Our Plumbing Blog

Pro Tips

We load our dishwashers with dirty dishes, expecting them to come out sparkling clean.

Plumbing Tips

Is your garbage disposal a bit gross? Food particles stuck in this helpful household appliance make it a prime zone for mold and bacteria growth.

Plumbing Tips

Although water heaters are designed to keep corrosion at bay, the combination of metal, water, and oxygen is the perfect mixture to start the chemical reaction that leads to corrosion.

Drains

Mr. Rooter Plumbing^® shares helpful information on how to ensure your trap primer is working as it should to prevent dry drains and associated bad smells!

• Trap Primer Purpose and Location: A trap primer keeps drain traps filled with water to prevent sewer gases from entering buildings through dry drains. They’re common in rarely used drains (e.g., garages, basements, vacation homes), and are often required by code for commercial or industrial floor drains.
• Signs of a Failing Primer: Several signs indicate a failing primer, with sewer smells being the most common, followed by a dry trap, a leaking primer, gurgling drains, and inconsistent, limited, or no water flow.
• DIY Maintenance Tips: Check for proper installation, test by activating connected fixtures, inspect for leaks, and clean debris from the outlet every 3–6 months.
• Primer Types: Options include continuous flow, pressure-activated, flush valve-operated, electronic, and manual trap primers.
• Why Drains Smell: Dry P-traps allow sewer gases (like hydrogen sulfide) to escape. Flush them with hot water or clean them with baking soda and vinegar to eliminate odors.

Pro Tips

A thermostatic mixing valve, also known as a water heater mixing valve, is a crucial plumbing component installed in homes and businesses to prevent scalding.

Plumbing Tips

Dip tubes are important to the operation of your gas or electric water heater. The dip tube is a long plastic tube that fits into