Why Should You Have a Plumbing Inspection Before Buying a New Home?

Buying a new home is a huge, confusing, and difficult process, and it’s often hard to understand what to do next, much less why to do them! In this article, Legacy Mechanical Services will give you five reasons that a plumbing inspection isn’t just ideal, but a necessity before you buy a house.

The Home’s Main Sewer Line:

There are many reasons that a sewer line could be clogged, some of which are serious, some of which not so much. Often, the previous owners are not aware of the plumbing issues in their own home! If the issues causing clogged sewer lines are serious, it may need a full or partial replacement which is a very costly plumbing repair. A full plumbing inspection includes an investigation of the main sewer line to make sure that it is running smoothly and that there are no costly issues you will have to worry about later on down the road.

Pipe Leaks:

Another plumbing concern is leaking pipes, which can be a host of other major plumbing problems. It can lead to mold and mildew, water damage in the home, and pipe corrosion which could need replacing. Another thing to check during the plumbing inspection in older houses is for lead pipes which are known to be harmful to children and adults alike. Opting for an inspection can ensure that you are aware of any pipe issues before closing on the home.

Water Heaters:

If the water heater is old or in bad condition, it may also warrant a replacement—one which is very expensive. Checking this during your inspection will help you ensure your heater is running properly for the necessities your family needs. Additionally, Legacy Mechanical Services will check around the heater for evidence of leaks and water damage.

Toilets:

Common issue discovered during these inspections is leaks at the base of the toilet. If the flooring right around the toilet is discoloured or not firm, or if the toilet is not securely in place, it can mean that there is possibly some major floor damage lurking beneath. Often toilet leaks can cause major damage to flooring, and many homeowners don’t know how to take care of them and can cover them up and make the situation worse.

The Water Itself:

It’s also important to make sure that the water running in the home is clean and safe to use and drink. If you find that it’s discoloured, there can be a few reasons for that, ranging from insignificant to major issues. For example, it could be a temporary flow of dirty water or a long term problem such as old pipes that need replacing. A licensed and experienced plumber will help uncover the cause for water discolouration. This is known to happen often in Winnipeg, Manitoba and normally when the city is working on something that has to be repaired. 

Remember, if your home has some plumbing issues, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t buy the home altogether. However, you now understand what you’re getting into, and this knowledge will help you make the decision if you want to continue with the home buying process. In the long run having a Plumbing inspection before purchasing your home will ultimately save you money and it will let you know if there are any major plumbing issues. 

Plumbing Priorities Before You Leave for Vacation

Many people are starting to plan their summer vacations. While we don’t have advice for you about what lake is best or what to pack, we do want to talk to you about your pre-vacation plumbing needs. Not only will these three items only save you money they may prevent potential property damage. 

Turn Off Your Water

If you’re just leaving for the weekend, there’s no need to worry. However, if you plan to leave for several days, or weeks,  you may want to turn off the main water supply to your home. Burst pipes and leaks, especially while you are away, can cause significant damage. By shutting off the ability for water to enter your house, you are preventing any of that potential damage from happening inside your home, while you are gone. It’s also a wise idea to disconnect hoses, drain outside faucets, and turn off your sprinkler system.

Check Fixtures and Appliances 

If you are going on an extended vacation, you might also consider turning off individual valves to your washing machines and toilets, so water doesn’t stagnate and become foul while you are away! Run water through your garbage disposal to ensure it doesn’t have food particles in the drain left to rot and stink. Check your water heater for any leaks (see if there are any puddles of water forming) and consider turning it off to save money for extended periods of vacation.

Test your Sump Pump

If you are prone to flooding, it’s important to test that your sump pump is operational before leaving. One summer storm in Manitoba and you could come home to a flood. There’s no better way to lose your post-vacation relaxation than walking into a huge mess from a flood! The easiest way to check the Sump Pump is to dump a bucket of water into the pit, ensure it turns on and pumps water out appropriately. Ask a neighbour to check on it if there’s a storm and consider getting a backup battery to run the sump pump if there’s a power outage while you are gone. 

We know vacations are fun and the last thing we want to do is add to the to -do - list. But with doing these simple steps and checking theses things quickly, will give you the peace of mind you need to enjoy your vacation to the fullest. 

What Happens When Your Sewer Backs Up?

When sewer lines become obstructed, whereby preventing wastewater from flowing through drainage pipes, blockage occurs. The thick, black water that forms as sewage is a potential hazard, as it contains contaminants and viruses that can present a risk of severe illness if exposed to humans or animals. If you have a sewage backup in your basement, you will need to fix it quickly. However, knowing what causes sewer backups can help you prevent a hazardous situation in your basement or home. Here’s how to prevent and handle sewage backups in your pipes:

Some of the causes for a Sewage Backup in the Basement could be as follows:

• Clogs – Sewage can back up into your home when either your home’s drain pipes or main sewer line becomes clogged. An example: If one toilet creates a sewage backup, the drain connected to that toilet will likely be clogged. But if all toilets or bathtubs in your home create back-flows, then there may be a clog in the main sewer line or the sump pump failed. Clogs can consist of hair, grease, or other solid materials that end up in the drains.

• Tree Roots – Trees can grow really long roots that intertwine with your sewer line. Roots can grow into a pipe and cause holes or crush the sewer line by growing around it. Even if the roots in your yard are not the problem, roots from nearby trees can reach your sewer line and damage it.

• Damaged Sewer Lines – In the past, pipes were made of cast iron and clay piping which don’t last very long. Aging sewage systems can break down and crack, causing sewage backups and flooded basements. Plastic sewer lines have now become the norm.

• Heavy Rainfall – Can heavy rain cause sewer backup? Yes, large excessive amounts of rain can overburden the city’s sewer lines. If the public sewer can’t handle excess rainfall, the water can make its way into connected sewer lines. This puts your home at risk of water back-flows.

How to Prevent a Sewage Backup in the basement:

• Don’t pour any kind of grease down the drain. Cooking oil can harden within your pipes; it gradually stops debris from draining, creating a clog. To properly dispose of grease or fat, pour it into a heat-resistant container and throw it in the trash after it cools off.

• Dispose of paper products properly. Flushing any kind of hygiene products such as paper towels, diapers, or feminine products down the toilet can easily clog your sewer line and will prevent the normal drainage from happening. Save yourself some trouble and discard paper products in the trash.

• Install a new plastic pipe or cut tree roots. To prevent tree roots from damaging your sewer lateral (the line buried in your yard),replace it with a new plastic pipe. If tree roots still grow in your sewer lateral, cut the roots occasionally.

• Install a backwater prevention valve. This fixture allows sewage to leave however prevents it from backing up into your home. Backwater valves are typically installed into a sewer line and sometimes into a drain line in the basement.

• Sewage pump maintenance. Ensure your sump pump doesn’t sit on debris such as silt or gravel, which could be sucked up into the pump, ruining the motor. Instead, place it on a steady flat brick. Also, ensure the sump basin has a filter fabric around it to stop debris from coming in.

Why The Time to Find Your Shut Off Valve is Now

Whenever you want to do some home repairs on your plumbing, whether it is to change a leaky faucet or fix pipes, you need to shut off the main water supply. Most home owners do not know where their main shutoff valves are, especially if they have just moved in or are renting a home that is unfamiliar to them. Legacy Mechanical recommends looking at these common places you can look for your shut off valve.

Water Meter 

The Water Meter, which you can usually find in your basement or just outside your home, will have a shutoff valve attached directly to it. Usually there will be two shutoff valves – one on each side of the meter (supply and home). To effectively shut off your water supply, turn the valve located before the meter.

Toilet Supply 

Sometimes when you are doing a small plumbing repair to a toilet you do not have to turn off all the water to the house. It can be disruptive and then you will not have access to drinking water or be able to have a shower. So, when working on the toilet, always look for the toilet water valve located behind the tank. Sometimes this valve will be on the floor – other times it will be located on the wall just behind the tank.

