Residents of Lakewood, CA have faced quite a few challenges when it comes to conserving water in the last few years thanks to rising temperatures and lowering water levels.

A consequence of water shortages is increased rates for water consumption. Now more than ever it is important to follow some basic guidelines or conserving, recycling and saving water, not only to save money on your water bill but also to help preserve the environment.

Check Your Plumbing for Leaks

If your water bill seems like it is escalating every month it might be due to the rising price of local utilities due to a lack of water in the area combined with minor leaking from your pipes.

The rarer a natural resource becomes, the more it tends to rise in price, so you can’t afford to have a single minuscule drop oozing out of your plumbing system.

However, this can be almost impossible to accomplish if you home has pipes that leak. A professional can inspect your plumbing to make sure it is working properly and make sure that you are not paying for water that is seeping into the ground.

Take a Short Shower Instead of Taking A Bath

If you are going to take a bath, fill the tub up with just a inches of water and to use a sponge to clean yourself.

Then scoop out any remaining water and use it to water your plants. If this seems like a lot of work to you, then try taking a short shower instead.

Limit to your showering time to less than five minutes to help save money, energy, and water. One way to make sure that family members do not spend too much time in the shower is to put an egg timer in the bathroom and advise them to turn the water off when shaving or shampooing their hair.

Wash Your Car at a Carwash Instead of In Your Driveway

Washing your car at a carwash not only saves you from using the hundreds of gallons of water that it can take to get your car clean, but it is also better for the environment.

Cars that are cleaned in a drive-thru car wash activate automated water mechanisms when they are needed as your car is put through the washing process.

When you wash your car in your driveway it is more difficult to tell how much water you are using because you are likely rinsing the soap off of the vehicle with a garden hose.

Recycle Your Greywater By Using It to Irrigate Your Garden

Dirty laundry water, dishwater, and bath water can be recycled manually by saving it in the bucket, or you can get a plumber to run rubber pipes outside so that the water is soaked up by your garden soil.

This water, left over from water, is called greywater and it can help your garden and lawn grow as long as it does not contain large amounts of chemicals, bleach or salt.

Remember that it sometimes takes a plumbing professional to detect leaks and that an expert might be more efficient when it comes to helping you install recycling hoses for greywater.A good plumber will also help you install a low-flow showerhead or automated water mechanisms. Water is destined to cost more than ever in the near future. Combat this inevitable economic reality is to start conserving and recycling your water now.

How do you plan to celebrate your New Year’s Eve in Lakewood, CA? Perhaps you are going to watch the ball drop? Maybe you’re planning a quiet night in with the kids?

Or is this the year that you are going all out and hosting a New Year’s Eve bash? No matter how you plan to celebrate, there is one thing that is certain: You don’t want your festivities to be overthrown by a drain clog or a drain overflowing.

You want to make sure that your celebrations go off without a hitch (and as a bonus, reap a number of other benefits for the year to come). Schedule a drain cleaning, which is a very smart step in proactive home maintenance.

Fresh Flow for the New Year

Do you relish that moment right after you’ve finished cleaning your home and everything is fresh and sparkling?

Spoiler alert: if you’ve got dirty drains, your home isn’t nearly as clean as you think it is.

There is usually standing water in back up drains, which causes mold to grow and makes other bacteria and germs proliferate.

Don’t forget the awful odor that escapes from your drains when they are dirty, which will make even the cleanest home smell bad. Avoid all of this by getting your drains cleaned.

Start Saving More Money

It is a common habit to deal with a clog by pouring drain cleaner down the drain. This may work at the time, but you are causing damage to your pipes.

The toxins in the cleaners will cause decay to the pipes, which means that you’ll need to replace or repair them, which is costly.

Furthermore, when pipes are damaged, they leak, which will make you waste water and pay more on your water bills.

No More Noise

Do you hear any squeaking or cracking coming from your pipes? That is probably because of buildup that is putting pressure on water as it rushes through.

If you are turning on the hot water, the sounds may be even more noticeable. Get the problem solved with a drain cleaning.

Clog Prevention

You want to be rid of clogs for good and the headaches that go along with dealing with them?

