Category Archives: Home Tips

Septic Tank Pump Out – Why it is Important?

Hiring a reliable septic tank pump out service is essential for households with septic systems. Without regular pumping of the septic tank, there is a risk of system failure. If the septic system fails, it can cause you a lot of trouble in terms of property damage and repair costs.

Here’ why septic tank pump out is important.

To Avoid System Failure

Septic tanks process the wastewater from the household drains. It separates the solids from the liquid waste. The fats and the greasy stuff float above and accumulate at the top of the wastewater. Some types of solid waste are processed by the bacteria in the tank, turning them into liquids, sludge, or gases. Anything that is not processed remains at the bottom of the tank.

The separated water goes out of the tank via the drainfield. But the remaining solids can accumulate over the years and overflow eventually. Excessive solid accumulation can also cause the septic system to completely fail.

So, it is crucial to inspect and pump out the septic tank periodically. How often you will need to do this will depend on the type, and the size of the tank as well as the wastewater flow into it on a daily basis.

A septic tank cleaning professional can inspect your system and inform you about the timeframe for the system’s pumping. Depending on the septic system, it can be anywhere between 1 to 5 years between each pumping. Regular septic tanks may require pumping every 3-5 years. Ones with electric switches or some mechanical parts may require pumping more often.

So, maintaining a septic tank doesn’t require a lot of hassle or yearly costs. With periodic inspections and pump outs (scheduled as needed), you can avoid the septic system from malfunctioning completely.

To Prevent Unnecessary Expenses

Septic tank system failure can lead to heavy expenses. It is very expensive to replace a septic system. It can be even quite costly to repair the system if there is extensive damage inside it. Even replacing one or more components of the system can cost you a great deal.

You also cannot avoid repairing or replacing the septic system. Regular pump outs can be helpful to avoid such expenses. The cost of periodic (every few years) septic tank pump outs is miniscule compared with the cost of repairing or replacing the entire system.

Replacing conventional septic systems is less expensive than alternative systems. But both the costs can be significant for the average household.

To Protect your Property

Overflowing septic tanks can damage your lawn and other nearby areas on your property. Wastewater accumulation can damage the plants, soil, and any area of open land in and around your house.

Unstable or malfunctioning septic systems will also definitely lower the cost of your property. Any damage on the property will also require repairs, costing you money or devaluing your property.

To Avoid Legal Hassles

Not maintaining the septic tank on your property with regular pumping can also lead to fines or compliance issues depending on the municipal laws in your areas. Such hassles can affect the value of your property.

Even your neighbors can file a complaint against you if the overflowing scum from your poorly-maintained septic system is causing contamination risk to the groundwater. Even the foul stench from the untreated or overflowing sewage can be problematic for you and your neighbors.

To Keep the Groundwater and the Environment Safe

When the septic tanks are not pumped out properly or regularly, the waste inside it can contaminate the groundwater. Groundwater contamination can cause diseases and harm both human and animal lives. When the sewage inside the septic tanks is not treated properly, it can even contaminate surface waters in the nearby areas. Surface water contamination can cause infections of different kinds.

Wastewater that has not been treated properly will eventually pollute the water bodies and cause harm to the aquatic life. The toxins can enter the marine life and be fatal for them. If not, then the same toxin can enter human bodies by way of consuming the fish containing the toxin.

Four Methods for Effective Rodent Control

Rodents are among the most high-risk pests that you will ever encounter. Due to their small sizes, they can squeeze into your house from barely noticeable entry points, and they can gnaw almost everything in sight. From your interior fittings to your furniture to your electronic appliances to your clothing to your food supplies, rats and mice can destroy it all. Not only that, but they will also mark everything with their saliva, fur, feces, and urine. As rodents carry disease-causing bacteria and viruses, the resulting contamination can bring about serious health problems.

Rodents have a well-developed sense of smell, and they can track and follow pheromones secreted by other rats. So, if you have one or two rats in your house, you can soon expect the numbers to double or treble and keep growing. And, once you have a pattern of rats drawing other rats to your home, it can be an uphill task to get rid of them.

