The Dangers of carbon monoxide exhaust fumes in your home

The likeliness of carbon monoxide exhaust fumes in your home
In the residence, furnaces and gas stoves and water heaters can all be likely sources of leaks. If folks are exposed to a slow leak, the intoxication resembles the flu – nausea, vomiting, dizziness – but if it’s a larger leak, people can perish in merely a few minutes. Statistics indicate that every year in the US, hundreds of citizenry pass from carbon monoxide intoxication, while thousands more are hospitalized for CO-related malady.
The way CO works is that it builds up in the blood where it blocks cells from absorbing oxygen. This creates a situation where brain damage and organ failure can occur if the person isn’t treated immediately. Since this all happens so subtly, loads of folks year on year deaths occur as citizens slumber. This is why carbon monoxide poisoning is called the silent slayer.
The odds of CO gas in your home
Providentially, there things you can do to protect your habitation. Purchasing a excellent carbon monoxide detector will significantly dilute the menace of CO intoxication. There are a few kinds usable on the market. There are simpler models similar to the – biomimetic detector, which contains a gel that changes coloring when exposed to carbon monoxide, at hand are further complex models equivalent to the – semiconductor detector which gets occasional air samples and reports the air caliber on a display – all are competent at discovering if there’s a killer in your dwelling.
You may also want to have your older appliances examined sporadically by a master who can detect gas leaks. If you call for still additional peace of mind, possibly you ought invest in a vibrating rest pad which will arouse you up if there’s a gas leak. Taking steps to forbid CO leaks and monitoring the air in your place will see to it that you breathe easier in your own household.
Franke Mechanical can help you with these problems.  Call today 651-451-2775!

Tankless Water Heater Plumbing Tips

There are a couple of plumbing considerations to be made to be sure that you maximize the life and performance of your tankless water heater. If you have hard water it’s a necessity with a tankless hot water heater that you add a water softener to your system.  It will protect your tankless water heater from scale build up in the heat exchanger and lines.  After time scale buildup will reduce energy and restrict water flow.  The other thing you should make sure is that you have a licensed plumber install it for you.  They will need to size your gas line and properly install it.  Call Franke Mechanical and let us install a new tankless waterheater for you.  We even offer extended warranties. Call 651-451-2775!

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Your New Bathroom

Your new bathroom is just a call away. Our expert plumbers will come out and give you a free estimate and let you choose from thousands of fixtures to get your personalized plumbing experience going.  Let the pros at Franke Mechanical make this happen for you because after all you deserve to do something for you and what better gift than a new bathroom.

Who invented the clawfoot tub?

No one knows for certain when the bathtub was invented; however, today’s tubs probably descended from large pottery bowls. The earliest known bathtub was found in the ruins of a palace on the island of Crete. The tub is almost 4,000 years old and originally belonged to the queen. Even after its invention though, bathtubs did not immediately catch on. In fact some considered bathing to be unhealthy and immoral. Fortunately, sanitary conditions improved and bathing became widely accepted.

Claw foot tubs, as we know them today, came about many years after that first tub in Crete. These freestanding leg tubs were made of cast iron. The cast iron was coated with porcelain enamel to provide a smooth attractive finish. The J. L. Mott Iron Works company is generally credited with producing the first cast iron tub with an enamel interior in 1873. Although the design has changed some, cast iron clawfoot tubs are still a popular choice today.Come out to the Minneapolis Home and Garden Show to see a very unique tub/shower faucet I will be having on display. Hope to see you there!

How to Diagnosis Home Plumbing Problems

Home plumbing is a series of pipes, drains, traps, and in some cases water filtration systems. Any of these may become impaired without notice. Diagnosing the problem is the first step to finding the resolution.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. 1
   The fist step to diagnosing a plumbing problem is to watch for water to pool or drain slowly. This is usually the first sign of a problem and is noticed pretty quickly.
   
2. 2
   The second step is to trace the pipes or drains connected with the problem. A clogged bathroom sink or shower drain is most likely caused by hair in over 70% of the cases.
   
3. 3
   After finding the problem, if there is a leak involved, turn off the main water supply immediately. If the drain is slow, pour 1 treatment of BioClean into the drain. This helps clean the drain and remove debris. If the drain is not moving, and water is standing, use a plunger, then follow with 1 treatment of BioClean.
   

