Blog - Blue Ribbon Plumbing

Sue White Sep 12, 2022Jan 16, 2024

Plumbing Tip: Reasons Why Toilets Leak At The Base

Is there any water around your toilet’s base? This is a bad sign. This is a sign that your toilet has a leak, most likely at the base. Don’t let your bathroom turn into an indoor swimming pool! Instead, grab your trusted plumbing tools and get to work fixing the leak.

Plumbing Tips

Loose Tee Bolts

Are you familiar with plastic caps that are placed around the toilet’s base? These caps cover the tee bolts that hold your toilet in its place. If these bolts become loose or damaged, toilet leaks can occur. Start by repositioning your toilet so that it is level and centered. Next, tighten the bolts. You can return to the store if the bolts are not tightening properly or continue spinning freely.

Damaged Wax Ring

Although you’ve checked the condition of your tee bolts, and tightened them, your toilet still leaks at the base. Most likely, the wax ring is to blame. It will need to be replaced.

Go to the Shop – Get a wax ring for your toilet. Take a photo of your toilet’s base to show the pro at the store so they can help you locate a replacement.

Prep the Toilet: Turn off the water supply to your toilet by turning the water valve behind the toilet off. To get rid of as much sitting water as possible, flush the toilet. You can then remove the nut that holds the fill valve in place. Then, use a small bucket to collect any water left. Finally, drain any remaining water from the toilet’s base by dipping it in for a few seconds.

Take out the Toilet & Old Wax Ring – Unscrew the water supply line to the toilet. Also, remove the tee bolts and floor tiles. Now the toilet can be lifted from its original position. Place the toilet on its side, and start removing the wax ring. Before installing the new wax rings, make sure to remove all dried-on wax residue and any leftover residue.

Install the New Wax ring – Place your newly purchased wax ring over the flange. Make sure the tee bolts are in place. Place the new wax ring on your toilet and reposition it in its original position.

Install Your Toilet – Place the toilet in the correct position. Then, use your body weight to press the wax ring into the toilet to make a new seal. Make sure the toilet is properly leveled and centered before you tighten the tee bolts. Turn the valve on and reconnect the water line. To check for water leaks, inspect the toilet carefully.

Leakage in the toilet can lead to mold growth and increase water bills. It is important to fix any leak immediately. To ensure that your toilet repairs are done correctly, call your local plumber in Myrtle Beach.

Call Blue Ribbon Plumbing LLC and let us help you with all your plumbing problems.

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Blue Ribbon Plumbing LLC
4201 Carolina Exchange Drive Suite 202
Myrtle Beach, SC 29579
(843) 267-9733

Home – Myrtle Beach Plumber

Serving all of Horry County including Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Little River, Murrells Inlet/Garden City, Surfside Beach, Carolina Forest/Forestbrook, Conway/Aynor

Sue White Sep 7, 2022May 2, 2024

Facts About Backflow Testing and Repair

It would be so disgusting to discover that the water from the sink contains traces of chemicals, human waste, and gases. It is devastating to discover that water that was once safe for drinking is now a threat to the health and well-being of all those living in the house. When this happens, you need an expert offering backflow testing and repair services.

This is the essence of a plumbing backflow. Now, drinking water may not be as clean. It is important to use backflow testing and repair in Myrtle Beach to avoid the health hazards associated with drinking contaminated water.

This article will inform homeowners about the health hazards associated with a backflow. This article will help homeowners learn how to prevent a backflow and what to do in the event of one.

Backflow Testing and Repair Tips

A plumbing backflow situation can pose health risks

It is important to be aware of the dangers associated with a backflow and how it can occur before you dive into what they mean for your health. Backflow is when fluid reverses its flow direction. This is because plumbing systems are interconnected, and contaminated water can flow back to the house. This is one of the many health hazards of a backflow.

Backflow from the city water supply can cause problems as additional chemicals and waste can leach into the water.

Backflow testing that is not done can expose you to many health risks, including the following:

Drinking water can be contaminated by chemicals and waste.
When you wash your hands or take a shower, chemicals in the water can cause skin to burn.
Potential fire hazards can be created by propane gas and other gases entering the water mains.
Water supply can be contaminated by bacteria and germs that can spread diseases.

How to Prevent Backflow

A change in pressure is the most common cause of backflow. Backflow is when the downstream pressure of non potable water (not safe to drink) exceeds the pressure at the main water source. A plumber in Myrtle Beach will inspect the relief and gate valves of the plumbing system to determine if there is backflow.

To check for irregularities or changes in water flow, they will close the water valves. Backflow prevention devices can be installed for homeowners if they suspect that there has been backflow. The device is installed on the home’s water pipes, and it forces water to flow in only one direction.

