Modern Plumbing:
Old Fashioned Values

Colorado law requires a plumbing license for many, but not all, plumbing services. Because there are some services that can be done without a license, such as drain cleaning, many “Rooter” type companies increase profit-margins by hiring non-licensed personnel. While they may refer to themselves as plumbers, consider this, improper design and installation of plumbing systems will create health hazards. Ask your service person to show their current Colorado Plumbing License. By law they are required to carry it when performing tasks demanding licensure. My advice is to do your research and make sure the person you are paying is qualified to accommodate you.

Summer is over, and the weather in Colorado can change in a hurry. Here are some tips to help you get your plumbing ready for the autumn and winter months around the corner. Don’t let the first frost catch your home unprotected.

• Disconnect hoses from the outside faucets.
• Check that your outside faucets are not leaking or dripping. If they are call Glynn Plumbing and Heating or your plumber to get those drips and leaks stopped.
• If your home has an interior shut-off valves for the outside faucets, close them and drain the lines before the cold weather sets in.
• Pick up a faucet insulation kit at any of the home improvement stores for the outside faucets.
• Insulate pipes in the unheated areas of your home: basement crawl spaces, garages, etc.
• Insulate your hot water heater.
• Flush out and remove the sediment from your hot water heater.You need to drain several gallons from the faucet near the bottom of the tank, connect a hose to the faucet and direct water into a nearby drain. Call Glynn Plumbing and Heating or your plumber if you would prefer that someone else winterizes your hot water heater.
• While you are winterizing your hot water heater, carefully test the water heater’s pressure relief valve (Warning! The water is very hot!) by lifting up on the lever and letting it snap back. The valve should allow a burst of hot water into the drainpipe. If not, call Glynn Plumbing and Heating or your plumber to have a new valve installed.

Here are a few things to consider:

Pros

• Significantly lower energy costs
• Endless supply of hot water
• Smaller space
• Easier to lower temperture of the water

Cons

• Higher initial installation cost
• May need more than one unit depending on household needs

Glynn Plumbing and Heating will be happy to help you choose a system (tankless or traditional) that is right for your family. After you make a decision on which style water heater to install, trust Glynn Plumbing and Heating to install your new tankless water heater or traditional water heater safely and efficiently.

You may be starting to think of ways to conserve water in your home. There are many attractive new plumbing fixtures that beautify your living space while saving water. You may look to replace older water-guzzling fixtures with fixtures that are beautiful and also conserve our precious water resources this year.

If you have any leaks, gallons of water are wasted. Now is the time to have leaks repaired. Efficient plumbing saves money! Call or contact Glynn Plumbing and Heating  to get your property’s plumbing system to be both cost and ecologically efficient.

You may also still qualify for the energy saving rebate on your taxes by replacing an older water heater with an energy efficient one.

There are a few rules to follow to keep your toilet running well:

1. Only flush toilet paper. All other items (even those marked as flushable) should be disposed of in the trash.
2. Have a small covered, lined trash can available next to the toilet.
3. Do not use any type of cleaner or tablets in the tank. The chemicals can warp or destroy the flapper and other parts.
4. Take care of a “running” toilet immediately. Check the interior parts to see if they need adjusting or replacing. If you are not a do-itself person, call Glynn Plumbing and Heating or your plumber to make the necessary repairs.
5. Check the base of the toilet for leaks.

Be sure to use your garbage disposal properly to ensure that it doesn’t adversely affect your kitchen plumbing.

1. Do not put stringy items down the garbage disposal. Avoid using it for vegetable peelings, chicken skin, celery, etc.
2. Rinse the disposal with cold water before and after using it.
3. Be sure to give the disposal time to work by not grinding too much food at a time.
4. Keep water running while using the disposal.
5. Do not put any grease down the disposal. Dispose of grease in the trash.
6. Do not put heavy foods in the disposal: coffee grounds, mashed potatoes, pasta, rice, etc.
7. Clean your disposal by grinding either a few ice cubes or citrus rinds.
8. Clean your disposal by pouring in a small amount of liquid dishwashing detergent while it is running.