Tom Tynan of Homeshow Radio makes no hesitation in promoting the quality workmanship of Alan O?Neill and his team of highly trained technicians.

?I?ve known Alan O?Neill for more than 20 years and his company, Abacus, is head and shoulders over every other plumbing company in Houston. Believe me, they do what they say and you can count on them.?

If there?s someone who knows a thing or two about home repairs and maintenance, it is Tom. Starting back in 1987, Tom began answering home-related questions on the air. He?s hosted numerous home repair and maintenance-related shows, including the most recent HomeShowOnline.net.

You can ask Abacus Plumbing?s service professionals any plumbing related questions you may have seven days a week at 832-554-9951! But, should you have other home-related questions, just ask Tom!

Click here for more information.

Summer can be a great time to replace your hot water heater. Since you may not need as much hot water, this could be your ideal time to make a switch. Give us a call if you need help fixing or replacing your hot water heater.

Problems with your plumbing can come in many different forms here in Green Valley, NV: anything from unexpected leaks to blockages in the drain pipes. High water pressure, however, can be a more systematic problem, leading to increased pressure on the pipes themselves and contributing to wear and tear across your plumbing system. A good technician can offer solutions to the problem, but first you need to determine whether high water pressure is a problemaor not.

What Constitutes High Water Pressure?

Water pressure is usually measured in PSI, or pounds per square inch. According to the Las Vegas Valley Water District, the PSI in your plumbing should number between 30 and 60 for optimum usage. If it goes higher than 80 PSI, it?s likely going to cause some problems. The chances of a rupture or leak go up and excessive pressure can damage key componentsasuch as shower heads or even appliances like your water heater.

The best way to check for high water pressure is to purchase a pressure test gauge at your local hardware store. You can also look for signs of high water pressure such as:

• Banging noises coming from the pipes.
• Toilets that run longer than they should.
• Damage to key appliances such as dishwashers andawateraheaters.
• Leaks.

How to Fix The Issue

Once you?ve determined that your water pressure is excessively high, the solution is reasonably easy: a pressure regulating valve, or PRV. It requires a trained plumber to size and install, but once in place and properly adjusted, it will lower the water pressure in your system to the proper level. Not only will this prevent leaks and other wear-and-tear issues, but it can also lower your water bills, since less water will be flowing through your taps and faucets.

Recently, a study was done which showed that approximately 80% of streams in the United States contain small amounts of human medicines. Sewage systems which send water to the oceans, lakes, and rivers are not able to remove the medicines which are released when flushed down the toilet.

Fish and other wild-life have shown mutations and other adverse effects due to contamination.

In addition to being an environmental and health issue, disposing of medications into the toilet can be damaging to your plumbing. Medications which do not dissolve can become a lump of thick matter which will clog the toilet. If unclogged incorrectly, the clog can get forced further down the line, and it would become necessary at that point to call a professional plumber.

If improperly unclogged, there is a risk of exposing yourself to a medicine in hazardous amounts. Further, if it does not go down, there is risk of the lump of matter coming in contact with children or pets, and this is dangerous.

Ways to Dispose Medication

In some areas of the United States, small amounts of medicine have been identified in drinking water, as well. There are ways to avoid contaminating the water supplies to animals, plants, and humans. According ToPharmacy, there are ways to dispose of medication safely.

Here are the following suggestions provided by the California State Board of Pharmacy:

1. Keep medicine in its original child-resistant container. Scratch or mark out the patient information on the label.
2. Place some water into solid medications, such as pills or capsules. Then add something nontoxic and unpalatable such as sawdust, kitty litter, charcoal, Comet« or powdered spices (like, cayenne pepper.)
3. Close and seal the container lids tightly with packing or duct tape. If discarding blister packs of unused medicines, wrap in multiple layers of duct tape.
4. Place medicine containers in durable packaging that does not show what?s inside (like, a cardboard box.)
5. (Remember to keep medicines away from children and pets.) Place in the trash close to garbage pickup time.

