Due to the fact that radon is continually in the Earth’s soil and rock, low levels of radon can be found in the outdoor air and in homes. “My house is solid. How can radon get inside?” one may ask.  Radon tends to leak into your home through cracks in the foundation, floors, and walls, even if it is cement. But not to worry, not all levels of radon are harmful.

Just because radon is in your home or water, does not mean that it is harmful and that you need to get it fixed right away.  The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says that radon levels in homes above 4pCi/L (picocuries per liter) need to be

Radon potential: Red = High Potential; Orange = Moderate Potential

fixed right away because that is an extremely dangerous level.  EPA also suggests that homes with radon levels between 2pCi/L and 4pCi/L be fixed as well to be on the safe side.

If dangerous levels of radon are not dealt with appropriately, they may cause death. Due to the high levels your body is breathing in, radon is the 2^nd leading cause of lung cancer.  You should always test your home for radon, because you may never know if dangerous levels are there or not. It is better to be safe than sorry!

By Talia DiFulvio

If you’ve been experiencing any problems with your water heater, call your Utah water heater repair experts. If you just want to make sure that you don’t have any problems during the upcoming winter, here are a few basic maintenance tasks you can perform yourself:

• If water heating has been a problem during the winter months in the past, it may be the result of insufficient pipe insulation. If the pipes in your home run above your garage or along an outside wall, you may want to invest in heat tape or other pipe insulation.
• Inspect the area around your water heater. Are there any particularly drafty spots? Does it seem to get colder in that area than anywhere else in your home? If so, you may want to add more insulation to the surrounding walls. It may also help to re-caulk any windows.
• If you’ve been having any problems getting hot water, call a plumber to perform maintenance. Water heaters get the most use during the winter months, so what starts as a minor problem in the summer can become a major one in the winter. Prevent bigger problems by getting the heater fixed as soon as possible.

Sometimes water heaters just get old or experience a severe malfunction. For maintenance and replacement services, call your Utah water heater replacement professionals!

Sometimes you just need to replace the old water heater

Stop the problem before it starts

The trick is to stop frozen pipes before they start. Instead of leaving the condition of your pipes to chance, try these tips to save yourself the expense and stress of a burst pipe:

• Insulate pipes and faucets that run outside your home, and disconnect any garden hoses. These pipes are fully exposed to changes in outside temperatures, so it’s especially important that you get them well insulated before the temperatures drop.
• Insulate pipes that run through uninsulated areas of your home, such as attics and garages. Additionally, pipes that run along outside walls should receive extra insulation. Insulating the pipes can involve putting more insulation in the walls or it can involve putting some sort of insulating material around the pipes themselves.
• Keep your heater on at night. Outdoor temperatures tend to plummet at night, and keeping the heat on in your home may provide the extra warmth that will prevent pipes from freezing.
• Keep under sink cupboard doors open. This will allow the warmer air in the rest of your home to heat the exposed pipes beneath the sink.
• Turn water on at a steady drip over night. Water that isn’t moving will freeze more quickly, so keeping the water moving will help prevent freezing.
• Check especially cold areas of your home for leaks. If there’s a room in your home that tends to get especially cold during the wintertime, check along the walls and the areas around windows for cracks or other defects that may be allowing cold air to enter. If you find any, seal them off using caulking or other materials.

Frozen pipes can present a major problem for your home. Stop the problem before it starts by following these suggestions. If you’re looking to fix or replace part of your plumbing system, call your Utah plumber professionals!

By Tim Crain

Frozen pipes can cause big problems

Follow these simple steps to flush your hot water heater:
ELECTRIC
1. Turn off electricity to hot water.
2. A fuse may need to be removed to ensure this has been completed correctly.
3. Turn it back on again.

GAS
1. Note the current temperature and then turn it down to “pilot.”
2. Turn off cold water supply valve located on top of the water heater.
3. At the bottom of the heater, attach a garden hose. This valve may be hidden under a removable cover so look carefully. Ensure the outlet of the hose is in a convenient drain location such as a bucket.
4. In the home open any hot water faucet.
5. Allow the hot water heater to drain by opening the valve on the hot water heater. It may be difficult to open so be very gentle!
6. When the hot water has drained completely move onto the cold water valve. Fill the water heater with cold water only partially then repeat steps two through five again to get extra drainage out.
7. Repeat until the water comes out clear.
8. Close the drain valve and continue on to remove the hose from the valve and turn the cold water supply on, allowing the hot water heater to fill with cold water.
9. One-by-one open all hot water faucets in your home until the water flows smoothly.