What to do if Backflow occurs

The bathroom and kitchen are the most vulnerable to backflow. These rooms have a lot of plumbing devices, including faucets, showerheads and garbage disposals.

They are therefore susceptible to backflow because they have many cross-connections that transport water. Backflow can be prevented by homeowners turning off water to their homes immediately.

Backflow is a serious plumbing emergency. A professional in plumbing in Myrtle Beach should be called immediately to test the water supply and find a solution.

Call Blue Ribbon Plumbing LLC now and let us take care of all your plumbing problems.

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Blue Ribbon Plumbing LLC
4201 Carolina Exchange Drive Suite 202
Myrtle Beach, SC 29579
(843) 267-9733

Home – Myrtle Beach Plumber

Serving all of Horry County including Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Little River, Murrells Inlet/Garden City, Surfside Beach, Carolina Forest/Forestbrook, Conway/Aynor

Sue White Aug 30, 2022Jan 16, 2024

When to Call An Emergency Plumber?

It can be difficult to tell if a leak is a serious emergency or something that can wait until normal business hours. You may react instinctively and rush to the phone, rather than calmly assessing the situation. Let’s not lose our cool. These are some questions that you should ask before calling an emergency plumber near to you. This will help you avoid overpaying and allow you to get back to sleep.

1. Are You Requiring to Use the Affected Plumbing Now?

An emergency call is necessary for a flooding basement. But what about a clogged toilet or sink? They might be able to wait until the morning to schedule a plumber appointment. If this happens, let your family know that they will not be using the fixture again until further notice. To avoid forgetfulness at night, tape a note to the wall or completely block the room.

2. Is it possible to turn the fixture off?

It’s not considered a plumbing emergency if you can fix the leakage at the sink. The shut-off valve is located under the sink or behind your toilet. For larger problems, you might need to shut off the main water supply to your house. You will find the main shutoff valve near the water meters on the street side of your house.

You might be able stop the leak for a few hours if the leak is less severe than a trickle.

3. What’s the weather like?

The weather can play a significant role in whether you require plumbing services immediately. It’s dangerous to not have water at your disposal if it is a hot summer day. Call a plumber in Myrtle Beach if the temperature outside drops below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, and your water heater struggles to turn on.

4. Is it possible to do more damage if the problem is left unattended?

To stop a slow leak, you could use buckets to collect water and stuff rags into the pipes. Your leak becomes more serious if one bucket doesn’t suffice to get you through the night. A significant leakage can cause damage to your floor, ceiling, walls, and adjoining walls. It’s time for you to call 911 if the water flow isn’t stopped or the water can cause significant damage.

5. Is it Your Responsibility to Fix the Problem

Sometimes, you may not be able to fix the emergency even if it was urgent. Your water company might offer to send a plumber to fix a problem with your main water line, the sewer main or a blocked sewer. Before calling your plumber in Myrtle Beach, you might try them. You might get city employees to fix problems with your city water supply. City employees may fix problems with city water supplies for free, unless you have to pay for repairs to the main water line.

Common Plumbing Emergencies

Broken pipes: Turn off the water supply to a pipe that is spraying water. Move furniture out of the area.

Leakage or failure of a water heater: Call for assistance if the tank is making strange or unusual sounds, leaking, or making a foul-smelling odor. Water heater failures can cause expensive damage quickly.

Other major leaks include Toilet overflows, washing machine hoses and gas line leaks.

Sewer system backups. If you notice a bubbling toilet or water in your shower after flushing the toilet, it could be a sign of sewer system backups. Sewer gases can seep into a basement if it smells like rotten eggs.

What happens if you call an emergency plumber?

It’s a stressful situation. Keep calm and try to mitigate the emergency plumbing situation. Look for the shutoff valve on the fixture. Next, assess the situation and call a trusted professional emergency plumber in Myrtle Beach if necessary.

Professional plumbing repairs can still be expensive. This is especially true if you don’t have a reliable plumbing company on-call. If time permits, call three companies to get an estimate. This will help you determine a fair price.

Even in an emergency, it is important to ask questions. Before you agree to emergency plumbing service, tell the company about the problem and request a cost estimate. This includes the cost of regular service as well as any additional fees for night- or weekend calls.

While the cost of a plumbing problem might go up once the contractor has assessed the issue, it is important to be cautious of companies that refuse to provide an estimate over the telephone, even if you have provided sufficient details.

What is the Average Cost of an Emergency Plumber?

For a holiday, weekend or late-night plumbing repair, expect to pay less than a half hour. For emergency visits, companies might charge a flat fee between $100 and $350. These fees could be added to the usual $70-$400 hourly rate.