Have a drain cleaning done so that clogs don’t even have a chance to form. Even if you are careful, you’ll end up with grease, hair, and food in your drains as you use them.

When you consider all the benefits of drain cleaning, it’s hard to justify waiting any longer to start making this a regular habit.

The official start of winter is approaching quickly. Now is the time to take care of any last-minute fall maintenance to help prepare your home for the coming season.

The tasks that you take on now will make your home cozy, safe and more cost-efficient to run during the winter in Lakewood, CA. To help you along, we’ve put together a complete checklist for you to follow. Here is how to get started.

Carbon Monoxide and Smoke Alarm Testing

With the increased use of your furnace and your fireplace in the winter, it is important to have working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms on standby.

Press the test buttons and make sure that the units are working; remove unit lids and vacuum out the insides. Spider webs and dust get inside which can interfere with the sensors. Don’t forget to put in new batteries.

A few extra tips: never paint on your carbon monoxide and smoke detectors, because they won’t work as well. Also store a fire extinguisher on each level of your home, just in case.

Why you Need Insulation

You spend a lot of money trying to keep your home in good repair and looking its best, but in reality, it may be what’s behind the walls that counts.

If you don’t have enough insulation, you are wasting money by letting hot air escape through the walls. Do you have enough insulation?

Some signs that you don’t include drafts, mice and bug problems, attic leaks, fluctuating temperatures and high heating bills. It’s a worthwhile investment to upgrade your insulation because you could reduce your heating bills by 20-30 percent, or even more, depending on the circumstances.

Ventilation is Important

In order for your home to heat well, it not only needs a good layer of insulation, but it also needs proper ventilation. Ventilation will ensure that extra moisture is removed from the air so that that heat will be evenly distributed.

Exhaust fans work well in the kitchen and bathrooms. A heat exchange pump will direct air too. If you’d like to try something a little simpler, you can even open the windows a tiny bit for a couple of minutes a day.

Can A Trusted Plumbing Superhero Save You From Unclean Water?

You do all you can to prevent your family from getting sick. You wash your hands. You eat right. You exercise. Despite taking all of these proactive steps, you may be overlooking a risk to your health that is present right there in your home- unclean water even in Lakewood, CA.

And what’s even more concerning is that it could be your plumbing that is causing the contamination. That’s why you need assistance from a superhero plumber to save today and protect your family from waterborne illnesses.

Water Conservation Actions

Your plumber is also a water conservation superhero because his work helps to reduce water waste, which is necessary given the global water crisis.

Fixing plumbing leaks not only saves you money and saves your home from damage; it saves the planet too. Some common causes of leaks are disjointed pipes, corrosion, and broken seals.

You can help your plumber stay on top of your plumbing leaks by proactively trying to source them out. Common signs of leaks include pooling water, moisture on pipes, mold growth, a musty odor and a hike in your water bills that you can’t explain.

What You Should Know About Your Plumbing

One of the most common ways that your plumbing can contaminate your water is if toxins leach from your pipes into the water. If your home is older, your pipes likely contain lead, which threatens to contaminate your water. To remedy this problem, have your plumber replace lead pipes with PVC or copper.

Copper is actually fairly resistant to germs, which can inhibit germs from spreading into your water. PVC is more resistant to corrosion and corroded pipes can contaminate your water. Both are good choices. You should also ask your superhero plumber to inspect your plumbing.

If the pressure is off balance, then pipes can be damaged. What can also happen is backflow, where water flows in the opposite direction from what it should. Wastewater doesn’t leave your home in the way that it should, and your tap water is contaminated.

Health Risks From Unclean Water

You can get very sick or even develop dangerous long-term health problems like cancer, kidney and liver failure, respiratory problems or neurological conditions from unclean water. Birth defects are linked to contaminated water too.

In the shorter term, about 24 to 48 hours after consuming unclean water, you may experience flu-like symptoms that can be moderate to severe. If you suspect that you’ve consumed unclean water, contact your doctor for the appropriate treatment.

When you turn the tap on a faucet or flush a toilet, you don’t usually think to yourself how lucky a person you are to be able to perform these actions.

But in truth, you’re very lucky. You’re benefiting from thousands of years of engineering that makes it possible for you to take for granted something that your ancestors of the past could only dream of. Indoor plumbing is a very recent technology. For everyone else? It wasn’t that easy.

