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How Long Do Water Softeners Last?

. Posted by in , • Austin
a kitchen with white cabinets

Softening water can help prolong the life of your home’s pipes, water heater and other appliances. Plus, it can make your water easier on your skin and hair. This is because hard water not only dries out people’s skin, but the sediment in hard water can also build up in your plumbing.

Water softeners work for about 10 to 15 years, but a variety of factors can affect how long the equipment lasts. For one, the quality and type of water softener that you own matters. This is because some types of water softeners can degrade more quickly. For instance, water softeners that run on a timer system instead of on-demand may run through water and regenerate more often than needed. These systems replenish salt based on a set schedule, even if you haven’t been using much water. This can make the system work much harder than it needs to and … Read Full Post »

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Tankless Water Heaters vs. Tank: Which is Best?

. Posted by in • Austin
tank water heater

When your water heater starts making knocking noises or stops providing adequate hot water for your home—or, worse, it bursts—it’s time to decide on a replacement model that will best fit your needs. When you start looking into the options, however, you might feel overwhelmed by all the choices that are available. Which are better—tankless water heaters or tank water heaters? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each type, and which kind is right for your particular home?

If you’re considering making the switch from a traditional tank model to a tankless water heater, it could seem especially daunting to decide whether this is the right move. Tankless heaters typically have higher price tags than tank heaters, though their operating costs over time are lower. Even knowing they’ll likely save money over time, many people balk at the prospect of spending so much money up front.

Of course, there are other … Read Full Post »

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Causes of Low Water Pressure in Kitchen Sink

. Posted by in • Corpus Christi
low water pressure in a kitchen sink

If you begin noticing that the water coming out of your kitchen faucet doesn’t have as much pressure as it should, the first thing to check is whether it’s a whole-house issue. Are all the taps affected, or only the kitchen sink? If the kitchen is the only tap with low pressure, it’s time to consider the potential causes of low water pressure in a kitchen sink so you can determine what might be causing it, and fix it.

The most common causes of low water pressure in a kitchen sink are a clogged aerator or a clogged cartridge. The aerator is the part of the faucet that is at the very end of the spout; it is the last thing the water touches before it comes out into the sink. Most aerators become clogged over time due to mineral deposits in hard water. Fortunately, they are simple to clean when … Read Full Post »

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Why Clogged Drains From Washing Machines Occur

. Posted by in , • San Antonio
A front-load washing machine filled to the brim with clothes

It’s frustrating to put a load of laundry in the washer and press start, only to wind up a half-hour later with a machine full of wet clothes and dirty water that won’t drain. When this happens, it’s most likely because your washing machine drain has a blockage that needs to be cleared before the water can properly exit the machine. The most common reason for a clogged drain from washing machine is an issue with the filter.

Appliance repair specialists find all sorts of items—most commonly, socks, underwear and baby clothes—that have gotten stuck in washing machine filters during the wash or spin cycle. This happens because it’s easy for small items to slip through, block the filter and prevent the washer from draining properly. If your washer isn’t a front-load type of washing machine, however, the problem is likely due to something else, as only front-loading machines are equipped … Read Full Post »

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No Hot Water in House: What Can I Do?

. Posted by in • Corpus Christi
A white and beige bathroom that is not getting hot water

When you turn on a faucet in your home, you expect water to come rushing out. When you turn it to hot, you expect the water to heat up—if not immediately, then within a reasonable period of time. That’s why, when there’s no hot water in your house, it’s not just annoying; it’s actually alarming. It can even be considered an urgent problem, especially if you’re turning on your shower to get ready for work. If there’s no hot water in your house, there are several different possibilities for why the water isn’t warming up. Let’s take a look at the various reasons why this can happen and what to do when it does.

The kitchen sink and the shower or tub are the two spots in a home where people most commonly use hot water for hand-washing dishes and for bathing. Many people also use hot water for washing their … Read Full Post »

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What Size Water Softener Do I Need for My Home?

