Holidays are a great time to remind us all : To prevent clogs, sewage backups, and costly plumbing bills, avoid these common mistakes: 1: DUMPING YOUR GREASE DOWN THE DRAIN. Grease is one of the most common causes of sewer clogs and backups. People think it “goes away” when they wash it down the drain with hot water. But grease quickly cools and hardens inside the pipe, forming a sticky blob that grows over time and causes a clog. Instead of dumping it down the drain, pour cooled grease and cooking oil into a disposable container, store it in the freezer to harden, then put it in the trash. 2: TREATING YOUR GARBAGE DISPOSAL LIKE A GARBAGE DISPOSAL. Despite the name, most garbage should NOT be put down your disposal. The powerful blades might grind up most food scraps (if you don’t jam in too much at one time), but those scraps can clog the narrow pipe beyond the disposal. Put food scraps in the trash (or compost) instead. 3: TREATING YOUR TOILET LIKE A TRASH CAN. It may seem quick and easy to dispose of used wipes, paper towels, condoms, hygiene products and other items by flushing them down the toilet. But those and other items (including items labeled “flushable”) can clog your small sewer pipe even if they disappear down the toilet. Flush only human waste and toilet paper. Put everything else in the real trash can. Avoid these mistakes to prevent sewage backups and nasty messes like this! BUT if you do get a back up, give Mike with MB Plumbing a call : 775-364-8998See more…

MB Plumbing : Plumbing Services include, Drain Cleaning : Example, clear a hard blockage like tree roots in large pipes, or remove hair and food remnants in smaller drains. Water : Repair or Installation Toilets : Repair or Replace Faucets & Disposals : Kitchen, bathroom, laundry and outdoor spigots, repair or replace. Garbage disposal repair or replace. Water Heaters : Repair or Replace Tanked. Install Tankless .See more…

- When to replace a toilet : If a toilet is giving you trouble it is easy to conclude that it needs to be replaced. While installing a new toilet can definitely be the best option for a troublesome fixture it is not necessarily the only solution. When a few repairs will be enough to solve the problem there is no reason to spend the extra money to buy a new toilet and take the time to install it. The key is knowing when to replace a toilet and when to repair it instead. Without considering cosmetic issues there are still a few instances where a new toilet is a good idea. To help you determine when to replace a toilet take a look at some common problems that you may encounter. •It needs too many repairs - Rebuilding a toilet can include quite a few items in the tank like the handle, the flapper, and the fill valve to say the least. This list of repairs can be easily done, but it will cost you money and requires time. Weighing these repair costs versus a new toilet is a smart practice especially if your toilet suffers from any of the other problems listed below. If your planning or replacing your toilet any time soon then save the money on the repair and replace the toilet instead. This will save you money in the long run even though it will a bigger expense up front. •Recurring clogs - Is your toilet a nuisance because it requires plunging more than once a week? Many of the older low flush toilets require more than once flush most of the time. They are also often plagued with random stoppages. It is not pleasant to have to plunge the toilet on a regular basis. If this is an aggravation for you then it is time to replace your toilet. You don’t even have to give up the water savings since low flush toilets have come a long way and the new line of water savers work much better. •A porcelain crack - There are times when hair line cracks develop in the tank or bowl of a toilet. These small cracks can turn into a flood of water at the worst possible time. Porcelain cracks can also be the source of an actively leak. Inspect your tank and bowl for any cracks occasionally when you clean the toilet. If you spot a crack it is always a good idea to replace the toilet before it breaks completely. If the crack is located in the toilet bowl it is not as urgent to replace the toilet, but keep an eye out for leaking water when you flush. An unnoticed leak can lead to a ruined floor over time. •Scratches - As the surface of the toilet porcelain gets worn or scratched it will become increasing difficult to keep clean. This is more often the case with an older toilet that has been scrubbed clean many times. If you find yourself cleaning the toilet more and more then it might be time to just buy a new one and rid yourself of some extra maintenance. •To save water - If you do not already have a low flush toilet saving water may be reason enough to replace a toilet. You can save quite a bit on your water bill every year with a low flush toilet. A water saving toilet uses less than 2 gallons of water per flush which is considerably less than the old 3 gallon or even a 5 gallon flush toilets. Not only are you helping the environment by saving water, you are helping yourself save money. Utilities are only going to continue to rise so saving on household water usage makes sense.See more…