Gas Leak Detection 101

Posted by on Dec 28, 2020 in Plumber Longview TX | 0 comments Natural gas provides heat in many forms to a home. These include heating a stove, using the dryer, or hot water. However, gas leaks can be dangerous to your home if the system is not installed correctly or maintained well. A gas leak can lead to health issues, as well as the vapors being highly flammable. Here is everything you need to know about gas leaks from the experts at Bird Dog Plumbing. Signs of a Gas Leak The first thing you should do if you suspect a gas leak is turn off the gas meter and call your gas company or authorities. One of the first signs you’d notice in a gas leak is a sulfuric smell in your home. Gas is naturally odorless, so professionals add this scent to alert you if there is a leak. Some other signs include a whistling sound, bubbles, dust, or cloudiness in standing water, visible damage to a gas line connection, or house plants that are suddenly dying.  Some health concerns that could indicate gas and carbon monoxide exposure are breathing difficulties, chest pains, dizziness, headaches, eye or throat irritation, nausea, reduced appetite, mood changes, ringing in your ears, or nosebleeds.  Checking for a Gas Leak Listen for a Whistling Sound  If you know where the gas line is, listen to see if it might be emitting a whistling or hissing sound. A whistling sound doesn’t guarantee there is or is not a leak, but it’s a start. Check the Stove  Your stove should be giving off blue flames when it’s lit. If there are red or orange flames, there is probably a leak, and you should immediately turn off the flame and call an expert like your gas company, the authorities, and a plumber.  Try Soapy Water This might sound too easy, but by mixing soap with water and applying it where you suspect a leak, bubbles forming will tell you that gas is escaping. Use Gas Leak Detectors A detector is the most surefire way to know if you have a leak in your home. There are many out there, but you can pick the right one for your home with just a little research. There are also carbon monoxide detectors for this kind of issue as well.  Routine maintenance and proper ventilation are the best ways to prevent gas leaks in your home. Call Bird Dog Plumbing in...
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How to Avoid Holiday Plumbing Problems

Posted by on Dec 23, 2020 in Plumber Longview TX | 0 comments The holidays are coming up fast! We know how fun it can be to have your friends and family over to celebrate the holidays. But this time of year brings plenty of potential plumbing problems along with it! You don’t want a plumbing issue to ruin your Christmas eve, do you? Here are five ways to avoid holiday plumbing problems this year.  Use the Trashcan Do your best to throw all leftovers in the trash. Don’t dump them in the sink! You will end up clogging your disposal, making it impossible to clean up when Christmas dinner is over.  Spread out Shower Time If you are hosting guests this holiday season, your water heater will have to work extra hard. However, your water heater can still catch up if you wait about 10-15 minutes in between each one. Never Pour Grease Down the Drain Always dispose of grease in the trash, put it in a jar, or pour it outside. The oil will build up and harden, causing your drain to clog if you pour it down the sink. This is even more important since you’ll likely be cooking large meals, which means more leftover grease.  Wait to use the Dishwasher Avoid using the dishwasher at the same time you run the disposal. What you pour down the drain could back up into the dishwasher if you run these things simultaneously.  Pre-Holiday Inspection One of the best ways to avoid holiday plumbing problems is by getting it inspected beforehand. Your plumber can evaluate your systems and repair them if needed before the guests arrive.  Call Bird Dog Plumbing if you need an inspection or repairs done during the holiday season! We’re prepared to help you make the holidays a fun, and loving time of year with minimal issues in Longview, TX. Happy holidays from Bird Dog...
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How to Avoid Inviting a Plumber for Thanksgiving

Posted by on Nov 26, 2020 in Plumber Longview TX | 0 comments Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! We hope all of our customers have a fantastic Thanksgiving with their families! All the food that usually ends up going down the drain cause lots of plumbing issues that can ruin your holiday. Luckily, Bird Dog Plumbing is here to ensure that your Thanksgiving goes off without a hitch! Here are a few tips to help prevent any Thanksgiving plumbing problems that would lead to you inviting a Longview, TX plumber over for Thanksgiving! Common Thanksgiving Plumbing Problems Leftovers Leftovers down the drain are a no-go! With all of the guests you will have over, there’s bound to be extra leftovers. Keep all of those leftovers from going down the drain; otherwise, you are sure to get a clog. It is better to discard them in the trash or compost. If you still choose to put them down your drain, feed them in gradually. One thing you absolutely should NEVER put down the drain is cooking oils and fat. These will sit in the drain, solidify, and lead to a blockage. It would be best to use a paper towel to wipe away the oils and fats before cleaning the pan in the sink.  Use the Disposal Effectively Before you start washing food off your dishes, turn on the water and the disposal. This allows a constant stream of water to run through the sink. The water will prevent food from getting stuck in the disposal and rinses it as you wash your dishes. Keep the water running a little while after you turn off the disposal as well to avoid food sitting where it’s not supposed to. Wait to shower If you are housing guests this holiday, ask them to wait 10 minutes between each shower. Hair often gets stuck in the drain, and this helps the hair move through the drawing system without more taking its place. The best way to keep hair from piling up and clogging the system is a drain strainer. It will keep most of the hair from even getting in the drain.  Don’t DIY it Thanksgiving is not the time to try your hand at plumbing! With lots of guests and many things happening, you don’t need to make a plumbing problem worse too. Your best bet if you happen to have a problem is to call an expert. The Bird Dog Plumbing experts in Longview, TX are...
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Winter Plumbing Tips

