February 12th, 2010
If you have a young child or a family with young children is coming to visit, it’s important to childproof your home. Toddlers and young kids are at that (cute but) dangerous age when they like to explore their environment and test their boundaries. With these electrical and plumbing tips, you can let them explore without worrying that they could put themselves in a dangerous situation.
Electrical safety tips:
- Block little ones from sticking their fingers in electrical outlets with outlet covers
- Keep electrical cords wrapped up and out of the way where kids won’t be tempted to play with them
- Replace damaged electrical plugs and cords on appliances
- If your home has electric baseboard heaters, block them as much as possible
- Make sure all wire boxes and electrical boxes in your home are locked
- Move electrical appliances away from water, paying special attention to bathroom and kitchen counters
Plumbing safety tips:
- Keep your water heater set at 120 degrees or lower to avoid scalding water temperatures
- Use anti-scald devices on faucets and showerheads
- Install toilet seat locks and toilet tank locks
If you need help installing child-safe locks and enacting safety precautions for your Raleigh plumbing and electrical system, call Progressive Electrical Service or Progressive Plumbing and Drains!
Tags: electrical safety, raleigh electrician, Raleigh plumbing, shower heads, tips, water heater
Posted in Progressive Electrical Services, Progressive Plumbing Services | No Comments »
September 4th, 2009
Today at the Progressive Plumbing blog it’s a clog extravaganza! Though that may not sound too exciting, clogged drains are a common problem homeowners deal with. We get questions about clogs daily from our Raleigh customers, so we thought we’d give a little do-it-yourself primer on the subject.
Toilet clogs:
Assuming you already know how to use a plunger, we’ll skip that method. Other ways to unclog a toilet incude using a wire hanger to loosen up the clog. Bend the wire so the hanger can be inserted into the drain and the hook can be used to move the clog.
Another method to unclog a toilet drain involves hot water and dish soap. Add a couple squirts of dish soap to the toilet bowl, then pour a pot of hot (but not boiling!) water in. This method puts pressure on the clog and (hopefully) loosens it up.
Sink clogs:
Unlike with toilet clogs, you can use boiling water to loosen up a sink clog — but only if you have metal pipes! Boil water in a large pot and slowly pour it down the drain. Not working? Move on to our next suggestion.
Plunge. Yes, plunge your sink drain — but not with your toilet plunger! For sink clogs, use a cup plunger (looks exactly how it sounds) which is designed for sink, tub and shower drains.
We don’t usually recommend using chemicals to unclog your drain, since they are potentially harmful to the environment.
Main drains:
While it is possible to unclog a main drain with an electrically-powered auger, it can be a frustrating job without a professional. If you suspect a main drain clog, give Progressive Plumbing a call! We’ll do the dirty work.
Tags: clogged main drain, clogged sink, clogged toilet, tips
Posted in Raleigh Residential Services | 6 Comments »
August 7th, 2009
We’ve posted a lot about water conservation, but energy conservation is important too. What are the benefits of conserving energy? For starters, reduced utility bills (something we can all appreciate). Conserving energy also reduces our consumption of non-renewable energy, thereby minimizing our negative impact on the environment.
Here are some ideas for conserving energy. Best of all, these simple changes won’t cost you a thing:
- Turn off lights (and TV) when you leave a room. Simple, but we often forget to do it.
- Hand-wash dishes. When you do use the dishwasher, turn off the heat-drying option.
- Shake out wet laundry before placing it in the dryer: it won’t take as long to dry, saving you time too!
- Unplug – don’t just turn off – appliances when not in use. When appliances are turned off but still plugged in, they continue to use electricity.
- Use the front door instead of the garage door.
- Air-dry hair instead of using a hair dryer.
Tags: raleigh electrician, tips
Posted in Progressive Electrical Services | No Comments »
July 31st, 2009
As ABC reports, one in five people who tackle DIY projects end up having to call a professional to fix the problem after they’ve started. While there are certainly some projects you CAN do yourself, here’s a look at some plumbing problems you’ll want to leave to the pros.
