Most showers utilize the bypass door, which is 2 glass doors in a metal frame that slides open and closed. Although these are common, it does not mean they are what every homeowner wants. This type of shower door is very prone to failure since metal and water are never good materials to mix. If your bypass shower door is not functioning properly, and you are not restricted by your budget, there are other options available that will provide you with elegance, privacy and are far less prone to failure.

Wraparound showers, block glass shower walls or hinged shower doors do not utilize the same hardware and will therefore not have the same rate of failure. Though not as affordable to install, in the long run, they can save you money from repairs and repeated replacement.

The main issue we see with bypass doors is the accumulation of water and other debris on the track. When the metal rollers are constantly sitting in water, it can cause them to rust, form mold and mildew, get gunked up by soap scum, dirt, and dust and will ultimately deteriorate and fail. Even the most meticulous homeowners cannot avoid experiencing this. The best way to keep the track clean to help maximize the life of your bypass shower door track, here are a few tips:

1. Apply white vinegar with cotton balls to moisten the track. (IF YOU HAVE NATURE STONE TILE FLOORS OR WALLS, DO NOT USE VINEGAR. IT CAN DAMAGE THE STONE)

2. Let the vinegar sit for about 5-10 minutes to help break up soap scum and debris.

3. Gently scrub the track with an old toothbrush to remove dirt and buildup.

4. Carefully rinse the track with water to remove all debris and vinegar.

5. Thoroughly dry the track with a microfiber cloth.

If your shower doors are still not functioning properly and you would like professional assistance to repair it or you are experiencing any other plumbing problems in Baltimore, MD, give us a call today at (410) 265-8833 or (301) 384-4880.

With the winter weather rapidly approaching like Santa in his sleigh, things like ice and snow can do a real number on your external AND internal plumbing. Below are some helpful tips from our professional team of plumbers to help protect your home and your plumbing during the frigid temps.

TO PROTECT YOUR OUTSIDE PLUMBING:

TO PROTECT YOUR INSIDE PLUMBING:

WHAT TO DO IF YOUR PIPES STILL FREEZE?

Don’t wait for freezing weather, take precautions now so you are ready. Often times, freezing temps spring upon us before we know it and you don’t want to be caught unprepared. If you need help with any of these steps, or find yourself in the middle of a plumbing issue, give your friendly Baltimore, MD plumber a call today at (410) 265-8833 OR (301) 384-4880.

Happy Holidays!

Have you found a puddle underneath your sink or are you being kept up by the incessant dripping from your bathroom sink? We have broken down how to repair the most common issue for a leaky bathroom faucet here in 5 easy steps.

Step 1: Turn off the water either at the valves under the sink. If you find that water is still coming through the faucet after the sink valves have been turned off, you’ll need to turn off the main line to the entire home.

Step 2: With a flat-head screwdriver, remove the handles of the faucet, unscrew the tiny screw which mounts the handle to the stem allowing you to remove the handle with ease. If it still will not come off, apply a small amount of WD-40 and try again to remove it.

Step 3: With your crescent wrench, loosen each packing nut and remove the stem. Depending on the manufacture of your faucet, it may either pop off or it may twist off from the valve. Inspect all removed parts and replace them if you see any signs of damage.

Step 4: If everything is intact, you will want to inspect the washer and O-ring inside the valve seat, these are often the reason for a leak. While you have everything off, you should replace the washer inside the seat since these can often deteriorate over time. It is important to make sure that the O-ring and washer are an exact fit. If you are unsure, you can take your existing parts to a home improvement store for guidance or buy a package with various sizes until you have the exact fit.

Step 5: With the replacements completed, you will want to reassemble all the parts turn the water back on and slowly turn the handle to see if your repair has been a success.

If you are unsure and would like one of our trained plumbers to come to take a look, give us a call today at (410) 265-8833. We are your local Baltimore, MD plumbing experts and we are ready to serve you!

Do you have a sump pump that runs too often or continuously no matter the conditions outside? This is a red flag that something is wrong with it and needs to be inspected by a professional. Ignoring or delaying repairs can cause it to burn out, leaving you unprotected when you need it most. Some of the most common reasons you may have an overworking sump pump are:

Incorrect Size of Pump or Pit
If the pump itself is not big enough or if the sump pit is too small, it may fill up too fast and make it work overtime.

Your Check Valve May Be Broken or Missing Completely
If you have a missing or broken check valve, it can cause up to ⅔ of the water removed to flow right back into the sump pit and will overwork your pump.