You’re benefiting from thousands of years of engineering that makes it possible for you to take for granted something that your ancestors of the past could only dream of. Indoor plumbing is a very recent technology. For everyone else? It wasn’t that easy.

The Egyptian & Roman Pioneers

Plumbing wasn’t just a matter of convenience, but survival for some cultures, such as the ancient Egyptians. Living in a desert region, they were forced to create the first pipes, made of clay, to carry water from the Nile to where it could be used on their crops.

Eventually, they switched over to copper, a material still used for pipes even today! The Romans also considerably helped to advance plumbing and engineering. Of course, they’re most well-known for the aqueducts that carried huge amounts of water from remote sources to their towns and cities.

But their aqueducts could also branch off, delivering water straight to homes. They even pioneered sewer pipes with hollowed out elm logs to try and control waste disposal!

The Age Of Reason & Smelliness

Perhaps the biggest surprise for many people is that as history marched on, and we hit the 18th century and the so-called “age of reason,” plumbing took a step backward. You don’t have to look any further than one of the most glamorous figures of French history, the famous Marie Antoinette. Despite being royalty, she smelled horrible and so did her palace.

There are a few reasons for this. First, Marie and other nobility only took a bath about once a month, so she mostly tried to hide her stink with perfume. Second, and perhaps more dangerous, the inland locations of many places made it impossible to use aqueduct techniques like the Romans and Egyptians did, so no indoor plumbing or sewer control systems existed.

This meant that royal palaces often had human waste of both kinds lining the halls, sitting on rugs, and even piling up in royal chambers and other spaces in a palace. Far from being glamorous spaces, royal palaces were often literal cesspools where you could get very sick if you could train yourself to get used to the sight and smell of human waste everywhere.

Plumbing Today

Modern plumbing is, fortunately, nothing like this. Modern faucets and showers don’t just allow us easy access to water; new techniques even make these appliances and fixtures more water efficient.

New dishwashers, for example, may save more water than traditional, manual dish washing. And of course, modern toilets provide an immense amount of healthy, sanitary safety, conveniently moving waste away and letting it get properly treated.

Now, with modern plumbing, water and sewage systems are both safe and easy. And as long as you have companies like Fitzgerald Plumbing working in the Lakewood, CA area to serve you, you always know that no matter what happens, there are experienced professionals to help.

We know just how important it is for you to fix plumbing problems quickly and efficiently so you can continue to enjoy the amenities of modern 21st-century life in America.

The summertime is the perfect opportunity for you to get outside and enjoy some time splashing around in the water with loved ones. But with water resources dwindling across the country, many are now looking for environmentally friendly water play activities to take on this summer.

Our team has many years’ experience in this area, and we’re now highlighting several ways in which you can conserve water while still enjoying your summer fun outdoors.

Play a Game of Jump the Water Hose

With one person at one end of the yard and everyone else at the other, you can enjoy a fun game of jump the water hose.

Start by holding the hose at around hip height, and allow the water jet to stream out. Then ask for the other participants to try and jump over the jet stream in mid-air. You can raise the stream as the game goes on to make it more challenging.

The great thing about this game is that if you’re a little off, you won’t have to worry about anyone tripping on the rope.

Choose Sponges instead of Water Balloons

You don’t have to stop the water play fights just because water balloons are such a large waste of water. Why not enjoy time play fighting by throwing sponges at your opponents this summer season?

The great benefit of using sponges is that they can be reused and don’t have to be filled every time you throw like a water balloon. Using sponges for play water fights can help you save water resources while ensuring hours of fun for all.

Enjoy a Game of Sponge Basketball

With a bucket at either end of your yard and two teams of participants, you’re now able to set the stage for a fun game of sponge basketball. Give both teams a few sponges each as they can then pass the sponge between them.

Then, when they’re ready, they can throw sponges into the other team’s bucket for a point. The defending team can try to block their bucket to prevent the attacking team scoring. This game helps children understand the importance of teamwork and can be great fun for large groups of kids! By working with our experts, you can find the ideal environmentally friendly water activities for your family this summer season.

Water leaks can cause a significant amount of damage to your home if left unchecked. That’s why leak detection abilities are so important for homeowners.

As an extra precaution, if you are traveling this summer, turn your water off before you go. If you do have a water leak and it gets worse while you are gone, the damage can be substantial.

Here is some advice on what you can do to detect leaks in your home.

Mold and Structural Damage

Think that a small leak is no big deal? Think again.

When water comes in contact with drywall or flooring, the perfect conditions for mold growth are created.

Mold only takes between 24-48 hours to grow after the initial contact from the water.

Once mold starts to grow, it is hard to stop.

Mold spores pose a clear and present danger to your family’s health.

Don’t take the risk.

Your home’s structure is at risk as well. Beams, framing, and walls can all shift and break down, making your home potentially unsafe.

How to Track Down the Leaks

For more complex leak detection, you need to consult with trained professionals who can use special equipment that lets them listen and look at your pipes.

Generally speaking though, you can source out leaks by using the process of elimination.

Look underneath sinks. Are the joints or pipes moist? Is there moisture or mold inside the cabinetry?

In your basement, do you see rust or leaking water around your water heater? Do you see pooling water near your foundation or on the floor?

Are there wet spots on the ceilings beneath bathrooms (particularly where toilets and tubs are located)? Are connector hoses from washing machines and dishwashers in good repair or are they damaged?

Taking Steps to Prevent Leaks

Essentially, anything that puts stress on your pipes can cause them to crack or break over time. That is why you should take steps to avoid clogs by never putting anything that isn’t liquid down your pipes.

It is a wise move to get pipes cleaned and inspected for damage regularly too. Another major stress on your pipes is high water pressure. Take care to turn it down.

Are you a homeowner? One day, you’ll sell your home so increasing your home’s value is always a good idea.

Did you know that one of the most strategic and reliable ways to do that is to do a bathroom or a kitchen remodel? That’s because in many cases, you get a very high return on your investment with new kitchens and bathrooms.

And with the popularization of design media, buyers are very savvy and know what they are looking for. They love a shiny new bathroom or kitchen.

Considering a remodel? It is a big job, which requires some planning. Here is a guide to help you get started.

Get Down to Planning

Start by setting a budget with both hard and soft limits.

You should try and have a good idea of what your project will cost to start from a labor standpoint.

That being said, you may change your mind about finishes or materials as you go along, and flexibility is nice.

You should set your budget to a little bit more than you anticipate.

Get inspired. Watch design TV and read décor magazines. Ask your contractor for advice.

Sketch out a floorplan with the desired changes, taking care to measure and make sure that your dream kitchen or bathroom measures up in reality.

Picking out fixtures, colors and materials can be overwhelming.

Take your time and make sure that you don’t just go for the “look” of something; bathrooms and kitchens are purpose-driven spaces.

Things need to be functional.

Thoughts on Fixtures

When you are selecting fixtures, consider if you are able to connect them into existing plumbing, or if there is more work to be done to route new fixtures into the system.

This will influence your cost, your timeline and ultimately your choices.

Fixtures do play a big role in the overall impression of your kitchen or bathroom, so spend time to choose ones that make sense with the overall décor.

How to Hire the Right Person for Your Job

There are plenty of contractors out there to choose from.

Make sure you find a reputable, accredited contractor who charges a fair price, because his/her reputation and workmanship warrant it.

It’s a good idea to talk to a few different candidates.

Make sure to ask for references and make a point of asking for photos of completed jobs.

Beyond price, there are other criteria to consider. What is their history in getting jobs done on time?

What kind of added value can they offer (i.e. help designing the layout or finishes)? What is their policy on breaks and work hours?

This may not seem like a big deal, but when your home life is disrupted by renovations, it matters. Trust us.

As bothersome as it may be if your drains and water smell bad, it is no great mystery as to what is causing it. That’s because there are only a handful of causes for this pesky problem.

Once you’ve narrowed down the likely source, you can develop a plan to attack and remove the smell.

Here are some helpful tips to get started:

Blockage in Your Drains or Pipes

Does food waste commonly fall into your pipes?

It’s possible that it has gotten caught and is blocking the pipe.

It will sit there and decompose, which produces an awful smell.

