If your dishwasher just doesn’t seem to be doing the job anymore it may be that your water isn’t hot enough. The manufacturers of dishwasher detergents recommend that your water temperature be between 125 and 130 degrees F for their products’ best performance.

Or maybe your water does reach the proper temperature it just takes it a while to get ther. Try running the hot water at the kitchen sink to allow it to get good and hot before you turn on the dishwasher. Otherwise you’re just filling your dishwasher up with cold water.

The detergent you’re using could also be a culprit. Gel detergents contain chlorine bleach which can be harmful to rubber seals and gaskets. If you have a leak in your dishwasher, this could be the cause.

Gel detergents also don’t work as well as powders if you have hard water. And gel detergents also don’t rinse off as well – from your dishes or from the inside of the dishwasher – which causes that cloudy white film on your glassware and the streaking inside the dishwasher.

To eliminate grease and detergent buildup inside the tub, every month you should run it with a quart of distilled white vinegar. Nothing else – no dishes or other detergents, just the vinegar. This will keep the inside of your dishwasher clean and also help prevent clogging.

Is your glassware becoming cloudy? It may be a build up of gel detergent as mentioned above or it may be a result of etching, a permanent condition which occurs when you use too much detergent or pre-wash your dishes. Dishwashing detergent actually works better on dirtier dishes because it has something to work against. Otherwise, it produces too many suds which causes that permanent etching. To determine which problem you have, soak your glass in warm distilled vinegar for a few minutes to see if the film disappears. If it does, it’s being caused by buildup from your gel detergent. If not, it’s being caused by etching.

Another problem that crops up is clogged sprayers. If you’re dishes aren’t coming out as clean as they used to this may be the cause. Over time your sprayer can become clogged with grease, food particles, paper, and other debris and it’s easy enough to fix. Just remove the sprayer and soak it in warm distilled white vinegar for an hour or so then clean all holes with a pipe cleaner.

You would think that something that does the job of cleaning wouldn’t have an odor problem but it does happen with dishwashers. Especially if you don’t run yours at least every other day. Running a quart of vinegar through the cycle should help eliminate the odor. If not, though, check the drain. Even though most manufactures advertise that you can run anything you want through their dishwashers that food that’s left on those plates has to go somewhere.

Usually, food particles are held in a trap in the tub and then washed out along with the water in the rinse cycle. That drain can become clogged and, if your dishwasher drains through your garbage disposal, that unit, too, may become clogged with food matter. Again, if you don’t use your dishwasher at least every other day, those food particles become trapped and begin to decay, which is probably why you’re experiencing that odor.

Too many suds in your dishwasher? If someone accidentally uses regular dish detergent you’re going to know it right away because you’re going to be overrun by suds! The quickest solution is to add a cupful of liquid fabric softener to the tub and let it run for a minute or two. Then force it to go into rinse. The fabric softener will break up the suds, just like it does in your clothes washer.

And finally, if you notice your dishes aren’t as dry as they used to be it may be a problem with the heating element. The heating element heats the water used to wash and rinse your dishes and it also heats the air that’s used during the drying cycle. Checking and replacing your heating element involves working with the wiring. Always be sure to unplug the machine before you start. And if you’re unsure of what you’re doing, this is a good time to call a professional.

If the smell is coming from a kitchen or bathroom sink:

Check for a leaks in the drains traps under the sink. There’s a reason those pipes are ‘S’ shaped and it’s not to give you more storage room. That curve in the drain pipes under your sinks holds water and that water acts as a barrier between your sink and the outside sewage system. The water in that trap actually blocks sewer gases and prevents them from coming up out of your drains. If there’s no water in the trap, that barrier is gone and that could be the source of the smell.

Kitchen sinks present even more problems. Grease and food particles can build up on the inside of your pipes and as they rot they become a breeding ground for odor causing bacteria. The situation can become even worse if you leave you home for an extended period of time. With no water going down that drain that sludge dries out like cement on the inside of your pipes and then you’ve got a real problem to deal with.

The same problem can occur with your garbage disposal. The spinning blades toss grease and wet food particles up onto the sides of the disposal while it’s in operation and they stick there. Over time, they build up and create yet another perfect breeding ground for odor causing bacteria.

Of course you’re best bet is to completely avoid putting any type of grease or food particles down your kitchen drain but that’s not always possible. But you can reduce the risk by regularly cleaning your drain and disposal. Pour about 1/2 cup of baking soda down each side of the drain and follow it up with a cup of distilled white vinegar. The mixture will foam for a few minutes and then flush with very hot water. This will help keep any build up from getting out of control.

