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This is a true story of a real homeowner and a real Roto Rooter service technician. One morning, a homeowner, who had been a long-time customer of one of our competitors, called our Roto Rooter office requesting help with a clogged kitchen sink. One of our Journeyman Plumber and Technicians went out to the customers home, quickly cleared the sink by snaking the line, clearing the obstruction and running the water to be sure that the problem was solved.

Have you ever wondered what makes the clicking noises you sometimes hear coming from your home’s plumbing system? Some people experience a clicking or banging noise, especially when the hot water is turned on fully and the temperature is cold outside. In some cases you will hear the clicks start off slowly and then become more frequent.

Clogged shower drains can quickly become a nuisance if the blockage is not cleared. There are many reasons that a shower can become clogged, usually however it is because of a buildup of hair, soap scum and lint. Oftentimes, the first time you notice your clogged or slowed drain will be when the shower is in use. The first step is to remove the strainer over the drain. You can then remove any hair and other debris that has made its way into your drain. This is easily done by the homeowner or do-it-yourselfer and, often, fixes the problem.

While the plumbing inside of your house may be better protected from the harsh winter weather, your sprinkler system is outside and can easily freeze when temperatures get below freezing. If there is water left in your sprinkler system, you could be dealing with high repair costs when you turn them back on next spring. Any and all water left in your pipes will freeze and can cause broken pipes or sprinkler heads.

The average life of a water heater is between eight and fifteen years. However, after five years, the anode rod in your water heater will begin to deteriorate, and sediments begin to build up in the tank. Even if your tank lasts to fifteen years, odds are that after ten years the efficiency of your equipment will be far worse than new equipment.

Here are some tips to help you maximize the life and efficiency out of your water heater: