RVA Disaster Prep

  Hi gang.   Part 3 in a 4 part series on “discussions with a plumber” A friend of mine, Tanner Mansfield, is the owner of Damascus Road Services, LLC https://tannermansfield.com/ 804-306-2706   I spent 45 minutes one evening talking to him about the issues that come up in home plumbing problems, that result in him being called. Today, I am talking about what maintenance you should NOT do. 1.        Don’t change the elements or thermostats in your hot water heater. You can electrocute yourself or cause a gas explosion. Its really easy to have a major problem, and cause a fireball or burnt dog hair (oh.. sorry Venkman). Additionally, a water heater element, when not immersed will burn up very quickly. And that is really easy to do. I have done it. If you are lucky, that will be the only thing that goes wrong. 2.        ANYTHING with a gas line. Don’t do it. Learn how to turn off the gas line to your house at the meter. Gas goes from a nasty smell to blowing up the

  Hi gang.   Part 2 in a 4- part series on “discussions with a plumber” A friend of mine, Tanner Mansfield, is the owner of Damascus Road Services, LLC https://tannermansfield.com/ 804-306-2706   I spent 45 minutes one evening talking to him about the issues that come up in home plumbing problems, that result in him being called. Today, I am talking about when you should call a plumber immediately (besides the obvious water spraying everywhere) 1-       If you notice mold or mildew or rotted wood around baseboards, this is an indication of a leak in your house. This means that a plumber needs to come, find the leak, and fix it.   You may also need mold remediation, and wood repairs. Talk to your homeowners insurance to ensure they cover that. 2-      Broken pipes or other water driven appliance like water heater. Yep, water spraying all over the place, is a bad thing. I came home to a water heater that sprang a leak, and we ended up not only replacing the water he

  Hi gang.   Part 1 in a 4 part series on “discussions with a plumber” A friend of mine, Tanner Mansfield, is the owner of Damascus Road Services, LLC https://www.facebook.com/DamascusRoadServices 804-306-2706   I spent 45 minutes one evening talking to him about the issues that come up in home plumbing problems, that result in him being called. Today, I am talking about what maintenance you can do to prevent the need for excess calls. 1-       Flush your water heater at least once a year. This removes the grunge and grime and buildup on the inside of your hot water heater. Not hard to do, just hook up a ordinary garden hose to the drain valve on the bottom of your hot water heater, and run the hose outsides. Turn it on. When it runs clear AND the water is cool, turn it off, and you are done. Disconnect the hose, and you are good for a year. 2-       If you have water filters under your house (and you may not know. Many houses on city water have filters, but they