Gas lines
A lot of cities require a licensed professional to work on gas lines by code because of the inherent danger in working with gas. Another reason to call an expert for gas line help is the threading of the pipe and the fitting of the joints, things that take expensive equipment that you can rely on a plumber to have.
Mainlines (Water and Sewer)
Mainline repairs also require special equipment. While you can rent a sewer snake relatively cheaply, but this won’t fix big problems. A licensed plumber can detect the problem and suggest a solution.
Clogged toilet
Sure, many toilet clogs can be easily done away with by plunging. But when the plunger’s just not cutting it, you may be dealing with a main drain or system blockage. Another sign of this is if all your drains are slow, not just one. If this is the case, give us a call.
Leaky faucets
Some faucets are so old the parts aren’t available anymore, and old faucets are often very difficult to remove. Conversely, some faucets are so new it’s hard to find advice on how to fix them.
Water heaters
When these complicated systems break down, the problem could be anywhere from electrical to the need for a new part. A plumbing expert will be able to get to the root of the problem.
Tags: clogged toilet, gas lines, leaky faucets, sewer lines, tips, water heater, water lines
Posted in Finding a Plumber, Uncategorized | No Comments »
July 23rd, 2009
How can you lower your negative impact on the environment? Installing a Photovoltaic (PV) solar array or a solar water heater would make huge improvements, but there are smaller ways to go green. We’ve compiled a list, complete with links for more information:
As always, you can call Progressive to learn how we can help you go green, whatever size budget you’re working with.
Tags: energy efficient, Green Plumbing, photovoltaic systems, solar water heater, tips, water conservation
Posted in Green Plumbing | No Comments »
June 25th, 2009
Checking your water meter is an important way to prevent paying high water bills for leaky water lines and pipes. Here’s a quick tutorial on how to check your meter:
First up, where is it? Water meters are typically located by the curb at the front of your property, often in a direct line with the main outside faucet. They are usually housed in a concrete box set into the ground and labeled “Water.”
Now that you’ve found it, how do you read it? Look at the numbers displayed prominently either above or below the words “cubic feet.” This is your meter reading – it represents all the water that has passed through the meter since it was installed.
To understand whether your pipes are leaking, try this sometime when you’ll be out for a few hours: before you leave, turn off all appliances that use water (both inside and outside of the building). Record the meter reading. When you return, if the number has changed, you’ve got a leak. If the sweeping dial that resembles a clock hand is still moving after you’ve turned your water off, it can also signify a leak.
If you do discover a problem, call Progressive Plumbing and Piping for a free consultation.
Tags: leaks, pipes, tips, water lines
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
May 26th, 2009
So you’ve found yourself in the unfortunate position of having your sewer line clogged. That’s okay. We’ve got some advice for you.
Sewer line clogs are not only messy but are not healthy as one might imagine. Of course all clogs and stoppages can’t be prevented, but with preventative maintenance, they can be held to a minimum. I usually recommend a regimented hydro-jet cleaning schedule for restaurants and commercial establishments as grease is usually a big problem. I can also provide an all natural enzyme type drain treatment that can be applied by a home owner or proprietor of a business for a minimum cost per treatment. Not only is grease a problem for residences and businesses alike, soap scum, coffee grinds and food waste builds up in sewer lines over time. Regular treatment will rid your sewer lines of build up for great flowing drains.
Got more questions or would you like to schedule an appointment? Click HERE.
Tags: commercial plumbing, Raleigh plumber, residential plumbing, tips, tricks
Posted in Q & A | No Comments »
March 31st, 2009
This portion of our site will serve as a place to share tips on saving money, tricks to make your home more energy efficient and what’s new over here at Progressive. If you see something that you like or that you’re curious about leave a comment. Great to have you here!
Tags: energy efficient, tips, tricks
Posted in About Progressive | No Comments »