Finding Tricky to Locate Supplies 

Sometimes the water supply may not be located where you would expect. It might be behind appliances or access panels. Most of the time, the water supply will still be in the basement, so start there and look carefully at the root of the pipes. Since most of the pipes in your home will originate at the supply line, you can usually trace them back to a single source.

If you still cannot find your main water supply line and shutoff valve, that does not mean it is hidden in the floor somewhere or outside. Sometimes, the supply lines are just in odd places, either because of strange construction or poor renovations by a past owner. If this is the case, get a second pair of eyes to help you hunt or as a last ditch option, call a plumber who will be able to more easily follow the lines back to their source. Nine times out of ten, you should be able to find and handle a main water supply on your own. But never rule out calling for a plumbers help if things get more complicated than anticipated.

Still having issues with your main water supply line and shutoff valve? Call the experts at Legacy Mechanical Services for assistance no matter the time or day today!

Is Your Sump Pump Ready for Summer Storms?

There are 4 easy things to check to make sure that your Sump Pump is repaired for the next major Summer Storm that happens here in Manitoba.

1. Check your Power

   A sump pump needs electricity to run, so having said that  it’s important to ensure that yours is getting enough power to run efficiently. If you often run into problems with outages in your home during a storm, you should consider investing in a generator that can provide power to your home in case of an emergency.
   

2. Test the Pump

   One way to make sure that your pump is working properly is to test it. Open the lid of your sump pump and pour enough water in it to make the float move upwards. A working sump pump should immediately kick in to start pumping water out. If it doesn’t, you should call a professional like Legacy Mechanical Services to come to take a closer look.

3. Inspection & Maintenance

   Regular Maintenance & Inspection on your Sump Pump is the key to making sure everything in your home runs smoothly, and the same is true for your sump pump. A well-maintained sump pump should last you a decade or longer, so you must regularly inspect and do maintenance on it. Unplug your pump and carefully clean out the dirt, sediment, and buildup from all accessible parts. If you notice rust, corrosion, or debris signs, it might be time to get it replaced.

4. Check your Pump Frequently

   While you should do at least one inspection on your sump pump before the summer, you should also make sure you are frequently checking it, especially after a big storm. This will give you the peace of mind that it is working correctly and ready for when the next storm hits so you can avoid any unpleasant surprises of the pump not working properly.

16 Things to Never Flush Down the Drain

Drain backup could be a great headache, cause significant damage to property, and cost hundreds of dollars to fix. Many homes experience clogged drains due to negligence or lack of information. This results in drain backup or clogging with terrible experience if not resolved early. However, you can avoid getting your drains clogged by keeping items not meant for the drain away from it.

More often than not, drain backup is caused by flushing down certain items that are not meant for the drain. Are you aware of all the things you should not flush down the drain? Do not stress out; we bring you top items not to flush down your drain. Here are the items that should not find their ways down the drains of your home.

1. Dental Floss

When you no longer need your dental floss, dispose of it responsibly and not via your drain. When flushed, the floss will transform into a net and catch or hold other debris in the drain with a high probability of clogging your pipes and also damage your septic system by wrapping around the parts and make the motor burn out.

2. Q-Tips and Cotton Pads

Cotton pads, cotton balls, and Q-Tips should not be flushed down the drain because they do not break down no matter how long they have contact with water. They end up clumping together in the pipes and create problems.

3. Hair

When you flush hair down the drain, it does not dissolve no matter how long it stays inside water. It only turns into a net and gets caught on everything because it floats and gets entangled with other debris.

4. Gum

Prevent chewing gum from getting into the drain at all costs because it does not dissolve, and it gets sticky and adheres to the surface of the pipes’ interior to cause a clog. Throw gum into a wastebasket to avoid getting your drains clogged.

5. Condoms

There is no way that condoms can break down in water. As a result, flushing them down will, unavoidably, cause a clog in toilets or septic tanks.

6. Cooking Grease

Getting cooking grease down the drain is a recipe for drain clogging. Cooking grease will congeal when it cools inside the drain. Whether through the kitchen or toilet sink, you should never attempt to dispose of cooking grease via flushing; it will only clog the pipes and cause a serious problem.

7. Menstrual Products and Diapers

Sanitary pads, tampons, and diapers are made to absorb water and not break down in it. So, they can’t be destroyed by water; instead, they will expand and become too big to go through the drains. Eventually, they get caught in the drains and cause clogging. Dispose of these items properly.

8. Baby Wipes

It does not cost you any trouble to throw used baby wipes into a wastebasket. Although some wipes are said to be flushable, they end up becoming the cause of clogs in the drains. No matter how they are made, even “flushable” wipes do not disintegrate like toilet papers. As a result, save yourself the trouble and the expenses of fixing a clogged drain.

9. Paper Towels and Tissues

It is crucial that you know that paper towels and tissues are not the same as toilet papers because they do not break down as toilet paper does. So, don’t be tempted to flush them down the drain. When you have to use them instead of toilet paper, throw them in a wastebasket; don’t flush them down the drain.

10. Kitty Litter

Most toilets these days are water efficient and don’t use enough water that can move the litter properly in the drains. Do not flush cat waste from the litter box; they dehydrate the waste when toilets should flush soluble waste.

11. Food

Do not make it a habit of flushing food down the drain. Although the food may be biodegradable and will break down later, for the time being, it can cause a clog until then.

12. Band-Aids

Band-Aids are either made of plastic or cloth, which can’t break down in water. When you flush them down the drain, they can clog up the drains and cause you troubles. Instead, throw them into the wastebasket.

13. Wedding or Engagement Rings

When most couples quarrel or divorce, some of them get so emotional that they want to get rid of their engagement and wedding rings by flushing them down the drains. While doing so provide temporary relief of anger, it can create a problem later. A ring is not biodegradable; thus, it will end up catching and wrapping up debris in the drains, which will eventually cause clogs in the drains.

14. Jewelry and Hairpins

If you have a misunderstanding with your lover or spouse, do not flush the souvenirs that he or she bought for you such as jewelry and hairpin down the drain. They will not break down but get caught up with other debris to cause clogging.

15. Cigarette Butts

Cigarettes are toxic, and their filters are not biodegradable, when flushing them, they will become toxic chemicals that can get to the water supply. Also, the butts can get caught up by other debris and create a problem.

16. Toys

Certain toys are small and can easily pass through the toilet. Ensure to instruct your kids to keep their toys and not put them in the toilet bowls. Toys can cause a clog. So, keep your eyes on your children’s toys.

The items listed above should be prevented from getting into the drain due to their high tendency of causing clogging. Many of them may not cause a clog instantly, but over time, the clogging will eventually take place. Teach your kids and everyone in your home to dispose of items appropriately as not everything can be flushed down the drain. Prevent clogging, prevent costly repairs. Contact our plumbers at Legacy Mechanical Services for professional drain cleaning services if you are experiencing any of these problems.

Why You Should Never Pour Grease Down the Drain

If there’s one thing every homeowner should know, it’s that grease does not belong down the drain. Even pouring a small amount of bacon grease or used cooking oil into the kitchen sink can cause plumbing woes. Let’s explore the problems with pouring grease down the drain and what you should do with it instead.

Why Grease and Drains Don’t Mix

It’s a common misconception that pouring grease down the drain is okay if you run hot water and pour dish soap after it. In reality, grease should never go down the drain. Even if it’s hot and easy to pour out of the pan, it will eventually cool and solidify somewhere in your plumbing. This causes a gummy, goopy mess to form along the pipe walls, trapping other debris that flows down the drain. Over time, the resulting clogs could bring your drains to a standstill.

Even if the grease makes it past your home’s plumbing system, it continues to wreak havoc in the municipal sewer system. Some cities spend millions of dollars a year addressing damaged sewer systems and clearing out masses of solid waste—obstacles the industry calls “fatbergs,” which are named for the cooking oil and grease that hold the obstructions together. By never pouring grease down the drain, you can help prevent clogs and other plumbing problems further down the line.

