Jacksonville, Florida : PLUMBING TIPS:

• How do I know if I have a broken water line or slab leak?
• Leaks are often indicated by high water bills or a faint hissing sound. A professional plumber should tend to leaks immediately as damage can occur rapidly.

• How do I know if my toilet is leaking?
• If you suspect the toilet is leaking, put a drop of food color in the tank. If you see the color in the bowl, there is a leak. Toilets consume more than 40% of total water usage when working properly – so it is important (and cost saving) to ensure they are not wasting water.

• There is a whistling sound coming from my toilet? What could it be?
• Mostly likely, the flapper and fill valve need to be replaced.

• My toilet keeps running and the water won’t shut off. What do I do?
• This typically indicates a bad fill valve that needs to be replaced.

• What causes low water pressure?
• A leak or old galvanized piping can cause low water pressure. It might be time to repipe your house.

• I only briefly have hot water. Do I need a new hot water heater?
• Not necessarily. There are two heating elements in a heater, most likely one is burned out and will need replacing.

• I have scalding hot water. What do I do?
• Scalding hot water can be an indication that the hot water heater thermostat has gone bad. This problem will continue until the thermostat is replaced.

• I have a strange odor in my home, what could it be?
• It could be sewer gas. First, run water in any sinks that have not been run lately. If the water in the “U” part of the pipe (p-trap) dries up, air will come in from the sewer creating a foul smell. Sewer gas can escape through an unsealed toilet if the wax seal has broken. In this case, the toilet would need to be pulled and reset. You may also try cleaning your garbage disposer by running anti-bacterial soap, ice cubes, or lemon peels in it.

• My Garbage disposer has stopped, what can I do?
• There is usually a small red button on the side of the unit underneath the sink. Try pressing the button
• for 2-5 seconds, then release. Run water and try to turn on the unit again as that may reset it.

• How can I remove mineral deposits from by shower head and faucets?
• Northeast Florida has a great deal of lime in the water. This will calcify on metal fixtures. Mix equal parts vinegar and water in a baggie and use a rubber band to affix the baggie to the fixture. Let sit until the calcification has loosened.

• Is a drippy faucet worth fixing?
• Drippy faucets can waste up to 150 gallons of water per month. This can be an expensive problem! Jacksonville Plumbers specialize in diagnosing and repairing old and new faucets.