DIY - Fixing a Clog

If someone asks me what is the easiest way to save money on plumbing repairs I always tell them to learn how to clear clogged drains. Clogs of one kind or another are one of the most common plumbing problems. They are so common, in fact, that some entire companies specialize in drain cleaning. Since most drains will eventually get clogged you can save a bundle by learning to fix clogged drains, including clogged tub drains, clogged kitchen drains and other clogged sink drains with no special tools and a little know how.

Clogged Tub Drains
Let's start with something fairly simple, clogged tub drains. If your tub isn't draining well it's very likely the result of hair around the stopper. Plunging probably won't help this. You will need to remove the stopper and clear the hair out.
There are two common types of tub stoppers, the "trip lever" type and the "lift and turn" or "tip toe" type. The "trip lever" ones have been in use for at least 50 years, the others are a little more recent. They both accomplish the same thing but do so very differently.

Trip Lever Drains
The "trip lever" has a lever on the overflow plate near the top of the tub. There is a linkage rod inside the overflow pipe which connects to the stopper. Some styles have the actual stopper inside the piping and other styles just use the linkage to operate the stopper in the tub.
The first thing to check is the drain in the bottom of the tub. Removing any hair or debris with a pair of needle nose pliers may solve your problem. If not you need to go a little further. Remove the overflow plate and pull the linkage and stopper out through the hole (or remove it from the drain in the tub). Remove any hair or debris that comes out with the stopper, make sure the tub drains now and put everything back together..

Lift and Turn Drains
The "lift and turn" and "tip toe" type are very similar and use a stopper that is connected at the tub drain itself. These have to be unscrewed from the tub drain to clean them out. There's a trick to unscrewing a lift and turn type stopper. If you open it all the way and try to unscrew it it will just turn forever. You have to barely lift it up and hold it in that position while you unscrew it. A pair of needle nose pliers is very helpful for removing the hair that is usually clogging the drain.
If your tub drains now pat yourself on the back and go to dinner and a movie with the money you just saved. If things are still clogged the next step is to auger, or snake, the drain. This is done with a small cable snake through the overflow opening. Depending on your skill or confidence level this may be a job for the pros. Plumbers in Missouri City

Clogged Sink Drains
The first thing to try with clogged sink drains in the bathroom (technically these are called lavatories, not sinks) is a plunger. Be sure you have a sink plunger, not a toilet plunger. It should look like a rubber bowl on a stick. If your lavatory has an overflow you will need to plug it with a wet washcloth, fill the bowl and then plunge away. Be careful if you have plastic piping underneath. If the connections are not tight enough the plunging could cause them to come apart.
If plunging doesn't work the next step is to remove the trip lever (this is connected to the little rod you pull to operate the stopper), the stopper and the p-trap to make sure they are all clear. Put a medium size bowl under the p-trap to catch the water. If you have metal traps be very careful, these traps get brittle with age. If yours are plastic you should have no worries.
This should solve most slow drainage problems in the bathroom. If not, you are once again faced with the decision of whether or not now is the time to call a Licensed Plumber. If you do decide to call a pro at least you know you won't be paying them to do something you could easily do yourself.

Clogged Kitchen Drains
Clogged kitchen drains are handled pretty much the same way as bathroom sinks except if you have to plunge one side you may need to block the other side with a wet cloth. This will prevent the plunger from just pushing water from one side to the other. If the plunger doesn't do it be very careful before you remove the trap and piping under the sink. Clogged kitchen drains can involve fairly large amounts of water. Get a big bowl this time, just barely loosen one of the connections to allow things to slowly drain and re- tighten it when the bowl is full. Repeat this process until it stops draining. Now you can safely remove the p-trap and see if it just needs cleaning out.

How To Unclog A Garbage Disposal
If you have a garbage disposal clogged it is usually also jammed and not turning. Most garbage disposals have a reset button on bottom that you can push to reset the motor. Most of then also can be manually turned with an "Allen" or hex key by inserting the key into the shaft on bottom of the disposal. After manually turning the shaft a couple of times back and forth, remove the key and try the switch.
This will usually do the job. If it is still jammed, turn off the breaker, get a flashlight and see if you can see anything inside that doesn't belong. If you can, try to remove it with your trusty needle nose pliers.
If none of these things work, you know the drill by now. At least you gave it your best shot. When the plumbers get there be sure and tell them what you have already tried.

Whole House Clogged
Having one slow draining or stopped up fixture is bad enough. When your whole house won't drain it is a real emergency! While you may not be equipped to fix the problem yourself, there are some things you can do save yourself some serious money if you have to call a plumber.

The first thing you need to know, if you don't already, is whether you are connected to the public sewer system or have a septic tank. If you don't already know this there are several ways to find out. Your water bill will usually have a sewer charge if you are connected. Ask your neighbors if they know, usually you'll have whatever they do. Check your street for manholes, a sign of a sewer system.

Something else you should do before you have a problem is look around outside your home for a clean out. This is a pipe with a plug that can be unscrewed to access your sewer pipe. Clean outs are usually close to the house and may be buried in a flower bed. If you are connected to a sewer you probably have a clean out so poke around and find it.