How to Dispose of Cooking Grease

A convenient, mess-free way to dispose of cooking grease is to pour it into an empty jar, can, or other container. Screw the lid onto the jar, or wait for the grease to cool and harden in the can. Then, throw it in the trash.

You can also wait for the grease to solidify in the pan and then wipe it out with paper towels, which you should then throw away. To prevent your garbage can from getting smelly, be sure to empty it shortly after disposing of the oil or grease.

Too Late—I Already Poured Grease Down the Drain

Many people only find out about the problems with grease in the plumbing system after it’s too late. If you’ve already poured grease down the drain, you can try the hot water and dish soap trick as a temporary solution that may remove the thickest part of the clog. However, if you’ve been disposing of grease in your kitchen sink for years, you may need help from a plumber. A professional has the tools necessary to unclog your drain thoroughly so it flows freely once more.

Schedule Drain Cleaning in Winnipeg

Legacy Mechanical Services uses advanced techniques to clear stubborn grease clogs, including motorized augers. We work with many restaurant kitchen drains, and often clean out kitchen grease traps, so you know you can trust our team to deliver the highest quality plumbing work. After all, we know that great service isn’t just about clearing your pipes—it’s also about ensuring your complete satisfaction. To schedule drain cleaning in Winnipeg please call 204-452-9424 or contact us online.

30 Secrets a Plumber Won't Tell You

These secrets could save you a lot of time and money. Get the scoop on things a plumber will never tell you. And don’t let anyone know we shared these with you!

Monday is Our Busiest Day

That’s the day many call us to correct whatever DIY plumbing project went south over the weekend. Another crazy busy day is the day after Thanksgiving. Thanks to the big meal enjoyed at large family gatherings, sink and toilet pipes take a beating — and plumbers are often called in the next day.

A Burst Washing Machine Hose is a Top Homeowner-Insurance Claim

If your washing machine is connected to bare rubber hoses, you’re risking thousands of dollars’ worth of water damage. Under constant water pressure, these hoses are prone to leaks or even bursting. It’s a good idea to replace them with no-burst washing machine water hoses which are encased in a woven metal sleeve that prevents weak spots in the rubber from developing into leaks.

Call a Plumbing-Supply or Fixture Store for a Plumber Recommendation

These types of stores don’t tolerate bad plumbers, so you know they’ll send you to the best of the best. Another great resource is to check with local general contractors, they work with a lot of different vendors so they know who will get the job done right.

No Bricks in the Toilet Tank

You might have heard that putting a brick in the toilet tank can save water, but don’t fall for this outdated tip. The brick can disintegrate over time, and the debris damages the flush mechanism.

Know the Location of the Main Shutoff Valve in your home

There’s nothing worse than a major water leak in your home. Flowing water can cause panic, so make sure you know ahead of time how to turn it off. The location of the main shut off valve is one of the 125 things every homeowner should know to save money and prevent damage.

Watch Out for Long or Shedding Hair

If you’ve got a Rapunzel at home, buy a drain strainer or a hair snare to keep your drain free of hair clogs. If you do run into a hairy obstruction, there are affordable drain snakes that work great at removing it. Fixing a clog is one of several DIY plumbing fixes you can do.

Don’t Use “Flushable” Wipes

Those “flushable” wipes are one of the main culprits for clogging pipes. They don’t break down the way toilet paper does.

You Have a Choice with Parts

Some parts cost more than others to do the same job. If a plumber doesn’t give you an option, ask — or better yet, do your own research if you have the time. Chances are, you can use PVC pipe instead of copper and save some money.

You Won’t Know Until You Ask

Most plumbers want to fix your plumbing problem as quickly and easily as possible so they can move on to their next money-making job. But, they might be willing to do an extra task or install a specialty item if you ask. For example, technically plumbers are not supposed to remove flow inhibitors from shower heads — but it doesn’t hurt to ask.

The Toilet Handle is an Easy Fix

Always jiggling the toilet handle? Don’t call the plumber just yet, all you need to do is replace the flap valve. The part costs $4, and it’s an easy fix; a plumber is going to charge you a lot more than that.

You Can Fix a Jammed Garbage Disposal Yourself

There’s often an Allen wrench that comes with the garbage disposal. Keep it under the sink. When the disposal jams, follow the directions in the manual; and you won’t need a plumber.

Turn Off Outdoor Faucets for the Winter

Want to avoid frozen pipes? Prevent them easily (and an expensive call to a plumber) by disconnecting your outside hoses in the fall. Make sure to shut off the water from the inside as well. Drain the hoses and store them until the following spring.

Don’t Hang Things From Your Pipes

Don’t hang clothes on those exposed pipes in your basement. Even if you think a light weight item won’t hurt, plumbers we’ve talked to have seen them break and flood a basement. Definitely not something you want to deal with.

Old Toilet Seats are Harder to Remove Than You Think

If you have an older toilet with metal bolts, don’t bother replacing the toilet seat; it’s a tough job — you’re probably better off just getting a whole new toilet.

How Much Materials Cost

It’s true plumbers are notoriously expensive, but for good reason. Don’t get too hung up on how much materials cost, if you’ve hired a quality plumber.

Turn Off Your Water When Away on Vacation

If you’re going away for any length of time, like on vacation, turn off your water. It’s the best way to avoid serious water damage due to a plumbing failure while you’re away. If on any of those days the temperature drops below freezing, have someone check in on your house to check for burst pipes.

You Get What You Pay For

A plumber with a good reputation might charge a little more up-front, but you’ll save in the long run by avoiding call-backs and extra charges. Look for a company that warranties its service for up to a year for major installations or repairs.

Don’t Ignore Drips and Running Toilets

Small drips can waste over eight gallons of water a day, and a continuously running toilet can waste more than 200 gallons of water daily. If you ignore them, you’ll pay for it when your water bill arrives.

You Can Ask for Additional Advice

While a plumber is at your home working, he or she will probably be happy to check an additional plumbing problem you’re having — just ask.

Find a Licensed Plumber

If you have a major fix to deal with in your home, shop around for a licensed plumber to do the work. Obtaining at least three bids helps you determine the range of the project, so you can weigh the pros and cons of price and the reputation of the plumbers. Get references and check that their licensing is up to date with your local state registrar. Also, a good plumber knows his craft and won’t nickel and dime you.

Check with Your Neighbors

A plumber who does sketchy work probably doesn’t want you to know this tip — check with your neighbors for a plumber referral. Almost everyone has to hire a plumber at some point, and your neighbours will tell you both the good and bad experiences they’ve had, so you can make an informed decision. A trusted plumber that consistently delivers quality service does not remain a secret for very long.

Be Wary of Off-the-Chart Price Quotes

Get a minimum of three bids. Estimates for an average-sized job should be within a few hundred dollars. Be suspicious of anything that is substantially lower or double the price of the rest, and watch out for hidden fees. They could be signs of a home improvement scam. A good plumber will not nickel and dime you, and many will offer free estimates.

Perform Regular Maintenance

Plumbing requires upkeep. Avoid calling a plumber as often by performing some preventative maintenance like consistently checking pipes for leaks, avoid putting the wrong things down the drain, flushing your water heater, and regularly cleaning your showerhead.

There are Some Job Risks Specific to Plumbers

A plumbing forum posed the question of whether people had gotten sick from drain cleaning and the responses shed light on the dangers plumbers face on the job. The illnesses ran from stomach problems to staph infections to chemical burns. There’s a reason why plumbers don’t like people who use chemicals to clear clogged drains. (See our post on Draino!)

New Tools Don’t Mean Anything

You might have heard to check out a contractor’s tools to judge how experienced he or she is. But this is an old myth, shiny new tools aren’t always indicative of a plumber’s lack of experience or competency. New tools can just mean a plumber needed a new tool.

