pretty much dictate the placement of the toilet. If you want to install it elsewhere, you'll need to call in a contractor to place a drainpipe into the foundation. As long as the basics are handled, putting in a basement bathroom can be a fun project. You may want to concentrate on how it looks and let the pros handle how it works. Contact our top Oak Creek bathroom remodeling contractors today to get started.
    • Basement Flooding Plumber in Milwaukee, WI
      Contact a professional Milwaukee plumber immediately. DO NOT go downstairs into the basement. If your house hasn't also lost electricity, there is great danger of electric shock. Water conducts electricity. Flooding water often is quite dirty (especially with a sewer backup) and can result in a severe infection. Call the experts at Knight Plumbing, Inc. If you don't have a valve in your sewer drain to prevent backup, ask your plumber to install one. It's an effective way to help prevent the sewer from backing up into your basement.
    • Water Heater Installations in Milwaukee
      A qualified Milwaukee plumber can quickly and efficiently install your new hot water heater in a short amount of time. Connections have to be tight. Gas or electrical hookups must be correctly done according to the code. It's often a tougher job than it looks. It's usually worthwhile to call a pro from Knight Plumbing, Inc. You'll avoid a lot of headaches. You'll save a lot of time and money. Also, having your water heater properly installed will preserve the manufacturer's warranty. Knight Plumbing, Inc. gives you a six-year, written warranty covering all water heaters and installations. There are many smaller plumbing problems you can do yourself. This probably isn't one of them.
    • Faucets Installation Plumbing
      Installing a new faucet is simple if you have relatively open access underneath the sink. Special tools might be needed to tighten nuts in the small cramped space under the sink. Read the instructions closely to make sure all of the parts are assembled in the correct order. If you are not remodeling but only replacing the faucet because it leaks, be sure to check the washers in the handles. If they're worn, they'll leak. Replacing them does the job for a lot less money! Caution. Many older houses do not have shut-off valves on the pipes. You will need to shut off the water for the whole house. If this is the case, it's probably best to contact our Milwaukee plumbers. He can install the new valves while replacing your faucet fixture.
    • Drain Cleaning
      If your bathroom sink drain is running slow, check the "pop-up" plunger for debris. Toothpaste, shaving cream, soap, and mouthwash do a great job of building upon parts inside the drain causing slow flow. If the plunger doesn't come out, you'll need to unscrew the nut that holds the plunger rod in place on the drain itself. Pull it out and then the plunger can be removed. Clean both the rod and plunger and reassemble. If this tip does not repair your drain issues, call the plumbers Milwaukee residents rely on for professional, on-time services.
    • I Don't Have Any Hot Water
      In the middle of winter, here in Milwaukee WI, we get some serious snowfall. For those of you with power-vented water heaters and high-efficiency furnaces (that means if it's vent out the side of your house instead of through the chimney), be sure to keep the snow from accumulating in front of your exhaust pipe. If it does get buried your water heater will not work properly, and perhaps "ice" up preventing the exhaust to vent properly. This will immediately shut down your water heater and it will "lock out". If you don't have the ability to keep it clear and you don't have hot water, here are the first steps to take to avoid a service call:
      • Unplug your water heater.
      • Clear away any snow from the exhaust.
      • Use a heat gun or hair dryer to melt any ice that may be in the exhaust.
      • Once clear and ice obstructions are gone, plug your water heater back in and turn it on if you turned it off.
      • Reset your temperature.
    • My Toilet Doesn't Flush Right
      Your toilet may not be flushing right because of a well-known criminal to plumbing seals and gaskets in a toilet known as the "Blue Water Tablets". These chlorine tablets that freshen your toilet water will kill gaskets and seals in your toilets and cause them to leak. Worst of all, when they dissolve away they float away into the flushing mechanism of the toilet restricting water from creating the power flush required to remove waste from the toilet causing clogging and other messes. KEEP THOSE THINGS AWAY FROM YOUR TOILET! If it's too late and you need our Milwaukee plumbing services, contact us today to schedule an appointment.
    • Battery Backup Sump Pumps
      If you're thinking about putting in a battery backup sump pump, keep in mind that in this case price does matter. There are many different levels of battery backup sump pumps. There are those that have alarms and those that don't, some can even call your cell phone if it goes off! Take time to research which system works well for your situation. These backup pumps also need to be installed correctly. I've seen many backup pump systems installed incorrectly by handymen or homeowners, sometimes even plumbers. Be sure each pump has a check valve installed to prevent "back pumping", also be sure to drill a 3/16" - 1/4" hole in the pipe about 2"-4" above the outlet of the pump but below the check valve to prevent air locking. Make sure the switches or floats are free to turn on and that they won't move and get stuck from vibration. Remembering these things will help your installation work when it's needed. For additional sump pump services, contact our Milwaukee plumbing company today to schedule an appointment.
    • My Garbage Disposal is Backing Up
      So you've put a bunch of junk down your disposal hoping it'll all go away and now it's not draining. Well, unfortunately, your garbage disposal can grind up and handle most stuff you throw its way but your drains probably can't. Just because the garbage disposal box says you can stuff bones down there doesn't mean you should. I know what you're thinking now. Why would they say that if it really can't do it? Well, the truth is, you can do some things to your piping to ensure you don't stop it up, but you typically can't put in a huge garbage disposer and expect your existing plumbing to handle the load. Some changes to your existing plumbing system may be necessary to keep your garbage disposer AND your drains running well and prevent them from getting clogged. Remember: rice, potato peelings, celery, carrots, and other similar foods can plug a drain in a hurry and no matter how awesome your garbage disposer is, some foods will solidify like butter once in your drain. For Milwaukee plumbing services, contact our office today to schedule an appointment.
