Home Plumbing Maintenance: Conducting Plumbing Checkups This Spring

Helpful Tips

home plumbing in villa park

The changing weather from winter to spring can bring in a slew of plumbing problems. The cold temperature can play havoc with the pipes and you may need to replace them in the spring. It is also a good idea to inspect all the drains and other appliances in the house before the warmer months arrive.

The Significance of Spring Plumbing Maintenance

The changing weather can damage metal. Extreme cold temperatures can freeze the water inside pipes. The expansion in the metal due to the formation of the ice can cause damage to the plumbing. As the warmer months approach, you will notice leaks in the pipes. Freezing water can also cause extensive damage to components inside and outside the water systems.

Failure to do timely repairs can mean you having to spend a significant amount of money in replacing plumbing in your house. So, it is best to keep tabs on the plumbing and appliances before the onset of summer. It will help you save time, money, and hassles due to plumbing problems as a result of changing weather.

A quick checkup by a plumber can help you keep plumbing problems in the warmer months away. You can find reliable and professional plumbers by searching online using your location in the search term. For instance, use Home Plumbing in Villa Park (if this is your location). Check their websites and online reviews. Choose a plumber with the best services within your budget.

Spring Plumbing Maintenance Checklist

Leaks

Leaks in the pipes are likely due to harsh winters. When spring arrives, check the pipes for any leaks or wet spots. These may indicate that frozen water has damaged the pipes in some way. If you notice it, call a plumber immediately. Conduct such tests in all the pipes in your home. If you have pipes in any outdoor space, check them too.

Check the entire house for leaks. The damp walls in the basement, attic, or any crawl space can indicate water leakage. In the winter months, it is possible that you ignored these areas of the house. You can also check for leaks by observing the reading of the water meter at night and compare it with the reading in the morning. If it changes and no one in the house has used much water at night; it could indicate leaks inside the house. A plumber can quickly identify the problem and rectify it.

Broken Components

Check the hose bibs and all the faucets in the spring. Winter can cause breakage in these components. The water hose may have leaks or some sort of damage. If you replace these broken components in time, it will save you the hassles from all the leaks that can result from them.

Appliance Health

If an appliance is not working well, it could be due to rust inside the pipes. If you close a pipe off for the winters, rust can form inside it. It can cause significant change in the water pressure and cause damage to the pipes or the water heater.

Sediment can also deposit inside the water heaters; lowering the efficiency of the appliance. If you notice strange smells from the water emerging from the heater, call a plumber to inspect it. The problem can be solved by flushing the water heater. If the damage is extensive, you will have to replace the water heater. Ask the plumber for tips to keep the sediments away from the water heater or at least keep them to a minimum.

Washing machine, dryer vents, and ice dispenser can also get damaged due to mineral deposits, leaks, and other problems with the water pressure. If you notice problems with any of their functions, call a professional for help.

Gutters and Downspouts

Ensure that there is no debris in the gutters, drains, and downspouts. If your region gets rainfall in the spring, the debris along with sleet or rainfall can cause damage to the house. Cracks in the drains and gutters can cause leaks and damage to your house. Water damage can lead to mold. Debris can clog the drains; causing all sorts of problems for the inhabitants of the house.

Tips for Choosing a Hardwood Floor Refinishing Company

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In the market today there are innumerable options for hardwood floors refinishers that can fix your flooring like it is new. With the growing options in the floorings available, the confusion only keeps growing with multiplying choices in aesthetics and looks.

With so much confusion about hardwood floors, how are you planning to make a decision of which one will suit you the best? Getting the flooring right is one of the most important aspects of your home. This will ensure that your house looks elegant and appealing at the same time. A number of factors come into play before you make the decision of finalizing the hardwood floors refinishers like if the cleaning later or not, what kind of price are they quoting, if their installation has accuracy or not, what kind of style do you want in your space, if they have the finesse in their finishing, do they fit your budget or not, etc.

