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Ken's Plumbing | Blog

Ken Flournoy

Ken Flournoy: Owner and Master Plumber. Born in Norfolk, Virginia, and raised as a Navy brat, Ken has lived all over the country, from Estill, South Carolina to Hawaii.

Recent Posts

Does Rain Affect My Plumbing?

Posted by Ken Flournoy on Jan 22, 2019 3:05:33 PM

In short, yes.  Even in dry weather it is important to stay on top of any possible plumbing issues, but when the weather gets wet, it’s even more important to understand how rain, especially heavy rain, can affect your plumbing. This is the first step to avoiding and correcting issues as they arise—even preventing basement or crawl space flooding. Here are some ways that rain can affect your plumbing.

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Topics: Plumbing, Plumbing Tips

5 Plumbing Problems and How to Avoid Them

Posted by Ken Flournoy on Dec 27, 2018 9:50:00 AM

Plumbing problems are never a fun thing to deal with, especially when they come as a surprise. Sometimes it can be difficult to predict problems with your plumbing system because so much of it is behind walls or underground. However, with the right tips and tools, many plumbing issues can be delayed or avoided completely. Let's take a look at 5 plumbing problems and how to avoid them.

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Topics: Water Heaters, Garbage Disposals, Plumbing Tips

How to Know Whether to DIY or Call a Plumber

Posted by Ken Flournoy on Nov 30, 2018 10:55:05 AM

Do-It-Yourself projects, whether it's building your own furniture, installing new flooring, or fixing broken appliances, allow people to truly enjoy the sense of accomplishment and the money they saved by doing the project without professional help.

However, there are certain times when attempting to complete a project or repair on your own can be detrimental to you, your home, or both.

Today we're going to look at how you can tell whether a plumbing job can be done yourself, or if you should call in a professional plumber to handle it for you.

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Topics: Hiring a Plumber, Plumbing, Plumbing Tips

Plumbing 101: What Are the Different Parts of a Plumbing System?

Posted by Ken Flournoy on Oct 11, 2018 3:50:00 PM

Your home's plumbing system is essential to keeping your standard of living comfortable. If it's not working properly, you won't be able to shower, wash your hands, use the toilet, wash dishes, water the lawn, or run the washing machine. Plumbing systems are responsible for quite a bit; however, most people don't really know what their plumbing system is. They just turn the handle or press a button and expect the water to come out at the precise temperature and pressure they want.

As a homeowner, it's important to have a basic understanding of how your plumbing system works so that you can take better care of it and prevent costly breakdowns. Keep reading to learn the 3 major categories of your home's plumbing system.

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Topics: Plumbing, Pipes

Fall Checklist Infographic: Get Your Plumbing Ready for the Fall

Posted by Ken Flournoy on Sep 18, 2018 9:28:22 AM

With Fall quickly approaching, let's take a minute and look at some things you can do to prepare your plumbing for colder weather. While it might not seem cold now, it's best to handle these things before the weather gets cold so that your home is ready when it does!

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Topics: Plumbing

Why You Should Give a Crap About Your Plumbing System

Posted by Ken Flournoy on Sep 4, 2018 1:26:00 PM

The plumbing system in your home gets used constantly. Every time you take a shower, wash your hands, do the laundry, run your dish washer, go to the bathroom, water the garden...  Well, you get the idea.

While you may not think about where the water comes from and how it gets to its final destination, the process is more complicated than you might think, and it's important to make sure your plumbing system stays healthy.

If your plumbing system breaks down, you will quickly find yourself wanting to pull your hair out in frustration.

Day to day activities aren't the only reason you should care about the health of your plumbing system. Let's take a closer look at why your plumbing system is so important, and why you should give more thought to its health and longevity.

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Topics: Hiring a Plumber, Plumbing, Drains & Sewers

The 5 Worst Things to Put Down Your Disposal

Posted by Ken Flournoy on Aug 17, 2018 3:07:00 PM

You know you shouldn't do it, but it's just soooo easy. The garbage disposal is conveniently right there and you have a bunch of food waste that you just want to get rid of. You throw it down the disposal, turn it on, and the waste is gone forever with seemingly no consequences. Does this sound like you? We don't blame you. Using the garbage disposal as a second trash can is a very easy thing to do, and half the time people don't realize that the things they put in their disposal can actually cause serious long-term damage that will be pricey to fix.

Let's look at 5 of the worst things you can put down your garbage disposal and why it's probably a good idea for you to make the extra few steps to the trashcan instead.

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Topics: Drains & Sewers, Garbage Disposals

Flush Your Toilet Even If the Water is Shut Off

Posted by Ken Flournoy on Jul 14, 2018 3:09:00 PM

If you've ever had to shut off the water supply to your whole house or even part of it, you know that normal plumbing functions will be limited. That includes your toilet's ability to flush.

Losing the ability to flush the toilet while the water is shut off can be both annoying and embarrassing. Fortunately, there is a way you can get around the problem and get the toilet to flush anyway!

Keep reading to learn how to flush the toilet without a water supply.

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Topics: Toilets

Plumbing Hacks: Fix Draining Problems Like a Boss!

Posted by Ken Flournoy on Jun 28, 2018 1:53:00 PM

Clogged drains and other plumbing problems are never a fun thing to deal with -- especially if you have to pay out the nose to get them fixed.

Many times a clogged toilet and simple drain can be fixed with a few DIY methods that can save you from spending a lot of money on a service call that only lasts a few minutes. In today's blog post we're going to look at a few plumbing hacks that can get your draining problems fixed and help save your budget too!

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Topics: Toilets, Drains & Sewers

The Importance of Water Pressure Reducing Valves

Posted by Ken Flournoy on Jun 14, 2018 9:27:00 AM

It might come as a surprise that we’re writing about reducing your water pressure. Most of the time when people have a complaint about their water pressure, it’s because the water isn’t coming out of the faucet strong enough for them. While having a nice hot shower with just the right water pressure is a pleasure that’s tough to beat, there is a certain point where your water pressure can be too high and actually cause damage to the internal workings of your plumbing.

Let’s take a look at what causes high water pressure, some of the damaging effects it can have, and how you can use a pressure reducing valve to solve these problems.

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Topics: Plumbing, Water, Pipes