Other ways to properly dispose of unused medicine:

Pharmacy Take-Back Program: Ask your pharmacist if the pharmacy will accept old medicines back
from patients.

Household Hazardous Waste Collection: Find the phone number of your local HHW collection site
in the government section of your local white pages of the telephone directory. (The contact number
for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power is 800-342-5DWP.)

The FDA lists this site if you wish to contact the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration?s information on National Prescription Drug-Take Back Events.

If the medication you wish to dispose of is in liquid form, please contact one of the above agencies to find out how to properly dispose of fluids.

In addition to being an environmental and health issue, disposing of medications into the toilet can be damaging to your plumbing. Medications which do not dissolve can become a lump of thick matter which will clog the toilet. If unclogged incorrectly, the clog can get forced further down the line, and it would become necessary at that point to call a professional plumber.

If improperly unclogged, there is a risk of exposing yourself to a medicine in hazardous amounts. Further, if it does not go down, there is risk of the lump of matter coming in contact with children or pets, and this is dangerous.

Owning a vintage home is like having a touchstone to a simpler time when everything seemed fresh and new. Neighborhoods were just getting started and cities were coming into their own. In addition to that link to the past, part of the appeal of an older home is in paying homage to the history. It is with a sense of pride and deeply felt connection that people enjoy the testament to the legacy in owning a vintage home.

Hindsight is 20/20

We have learned a lot about the way homes were built back in the 1960s and earlier as well as the materials that were used to construct them. Older homes were originally built using galvanized steel pipes for the plumbing. If a home has not already undergone the work of partial or substantial replacement of the plumbing, chances are it needs it. Telltale signs of broken or leaking water lines include drainage problems or sewer stoppage.

Conduct Your Own Inspection

You can get a pretty good idea of the condition of your older plumbing through conducting an annual visual inspection. Of course, you are limited to inspecting the exposed pipe while much of the indoor plumbing may be encased within the walls. You can still access utility rooms and basements to check the need for foundation repair. If you have the intestinal fortitude to negotiate through crawlspaces, you would be able to appreciate any signs of discoloration, dimpling or flaking as signs of corrosion.

The quickest and easiest test for corrosion is to inspect the color of the water that comes out of the pipes, especially if the house has been unoccupied for any length of time allowing the water in the lines to settle. If you ever detect a brown or yellow color instead of clear water, you can be confident that what you are seeing is rust, the result of decay inside the pipes. Of course, anywhere you detect stains; you can be assured there is water leaking, most probably from corrosion.

Much of the galvanized pipe from the past has been replaced with copper or plastic pipe. In some cases, a partial replacement may have been performed. That still leaves the remaining galvanized pipe somewhere that still must be replaced. Any piping has never been given longer than 100 years in material lifespan with most not expected to exceed 50 years. The reality is that a majority of homes are operating with a plumbing system beyond its life expectancy.

Sewer Line Repair

Beyond the house itself, the sewer line extends directly from the house out to the street. Once you reach the street, the pipeline is the property of the water district. You can easily determine a water leak by simply shutting off all the water and checking the meter. If the meter is still showing usage by the movement of the dial, there is a leak somewhere in the line. The outdoor lines are susceptible to being crushed by the force of becoming root bound. Tree roots have an uncanny sense of where to seek the water, and the pipes are not exempt from their thirst.

Call Upon the Experts to Confirm Your Suspicions

After all of your own inspecting, you may decide it is best to call upon the services of a professional plumber to confirm your suspicions. The plumber also has a way to visually inspect the pipes you cannot reach by using a camera that gets fed through the line. It takes a trained eye to evaluate what the camera reveals, but it is one of the best ways to detect faults in the line without a lot of excavation.

Our licensed professionals ataIn-House Plumbing Company in Garland, Texasaare ready to respond if you are experiencing drainage problems orasewer stoppage. Call us today to help you determine if you need foundation repair or sewer line repair. Our reputation for honesty and integrity have grown our purely referral-only business to in-demand service. Let us help you determine the best solution to your vintage plumbing needs while we deliver on our honest, affordable pricing.