Posted by on Nov 6, 2020 in Plumber Longview TX | 0 comments Winter will be here in Longview, TX before you know it! So, you must make sure your plumbing is ready to handle the cold! Prepping your plumbing for the cold weather will save you the headache and costs that come with fixing problems like a burst pipe. Here are a few winter plumbing tips from the experts at Bird Dog Plumbing! Disconnect Hoses One of the first things you should do in the cold weather is disconnect your hoses! Water that is left inside will freeze and back up into the faucet. The ice in your pipes will cause the pipe to crack, which is an expensive fix that you can avoid. Simply unscrew the hose, drain it, and store it for winter.  Use Technology Nowadays, there are wifi thermostats you can use in your home. These thermostats send you alerts when the temperature in your home drops a set limit. You will get a warning on your phone when the temperature gets too low. This warning is helpful because you can adjust the temperature accordingly to prevent plumbing problems. Frozen pipes are not a problem you want to have if you can help it.  There are also heat cables that will do the work for you! You attach them to your pipes; they sense the temperature and crank up the heat when it gets too cold. These cables are a perfect, hassle-free way to save yourself from water damage. One thing to keep in mind is that you need an outlet nearby to plug in the cable.  Seal Cracks and Holes You should inspect your home, or call an expert to do so, for holes and cracks near your cables, wires, and pipes. These will end up being entry points for cold air and potentially lead to damage. You can purchase materials to cover the cracks and holes yourself or call an expert for help! Turn Off Your Water Make sure you turn off your water if you are leaving town! Turning off your water will prevent potential plumbing problems, and save you some money. If you do turn off your water There will be less damage if your pipes do end up freezing and cracking while you are away. You should also shut off your automatic icemaker if you have one. Leaving it on will cause the motor to burn out.  Protect against Cold Snaps During frigid...
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Water Leak Detectors: Why You Need Them

Posted by on Oct 20, 2020 in Plumber Longview TX | 0 comments Your house is probably your most valuable asset. It’s where you have quality family time, friendly get-togethers, and holiday gatherings! Whether you rent or own your home, Bird Dog Plumbing knows you value the time you spend in your house and the money you put into it. Water damage from leaks should not be a problem you have to deal with. Here are a few ways that investment in water leak detectors could benefit you. Water Usage It’s difficult to determine how much water is being wasted by your leak. However, there are a few factors that you need to consider. These include the number of leaks in the house, where they are occurring, and how often or severely they leak. We can break down an example for you. Let’s say there are two faucets in your house dripping ten times per minute. That math adds up to about 30,000 drips per day. You’re probably thinking, “Those are just drops of water, how much could it really be?” Those 30,000 drips all year equal to about 700 gallons of water wasted each year! Imagine how that’s affecting your water bill.  What is a Water Leak Detector? A water leak detector is a device, possibly connected to your wifi, that lets you know if you have a leaky pipe or a freezing pipe. It will notify you of the problem before it gets out of control.  This device might seem useless right now if you don’t have any leaks you are aware of. However, when you lose those 700 gallons of water in a year, you’ll wish you had invested in one. It is a low cost compared to water damage from flooding or a burst pipe. The maintenance and installation are minimal as well.  How Do Water Leak Detectors work? Certain devices are built to send a notification to your phone if a problem is detected. The detector might also have an alarm built into it to ring throughout your household. The device might also have the ability to set up a neighbor notification or service person notification if you are on vacation or somewhere without wifi. It is best to place these water leak detectors near where a leak could occur, such as the base of your toilet, around your washer, or near your water heater. The bottom level of your house is ideal but upstairs works too. ...
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7 Common Commercial Plumbing Problems

Posted by on Oct 9, 2020 in Plumber Longview TX | 0 comments The traffic coming in and out of a commercial building can make your business more susceptible to plumbing problems. Here are some to look out for! Common Longview, TX Commercial Plumbing Problems Toilet Clogs Commercial toilets are made to endure more damage than regular toilets. However, clogs can still occur because of frequent use. Using a plunger might fix the clog once or twice, but not always. If you can’t fix it on your own, it’s best to call a professional to come to take a look.  Faucet Leaks A faucet leak in a large setting can drive your water bill through the ceiling! One leaky faucet may not be a huge deal, but in an office building, if there is one, there is probably another. Sewage backup  Sewage backup is a serious problem. It can cause an unpleasant odor outside of the sewage system, too. You’ll definitely want to get a professional’s help because there are many ways they can detect a backup and fix it.  Water heater problems The best way to keep water heater problems away is to get them inspected regularly. Their frequent use in business settings causes them to wear down faster. So inspections every so often can keep your hot water in tip-top shape. Broken toilets With the frequent use in a busy building, toilets break down quicker than household toilets. If you notice a broken piece, contact a professional plumber! Fixing them yourself could lead to more damage.  Silent leaks Be on the lookout for unusual spikes bumps on the wall or floor. These could indicate silent leaks, and you’ll want to get a plumber as fast as possible. The longer these leaks last, the more damage they’ll do. Drain clogs Often, people drop pieces of paper towels or food down commercial drains or the break room sink. This can cause a drain clog in your system. This might seem like a small issue, but it might not look good to your customers. If you notice any problems like these in your Longview, TX commercial building, call Bird Dog Plumbing...
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