If the smell is coming from the shower or bathtub:

Again, check for leaks in the traps in these drains. Since it’s not always as easy to see this plumbing as it is the plumbing under your sink, remove drain covers to make sure there’s water standing in the drain and that the water appears undisturbed. If there’s no water visible or if you see movement or notice the smell is stronger, it may be that you have a leak somewhere in the trap and the reason you have that smell is because that water barrier we talked about earlier is gone.

If the smell is coming from the toilet:

Again, there’s a reason for that water in your toilet bowl, other than the obvious. That water is another barrier between the sewer system and your house. It traps those sewer gases on the outside. Most toilets are also constructed to have a trap underneath, similar to your sink. So if you have no water in your toilet bowl it could be that you have a leak in that trap.

Check the wax seal around the base of the toilet, as well. These seals need to be replaced occasionally and a faulty seal could be the source of your odor problem.

Maybe it’s the vent pipe

Another major cause of that sewer odor could be a clogged vent pipe. This pipe vents sewer gases out of your home and if it’s caused it can lead to a build up of those gases, which could be the cause of that bad odor. This happens a lot during the winter time when snow sometimes builds up on the opening of the pipe – like a snow cone – and prevents the gases from escaping. Although this is a fairly large pipe there’s also the possibility that birds or rodents have made a nest in or near the opening.

It could be the weather, too

Especially with older homes, if you keep your house closed up most of the year, when the humidity starts to rise you might start to notice an odor. It’s most likely coming from one of your drains and it’s caused by build up – either a build up of grease and food particles in the kitchen sink or soap scum and dead skin cells in the bathroom. In either case, the higher humidity makes odor causing bacteria grow just that much faster.

The solution would be to flush your drains with baking soda and distilled white vinegar, followed by very hot water, as we mentioned above – assuming there’s no leak, of course.

A similar problem might occur in homes where the A/C is used a lot. Broken seals on vents and duct work can allow gases to escape – not to mention the fact that they’ll also allow that cold air to escape, too, and jack up your energy bill.

Sewer gases are made up of methane and hydrogen sulfide. Both are very dangerous and not something you want your family to be exposed to for any length of time. That rotten egg or sewage smell means something is very wrong with your plumbing. Don’t ignore that smell!

One of the key parts of a gas or electric water heater is the geyser. This pipe is an escape route for steam or hot water and it generally leads up through the roof of the house or out through one of the walls. In most cases, you’ll never even notice this pipe.

But when something goes wrong with the geyser, even if it’s just the tiniest leak, you need to contact a professional immediately. Water in the drip pan that surrounds the base of the geyser indicates that there may be a problem with the thermostat and the water is heating up to unsafe levels. It also indicates a leak in the geyser.

When water reaches the boiling point it not only gets dangerously hot, it also builds up pressure. If your geyser is faulty you may have a very dangerous situation on your hands. As the homeowner, it’s not enough for you to just tinker around and replace a pipe or two if you’re having problems with your water heater. If you want to avoid an explosion, and I’m sure you do, that geyser needs to be properly installed.

Gas lines for appliances – Most home owners know to contact a plumber when they have a problem with a gas line. But every now and then we’ll find someone who thinks all he needs to do to hook up his new gas stove is reach for some pipe and plumbing putty and there you go – it’s fixed.

But working with gas lines is tricky business. The only way you can tell if you have a gas leak is if you smell it – and you don’t always smell gas. You’re putting your family at serious risk of injury, or even death, from fire or gas and carbon monoxide poisoning if you don’t know what you’re doing.

Check your homeowner’s insurance policy and the laws in your area, too. You may be in violation of one or both if you try to do your own repairs on the gas lines in and around your home. That makes it official – you need to contact a professional for gas line repairs.

Soldering pipes – Just because you saw some TV chef use a propane torch to brown his crème brulee doesn’t mean just anybody can go down into the basement and start soldering pipes. There are several dangers involved in soldering.

The can of propane itself can explode if you don’t handle it properly. And let’s not forget, you’re exposing gas to an open flame. And last, but certainly not least, there’s the danger of burning your retinas and causing permanent damage to your eyes.

More than once we’ve heard tell of a homeowner attempting his own plumbing repairs that involved soldering and he forgot and left the valve open on the tank when he was done. Then, after a few minutes of patting himself on the back for fixing the problem all by himself, he sat down, lit a cigarette and POOF!

A Puddle Near The Foundation of Your Home

It’s crucial to find the source of standing water around the foundation of your home and fix the problem as quickly as possible. It doesn’t take much for water to find its way into tiny cracks in your foundation and start eroding the concrete or wood. And repairing the foundation of your house is a major expense.

The most obvious cause is leaky outside water faucets and clogged gutters and it may even be something as simple as the slope of the land leading up to your foundation. But the problem may also lie in the main drain pipe leading from your home to the sewer. If this pipe is broken near the foundation of your home it could be the source of that standing water.

