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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

Repairing a Leaky Kitchen Faucet

Posted by Ken Flournoy on Sep 28, 2017 10:13:01 AM

In a previous post, we covered how to repair a dripping tub faucet. Now we’re going to turn our attention to another common household issue—a leaky kitchen faucet!

In many cases, stopping an annoying drip for a kitchen faucet is simple enough for you to handle yourself without the help of a plumber. Here’s how to tackle it:

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Topics: Kitchen, Pipes, Water Conservation

Pros and Cons of Tankless Water Heaters

Posted by Ken Flournoy on Sep 13, 2017 4:03:04 PM

Tired of the shower going cold before you finish, or trying to ration the hot water among multiple family members every morning? Perhaps you should consider a tankless water heater.

Rather than keeping a finite amount of heated water in storage, as a traditional water heater does, a tankless heater heats water on demand, by running cold water through a pipe heated with an electric or gas-powered unit.

To determine whether a tankless heater is for you, let’s look at some of the pros and cons for installing this appliance.

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Topics: Water Heaters

Why You Should Consider a Career in the Skilled Trades

Posted by Ken Flournoy on Sep 7, 2017 1:31:00 PM

If you want to have a satisfying career, you have to spend four years in college racking up tons of student debt—right?

Not necessarily.

In fact, in today’s post-Recession economy, it’s the skilled trades—those that require only technical training—that are in the greatest demand, and they often offer a more satisfying (and financially smarter) career path.

Here’s why:

Skilled trades are in high demand

As Mike Rowe (host of the show Dirty Jobs) points out, unemployment for college graduates is extremely high, with many never ending up with jobs in the fields they studied for.

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Topics: Insider

How to Repair a Dripping Tub Faucet

Posted by Ken Flournoy on Aug 30, 2017 4:10:17 PM

Dripping tub faucet driving you crazy? Even if the incessant sound doesn’t keep you up at night, the constant drip can cause staining in your tub, plus waste water—up to 20 gallons a day!

Instead of letting that money go down the drain, take care of the problem right away. If you’re in the mood for a DIY project, grab your plumbing toolbox and get ready to do some work.

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Topics: Plumbing Hacks, Bathroom, Water Conservation

Why you should never pour oil or fats down your sink drain

Posted by Ken Flournoy on Aug 3, 2017 9:56:22 AM

In previous articles, we’ve discussed items that should never go down your kitchen sink or other drains. At the top of this list are fats, oils and greases (sometimes abbreviated as FOG).

What makes these kinds of substances so bad for your plumbing?

Well, in addition to being harmful for the environment (large amounts of oil and grease are very difficult for water treatment plants to remove from the water system), the main issue to worry about is the likelihood of creating very nasty clogs.

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Topics: Kitchen, Drains & Sewers, Garbage Disposals

Cool Off With These Clever Water Tricks

Posted by Ken Flournoy on Jul 20, 2017 9:24:17 AM

Need to keep cool this summer WITHOUT cranking up the AC? Perhaps you’re trying to save money by conserving energy, you’re spending lots of time in the great outdoors, or you’ve been working outside and want relief from the heat now.

One of the best tools for beating the heat quickly is something most of us are blessed to have access to at all times: clean, fresh water.   

Even if you don’t have your own backyard pool, you can still use water tricks to keep you cool around your house and yard:

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Topics: Water

Do You Need a Water Heater Expansion Tank?

Posted by Ken Flournoy on Jun 22, 2017 9:19:00 AM

Are you frustrated with your water heater frequently experiencing leaks? Have you found yourself in a constant cycle of replacing water heaters without understanding the root cause of the issues? If this sounds familiar, it’s time to consider the installation of a water heater expansion tank.

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Topics: Water Heaters

Natural Bathroom Cleaner Recipes

Posted by Ken Flournoy on Mar 22, 2017 3:09:44 PM

Want to keep your bathroom clean but don’t want to expose your family to harsh chemicals and unpleasant vapors? While commercial cleaning products are popular because they do work well, you can swap them out with natural cleaning products that are gentler on your bathroom fixtures and better for your health.

Sometimes natural solutions take a little more elbow grease to reach sparkling perfection, but on the plus side, they’re easy (and cheap!) to make.

Here are some natural cleaner recipes for keeping your bathroom clean:

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Topics: Bathroom

Preparing For Spring Cleaning? Check Out Our Essential Tips!

Posted by Ken Flournoy on Mar 8, 2017 8:00:00 AM

Spring is on its way, and we want to make sure your home is ready to look (and feel) its best when the flowers start to bloom!

With Ken's Plumbing, we are here for you 24/7/364, so just in case things don't quite go your way this spring, make sure you call The Picky People's Plumber for your every need.

Until then, hopefully these spring cleaning tips get you where you need to be.

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Leaky Refrigerator? Here Are Three Common Causes

Posted by Ken Flournoy on Feb 22, 2017 8:00:00 AM

Have you noticed your refrigerator running? Do you walk by it and see water all over the floor coming from the bottom of the appliance? Not only is it annoying, but it's a serious, and common, problem. If you have a fridge leak, you really want to get it checked out and properly cared for as soon as possible. But why is it leaking? Here are three possibilities:

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