Where to Find Your Ring

Don’t panic if your ring goes down the sink, there’s a quick retrieval option. Set a bucket below the P-trap and remove the clean-out. It could save you a call to the plumber. But if it isn’t there, you might need to call the plumber to prevent compounding the problem by trying to fish it out.

The Really Weird Stuff That Gets Flushed Down the Toilet

Plumbers will tell you that cell phones have known to get flushed down the toilet, but they might not tell you about the other weird stuff. We’ve heard about dentures, video game systems, beer cans and even live animals like snakes.

Stop a Running Toilet

A common cause of a toilet running is a flapper that doesn’t seal. If water from the tank seeps around the flapper and into the bowl, the flapper is probably shot. Flush the toilet and look for a fill valve leak. Lift up on the toilet float arm when the tank is filling to see if the water stops. Bend or adjust the toilet float arm so the tank stops filling when the water level is 1/2- to 1-in. below the top of the overflow pipe. If the fill valve still leaks, replace it.

Why your Water Heater Pilot Light Goes Out - And how to fix it

Having your gas water heater’s pilot light flame go out is an inconvenient and frustrating problem to face. When your water heater pilot light won’t stay lit, you’re left without hot water making something as simple as taking a shower irksome. Naturally, you wonder, “Why did this happen? Are there any tips or tricks to getting it started again? How do I get it repaired? What sort of costs can I expect?” Luckily, if your water heater pilot light goes out, just know that this is a common problem many homeowners face and the effort to repair is minimal.

If your water heater pilot light won’t stay lit and don’t know much about water heaters, let us walk you through common reasons why your water heater isn’t heating and how to solve this issue.

Why does the pilot light on my water heater keep going out?

Your water heater pilot light keeps going out due to issues with the heater’s thermocouple or access to combustible air.

Thermocouple Issues

Your thermocouple senses when your pilot light is burning. The tip of the thermocouple sits over the pilot flame, generating a voltage that keeps the gas valve open. If it senses that your water heater pilot light keeps going out, the thermocouple will shift off the gas supply to the heater. Over time, thermocouples can malfunction, accumulate dust buildup, or the device can get bent away from the pilot light’s flame. In either case, the thermocouple will struggle to sense the pilot light and stop the gas supply.

Lack of Combustible Air

Another reason your gas water heater pilot light won’t stay lit could be due to not having enough combustible air. Your water heater requires air to keep the pilot light burning. Otherwise, the flame goes out. Ensure that the water heater is not surrounded by clutter, lint, or debris to increase the amount of combustible air. Keep the surrounding area as clean as possible.

What do I do if my water heater pilot light keeps going out?

First, attempt to relight the flame on your own. Take these general steps:

1. Find the gas shut-off knob and turn to the “Off” setting. This stops the flow of gas. Wait a few minutes for the gas to dissipate.

2. Remove the access panel to access the burner.

3. Turn the knob to “Pilot” to start the flow of gas. You’ll want to press and hold the knob down.

4. While still holding the gas knob, light the pilot with a long lighter. If your gas water heater has an igniting button, press that instead.

5. Once ignited, release and turn the gas knob to the “On” position and listen for the main burner to turn on.

If you can’t relight the pilot or your pilot light keeps going out, consider the possibility of another issue, like a bad thermocouple.

Note: Refer to your water heater unit’s instruction manual.

Can I replace a thermocouple myself?

Yes. If you are DIY-inclined, you may be able to replace the thermocouple yourself. To do so it’s easiest to shut off the gas valve and remove the whole burner and thermocouple assembly. Though if you have no clue how to do small repairs, it’s better and safer to contact someone who does. A technician can also inspect your water heater for other issues and offer advice or tips towards any current/future problems.

Call Legacy Mechanical Services

If your water heater pilot light won’t light or keeps going out, give Legacy Mechanical a call at 204-452-9424 or reach us online. Our certified technicians are available 24/7 to come out, take a look, and recommend the best way to get your water heater working safely and efficiently.

Why Plumbers Hate Drano

It is almost inevitable that you’ll encounter a clogged drain or toilet at some point. if you’re like many homeowners, your first instinct may be to reach for Drano to clear up the clog. However, what many homeowners do not realize is that professional plumbers hate Drano because it can actually do more harm than good in the long run.

In fact, using Drano can end up causing serious damage to your plumbing over time, potentially leaving you with costly repairs that could have been avoided by calling a plumber for regular drain cleaning. Keep reading to learn more about what Drano is, how it works, and why plumbers advise against using it.

What is Drano, and How Does it Work?

Drano is a common lye-based drain cleaning product. It is meant to clear blockages when poured down a drain by dissolving and decomposing masses that may be blocking your pipes. When you pour Drano down your sink, a series of reactions take place that is meant to clear a clog.

First, the lye in Drano decomposes physical matter in your pipes. Then, aluminum in the product reacts with the lye, causing the temperature in your pipes to reach near boiling to help speed up decomposition. Finally, the lye forms a soapy substance that dissolves the clogged material and creates room for water to wash the clog away.

While the chemicals in Drano are meant to eat away at whatever is clogging your pipes, the strength of these chemicals can actually cause damage to plastic, and even metal, pipes.

If you frequently use Drano and did not know it could be harmful, here is a look at just a few of the reasons why we advise against using it.

It is Extremely Corrosive For Your Drains

Unfortunately, the corrosive effects of Drano do not just affect the clog you were trying to get rid of. When your pipes are clogged, Drano will sit on top of the clog, continually reacting and generating heat until the clog dissolves. This can put a great deal of stress on your drains as the heat can cause PVC pipes to soften and even break or collapse.

While it is dissolving your clog, Drano can also quickly eat away at the glue holding your pipes together, leading to a potentially costly leak.

Drano’s effects can be particularly devastating on toilets, which is why you should avoid using this product to clear a blocked toilet. The fact is that porcelain toilets often are not made to withstand the heat generated by Drano, and this heat can actually cause your toilet bowl to crack, resulting in potentially costly damage.

Drano is Bad for The Environment

Unfortunately, even if your plumbing escapes an encounter with Drano relatively unscathed, the same likely can’t be said for the environment. Once you pour Drano down your sink, and it works its way through your pipes, it still has to go somewhere.

When Drano exits your plumbing and enters the municipal sewer system, it can have a profound effect on the environment as it can harm the plants and animals it comes into contact with. It can even contaminate the local water supply. With how toxic and corrosive Drano is, it can continue to have an impact on the environment long after it has left your home.

Drano is Often a Temporary Fix

While Drano may work to clear a clogged sink, it may only act as a temporary fix if there are more serious problems with your plumbing. If you notice that you are repeatedly encountering clogs in the same area of your home, then it is likely that you have a plumbing issue more serious that can be addressed by Drano. In fact, by continuing to use Drano on a chronic clog, you could be causing severe damage to your home’s plumbing system.

Thusly, if you choose to use Drano on a clogged sink and the clog returns, do not continue to pour Drano down your sink. Doing so could cause your pipes to melt, causing costly damage to your home’s plumbing. If you choose to use Drano and you still encounter problems with a clog, contact a plumber to have the problem professionally addressed.

The Best Methods for Clearing a Clog

If you are faced with a clogged toilet or sink, call us at Legacy Mechanical Services. Our skilled drain technicians are fully equipped with the tools to get the job done right the first time. Call us today to hear about our drain cleaning methods!

Is It Time To Call A Professional Drain Cleaning Company in Winnipeg?

If using a plunger or drain snake does not clear your clog, this is a sign that it is time to call a professional plumber. Considering the risks that come with using Drano, hiring a plumber to clear the clog for you will still be the safer and cheaper option in the long run. Feel free to contact us to learn more about the risks of using Drano or to find out about scheduling an appointment to have your clogged drain fixed.

Lead Water Services to Your Home

If your home was built before the mid-1950’s, you may have lead water pipes. How do you know if your service pipes are made of lead?

