Category: Plumbing

We all get busy in the summertime. Whether we’re trying to soak up as much sunshine and relaxation as humanly possible or trying to turn our backyard into an over-the-top oasis, our plates are usually full.

On top of all of our planned projects, we also have to deal with unexpected hardships like droughts or floods, extreme heat, and insects.

With so much on our mind, it’s no wonder that small maintenance tasks for our plumbing and water fixtures fall by the wayside. This summer, carve out a little bit of time for your outdoor essentials.

Routine Inspections Are Always a Good Idea

While you should always have an expert contractor performing any installations inside and outside your home, you don’t have to be a pro to perform routine inspections. In many cases, you can detect a repair concern on your own, by looking for warning signs like:

• Rust buildup.
• Low water pressure.
• Minor or major leaks.
• Puddling water.
• Overly green grass.

Because we don’t spend a ton of time outdoors throughout the year, when you do, you want to be sure everything’s working as it should. By detecting problems early, you could protect your home from those major emergencies.

What About Your Outdoor Plumbing?

One of the most common types of outdoor plumbing is the simple spigot on the outside of your home. Before you attach your hose to the tap, you should let the water flow out for a few minutes.

Watch it carefully to see if the flow is as high as it should be. If there are dramatic fluctuations in the water pressure, or it’s consistently low, you could have an obstruction somewhere deeper in your plumbing.

Outdoor clogs are not as easy to DIY fix as indoor clogs, so you should schedule an appointment with a professional right away. You should never ignore a leak because the chances are good that it will turn into a more significant issue if you keep running water through a faulty spigot. Water could leak into your exterior walls and cause mold and mildew inside your home, or worse.

The same issues could be present in your sprinkler system. When you run it for the first time each summer, watch it carefully to make sure that the water pressure stays constant. It’s easier to fix a problem right away than it is to replace an entire system of pipes that have burst because a clog was creating too much pressure.

Outdoor Fixture Replacement Services

If you’ve forgotten about your outdoor fixtures for too many years, they’ll reach a point where they’re beyond repair. If you see any of the following signs, it’s time to purchase new ones:

• Excess Rust: When it comes to plumbing, too much rust is never a good thing. Not only will it lower your water quality, but in some cases, it will prevent you from using things like your hose.
• Water Leaks: A small leak can cost thousands in wasted water. Whether it’s a small drip or a cascade of water, be sure to address it quickly.
• Low Water Pressure: If your hose gets little to no water, it could be a more serious issue than you thought. Whether it’s pipe replacement or fixture installations, expert service is needed.

We get that life is busy. If you’d rather spend your valuable time on other projects that you enjoy, schedule an appointment so we can do your outdoor fixture repair and replacement for you.

If you didn’t happen to get lucky recently and walked into a horrifying bathroom. Then we have a couple of tips for you. If you’ve ever been in this situation, it helps to know how you can do your part to keep bathrooms looking great for other people.

Or, even if you just so happen to be perfect, you might know someone who makes bathrooms a terrible mess….if so, you can print out this article and “accidentally” leave it somewhere they will find it! Because it’s not just the mess, but the plumbing emergency that can take over afterwards!

Keep Your Toilet Clean

After using the restroom, you should always pause for a moment and inspect the toilet. Did you drip all over the seat or all over the floor? Did you remember to flush the toilet, or double-flush if necessary?

If you can honestly say you would be proud to show the toilet to the person you love most, or that you’d have no problem using it again, feel free to pat yourself on the back and leave.  But if you made a mess, it’s a good idea to clean it up so the next person doesn’t need to suffer.

Think Before You Flush, There is a Bin!

There are a ton of items that never should be flushed down a toilet. Tampons, napkins, and other feminine hygiene items, as well as “flushable” items like bathroom wipes, are on a long list of items that never should be flushed down a toilet.

Any product other than your own waste and toilet paper has the potential to cause a clog in your pipes or a problem in your septic tank. If it’s a public restroom, then you might be responsible for costing your favorite establishment tons of money.

If a clog causes severe enough damage, then an expensive job called repiping would be necessary, because the situation has escalated to needing to remove and replace pipes to fix a clog. As you can imagine, it’s a messy job.

The Carelessness Conundrum

If you had too many drinks, you might not have cared about how the bathroom looked and might have aimed haphazardly. Carelessness begets carelessness.

Think about it: peeing all over might have caused the next person to also pee carelessly, and then next someone maybe forgot to flush the toilet or tossed a non-flushable item into the toilet.

Pretty soon the stall sits there unused and reviled, grossing out everyone who sees it until either it’s cleaned or someone is so desperate they use it anyway. If the situation gets bad enough, a plumbing emergency might happen, which again could cost you or a business unnecessary expense if a toilet is damaged from clogs or neglect.

Now that you know, it’s time to make a resolution to do your part to be a courteous bathroom user. You can start by cleaning up messes you make on a toilet, on a urinal, and around the bathroom sink. You can feel good knowing that you’re helping the problem and not contributing to it.