Tips & Warnings

• One tip is to not wait for a "slow" drain to become a problem. Fix it before it becomes completely clogged. Check pipes for leaks if your water bill seems higher than usual. Never pour grease down a sink drain. Use BioClean in the drain before it becomes slow to prevent back-up.
• Certain projects require a professional and should not be attempted or completed by a novice. Not repairing plumbing may cause further more extensive damage.

• How to Prevent Home Plumbing Problems
• Home Plumbing Problems
• How to Troubleshoot Home Plumbing Problems
• How to Fix a Leaky Kitchen Sink Drain

Pipes Making Noise?

Noisy Pipes

Pipe noises range from loud hammering sounds to high-pitched squeaks. The causes may be loose pipes, water logged air chambers, or water pressure that's too high. Anchoring exposed pipes is a simple solution; other remedies such as anchoring pipes concealed inside walls, floors or ceilings, may call for a professional.

Banging

Pipes are usually anchored with pipe straps every 6 to 8 feet for horizontal runs, 8 to 10 feet for vertical.

• If your pipes bang when you turn on the water, you may need to add straps, cushion the pipes with a rubber blanket, or both.
• When you anchor a pipe-especially a plastic one-leave room for expansion.
• Don't use galvanized straps on copper pipes.

Squeaking

Only hot water pipes squeak. As the pipe expands, it moves in its strap, and friction causes the squeak.

• Solution: Cushion it as you would a banging pipe.

Water Hammer

This noise occurs when you turn off the water at a faucet or an appliance quickly. The water flowing through the pipes slams to a stop, causing a hammering noise.
Check for:

• Loose Pipes

Remedy:

• Anchor the pipes.

Check for:

• Faulty air chambers. These lengths of pipe, installed behind fixtures and appliances, hold air that cushions the shock when flowing water is shut off. They can get filled with water and lose their effectiveness.

Remedy:

• To restore air to the chambers, turn off the water at the main shutoff valve. Open all the faucets to drain the system. Close the faucets and turn the water on again. The air chambers should fill with air.

Check for:

• Water pressure that's above 80 psi (pounds per square inch).

Remedy:

• To lower the pressure, install a pressure-reducing valve (you can call in a plumber from Franke Mechanical to do the work if this is a job you don't want to do yourself).

Springtime – Time To Test Your Sump Pump

Did you install a sump pump years ago, and have recently started wondering if its working? Or maybe you’ve recently purchased a home with a sump pump, and want to understand more about it. As spring draws near, and Minnesota is starting to see more snow then usual, its time to do a springtime cleaning and test your sump pump before you actually need it.

Sump pumps are mechanical. As a rule, anything mechanical is subject to failure, and should have routine inspection and maintenance to keep it up to par. Here in Minnesota, because we have a small amount of heavy moisture every year, once a year may work, but check with your plumber. It all depends on the age and use of your sump pump.
Testing is easy. Using a bucket of water, pour water through the sump hole. The pump is equipped with an automatic switch that senses when water reaches a certain level. At that point, the sump pump will turn on and begin clearing out most of the water from the pit, shutting off once the water drops below the acceptable level.
If the sump pump doesn’t automatically turn on as the water rises, start by checking your power source. If the power is on and functioning, the float switch may have failed and in need of replacement. If the pump works properly, allow it to run its cycle.
Once the water has cleared, unplug the sump pump and feel the bottom of the pump to make sure there isn’t and foreign material or sludge. Clear any blockage, and consider investing in a new sump pump to meet your needs. Franke Mechanical can help you replace and upgrade, depending on your requirements.

Preventing Kitchen Drain Clogs

No plumbing problem is more common or more frustrating than a clogged drain.

• Kitchen sink drains clog most often because of a buildup of grease that traps food particles.
• Hair and soap are often at fault in bathroom drains.

Drains can usually be cleared easily and inexpensively, but taking some simple precautions will help you avoid stop-ups. Proper disposal of kitchen waste will keep sink drain clogs to a minimum.