The plumbing contractor might be able to manage the problem in the evening and then return with the parts needed later. You might be charged an additional visit and the hourly rate. These details should be discussed with you when selecting a contractor.

Call Blue Ribbon Plumbing LLC now if you need the help of a professional plumber.

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Blue Ribbon Plumbing LLC
4201 Carolina Exchange Drive Suite 202
Myrtle Beach, SC 29579
(843) 267-9733

Home – Myrtle Beach Plumber

Serving all of Horry County including Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Little River, Murrells Inlet/Garden City, Surfside Beach, Carolina Forest/Forestbrook, Conway/Aynor

Sue White Aug 22, 2022Jan 16, 2024

DRAIN CLEANING GUIDE HOMEOWNERS NEED TO KNOW

Aside from filthy gutter on your roof or weeds in the garden, the next most typical problem in a home is clogged drains. Most homeowners will try to solve this problem on their own. Nevertheless, while it’s definitely possible, it is necessary to understand that you might, in fact, do more damage to your pipes without you knowing it. In this blog, we will share with you some tips to help with your drain cleaning problem.

Drain Cleaning Tips

All you need might be regular tools you have at home

Plumbing professionals have a large choice of the most recent cutting-edge tools at their disposal. However, a typical homeowner may only need tools regularly available at home. If you have a toilet plunger, you can use it to unblock a persistent clogged shower or tub drain. Also, if the blockage is shallow, another drain cleaning solution is using a long screwdriver to solve the problem. But if you do not have these tools, you can buy a little drain snake or auger from your local home improvement store.

Using chemical drain cleaners is dangerous

While you have seen countless TV commercials claiming their chemical liquid drain cleaner works, maybe too good to be true. What chemical drain cleaners do is gnaw at the obstruction, ultimately triggering it to remove and flush away. Nevertheless, what most homeowners do not know is that these chemicals wear away anything they come in contact with, even your pipelines. If at all possible, plumbers recommend avoiding using it or you might end up with a bigger drain cleaning problem

Try flushing the clogged drain with hot water

Think it or not, a great flush with hot water can, in fact, meltdown a few of the sticky compounds that are stuck in your pipeline. The very first thing you need to attempt is to run the hottest water possible from your faucet and down the drain to clear the obstruction the natural method. Most often, homeowners are surprised at how this instantly works. But homeowners should understand that this step will not totally solve their clogged drain issue. It is still recommended to call Blue Ribbon Plumbing to solve this issue. However the easy Do It Yourself technique of running hot water down the drain might resolve the issue quicker and easier than you thought possible.

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Call Blue Ribbon Plumbing if you need residential and commercial plumbing services.

Blue Ribbon Plumbing LLC
4201 Carolina Exchange Drive Suite 202
Myrtle Beach, SC 29579
(843) 267-9733

Home – Myrtle Beach Plumber

Serving all of Horry County including Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Little River, Murrells Inlet/Garden City, Surfside Beach, Carolina Forest/Forestbrook, Conway/Aynor

blueribbonplumb Dec 4, 2018Jan 16, 2024

Common Holiday Plumbing Problems and How To Fix Them

The holidays are almost here and while we are excited to invite family and friends over to your home, it is a fact that there are different things that can damper on a celebration such as an overflowing toilet. Plumbing issues are real and they can be really inconvenient. So what should you do if one of your guests tells you that the bathtub will not drain? Do not panic. There are some things you can do to solve your plumbing concerns without the help of a plumber. Listed below are some of the best solutions to the most common holiday plumbing issues.

Toilet Keeps On Running

You start noticing that it takes a while before your bowl gets to fill and that begins to happen once the toilet becomes heavy to use. After some time, nothing won’t work so what should you do?

According to expert Myrtle Beach plumbers, there are two simple solutions to this common plumbing issues, which is adjusting the float and closing the flapper. When you close the flapper, you have to remove the top off the toilet tank’s bank. You will see a little arm with a chain that is linked to the flapper. In case the flapper is stuck open, you can expect the toilet to keep on running. You need to inspect and see if the chain is hung up or kinked. If so, you can try threading the chain using a plastic straw. There is also a possibility that the flapper is misaligned. You can let the flapper stay on the opening with just a simple adjustment and this will create the appropriate seal.

Let us discuss the float. It is a plastic piece that looks like a balloon and it floats on the water that’s inside in your toilet tank. In case the problem is related to the float, you can fix these using the following tips.

