I used to tell everybody to shut off their water to the house when they go out of town. It’s a bit tedious, but well worth it if you’re going to be away from home for a few days. But what about just being away for a few hours. Most people aren’t willing to shut off their main water supply every time they leave the house.

So what if there was a system that would monitor your water flow for you and shut the water off automatically in case of a leak? There is.

What is this new product? It’s an automatic water shut off valve made by Flo Logic.

What are the benefits?

1. Lower your insurance premium. Ask your agent about this.
2. Eliminate the risks of major flood damage due to a plumbing water leak.
3. Described by Popular Science as “the circuit breaker for your home’s plumbing system.”
4. Peace of mind

If you’re handy, you may be able to install it yourself. If not, a plumber should be able to install in an hour or less in most cases.

"The circuit breaker for your plumbing"

Few ever think of their water heater, or sometimes called a “hot water heater,” until it starts leaking. There are two problems with this.

1. It usually causes a huge mess, damages floors, walls and all your important stuff you’ve stored in boxes in the general location of your water heater, which cost a lot of money to clean up, and permanent loss of personal property.
2. You’re now out of hot water until you get it replaced, which causes you to just get a new one fast without giving any thought to quality, length of warranty, type of water heater, present and future needs, energy conservation and cost.

So what’s the solution?

First, find out how old your water heater is. Get a flashlight and glasses if you need them. Look on the front of the water heater and you’ll find a label with the serial number, model number, gallon capacity, etc. Find the serial number. The first 2 digits will tell you the month and the next 2 digits will tell you the year it was made. For example, if the serial number is:
119237485-b. The first 2 digits signify November and the next 2 signify 1992, so it was made in November, 1992. If you’re still not sure you can call the manufacturer (brand name) of the water heater. There will be a phone number on the water heater so you can call them. Give them the serial number and they will tell you when it was made.

Next, if it is over 12 years old, start doing research now to figure out what kind of water heater you would like to replace it with. Call around see what’s available. Check on prices. If you want something special, it will most likely have to be ordered, so you won’t want to wait until your current one starts leaking. Be proactive.

If your water heater is over 15 years old, it’s now time to do something about it. You know how these things go. Your water heater will go when you go out of town, and you’ll come back to a flood and the mess I described above.

Call me if you live in the Atlanta, GA area and I’ll give you lots of useful, free advice.
Visit my website at www.plumbsmartinc.com or Facebook Plumb Smart.

‘Tis the season for frozen pipes, and if you’re not careful, one frozen pipe could soon burst open and cost you a lot of money and anxiety if the proper precautions are not taken. So, here are 5 Plumb Smart tips for preventing frozen and bursting pipes.

1. Keep kitchen and bathroom cabinets open during the coldest weather whenever possible.  This will allow the warm air from the room to circulate into the cabinets and protect against frozen pipes.

2. Wrap your pipes with electrical heating tape and cover it with insulation to keep the heat in. Follow the directions on the heating tape. You can find this tape at places like Ace Hardware.

3.  Seal any cracks or leaks around doors or windows near your pipes that let in cold air. You can use caulk or insulation to keep the cold air outside where it belongs and away from your pipes.

4. Disconnect your outside water hoses. This helps prevent freezing water in the pipes from going into the house and causing unwanted frozen pipes that can spell a potentially costly disaster.

5. On the coldest nights, let your warm water trickle just a little bit from your faucets. This will keep the pipes heated enough to prevent frozen pipes during the night.

Follow these tips, and you don’t have to worry about frozen pipes for the holidays! Remember, when you’re plumb smart, there’s no such thing as an emergency. If the cold got to your pipes before reading these tips, call Plumb Smart today and we’ll come take care of them so you can still enjoy your Christmas.

Call Paul the plumber today: 404-427-0302

Proactive home maintenance is almost like putting extra money into your savings account every month; when you are plumb smart, there is no such thing as a plumbing emergency.

Simple tricks and a few regular maintenance habits can help prevent problems in your home or office plumbing system. Spending a few minutes in prevention today will help eliminate costly repair bills later.

The home maintenance ideas below were part of a list presented during the Professional Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractor awareness week.

Pipes

• First, in case of an emergency, know the location of the water cut-off valves inside and out of your home. Contact your Atlanta plumber for assistance.
• Visually check these valves for cracks and leaks, regularly.
• Extended time away from home in winter; turn down the thermostat and open cabinet doors. This allows warmth to reach walls helping to keep pipes from freezing. Keep crawl-space vents closed to prevent heat loss.

Garbage Disposals

• Always run a lot of cold water when using the sinks garbage disposal. This will help flush away material that may otherwise get caught in the disposal unit, eventually causing leaks and possible damage to the disposal unit. Your Acworth plumber will provide cost effective repairs.
• Never take the sink disposal unit for granted; large items such as bones and corn husks are better suited for the trash container.
• Be sure the dishwasher is not draining into the sink disposal.

Refrigerators

• Called a capillary line, brings water to the refrigerator; they can become twisted or kinked, leading to leaks. Call your Kennesaw plumber for assistance.

Washing Machines and Dryers

• Regularly inspect the vent hose leading from behind the dryer; clogged airways will promote over heating and possible damage. Contact your Atlanta plumber for advice on replacing old and warn fittings.
• Inspect all the hoses leading to the cold and hot water leads for cracks and kinks.
• Be sure these hoses are connected tightly; high water pressure can blow the hose from the water outlets causing a flood in the laundry room.
• It is recommended plastic lines be replaced every three years.

