D'Spain Sales and Service Blog : Archive for the ‘Plumbing’ Category

Our Handy Plumbing Troubleshooting Checklist

Monday, October 7th, 2024

person-consulting-a-checklist

When something goes terribly wrong in our homes, it can be easy to lose our cool. And if the problem has to do with our plumbing, it’s common to panic! After all, if we can’t get water to drink, or the toilet isn’t carrying waste away, we will quickly find ourselves in a bad situation.

But panic can make a problem worse. So don’t panic! Easier said than done, huh? This is what we’ll do to help. Here’s a handy troubleshooting checklist for you to consult when you’ve got a plumbing problem. You’ll be able to keep your cool and get the issue sorted out.

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What to Do If Your Toilet Overflows

Monday, November 6th, 2023

plumber-repairing-toilet

An overflowing toilet is one of those worst-case scenarios you hope will never happen to you. Thankfully, most clogged toilets don’t actually overflow, and you’ll be able to use the plunger in peace without contaminated water pouring everywhere. But sometimes, that water just doesn’t stop flowing.

Knowing in advance what to do in this kind of situation can keep you from panicking, and if you don’t panic, you’ll be better able to handle the problem. If your toilet overflows, follow these simple steps to prevent disaster and get your plumbing moving again.

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Is It a Plumbing Emergency? 5 Ways to Know

Monday, March 13th, 2023

smiling-plumber-with-tool-box-and-plunger

Being hesitant to call a plumber because you aren’t sure whether your situation qualifies as an emergency is understandable. You should never be afraid to ask for some help determining exactly how serious your situation is.

Putting off getting professional help when you have a plumbing concern can lead to much bigger problems, like extensive water damage. We’ve got five questions to ask yourself that will help you assess whether your problem is serious enough to warrant emergency plumbing service.

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What to Know about Slab Leaks

Monday, September 26th, 2022

cracked-foundationPlumbing can seem a little bit like magic: it’s largely invisible (behind walls or beneath your foundation), and if you’re not an extremely skilled practitioner, meddling with it can cause big problems! We’re going to make it a little less mysterious for you while we discuss slab leaks. You won’t become a qualified magician (or plumber) by reading this, but you’ll come to understand the special skills and tools that help the plumber do their job, and you’ll have a better idea of when to call a plumber. 

Slab leaks are an especially mysterious aspect of plumbing because they don’t even occur inside your house. A slab leak is caused by damage or degradation to the pipes that run beneath your foundation. Most of the time that slab leaks occur, it’s from the pipes that carry hot water, but leaks in cold water pipes are also possible. There are a few clues that can help you to discover such a leak and some specialized approaches that allow a plumber to fix it.

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What You Should and Shouldn’t Do for Your Drain

Monday, August 1st, 2022

Drains are sensitive parts of our plumbing systems, but they’re also the parts that we have the most contact with. Think about it: every time you cook dinner, wash your hair, or even do the dishes, you’re using your drains to ensure that the dirty water ends up far and away from your home to be cleaned up. So, you’re probably looking for a few ways to mitigate drain problems and improve the quality of your drains, right?

Well, that’s what this blog is about! With a few best practices, you can arguably improve the condition and longevity of your drains in both your bathroom and your kitchen. Just remember that drains require professional attention every now and then, so don’t hesitate to call our team to fix your clogged drain in Branch, TX.

Now, let’s get into the “shoulds” and “should nots” of drain care.

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Protect Your Drain With a Mesh Screen

Monday, May 23rd, 2022

Have you ever been frustrated with a shower drain that’s starting to get clogged, but you just paid for a drain cleaning only a year ago? It can sometimes feel like there’s just nothing that can be done about clogging materials. Well, there is something that can be done about the materials clogging your shower and your kitchen sink, and we’re here to talk about it!

You’ll still need to invest in a professional plumber in Boerne, TX, but you won’t need to be so frustrated in between drain cleaning appointments. With the help of a mesh screen, your drain can avoid most of the large contaminants that would otherwise cause clogs to build up. And, to make things even easier, you can just toss the materials that get caught in the screen in the trash where they belong!

Let’s talk about some great benefits that come from such a simple device.

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Spring Time Is Sump Pump Time

Monday, April 25th, 2022

We’ve had some wacky weather here in Texas lately. While tourists might think that we’re just the land of sunshine and hot temperatures, that’s really not always the case. We get flash floods as often as everyone else, and sometimes our arid landscapes can have trouble absorbing the moisture from just a small amount of rain. Our homes aren’t necessarily built to handle that much rain or flooding, and when your basement finally floods, it can feel like a punch in the gut.

Don’t worry, we’re not here to bum you out! There’s a great solution for a flooding basement, and we wish we talked more about it on this blog than we have. Introducing the sump pump in Boerne, TX!

Sump pumps are powerful water collection systems that pump out rainwater from your basement. They’re the perfect preventative tool that keeps your home safe and secure from any flooding.

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When to Call for Emergency Plumbing Support

Monday, March 14th, 2022

Plumbing emergencies don’t always work like they do in cartoons or movies from when we were kids. Chances are, if your plumbing system is leaking gallons of water every second into your basement, then you already know that you need emergency plumbing help. That’s an obvious situation, and we’re going to trust that homeowners know what to do when that happens.

However, there are less obvious situations that might still require emergency plumbing support, but you might not know it at the time. Many plumbing problems are insidious, meaning they’re a lot worse than they seem, and a professional plumber might be your best solution in the moment.

Let’s focus on one question today: When should you call for an emergency plumber in Helotes, TX? There’s a pretty easy way to figure out whether your situation requires emergency help, and we’ll get to it down below!

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It’s Time to Replace Your Lead Pipes

Monday, December 20th, 2021

Lead pipes aren’t as common anymore in city pipes thanks to some great legislation from the 1960s. Once the science came out on how negatively impacted adults and children were from consuming lead runoff, it became obvious that we needed to overhaul our industrial plumbing systems to completely remove lead from the equation. That’s why you just don’t see lead pipes in large commercial buildings or other public buildings anymore, since those were the places heavily focused on when this change came about.

However, when it comes to residential plumbing in Spring Branch, TX, it’s unfortunate that there are still older homes that use lead pipes. We’re not saying this is anyone’s fault, older homes have a wonderful aesthetic and we understand why new homeowners might be drawn to them. But if your older home still has lead pipes in it, or has the possibility of having lead pipes, then we urge you to get them replaced immediately.

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PVC or Copper: Which to Choose?

Monday, October 11th, 2021

This is a complicated question, and one that we’d like to spend this blog post talking about. There’s no perfect answer, and it’s important that we’re honest with you as your go-to local professional for any questions that pertain to plumbing in Boerne, TX. The truth is that either one of these options is a good choice, but for very different reasons and situations.

If you’re in the market for some repiping, first we recommend that you call us. We’ll walk you through the different types of materials and give you our specific recommendations for your situation. However, if you’re not at that stage yet and you’d rather do a bit more research, then we can help with that.

PVC and copper pipe materials are both great solutions for the specific problem of repiping. But let’s dive into which material is best for your situation or budget.

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