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.

“Rinse” Away Wasteful Water Usage with Laundry Room Water Conservation Tips

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In the final article of our three part series aimed at helping you cut back both on costly water bills and on being wasteful around the house, the Raleigh NC professional plumbers at Poole’s Plumbing will take you straight to the washing machine and give you a few pointers as a part of our Laundry Room Water Conservation Tips.

Much as with the initial two articles in this series which covered conserving in both the kitchen and the bathroom, our Laundry Room Water Conservation Tips more than anything are simply a matter of staying on top of how your appliances work and operate as well as being conscious of the amount of water being used in your household and limiting that amount to what is needed.

To begin with, running your washing machine only when it is full rather than washing smaller loads can save the average family from wasting about 1,000 gallons of water per month. Likewise, being aware and keeping an eye on the size of load that you are washing and matching your water level to that load is another way that you can save.

In actuality, you can start acting on these Laundry Room Water Conservation Tips before you even set foot back in your home when buying your washing machine. By thinking of the best ways to save and conserve water when shopping for a new appliance, checking for a model that has a variety of load size and water cycle adjustments will allow you to better monitor your water usage when doing a wash. Also, with the innovative new technology always being applied to make products more green compliant, purchasing a water saving washing mating for example one with the Water Sense label to be sure your new appliance is high efficiency.

These easy-to-do Laundry Room Water Conservation Tips provided by the most trusted name in Raleigh NC plumbers, Poole’s Plumbing are simple ways to be mindful of the amount of water usage going on under your roof on a daily basis. Keeping a watchful eye out when doing your laundry in addition to utilizing the tips provided in part one and two of our water conservation three-part series, both in the kitchen and bathroom, can have you on the fast track to saving and conserving in no time.

Hiring a Plumbing Company – 6 Essential Points to Consider Before an Emergency Strikes

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Plumbing is one of those unglamorous but essential services that everyone needs to call on from time to time. With luck, most your dealings with a plumber will be planned in advance, but it’s almost certain you’ll face an emergency at some point.

When you’ve got water gushing down your walls, you don’t want to be scrabbling for a good plumbing company to come to your rescue. It pays to do your research first, so that you have a number to call without delay. Here’s what to look for when finding a good plumbing company.

 

Availability

Does the company offer a 24-hour call-out service? Are there any charges for attending your home at unsocial hours? Will they guarantee to fix the problem on their first visit, or at least to make it safe and prevent further damage? In an emergency, you need help straight away, so make sure you know the answer to these questions in advance.

Experience and Qualifications

It’s vital to ask how long the plumbing company has been providing their services, and which qualifications the individual plumbers possess. Is the company as a whole regulated by any trade association or official body? These questions are particularly important if the work involves gas or electrical components, when safety is absolutely crucial.

Who’s Actually Doing the Work?

Is the person you speak to the one who will be carrying out the work, or will it be an employee or even a subcontractor? Any of these options can be perfectly acceptable. For your own peace of mind, however, you may want to first meet the person carrying out the work, especially if the job is inside your home.

Liability Cover

Is the company properly insured? If something goes wrong, you need to know that you won’t lose out financially, and so it’s essential they have a comprehensive liability insurance policy in place.

Warranty and Guarantees

It’s also a good idea to ask what will happen if you’re unhappy with the work for any other reason. What’s the procedure if you’re not satisfied with the job that’s been done? For how long will the parts they’ve used be under warranty, and will they replace them without a call-out charge if needed?

Prices and Payment

Although the exact prices will vary depending on the details of the work, you should ask the typical costs for a range of common jobs so you can get a rough idea of the expense involved. Also, is payment required upon completion or partly or fully in advance? Are installment terms available?

Plumbing work is often needed in an emergency situation when you have no time to waste. Asking these questions of a company in advance will ensure you can get quick and efficient assistance when you need it most.

Benefits of Home Water Softeners  

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Water softeners are used to remove minerals that make water hard. Hard water has high levels of two soluble minerals: calcium and magnesium. If your water is hard, it can cause problems in your home that may go unnoticed.

 

Problems Caused by Hard Water   

Soap is less effective in hard water. This is because soap is made with sodium and potassium compounds like sodium stearate. Calcium compounds in the water react with sodium stearate to make calcium stearate. While sodium stearate dissolves in water, calcium stearate does not. As a result, soaps produce less lather and leave behind more soap curd.

Soap curd can leave a film on your skin that clogs the pores and causes your skin to feel dry and rough. The film can also make your hair brittle and dull-looking.

The soap curd can clog pipes and make it difficult for soaps and detergents to dissolve, resulting in water spots being left behind after cleaning. As scale accumulates within the pipes, your water heater will work less efficiently, needing more energy to heat your water and causing your utility costs to go up. Overall, the buildup will shorten the life of any appliance that uses water.

In addition, the minerals in hard water can become attached to the fibers of your clothing, covering them with residue and causing them to feel stiff. To properly clean your clothes in hard water, you will need to use more detergent and wash at higher temperatures. Both of these measures can significantly increase the cost of doing laundry.

By softening your water, you can prevent damage to your home and to your appliances. The benefits of softer water include:

Healthier Skin and Hair

Your skin is likely to become smoother after you start to soften your water, and your hair may become softer and shinier as well. Not only will you need to use less soap when showering and less shampoo for your hair, but you also may find that you do not need conditioners at all.

Easier, More Thorough Cleaning

One of the most visible benefits of water softening includes the reduction of scale on cookware, silverware, and plumbing fixtures, which means fewer water spots. The chalky accumulation of soap curds in your shower and bathtub will be reduced or eliminated, so your bathrooms will be easier to clean. Furthermore, because minerals won’t attach to fabrics, your laundry will need less detergent, get cleaner and cost less to wash.

Longer-Lasting Appliances

Not only will soft water save you money, but it will reduce your carbon footprint by as well. Because you won’t have to replace your appliances as often, you will be reducing waste and helping to conserve the energy used in the manufacturing process.

If you are dealing with the effects of minerals in your water, the right water softening and filtration system can help. The technology has been around for decades and is considered reliable. You have several options, so when choosing a water softener for your home, consider such factors as the size of the unit, the amount of time it takes to soften your water, and the volume of salt the system adds to the water coming into your home. You may want to look at a salt-free unit, which would be a better choice for homeowners who want to avoid excessive sodium intake.

The right water softening system can mitigate the problems that hard water causes, while also making your home more energy-efficient. Contat Poole’s Plumbing today to learn more.