Plumbing News and Tips for Homeowners in the Raleigh NC Area, New Product Reviews, Water Heaters and Tankless water heater advice from local certified plumbers.

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What is a Sump Pump? How Do I Know if I Need One?

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Well, it sounds important…right? It rhymes, that’s undeniable. But seriously, many people I am sure are not fully aware of the answer to the question asked in the title of this post. What is a Sump Pump? Once you find out, equally as important of a second question is the following. How do I know if I need one?

To ask the question, What is a Sump Pump should not make anyone feel less intelligent or knowing than anyone else. Maybe you heard a neighbor discussing how it saved them from a flood? That alone should stoke one’s curiosity enough to ask exactly what this pump is and whether or not you need one.

What is a Sump Pump?

Ok, whether you know or not, we are going to tell you. A sump pump is a submersible device that gets installed in a pit dug at the lowest area in your home. Thus, the sump pump is usually found in a crawl space or the basement. The main function of a sump pump is to prevent your basement from a flood.

How Exactly Does it Work? 

Ok, now that we all know for sure, What is a Sump Pump, let’s move on to its actual function. Most of the time in actuality, the sump pump does nothing. Well, it is on standby actually, as if there are no heavy rains or deep water, then there is no function for the sump pump to perform.

However, when heavy precipitation does occur, the soil around one’s home becomes soaked and saturated. The groundwater in these type situations funnels then toward the pit which was dug for your pump. Once this starts filling with water, the sump pumps float switch is activated, and it turns on.

Once working, the pump drains to either a dry well, a detention pond, or a storm drain. In doing this it works to prevent the groundwater from rising to the level of the floor in your basement. So, basically, the sump pump is a little extra bit of flood insurance.

What is a Sump Pump Benefits?

Now we for sure know what a sump pump is. We also are versed on what its function is and how it works. Obviously, as noted, it can help keep your basement from flooding. But when laid out in a list, there are actually quite a few benefits. They are listed below.

  • Stop your basement from flooding
  • Safeguard any appliances in the basement from corrosion (washer, dryer, spare freezer, etc.)
  • Protect any paint and other wall coverings
  • Reduce the growth of fungus, mold, and mildew
  • Improve air quality
  • Protect and keep the foundation of your home intact
  • Keep your basement dry and comfortable year-round
  • Meet a requirement of many homeowner’s insurance coverage in case of a basement flood
  • Help protect against termites and other insects
  • You can worry less about bad weather

So…Do I Need One?

Ok, not to be repetitive here, but let’s re-trace our steps. We have a definition. It is clear what the purpose and function of a sump pump are. We even know how it works and what the many possible benefits are. Boy, we sure have come a long way since asking What is a Sump Pump?

However, while all of these things are pretty clear and straightforward, some locations need this type of device more than others. That being said, we would recommend having a sump pump if any of the things on the list below are true.

  • You live somewhere with heavy snow or rainfall
  • Your home sets on a flood-prone or poorly draining plot of land
  • You have had flooding and/or water issues in the past.
  • You have a finished basement

We hope in this post you have become more familiar with the sump pump. Hey, maybe you read through and it is not something that you need at all. But, if you learned from all we discussed in this article that you do need this installed, you’re in luck. Just give a call to the most trusted name in Raleigh plumbers for the past two decades, Poole’s Plumbing. To contact us, visit poolesplumbing.com.

 

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Identifying the Backup and How to Unclog a Bathroom Sink

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What is the best way to Unclog a Bathroom Sink? This is an often-asked question and the answer is not as simple as you might think.

To begin with and before we get to how we Unclog a Bathroom Sink, we must identify what exactly is clogging it. Depending on the source of this blockage, there are different ways to go about freeing the backup. We do need to know this before we can begin unclogging, though. So, let’s begin by looking at the four items most often found responsible for a clog.

What is Causing the Clog?

As we note above, there are four common answers to what is clogging your bathroom drain, usually. Here we will look at each of these and discuss the best way to Unclog a Bathroom Sink in each of these instances.

  • Clumps of Hair- We have all seen this before. Hair will enter the sink drain and get caught or clumped inside fairly regularly. To Unclog a Bathroom Sink that hair is the cause, find an item like tweezers or a “zip-it” tool to pull from the drain. If that does not work, you must look at disassembling the whole drain, pulling the hair and reassembling after.
  • Damaged Pipes- The rusting or corroding of your pipes can be the cause of a slow drain or an eventual clog. If this is the problem, you should 1) replace the pipes as soon as possible. Likewise, 2) you can try snaking them to clear through and make things run faster.
  • Soap Scum- Much like the clumped hair, soap scum is a “clog maker” that most people are familiar with. This is a very common “clogger” of drains. To Unclog a Bathroom Sink which is due to soap scum build up try first to pour boiling water through the drain. baking soda and vinegar will also usually work to Unclog a Bathroom Sink. If neither of these work, use a plunger and warm water.
  • Obstruction in P-Trap- The P-Trap is the curved pipe that connects your bathroom sink to the pipe that goes into your wall. Small items can easily fall into the drain and get stuck in this pipe, causing clogging. To Unclog a Bathroom Sink in this case, you just clean out the P-Trap.

What if I tried all these and could not Unclog a Bathroom Sink?

So, you have tried each of the suggested methods to Unclog a Bathroom Sink. Now, if none of them worked, it’s time to contact a pro. Luckily for you, Poole’s Plumbing is the most trusted name in all areas of plumbing across the Raleigh area. Unclogging is no problem to our great staff, and we’d be happy to help you. To contact us at Poole’s for this or any plumbing needs, visit poolesplumbing.com.

 

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Why Switch to Tankless Water Heaters?

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One plumbing product in the last decade that has seen a spike in popularity is Tankless Water Heater. You hear them mentioned all the time. But, even when doing some research on them, you still may be unsure of whether these are a good fit for you, personally. Well, not only are you in luck, but you have the Raleigh hot water heater experts at Poole’s Plumbing here to help better explain. We will give you  the “ins and outs” of Tankless Water Heaters and from there the decision is all yours.

At Poole’s Plumbing, we have long been known in the Raleigh area as advanced when it has come to the evolution of water heaters. Hence, our being called the ” Raleigh- area Water Heater experts.” So rather than leaving you confused as to the benefits of Tankless Water Heaters, the “experts” have got you covered. Below we will take an in-depth look at Tankless Water Heaters.

How do Tankless Water Heaters Work Differently from Traditional Style?

Once again, your friends at Poole’s Plumbing are here to set the record straight and give you all the details. To begin describing how Tankless Water Heaters operate differently, one must first understand how the traditional units work. That would be to have a tank of hot water that the traditional unit keeps heated constantly. Thus, when a faucet is turned on, hot water is readily available.

On the contrary, Tankless Water Heaters heat the water they hold “on demand.” Now, let’s explain what “on-demand” is exactly. When you turn on a shower or faucet for hot water, cold water enters the unit. In the tankless units, it will pass a heating element or burner and instantly reach the desired hot temperatures. So, with the Tankless Water Heaters, there is no wait time. To explain, the traditional unit would have to wait as the storage tank to refill. With the Tankless models, there is no storage or refill, as it simply heats the water as needed and as used.

What Does Eliminating the Storage Tank Mean to You?

So, again, there are so many articles that explain things like not having to store the water. However, most of these never go the one step further to explain what that means to you personally. Thus, being the Raleigh water heater experts, we would like to tell you exactly what it means to you.

So, below is several advantages that Tankless Water Heaters give you as opposed to the traditional units.

  • Size- Tankless Water Heaters are much smaller in size. They mount directly to the wall.
  • Eliminate Leakage- As we discuss above, there is no stored water with Tankless Water Heaters. This eliminates any chance of leakage and damage from that occurring.
  • Efficiency- The efficiency rate of Tankless Water Heaters is nearly 99 percent. This gives you the most energy-efficient and environmentally correct water heater.
  • Savings- Due to only heating water when it is needed, Tankless Water heaters also reduce your water heating costs. This is because thermal heat loss is completely eliminated since there is no storage needed. It’s estimated the Tankless Water Heaters save you as much as 50 percent on. water heating costs.
  • Life Span- Tankless Water Heaters have a longer life span on average than traditional units. The Tankless models usually last about 20 years. Consequently, the storage type models last between 8-12.

What is the Difference Between “Whole-House” or “Point-of-Use”?

With all of the apparent advantages of going tankless, you may already feel these units are what you need. However, one other major plus of them is their flexibility. To explain, you can go in two directions when choosing your tankless heater. The first option we will look at is “Whole-House” size heater.

Whole House Tankless Water Heaters

Pretty self-explanatory, but to go into detail, this is a large unit that is centrally located. The water comes from the unit through your pipes, to each hot water fixture. This is usually the most cost-effective option for purchase and installation. However, to continue being thorough, we must explain that there are some possible drawbacks to the “whole house” water heaters.

First, you have to wait for the water to get hot at the tap. This is similar to a traditional unit. The reason for this is that the further a fixture is from the water heater, the longer it takes the hot water to travel and get there. The other possible issue is that with a Tankless Water Heater, you may only be able to get hot water from one or two sources at the same time. This is because the flow rate is less with a tankless model.

Point-of-Use Tankless Water Heaters

Where a “point-of-use” tankless water heater truly is most effective is by giving you instant hot water due to the placement of the unit. These are basically a smaller Tankless Water Heater that ia an easy install throughout one’s house. Popular placement includes under a sink or in a closet. This type not only eliminates any flow rate issues but also takes care of having to have the water travel through pipes at a great distance too.

Which if Any is Right for You?

So, there you have just about anything you would need to know as an introduction to Tankless Water Heaters. If you have any further questions, contact us, the number one trusted name in Tankless Water Heaters in the Raleigh area, Poole’s Plumbing. We can service, install, or just answer your questions. To reach us, go to poolesplumbing.com.