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Archive for the ‘Kitchen Plumbing’ Category
Thursday, November 15th, 2012
With the holidays just around the corner, house guests are likely not far behind! Few things can screw up your holidays more than plumbing problems. With that in mind, now is a great time of year to run through your plumbing preventative maintenance list:
- Garbage Disposal: Your kitchen is sure to see plenty of action this holiday season. Gear up by sharpening your garbage disposal blades. Pour a handful of solid ice cubes and one cup of rock salt into the disposal to simultaneously clean and sharpen. A small orange or lemon peel can also be run through for easy and natural deodorization.
- Check Sinks: Fill your sink and drain it. Watch for slow drainage which can indicate a clog or blocked vent pipe or bubbles appearing while the water is draining.
- Toilets: Check to see if your toilets rock when pushed or pull. If so, inspect their bases for loose bolts. Next, make sure each toilet is flushing properly and that the water stops running upon flush completion. Check your tank for any broken, missing or corroded parts in need of repair.
- Showers: Your showers should be inspected at the top and bottom. First check your shower head for water pressure. Low pressure may mean that the shower head has sediment buildup and is in need of cleaning. Also check the shower’s drain to ensure that the tub is emptying normally. If you find yourself left with a couple of inches of standing water, try using a plunger, placed over the drain hole. A few pumps should help to dislodge any minor blockage and open the passage way.
Did any of your plumbing appliances not pass the test? If so, contact us today to remedy any plumbing problems before the first guests hit your door!
Posted in Bath Plumbing, Kitchen Plumbing, Plumber Advice | Comments Off
Wednesday, July 11th, 2012
A room’s hardware can shape the style and tone of your space. Particularly in the kitchen, your sink and faucet also play an important functional role. Therefore, choosing the right kitchen sink and faucet can be a big decision! Here are the factors that we encourage our clients to keep in mind when making their choice:
Material Matters: Kitchen sinks come in a variety of materials including stainless steel, enamel-coated cast iron, solid surfaces or composites. There are pros and cons to each material. Stainless steel is great for homeowners who are hard on their sinks or are looking for a unit that will stand the test of time. Enamel-coated cast iron, on the other hand, is very aesthetically pleasing and offers some of the best variety in appearance and style. A solid surface sink makes for easy cleanup, while composite sinks are a great budget friendly option. Regardless of your choice, know that the material of your sink matters – choose wisely and do your research!
Number Of Bowls: The National Kitchen and Bath Association recommends a standard, single-bowl sink for kitchens less than 150 square feet. If your area is larger, consider the added convenience of a double, or even triple bowl. Keep in mind that multiple bowls are commonly used for hand washing dishes. If this is something that you make a practice of, be sure to invest in the multiple spaces. If strictly dishwasher use is more your style, a single bowl will likely be just fine.
Stylish And Functional Faucets: The number of faucets on the market today is astronomical – there is truly a style for every home. However, don’t settle for the first pretty faucet you see – also consider the unit’s function. Single-handled models with pull-out spouts are very popular today – and with good reason. Single-handled units offer a cleaner sink aesthetic and easy use. Also consider the material used in your sink’s hosing – a stainless steel hose will kink less than alternative materials.
Posted in Kitchen Plumbing, Plumber Advice | Comments Off
Thursday, May 10th, 2012
As professional plumbers we put a lot of stock in the plumbing products we use. One of our favorite suppliers to work with is Ferguson. Ferguson is ranked by trade publications as the largest distributor of plumbing supplies and pipe, valves and fittings (PVF). It is also the third largest distributor of heating and cooling equipment (HVAC/R) and the second largest company within the waterworks industry. We like them because their offerings include a wide range of plumbing and lighting products designed for kitchens, bathrooms, and more. Ferguson offers the best brands in the business including Kohler, Elkay, Pfister, Moen, and many more.
Ferguson also has a variety of showroom locations, offering the ultimate experience for customers selecting products for their home. We love to send our clients to the Ferguson Showroom in Golden Valley for project ideas and inspiration. The Golden Valley showroom not only features plumbing fixtures, but also lighting and appliances. The showroom is located at 925 Decatur Avenue North Golden Valley, MN 55427 and the showroom phone number is (763) 591-5700.
