Plumbing Drain Clog Resolve
Plumbing clogs are a nuisance. Imagine all of the things that can contribute to a clog. Hair, food, dirt, paper, toothpaste clumps (kids love to squeeze the tube), floss, and grease are all potential items that can contribute to a clogged drain. Occasionally we experience a stubborn clog that needs more attention than just verbally begging your standing water to drain. Then when you hear it gurgle back at you in response, it is time to take action.
Practice Safe Solutions
Discontinue using the sink to avoid the clog worsening and potentially damaging your household pipes. Avoid messy and damaging flooding. The first thing that might enter your mind is to pour drain cleaners down your pipes. However, that is not an ideal solution. Household cleaners contain harmful chemicals that can cause chemical burns to your skin and eyes and have the potential to cause inflammation to your respiratory system as well and corrode your plumbing pipes. If splashed in your home, they can also cause damage to your paint or wood floors or trim. If you do store or use household chemicals, keep them secured so they are inaccessible to children and pets.
Call a Plumber
An experienced professional is the quickest and safest solution. Schedule an appointment for peace of mind that your property will be restored safely. Remove the task from your chore list and be done in 1 call. Kellam Mechanical plumbers are armed with the right tools and skillset to resolve the clog. Kellam plumbers are trained to handle simple drain clogs as well as more challenging clogs, such as sewer drain clogs, which can cause a health hazard when sewage backs up into household plumbing. In that case, your emergency is our emergency. Proper water flow is the goal, so click to schedule your appointment to return your household to clear pipes. http://kellammechanical.com/plumbing-service-request/
Plumbing Leaks are Wasteful
BREAKING NEWS LEAKED!
Ignoring the sound of the drip, drip, drip leaky faucet or pipe is costing you money and practicing wastefulness. Some plumbing leak locations are unnoticeable until damage is already setting in on ceiling plaster or seeping through your floors from a leaky sink, toilet or shower, for example. Consider just 1 faucet leaking at the rate of 30 drips per minute. That equals 43,200 drips daily, 2.85 gallons daily and 1,041 gallons annually! Do the math on the additional faucets in your home leaking and you will discover unnecessary wastefulness. There are additional problems that accompany a leaky faucet:
- Discoloration in your sink or tub
- Wasted energy on leaky hot water taps
- Potential water damage to walls, ceilings, floors leading to costly repairs
ACT ON IT:
Time flies, so your faulty plumbing has probably been lingering longer than you think. Tuning it out is not the answer. Tune back in to get those drips and get it fixed. It is likely you have other plumbing issues to address, so for the purpose of conservation and efficiency, schedule a qualified plumber to get all of your repairs done at the same visit. Kellam Mechanical now offers residential plumbing services to save you money, so when you see water damage or hear water dripping, act on it. When you have a drain clog or broken garbage disposal, act on it. After you scream in the shower when only cold water hits your skin, act on it. Call an experienced plumber. Call Kellam Mechanical to get your Plumbing Savings Agreement, which includes an inspection of all sinks, toilets, showers, tubs, drains, gas piping, garbage disposals, ice makers and vent piping as well as water heater flush. Repairs and replacements can be resolved with 1 phone call: 757-430-0358. Appointments at the click of a button!
Green Gadget: Laundry Pro
For the love of laundry! Kellam Mechanical promotes green household products, so If you are tired of spending so much money on laundry detergent here is your new solution: Laundry Pro. This revolutionary green product replaces the need for detergent, bleach, fabric softeners, sorting and front loading washing machine cleansers, such as Afresh. It reduces landfills. It eliminates odors, chemical use, pollution, static, and shrinking clothes. Laundry Pro preserves fabric during the wash cycle, protects bright colors from fading and makes clothes softer. It is better for sensitive skin, reducing itching or redness from allergic reactions to detergents. It may be hard to imagine your life long routine changing; however, it is a money and time saver. Now you can pass the laundry detergent aisle at the store.
Installation is simple, requiring existing washing machine hookups and about 2’ x 2’ space to mount the device. Using cold water, Laundry Pro activates oxygen to remove dirt away from fabric fibers to prevent odor causing bacteria growth. It requires no maintenance, works with well or city water, made in Virginia and comes with a 2 year warranty. This product is smart! Oxygen, peroxides and other gases bubble into clothing to lift away dirt and odors. However, a stain removing product may be necessary for really tough stains. This USA engineered and manufactured product has a glowing blue light when operating and indicates when attention is necessary.