Lead water pipes are usually a dull gray colour. You can confirm it’s a lead pipe by gently scratching the surface with a coin. If it’s lead, scratching the pipe will leave a shiny silver metal mark.

Copper water pipes are usually a bronze, bright or dark orange colour and are made of a very hard material. Scratching a copper pipe with a coin will leave a faint bronze coloured mark.

If you can't tell what kind of water pipes you have in your home, contact the City of Winnipeg Service at 311 as they may have a record of the type of water pipe used for your water service.

Other hidden sources of contamination

Your home may have lead solder connecting water pipes if it was built prior to 1990. Since 1990, the Canadian National Plumbing Code has restricted the use of lead solder in new plumbing and in repairs to plumbing for drinking water supplies. Your home may also have brass water taps, valves and fitting that contain lead if it was built before 2014. Prior to January 2014, these brass components could contain up to eight percent lead. As of January 4, 2014, the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) requires brass fixtures used in plumbing for drinking water to contain no more than 0.25 percent lead.

Overall, it’s is difficult to identify whether there is lead in the solder used to connect your water pipes, or the brass water taps valves or fittings in your home, so it’s important to reduce lead exposure by flushing your plumbing system.

Flushing your Pipes

In 2019, the Government of Canada reduced the allowable levels of lead in drinking water. This prompted the City of Winnipeg to run a testing program based on volunteers in each neighbourhood. In our home neighbourhood of Fort Rouge, the City found that 24% of tests taken at random times throughout the day were above the maximum levels prescribed by the Government of Canada. However, that number was reduced to on 4% of samples after a 2 minute flush, and a reduction to 0% of samples after a 5 minute flush.

The City offers the following advice for flushing your system:

• Flush your plumbing system before consuming any water that has been standing in your pipes for more than six hours, as standing water can absorb metals from the pipes.

  • You can flush your system by running your tap for up to 10 minutes, flushing the toilet, taking a shower or starting a load of laundry

  • After flushing, fill containers with water and keep them in the fridge for drinking.

• Use cold water for cooking and drinking, as hot tap water can absorb trace metals from water pipes.

• Clean faucet aerators to remove any particles and sediment that may have collected in the aerator screen.

• Consider using home water treatment devices that have the proper certification to reduce or remove lead, including:

  • Water filters with the Health Canada recommended certification label ANSI/NSF Standard No. 53 for reduction of lead (look for the blue NSF logo)

  • Distillation units

  • Reverse osmosis units

Of course, the best way to reduce your lead exposure is to have any lead lines replaced. The City of Winnipeg recommends you consider replacing the pipe (if it is lead) that runs from your home up to the shut-off valve (usually at your property line). You are responsible for this part of the water pipe. Legacy Mechanical services is a licensed water contractor and is able to help get a water connection services permit and do the work. Give us a call today if this is something you’re considering doing! We’d love to help.

8 Signs You Have Hard Water Problems in Your Home

You just moved into a new place and you notice something is not quite right. There’s something going on, and you have a sneaking suspicion it might have to do with the tap water.

Hard water problems can be a real hassle, especially for new homeowners who may be unfamiliar with the issues it causes. Solving those problems can vastly improve your family’s quality of life and get things back to normal again.

So What is Hard Water?

We all learned in school that water is H2O – two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom make up a water molecule, right? What many of us don’t realize is that extra stuff can get into the water we drink. Some of it is perfectly safe to consume, while other water contaminants could negatively impact your family’s health. But tap water is certainly not 100% pure H20.

Hard water is basically water containing a high mineral count. Groundwater often percolates through our Manitoba limestone where it picks up calcium and magnesium deposits.

Drinking water can also contain trace minerals like iron, which gets picked up from the soil, lakes and rivers – even older, corroded plumbing. In some regions, hard water may also contain manganese or aluminum.

Of course, things like calcium, magnesium and iron aren’t necessarily bad for you. In fact, they’re actually beneficial nutrients. However, hard water sediments can also carry potentially harmful bacteria along with them. A 2014 study found hard water scaling is directly responsible for bacterial growth in residential drinking water.

If your home gets water from a well, you most likely have hard water. But it’s not just a rural issue. Our Winnipeg water is hard too!

Here are eight potential problems hard water causes. Do any of them sound familiar?

1. Your Water Tastes or Smells Funny

A strange odour or taste to drinking water is often one of the first clues you have a water conditioning problem. It’s a sure-sign there is hard water or some sort of bacterial contaminant. For instance, if your water has an unpleasant metallic taste. That’s probably too much iron. If your water smells like rotten eggs, that could be naturally occurring hydrogen sulfide gas or certain bacteria reacting with magnesium to form sulfates. Some people say their water tastes like dirt. That could be sediment (actual dirt), old pipes or algae. Algal blooms can also give tap water a moldy aftertaste. No one likes to drink water with a funky smell or flavour. But that’s just the beginning of your problems.

2. You’re Getting Strange Stains

Ugly brown or reddish stains on the porcelain are a big embarrassment. You can blame hard water for that too – specifically iron. It’s no coincidence those stains look a lot like rust spots. The iron in your water could be coming from rusty pipes. You’ll have to use a lot of elbow grease to get rid of those stains. Some people suggest using vinegar to help clean and remove them. Unfortunately, the stains will keep reappearing until you fix your hard water problem.

3. You’re Constantly Cleaning Up Soap Scum

Another unsightly issue is the appearance of those white, hard water spots. That’s what you get when water evaporates and leaves calcium deposits behind. When you have hard water, you’ll notice nasty soap scum seems to accumulate all over the place. That’s because soap and the minerals in hard water just don’t play nicely together. If your dishes are always spotty, it may not be your dishwasher, it’s probably your water. What’s worse – soap scum left on shower curtains can lead to the development of a microbial biofilm that might contain disease-spreading bacteria. With hard water, you may find yourself cleaning the bathroom and kitchen more often and using more cleaning product to get the job done. Who wants to do that?

4. Your Showering Experience Suffers

Showering is your time to escape the world for ten minutes to wash the dirt and worries away. But when you have hard water, shower time can be ruined. As we’ve mentioned, minerals cause hard water to react ineffectively with soap. This makes it harder to get a good lather when you bathe. It also makes it more difficult to wash all the soap off your body, leaving a film of soapy residue on your skin. Deposits from hard water can clog up your shower head too. That means weaker water pressure. With hard water, you may not be getting as clean and you may notice your hair is hard to manage. Yes, hard water could even be responsible for your bad hair days.

5. Your Pipes Keep Getting Clogged

Showerheads aren’t the only things that can get clogged up thanks to hard water. It can cause major plumbing issues as well. Scale deposits build up inside your pipes, like plaque inside an artery, constricting the flow of water, eventually leading to backups and the need to call a plumber for help. If you have PVC or copper pipes, this probably is not an issue. It’s most-common with older, steel pipes.

6. Your Clothes Aren’t Getting Clean

Hard water can have a negative impact on laundry – and once again – it’s all due to the rocky relationship minerals like calcium and magnesium have with soap and detergent. Soap is used to wash away dirt and grime, but when soap doesn’t get rinsed off, it can actually increase soil build up on your clothes. Clothes washed in hard water often appear dingy and wear out faster. It can even make your towels scratchy and rough. When you have hard water, you may have to buy detergent formulated to soften the water for you.  However, you’ll likely have to use more laundry detergent (and hotter water) to get your clothes clean. It’s even advised that people with hard water use four times as much detergent. Plus, just as iron stains your bathroom fixtures, it can stain your clothes. Premature yellowing of your whites could be caused by iron content in the water. When combined with bleach, iron oxidizes, and iron oxide is just another name for rust.

7. Your Family Has Skin Irritation Issues

Because washing in hard water will leave soap behind, it causes people’s skin to get dried out and itchy. Mineral deposits left on the body can also suck moisture right out of your skin. The skin condition eczema is fairly common, especially among younger children. There is research indicating that bathing in hard water could cause eczema symptoms to worsen. Another study concluded exposure to hard water could increase the risk of developing eczema in elementary-school-age children.