You can analyze your home at your end, call in a few experts and let them tell you what ideas do they have in your head for you, and accordingly decide which one suits your requirement the best. You can discuss with your friends who may have recently gotten the flooring done or your family if they can help you in finalizing the designs. It is up to you how do you want your house to eventually look. It’ll be you who is going to live there, it is best to make it at your convenience. You can pick between a classy or a trendy look, you can go wild or stay subtle, you can also match your floors with your furniture or go extremely opposite.

Get in touch with the best hardwood floors refinishers or hardwood floors installer in the market and ask for their assistance. Get some of the best designs in the market for your personal space. They will not just help you with picking the designs but they will explain to you the entire process of installation. They will tell you all you need to know about the amount of time the process, cleaning after installation, how to take care of the flooring after installation, budget, etc. they are always available to lend help till they haven’t finished the work.

These companies don’t just offer expertise in hardwood flooring they also have cork, vinyl, laminate, etc. but hardwood remains the most sought after by the people. There is no bar on what do you seek to get designed, they are not restricted to designing homes. These companies also design schools, hospitals, corporates, buildings, hotels, etc. If at any given point, you feel that you would not need a professional it is completely unfair on your part to think that you can do their job as well as they can, no you cannot and hence there are professionals for it. You will end up ruining the entire installation because you do not have the right tools for refinishing and it will just waste your time, money, and effort.

Hence, it is important to do your research right and find a company of hardwood floors refinishers that can make your space look new. Do some research, talk to your folks, take feedback from people who have recently refinished their floors. There is nothing better than relying on someone you know and can talk-to for live feedback. You can also check if there have been any problems previously with other clients and how well they handled the situation. It is also necessary to check if there are any discounts that the refinishing company is offering. If the quality of their material is good or not and if it lasts as long as they promise.

If you have taken care of all these points, it is sure that you will be dealing with the best hardwood floors refinishers for your house that would suit your budget and get you the results that you seek. So, wait no more and get yourself the best-refinished flooring services.

Grease Trap Cleaning – Tips to Keep Your Grease Trap Well Functional

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Installing grease traps in commercial kitchens is a must. It is, in fact, mandated by law depending on your location. Regular grease trap cleaning can help you run your restaurant or commercial kitchen without any issues.

There are pitfalls of not cleaning and maintaining grease traps. It can cause drains in your kitchen to clog. The dirty water can begin to back up via your kitchen drains. The foul smell of rancid grease can waft through your entire restaurant; causing discomfort to your customers. The grease traps can become damaged and require expensive repairs to function properly again. For these reasons, it is important to clean and maintain grease traps at regular intervals.

Consider these tips to keep your grease traps functioning properly.

Choose the right size of the traps.

It is important to choose the right-sized grease traps as per the requirements of your commercial kitchen. The grease traps must be able to handle the quantity of oil and fat generated in your kitchen on an everyday basis. You can determine the right size of the trap by factoring the amount and kind of food cooked in your kitchen. Other factors to consider are the average number of diners you serve and the amounts of dishes washed in your kitchen every day.

A size smaller to what is needed will lead to clogged traps and traps within a short amount of time. You also need not spend unnecessarily on buying and installing a grease trap larger than what is required in your kitchen. So, pay attention to the size of the traps for their proper function and economical maintenance.

Ensure proper installation of grease traps.

It is important to install the grease traps properly too. It is not a DIY job. Installing grease traps requires professional-grade work. So, ensure that you hire a company or a contractor trained for the task. It should also be installed before the garbage disposal if you plan to use one in your kitchen.

You can verify if the installation is right or not within a day or two. Check the amount of grease collected in the traps. If it is negligible or absent then it means the installation of the grease traps is not proper. The grease could be flowing and collecting elsewhere in the drainage system of your kitchen.

Use strainers on the kitchen drain.

The use of strainers can keep solid food and other waste from entering the grease traps. Solid waste can clog the traps and hinder its function. Solid waste can also cause damage to the traps requiring expensive repairs. You can install the strainers in every drain in your kitchen for maximum impact.

