Fire Restoration
Summer has come to the Treasure Valley and with it comes the potential for more residential fires. Grill fires are responsible for about 37 million dollars in property damage and fire restoration or loss each year and occur mostly during the months of May-August. A grill fire is defined as a fire where a grill, hibachi, or barbeque is involved.
When grilling, avoid grilling indoors or in a garage area. This increases the possibility of a fire and is dangerous in general. Use the grill outdoors and far enough away from the house that the siding can’t catch on fire from the radiated heat.
Even if precautions are taken when grilling, or cooking in general, residential fires are still a possibility. Every household should create a fire plan. They should go through safety issues and protocol, and designate a spot for everyone to meet outside of the home.
Fire restoration can be a messy and dangerous job to clean up and rebuild after. Fire restoration should be always inspected by a professional.
If a fire does happen, All Star Plumbing and Restoration offers fire restoration services. Contact them for help dealing with residential fire damage.
Toys down the Toilet
Children can have a mischievous streak and when paired with curiosity, sometimes it doesn’t end well. Often, toys get flushed down the toilet by toddlers, causing an obstruction. The worst of these offenders are stuffed animals because they swell up when wet.
When dealing with toys, most of the time plungers and chemicals aren’t going to be effective. Things will probably get a little messy, and it might be easier to just call a plumber.
Here are a few ways to tackle a toy being in stuck in the toilet:
1. Getting Hands On
Put on rubber gloves and scoop out some of the water in the toilet bowl. Then reach down the trap and see if it’s possible to grab the item. If it’s not too far gone, this is a good way to retrieve a flushed toy. Sometimes they are too far down and not even the longest of arms can reach it.
2. Use a snake
Most of the time, people don’t want a snake in their toilet. But this less slithery, scaly version (also called an auger) is helpful when it comes to clogs. It can break up the item or push it through the trap into the waste opening.
3. Become Unhinged
If the first two don’t work, lifting the toilet up and pulling the object out might be the last resort. This will probably require help and if it gets to this point, a plumber is the best solution. Improperly resetting the toilet after the toy has been retrieved can lead to slow leaks and water damage which can be far more expensive than having the plumber manage the original job.
If dealing with a tough clog sounds like a lot of unnecessary work, contact All Star Plumbing and Restoration.
Choosing Faucet Finishes
Faucets used to just be thought of as a functional part of the sink. They turn water on and off. Over the years though, they have become more integrated into the entire bathroom or kitchen décor. With a variety of styles and finishes to fit any room, why not?
Different finishes and textures can help customize a kitchen or bathroom. These options are great when creating a specific style in a kitchen or bathroom. Oil-rubbed faucets look great in Tuscan style kitchens because of the burnt, brown tone.
Stainless steel or chrome faucets can lose their shine and show water spots. Try using a different finish to reduce the likelihood of water spots, such as a matte finish. Some brass faucets also feature physical vapor deposition that makes the finish actually part of the faucet, this helps it to resist tarnish, scratches and corrosion.
Finding the right faucet can be hard, but installing it doesn’t have to be. All Star Plumbing and Restoration can install faucets and a number of other plumbing fixtures.
Pool Plumbing Issues
Residential pools on average contain 20,000 gallons of water, meaning commercial pools hold even more. With that much water, a leak can be difficult to detect. A leak could indicate plumbing problems in the pool that need to be fixed.
Water loss is the main indicator of water leakage in a pool. When it is leaking can determine where the leak is coming from.
If the pool seems to be leaking more when the pump is circulating, it could be a sign of a leak in the return plumbing on the pressure side of the system. After the pump is pressurized, a leak can develop in any of the plumbing fittings when it is running.
Leaks can also occur when the pump is turned off. These happen on the suction side of the system. Air locks in the pump, bubbles coming from the return jets, and high-pressure readings in the filter can be signs that there is a leak somewhere.
Call All Star Plumbing and Restoration for plumbing leak problems in both residential and commercial swimming pools.
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