Archive

Archive for June, 2011

Save Money and Preserve Quality with Water Filtration

June 30th, 2011

Purchasing water is a popular trend these days. From the gym to the grocery store people are carrying bought plastic water bottles. A water filtration system can ease the cost and preserve the quality of water you already pay the city to use in your own home. Your Charlotte North Carolina water filtration plumbing service can install and service water treatment and softeners for your home.

Bottled water is cleaner, healthier and tastes better than tap water. House tap water often contains the taste and odor of chlorine, lead, mercury, agricultural pollutants and often local sediment. These pollutants can come from corroded plumbing systems, decay, landfill run-off or local croplands. Unfiltered house water not only affects your drinking water, but the water you use for laundry, washing your hands, and washing off in the shower. What if you could have that same clean, healthy, tasty water without having to go to the store or recycle bottles after use?

Ben Franklin Plumbing, your local Charlotte NC plumbing service, can provide a professionally installed home water filtration system. Our water filter and water softener systems will guarantee purified water throughout your home. From drinking water to faucet, shower, and laundry water; your water will be clean and healthy.

Ben Franklin Plumbing will also check the water for hardness, iron and PH levels. Treating your water efficiently is just as important as having clean water on hand. Our most valuable resource, water, should be treated as such and your Charlotte plumber is here with expertise on local water conditions and how to treat them.

Give our Charlotte NC plumbing service a call today or request service online.

Choosing the Right Bathtub for your Home

June 13th, 2011

spa tubMany homes still have regular, old style bathtubs in them sometimes dating back to the 1950’s. Often when renovation or moving into a new home, the bathroom is the first project. Ben Franklin Plumbing in Charlotte, North Carolina, can help you with that as well as choosing which type of bathtub best suits your needs.

Whirlpool

Whirlpool tubs are a top-of-the line option when it comes to making your home your own. They comes in many sizes including a luxurious 435 feet but also down to 5 feet to fit the standard tub spaces. These tubs do require professionals like Ben Franklin plumbers because often the weight of the tub itself as well as the water can be too much for a home especially located on the top floor. As the installer, our Charlotte, NC plumber will fix any weight issues you might have.

Spa Tubs

Spa Bathtubs are often a great choice if you’re looking for a less expensive version of a whirlpool. These come in more standard shapes and sizes while still offering the many amenities like the change in pressures for a relaxing massage.

Acrylic Tubs

Choosing a standard acrylic tub is sometimes a smart choice. This is probably one of the most durable types of tubs while still being slightly stylish, it is practical. This lightweight bathtub is resistant to chipping and cracking as well as inexpensive. This is usually the standard type a house comes with.

Cast Iron

Cast Iron bathtubs are the most expensive type of tub, but are well worth the extra bucks. These tubs are formed by pouring iron into a mold. Due to the material, these tubs are nearly impossible to scratch and are chemical resistant.

For all your bathtub remodeling needs contact Ben Franklin Plumbing in Charlotte

704-461-1700

Charlotte Home Buyer’s Value Guide to Plumbing

June 1st, 2011

It’s summer, and this is the most common time for home buyers to search the Charlotte real estate market. Unfortunately, many people aren’t aware of problems that may exist in a home that are not found by inspectors, especially plumbing leaks and poor plumbing systems. Before buying a home filled with plumbing repair needs, be sure to check out the various plumbing fixtures so you know what you’re getting yourself into.

In the bathroom, be sure to inspect the floor; look around the base of the toilet for water damage, and test to make sure there are no soft spots in the floor. These are signs of water leaks, typically existing. If you find black and white stains or rolled vinyl flooring, these are also clues that water leaks may have previously plagued the area or are currently a problem. Also be sure to press tiles on the wall to check for leaks and loose tiling. Before you move on, flush the toilet and make sure it works properly, not draining too slowly or causing water to leak.

To check for adequate piping and water pressure, turn on a bathtub faucet and the kitchen sink faucet. If the pressure is significantly reduced with both running, the piping may have a large amount of calcium and mineral deposits and need to be replaced. While you are in the kitchen, make sure the connections to the dishwasher and garbage disposal are tight and show no signs of leaks. Also, check within the cabinetry to assure there is no water damage, including stains, rotted corkboard, or sagging bottoms. Be sure to check the washing machine hose as well, since these can rupture and lead to extensive water damage.

The first four digits of the serial number on a water heater are the month and year of manufacture. If the water heater in the home is more than 15 years old, you’ll want to contact your local Charlotte plumbing company to replace it. You may also want to check for rust on the tank, as this is a sign of impending issues with the hot water heater. If you are unsure of problems you may find, you can get assistance with inspections from our Charlotte water heater technicians, available to help you assess the value of the plumbing system in your prospective home purchase.