To freshen your drain, simply sprinkle baking soda and white vinegar down the drain.

You’ll hear it fizzing, which means that it is cleaning out the clog.

For bigger blockages that could be interfering with your pipe ventilation, get your drains professionally cleaned.

Sewer Line Distress

Have you noticed sunken patches in your lawn or an unpleasant odor near your foundation? Are there damp spots in your basement? Do the drains really stink in your basement? Has your water bill recently gone up without explanation?

If these sound familiar, you may be dealing with a sewer line problem. It is damaged or blocked and sewage isn’t getting taken properly to the municipal sewer. Call your plumber, because there is risk of flooding associated with this problem.

P-Trap Giving you Problems

The P-trap attached on the plumbing under your sinks, washing machine, shower, etc. serves to build a barrier between your household drains and the smelly sewer gases below.

In order for this to be effective, the P-trap must be filled with enough water.

When it dries out, the gas (and the smells) filter up into your home.

This happens most commonly with sinks and showers that are not frequently used.

Simply running the water should refill the P-trap and solve the problem.

Water Heater Stinky

Inside your water heater is an anode rod, which is necessary to keep your water heater from corrosion. However, sometimes too much anaerobic bacteria is produced.

And depending on the chemical composition of your water, this could create the environment for a chemical reaction which sees the production of a high volume of sulfuric gas.

That’s why water heater problems are easily identifiable by the “rotten egg” smell. To take care of this, simply replace the anode rod.

Spring is here, summer is just around the corner, and that means Earth Day is almost here. Earth Day, which happens every April 22, is an international day of observance that was first held back in 1970 in an effort to help save the planet from pollution, deforestation, and other environmental problems. This year, you can participate in the long history of this event by going green, and here are some ways you can start going green.

Effect Change with a Lower Carbon Footprint

Use less gas: Leave the car in the driveway and bike, walk, or take public transit to work.

Use less energy: Turn off the lights, turn off electronics, and turn off gadgets when they’re not in use, air dry instead of tumble drying, open windows and turn off the air conditioner, turn down the heat and put on a warm sweater, upgrade appliances and light bulbs to energy-efficient models, and seal up your house better with insulation, caulking, and weather stripping.

Use less plastic: Take reusable fabric bags to the grocery store, use reusable containers and buy in bulk, and most importantly, stop buying bottled water. Water bottles require millions of barrels of oil to make, and the fuel consumed transporting bottles from A to B is incredible.

Moreover, four out of five water bottles end up in the landfill, where they’ll take about 1,000 years to break down. What’s the alternative? If you’re worried about the cleanliness of your water, install a whole-home filtration system.

Make a Difference by Saving Water

Most people in America take for granted that they can turn on the taps and have instant access to clean and potable water. But that’s not the case everywhere in the world, and even some Americans don’t have this luxury.

Clean water is essential to life on this planet, which is why it’s so important that we all do our part this Earth Day, and every day, to save water. Here are a few simple devices that can help you save thousands of gallons of water every year in your home:

• Water-saving faucets in the bathroom and kitchen
• Motion-activated faucets that turn off automatically
• Low-flow toilets
• Dual flush toilets that use less than a gallon of water per liquid flush
• Water-saving showerheads that reduce water use by about 5 gallons per minute

Try Your Hand at Tankless to Save Energy

Want a quick and easy way to save energy, reduce your energy bills, and save money? Here’s a quick solution: tankless water heaters. Unlike conventional water heaters, these units don’t have a tank to hold water, so they don’t waste energy keeping water hot when you don’t need it.

Not only do you save about 20 percent of the energy that’s wasted from standby loss, but tankless heaters also use 30 percent less energy than conventional ones. And as if that weren’t enough, you’ll also get an additional 10 years from your tankless heater (they have a lifespan of about 20 years), plus you’ll have hot water all the time when you need it, without fear of it running out.

Earth Day is an important observance every year, because this planet is currently our only home, and we all have a responsibility to protect it.

Go green today, and call Fitzgerald Plumbing, serving the Lakewood, CA area, at 562-328-7369 if you need more tips, more information, or decide it’s time to upgrade your appliances and fixtures to energy- and water-efficient models.