There you can check out working displays including fully-functional whirlpools, showers and complete kitchens. If you’d like, you can make a showroom appointment to meet with a customer representative – Ferguson customer representatives are available to answer product questions, help you to maintain project time lines, and guide you to the right product for you. The Ferguson team is highly trained and very helpful when it comes to choosing fixtures or appliances for your home!
Once you find the perfect product for your bathroom or kitchen, contact us for installation or project implementation!
Posted in Bath Plumbing, Consumer News, Kitchen Plumbing | Comments Off
Monday, February 13th, 2012
 Few things are more frustrating than a clogged drain! Whether in your kitchen, your bathroom, or your utility room, clogged drains can quickly provide an infuriating mess. Unfortunately, they are also fairly common. To solve your next clog conundrum, try one of our DIY solutions:
Slow-Running Drains: For slow-running drains, shake a half box of baking soda down the drain, before pouring in one cup of vinegar. The baking soda will bubble and foam. Once it stops foaming, flush the drain with very hot water for 2-3 minutes.
Dealing With A Clog: If you have a full-on clog, begin by removing as much of the backed up water as you can. Pour one cup of baking soda into the drain, followed by a large pot or kettle of boiling hot water. If the sink empties completely, pour another kettle of boiling water to give it another clean flush and then let cool water run from the tap for a couple minutes.
Biodegradable: If the flushing technique listed above doesn’t work, use a biodegradable waste digester, available in the plumping section of your hardware store, to dissolve the build-up of debris in your pipes. However, always use caution when using commercial drain cleaners of any kind. We recommend wearing eye goggles since the water can splash back up at you.
An Ounce Of Prevention: While slow or clogged drains are the most common household plumbing problem, they are typically preventable. Work to stave off bathroom clogs by installing grates or small screens over the drains to prevent hair and other debris from going down the drain and building up. In the kitchen, avoid clogs by being cautious of what you pour down the drain. For example, liquefied fats poured down a drain can coat the pipes and leave a ready surface for debris to get stuck in. And while garbage disposals are convenient, they should be used sparingly. Dump large amounts of food in a garbage can and only use the disposal for the small bits left on the plate.
If these solutions don’t solve your problem, call us at Nowthen Plumbing to thoroughly assess the situation.
Tags: clog correction, clogs, maintenance, NowThen Plumbing, plumbing, unclogging your drain
Posted in Bath Plumbing, Consumer News, Kitchen Plumbing, Plumber Advice, Plumbing Clogs | Comments Off
Wednesday, January 4th, 2012
 When outdoor temperatures drop, there is nothing we like more than a warm shower to get us ready for the day! However, poor water pressure can quickly turn your morning routine from inspirational to inefficient. To solve this daily dilemma, try one of our DIY solutions to these common low-water pressure causes.
Remove Mineral Deposit Build-Ups: Overtime, mineral deposits can build-up in your pipes, causing clogs that result in lower water pressure. Because these clogs most commonly affect faucets and showerheads, a thorough cleaning of each can typically resolve the issue. To accomplish this, soak showerheads in a vinegar-and-water solution to dissolve mineral deposits. However, in more severe situations mineral build-ups can partially block the flow of water through the pipes themselves. If you suspect this might be the case, call us at Nowthen Plumbing to thoroughly assess the situation.
Identify Leaks: Low-water pressure can also be caused by damage to the pipe, such as a leak or crack. To determine if you have pipe damage, read your water meter and then shut off your homes’ water taps. Refer back to your meter in two hours. If your water usage has increased, you likely have a leak and need to contact a plumber to schedule a repair. Or the easier route if you think you have a leak is to call us and have us figure it out for you.
Plan Accordingly: Because most of us operate on a somewhat similar schedule throughout the day (showers in the morning, watering the lawn on the weekends, etc.), homes sharing a mutual water distribution pipe may experience water pressure variations. With that in mind, take a look at whether or not your low-water pressure issues are occurring during peak usage hours. If so, consider changing your schedule slightly.