• Don't pour grease down the kitchen sink.
• Don't wash coffee grounds down the sink. Throw them out.
• Be sparing with chemical cleaners, particularly if you have brass, steel, or cast-iron traps and drainpipes; some caustic chemicals can corrode metal pipes.
• If used no more than once every few months, cleaners containing sodium hydroxide or sodium nitrate can be safe and effective.
• Clean floor drain strainers. Some tubs, showers, and basement floor drains have strainers that are screwed into the drain opening. You can easily remove these strainers and reach down into the drain with a bent wire to clear out accumulated debris. And be sure to scrub the strainer.
• Clean pop-up stoppers in the bathroom sink and the tub regularly. Lift out sink pop-ups once a week and rinse them off.
• Every few months, remove the overflow plate on a tub and pull up the pop-up assembly to reach the spring or rocker arm. Remove accumulated hair and rinse thoroughly.
• Keep the sewer pipes from the house free of tree roots that may invade them. If roots are a particular problem in your yard, you may need to call in Franke Mechanical once a year or so to clear the pipes with our all natural line of RootX.
• Call Franke Mechanical so one of our experienced plumbing techs can come out and get you started on the BioClean system so you can say goodbye to kitchen sink clogs.

Plumbing isn't glamorous but we can't live without it!

If you've ever lived without plumbing, even for a weekend camping trip, you can appreciate how important it has become to modern living. Drinking water, baths, showers, toilets, dishwashers, clothes washers, gardens -- none of these are possible, or at least practical, without plumbing systems.
A house has several plumbing systems. Water supply piping brings water to the house and distributes it to fixtures and appliances, including outdoor sprinklers and irrigation. Drain and waste plumbing disposes used water and waste. Vent piping exhausts sewer gases and provides proper pressure for the drainpipes. Gas piping delivers fuel to gas-fired appliances. Some homes have pipe systems that serve specialty needs -- swimming pool plumbing and built-in vacuum piping, for example.
Water supply plumbing delivers fresh water to all fixtures and appliances that require it; inside the house, the supply is split into two runs at the water heater. In some homes, the hot water line is connected to a water softener. Cold water typically is piped directly to all appliances and fixtures. A drain-waste-vent (DWV) system collects waste water from fixtures and waste from toilets and delivers them to a sewer or septic system. Vent pipes exhaust sewer gases and provide air pressure so wastes can flow freely.
Plumbing systems are composed of pipes and fittings. Metal or plastic pipes are joined by a variety of fittings designed to couple lengths in a straight line, turn corners, branch in two directions, reduce or enlarge pipe size, or connect to some type of fixture. Pipes are made from several different metals and plastics. You often can identify a pipe's purpose by its size and makeup: indoor water supply pipes generally are copper or galvanized iron pipe.
Water travels under pressure through a system of pipes to your home. You can trace the route of municipal water from the street to your house. The water company uses a meter to measure how much water you use, unless you use a well and your water use isn't tracked. This meter is often buried in a housing with a removable lid, located in front of the house near the street. In cold-winter areas, it may be inside the basement or crawl space, often placed where the meter reader can check it monthly without disturbing you. The water service delivers water to the meter through a large pipe called a main, which is often parallel to the street.
Once it passes through the main and meter, the water is controlled at different locations in your home with various types of valves, including the gate valve, the globe valve, and the hose bibb.
A main shutoff valve, a gate valve, is often located on each side of the water meter. The one on the street side is the water company's valve, which shuts off the system when work is being done on it or your meter is being changed. The other valve controls water that flows to your house. This is the main shutoff. Turn it completely clockwise to stop all water from flowing through your water supply system-both indoors and outdoors. The water meter measures the amount of water that is used in your house. The meter uses dials or a digital readout to record how many cubic feet of water travel through it. The service's meter reader records the numbers each month and the company computes the difference between last month's and this month's readings to figure your bill. Reading a digital meter is easy-just like reading a car's odometer. To read a dial-type meter, record the smallest of the two numbers near the tip of each needle.
Two separate networks deliver water throughout a house-cold water and hot water pipes. They usually run in tandem, branching off to serve faucets, fixtures, and appliances. The cold water pipes carry water from the water service to all fixtures and appliances, including the water heater. In some cases, outdoor faucets and irrigation systems are fed by the cold water pipe before it reaches the house. Hot water pipes, which originate at the hot water heater, serve only those fixtures and appliances that require hot water; they don't, for example, go to the toilet.
The water in the pipes is under relatively high pressure. The pipes must be strong enough to handle the pressure, and their fittings and connections must be secure enough not to leak.

