Ken's Plumbing | Blog

Which, do you think, is the best way to clean your dishes: washing by hand or running them through the dishwasher?

If you said, "Nice try... You have to do BOTH to get the best clean!" then you may be shocked to learn that was not a trick question, and the correct answer is not both.

Isn't it the worst when you've forgotten to run the dishwasher all week, and then when you finally remember to do it, you discover you're completely out of dishwasher tablets?

If you're down to your very last dish, you may look over to your regular liquid dish soap and think, "Eh, soap is just soap, right? What's the worst thing that could happen?"

Running toilets are nothing but trouble! Not only is the sound annoying, but all that extra running water means higher water bills, which is another kind of annoying. 

Fortunately, a running toilet is a fairly common plumbing problem that is pretty easy to identify. In this article, we've laid out the four most common causes of running toilets so you can finally eliminate one of life's little annoyances.

So, before you go out and replace your toilet unnecessarily, let's get started!

Have you ever tried taking a shower or washing your dishes with low water pressure? It takes way longer than it needs to, and you just don't get the same results as you would with normal water pressure.

Sure, the lower water bill that comes along with low water pressure is kinda nice, but at some point you have to say enough is enough. For those who have reached that point, we're explaining the causes of this common plumbing problem and what you can do to get the water pressure you need:

Do you find yourself spending more time in your shower cleaning out mold and mildew spots than you do cleaning yourself? With the constant cleaning and sanitizing, how is it possible that the mold keeps coming back?

Mold and mildew occur when your bathroom has leaks, a lack of ventilation that keeps moisture from drying, and/or the presence of organic materials (cotton rugs and towels, paper products and drywall, etc.). Without solving these problems, there is no amount of cleaning you can do to achieve the long-term results you're looking for. So while this isn't the most severe plumbing issue you could face, we'll walk you through how to prevent mold and mildew in your bathroom.

Do you hear a strange banging sound every time you use the water in your home — What is it? Where is it coming from? How can you make it stop?

To answer these questions, we actually want you to forget about your pipes for a second and think about cars. Like many car collisions, noisy pipes are caused by a domino effect. If one car suddenly brakes, the car behind it will hit it. Then the car behind that hits the first two; then the car behind that hits all the others, and then you have a four-car pileup.

So what does that mean for your pipes?

Garbage disposals are kind of magical, aren't they? You just throw your food scraps down there and they get chopped up and washed away without ever rotting and taking up room in your trashcan!

But as with anything, there are some tips and tricks to keep things running smoothly, and some things to know so you can avoid a disaster. We're here to fill you in on all the garbage disposal "dos" and "don'ts" so you can keep choppin' without stoppin'.

We've all been there... Standing by the sink, washing our hands, and then suddenly we drop something valuable down the drain. Our first thought is normally something like, "Oh no, my wedding ring! I'll never see it again!"

While our second thought is more along the lines of, "Wait, I can probably devise a plan to fish this out!" Before you grab the tackle box to go fishing down your drain, hook, line and sink yourself into these instructions on how to properly retrieve the priceless item you dropped down the drain.

Dealing with clogged shower drains can be a hassle, disrupting your daily routine and leading to plumbing issues. However, prevention is key to avoiding such nuisances. This comprehensive guide will explore effective strategies to keep your shower drains clog-free and your plumbing system running smoothly. Say goodbye to inconvenient backups and hello to uninterrupted showers!

Have you ever not known how to dispose of something so you said, "Eh, I'll just flush it down the toilet!" In those situations, have you ever considered that maybe that's not the best option?  

There are actually very few things that are okay to put down the drain, so if you have to ask yourself, "Is it safe to put this down the drain?" the answer is probably, "No." So, while you probably know the stuff that is drain-friendly (human waste, greywater, etc.), let's discuss the items that are NOT safe to dispose of down your drain.