To avoid becoming a statistic in rodent-caused destruction, you must take proactive steps in keeping rodents out of your house. As rodent-proofing your home can be difficult and time-consuming, you should search online for rodent control near me and hire an experienced local company to undertake it for you.

The most effective rodent control method is preventing the entry of rodents in your home in the first place. Here are four ways in which the company team will do that:

1. Seal up entry points

The first step in rodent control is carrying out a detailed search inside and around your home, and noting the number of the holes, cracks, and openings through which rats and mice could potentially enter your home. The company team will then implement the appropriate solutions to seal up these entry points. They may close smaller holes with steel wool or copper mesh and larger holes with metal sheeting or hardware clothing, and seal the openings further with caulk or mortar.

They may fix metal plates to door and window edges to prevent rodents from gnawing holes in them, and fit caps over chimneys and metal rings around vertical pipes to discourage rodents from climbing up them. Painting glossy paint across the bottom halves of walls can also prevent rodents from clambering over them to enter your house.

2. Neutralize rodent pheromones

After sealing all possible entry points, the rodent control team will clean and decontaminate the areas around them with water, disinfectant, and bleach to get rid of any lingering rodent pheromones. That will ensure that there is no longer any scent for other rats to follow and track all the way to your house.

You will soon notice a significant reduction in the numbers of rats that congregate at your place. To keep them down, have the rodent control team carry out periodical clean-ups.

3. Clean up the garden

Trees, shrubs, and creepers that grow too close to your house can serve as conduits for rats and mice to gain entry into your home. To prevent that, the rodent control company team will cut back tree branches, trim shrubs, and remove creepers that climb up your walls. That will make it harder for rodents to get in.

If you have heaped leaves or compost piles close to your house, they will move them further away. On your part, keep the grass mowed and, if you have fruit trees, gather and dispose of fallen fruit. Don’t leave grains in the bird feeder or pet food lying around. If you keep garbage bins outside, make sure they have well-secured lids. You don’t want to make it easy for rats and mice to find food on your property.

4. Remove water sources

As rodents thrive in areas with easy access to water, it is advisable not to have any open water bodies too close to your home. If there are leaking pipes, faucets, and drains, the rodent control team may be able to fix them and make them rodent proof.

By implementing the combination of these four rodent control preventive measures, the company team can prevent a full-scale rodent invasion on your property. You will be able to safeguard your home, your belongings, and your health.

What Should You Look for While Finding a Plumber?

When you are planning to start any construction, one of the important things you consider is to find skilled contractors. Building a home is an investment, and you must make sure that you have the right resources for your project. However, in most cases, you will find that the majority of the contractors specialize only in different areas of construction. In addition to hiring skilled contractors for your project, you must also look for experienced plumbers. What type of services will you be receiving from plumbers? In your bathroom, you need a shower and a sink. They can also help with your toilet installation.  When it comes to the kitchen, they can easily install most of the equipment required in the modern kitchen. You must understand there are several reasons why you need a plumber. Please continue reading to know some of the important steps to choose the best plumber in Orange.

Does the firm have a license from a verified authority?

Choose a plumbing service that holds a license from an authorized trade body. This ensures that you are on the safer side, and any unforeseen incidents can happen with unskilled technicians. These trade organizations maintain a standard and employ trained professionals only.

Check for endorsements and certifications

When looking for plumbers in Pomona, ask for their certificates or accreditations. You will get to know how much plumbing work they can do for you.

Ensure that the plumber not only has insurance but the right insurance

Depending on state laws, master plumbers need to carry liability insurance. For instance, in Texas, a master plumber should have a minimum of 300,000 dollars for general liability coverage. In some areas, the dollar value of the job helps to determine the type of license required. If you go to West Virginia, you will find that an individual or a company must be holding a plumbing contractor’s license for jobs for more than 2500 dollars. The contractor’s license needs to pass the master plumber’s exam as well as the particular state’s law and business exam. Some states provide permission to plumbers to specialize in areas like backflow assemblies, irrigation, or residential plumbing. Certification usually becomes one form of an endorsement and needs additional testing.

