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How Do I Find My Main Water Shut Off Valve? Every home is required to have a main water shut off valve. Understanding where to locate the main water valve and how to shut off the water is important for everyone to know. Whether you own your own home or rent an apartment, knowing where your main shut off valve is located can save time (and money) in any plumbing related emergency. Depending on the type of structure you live in, the water shutoff valve can be located in different places. Some homes have their shutoff valves located either inside or outside of the house or apartment. These valves may be found under a sink or next to a water

What is a Hot Water Heater Blanket? Do I need a hot water heater blanket? This is a question many often ask themselves. To accurately answer this question, a simple understanding of what is a hot water heater blanket is vital. A hot water heater blanket is a an insulated sheet that wraps around a water heater to make it more efficient. The insulation blanket also helps the water heaters maintain a steady temperature consistently. A hot water heater blanket saves a significant amount of the energy that water heaters would generally waste, which saves a considerable amount of money that would have been spent on energy bills. Insulation blankets are rated on their thermal resistance, R-value. The R-value of

There’s nothing more frustrating than a water heater pilot light that won’t stay lit. Not only does this prevent the furnace from running efficiently, but it prevents hot water from being readily available. Many factors contribute to why a pilot goes out and why it won’t stay lit. As soon as an understanding of why these factors are occurring, it can help future outages and save money. Here are some potential reasons why a water heater pilot light won’t stay lit. Thermocouple Obstructions The purpose of a thermocouple in a water heater is to help tell it if it’s on or off and most operate with them. The gas is shut off by the thermocouple as a precaution if it

Water pooling around your feet means the shower drain cover is hiding a hair clog underneath. The cover stops jewelry, razor blades, and shampoo caps from falling in, but hair slips right past it. Pull the cover, clear the debris, and your shower drains normally again. Key points Check how the cover is attached before you pry anything: a center screw or a snap-in fit Spray lubricant along the lip and let it settle into the threads first Keep the screw somewhere it cannot fall into the open drain Wear gloves when you pull hair out by hand Slow drainage after cleaning means the blockage sits deeper in the line Step 1: Check how your shower drain cover is attached

The P Trap You’ve probably noticed curved shape pipes, also known as P Traps, connected to each sink and open drain in your home and have thought nothing of it. However, as it turns out, these U shaped pipes actually serve an important purpose. In fact, without a P Trap, sewage gases would make their way up through your pipes and into your home where they can be hazardous to your health. A P trap is a curved shaped pipe that connects to the drain pipe in a way that it resembles a sideways letter p, hence its name. It works by confining water in its curve, which eliminates any gaps for air or gasses to flow back up through

How Does A Water Softener Work? Hard water is a reality that many of us live with in our homes. Even though, is soft water really important? Hard water leaves dishes splotchy and quickly wears away the softness of clothes. Is there a way to get rid of these irritating splotches and provide your home with soft water? Yes! A water softener can be installed in your home’s plumbing system and eliminate the unsightly effects of hard water. What makes water “hard?” Hard water contains a high content of minerals, generally calcium and magnesium. These minerals have dissolved from the soil and seeped into the areas water supply, which means that some areas have harder water than others. Whenever this