What Your Water Color Means For Your Plumbing

Ideally, you want your water to have no color other than the bluish tint that is typical of clean, clear water. However, water discoloration can come in many shades, and none of them are particularly good. While some water colors mean you can still technically drink the water safely, any water color means a plumbing repair needs to be made.

Cloudy Water

If your water is cloudy, this can mean two things. The first culprit is that you have air in your water lines. If you let the glass sit, the cloudiness should clear from the bottom up. This can happen if you recently had your water shut off, but should be investigated if it happens often. This water is still safe to drink. If the water remains cloudy, it can mean you have an abundance of minerals in your water. This should be investigated and water should not be consumed until the problem has been identified and fixed.

Red, Yellow, Brown, or Orange Water

If your water is taking on bright shades or a shade of brown, it means that there is iron in your water pipes. Typically what you are seeing is that iron in various shades of oxidation, otherwise known as rusting. If you have old cast iron pipes, unfortunately rusty water means they need to be replaced.

While rusty water isn't dangerous to drink, it will stain your sink, laundry, and discolor your food. Therefore, it needs to be taken care of eventually to get your home running as designed again.

Black Water

Unless something is very seriously wrong, you'll never see black water coming from your tap. More commonly, you will see this coming up from your drains if you have a sewer backup. What makes it black is the mold and bacteria present in it. This can affect your health and is very dangerous to have in your home. You need intervention by a plumber quickly if black water is coming up your drain.

For more information on the plumbing services offered by the experts at The Polite Plumber, contact us today!

How to Fix a Running Toilet in 5 Simple Steps

Do you have a toilet that is running constantly? This plumbing problem is more than just a nuisance for the ears; it’s also an indication that your toilet's functions aren't operating properly. Fortunately, by taking several simple steps, you can get your toilet back to flushing and flowing as it should. If you’re someone who would like to try and resolve the issue on your own before giving us a call, the following tips will help you out. However, please never hesitate to contact us about a plumbing issue that you’re facing – we’re here to help, and we’ll never ask how it happened!

1. Turn Off the Water

To start, flush the toilet to let the water drain and switch off the water supply. You can do so by turning the valve located either behind or next to the toilet on the wall. By turning off the water, you can remove the tank lid without getting sprayed by any leaks!

2. Check the Chain

Often, toilets run because the chain is not properly attached to the flapper. You may also notice a knot or break in the chain. For older toilets especially, there could be some rusting causing the chain to break or weaken. If this is the case, the chain will need to be replaced.

3. Adjust the Flapper

When a toilet flushes correctly, the flapper opens and closes fully. This allows the tank to fill and drain without leaks. But when the flapper isn't able to close, your toilet can run. Check whether the flapper is out of place and adjust accordingly.

4. Inspect the Fill Valve

Leaky fill valves can also be a culprit of running toilets. Turn the water supply back on and flush the toilet. If you see the valve spray or leak, water isn't flowing through your tank properly. The valve will likely need to be repaired or replaced.

5. Call a Professional

After checking the above components and making any temporary adjustments, it's important to call a plumbing professional to address the root problem. A plumber can fully inspect your toilet, pinpoint the cause of the running, and offer a complete solution.

For a running toilet and all other plumbing needs, The Polite Plumber is here to serve you. We strive to provide exemplary customer service and results that last. Contact us today to learn more about our services!

5 Home Plumbing Tips for the New Year

It's time to put the past behind us and look forward to new and better things. So, if your home's plumbing and has seen better days, use the new year as a sign to get it back to its former glory.

To help you turn your plumbing nightmares into a dream, here are five tips to help you along this winter.

1. Reduce pressure to prevent leaks. If your water pressure is too high, consider reducing it to ease the burden on old and weak pipes. If your pipes are bad enough that they need to be replaced, consider how a professional can help you better the situation.
2. Get a water softener and add years to pipes. Hard tap water clogs and corrodes pipes, but this is preventable with a water softener. Unsure where to begin with a softener? Research online first, then call a plumber to assist you in the entire process.
3. Drain your water heater. Water heaters have a fairly long working life, but they can expire too soon if not properly cared for. For expert help in draining your water heater, a plumber can make the job easy and painless.
4. Have your sump pump and sump pit looked at. When the rainy season comes, the last thing that you want to worry about is a flooded basement. If this has been a concern in the past, perhaps it's time for a second sump pump or a clean sump pit. A plumber can help you decide how to proceed with this process.
5. Stop leaks as soon as you spot them. A drip here, a drop there, it's never a good thing. Always (always) stop leaks as soon as you see them. Water, when left to its own devices, will ruin anything not meant to contact it. For particularly hefty leaks, talk to a plumber for help.

