Tag: Safety

Is it Safe to Drink Tap Water?

Posted on by Eastern Plumbing

 

Some of you would never dare drink water straight from the sink. Some of you may even be so concerned about the quality of your tap water that you’ve started buying bottled water instead. But really, is tap water safe to drink?

Well, the simple answer is YES!

Generally speaking, in the United States, you can drink from the tap with no risk to your health. The tap water we drink, cook with, and bathe in typically comes from either surface water sources like streams, rivers, lakes, and reservoirs, or from underground sources like aquifers and permeable rocks that can store and transmit water. The Safe Drinking Water Act was passed in 1974. This Act made the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) responsible for setting the standards for safe public drinking water coming from all of these sources.

A study commissioned by the World Wildlife Fund International found that bottled water is not safer or healthier than tap water. The study concluded that some bottled water only differs from tap water merely by the fact that is distributed in bottles rather than through pipes.

If you have any questions or concerns about your tap water you can contact your community water supplier. The Center for Disease Control requires that every community water supplier provide an annual report, sometimes called a Consumer Confidence Report, or “CCR,” to its customers. This report provides information on local drinking water quality, including the water’s source, contaminants found in the water, and how consumers can get involved in protecting their drinking water.

Just remember though, you should always be aware of any boil water advisories, in the event that water supplies in your area become contaminated.

Now that you know your tap water is safe, make sure the pipes it gets to you through are always well maintained. We are here to help you with any repairs.

Contact Eastern Plumbing: With over 15 years of service experience, we have helped thousands of homeowners in Eastern, NC with their plumbing needs. Our top-notch plumbing technicians can accurately diagnose and quickly fix any plumbing problem you may have.

We’re available 24/7 for any plumbing emergency, contact Eastern Plumbing today.

Buying a Home – Alerts and Signals

Posted on by Eastern Plumbing

Buying a home can be one of the biggest financial and lifestyle risks of your life. You are not only digging into your pockets, but you are investing in a place you will call home. As the most popular time of year for new home purchases approaches, know the warning signs before you make such an impactful decision.

Check Structures

There are a variety of structures and hardware to check in the house buying a home.

Plumbing

Make sure to check the plumbing throughout the house thoroughly. This includes the pipes, water heater, water valve, waste system and faucets. The more information you can gather about the house’s plumbing, the less of a chance you will pay for it later.

Walls

Check all walls in the house. This includes the basement, attic, bedrooms, bathrooms and all other rooms in the house. Investigate for water damage, cracks, blemishes and anything that needs (or would have) to be fixed. Do not be fooled by a paint job. Another component of this is windows. Open and close all windows to see if any stick or won’t open at all.

Roof

To the best of your ability, do a full inspection of the roof. Look for leaks, holes, cheap material, gutters and other drawbacks. This has a direct impact on future costs as well as insurance.

Think Prospectively

The most important mindset you need to have when searching for a home, is to look ahead. Look at the features of the house and picture yourself living there. Examine the logistics of space and storage, both the inside and the outside.

Space

This includes space in the house like bedrooms, kitchens, bathrooms and closets as well as outside the house like the yard, garage and driveway. Make sure that you don’t figure out that the house has too much or too little space in certain areas after you closed on the home.

Storage

This also includes inside and outside the house. Cabinets, drawers, attics, basements, sheds, barns are all examples of areas that you should include in your checklist. Storage is so important to people with families and it needs to be an area of focus when making your decision.

Use Your Senses

As you’re making decisions about your possible new home, be observant. Use your senses to detect anything that is out of the ordinary and make sure to be diligent.

Smell

Throughout the house, there are certain warning signs that can be realized by certain smells. One of these is a fresh paint job. While new paint is a good thing by itself, that could also mean it is covering something up. Another smell to be aware of is mildew. This is more likely in bathrooms and basements, and something that needs to be addressed as soon as possible before it leads to a mold problem. Sewage problems can also result in a stench that should not be ignored. This could indicate a pipe or drain problem.

Touch

Touch everything that you can (within reason). The more that you can get your hands on, the more information you are going to gather. A good rule of thumb is to perform as many daily activities as possible that you would if you lived in that home. This will help you build a portfolio of what may need a second look before going further with the house. This also limits the surprise costs after you closed the deal.

Sight

In summation of all your senses, know what you’re looking at. If you see something out of place, or something that does not look right, do further research. Get to all parts of the house, in every crack and crevice and examine as much as you can. Use a flashlight, ladder or whatever you need to get a quality look at as much as possible.

Examine the Land

If you are buying a house in conjoined with land, then that means you have more work to do. Get outside and comb through the surrounding area to make sure it is going to be the right as well as spot potential problems.

Neighborhood

If your prospective home is located in a residential neighborhood, be sure to get to know the area. Look around, talk to the people and get a general feel of what the community is like. Make sure it’s a good fit for you and your family before putting down your roots there.

Yard

Check the yard for holes, pest problems, buried animals, vegetation issues, downward slope (could cause water damage) towards the house and every part of the land. This is the area that you, your kids and your pets are going to play, hang out and exercise. Make sure that there are no safety hazards to you or your house and make sure to look for problems with the septic system.

Get Help From a Professional

Make sure to get the help of a professional when examining a potential new house. This is especially true when dealing with parts of the house that you are not highly knowledgeable about. For example, hiring a plumbing or electrical expert may help in identifying future problems. It will also help with not getting tricked by staging. The other party involved may have the help of a staging expert, which can be geared towards hiding negative aspects of the house.

Make sure to make a list of things that need to be fixed while examining the house. After your list is completed, work hard to communicate that each needs to be fixed before closing. It is vital to address all problems before moving forward so that there are no costs that could have been avoided. After the deal is done, you will have limited options, so have a plan in place beforehand and a list of deal breakers.

Call Eastern Plumbing before your home search. We’d be happy to guide you through your review of a possible future home.

Liquid Drain Cleaners – Risks

Posted on by Eastern Plumbing

 

When it comes to unclogging your drains, liquid drain cleaners are easiest. They are effective and time efficient. But while they save time now, they will cost you later. After several uses, liquid chemical drain cleaners can have damaging effects to you and your plumbing.

Dangers of Chemical Cleaners

Liquid drain cleaners can have negative effects on your drains and health. Each liquid cleaner is different in its chemical makeup and its subsequent effects.

Drains

Because liquid chemical cleaners are designed to dissolve things like hair and fingernails, they can cause damage to unwanted things as well. If they get on surrounding wood or countertops, this could result in damages. Damage to your pipes themselves can also be a side effect. The chemicals in the cleaner can eat away at the pipes and result in corrosion and weakening. The bigger the clog the greater the effects due to the length of time the chemicals are stagnant and “eating.” So while the clog may have been fixed, over time this could lead to a much bigger problem down the road.

Health

Due to the harmful effects chemical drain cleaners have on steel pipes, it is not farfetched to realize they can have harmful effects on you as well. The same chemicals that can eat away at clogs and pipes can have detrimental effects on your skin, clothes and anything it touches. The main ingredient in most chemical drain cleaners is either sodium hydroxide or sulphuric acid. Both of these are highly toxic and can lead to severe health problems if ingested by swallowing or breathing. If the chemicals get on your skin or eyes, burns and blindness can occur.

There can also be very harmful effects if chemical drain cleaners mix with other household chemicals. This can happen with something already poured down the drain or something nearby. When this happens, there is a chance of an explosive reaction that can cause any number of issues and concerns.

Better Alternatives

Instead of risking the health of your pipes and body, choose one of the alternatives to liquid chemical drain cleaners.

Enzyme Cleaners

Enzyme drain cleaners are safer liquid drain cleaners that do not contain harmful chemicals. These cleaners contain bacteria that interact with the clogs and break them down. These concentrated enzymes also kill the organic matter that can cause bad odor.  While these might be slower than chemical cleaners, they are safer to pipes and you.

Another advantage of enzyme cleaners is that they are biodegradable and environmentally-friendly. Once these bacteria are sprayed or poured, they activate and start to multiply. After the job is done, these bacteria die and are completely safe for the environment.

Physical De-Cloggers

Unclogging your drain physically yourself is much safer than chemical drain cleaners. There are no chemicals involved or harmful side effects. This can be done with a plunger, drain snake or physically removing the pipe among other methods. This eliminates the risk of pouring something down the drain.

Contact a Professional

Clogged drains can be a very tricky problem. The best solution is to enlist the help of a professional. Contact Eastern Plumbing today and we’ll get you up and running normally.

4 Reasons to Hire a Professional Drain Cleaner

Posted on by Eastern Plumbing

 

With summer quickly approaching, your home’s plumbing drains are more susceptible to being clogged. Kids are home from school and will most likely get into some mischief around the house. Beach trips have become the norm and washing off sand in the shower can build up over time. Bathroom drains seem like an easy thing to fix yourself, but there are many benefits to leaving the task to a professional drain cleaner like Eastern Plumbing.

  1. Safety.
    Chemical cleansers are dangerous and can lead to serious injury if not handled with care. Even store-bought tools won’t perform an adequate job and can also be hazardous without proper training. An experienced plumber like Eastern Plumbing handles hundreds of clogged drains every year and knows how to treat the issue safely.
  2. Efficiency.
    Store-bought solutions don’t always treat the clog the way it should. In many cases, the clog can lead to more plumbing issues down the line. Professionals have access to speciality equipment and can treat the clog right the first time.
  3. Saves money.
    When you use chemical cleansers, you could potentially damage plumbing pipes or other components of your system. This can lead to costly repairs. Eastern Plumbing is licensed and bonded and offers quality work, ensuring that your pipes aren’t inadvertently damaged while repairing a drain.
  4. Experience.
    Having a properly working drain is an important part of our daily lives. When your drain gets backed up, it makes simple household tasks more difficult. When choosing a drain cleaning service, it’s wise to choose a well reviewed, experienced, established and insured service. If you choose not to hire a professional, you could end up spending a lot more money in the long run.
If you have a clogged drain in your kitchen or bathroom, give the experts at Eastern Plumbing a call. We have the experience and skills to fix the problem right the first time, every time.