Living with a leaky faucet is one of the easiest ways to waste money. Faucets leak for many reasons and people put off fixing them for just as many reasons. Although we won’t argue that you’re busy, if you want to keep more money in your pocket and protect your plumbing then you have to get that leaky tap fixed now!

Keep reading to learn more about the primary problems that cause leaky faucets. Then, call My Sunnyvale Plumber Hero to schedule a service call.

Bad Washer

All faucets have a valve seat that is activated every time the faucet is turned on. With repeated usage, the washer in this area will eventually begin to wear down. When we get calls for a leaky faucet, this is one of the first things we look for since it’s the most common problem.  Replacing a washer is very easy and doesn’t take any time at all.

Old Inlet and Outlet Seals

Seals play an important part in how well a faucet functions. These small parts are usually the first to show signs of wear and tear because it’s the perfect spot for sediment to build up. One way to prevent seals from breaking prematurely is to clean the sediment from the faucet.  Our trusty plumbers can help you do this, or you can do it yourself if you’re handy.

A Loose Nut

When it comes to fast repairs, this one wins hands down. A loose nut will cause water to drip from the tap at a decent rate. All you need in your toolbox is a wrench or pair of pliers to tighten this nut.

Bad O-Ring

The handle to your faucet is held in place by a disc and a screw. The disk is called the O-ring. Repeated usage will loosen the disc after a while. What comes next is leakage around the handle. If this sounds like what you’re experiencing, replacing the O-ring should fix the problem.

Amateur Installation

Repairing and replacing faucet parts may seem like an easy job for anyone to do. If you’re handy and have a little plumbing knowledge, then go for it! Unfortunately, not everyone has these skills and the result is a faucet that doesn’t work quite right. If you’re having problems with drips and you recently installed a new faucet, you may want to call a plumber to double-check the work.

Corrosion

Sediment, which we talked about earlier, is an enemy to your plumbing system. It can corrode valve seats, aerators, and other parts of a faucet. A small amount of sediment is to be expected. However, if you’re constantly replacing parts to your faucet due to corrosion, you may want to consider having your water’s hardness level tested. Excessively hard water is not only damaging to faucets but other parts of your plumbing system.

Broken Pipes

This is the least common reason for a faucet leak, but it does happen every now and again. Pipes that are severed can affect the water pressure and the first sign may be a leaky faucet.

Call for Emergency Plumbing Services

A leaky faucet may not seem like your typical plumbing emergency. Yet, the longer you wait to take care of this problem, the more likely it is that you’ll end up with other problems. Give one of our licensed and bonded plumbers in Sunnyvale near you a call today to get the ball rolling on leaky faucet repair and replacement.

Are you taking proper measures to protect your floor drains? These drains are usually found in the following spaces in the home:

• Laundry rooms
• Basements
• Garages
• Laundry rooms
• Driveways
• Patio

It’s common to find floor drains in areas where fast water drainage is important.

Floor drain maintenance isn’t hard, but it’s a task that often gets overlooked. Taking care of floor drains is important because keeping the drains clear prevents flooding from back ups and goes a long way toward helping homeowners keep expensive water damage at bay.

Keep Traps Full

The floor drains in your home are installed to take care of overflow from water heaters, toilets, and other fixtures in your home. The outdoor floor drains take care of moving water away from concrete or other services after rainstorms or from irrigation systems. In addition to moving water away from the home, these drains also stop sewer gases and odors from getting into the house.

To ensure that gases and odors stay out of the the home, the floor drain traps must have water inside of them. When floor drains dry out, they can make your home smell terrible. If you have floor drains that aren’t used often, make a habit of pouring a gallon of water into the floor drain once a month.

Clear Clogs ASAP

Floor drains are highly susceptible to clogs. Debris on the floor can get into the drain and cause clogs. Sweeping around the floor drains regularly keeps dirt and dust out of the drains.