    • How to Fix A Garbage Disposal Jam
      If your garbage disposal stops working suddenly, it has probably jammed itself on something inside the grinding chamber. One solution to this problem is to manually turn the disposal chamber one way or the other using an Allen wrench or disposer wrench sometimes found nearby the disposal. Put the wrench in the disposal from the bottom side, directly in the middle, and turn. Once the obstruction is free, remove it using tongs or pliers, and press the red GFCI button on the bottom of the disposal. Run a good amount of cold water through the drain and you're back in business. If your garbage disposal continues to have issues, contact the Greenfield plumbing experts today to clear your jam.
    • Toilet Tank Cleaning
      Never put toilet tank cleaning tablets or chlorine tablets in the tank of your toilet to freshen the water during flushing. These tablets, most commonly blue in color, can affect the rubber gaskets inside your tank causing leakage and eventual property damage. These leaks are usually small and not easily detected after random use of the toilet. Now not only does the toilet needs to be repaired, but your floor may also need to be replaced as well. I suggest if you want to clean your toilet bowl and tank, once a week pours bleach into the tank and flush it through 3 times after about 10 minutes. DO NOT let the bleach sit in the tank any longer than 10 minutes. For other plumbing tips and services, contact the experienced plumbers in Milwaukee today for a plumbing fixture repair or installation.
    • How to Maintain Your Plumbing Shut Valve
      Operate all of your plumbing shut valves throughout your house once a year. Turning valves on and off once a year will keep gaskets lubricated and the valve from rusting open or shut. Too often in an emergency, a valve may not work properly, taking longer to shut-off the water or not getting it shut-off at all. The wrong time to find out is when water is flowing everywhere! The most common of these problems is by the laundry water supply hoses. Old hoses can burst suddenly, flooding a basement. If the shut-off valves don't work, you'll have to shut the whole house down. Simple maintenance would prevent these emergencies. Contact the plumbers Cudahy and surrounding cities rely on for professional plumbing maintenance service and prevent your pipes from ever bursting.
    • How to Maintain Your Drain
      If your home is fifty years old or more, you may want to consider preventative maintenance on your drains. Kitchen and bathroom sink and tub drains are the most notorious for clogging. Over the years grease, toothpaste, soaps, and shampoos slow drain down by sticking to the walls of your piping, narrowing the opening by which the water and waste can flow down. After some time, these drains close altogether forcing you to get them cleaned out. The bad news is once a drain clogs it tends to continue to clog with alarming regularity. Use a drain opener to maintain full flow in your drains. An environmentally friendly drain opener such as Bio-Clean ™ used every month, will truly keep the water flowing. Trust the plumbers Franklin residents have for years, trust Knight Plumbing, Inc. for all your plumbing needs.
    • Got Smells? Check for Block Sewer Gas Entries!
      Occasionally homeowners complain about a musty smell coming from their bathrooms or basements. This musty smell could be sewer gas coming from various sources. Most commonly from floor drains. In your basement, you most likely have a drain on the floor. Sometimes these get covered up or otherwise hidden from view for various reasons. After a while, the water will evaporate and it needs to be refilled with water. It's the water in the trap that keeps the sewer gases at bay. Also, if your toilet rocks or moves around, a damaged wax ring seal may not leak but allow sewer gases to enter your bathroom. The wax ring will need to be replaced. If you are experiencing any of the above issues, contact the plumbers Oak Creek and surrounding areas rely on for musty odor control and other various plumbing issues.
    • How to Maintain Your Disposal
      Keep your garbage disposal clean and healthy by remembering these tips. Run a strong flow of cold water through the disposal whenever it's in use, and then for at least 20 seconds after turning it off. To freshen your disposal, periodically grind a half lemon or lime while running cold water. To keep the blades sharp, periodically grind ice cubes while running cold water. Never put fibrous foods like celery, corn husks, and potato or onion skins in the disposal. The disposer might handle it, but your drain may not. Never use liquid drain opener in a clogged disposer drain, and NEVER stick your hand down there! Use tongs or pliers to remove obstructions. For garbage disposal maintenance that requires a professional Greenfield plumber, contact Knight Plumbing, Inc. today.
    • South Milwaukee Water Heater Maintenance
      It's nice to have hot water in your house when you want it. One day, that hot water is not going to come out of the tap and you may have to repair or replace it. There are some things you can do to push this day off far into the future. The most important of these things is to drain your water heater every year, especially if it's more than five years old. The second most important thing is to remove and check the anode rod inside the water heater. By performing these two maintenance steps on your water heater, you will certainly extend the life of your water heater by 5 to 10 years. Contact the South Milwaukee area plumbers today for professional water heater maintenance.
    • How to Increase Your Water Pressure
      One of the most common complaints people have with their residential plumbing systems is a lack of water pressure. If you are experiencing this problem at one or more of your plumbing fixtures, don't just assume it's the pipes. There are a variety of simple problems you can check before calling a plumber. Take the screen off of the spout of the faucet and clean it out. Remove your showerheads replace them or clean them. Rust and calcium build up inside these parts giving you the impression your water pressure isn't what it should be. If you are experiencing plumbing issues, contact the plumbers Oak Creek and surrounding cities rely on for on-time, professional plumbing services.
    • What to Do if You Have No Water Pressure
      If you're losing hot water pressure in your house don't just assume you need a new water heater. A bad water heater installation can cause the hot water outlet on your water heater to corrode and clog up, restricting water flow. You don't necessarily have to replace your water heater. Removing the infected piping on the top of your water heater should solve this problem. Whether you live in Oak Creek or Greenfield, water heater installations and repairs should be performed by a professional from Knight Plumbing, Inc.