Rentmeister Total Home Service Blog: Archive for March, 2014

3 Tips for Installing New Bathroom Plumbing

Monday, March 31st, 2014

A bathroom remodeling project can be very exciting: adding grace and beauty to your home while bringing a few practical changes along as well. With the right plumber or home remodeler, the process can move smoothly and efficiently, and here in Salt Lake City, plumbing services are readily available to help you. The more preparation you can do – both with your contractor and on your own – the better the project will be.

3 tips for installing new bathroom plumbing that are sure to help you out.

  • Plan your layout carefully. Space is always at a premium in your bathroom and while aesthetics matter, you also need the area to function on a practical level. That means adequate counter space for all of your toiletries, and a toilet and shower/bathtub placed to make the best use of the space. It helps to construct a formal diagram of the available space with your plumber, then prioritize your needs to ensure that the most important aspects of the project are met.
  • Think about water lines. Any piece of plumbing in the new bathroom will likely need water lines connected to the remainder of your home’s system. Those lines have got to be placed somewhere. In most cases, they’ll simply be run through the walls, but if you plan for anything unusual, you’ll need to account for how the water will get to and from it.
  • Prioritize. You probably have an ideal image of what your new bathroom will look like. You need to balance that image against the hard contours of reality that any project like this presents. As intimated earlier, prioritizing can be an excellent way to fit your project within the parameters of space, money and time set aside for the project. Rank your wishes and needs from most important to least important and plan accordingly. If cuts need to be made, that will allow you to do it as smoothly and painlessly as possible.

Here in Salt Lake City, plumbing projects can be performed by the experts at Rentmeister Total Home Service. We can provide strong tips for installing new bathroom plumbing, as well as helping you plan for and execute an ideal remodeling plan. Call us today for a consultation!

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Causes of Low Air Flow in Your Heating System

Wednesday, March 19th, 2014

One of the easiest ways to tell that something has started to go amiss with your home’s forced-air heating system (furnace, heat pump) is a drop in the airflow coming from the vents. This will correspond with a reduction in the warmth in your home, and will cause cold spots to appear in rooms. This requires that call a professional repair service to come to your home to diagnose and remedy the problem.

There are a number of different reasons for airflow reduction, which is why this job requires trained technicians to investigate it. We’ll go over some of the more common reasons that your heater might lose its regular airflow. Call up Rentmeister Total Home Service for the help you need restoring your heating in Salt Lake City, UT: we’re ready to assist you 24/7.

Why your heating system may have low airflow

  • Ductwork leaks: The ductwork that transports the air from the heat pump or furnace air handler must maintain a seal along its length so the air pressure doesn’t drop. If breaks occur at connectors or if corrosion creates holes in the ductwork sealing, the pressure will drop and the airflow coming from your vents will drop as well. This requires duct sealers to fix (duct tape won’t work!) before your ducts develop serious contamination through the leaks.
  • Thickly clogged air filter: The air filter in a furnace or heat pump is set on the return air vent and prevent the air circulating through your home from transporting dust, dirt, hair, dander, and other contaminants into the heater’s cabinet. This filter needs to be changed once a month during the height of heating season or else it will become so clogged with trapped debris it will choke off the airflow. You will probably need to have a technician do a check on your heater as well to make sure dust hasn’t infiltrated and damaged the heater’s components.
  • Malfunctioning air handler: The air handler is the component of any forced-air system (and this includes air conditioners as well) that contains the blower and blower motor (as well as dampers and, in the case of heat pumps, refrigerant coils) that distribute the conditioned air into the ductwork. If the air handler starts to wear down and its motor malfunctions, it will cause airflow to decrease. Usually an air handler can be fixed, although sometimes the unit need replacement—which can often be done without having to replace the furnace or heat pump as well.

Call for professionals

Make sure you have a skilled and experienced Salt Lake City, UT heating contractor handling repairs for your heating system when airflow drops. Rentmeister Total Home Service has served people’s home (as well as many businesses) since 1953, so make us your first call for repairs.

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3 Common Problems with Kitchen Plumbing

Wednesday, March 5th, 2014

The kitchen is one of the busiest areas of the household, and the plumbing system has to work on a daily basis. Not only does it provide water from your sink, but it also allows the dishwasher to run and the refrigerator to make ice cubes, among other activities. When a problem arises, you need to have it dealt with quickly so that you can continue basic household tasks like preparing meals. Finding a plumber in Salt Lake City isn’t difficult, but it helps to have some idea of what’s wrong before summoning a professional so you can direct him or her to the right location.

Here are 3 common problems with kitchen plumbing:

  • Clogged drains. Clogged drains are easily the most common plumbing calls, often created when inappropriate food gets washed down the drain. Hot grease and fats, fibrous vegetable peelings and similar items can get blocked in the pipes, creating a back-up. A good plumber can use specialized equipment to deal with the specific components of the clog, restoring your plumbing to proper functioning quickly.
  • Broken garbage disposal. Your garbage disposal can suffer damage when it tries to grind up inappropriate items (such as chicken bones or peach pits) or if a piece of silverware of the like gets inadvertently lodged in it. When it breaks of malfunctions, you need a plumber to fix it before sending any more food down the drain. (Otherwise, you’re looking at a clog like the type described above.)
  • Leaking pipes. Leaking pipes can appear anywhere in your house, but they are particularly troublesome in the kitchen thanks to the high amount of use they receive. Leaks typically spring up at the fittings and other spots, and can quickly flood your kitchen if you don’t get them treated.

If you spot a common problem with kitchen plumbing – or even something more unusual, like a faulty faucet tap – then call on the experts at Rentmeister Total Home Service to help. We have years of experience and are completely dedicated to correcting your problem. If you’re looking for a plumber in Salt Lake City, don’t look any farther. We’re here to help with whatever you need!

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