 

A quote over the phone works, but it is best to get a written quotation based on the physical inspection of the job

According to a reputed plumber in Orange, a good plumber will visit your house and discuss your expectations and needs. Then the contractor will be doing a visual inspection for determining the scope of the project. After inspection, a written quote will be given to you that provide all the plumbing services needed and the associated costs. The plumber will be walking you through the quote and discuss the payment options.

Experience

Before hiring, please check the experience of the plumbing service firm. Before finalizing, ask how long they are in this business. This will give you an idea about their ability to fixing your problem. Get to know all the plumbing services and ask the service charges. Before settling on one company, it will be better if you compare the rates from other firms. This will help you to know the standard rates for each service in this industry.

Having a Good Reputation

A good reputation or image of a firm speaks a lot. If a company can provide a lot of references, then this is the best way of judging the reputation of a company. Generally, the plumbing firms depend a lot through word of mouth marketing. If the company has happy clients, then it would readily provide you with references. References will help you to understand their cost, punctuality and work ethics.

Emergency Plumbers Round the Clock

When looking for plumbing service, you must clarify with them whether they have the option of providing emergency service at any time of the day. Anytime accidents can occur, so ensure that you need not have to wait for long seven to eight hours for a plumber in Orange to arrive.

Customer Support

Finally, you need to check how responsive their customer support team is. During emergencies, do they receive the call and respond to the messages?

How to Clean a Grease Trap: Four Steps

A grease trap is an essential part of commercial kitchens. It helps segregate FOGs, namely food, oil, and grease that comes out through kitchen sinks before the wastewater is let out into the drainage. When maintained properly, these tools help keep the kitchen and restaurant functioning smoothly. However, if a routine cleaning or maintenance is not done, the trap can emanate foul smells, which can then seep into the air through sewage pipes. Many companies offer grease trap cleaning service for commercial kitchens, but if you choose to do it on your own, here is how you can perform the cleaning in 4 steps.

Identifying the grease trap

Before you begin cleaning your grease trap, you will first need to identify its location. Commercial grease traps are generally located outside the main building, near the walls where the kitchen dishwashers are installed. They are typically identified by covers that look similar to manhole or that of the septic tank. In the case of buildings that have a basement, grease traps may also be located within there, to protect it from the frost outside.

Steps to clean the grease trap

Once you have found the grease trap for your restaurant’s kitchen, here is how you can clean it.

# 1 – Cool water and remove lid

It is best to clean the grease trap first thing in the morning or after your restaurant has shut down for the day. If you choose to do the latter, wait till all other cleaning has been done, for you do not want the tank to be filling up while you are cleaning the grease trap. Next, wait for the water inside the tank to cool down. This helps ensure that all the water emptied from dishwashers and sinks settles to the bottom while the grease floats on top, making it easier to remove the solid waste from the tank. Slowly and gently remove the lid of the grease trap. You can do so with a crowbar or wrench, but remember to exercise caution. This is important because the lid contains gaskets, which, if damaged, may need replacement.

# 2 – Collect grease

The next step is to remove all the grease that has accumulated in the trap. But before you do so, stick a ruler to measure the thickness of the FOG build-up. This is necessary for reporting purposes to authorities. Once done, use a shop vacuum to suck out all the grease floating on top of the liquid. This prevents the fats from sticking on to the sides or baffles as the liquid gets removed from the tank. Next, suck out the water and food solids while also paying attention to how the shop vac is getting filled up, lest it ends up overflowing and dirtying your building with grease trap waste. Remove grease piled on the lids, sides, and baffles of the trap using a scraper. Also, remove large solidified pieces of oil and fat stuck in the trap. You could also use the shop vacuum for more thorough cleaning of the grease bits that are stuck to the trap.