However, sometimes, clogs still form. As soon as you notice any slow draining, you need to clear the clog to minimize the risk of flooding. To do this, use a plunger to try and clear minor clogs. If this doesn’t work, a homemade concoction of vinegar and baking soda may work or you can use a handheld, personal drain auger.

For serious clogs that can’t be cleared using household methods, we’re here for you. We offer professional drain cleaning services in Sunnyvale, CA, that clears the toughest floor drain clogs.

Clean the Drains Often

While we recommend professional floor drain cleaning once a year, it’s still important for homeowners to clean these drains themselves several times a year. At least once every quarter, clean up around the drains and pour the homemade solution of baking soda and vinegar mentioned earlier into the drains. Follow up with a gallon of hot water.

For professional floor drain cleaning service, call My Sunnyvale Plumber Hero. We offer annual drain service that keep all the drains in your home clear to prevent serious drainage issues.

You use your home’s plumbing every day. From washing dishes and bathing to watering plants and doing laundry, you rely on your home’s plumbing.  Since we use our plumbing so much it’s not surprising that you might encounter plumbing problems from time to time.

Our plumbers in Sunnyvale are always here for you . But how do you know when to call an emergency plumber?  Here are some reasons to place that call right now.

Sewage Backups

There’s nothing fun about a sewage backup. Luckily, if you do have a backup in your home, a quick call to our offices will get this nasty problem cleaned up ASAP. If you think your sewage system isn’t working well, call our emergency plumbers.  We’ll figure out what the problem is and fix it quickly to get your home’s sewer system running well again in no time.

Clogged Toilets

A clogged toilet doesn’t always seem like an emergency, but when you can’t use the bathroom, it is. If you have something stuck in the toilet and the plunger won’t clear the clog,  our emergency plumbers can help. We tackle all kinds of toilet problems and have advanced tools to clear the toughest clogs.

Leaky Faucets

One of the most common problems our plumbers deal with are leaky faucets. If you’re faucet is dripping and driving you crazy, let a plumber take a look at the problem. Even small faucet leaks waste water.  24-hour plumbers like our fix faucets fast. We repair shower heads, bathtub, and sink faucets.

Broken Pipes

Your home’s pipes are the foundation of your residential plumbing system. If you have older pipes, they may develop a leaks or even burst. If you find yourself in this situation, depend on our experts to respond fast and deliver professional pipe repair options at reasonable prices.

Sump Pump Repair

Does your home have a sump pump? If it does, you rely on the pump to work and keep your basement or lower level dry. In the unfortunate event that your sump pump stops working, call our emergency plumbers in Sunnyvale to fix it ASAP. We can even recommend battery back-up pump or water pump options to make sure you never experience a flood because of a damaged pump or one that’s lost power.

My Sunnyvale Plumber Hero is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Call us when you need us and we’ll get to you in a hurry!

Homeowners who are looking for ways to upgrade their homes to be more energy-efficient shouldn’t overlook the benefits of new plumbing installation. Smart appliances, smart thermostats, and other energy-saving methods are great for your electric bill, but what your water bill? In Sunnyvale, water conservation is at the forefront of many people’s minds. One way that you can use less water is to consider low-flow bathroom faucet installation.

So, what’s stopping you from going the low-flow route? At My Sunnyvale Plumber Hero, we know that a lot of people are hesitant to install these plumbing fixtures because they are under the impression that usage will be negatively affected. Here are some answers to frequently asked questions our licensed plumbers receive every day regarding switching from regular faucets to state-of-the-art, low-flow fixtures.

How Do Low-flow Faucets Really Use less Water?

Yes, they do! Low-flow faucets that have the WaterSense label put out no more than 1.5 gallons of water per minute. A regular faucet can put out over 3 gallons or more per minute. That seems unbelievable, but it’s true. Today’s low-flow faucets come equipped with aerators that restrict flow rates anywhere from .05 – 1.5 gallons per minute.

Will I Experience the Same Water Pressure?