Dispose of the food and kitchen waste properly.

It is vital that you keep grease and food waste to directly enter the kitchen sink drain. Grease enters the drains as it is when the dishes are washed. If you can avoid pouring used grease away from the drains, you can prevent the grease traps from clogging. It is also a good practice to empty the strainers frequently to ensure no waste enters the grease traps.

Some commercial grease traps companies can even collect the grease you accumulate in a separate container and dispose of it along with the grime collected from the traps. They will ensure that disposing of the grease traps occurs as per the regulations in your town or state.

Hire commercial grease trap cleaning services.

It is also important to clean the grease traps every few months or as needed. Failure to do so can lead to clogs and drain back-ups. Professional grease trap cleaning companies train their staff to clean the traps using proper tools. Trained workers will ensure that the grease traps are not damaged in the cleaning process.

Handling the task of grease trap cleaning in a DIY manner or by untrained professionals can turn out to be an expensive exercise. It requires proper training to scrap the grease and the grime from the traps. It requires thorough training to clean and polish the traps gently yet effectively. Experienced workers can clean the rancid grime without any issues with handling foul-smelling gunk.

Top Advantages of Hiring Commercial Grease Trap Cleaning Services

Helpful Tips

Cleaning the grease trap in your restaurant is something that needs to be done meticulously and at regular intervals. When done right, it ensures a long life for the grease trap system, while also protecting from bad odors, clogged drains, breakdowns, and costly repairs. Hiring a commercial grease trap cleaning service provider is the best choice in this regard. Here are some reasons why.

# 1 – Commercial grease trap cleaners perform cleaning on a schedule

When you rely on the kitchen or housekeeping staff to clean the grease trap, you’re leaving the system to a possibility of failure. Many a time, these workers get busy with other tasks, causing them to put off grease trap cleaning for a later date, eventually causing debris to pile up and create resultant problems. Professional and commercial cleaners, on the other hand, maintain a strict cleaning schedule, allowing them to keep the trap system in its pristine and fully functional conditioning.

# 2 – They dispose of grease safely

During the cleaning process, layers of grease build up are scraped off the walls of the trap. Such debris that has been removed cannot be thrown haphazardly into the garbage but needs to be disposed off properly as per local regulations. A commercial service provider of grease trap cleaning typically has a permit that allows them to get rid of the grease as per local laws. They also have certifications and paperwork approved by authorities, which facilities them to do this job in a compliant manner, thus ridding you of headaches or troubles associated with scheduled maintenance of grease filter systems.

# 3 – The service providers help maintain necessary records

Proper documentation is necessary every time a grease trap cleaning is done. This is because when local authorities such as the health or food safety department comes with surprise inspections, you need to produce necessary paperwork that shows when your grease trap was last cleaned and how you have maintained it properly. Hiring a professional cleaning service company helps you with all such needs. As part of their job, these service providers give you with all necessary documents relating to the maintenance undertaken. Such up-to-date documents help establish the fact that your grease trap is functioning properly and that isn’t leaching out grease and fat-ridden water into the local municipal drainage system. Such paperwork also helps avert fines, temporary suspensions or revocations of restaurant operating licenses; all of which can have a huge negative impact on your business and its reputation.

# 4 – They inspect the system for warning signs

Removing debris is just one part of the job of a grease trap cleaner. These professionals additionally inspect the entire system for warning signs such as dents in the tank, broken filters, corroding walls, and so on. Identifying such signs on time helps them perform necessary fixes before they flare up into bigger problems that warrant major repairs, replacements, or a complete overhaul of the system. Routine cleaning, combined with routine inspection, and on the spot repairs helps keep your grease trap system running smoothly till the next maintenance.

