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Should I Hire Professional Water Heater Installers? When it comes to installing a heating unit, the process may look simple. However, there have been many changes in designs and regulations over the years. Hiring a professional water heater installers is a must when you find yourself needing a new unit. Here are ten good reasons why this should never be a DIY project. 1. Properly Ventilating Your Home One of the most dangerous aspects of DIYing instead of hiring professional plumbers, is the risk of causing backdrafting. Backdrafting occurs when the exhaust from a gas-powered unit does not ventilate and ends up in the home. The right water heater installers have to deal with many factors to avoid this situation.

Low Water Pressure Problems A low water pressure problem in your plumbing system reaches a tipping point when it affects your ability to accomplish daily activities, including the ability to take a shower, launder clothes and wash dishes. Many homeowners have experienced the frustration of a low water pressure problem -at least once. It’s a common issue that can sometimes be indicative of a plumbing system with serious problems. Possible Causes of  Low Water Pressure Problems If the pressure in your plumbing system seems to be low, the first step is to determine the cause. This will require troubleshooting, because several factors can cause low water pressure. The following are the most likely issues:   A clogged fixture may be

Have A Clogged Sink? There’s never a good time for a clogged sink or pipe, but during the holidays they can be downright catastrophic. No one wants to deal with blocked drains while also dealing with a packed house of guests and a fridge packed with leftovers. Below are some tips from Benjamin Franklin Plumbing on how to keep plumbing problems out of the picture this Thanksgiving. It’s Not Dressing That’s Stuffing Your Pipes The day after Thanksgiving is the busiest shipping day of the year, but did know that it’s also the busiest day of the year for plumbers?  When homeowners begin to clean the kitchen after their Thanksgiving feasts, many are unaware that any hot grease, oil, and

Plumbing Facts from Benjamin Franklin Plumbing, we can’t live without it, but how much do we really know about how our plumbing works?  Here’s a fun list of things you maybe didn’t realize about the plumbing in your house. Why do we call them plumbers? The word “plumber” is derived from the Latin word for lead – Plumbum. Before modern plumbing, lead use to be the primary material of pipe works used to carry water into cities and towns. As time has gone by, the word has changed into what we now call our mighty plumbers that help keep the water flowing in our homes. Who invented the modern toilet? The flush toilet we use today came from a variety of

Halloween Plumbing Safety Tips It’s technically not even fall yet, but the bags of candy are on display and stores are covered in orange and black decor. Halloween isn’t just about the last week of October anymore. Halloween is to fall what Christmas is to winter.  So you need to start your preparations now.  While we here at Benjamin Franklin can’t help with your homemade costumes, we can help keep your home’s plumbing safe so that this Halloween will only be the good kind of scary. Pumpkin Pulp With the millions of carved pumpkins being made this season, Americans will scrape thousands of pounds of pumpkin pulp down their drains throughout the Halloween season and end up with clogged pipes

DIY Plumbing Mistakes  Go Easy On Your Garbage Disposal No doubt garbage disposals are one of the miracles of modern homes.  But despite the name, not all garbage belongs in the disposals.  Pineapple cores, watermelon, rinds, and uncooked pasta (remember, it expands) are common items that plumbers have to dig out to free the blades.  Other no-noes include: high-fiber foods, rice, grease, coffee grounds, fruit pits and seeds, eggshells, fish and chicken bones, and, of course, non-food items (watch that fork).  Use your disposal for liquids, soft foods, and chopped foods. Otherwise put it in the trash. Lighten Up On Your Fixtures Don’t put weight on plumbing fixtures. That means not hanging heavy shampoo racks from shower heads and avoid

Plumbing Nightmares If owning a home has become synonymous with the American dream, plumbing problems are the nightmare that go hand-in-hand with it.  It’s scary knowing that your home’s invisible architecture could turn on you at any minute.  To ease the fear, we share with you below a few plumbing horror stories and what you can do to prevent them. Check Your Pump: In Manasa, Wisconsin, a homeowner named Kirby took pride in his fully furnished man-cave.  Kirby was a responsible homeowner, but neglected to test the sump pump quarterly or flip on the switch every month to ensure it was up and functional.  It wasn’t. Kirby discovered this after the first heavy rain of spring, when his subterranean escape