Month: March 2020

With the weather warming up in West Texas, you’re probably ready to crank the cool! That applies to your A/C, but not to your water. You want hot water for bathing and cooking year-round… even when it’s hot outside. In this post, we’ll look at a question that’s gripping homeowners in need of new hot water heaters – is it time to go tankless?

LOWER UTILITY BILLS

Tankless water heaters produce lower utility bills than their traditional counterparts. The reason is simple – traditional tanks require electricity to keep water in the tank hot continuously. The tankless unit just cranks up the electricity when you turn on the faucet!

LONG LASTING

Tankless water heaters should generally last twice as long as traditional tank water heaters. Tankless water heaters can last up to 20 years, saving you money in replacement costs.

INSTANT COMFORT

Do any of your faucets take too long to heat up? Whether it’s in the shower or doing the dishes, you want hot water now! Tankless water heaters instantly heat up to make your water hot fast. As mentioned above, that’s also good for efficiency.

LESS MAINTENANCE

A tankless system requires less maintenance than a traditional tank. Hot water heaters should generally be maintained every six months or so, but a tankless system can go 4-5 years between checkups. Even here in West Texas where hard water is a problem, a tankless system only needs to be maintained about once a year.

SAVE SPACE

A 40-60 gallon tank takes up a lot of space. They’re typically 5 feet tall and take up an entire closet. A tankless water heater is typically only about 2 feet tall, saving lots of space.

WE CAN HELP

If you’re interested in looking into tankless as an option, contact The Darville Company. We’ve got experts that can help you decide what you need and can maintain your hot water heater, regardless of the type. Call us today at 432-580-9675. The Darville Company is the Higher Standard.

One of the most common natural problems that can happen with your exterior pipes is tree roots finding their way inside. Obviously any foreign object in your pipes will cause problems, but when roots sneak in, they not only block water or airflow, they can crack your pipes causing even more problems. In today’s post, we’ll take a look at a few solutions to prevent and combat this.

TAKE A CLOSER LOOK

If water is backing up in your basement or bathroom, this could be because of roots from a tree in your yard. The roots can start to grow inside the pipes and cause clogs that put major pressure on your sewer line.

Hiring a plumber from The Darville Company will make it possible to see what’s really going on in your pipes. We can run a camera down the line and inspect your sewer with a camera. This can assess the damage, and determine how to fix it. You can watch the video yourself to see just how serious it is.

ROOT KILLER

There are products at your local home improvement store that particularly target roots. Flushing them down your drains will help you kill the roots and stop them from expanding. At the same time, they will be safe for your trees.

TIME FOR A TRIM

Another trick of the plumbing trade involves sewer cleaning tools that can cut roots straight from the pipe. If your pipes are clay, plastic, or cast iron, they can be cleaned with a mechanical sewer cleaner. Thinner wall pipes may be more difficult to clean.

SOLUTIONS

Root-infected pipes can not only damage your pipes, but eventually concrete and foundation as well. The good news is that roots have a tougher time getting into modern plastic pipes. Need more help? Call the Darville Company today at 432-580-9675 to set an appointment. We are the Higher Standard.

In previous posts, we’ve discussed the dangers of neglecting your drains. This applies to drains in your kitchen, bathroom sinks, or even in the tub. The most obvious maintenance is keeping some of the worst offenders out of your drain. That means keeping it clear of things like soap scum, hair, coffee grounds, and cooking grease… even if you have a garbage disposal! In this post, we’ll offer some simple drain cleaning and maintenance tips you can use to keep your drain flowing!

FLUSH YOUR DRAINS

As frequently as ONCE A WEEK, you can flush your drains. All you need to do is pour boiling water down each of your drains. Pour half a pot down the drain, wait about 5 minutes, then pour the rest. The steaming hot water will help clean some of the gunk and grime out of your sink and pipes to help water flow more smoothly. This is especially good for melting thick grease that can cause backups.

ENZYMATIC CLEANER

Every month or so, flush your drains using an enzymatic cleaner. You can find these products online or at most general hardware stores. These products use special combinations of enzymes to effectively “digest” and further break down any residue in your drains.

GARBAGE DISPOSAL

If you have a garbage disposal in the kitchen, occasionally put a couple of ice cubes in the drain and run the disposal. That will help clear out some of the hard-to-reach gunk and sharpen the blades on the disposal.

THE MAGIC POTION

Chances are pretty good you experimented with baking powder and vinegar in a high school chemistry class. It’s a fun little experiment, and, when used on your drain, it will really help keep it clean. Just pour about half a cup of each down the drain, then chase it with hot water from the tap.

FOLLOW UP

Follow these simple drain cleaning and maintenance steps, and you should be in good shape. If not, you know who to call. The Darville Company is always ready to respond to your plumbing needs. Give us a call today at 432-580-9675 or schedule an appointment online. The Darville Company is the Higher Standard.

A leak in your home or office can be daunting. What can be even worse is if you’re not sure whether or not you have a leak, or how bad it is. Worse still, how bad could it be? Leaks often start in walls, ceilings, or floors, causing damage you don’t even know about for months. In today’s post, we’ll take a look at some easy ways to tell if you have a leak, and what you can do about it.

WATER BILL HIKE

Your water bill is bound to ebb and flow throughout the year. For example, it’ll likely be higher in the summer when you’re watering your lawn more often. But a sudden, consistent increase in your monthly bill could be a sign of trouble. Compare your bill to the same month the previous year. If it seems a lot higher, you may have a leak.

TICKING WATER METER

Tick, tick, tick could mean drip, drip, drip. If your meter is ticking, even when you’re not using water, you probably have a leak. Don’t forget it could be under a sink, in the ceiling, or even on an external sprinkler line.

HOLY MOLDY

Mold and mildew can also be a sign of a leak. Damp spots on your floors, ceilings, and walls can turn to mold if they stay wet due to a leak. A musty smell can mean that mold or mildew is behind a wall and can’t be seen. Unfortunately, if you can’t see it, it’s unlikely you’re doing anything to clean it.

CRACKS IN FOUNDATION

Seeing a crack in a wall or ceiling can cause one of the worst feelings for a homeowner. In most cases, they are actually nothing serious, but they could be. A home will naturally settle over time, and that could cause some cracking in the drywall. However, big or newer cracks that seem to appear overnight could be due to leaky pipes.

WET SPOTS

If areas around the sink, tub or toilet are continuously wet, you likely have a leak. Inspect them carefully to determine if there’s an issue.

The Darville Company can help determine if you have a leak, and if so, we can help you get it repaired. Call us today at 432-580-9675. The Darville Company is the Higher Standard.