# 5 – They perform a not-so-pleasant job without qualms

This is an often overlooked part, but grease trap cleaning isn’t particularly a pleasant job. It is a messy task involving a lot of scraping and scouring all the while dealing with filthy food debris, oils, and fats. It can also be bothersome to people who can’t stand odors because the cleaning work also involves keeping up with the stench that emanates from the filters. Commercial cleaning trap providers are better equipped to perform this and also have the right tools and necessary equipments to keep your grease filters systems in good shape. All the more reason to hire a professional to perform grease trap cleaning. As a restaurant owner, there are many things that need your attention for the successful day to day operations. Rather than invest your time in DIY cleaning of traps, hire a septic tank pumping companies service provider who can take up the job at a reasonable price. You may incur a small expense every time you outsource the cleaning task, but it lies in everyone’s best interests. For all the services that they provide, as mentioned above, you will be left with more time to run your restaurant business so that it can be a success.

Three Tips for Choosing a Cupola for Your Home

Indoor Tips, Outdoor Tips, Helpful Tips

Cupolas have been decorating the big forts to churches, homes in high tech societies, town hall buildings, and barns for many centuries. A cupola is an architectural addition to the home installed at the rooftop. It is an enclosed dome-shaped structure with openings.

Earlier, the cupola was installed for ventilation and illumination of the area beneath it. However, as the time passes, it also starts serving decorative purposes. Nowadays, cupolas are more famous for its artistic looks than functional use. A large variety of shapes and designs of cupola are out in the market, so many so that one can get confused easily which one will suit best for his or her home.

Choosing the right size and shape of the cupola is very important because if you don’t get right, then cupola might not serve the desired purpose. Therefore, we have laid down the three tips which you can follow for choosing cupola for your home.

Here are the tips:

Size

Too large or too small cupola, in either way, can disturb the looks of home. Therefore, choosing the right size of the cupola is very important. The general guideline to choose the size of the base of the cupola is that it should be minimum one inch of the cupola to every one foot of the unbroken roofline. This thumb rule holds good for a barn and small structures.

For multi-story building, the base of cupola should be 1.5 inches of cupola per foot of the unbroken roofline. However, if your rooftop is large, you can double the width of the cupola base for every foot of the uninterrupted roofline. Also, there is no hard and fast rule of installing one cupola for the rooftop. You can also choose the two smaller cupolas than one large cupola.

Shape

The shape of cupola has a great impact on its visual effects. Most popular shapes of cupola include round, hexagonal, square, and octagonal. Cupola has three parts- Base, Mid-section, and Roof.

Base and mid-section of the cupola generally follow the same shape pattern. However, the design of the roof of the cupola can vary a bit. It can be in the shape of a dome, pyramid, or bell. Louvers or glass windows make the mid-section of the cupola. It allows light and air to pass to the area beneath it.

Material

Cupolas are exposed directly to the harsh climatic conditions. You do not want to climb up to the rooftop for repairing the cupola every now and then. Therefore, choosing a right material of cupola is very necessary. Fortunately, you have a lot of options available to choose from. Cupola made of metal, vinyl, marble, and wood is the most popular one.

Metal Cupolas

Cupola made of aluminum and copper looks very attractive. Copper cupola looks just elegant, traditional, and authentic. It is strong, durable, and requires little maintenance, and lasts for years. Aluminum cupolas also have the same properties and can be polished to any desired color.

Vinyl Cupolas

Vinyl cupola gives the metallic finish but not made of the metals. It is impervious to water and can easily withstand harsh weather easily. It does not need any maintenance work and less expensive than metal cupola.

Wood Cupolas      

Nothing can replace the natural charm and finishing of the wood cupola. It is made of cedar wood and needs to be treated with chemical solutions to make it water resistant and pest resistant. Wood cupola requires little maintenance and care, but its charming looks compensate for that.

Marble Cupolas       

These are made of marble and almost maintenance free and last for a lifetime. Marble cupolas are the perfect choice for adding an element of elegance to your rooftop.

These are the three tips for choosing right cupola for your home.

The Bottom Line

The cupola is the center of attraction of the rooftop. It can make or break the looks of home. And once installed, lasts for years. Therefore, it is necessary to choose the right cupola for your home.