What Causes a Leaking Shower Faucet?

If you have a leaking shower faucet there are a a couple of things that could cause it.

• If you have a compression-style faucet, the washers and seals generally will wear out and cause the shower faucet to leak. This is caused by normal use and is not difficult to fix with a simple rubber gasket of the size required.
• If you have a disc, ball or cartridge faucet you may see a leak by a dripping faucet or water leaking at the base of the faucet and running down. These faucets have O rings and they rarely need replaced.

Plumbing Tips - Gas Water Heaters

Your water heater consumes energy! If your water heater is larger than you need, you may be spending more money on gas than necessary. But of course if your water heater is too small, you may run out of hot water during peak use periods. The following chart will help you to determine the size of the water heater you need in your home. Simply estimate how many gallons of hot water you will need during the course of the hour when there is maximum demand for hot water in your home:

Shower	10 - 15 Gallons
Bath	15 - 25 Gallons
Shaving	2 Gallons
Washing Hair	4 Gallons
Washing Hands and Face	2 Gallons
Preparing a Meal	5 Gallons
Washing Dishes in Automatic Dishwasher	12 - 15 Gallons
Washing Dishes by Hand	4 Gallons
Washing Clothes (Warm Wash / Cold Rinse)	10 - 12 Gallons

• If your water heater displays a ASHRAE / EIS rating of 90, it is energy-efficient and you do not need additional insulation.
• To keep your water heater running efficiently, drain the sediment that accumulates in the bottom of the water heater at least twice each year.
  
  • Open the drain valve at the bottom of the water heater and drain it into a bucket until the water runs clear (maybe four or five gallons).

Tips to help with a Plumbing Emergency

In a plumbing emergency, you'll need to stop the flow of water quickly. To do this, you and each member of your family needs to know the location of the shutoff valve for every fixture and appliance, as well as the main shutoff valve for the house, and how they operate.

• If the emergency involves a specific fixture or appliance, first look for its shutoff valve and turn it clockwise to shut off the water to that fixture or appliance only.
• The valve is usually located underneath a fixture such as a sink or a toilet, or behind an appliance, such as a clothes washer, at the point where the water supply pipe (or pipes) connects to it.
• If the problem is not with a particular fixture or appliance, or if there's no shutoff valve for the fixture or appliance, use the main shutoff valve to turn off the water supply to the entire house.
• You'll find the main shutoff valve on the inside or outside of your house where the main water supply pipe enters.
• In cold climates, look just inside the foundation wall in the basement or crawl space.
• Turn the valve clockwise to shut it off.
• Professional Tip If you need a wrench to turn the valve, keep one, specially labeled near the valve so it's handy.
• If the main shutoff valve itself is defective and needs to be repaired, call your water company; they can send someone out with the special tool that's required to shut off the water at the street before it reaches the valve.
• Call Franke Mechanical for emergency repair services!

Saving Water starts with you and Franke Mechanical

Water, a precious resource, can be conserved by paying attention to the five energy saving tips outlined below.

Inspect Your Home Plumbing System

Check all your pipes for leaking, and seal them well. Ensure your pipes are the correct size for the water volume they carry, so the water moves quickly through the system. Franke Mechanical can help you call today! 651-451-2775

Insulate Pipes

Insulate cold water pipes in the laundry room to prevent dripping from exterior condensation, which will flood the basement floor.  Call Franke Mechanical today 651-451-2775!

Personal Water Usage

To minimize water waste, fix dripping taps, replace old toilets that draw 5 gallons of water per flush, and install low-flow shower heads that pump out a mere 2 to 3 gallons of water per minute. Encourage the efficient 5-minute shower, with tepid water at 80 degrees F. in summer instead of 100 degrees year round. Turning the tap off when brushing teeth can save 5 gallons of water per brushing.

Efficient Water Use in Appliances

Fill the dishwasher to capacity before running a load. Wash one large load of laundry every 2 days instead of multiple loads in one day.

Gardening

Collect rainwater in watering cans and tubs to water plants. Water the garden in early morning or late evening to reduce evaporation. Stop watering lawns during dry hot weather.

What do I do if there is low water pressure throughout my house?