If you know where your clean out is and your house is stopped up you can remove the cap and, if the blockage is in the yard, you can prevent your house being flooded with sewage. Just take a big pair of channel lock pliers and SLOWLY remove the clean out plug. If the line is full it might spray out of the cap as you unscrew the last few turns.

If you get the clean out cap off and the line is full of waste water that means that the blockage is downstream of the clean out. It also relieves some of the urgency of the situation as you can now usually use your plumbing sparingly and it will drain into your yard. While not great it's better than in your house.

You will probably need to call a plumber to correct this but now you can wait until the morning and avoid the after hours charge.

How your Atlanta Roof Color Affects Your Energy Bill

How does Roof Color affect your Atlanta homes energy bill?

Here in the South, a darker colored roof is most common. Black, dark grey and brown being those dark colors. As we all know dark colors absorb light and light color reflect light. Think of an asphalt road in the middle of summer after a storm. All that steam from the road is the heat built up in the asphalt evaporating the water. Same kind of heat build up occurs with your roof.

The question really is how much heat builds up and how much affect it has on your Atlanta homes cooling cost. The difference between a dark colored and light colored roof in the middle of summer is about 10 to 15 degrees in your attic. So what does that come out to cost wise? Well, that has more to do with your homes insulation and attic ventilation.

Needless to say that the cooler the temperature in your attic the less it will cost to cool your home. But the color of your roof is only one of three variables in that problem of cooling down your attic temperature.

Most homes don’t have enough insulation and improper attic ventilation. To greatly reduce your homes cooling cost all three issues most be addressed. The color of your Atlanta roof material can affect your energy bill but only so much like 10 percent. While dealing with all three issues can reduce your bill by 30 or 40 percent.

What if I don’t want a light color roof on my Atlanta home? 

Shingle manufacturers have come up with what the industry calls cool roofs. These shingles, which come in many common and desirable colors, reflect the sun’s solar rays reducing heat build up in the shingles.

There are other benefits to cool roofs as well. Not only does your dark colored roof heat up your home but also the area surrounding your home. When you put together a neighborhood of homes, the temperature of the entire area increases. Now think of the affect city wide. Cool roof shingles reduce this affect as well. If many people reduced there energy usage cooling there home then a large amount of energy consumption is alleviated.

What if I don’t need a new roof on my Atlanta home? 

If you have a dark colored roof and want to decrease your energy bill, get an Atlanta roofing contractor to check your attic ventilation and insulation. Improving both of these areas will help with energy cost and extend the lifespan of your roof.

Regular roof maintenance can spot storm damage from hail and high winds, find leaks before addition damage is created, and extend your roofs life expectancy. A qualified Atlanta roofing contractor will inspect all aspects of the complete roof system. If you are having a new roof installed, choose an experienced and dependable Atlanta roofer who will do the job accurately and precisely. Your new roof is only as good as its installation.

Northern Atlanta Devasted by Tornadoes

Wednesday evening and night brought a storm system to Georgia and the Atlanta Metro area that was unprecedented for the Southeast. Typical in the Midwest, the supercells that rolled through bring multiple tornadoes to bear brought destruction and death. While the main Atlanta Metro Area was unaffected by the terror that struck northwest and southwest of the city, conditions still were high for storm damage to your homes roof.

Wind Damages Atlanta Roofs

The converging cool and warm air masses created the storm system that produced tornadoes but it also produced very strong gusting winds. Most three tab shingles are only designed to withstand gusts of 55 to 65 mph hour. Even most architectural shingles only have a wind rating of less than 80 mph.

Coupled with the driving and pounding rain, makes a recipe for roof damage. Loose shingles are caused when the tar strip holding the roof shingle down loses grip and the shingle flaps in the wind. The flapping allows rain to soak in underneath the shingles. Eventually the wind will rip the flapping roof shingle off.

Have Your Atlanta Roof Inspected by Roofing Contractor
Now, it is easy to spot a missing roof shingle but not so easy to spot a loose one. An Atlanta roofing contractor can inspect your homes roof any damage. A good Atlanta roofer will provide the inspection for no charge. Your roof is a system designed to protect your home from the elements. That complete roofing system has many pieces also need to be checked for Atlanta storm damage.

Small storm damage can become very costly and extensive storm damage if not found in a reasonable amount of time. Don't wait for the inside of your home to be damaged by Atlanta storms.

4 Steps to Insurance Roof Replacement or Repair

So you, the homeowner, find yourself having just endured a major storm system like the one that came through last night. Walls of monsoon like rain propelled by raging winds. Lightning blistering your eyes with momentary blindness. Thunder shaking the walls as if an earthquake was rumbling from below. Trees quivering, rocking, twisting, as if scared by the storm itself, perilously over the roof keeping the storm at bay. The roar of the pounding rain overcome by the bombardment of high velocity solid ice balls impacting your roof and walls as if shot from a Gatling gun.

If your roof is more than five years old, it is more likely that damaged has occurred. So what should you do? Call a roofer? Call your insurance company?