Issue With Float Switch
If you have a lower quality sump pump model, there is a chance the float switch can get clogged or tangled. We have also seen the switch become disabled simply from the vibration of the pump running. A sump pump is a very important tool to keep your basement dry and safe, we recommend choosing a reliable and proven pump, not just one that has the best price tag.

Too Much Water
If your home has a high water table or even a natural spring under it, you may find that your sump pump is running continuously because there is a constant flow of water and it has to keep working. By raising the pump a bit or adding additional pumps in other places in your basement, you can help to alleviate this issue. We recommend having an inspection done to evaluate the area and determine the best placement for them pumps.

If your Baltimore, MD sump pump is not working effectively or is working non-stop in normal conditions, give us a call today at (410) 265-8833 OR (301) 384-4880 for a no obligation evaluation.

As a homeowner there will be, on more than one occasion, a plumbing issue in your Baltimore, MD home. It happens to all of us and usually comes very unexpectedly. We have gathered 5 common plumbing issues here. Do you have any of these?

#1: Dripping faucets

Drip! Drip! Drip! That is not only the sound of your leaky bathroom or kitchen faucet, it is also the sound of your money dripping away down the drain. Not only do you get driven crazy by the sound, you are spending more than you need to. How much? Depending on the severity of the leak, anywhere from $20 to several hundred dollars a year!

#2: Pipe Leaks

Have you noticed wet spots in your yard, your walls, maybe even your ceiling? There is more than likely a leak in one or more of the joints in your pipes. This is not something you want to wait on. Water damage to your home is not only costly, it can be very dangerous to your health.

#3. Running Toilets

A toilet that runs can flush over 200 gallons of water down the drain every day! Most causes of this common issue can easily be repaired. From a slow trickle into the bowl, to a leaking seal, we are just a phone call away to help!

#4. Leaking Hose Bibb

This common issue appears most often on bibbs that were not properly covered and protected over the cold winter months. Investing in a bibb cover will help prevent your pipes from freezing and avoiding leaks.

#5. Slow Draining Or Clogged Drains

We have all had to deal with a slow draining or clogged drain. Most homeowners reach for their handy household drain cleaning product under the counter. These can actually cause more damage to the pipes. It is best to call a qualified plumber to detect the issue and clear the drain correctly.

Contact us today at (410) 265-8833 or (301) 384-4880 for these or any other plumbing service needs. We are here to help.

Drano is lye-based household drainage cleaner product sold in several forms, consisting in variations of sodium hydroxide (lye), sodium hypochlorate (bleach), sodium nitrate, sodium chloride (salt) and aluminum.

How it works: When Drano is poured down a drain, several chemical reactions happen at the same time. Drano’s main ingredient is sodium hydroxide, commonly known as lye, a substance that decomposes most organic matter. Hair and grease included. The lye is mixed with small shards of aluminum, creating a strong reaction that generates heat at near-boiling temperatures. The high heat effectively speeds up the decomposition process. Tap water, too, reacts with the lye to produce more heat, softening deposits lining a dirty drain. Lye then reacts with the softened grease, creating soap that the hot water dissolves, and again with the aluminum to form hydrogen bubbles. The bubbles loosen the clog particles, creating space for the hot water to carry it all down the drain. In just one slosh you’ll get intense heat, soap making, bubble forming, dissolving proteins and fat breakdown. In other words, more than enough for a drain to handle.

Why Drano is risky:
Drano damages plumbing systems. Drano sits in a pipe until the clog dissolves, continually reacting and generating heat. Toilet bowls can crack. PVC pipes can soften and eventually break. Old, corroded pipes can be easily damaged, and Drano can quickly eat away at the glue holding pipes together.

Drano is unpredictable if combined with other products or equipment. When using plumbing tools, like a plunger or an auger, Drano can splash up and burn your skin, and get into your eyes and lungs. If even a small amount of Drano remains in the drain, and you use a chemical cleaning product soon after, the two products might react unfavourably to create toxic fumes. You never know what kind of chemical reaction you might get when introducing Drano to a plumbing system.

Drano can burn skin, irritate eyes, and hurt lungs. Drano is caustic, meaning it has the ability to burn or corrode organic tissue by chemical action. When a Jiffy plumber gets called in to to fix a clogged drain, they typically ask the customer if they’ve tried Drano already. If so, the plumber comes back 24 hours later because Drano makes their working conditions unsafe.