Toilets

• It is possible a few extra bucks are being flushed down the toilet every month; a faulty Flush Valve or other toilet tank part may be causing water to continuously run even after the Filler Float has returned to its upper position. Your Marietta plumber can help you replace faulty parts.
• Here is a neat trick: To check for leaks in the tank, drop a small amount of red food coloring into the tank. If later the water in the bowl is red, water must be seeping through the tank. Call your local Kennesaw plumber for replacement parts.

With regular self inspection and simple maintenance, your home utilities will run more efficiently saving you money. If the situation arises for professional intervention, contact your Atlanta plumbing associate for advice.

Finding a plumber in Atlanta can be difficult. Some plumbing dilemmas should not be tried on your own. Even if it looks simple now, it could be a whole bundle more costly after you’ve “had a go”! So finding a good quality plumbing contractor in Atlanta is worth doing, even if just to have their phone number standing by for later. Of course we think we are the best plumbers in Atlanta at Plumbsmartinc but we are going to give you some tips on what to look for.

If you ask a good amount of family member or friends about plumbing contractors in Atanta they have used, you ought to be able to get a recommendation. You should also ask what type of wok the plumbing contractor did and how long ago, to get an idea of what they can do. If no immediate friends or family can suggest someone, ask them if they know anyone else who has had some plumbing work done lately in the Atlanta area. Then ask them what work they did and if they were pleased. Reputation is a lot when attempting to come across a plumbing contractor. Simply because someone provided you with a recommendation does not mean that your search for a good plumbing contractor is over. Verify your plumbing contractor’s license and a member of reputable plumbing organization. It is better to be somewhat sure that your plumbing contractor has dependable experience and appropriate training. Do not be scared to ask questions, you are not a plumber; otherwise you would not be looking for one.

If the plumbing contractor you wish to hire in Atlanta does not answer questions gladly or gives unclear answers, that just might be a red flag! Ask if they have skill fixing your specific problem. Ask them to make clear what they think is wrong. Ask them what will need to be done. If you do not comprehend anything they say or they throw in too much terminology ask them to clarify in simpler terms; you are not a plumber. Don’t be troubled to ask straight forward questions. A good plumber will contently answer and clarify, and won’t be guarded about the work required. Always get a written estimate prior to work beginning. Keep in mind though; the majority of plumbers have a minimum time fee to cover their visit. If the job takes two minutes they may however charge for half an hour, or even a full hour. If you feel the price sounds like a large amount for the work you’ve talked about, say you’ll get back to them, then go and get some quotes from others in the Atlanta area. If the prices are in the same category, do go with your suggested plumber though; changing to the cheapest could prove a costly decision.

You ought to feel more equipped to finding your plumber in the Atlanta area, now do the smart thing and hire Plumbsmart(ha ha). You know what to ask, what to look for and what you should anticipate. And keep in mind once you find a good quality plumber, you can use them over again! And your friends and family will be very much thankful when they need to ask you to suggest a plumbing contractor for them.

Why do I think Plumbsmart has Atlanta’s most caring Plumbers? Because when we come out and make a plumbing repair in Atlanta we really put our all into it!!!

First of all we show up on time when you have a plumbing emergency!!! We realize when you need a plumber in Atlanta you need one right away and Plumbsmart works hard to take stress out of the situation by being there when we say we will be there.

Another reason to consider Plumbsmart when you are looking for a plumber in Atlanta is because we want to save you money!!! There have been numerous occasions we have received calls from customers who have a plumbing issue and rather than coming out and charging them an arm and a leg, we teach them how to fix the problem over the phone for free. Plumbsmart knows the next time you do need a plumber in Atlanta you will think of us because we saved you money.

One of the things we are most proud of is we do plumbing better than the original installation. There are so many occasions when we go out to people’s homes in the Atlanta area and we notice that the original part really was not doing the job. We pride ourselves on buying replacements parts that are superior to the original. Again little things like this really set us apart from the competition because we always have your bottom line in mind and not ours.

Hello Everyone, usually I love to give plumbing tips that help you save money!!! Today I want to talk about how Plumbsmart has been serving Cobb County and what type of service you can expect!!!

I have been a resident of Acworth Ga for a long time and love our community. So I naturally take a lot of pride when someone in Acworth has a plumbing issue they need resolved. I know that if you are looking for a plumber in Cobb County you have many choices and appreciate the opportunity when you pick up the phone and call Plumbsmart. That is why I always do my best to show up on time.

Usually when someone calls a plumber there is some emergency that needs immediate attention. The last thing you want to do is take time out of your busy schedule to deal with a plumbing issue. I figure the least I can do is at least so up on time!!! It amazes me how many professionals in the service industry keep people waiting around for hours.

Plumbsmart understands that we all have jobs and commitments and can’t afford to wait around. So if you are in need of a Plumber anywhere in Cobb County remember that we show up on time!!! If you need a plumber in Marietta Ga I will be there on time. If you need a plumber in Kennesaw Ga I will be there on time. If you need a plumber in Acworth Ga I will be there ontime!!! Hopefully you get the message!!!

I know your time is valuable so the next time you are looking for a plumber in Cobb County pick up the phone and Plumbsmart will be there on time. Hey I better be after this article huh? So give Plumbsmart a call today!!!

Thank you so much for your recent repair on my tub. Not only was the tub installed correctly and professionally, but it was done at a reasonable cost. It was also done as promised, in a timely fashion.

I appreciate the fine work you do. As one professional to another, I would recommend you to anyone with a plumbing problem.

-Boyd L. Cribb, Jr. Lithia Springs, GA

Plumb Smart has been a great service! They are very knowledgeable and knew right away what our plumbing problem was when another plumbing company was stumped. We highly recommend them!

-Amy Hirsh, Smyrna, GA

Paul Little is the very best – the service is excellent, very fair and prompt.

-Nancy Hazelrigs, Marietta, GA