A Puddle In The Basement

You should never have a puddle of water in the basement and, if you do, you need to determine right away where it came from. Standing water in your basement can quickly cause foundation problems. Be sure to check the following:

The washing machine

The sump pump

The water lines

The hot water tank

The water softener

The air conditioner

A Puddle In The Street

A puddle in the street means fun for the kids but it might also indicate some problems for the parents. In most municipalities, the property owner is at least responsible to contact city officials to clear clogged storm drains. In some cases, you’re also responsible for the repair of your home’s sewer line all the way up to the point where it joins the main sewer line – generally in the middle of the street.

Standing water in the street in front of your house can also cause soil erosion along the edges of your yard, work its way into cracks and crevices in your drive and sidewalks, and cause accidents, especially when it freezes over.

To determine the source of standing water in the street you may need to contact your city officials or a professional plumbing inspector with the necessary equipment to scope the lines that run under the street.

A Puddle In Your Yard

Standing water in your yard due to heavy rainfall or melting snow may seem harmless enough but it can create some problems. Standing water anywhere presents a perfect breeding ground for insects and bacteria. And, depending upon the area in which you live, it’s also very enticing for snakes and frogs and other forms of wildlife that you might not really want hanging around.

Normally, that water will drain off quickly and naturally. But if it doesn’t, you may have a drainage problem, either in the lines leading from your home, the leach field in your yard, or the main sewer lines. In either case, your best solution for standing water in your yard is to contact a professional. Plumbing contractors have specialized cameras and equipment they can run through the lines to look for signs of breakage or clogs in sewer lines and leach fields and this is a lot easier than trying to dig up your yard and find the source yourself.

A lot of plumbing problems can be prevented with a little knowledge and forethought. And a lot of those ‘potential’ problems can turn into major headaches in the summertime. Here, then, are 7 summer plumbing tips to help you keep your plumbing system running smoothly, while you think about something else!

Clogged Toilets: Let’s face it, the kids are home from school, you’re having family reunions and neighborhood barbecues, the relatives are traveling in from all parts of the country – your toilet gets a good workout in the summer. Make sure you have coat hangers and plungers on hand to take care of basic clogs and warn your kids about using excessive amounts of toilet paper. Oh, yeah. And warn them about flushing rubber balls and sending their super heroes on diving expeditions, too.

Clogged Dishwasher: Again, a lot more traffic goes through your home in the summertime. Be sure to remove all solids from plates and cookware before you load them into the dishwasher. Try to limit use to once a day, and not during the same time you’re running the washing machine.

Jammed Garbage Disposal: Corn husks, banana and potato peels, egg shells, melon rinds – the aftermath of a perfect picnic lunch. However, these items can not be placed in your garbage disposal, no matter what season it is or how great the meal was.

Over-worked Washer Drains: Blame this one on the kids and relatives, too. Especially if you have a septic system, you should try to limit your wash loads to one per day, instead of doing all of your laundry, one load after another, on the same day. Stretching your washing out over the whole week eliminates some of the stress that can cause backups and damage to your septic system and drainpipes.

Clogged Storm Drains: Admit it – when you mow the lawn you let the clippings blow out into the street. But those grass clippings combined with mulched leaves and other debris can clog storm drains and contaminate ground water. And did you know that, as the homeowner, you may be responsible for that storm drain from the edge of your property all the way to where it joins the main line? And it’s expensive to repair!

Broken Sprinkler Heads: One broken sprinkler head in the middle of your automatic sprinkler system might not sound like such a big deal. But, because that water isn’t being properly dispersed over a large area of ground, you could end up with a big puddle of standing water in your yard. Big puddles of standing water attract things like water bugs, mosquitoes and bacteria. Yuck! Not to mention the fact that a big puddle of standing water can also erode your foundation, sidewalk or driveway. Keep replacement sprinkler heads on hand and quickly take care of problems.

Broken Drain Tiles: In the summertime everything is lush, green and growing – especially trees and shrubs. Their roots can sometimes stretch for hundreds of yards underground and they head right for sources of water – your drainpipes. It’s a good idea to have an annual plumbing inspection to check your outside pipes for signs of breaks and blockages due to foliage roots. Detecting a problem early can save you thousands of dollars in repairs.

Plumbing problems can range from something as minor as a leaky faucet that can be fixed with a 25 cent washer to a blocked and broken sewer line that can cost you thousands of dollars to repair. No matter how much you love that house, it’s best to know what you’re getting into before you sign on the dotted line.

You’ll want to have the complete plumbing system inspected by a professional plumbing contractor, just to be safe.