. Posted by in , • Austin

There are many benefits to having a water softener, but going through the process of purchasing one for your home can be confusing. What size do you need? What are grains? What type of water softener is best for what you need?

If you live in an area with hard water, you’re probably already aware that a water softener can help get your dishes cleaner, leave your skin and hair feeling softer and extend the life of your appliances. The first question you probably have after deciding to buy one of these appliances: “What size water softener do I need for my home?” The first thing you should know is that the square footage of your home isn’t necessarily the biggest consideration when looking at water softener size. Instead, you should consider how many water outlets there are in your home. The more water your home can potentially be using at … Read Full Post »

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Why Does My Water Smell Like Rotten Eggs?

. Posted by in , • Austin
Water that smells like rotten eggs coming out of a shower head

Whether you turned on the sink to do dishes or started the shower to get ready for your day, if your water smells like rotten eggs, you’re probably concerned. Many questions may be running through your head, including: Is this water still safe to use? Can I fix this myself, or do I need to contact a plumber?

There are a few different reasons why your water smells like rotten eggs and depending on the cause, the water may or may not be safe to use, and you may or may not be able to fix this problem yourself. Generally speaking, water smells like rotten eggs when there is sulfur bacteria present. Paying attention to when you notice the foul smell can help you determine what exactly is wrong and whether the water is safe to consume.

If the smell is constant when you are using water from your tap, it is … Read Full Post »

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Why Is My Toilet Overflowing at the Tank?

. Posted by in • Dallas-Fort Worth
A toilet with an overflowing tank in a light gray bathroom

When it comes to home repair emergencies, there is nothing quite like an overflowing toilet. The consequences can be quite serious and can include water damage, mold growth and more. Before addressing the problem, you’ll want to stop the water from flowing. Turn off the water supply to your toilet by tightening the valve that is behind the toilet on the wall. If that doesn’t help, remove the lid off your tank and lift the float that’s at the water’s surface up high enough to stop the flow of water.

Then, shut off your main water supply by closing the main valve outside near the street or by your water heater. If water continues to come out of your toilet, you are most likely dealing with a sewage backup, which is a real plumbing emergency requiring the help of a licensed professional.

If you are able to stop the flow of water, … Read Full Post »

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My Garbage Disposal Is Making Noise: How Can I Fix It?

. Posted by in , • Corpus Christi
A stainless steel sink with a garbage disposal

As you’re wrapping up your dish cleaning duties for the night, you flip on the garbage disposal, only to hear a strange noise. It’s not the normal grinding noise that sends food, water and any other gunk right down the drain—it’s a sound that gives you a clear indication that something has gone wrong.

If this has happened to you, you likely heard either rattling, humming or squealing coming from your garbage disposal. Depending on the noise coming from your disposal, there are different solutions to the problem. Before getting started, it’s important to note that you don’t want to keep running your disposal to see if it will fix the problem, as this can lead to further damage.

Remove Any Foreign Objects

The most common cause of a garbage disposal that is making a rattling noise is that something is stuck in the unit. Items that may have gotten accidentally washed into … Read Full Post »

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Signs Of Hard Water: Tips From The Experts

. Posted by in , • Austin
A cream colored bathroom that is suffering from signs of hard water

Water isn’t something homeowners typically think much about. Turn on a faucet, crank up the shower, push a button on the dishwasher or washing machine and the water flows. Depending on where you live, however, your home might have what’s commonly referred to as hard water, which means that you have dissolved magnesium and calcium compounds and possibly other metallic elements in your running water. If your pipes or appliances are showing signs of hard water, it might be time to take action.

Homes get their water from different naturally occurring sources. Groundwater, a common source, flows through limestone or other rocks, absorbing the minerals contained inside of them. Over time, those minerals build up in a home’s plumbing system. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, 85% of homes in the United States have some level of hard water.

Your water would be labeled “hard” if it contains more than 61 milligrams … Read Full Post »

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