The average household of 4 spends about $500 annually on laundry costs including detergents, fabric softeners, machine cleansers and energy. Your earth friendly investment will give you a return in just over a year. Clean clothes for the kids and grandkids all while earth friendliness, saving money and time is a brilliant solution.
New Laundry Pro users rave about it!
“I was hesitant to try Laundry Pro because it uses no soap. However, I am now excited about the savings from laundry detergent expenses. My towels come out clean and fresh with no odors. I am a true believer after washing my teenage son’s dirty white shoes that came back to life brighter and almost looking new!” Kelly G., Virginia Beach, Va. Resident 
“Our son’s sensitive skin has improved since we started using the Laundry Pro. Laundry is much less of a chore for our family now. Our towels are softer today than when they were new. We feel good that we are not putting chemical back in to the environment by cleaning our clothes.” Stephen A., Chesapeake, Va. Resident
If you are ready for to be rescued from your laundry woes, call Kellam Mechanical now to have a qualified technician install Laundry Pro for you on the south side of Hampton Roads, Va. 757-430-0358. Know someone else who needs Laundry Pro? Tell ‘em Kellam!
DRASTIC CHANGES TO WATER HEATER STANDARDS…BE PREPARED!
Do you have a favorite appliance? Your water heater has to be up there on the top of that list, right? A hot shower starts the day just right to wake you up, unless it is showering you with ice cold water. Then it really wakes you up with a startle. How old is your water heater? Conventional water heaters act as one of the largest household energy consumers, behind your heating and cooling systems. According to Consumer Reports, your water heater eats up to 30% of your energy budget. Maintaining your water heater annually is a recommended practice that reduces failures and extends the equipment life. It is common for aging water heaters to rust and leak, so keep a close eye on yours, especially if it is located in your attic. Leaks can cause expensive and inconvenient damage to ceilings, walls and personal belongings. Flood-safe shut-off valves are also a smart solution. They detect leaks then activate the shut-off function to prevent unnecessary water overflow damage. The most common water heater size for single family homes is 40-50 gallons. Drain pans will not hold 50 gallons of water!
If your water heater is older than ten years, it is time to think about replacing it. Replacing your water heater often occurs when an aging unit fails, causing a small crisis when water is leaking or cold water is your only option until your new unit is installed. That process can create a hiccup in your daily routine since you have to coordinate a technician to diagnose, propose a replacement quote, order equipment and schedule installation. In addition, there is now one more step to consider. Manufacturers have recently changed the standard sizing, increasing the dimensions due to EPA increased energy efficiency requirements. This can be a challenge for homeowners with limited space or access to existing water heaters. Gas water heaters are now about 2 inches larger in diameter bringing it to about 22 inches. Most attic accesses are 22 ½” wide not including the frame. The height has increased about 4-6 inches. The best plan is to have a professional assess the specifications of your existing water heater and access, identify if it is gas or electric and measure the dimensions of your space to determine if a newly manufactured unit will fit. Then you can have a proactive quote for planning. With new dimensions on the market, the existing water pipe and exhaust connections may not match up. If it will not, it is recommended to prepare your closet or attic access for the new water heater dimensions. Kellam Mechanical has seen some applications where modifications to attic eaves, removing attic access frames, re-venting and re-piping were required to allow room for the new equipment. The manufacturers do not produce the units as small as the older models anymore and are no longer available to purchase.
The good news is energy-efficient technology has advanced so take advantage of welcomed savings when selecting a new water heater for your home. Tankless water heaters also provide a solution since they are smaller in size. Tankless water heaters deliver exceptional efficiency and since it heats water as used, not stored, there is an eternal supply of hot water. They also last about 20 years compared to the conventional water heater’s life expectancy of 10 – 15 years. Repairs are historically fewer, parts are easier to replace and the tankless model is less likely to leak. Its design is small, a welcomed space saver. Energy Star reports that tankless water heaters can deliver up to 34% energy savings using 86 gallons less daily equaling approximately $95 annual savings and $1,800 over the lifetime of the equipment.
Water heaters are not the only appliance with larger dimensions…washing machines and refrigerators are on that list also, forcing homeowners to modify their laundry and kitchen spaces. I speak from experience, I just purchased a new washing machine in a few weeks ago and it does NOT fit in my beautiful custom built cabinets. So, my cabinet rebuild starts now. It seems bigger is better these days.
When scheduling your water heater repair or replacement, turn to a licensed and insured contractor. Kellam Mechanical dispatches NATE certified professionals to deliver code compliant service. Replacement quotes are free.
Click to schedule repair or replacement quote or call 757-430-0358 right now!