Clogged drains are a real nuisance

Unclogging a drain is often a very simple process, but many people have never taken the time to learn how to do it. Knowing how to unclog a drain is one of the most useful skills a homeowner can have—and it’s a skill that can save you quite a lot of money.

So, without further ado, here are three things you can try to fix a simple clogged drain:

1. Remove the drain stop or plug (sometimes this will require a screwdriver and/or a pair of pliers), and then use a pair of tweezers to reach into the open drain and pull out any built-up solids. It’s gross, but removing all the hair and random gunk will be just the thing needed to get the water draining again.
2. If the first step doesn’t work, fill the sink or tub with two or so inches of water. After this, use a sink plunger to cover the drain and then gently press up and down. After a few pushes, you may well find the water beginning to drain normally again.
3. Finally, if none of the above steps work, use a drain snake. By pushing the tool down into the drain, it should bend around the corner and clear out any stubborn remaining clogs.

Of course, some types of clogs are harder to fix than others. If none of the above steps work—or if you’d simply like to leave the plumbing to the professionals—call the Utah plumbing repair experts! They’ll get the drain working again in no time.

Over time, gunk accumulates in your pipes

This is not the first time that there has been a warning for residents to stay away from their tap water. Many years back, Riverton, Utah issued a warning stating that a dead raccoon reached the main drinking water source for all residence in Riverton.

In both of these cases the residents could not drink their tap water unless they boiled it before hand. This was reported to be very tedious. The best way to avoid these types of scares is to install a water purification system directly into your home.

Water purification systems can not only protect you from contaminated water but also protect you and your family from the every day harmful substances that are present in our drinking water. For example, chlorine, arsenic, dissolved, solids, and even lead! Protect your family today and contact Shamrock Plumbing today!

-Maddie Williams

Heating components are installed beneath your floor

It’s a common scenario, and a very annoying one. Fortunately, modern heating technology gives us a way around that problem. Radiant floor heating is the solution to those wishing to warm their house in an affordable and energy efficient way.

Floor heating works by radiating heat up through the floor. Heating panels are installed beneath the floor, and heat is radiated through the entire room. Radiant heating is affordable, energy efficient, and clean. Radiant heating systems are commonly installed in bathrooms, basements, and kitchens, but they can be installed in any area of your home.

The benefits of radiant heating

Here are some of the biggest benefits of radiant floor heating:

• It’s clean and it can reduce allergies. Traditional systems circulate the same air throughout the entire house. If there are dust and other allergens anywhere in the ventilation system, those with allergies can find their symptoms worsened.
• It’s energy efficient. Traditional heating systems can be very inefficient as they force warm air throughout your entire home, even to areas that you very rarely use. Radiant floor heating, on the other hand, is very energy efficient, as it will be installed only in the areas that need it the most and because it doesn’t need to use extra energy to force the heated air through your home.
• It’s comfortable. Radiant heating ensures that the rooms you use the most stay warm. No more shivering in your bathroom or kitchen when you get up in the morning and start getting ready for the day.

Radiant floor heating is an increasingly popular option for those wishing to make their homes more comfortable, clean, and energy efficient. If you’re ready to take the next step in home heating, call your Utah floor heating experts!

Radiant floor heating system being installed

Well, on February 2^nd Punxsutawney Phil saw did not see his shadow, which means… SPRING IS ON ITS WAY! Now who could not be excited, especially with the record breaking below freezing temperatures we have experienced this winter! With that being said, did you know there are a few plumbing maintenance tips you should do before spring has finally sprung? If you need assistance with any of the following, do not hesitate to call a specialist!

Water Heaters and Softeners:

Every year, people forget about their water heaters and they are faced with problems. Make sure you clean your water heaters because sediment and debris can become built up and cause it to not run as efficiently.

Pipes:

Check for any sort of pipe leakage on your outside hoses and on the inside of your home. It leaky pipes go untreated they can become a huge pain to deal with. If you hear dripping faucets or continuously running toilets, this could be a sign of a leaky pipe. Also check for any cabinet, ceiling or wall bulging and discoloration. Corroded or rusted pipes may also be a sign of a pipe leak.

Bathrooms:

Along with pipe leaks, check to make sure your toilet is not leaking. An easy way to do this is to drop a few drops of food coloring in the back of the toilet, and if there is a leak the bowl will gain color within an hour. Clean your shower head by filling a Ziploc bag with vinegar and tying it to the shower head. Let this soak for a few hours then remove the bag and run the shower for a few minutes.

By Talia DiFulvio