Drano can work for partial blockages, if used very sparingly. So long as there is some water flow in the clog, Drano can be effective at eating away foreign objects stuck in drains. The partial water flow dilutes the drano and helps flush the strong chemicals out of your plumbing system. As a preventative measure, you can always dilute the drano in a ⅔’s water, ⅓ drano mix prior to using it. However, even with dilution and water flow, Drano can still damage your drains and if it doesn’t fix the clog properly (likely), the problem will soon return.

Plumbing follows the basic laws of nature — gravity, pressure, water seeking its own level.

The plumbing system in your home is composed of two separate subsystems. One subsystem brings freshwater in, and the other takes wastewater out. The water that comes into your home is under pressure. It enters your home under enough pressure to allow it to travel upstairs, around corners, or wherever else it’s needed. As water comes into your home, it passes through a meter that registers the amount you use. The main water shutoff, or stop, valve is typically located close to the meter. In a plumbing emergency, it’s vital that you quickly close the main shutoff valve. Otherwise, when a pipe bursts, it can flood your house in no time. If the emergency is confined to a sink, tub, or toilet, however, you may not want to turn off your entire water supply. Therefore, most fixtures should have individual stop valves.

Curious to learn more about plumbing? Give our office a call! We’d be happy to explain your system during our next visit. We think its important for everyone to understand plumbing basics, so they can communicate with us and take better care of their system.

When your garbage disposal breaks, it can be a big problem. Before you rush to call the plumber, figure out what the problem is. Some issues can be taken care of with a quick fix, others will need a whole system replacement.

Won’t turn on.
There could be a short in the wiring between the switch and the disposal, in which case replacing the wiring should be a quick fix for the problem. However, it’s also possible that you have a burned out motor. The motor comprises a large part of the disposal system, and replacing it is often not worth the cost. If your disposal motor isn’t functioning properly, you’re almost certainly better off just installing an entirely new system.

Destroyed Impeller
The impeller is the part of the disposal that is responsible for chopping up the food waste you put into the chamber. The impeller is not a set of sharp blades, as many people think, but a series of blunt propeller-like protuberances that chop things up by brute force. This puts a lot of stress on the part, and often part of it will break off. While it’s definitely possible to just replace part of the impeller, if the part is in poor enough condition you might want to consider replacing the entire system. Talk to a plumber to see what they think about your specific case.

We all need to work together to reduce our water usage in order to protect the planet. It only takes a few small changes to our daily habits to save significant amounts of water every year.

1. Use a timer for showers
By limiting everyone to 10 minutes or less, you can save water while keeping everyone on time in the mornings or at bedtime.

2. Reuse your towels
Instead of throwing your used towel in the hamper everyday, hang it up to dry and reuse it!

3. Be mindful of your laundry
Are your clothes really dirty? Unnecessary washing not only uses up extra water, but also precious energy and time! Only do laundry on items that really need to be washed, and always wash with cold water.

4. Install water-saving taps and appliances
A low-flow showerhead, a new faucet that doesn’t leak, or a more efficient washing machine or dishwasher can all help lower your impact. Small leaks or old faucets can cause huge amounts of accidental water waste.

5. Use sprinklers sparingly
Run sprinklers at night so the water makes a maximum impact. You should also make sure your sprinklers are all pointing in the right direction and in working order. A leaky or broken sprinkler can waste dozens of gallons of water weekly.

6. Use water consciously
Turn the water off while you brush your teeth or washing dishes. Every time you turn on the faucet, do so with attention, so you don’t accidentally leave it on longer than you should.

Give Millennium Plumbing a call to install these money and water saving items!

Spring is here! Keep your plumbing working all year round and try these spring cleaning tips for your pipes.

Check faucets for drips or leaks. Make repairs to save water.
Check toilets for hidden leaks. Add six drops of food coloring to the toilet tank. If the toilet is leaking, color will appear in the bowl within 30 minutes
Ensure that all drains have strainers to prevent hair, soap and debris from clogging the drain lines.
Inspect toilet tank and bowl for cracks or leaks.
Exercise water supply valves under sinks and toilets to prevent them from sticking.
Make sure toilets flush properly. If the handle must be held down for a thorough flush or jiggled to stop the water from running you may need to replace worn tank parts. They’re inexpensive and you’ll notice a lower water bill.
Check the temperature setting on the water heater. It should be set no higher than 120°F to prevent scalding and reduce energy use.
Carefully drain several gallons from the water heater tank to flush out corrosion causing sediment, which reduces heating efficiency and shortens the life of the heater. A great Spring Plumbing Tip.
Consider replacing a water heater more than 15 years old. (The first four numbers of the serial number represent the month and year it was made.) Newer water heaters are more energy efficient