Step 1. First, find some damage. Whether you look yourself or have a local Atlanta roofing company come check it for you, it is better to know there is damage, small or large. 

Step 2. Before you call the insurance company, check your policy. Know what kind of deductible and coverage you have. Kinds? There are kinds of deductibles and coverage?  Yes and there are too many to go through. Simply know what your deductible amount is and what damage your insurance company will cover. If you don't know then call and ask before filing a claim.

Step 3. File a claim with your insurance company. It takes ten to fifteen minutes. The phone representative will walk you through it. However there is information you need to give them. Know the date and time the storm came through your area. File a storm damage claim.  A storm is an act of God and is not anyone's fault and your rates will not go up. It is the law in the state of Georgia and most other states. Insurance rates can't go up for an act of God unless they raise everyone's rates. Do not be talked into a different type of claim that could put the blame on you. 

What if the storm happened months ago? A year ago?

The parameters for filing a claim are as such. You have a year from when damaged was noticed to file a claim. Key word is noticed. It took take months or a year before major visible damage could be noticed.You could technically file  more than a year after the storm. However, the likely hood of a full roof replacement or repair work is unlikely. You, the homeowner should file a claim within six months of the storm. Don't think that you need to file a claim immediately but don't wait too long. Within that six months your insurance company will be more amenable to repairs or full replacement.

Step 4. Meeting with the insurance. After filing a claim, an adjuster will be sent to survey the damage. It is ok to have a Marietta roofing contractor present as well but not necessary. There are pros and cons to having a third party present but 9 times out 10 it doesn't make a difference. The adjuster should check the entire roof and mark out a "square" a count damaged spots within. The amount of damaged spots with the "square" varies from insurance company to insurance company.

Some or most of my neighbors have new roofs. That means mine should be replaced too? Right?

Unfortunately no. Some insurance companies require more damage or less damage. The further you get from the storm, the less likely a full replacement will get approved. I'm not saying the insurance won't fix the damage minus your deductible, just not a full roof replacement.

If the adjuster decides that repairs or replacement is needed, then a check will be issued out to you and possibly your mortgage company. Don't freak out if your mortgage company is on the check. The mortgage company can't keep the money of you are behind. Just find a location where someone from the mortgage company can endorse it. If the insurance company is replacing the whole roof, then the check will only be for half the amount needed to replace the roof. They will issue a check for the rest after the roof has been replaced.

It really isn't that difficult of a process. Now go find an Alpharetta roofing contractor who will put quality materials and use correct installation techniques.

3 Tips for Homes with Hail Damaged Roofs in Atlanta

First things that homeowners need to understand is what hail is and how it can damage there roof and home. Created in the upper atmosphere, hail is balls of solid ice that can range from the size of a BB to larger than a softball. Now out in Texas and Oklahoma hail can be bigger. Falling from thousands of feet, the balls can reach there terminal velocity providing a devastating punch which your roof or siding has to absorb. Small hail stones usually can be absorbed with little damage unless the age of the roof exceeds more than twelve years. Of course, the larger the stones, the greater the damage inflicted.

So how can the homeowner know if there roof is damaged?

Tip #1 - Have the Roof Inspected.
For starters, homeowners can do this themselves. Check inside your home first. Go up in the attic and check for moist areas or water dripping in. Look for dark spots on the ceiling and walls. If you find any of this, severe damage has occurred. Still, significant damage can occur and not cause leaks right away. Check your roof  for dents in the shingle or metal vents. Getting on the roof isn't required. A pair of binoculars will provide for decent viewing. Finally, ask an Atlanta roofing contractor to come give an inspection. Most don't charge for this sort of thing.

So what if my roof is damaged? That's an expensive fix.

Tip #2 - Homeowners insurance covers Hail and Storm Damage.
If you suspect your roof has damage or a roofing contractor has found damage, the next course is to file a claim with your homeowner insurance. They will send out an adjuster to assess the damage to your roof. Depending on the age, quality, and severity of damage, the adjuster will determine whether to repair the damage areas or replace the whole roof. A side tip here - Get a roofing contractor to give you an estimate of the damage as well. Of course, the insurance deductible will come into play, but the average roof costs $8000 dollars to replace. $500 - $1000 deductible is much cheaper.

So now my roof is getting replaced. Should I get the cheapest bid or materials?

Tip #3 - You get what you pay for when it comes to roofing materials.
Your roof is the first and greatest line of defense for your home against the weather. If your insurance is paying to replace the roof, it won't be for the cheapest materials or labor. The insurance company wants appropriate, quality materials and installation. Getting cheaper materials and labor and then keeping the leftover money is technically insurance fraud. Plus your home and belongs are at risk of not weathering a storm later on. Now I am not advising installing the most expensive material, even though they have there advantages both in quality and aesthetics, but the less the cost, the less the quality. A 25 year warrantied three tab shingle from a reputable company like GAF or Owens Corning should be the minimum standard for what gets installed on your roof. A reputable roofing contractor won't use cheap materials but a shady contractor will. Just because a bid or estimate is lower doesn't mean the contractor is doing it for less, just using cheaper materials.