8. Your Appliances Are Wearing Out Quickly

This might be the most expensive hard water problem of all. Those scale deposits can wreak havoc on many appliances in your home, from the dishwasher to the hot water heater. A build up of sediment in your water heater can make it far less efficient. The same goes for other appliances. Poor efficiency means bigger utility bills. The icemaker in your fridge can stop working as scale deposits clog up valves. The American Water Works Association says hard water can cause a washing machine to wear out 30% faster than normal. It’s not difficult to see how hard water can cost you money in the long run. In fact, it’s estimated hard water expenses could cost you $800 or more every year.

How Water Conditioning Could Help

There are different solutions to different problems, but there’s only one perfect answer to all your hard water issues. That would be installing a water softener in your home. Water softeners remove things like calcium, magnesium and iron from your water as it comes in from the source. It’s an investment that could save you headaches as well as money. There are also other types of water conditioning products, like a reverse osmosis system, which can help eliminate potentially harmful contaminants. If you’re ready to look into the possibility of a water softener in your home, or if you simply have questions about the options available, see our all of our quality product lines below to find a water conditioning expert near you.You just moved into a new place and you notice something is not quite right. There’s something going on, and you have a sneaking suspicion it might have to do with the tap water.

The Truth About Composting Toilets

By mixing the waste with other materials, composting toilets are able to eliminate odour and use significantly less water than the average flush toilet.

Nearly 27 percent of the average Canadian’s household water usage occurs when flushing toilets. Despite a federal regulation requiring that toilets use only 1.6 gallons of water per flush (GPF), toilets made before 1992 may be using up to 7 gallons a flush. Even with the reduced GPF standard, a single toilet flushed five times a day will use 2,336 gallons of water per year.

A composting toilet provides an alternative to flush toilets by disposing of human waste while minimizing the use of water. By mixing the waste with sawdust, peat moss or coconut coir and venting the flow of air outward, the toilet eliminates odour through an anaerobic processing system.

What are the different types of composting toilets to consider?
• Self-contained systems. The entire system is connected and, for all intents and purposes, a single unit. Should you have confined space availability or a multi-story house, these systems may work best for you.
• Centralized systems. A large, centralized tank is installed either under your home or outdoors, and all waste is flushed to the storage tank. There are multiple types of centralized systems which vary in the ways they flush waste and in the number of storage chambers they hold. Depending on your particular situation, a centralized system could provide a better experience, as it is more akin to a traditional toilet.

Why consider a composting toilet?
• You’re interested in reducing water usage
• You want to save money
• You are looking for ways to minimize your environmental impact

In what scenarios do compost toilets make the most sense?
• You’re developing in an area that doesn’t have access to a septic system
• Your structure is not connected to a pre-existing septic system
• You wish to relieve the burden on the existing plumbing system

When a household already has plumbing installed, it may make sense to keep the system in place and simply update the toilets to be more efficient. However, adding a compost toilet can relieve pressure from the system and at least put a dent in reducing costs. Though the initial cost is higher than a conventional toilet, its long-term benefits far outweigh its upfront expense. A composting toilet can save you money and significantly reduce environmental impact over time.

What are the primary benefits of a composting toilet?
• Reduces a household’s water usage by up to 60 percent
• Saves money on water — possibly saving more than 6,600 gallons per person a year
• Promotes composting and more productive soil

Composting toilets use little to no water and facilitate the recycling of waste into the environment as fertilizer. Furthermore, by recycling your household’s waste into compost, you promote more fertile soil and have the opportunity to produce more food independently.

Composting regenerates poor soil by increasing the production of micro-organisms, helping the soil to retain moisture, reducing pests and plant diseases, increasing agricultural productivity and eliminating the need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides. By binding heavy metals, eliminating wood preservatives, pesticides and hydrocarbons in contaminated soils, composting prevents pollutants from being absorbed by plants or water sources. By reducing the organic materials in landfills, you help minimize the production of methane and leachate formulation. You will also reap the economic benefits of a reduced need for water, fertilizers and pesticides.

What is the cost of a compost toilet?
• Self-contained compost toilets start at $1,400
• Build it yourself for $50
• Septic system installation costs 75% more than a compost toilet

A self-contained composting toilet starts at about $1,400, but if you’re handy—and adventurous—enough to build your own, you could do so for about $50. Keep in mind that you will need your own outdoor composting bin system before installing a composting toilet. Instructions to build your own toilet can be found on multiple internet sites, but most require the same standard materials: cover material (something to cover and absorb waste), bucket, plywood, particleboard, medical grade toilet seat and assorted hardware.

Additionally, if you think $1,400 sounds steep, installing a septic system on your property will cost you up to 75 percent more than a compost toilet, so consider that.

What are the disadvantages to a composting toilet?
• Manual removal of waste
• Not necessarily aesthetically pleasing
• Oftentimes must be used in conjunction with a greywater system
• Smaller units may have limited capacity for accepting larger amounts of waste
• Most systems require a power source
• Improperly installed systems can produce odours and unprocessed material

Perhaps the biggest disadvantage of composting toilets is the increased level of maintenance and manual upkeep required. Slacking in your maintenance routine can lead to not only terrible odours but horrible messes and health hazards. When using a self-contained compost toilet unattached to a system, you’ll have to manually remove the end product (which could prove to be an unsavoury task, to say the least). Most systems require you to be connected to a power source and a greywater system. Improperly installed systems can lead to odor issues. Additionally, you'll need to monitor the temperature, moisture, pH levels, air circulation and level of biological organisms within your compost storage box. These are all the main factors that determine how effectively and efficiently your system is functioning at breaking down your household waste.

Is a composting toilet worth the hassle?

• Promotes composting of kitchen waste as well as bathroom waste
• Reduces dependence on conventional plumbing and sewage system
• Reduces overall water use
• Decreases household maintenance costs
• Reduces marine pollution
• Easily detects water pollution
• Ease of property planning
• Flexibility in land development
• Reduces gray-water loading
• Less of a negative environmental impact

Although we have laid out many factors to consider and regulate, operating a composting toilet doesn't require any special training. In fact, there are so many advantages to a composting toilet system that, for most people, they outweigh the hassle. In addition to composting the human waste in your household, the system allows you to recycle and compost anything you would normally put in your kitchen sink disposal (food scraps, etc.), thus cutting down on overall household waste. Onsite composting systems are far easier to manage than conventional plumbing systems, and allow you to avoid issues that most water-borne systems cause. Unlike conventional sewage systems, which require advanced planning during a property’s development, composting toilet systems may be incorporated whenever they’re needed. Onsite composting and greywater treatment systems lessen your overall negative impact on the environment.

Conclusion
Composting toilets could be a win-win. If you want to save money on water and power, minimize your environmental footprint and help conserve our water supply, consider adding a compost toilet to your existing system or using compost toilets in your next development.

Plumbing Vent Stacks

Your home has a few different exhausts – something for the furnace, maybe a fireplace chimney, a dryer vent, a kitchen fan. The one that usually gets the least attention is the plumbing vent stack. And that’s because it usually doesn’t need much care. But during extremely cold weather, you might have a problem. If it freezes shut, sewer gases may build up in your home.  And it may make it harder to flush your toilet. Here’s what you need to know:

What does it do?

The vent stack allows sewer gases to vent harmlessly through your roof. Most homes just have one stack, and all of the drain lines are connected to it somehow. This is typically a cast iron pipe but in newer homes may be made of PVC.  (Cast iron has the benefit of being quieter, but also conducts more heat.)  Each of the drains in the home (sinks, toilets, tubs, etc.) will also have a trap – typically a curve in the pipe that is filled with water – that acts as a plug to keep sewer gases from escaping from the drain. Plumbing vents keep the air pressure in the drain system normal so that water is not siphoned out of these traps.

What can go wrong?