Remember, if you have the misfortune of having a plumbing emergency befall you due to system aging, personal neglect, or a drunk friend, call Warhold Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning at (724) 382-4844. If the need to repipe the bathroom or unclog a toilet befalls you, you can be assured of our competitive prices and dedication to good service that will bail you out of your predicament.

Are you in the market for an upgraded kitchen or bathroom sink? Do you have tons of options without any way to narrow the search down? Upgrading your home is always a challenge, but it doesn’t have to take away from the fun!

When you install new sinks in your home you can add value, convenience, and some serious style easily and quickly. But if you don’t have an idea on what you want or like, how do you even start? Finding a sink is mainly about researching and comparison.

That unique sink you may have wanted could actually cost you more than it’s actually worth, and won’t offer the same benefits as other models. So if you’re looking for a little more guidance in this selection process, read on to learn more!

What’s The Right Sink For Your Home?

The right sink for your home is one that fits your style, space, and needs. While this may seem vague, it’s helpful to narrow down what you’re looking for. You may have an idea for a look you want in your home or there may be specific features you’re looking for. Regardless, it all helps the research process. There are tons of variations of sinks, including:

• Pedestal Sink: Ideal for a luxurious look to your bathroom, pedestal sinks cut out all the frills of cabinetry, and offer a focal point for your entire bathroom. These are also ideal for homes with smaller space.
• Undermount Sinks: When it comes to kitchen sinks, the undermount style is the most common. If you’ve spent a good amount of your remodeling budget on granite or marble counters, you want to showcase them, and nothing helps more than an undermount sink.
• Farmhouse Sink: If you’re looking for that rustic look, go with the farmhouse. Available in brass and copper, these sinks have an exposed front that can help contrast in your kitchen.
• Vessel Sinks: Sitting above your countertop, vessel sinks are on the modern side of things. You can find them in a glass, stone, and metal variant, and are ideal for larger bathrooms with plenty of counter space.

As you can see, the options are limitless, which is why research is the most important starting point for your next project.

How Much do You Want to Spend on Your Sink

Now that you know what sink you’re looking for, it’s time to determine what you can spend. Setting a budget will help you narrow your options quickly.

It’s also important to look at the price in comparison to the amenities. If your sink is small on space but costs more than a larger model, then it might not be right for your home.

Similarly, it’s always a good idea to look for deals that include cabinetry or fixtures, as this can all help you save more on your remodeling project.

Find a Plumbing Store Near You

Once you’re ready to get your sink, you’re going to need to find a local plumbing store to get it. Be sure to find out whether or not they have your specific model and if they offer assistance with the installation process.

Another option is also calling a local plumbing company like Warhold Plumbing, Heating, and Air Conditioning. We offer a quality installation process that includes helping you choose your sink too!

Think your friends and family may need help too? Be sure to share this blog and give us a call to schedule your appointment today!

Have you ever thought you’d see the words “professional plumbing” and “art” used in the same sentence? If you take a deeper look at the word art it’s not hard to see how it all comes together.

Modern buildings today have plumbing systems that can be considered works of art. Architectural plumbing, water structures, and fountains, even water-themed parks can be considered artistic expressions.

Designing plumbing systems like these using new plumbing technologies requires imagination and ingenuity. It requires more than just a plumber’s license. It requires skill and knowledge, and an eye for symmetry and style.

Plumbing as an Artform

The choices builders make when designing a structure affect the plumbing system as well.

It starts with a design that conserves our planet’s water and energy resources. Good design includes state-of-the-art materials.

A plumbing design must include the system that supplies water and the one that removes the waste.

Water tunnels, geysers, water fountains, wave machines, rafting rides – there are many ways to express innovation, creativity, and smart engineering. Some water fountains have been praised by many as beautiful works of art.

Did you know we can design and sculpt frozen water? Obviously, these works of art do not last very long, but they still produce a strong emotional and visual impression. Water is used for short-lived works of art which represent the modern evolution of sculpture.

Incorporating lights, sound, and smells with objects, water is an expression of art. Some modern artists will go further by allowing the ice sculptures to melt to create the alarming effects of a work “in ruins.”

Suburban Uses of Artistic Plumbing

Every new construction requires a plumbing design that can be used by everyone.

This requires some creative imagination by the engineers and contractors who are doing the construction.

It starts with a design that incorporates many varieties of water features, from drinking fountains to pools, to designed lakes to sewer drains. The design and blueprint of such a construction can be easily mistaken for a work of art. It takes ingenuity and imagination to design a plumbing system for a modern building.

An architect’s blueprint is a specialized drawing of a building that is considered architecture. Architectural drawings are used by plumbers and builders for many reasons. They develop a design idea into a coherent plan to express ideas and concepts.

Art in Modern Residential & Commercial Plumbing

Modern buildings will incorporate water fountains in their outdoor design.

Often they are the centerpiece of a garden or yard, while others are built into walls or fences to create the impression that they are buried there.

Sometimes, water fountains are added to swimming pools to resemble waterfalls. The possibilities are endless when creating art with water and plumbing.

To learn more about how plumbing can be used as an art form, call Warhold Plumbing, Heating, and Air Conditioning in Greensburg, PA at (724) 382-4844. Their plumbing experts can help guide you to create a creative and artistic water feature for your home.