Check Your Valves: Double check that all of your homes’ water valves are completely open to ensure that you benefitting from all potential water pressure. To do so, locate each valve at your homes’ faucet bases and turn clockwise.
Tags: maintenance, maximizing water pressure, NowThen Plumbing, plumbing, water pressure
Posted in Bath Plumbing, Kitchen Plumbing, Plumber Advice | Comments Off
Wednesday, December 21st, 2011
 With guests coming over to celebrate the holidays, the last thing that you want to worry about is a foul order coming from your kitchen sink.
Baking Soda Solution
A quick way to eliminate sink odor is to clean you drain with baking soda. To do so, pour one cup of baking soda into your sink drain. Let it soak for 15 – 20 minutes and then flush the baking soda through the drain with a large pan of boiling water. Be sure to also clean your drain stopper, where odors can tend to linger. Finally, eliminate any remaining smells in your sink pipes with a commercial drain cleaning solution.
Preventing A Smelly Sink
Once your drain has been cleaned, put a stop to future sink stench with these simple prevention tips.
- Attempt to prevent food from going down the drain whenever possible by making sure that your sink stopper fits properly and that it is emptied into the trash after each use.
- If food does go down the drain, be sure to rinse thoroughly with plenty of water to help propel food or particles past the sink’s trap.
- Occasionally wipe your sink with a towel or sponge saturated in undiluted vinegar to help eliminate sink basin smells. Rinse thoroughly with warm water.
- Grind a lemon or orange peel in your kitchen’s garbage disposal to help release citric acid and eliminate smell, while simultaneously cleaning your garbage disposal blades.
Still have a stinky sink? We can help – call us today for a sink-scent solution!
Tags: deodorizing your drain, drain odors, drain repair, drain smells, NowThen Plumbing, sink drain
Posted in Consumer News, Elk River MN Plumber, Kitchen Plumbing, Plumber Advice | Comments Off
Thursday, October 20th, 2011
 While we try our best to avoid them, plumbing problems are one of life’s unfortunate and inevitable certainties. When you can’t prevent a plumbing crisis, follow these simple steps to help mitigate the damage:
Turn Off Your Water: Whether you have an overflowing sink basin, a backed up drain, or a flooded bathroom, begin to control the damage by shutting off your water at your home’s main shutoff valve. Typically, the shutoff valve will be located inside your home near your water meter. Once you (or your plumber) has identified the source of the problem and insulated the issue to a single fixture, isolation valves (valves located at each fixture and designed to stop the flow of water to that location only) can be turned off in place of the shut-off valve. Using your isolation valve as opposed to the shut-off valve will allow you to keep the water on in the rest of your home while the repair is underway.
Turn Off Your Water Heater: Once your water is turned off, take the time to also turn off your water heater as a partially empty water heater is more likely to burst.
Remove The Water: The first step to resolving your plumbing problems is to contain the water damage. Remove standing water, mop up any spills, and try to limit further spills.
Call In Reinforcements: If resolving your plumbing problem falls outside of your comfort zone, contact us at Nowthen Plumbing to help remedy the situation. When you call, try to be as specific as possible to help us pinpoint the problem as quickly and accurately as we can!
Tags: bathroom plumbing, handling a plumbing emergency, kitchen plumbing, Minnesota plumbing, plumbing emergency, plumbing troubleshooting
Posted in Consumer News, Elk River MN Plumber, Kitchen Plumbing, Local Highlights, Plumber Advice, Plumbing Clogs | Comments Off
Tuesday, August 9th, 2011
Dealing with low water pressure in your home is not a fun task. A lot of homeowners are faced with this problem in their homes due to a wide variety of factors. They either live really far from their water supply, they have clogged pipes, or they live on top of a hill. Either way it’s a daunting problem to have.
The science of why water pressure is low in a home is not too difficult to explain. Basically, the harder it is for the water to get to the faucet the lower the water pressure will be. There are, however, a variety of ways a homeowner can fix this problem.
