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!

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.

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.

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.

• Clean with environmentally-friendly cleaning products, whether store-bought or homemade
• Save energy at home with improvements as simple as filling some cracks
• Green your plumbing; consider installing high-efficiency kitchen and bathroom fixtures
• Calculate your water footprint…get inspired to conserve!
• Learn how long your trash will sit in a landfill — then recycle it instead
• Green your laundry process with methods like clothesline drying

As always, you can call Progressive to learn how we can help you go green, whatever size budget you’re working with.

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.

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.