First of all, you have to make sure that the float is on the right level. In case it is too high, it will let water to go through the flapper. You also need to be sure that the float is not rubbing against something. In case it does, it might be able to work correctly. You also need to inspect the fill tube. In case it is filling the toilet over the float, the water pressure could stop the float from floating. Lastly, the float must be in good condition. If you need to replace some parts, you can always run to the nearest hardware store or perhaps call a plumber for an immediate fix.

Toilet Won’t Flush

Check if the water is running but nothing is happening. If so, then the problem might be the flapper. Perhaps it is not correctly seated because of a problem with the chain. You can jiggle the handle a few times or if necessary, try to reach inside the tank and then adjust the flapper up until you obtain a clean flush. If there is no water running, there is something you can do. Fill the plastic wastebasket with water. Pour the contents into the toilet in a single quick pour, which can make the toilet flush.

Defective Garbage Disposal

Check your garbage disposal and check if you are hearing weird noises. It is an electrical issue if there is no noise. If there is power, press the reset button and check if your garbage disposal works again. If not then you have to inspect the circuit breaker and reset it if necessary. If that is not the problem that you might have to change the switch which will need the help of a professional electrician.

Bathtub Won’t Drain

A bathtub drain that does not drain is either clogged with too much soap, hair, or some kind of gunk. The first thing you need to do is clean the strainer or stopper. If this does not work, you can use a drain stick to help you remove the clog. Sometimes, a toilet plunger also works.

Call Blue Ribbon Plumbing LLC if you need help fixing your plumbing problems at home.

Blue Ribbon Plumbing LLC
4201 Carolina Exchange Drive Suite 202
Myrtle Beach, SC 29579
(843) 267-9733
https://www.blueribbonplumbingmb.com/

Serving all of Horry County including Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Little River, Murrells Inlet/Garden City, Surfside Beach, Carolina Forest/Forestbrook, Conway/Aynor

blueribbonplumb Oct 5, 2018Jan 16, 2024

What Happens To Your Plumbing System After A Flood

The damage brought about by flooding is not always obvious. Almost, if not all, parts of a house will be greatly affected by massive flooding and that includes your plumbing system. Flooding can cause different kinds of costly and even hazardous problems in your plumbing system. If ever you think that your plumbing system has been profoundly affected by the most recent flood, be sure to contact a professional plumbing contractor right away.

Shifting Ground

Heavy rainfall can lead to flooding if it falls too fast and the ground cannot soak all of the rainwater up. Once this takes place, the soil becomes overly saturated or waterlogged. A soil that is waterlogged is much softer compared to when it is dry. It can lead to shifting underground, sinking into gaps or openings, or drops debris and rocks, which it may have been holding up. A waterlogged soil is unable to support the weight of the pipes buried underneath. It may also press against it until the pipes rupture. Monitor the condition of your lawn after a flood. In case you notice indications of sewer line break and your lawn appears to be wet all the time, it is time to call a Myrtle Beach plumbing contractor.

Pressure Build Up

Plumbing systems are designed to take on more water than it would normally need to, however, flooding is not normal. If too much water goes into the drain too quickly, your plumbing system will struggle to process all of it. So, your water pipes might wind up trying to push water into the sewer line or pipe under more pressure than they would normally see or that they were designed to withstand.

Needless to say that any kind of damage can decrease the useful lifespan of your pipes and may lead to problems. However, flooding damage can cause bigger issues. Whenever too much pressure goes through your pipes, they will be placed under too much strain and eventually burst. Burst pipes are extremely common especially during flooding and heavy rainfall. If you have noticed leaks, your plumbing system may not be able to efficiently process too much water.

Debris Clogs

According to the experts at Blue Ribbon Plumbing LLC Among the greatest hazards that flooding poses is the debris water can take and bring, usually at fast speeds. If you consider flooding debris, you might be thinking about large things like roofs floating downstream. Small debris can also cause major problems, especially on your plumbing.

When an area becomes flooded, the water will pick up everything including grease, plastic, dirt, waste, and garbage. Many different kinds of things are not supposed to go down the drains. They could become lodged in the pipes or they may build up on the inner pipe walls. Clogs that are made up of debris can seriously affect your plumbing system’s capability to process water swiftly and efficiently. It may even develop into a chokepoint that places certain parts of your pipes under great pressure.

Drain Overflow

Your plumbing system can overflow because of flooding. During a flood, plenty of water gets into several drain pipes and it runs out of places to go. The rushing water that flooding brings has more force compared to regular water. It can force typical water out of its way. Whenever rushing water pushes regular water in the plumbing system, it pushes to the direction with the least resistance, which is through the drain pipes. If you are hearing gurgling sounds in your drains during a flood, it might be the sound of displaced water that is moving back up the pipes. In case sufficient water goes into a plumbing system quickly, displaced water may come out of the pipes and into your home.