In extremely cold weather, water vapor in the vent can freeze on the top of the stack, and may close it off completely. When this happens, the pressure in your drain system may be disrupted, causing the water traps to empty. Then, with no vent to the roof, the gases may build up in your home. Besides smelling awful, sewer gas also can contain harmful compounds like hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, and carbon monoxide.  Even if the exhaust vent doesn’t freeze shut, it may be restricted, and this may cause toilets to have trouble flushing or affect other drains in your house.

What can you do?

• From the ground, or if you can see the cap from a window, visually inspect to see if you can spot ice build-up. Don’t go on your roof.

• If your toilet is slow or gurgles, this can also be a sign that the vent is plugged.

• Insulation is key. If you can access the pipe in your attic, wrapping it with insulation will keep it warmer and prevent ice build-up.

• Running hot water from one of your faucets will create warm vapor that can help melt the ice.

• Opening a door or vent to your attic can warm up the stack, but will increase your heating bill temporarily.

• Periodically add warm water to drains that aren’t used often, to keep the trap full. This is especially important for floor drains.

• Make sure the cap is clear of snow and leaves.

• If this is a recurring problem for your home, you may need to extend the stack further from the roof, or add heat tape to the stack within your attic. Adding an insulated cap may help also.

How to Avoid Christmas Plumbing Catastrophes

With Christmas just a few short days away, the last thing any homeowner wants to deal with is a plumbing catastrophe. Whether you are hosting a houseful guests or just enjoying a quiet holiday at home with your immediate family, there are several things you can do to prevent plumbing problems this holiday season. Keep reading to discover how you can avoid Christmas plumbing nightmares.

Preventing Bathroom Plumbing Problems

Your bathroom will likely see increased use this holiday season, especially if you are hosting guests. Encourage those guests not to use your toilet as a trash can by placing a small bin in the bathroom. Remind young children that nothing should ever be flushed other than human waste and toilet paper.

Make sure there is a plunger in each bathroom. They made dealing with minor clogs a breeze and can help you avoid a visit from a plumber.

Install screens in shower and tub drains to catch hair and prevent it from entering your pipes.

Space out baths and showers to avoid running out of water. You may also want to consider turning the temperature up a few degrees to help avoid running out of hot water. Just remember not to turn it up to scalding temperatures.

Avoiding Kitchen Catastrophes

Your kitchen is the other room that likely sees increased use during the holiday season. If you have a garbage disposal, remember to avoid putting in fibrous foods, bones, grease and non-food items. Flush with cold water after each use.

Never pour grease, oil or fat down your drains. Doing so is a good way to cause disgusting clogs that can really put a damper on your day.

Install a screen on your sink drain. This prevents non-food items from finding their way into your drains and causing clogs.

Christmas Plumbing Repair

If you need plumbing repair this holiday season, Legacy Mechanical Services is always here to help. We will have technicians on call throughout the season (including on Christmas Day!) to handle plumbing emergencies. Give our 24/7 emergency line a call at (204) 452-9424.

From the entire team at Legacy Mechanical Services to you, we would like to wish you a safe and happy holiday season!

Winter home heating tips

You may find your electricity bill going up during the winter months.

Increased heating and other winter energy habits (such as using more lighting for longer hours), can make the average winter electricity bill 66% higher than the rest of the year.

There are some steps you can take to heat your home more efficiently and help you avoid high winter bills.

Baseboard heating

If your home has baseboard heaters you're likely already aware that they can be costly to run. In fact, they can account for up to 50% of your home's overall electricity use. Thankfully with a few simple tips – like turning them off in rooms you're not using, keeping them at an ideal temperature, and ensuring they're kept clean, can help keep your costs down.

Setting your thermostat

In winter, heating costs can go up by as much as 140% compared to the rest of the year. One of the most effective things you can do to control your heating costs is to manage your thermostat effectively.

A programmable thermostat is a small investment that can help you manage your heating costs by reducing wasted heat. Simply set it to turn on at the times you're home and turn down when you're out during the day, and at night when you're sleeping.

• Setting your thermostat at the right temperature is important. Heating costs rise about 5% for every degree above 20°C (68°F) that you set your thermostat.

  • 16°C when you're away from home and sleeping.

  • 21°C when you're relaxing or watching TV.

  • 18°C when you're cooking or doing housework.

• Set it and forget it. Set your thermostat to adjust at certain times of the day, like when you're asleep or at work. Have your thermostat warm up right before you usually get home in the evening.

• Manage settings on the go. If you make spontaneous evening plans and have a WiFi-enabled smart thermostat, adjust it right from your smartphone so your home doesn’t get warmed up for your arrival.

• Do you have baseboard heating or rely on portable space heaters? They can be inefficient, especially for large spaces. Make sure you're using yours as efficiently as possible.

• 'Smart' thermostat "learn your routine." Thermostats like the Nest will learn your daily routine and automatically adjust the temperature for you.

Draftproofing your home

A drafty home is an inefficiently-heated home. If your home is losing warm air to the outside and letting cold air gust in, you're wasting heat. Sealing gaps and cracks can help, reducing heat loss by up to 10%. Plus, it's a simple job that only involves a little bit of work. It's also important to use window coverings effectively to minimize heat loss during the winter.

Using a space heater

Most portable space heaters use a lot of electricity so if the room you're trying to heat is large, or you have multiple heaters in multiple rooms, they can quickly rack up your bill.

The actual cost of a 1,400-watt space heater used an average of four hours a day can run an average of $17 a month to operate.

To make the most of a portable heater, follow these tips:

• Use it in a small or enclosed space.

• Place it the corner of the room.

• Keep doors to the room shut to keep the heat in.

• Turn it off when you leave the room.

No matter what kind of space heater you're using, it's important to keep safety top of mind. Ensure it won't tip over, use it on a level floor, keep blankets and fabric away, and never go to sleep with the heater on.

Sump Pump Discharge in Winter

A sump pump is an important part of your home’s outdoor drainage system. Water draining from sump pumps in the winter can cause ice to build up on sidewalks and streets, causing a public hazard. If your sump pump is causing ice to form on public sidewalks or roadways, you need to correct the situation before getting notice from the City of Winnipeg. Below are some tips to help keep your sump pump in good working order.

• Check your sump pump discharge pipe regularly to ensure that it does not freeze. This is especially important when the temperature fluctuates frequently.
  

• The sump pump discharge pipe should be directed a minimum of 1.5 metres away from the foundation. The sump discharge pipe must be minimum distance of 7.5 metres back from the curb line.
  

• Your pipe should be sloped so that water drains out and does not sit and freeze inside the hose. A frozen line could damage your sump pump. If you are connected to an underground collection system, this does not apply.
  

• A positive grade from your house will also help minimize flooding in your home. Water that sits close to your home may flow down your foundation to your sump pump where it will have to re-pump it out. This can cause premature burn-out of your sump pump.
  

• Be considerate - make sure the water from your discharge pipe does not cause icing on a neighbour's property.

We do not rcommend using a discharge hose or pipe connected to your sump pump discharge pipe. The sump pump discharge may freeze in the hose causing damage and flooding. A better option is to use eavestrough piping or splash pad.

What to do About Roots in your Pipes (without Killing the Tree)

Whenever our pipes get backed up, we usually assume it’s something we did. Maybe we flushed the wrong thing down the toilet or let too much hair get into the shower drain. But sometimes, obstructions actually occur outside of our homes underground. 

One of the most common plumbing obstructions homeowners in Winnipeg face is tree roots. Trees on our property are constantly growing both above ground and below. At first, the root invasion will be small and likely go without notice. But tree roots in your pipes can eventually grow large enough to form a complete obstruction. In this article, we’ll explain how roots make their way into your pipes and give you the rundown on how to get rid of them without doing harm to the tree itself.

How Tree Roots Get Into Your Sewer Lines

Normal, healthy drain pipes are usually safe from invasive tree roots. But over time, pipe fittings can become loose, and clay pipes (used in homes built in the 1970s and earlier) can develop tiny cracks and fissures. And just one tiny crack or opening is all it takes. 