# 3 – Scrub and shine

Once most of the grease has been removed or scraped off, get ready to scrub and shine the grease trap. Do so using soap, warm water, and a steel pot scrubber. Remember to thoroughly clean the sides, baffles, and other parts of the trap to eliminate odor and to ensure proper functioning. Afterward, flush the trap with clean water to remove debris and soap. Following this, pour a bucketful of clean water into the trap from the kitchen skin. If this water does not flow through freely, it may indicate a problem with the drainage pipes, which would need to be fixed by a professional plumber.

# 4 – Replace parts and dispose of waste

Once thoroughly clean, reinstall the parts of the grease trap with care. Dispose of the grease waste in a manner compliant with local laws. Most areas allow the liquid waste in the shop vacuum to be mixed with kitty litter and then disposed of in the garbage using a trash bag. Do so, if permitted, or using means as prescribed by the local authorities.

What Qualities Should You Look Out for in a Locksmith?

Why You Need an Expert Locksmith?

There are different types of locks and keys with different functional modes. Some of the traditional and modern locks have highly complex working methods. Sometimes, the occurred break down will be a bit trifle. Nevertheless, when the technician is unaware of the working method, for sure, there will be a complication, and the ensued work will not be perfect. Sometimes, the occurred break down is a trifle, but, when the technician is unaware of the working method, for sure the complication will be doubled. You must not depend on amateurs for rectifying the lock or key problems. It is always wise to avoid such greenhorn methods and pick professional locksmiths for doing the related tasks. When the technician fails to comprehend the occurred problem rightly, he will not be able to rectify it properly. Further, there is a possibility that the door will damage due to rough handling, which will create additional problems for you. Besides, there are different models of locks available in the present-day market, like the leading brands Schlage, American Locks, Medeco, Kwikset, Emtek, Mul-T-Lock, Baldwin, etc. The expertise of an expert locksmith Reseda is essential to repair or install such exclusive models.

What Qualities Should You Look Out For In A Locksmith?

 Trustworthiness: The dependability factor of the locksmith is one of the primary concerns that you will have to check. It is advisable to entrust all the tasks related to the lock installation or repair to a professional locksmith company. Let whatever be the nature of the task. Let the task be an emergency repair of the lock systems of some of the doors or complete overhauling of the entire doors of the building. However, the company must have earned the approval of the customers as regards the reliability factor.

 Practical Experience: The locksmith company must have a fairly sound knowledge about the operating mechanism of various locks and keys. When the technicians have thorough knowledge about the lock system, the repair work will be uncomplicated. The performed work will be flawless and will be a hundred percent perfect.

 Trained Technicians: The technicians who practically do the job must have undergone regular training and must be well aware of the present and past lock and key systems. Only properly trained technicians will be able to sort out things, as it should be. This awareness is necessary for doing prompt and right remedial measures.

 Proximity: You must make sure that the locksmith company with which you plan to hire is proximate to your residence. When the company is near to you, the technicians can easily reach your residence or office. At times of emergencies, this factor will be advantageous for you.

 Pricing: This factor is also significant. Remember, pricing is not a guarantee of quality work. The price may be high, but the quality need not be that much good. You must stay away from such companies. The pricing must be reasonable. You can compare the price tags of some leading companies for practical reasoning. This comparison will enable you to comprehend the presently applicable cost.

 Prompt Action: The employees of the company must arrive at the work spot quickly. The company must have the needed conveyance for the same. You don’t know when you will get a lock problem; it may happen during the late hours of the day or night. Hence, prompt action is a must.

Locksmith – Get in Touch with Experts

In Reseda, there are different types of architectural styles that have highly diverse types of locks and keys. Hence, the locksmith companies that operate in the area will have sufficient experience in rectifying all leading models of locks. However, to find the best locksmith Reseda, you must consider some factors. It is easy to find the leading local locksmiths in Reseda; a short Google search will provide you with a list of such locksmith companies. You must compare the services offered, the quality of services, and the pricing. In this way, you can select the top locksmith Reseda.