You need to ask the city water department for a street-to-meter pressure check, if your home is experiencing low water pressure throughout your house. If the pressure is fine, then it is possible there is a blockage within the meter itself. This can be done by having a professional temporarily bypass the meter with a jumper line to see if the pressure changes. If the pressure remains the same, then the meter is fine; if it drops when you reinsert the meter, then the city water department should swap it out. While your system is open, have Franke Mechanical do a pressure check of the system to remove any potential blockages.

Galvanized Piping and it's downfalls

When it comes to working with drain snake, you want to make sure that you are not preforming this operation on galvanized pipes. Here is a quick guide to help you learn a little more about the pipes and why they should not be snaked:

Older Material

Galvanized pipes are found mainly in older homes and mostly for water, not gas lines. The reason for this is that galvanized piping tends to flake off a little bit and can clog up your system if you don't wash it out enough. Snaking the drain, while it would unclog it, can damage the inside more, causing future clogs.This is why galvanized pipes are being replaced in newer homes and you are seeing less and less of them.

Weaker

Overall, galvanized pipes tend to be a little weaker than others. Not just because they are older and found in older homes, but also because of the overall quality of the pipe. Because of this, you will find that snaking the drain doesn't just cause future problems with the interior of the pipe, it also doesn't seem to help the situation for very long.
When considering piping for your bathroom, you might want to stray away from galvanized piping, especially if you are someone that experiences a lot of clogs.

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Kitchen Faucet Repair

Low water pressure in your kitchen faucet is caused primarily by dirt or a buildup within the faucet head itself. For instance, if your faucet is equipped with an aerator, unscrew it and check the screen for a buildup of dirt or, if your home has hard water, you may find a buildup of lime in the internal screen for the aerator. Either condition will constrict water flow and cut water pressure. Likewise, if your home has hard water, then it might be a good idea to run a long-handled brush down the faucet to clean any buildup and try to restore water pressure. New feeder lines may also help the situation.

Bathtub drain stoppers

The bathtub drain stopper is used to prevent water from flowing down the drain. However, sometimes they can get stuck and you are left with a full bathtub. The most common cause for a bathtub drain stopper to get stuck is a blockage caused by hair, the plug can get tangled in stands of hair that find themselves in the drain. It is important to clean out the plughole regularly, especially if you have long hair, or you are losing your hair. A quick tip: a coat hanger is perfect for pulling up those loose hairs.  BioClean is a great solution too!

Franke Mechanical Plumbing Professionals Help Guide

The plumbing system in your home should undergo routine checks and maintenance. This month Franke Mechanical will be providing information on how to clean different plumbing fixtures, clear heavy blockage, repair leaky faucets, install new faucets, and how to make sure your drinking water is clean and safe to drink. Franke Mechanical will also be offering a home inspection and years supply of BioClean for only $99.00.  Call for more details. 

Bio Clean for Root Clogs

Tree roots will travel long distances to find water, especially when drought conditions persist. When trees and shrubs get thirsty, they follow the trail of moisture vapors escaping from small cracks, holes or poorly sealed joints in water and sewer lines. Roots penetrate the opening to reach the nutrients and moisture inside the pipes. If not stopped, roots can completely fill a pipe with multiple hair-like root masses at each point of entry. The root wads quickly become clogged with grease and other debris flowing from homes to the main sewer line, resulting in reduced flow and slowed drains.

A complete blockage may occur if the roots are not removed. Roots can also exert considerable pressure at the crack or joint. The increased pressure often breaks the pipe and may require costly repair or replacement. Clay pipe, which is most common in older water and sewer lines, is easily penetrated and damaged by tree roots. Concrete pipe and PVC pipe may also allow root intrusion, but to a lesser extent than clay. PVC pipe usually has fewer joints and the tightly fitted joints are less likely to leak as a result of settlement around the pipe.

If incoming water or outgoing sewer lines are slow and you suspect a clog, the problem will likely not go away, meaning it’s time to investigate the problem. If roots have entered your pipes give Franke Mechanical a call.  We use an all natural root remover that works from inside your pipes.

Plumbing Services in South St Paul, MN

Franke Mechanical provides plumbing services to South St Paul, West St Paul, Mendota Heights, Lilydale, Inver Grove Heights, Cottage Grove, St Paul, Roseville, Maplewood.  Faucet repair, tub/shower repair, drain cleans, water heater service, installation, repair.