“Muddy water” coming from your faucet is probably the last thing you want to see when you’re thirsty. It probably isn’t something you want to see when you’re ready to take a shower, as well.

The colored water – whether it is brown, red or a combination of both – is rust, and the color actually stems from tap water mixing with various chemical oxidations of rust. Water discoloration can be a common issue in the average home, but it is not harmful to the body.

If discoloration is caused by rusty pipes, a pipe replacement may be in order. This, however, may be a last resort, as the problem may be resolved with some basic do-it-yourself tips. First, turn off the faucet distributing the muddy water. Then, go to your main faucet, and run water in a clear container to where you can examine the water.

If your water in the container is clear, you may be looking at an issue with your pipes. If your water in the container is muddy, this could be a problem for your local water department. This may be an inconvenience while they shut off the water valves in the neighborhood, but it also may be good for your finances, as you won’t have to pay for an outrageous plumbing bill.

Before jumping to conclusions about water discoloration, check with your neighbors first. If they’re having similar issues, this may be an assignment for the water department. If the problem is isolated, our Charlotte NC plumbers are available to help you with all of your plumbing needs. Call our Charlotte plumbing company today, or call us online for details.

Let’s be honest with ourselves: Plumbing appliances and fixtures will wear down around the house.

Plumbing repairs can make a homeowner moan and groan, but regular maintenance will keep your fixtures and pipes in excellent standing, which in turn can help in keeping the resale value of your home above market price. Your home is an investment and should be treated as such, and all investments deserve proper maintenance.

It’s a good idea to have a professional plumber inspect your home for potentially hazardous problems before they become major, high-dollar repairs. There are several common problems that every home, old or new, seems to have. Be on the lookout for the following mishaps:

Clogs: A clogged toilet can be fixed with a plunger or a plumber’s snake. A clogged drain can be fixed with liquid drain cleaner (Drano, for example). If these don’t work, there could be something severe that will need the service of a licensed plumber.

Gas leaks: These can be extremely dangerous. If you smell gas, leave the facility immediately, and then call an emergency plumber. Gas leaks, in addition to being harmful, also can be detrimental to your neighbors and your surroundings.

Bad pipes: If a pipe cracks or bursts, make sure you find the main water valve and shut your water off. The last thing you want is to have a broken pipe and water flooding.

Frozen pipes: This may be a two-month or three-month ordeal, depending on the climate, but winter temperatures can make life miserable if a pipe bursts because of freezing. To avoid frozen pipes, let your faucets drip a small stream of water to maintain the flow.

Make sure you and your family members are ready for these common plumbing mishaps. You never know when they can happen, but it’s always good to be prepared for them. Feel free to contact our expert Charlotte NC plumbers for additional information. Call us today, or contact us online.

New homeowners should know and understand that leaks of any kind can be a hassle. Slab leaks, if left untreated, can make a new homeowner want to consider returning to living in rental properties. They’re that much of a headache.

A slab leak, by definition, is a leak that occurs beneath a water line. A slab leak can cause issues where a home can lose gallons of water, and a homeowner can spend thousands of dollars if left untreated. Slab leaks can sneak up on new homeowners, as many don’t know how to detect them.

Fortunately, there are symptoms for budding slab leak problems. Our expert plumbers in Charlotte NC want you to be prepared and, most importantly, want you to be leak-free. Check out the following indications to look for with a possible slab leak.

• Wetness and warmness: If you’re noticing damp spots on your floor, this may be an early detection of a slab leak. These damp spots also may be accompanied with warm spots.
• Keep an eye on the bill: You know how much you normally pay for the water bill. That number rarely escalates significantly. If you start to notice a higher bill, you may have a slab leak.
• Running water (or so it seems): When you think you left water running somewhere, but all of your faucets are off, chances are, you may have a slab leak issue. The sounds of constantly running faucets or toilets can be a sure-fire symptoms of a slab leak.

Let our Charlotte plumbing company serve you, as our technicians are experts in slab leak detection and repair, in addition to other plumbing services. Call us today for more information, or contact us online.

While hard water generally is not harmful to your health, it can be harmful to your plumbing system. The high mineral content (primarily calcium and magnesium) that hard water can possess can affect how water tastes (it’s supposed to be tasteless), how many spots end up on dishes and how less colorful your clothes can look after going through the wash cycle.

If you find white spots on your silverware after washing and drying, or if you find stains on your glass plates or cups, chances are it’s because of hard water. If these things occur and you can’t get a solid lather from your bath soap when showering, it’s almost a given that you have hard water. Again, it’s not harmful to your health, but the mineral content could cause breakdowns in your pipes, boilers, water heaters or anything else that water comes to and from.

Perhaps the best way to eliminating hard water is to invest in a water softener, which will reduce the minerals that can make water hard. A water softener replaces calcium and magnesium ions with sodium and potassium by way of a resin. There are several types of water softeners – some include an offsite, a manual, an automatic and a semi-automatic – and they can range in price from $500 to $2,000, depending on your personal selection.

Maintenance on water softeners is basic, as most water softeners last for many years. Water-efficient models also are available for purchase as a means to conserve money.

If you think you have hard water, now may be a good time to contact our expert Charlotte plumbers. We can provide all information needed on the perfect water softener for your home or office. Call us today, or contact us online for more information.