If you have questions related to your plumbing in Succasunna, NJ just call The Polite Plumber at (973) 398-0875. We’ll never ask how it happened!

How to Prevent Your Plumbing Pipes from Freezing This Winter

As the weather is starting to cool off and the colder temperatures are getting closer, you might be thinking about preparing your home for the winter months. One part of your home that you might not have thought about protecting yet is your plumbing, but you should know that your pipes can freeze and burst when the temperatures drop below freezing if you aren't careful. Luckily, there are a few things that you can do to prevent this from happening.

Wrap Your Pipes
Before the weather gets colder, hire a professional plumber to come out and take a look at your plumbing. Along with inspecting them to ensure that you don't need to have any repairs done, he or she can also wrap your pipes with insulation. Then, the insulation will help keep your pipes warm and will help prevent them from freezing when the temperatures get cold.

Keep the Temperature Regulated in Your Home 
You might like to use a space heater in just some parts of your house or apartment so that you can save on your electric bill; however, doing so can allow the plumbing in other parts of your home to freeze. You might also leave your heater off when you travel to avoid running up your utility bills. However, it is important to keep the temperature throughout your home above freezing at all times to help keep your pipes safe.

Let the Water Drip 
On particularly cold nights, it's a good idea to turn the water faucet on to a slight drip. This is just enough to keep the water running through your pipes, which will prevent it from freezing.

As you can see, there are steps that you can take to prevent your plumbing pipes from freezing this winter. If you have questions related to your plumbing in Ledgewood,NJ just call The Polite Plumber at (973) 398-0875. We’ll never ask how it happened!

Garbage Disposal Care

One of the last things you want to happen in your kitchen is for the garbage disposal to break. A broken garbage disposal can cause your sink to clog AND you won't have the convenience of easily disposing of garbage.

Below is a list of the dos and don'ts for garbage disposal maintenance.

1. Keep the water running while using the garbage disposal, and for about 30-60 seconds after you've dropped the last of the garbage into the disposal. Doing this will help the waste go down easier, AND it cuts out the loud noise!
2. Do not put banana peels, corn husks, celery, coffee grounds, pits, chicken bones or other fibrous foods in the garbage disposal. It will just clog the system!
3. Is your garbage disposal stinky? Every once in a while drop an orange peel into the disposal to freshen it up!
4. Do NOT throw pasta and rice down the disposal. No matter how much the disposal chops it up the rice and pasta will swell when water logged, causing a clogged drain!

TIP:Use your garbage disposal in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations. Top of the line garbage disposals, which tend to be more expensive, provide grinding mechanisms that will dispose of waste that an inexpensive garbage disposal will not.

Questions? Just call The Polite Plumber at (973) 398-0875. We won't ask how it happened!

Do It Yourself Plumbing Tips!

We know, plumbing issues are a nightmare. The good news is some of them can be fixed by you, YES you! Below are a few tips on how to maintain a healthy plumbing system, along with tips on how to fix things when your plumbing goes awry.

1. Do you have a clogged toilet? DON'T PANIC! If your toilet becomes clogged just let it sit. Don't plunge, don't call us, just wait. The matter in the toilet will become softer after sitting for a few hours, this will help the toilet to unclog itself. Once you've let it sit for a few hours try flushing the toilet again.

2. Keep a grease cleaning product on hand. Periodically use it in the kitchen drain to help clean out the excess grease that has built up over time.

3. Put a strainer in each tub and shower in your home. This will catch all of the hair before it clogs up your bathroom drain. After each shower empty the hair out of the strainer.

4. DO NOT put banana peels, cornhusks, celery or other fibrous foods in the garbage disposal. It will just clog the system, and cause you major headache.

If all else fails, just call The Polite Plumber at (973) 398-0875. We won't ask how it happened!