First things first, majority of households get their water from the city. So, call your city’s water department to have them come inspect what is going on. If you find out you do have a problem then it is time to call the plumber. Usually the main cause of low water pressure is corroded pipes. Over time, gunk corrodes the pipes allowing less water to pass through, which makes it harder for the water flow, hence your weak shower.
Replacing your pipes is an option depending on how old and/or how clogged the pipes are. This option may dip into the pockets a bit, so installing a water pressure booster pump is also an option, which is also something a plumber should take care of for you.
Nevertheless, a good pipe cleaning may be all that is needed for your pipes as well. Ask us about some of the cleaning products we recommend by emailing us info@nowthenplumbing.com.
Tags: Clogged drains, pipes, plumbing
Posted in Bath Plumbing, Consumer News, Kitchen Plumbing, Plumber Advice, Plumbing Clogs | Comments Off
Tuesday, May 17th, 2011
 To continue on with highlighting the parts that make our whole possible (see our last blog about some of our favorite plumbing product companies), here’s a profile of one of our favorite supplies, Pipeline. Read this and rest assured that the products and the companies we work with are just as reliable and high quality as the services we provide.
Established in 1977, Pipeline started with only 5000 square feet of office and warehouse space to over 150,000 square feet today. They stock complete lines of HVAC, Well & Pump, Sewer & Water, Radiant Heat and Water Conditioning—some of the most trusted lines on the market. They have full service locations across the state, from Ham Lake and Owatonna, to Oakdale, Monticello, and Grand Rapids. Our favorite place amongst all these great spaces? The showroom in Hopkins, which just so happens to be the largest of its kind in the Twin Cities. We’re like kids in a candy store whenever we visit it.
Aside from being widely accessible and extremely experienced, the good people over at Pipeline are also just as committed to high quality at low prices as we are. And the lower the price a product is for us, the lower the price the service is for you, and that’s something we can all agree is a great thing. Check out the showroom and get to know the company for yourself if you’re interested, their staff is knowledgeable and friendly and can help you find the right products for your own plumbing or remodeling projects. With over 50 impressive years of experience in the industry, how could they not be?
Tags: andover plumbers, anoka plumbers, brooklyn park plumbers, elk river plumbers, maple grove plumbers, minneapolis pluming company, Pipeline supply, remodeling product tips
Posted in Bath Plumbing, Consumer News, Kitchen Plumbing, Local Highlights, Remodeling - Plumbing | Comments Off
Tuesday, May 3rd, 2011
When it comes to our business, the whole is only as good as the sum of its parts. Though we’d like to believe that we’re talented enough to solve any of your plumbing problems with just a wrench and a good roll of duct tape, the truth is that we couldn’t succeed without a solid arsenal of reliable tools and products.
Here’s a little info about some of our favorite brands:
American Standard
Originally founded in 1875 under the name Standard Sanitary Manufacturing Company, American Standard was on the frontlines of many of the most innovative plumbing product inventions. Some of the company’s most important contributions include one-piece toilets and combination hot/cold faucets. By 1929 the company had established itself as the largest plumbing fixture manufacturer in the world and in 1967 they adopted their current name, American Standard.
Delta
Founded in 1954, Delta Faucet Company specializes in designing and producing some of the most creative and forward-thinking faucets available. Their dedication to green plumbing practices is particularly admirable, and as a MN GreenStar member that’s a major plus for us. Check out our blog on the Delta Touch 2.0 faucet for a great example. http://www.nowthenplumbing.com/archives/400
TOTO
Another company with a strong commitment to sustainability, TOTO has established itself as a world leader in plumbing products and technology. An active participant and proponent of the United States Green Build Council (USGBC), TOTO’s eco-friendliness is evident in nearly all of its products. We’re a big fan of their low-flow toilets in particular. (http://www.nowthenplumbing.com/archives/102)
Tags: American standard, andover plumbing company, anoka mn plumbers, brooklyn park plumbers, delta, elk river plumbers, maple grove plumbers, plumbing brands, toro brand
Posted in Bath Plumbing, Kitchen Plumbing, Remodeling - Plumbing | Comments Off
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