Tree roots are naturally attracted to the water and nutrients that flow through your sewer pipes. As trees mature, their root systems get wider and wider as they seek out more nutrients. Root systems can grow up to four times the diameter of a trees crown. So even a tree that’s 10, 20, or even 30 feet away from your sewer line can still affect your pipes.  

While the roots directly under a tree are pretty large, roots at the very edge of a tree’s root system are tiny. So small, in fact, that they can easily work their way through a crack in a pipe. Once a root has made its way into a pipe, it’ll keep growing and create a larger opening in the pipe wall.    

Signs Of Roots In Drain Pipes

• Slow or gurgling drains. If your tubs, sinks or toilets are draining slowly, it could mean that you have a clog somewhere in the drain pipe. Tree root obstructions will have the same effect, though.

• Strong or foul odors. If you have a serious blockage, you may start to notice rotten smells coming from all your drains.

• Sinkholes on your property. Since root invasions damage your sewer lines, water will begin to seep out into the soil around the pipe. Over time, the added moisture can cause the surface of your property to sink down. It’s a tell-tale sign you might have tree roots in your pipes.

• Extra “green” areas on your property. This might be more of a long-term sign, but tree roots that have successfully invaded your pipe network will get more sustenance than the rest of the foliage on your property. The result? An area that is more green or lush than its surroundings.

Homemade Root Killing Remedies

While you probably won’t find root killing ingredients in your kitchen cabinets, there are some easily available remedies you can try yourself without calling a plumber or sewer line specialist. These treatments involve flushing different salts into the toilet to try to kill the roots in your pipe. They also work well as preventative measures, making your pipes less attractive to roots. 

Copper Sulfate 

This bright blue salt-like crystal is available in most home improvement stores. Copper sulfate is a natural herbicide and will kill off the small tree roots invading your sewer pipes. Flushing half a cup of the crystals down the toilet should do the trick. One thing to note, though, is that copper sulfate isn’t safe for septic systems. 

Rock Salt

Rock salt has a similar effect on tree roots as copper sulfate. It’s also safe to use in septic systems, making it a good alternative to copper sulfate. Just don’t overdo it. One application should be enough to kill the root, but doing it on a consistent basis can poison the tree itself. 

Flushing chemicals down the toilet can kill off roots and get things flowing again, but what happens six months down the road? Won’t new roots just start growing into the pipe? To really solve the problem, more permanent solutions are needed. 

Permanent Tree Root Solutions

Unfortunately, when it comes to tree roots, DIY solutions will only get you so far. Root invasions are one of those situations where you’ll almost certainly need to bring in the professionals. Plumbers and sewer line specialists have some impressive tools in their arsenal to knock out invasive roots. 

The first thing they’ll likely do is use a special camera called an endoscope to look inside your sewer pipes. This snake-like device will allow them to see the extent of your root problem as well as determine the exact location of the root invasion. After they’ve found the obstruction, they’ll come up with a plan for removing the roots. 

Mechanical Auger or Rooter

The most common tool professionals use for root removal is a mechanical auger or rooter. They’ll feed the auger into the pipe all the way down to the obstruction, where it can chop up the roots like a saw. After the roots have been thoroughly chopped, the pipe can be flushed out.

Hydro-Jetting 

Hydro-jets work to clear pipe obstructions by using high-pressure water flows. Hydro-jets can shoot water at up to 4000 psi, which is strong enough to cut through and basically disintegrate tree roots. 

Pipe Repair and Replacement 

After the roots have been cleared from your sewer pipe, the damaged pipe needs to be addressed in order to prevent future root problems. This step usually involves installing a protective pipe sleeve or replacing the pipe completely. Your plumber should be able to give you a solid recommendation based on the extent of damage to the existing pipe. Replacing old clay pipes with more modern materials like PVC can be a great preventative measure.  

Conclusion

Tree roots are indeed invisible enemies when it comes to your plumbing health. While DIY remedies like rock salt and copper sulfate make great temporary solutions, sometimes professional root removal and pipe replacement from the team at Legacy Mechanical Services is the best course of action. If you find yourself with Tree Root issues, give us a call at (204) 452-9424.

To Garburator - Or not?

Are Garburators Bad?

Garburators have become such commonplace in homes that many of us don’t stop to think if we even need one. Like many other appliances in your home a garburator has both its pros and cons. Luckily the experts at Legacy Mechanical Services are here to help you understand both the advantages and disadvantages of installing a garbage disposal in your home.

Pros of Garburator

Convenience

Cleaning dishes is made a lot simpler when you have a garbage disposal. Just rinse remaining food waste off in the sink and let the garburator grind it up and send it down the drain.

Less Trash

When you have a garburator installed in your home you can rinse soft food waste off in the sink instead of putting it in the trash. This also helps with odours in your home as you do not have food waste in your garbage or composting bin rotting and creating unpleasant smells in your home.

Sanitary

Putting food scraps into the garburator is one of the cleanest ways to dispose of food waste. It also is a solution for people who often quickly run out of room in their trash can or composting bin.

Quiet and Easy to Use

Most modern day garbage disposals run incredibly quietly and turn on with a simple flick of a switch.

Affordable and Easy to Install

Many garburators nowadays can run as little as $200-$400, and it will often only take one of Lone Star’s licensed plumbers as little as an hour to install one.

Cons of Garburator

Clogged Drains

Unfortunately many homeowners think that a garburator can take on any kind of food waste they can throw at it. This is not the case and if you put foods into your garburator that it can’t handle it can result in your drains getting clogged. Fibrous vegetables such as celery, banana peels and asparagus can wrap around your garbage disposal blade causing it to jam. Starchy foods such as rice, potatoes and potato skins often expand in hot water and create a gunk that can tightly pack in your drain pipe. If you do end up encountering a clogged drain because you put foods in your garbage disposal that it can’t properly grind down, then you could be in line for an expensive fix.

Odour

If you do not properly maintain and rinse your garburator then it can begin to emit an odour from rotting food that builds up in it. You can often solve odour issues by rinsing your garburator with citrus juice or baking soda.

Waste; Are Garburators Bad for The Environment?

A garbage disposal may not be the best option for those who are more environmentally focused. Composting food waste is a much better use for it than just sending it down the drain. Also garbage disposals need to be rinsed with every use and since a sink uses on average 2 gallons of water per minute, this can be a waste of water.

Whether you have decided that you would like a garbage disposal installed in your home or would like your current garbage disposal upgraded or removed we can help. Give the team at Legacy Mechanical Services a call at (204) 452-9424 today. We have the experience and know-how to help you with any garburator project.

Should I Run My Dishwasher or Wash Dishes by Hand?

The dishes are piling up in the kitchen sink. Should you grab the sponge or load them in the dishwasher?

When it comes to washing dishes—believe it or not—as long as you have a newer model dishwasher, it’s better to run the dishwasher than to hand wash.

Even if you use hot water to hand wash those dishes, the water is nowhere near hot enough to make dishes truly bacteria free. Our hands can’t take the hot water temperatures—140 or 145 degrees Fahrenheit—that many dishwashers use to get stuff really clean.

Even though a dishwasher constantly sprays water, an Energy Star certified dishwasher can use as little as 3 gallons of water per load. An energy-efficient dishwasher can save almost 5,000 gallons of water per year, when compared to water consumption when you hand wash dishes.

When you wipe food remnants with your sponge, all that bacteria ends up filling those tiny holes, and then new bacteria grows at a rate of once every 20 minutes. People rinse their sponges, but they really need to sanitize them. However, not many people do.

Interested in Installing a New Dishwasher?

Save money on your water bills and deep-clean those dishes—the team at Legacy Mechanical would be happy to install a new dishwasher in your home. Just give us a call at (204) 452-9424 and we’ll schedule a time that works for you.