But on the first pass through the house, here are a few things you can look for yourself:

• Water spots on the ceilings

 

• Water damage under sinks

 

• Flush all the toilets, especially in upstairs bathrooms

 

• Check water pressure in all faucets, especially in upstairs bathrooms

 

• Check all drains for clogs – especially drains in upper floors

 

• Check drainage for washing machine and dishwasher

 

• Check sump pump – pour a bucket of water in the well and manually turn on the pump

 

• Check outside for standing water – particularly around the foundation and gutters

 

• Check around any exposed water lines, inside and out, for signs of leakage

 

• Look for loose tiles around water fixtures

 

• Check the condition of fixtures

 

Just because the house seems to pass your own personal inspection doesn’t mean all systems are go. Always have the complete plumbing system professionally inspected before you make your offer. Most homeowners don’t realize that they’re responsible for the main sewer line all the way from their house out to the middle of the road where it meets up with your city’s main drainage line. Problems in that line can be very expensive to repair. Before you make a bid on any house, make sure you have a professional plumbing inspection.

Most homeowners have experienced more than their fair share of clogged drains due to their kids flushing rubber balls and sending their action figures on diving expeditions in the toilet. So we’ll just assume you know all about THOSE types of clogs and move on to 5 other reasons your drain might be clogged.

Your Washing Machine – If you notice that your drains seem to clog or run slower on the day that you do laundry, that may be your problem. Doing a large number of loads, one right after the other, can put a strain on your drains, especially if you already have other drainage problems. Our clothes today are made of mainly synthetic fabrics that are not biodegradable. When those pieces of lint start accumulating in your drains they can cause clogs that won’t just disappear on their own. Try spacing your laundry out over the course of the week, a load or two a day, and see if that helps your problem.

Your Garbage Disposal – Unless you have a top-of-the-line commercial garbage disposal you need to be very careful how you use it. No potato peels or bones or large pieces of any type of food. And especially no grease. It’s best to either compost all your solid waste or put it out with the garbage if you really want to avoid clogged drains.

Your Dishwasher – Like your washing machine, if you run your dishwasher repeatedly, especially without removing all solids first, you can run into the same problem you get with your washer. Too much water and pieces of solid food, all at once, can put a strain on your drains, especially if you already have drainage problems. The next time you host the family reunion, time the running of your dishwasher to allow it to drain properly.

Your Main Sewer Line – A lot of homeowners don’t realize that their responsibility for their sewer line doesn’t end at the foundation of their house. Check with your municipality but, in most cases, if there’s a clog or a break in the line anywhere between your house and the middle of the street then you’re responsible for having it repaired.

Experiencing these types of clogged drains occasionally is normal but if you notice it happening every time you use your washing machine or dishwasher then you may have a more serious problem somewhere in your main line. Before you do something silly digging up your whole yard, consult a plumbing contractor. Most have special equipment that will allow them to check all your drain lines without disrupting your household.

We all want to do our best to protect the environment, and installing water efficient toilets is certainly one way we can all do our part. But there are a number of these water saving toilets on the market these days. Low flow, ultra-low flow, two flush – how do you know which way is the best way to ‘go’?

The EPA estimates that toilets account for approximately 27% of the water usage inside your home. They also estimate that, for a family of 4, if you replace your older toilets with newer, water-saving models, you can save more than $90 a year on your water bill.

The fact that many of the low-flow models are no more expensive than your conventional toilet is a plus, but you’ll also want to check with your local utility company before you buy. Some municipalities offer high-efficiency toilets for free or a substantially discounted price to encourage homeowners to make the switch.

Now, how do you choose the best water efficient toilet for your home? The EPA helps out there, too. They’ve rated most brands according to the Maximum Performance. (MaP ratings) The MaP ratings measure the number of grams that can be completely evacuated in one flush and they range from 250 to 1,000. The EPA recommends a minimum of 350 grams and a rating of 500 or more is considered very good performance.

Pros and Cons to Consider

Gravity-flush mechanism – This is the most basic type of low-flow toilet and requires the most water. Similar to conventional toilets, water is held in the tank and when flushed, the weight of the water forces waste out through the drain.

Pressure assist mechanisms – These use less water and pressurized air is held at the top of the tank to help force the water through the system. The one drawback with this type of toilet is the loud noise that accompanies each flush.

Electric pump mechanism – These have no tank at all and, as the name implies, an electric pump is required for flushing. They make no noise but they are more costly to install and maintain.

Two flush mechanism – Ultra water efficient toilets that have 2 flush options – one for liquid waste and one for solids.

The drawback with a number of these low-flow toilets is that, because they use substantially less water, you have to have good water pressure and good drainage for them to work right. Each model is rated differently for different reasons so before you make a decision, consult your plumbing contractor to see which type of water efficient toilet would be the best way for you to ‘go’.