That’s a common concern among people who are switching from old plumbing fixtures to low-flow fixtures. Because these fixtures add pressure to the water flow most people will never notice a decrease in flow. Manufacturers of low-flow bathroom and kitchen faucets have gone to incredible lengths to design a product that is beneficial to the environment without reducing convenience and comfort.

Will Low-flow Bathroom Faucet Installation in Sunnyvale Really Save Me Money?

The numbers don’t lie. According to the EPA, nationwide savings on water bills averages $350 million annually. As for individual results, those numbers vary depending on many factors. At My Sunnyvale Plumber Hero, we’ve worked with homeowners who have experienced a 700-gallon savings over the year. That is a substantial savings!

Give us a call today and we’ll send one of our expertly-trained Sunnyvale plumbers to your home to discuss all your options. We’re here 24/7 to make it convenience for you!

Discovering a slab leak right away is the difference between a minor plumbing repair and a costly one. My Sunnyvale Plumber Hero works with homeowners daily helping them detect these illusive leaks that can eat away at a home’s structure. In this article, we’ll go over what a slab leak is and how to spot the signs that you may need water pipe repair.

How Slab Leaks Form

These leaks begin in the water pipe under a home’s foundation. No house is immune to a slab leak. Whether you have a basement or not, there is a maze of water pipes that run underneath the your home that can rupture or form tiny, hairline cracks that can be just as damaging. Slab leaks usually form over time and can be caused by one or more of the following:

• Aging pipes
• Corroded material
• Inconsistent water pressure
• Hard water
• Misaligned piping
• Poorly installed piping

Diagnosing the slab leak is just one step. To prevent the situation from returning, a licensed water pipe leak detection expert must determine what caused the problem in the first place to make repairs and assure it won’t happen again.

Signs You Have a Slab Leak

The problem with hidden leaks like these is that they can take a while to show themselves. Therefore, it’s up to homeowners to pay close attention to slight changes in their home’s plumbing operations to catch this problem early. Here are some questions to ask yourself:

• Is my water bill higher than normal?
• Do I hear rushing water when I’m not using the water?
• Are there soft spots on my flooring?
• Have I noticed a damp, musty smell in my house and not sure where it’s coming from?

If you can answer yes to any of these questions, pick up the phone and call a Sunnyvale plumber for immediate leak detection. One of our 24 hour plumbers will get to your home with all the equipment and tools needed to detect a slab leak and perform water pipe leak repair today!

Whether you are a homeowner or renter, it’s always a good idea to keep an eye on your plumbing system and note any unusual performance. Spotting the early warning signs of an issue with your plumbing can save you a lot of time, frustration and expenses later on. If you believe your system is not operating correctly, call My Sunnyvale Plumber Hero to schedule an inspection and conduct sewer line repair as necessary to solve the problem.

Symptoms of Serious Sewer Problems

Slow Draining Throughout Home

Blockages of the main sewer line impact every drain in the house, so it’s one of the symptoms that you are likely to notice first. Clogs that start out blocking only one drain will obstruct additional fixtures and appliances as they move further into the system. You should always deal with blockages as soon as possible to keep them out of the main sewer line.

Persistent Foul Odor

If you notice a powerful, unusual odor in your basement or around your home, then it could be from gas or liquids leaking from sewer lines. Even if your home has a local septic system, damage to the sewer lines may cause waste to seep out prematurely.

Structural Water Damage

A sewer line leak can have a profound impact on your home. In some cases, prolonged exposure to moisture and erosion can crack the foundation of the house. Be alert for pooling water or consistent moisture in unusual places inside and outside the home.

Take Action to Solve Sewer Issues Fast

When you are struggling with a leak, blockage or other sewer problem, you should turn to the professional plumbers at My Sunnyvale Plumber Hero for effective and affordable solutions. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to address urgent service calls. Give us a call to schedule an appointment or request a no-obligation estimate for your sewer line repair job today!