What Constitutes a Plumbing Emergency?

A plumbing “emergency” varies from person to person. And, a plumbing “emergency” can also change from case to case. But, is there such a thing as a true “plumbing emergency”? Answering some questions should help you decide.

Plumbing crises can come into peoples’ lives at any time and in various ways. For example, you and your family plan to attend tonight’s candlelight service at the Chapel by the Sea on Clearwater Beach. And, you have invited family and friends to stop in afterward for food and drinks.

However, things don’t go as planned. You opened your door to flooded floors.

What to do when faced with a Plumbing Issue

First, find out what the problem is. Then, Angi.com suggests you ask questions. Because, your answer will help you decide whether you have a true plumbing emergency and need a plumber right now. Or, if you could wait until the next business day to get a plumber.

The questions:

• Do you need the broken part now?
• Can you wait to use the broken part?
• Can you turn the fixture off?
• Does the weather affect your need for the broken part?
• Will leaving it alone cause more damage?
• Is it your responsibility to fix the problem?

Some plumbers define “plumbing emergency” as anything that will cause damage or harm to you and your family’s health or property. Now assume you return to an occasional drip rather than a flood. Ask the same questions. Do you consider the occasional drip to be a plumbing emergency? Your answers and your decision are what matters.

You are the ultimate judge when it comes to defining plumbing emergency in your home.

The best way to prevent a plumbing emergency of any definition is maintenance, landmarkhw.com says. “The number one reason that plumbing issues turn into emergencies is due to lack of maintenance. There are many ways to detect and avoid plumbing emergencies in the home. It is important to keep an eye on a home’s plumbing system, the closer the system is monitored the more likely it is that small issues will be caught and fixed before they become plumbing emergencies,” landmarkhw.com says.

No matter how much care is taken the plumbing system will occasionally fail. If you decide you have a crisis and need an emergency plumber, call Billy the Sunshine Plumber.

Home plumbing problems can range from a minor inconvenience to a major headache. But, addressing problems promptly can save you time, money, and stress. Billy the Sunshine Plumber has been the Tampa Bay 24-hour plumber of choice since 1924 when he first opened for business. Billy the Sunshine Plumber is open 24/7/365 in Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando and Citrus counties. Days, nights, weekends, or holidays, Billy the Sunshine Plumber is always here for you.

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The Silent Plumbing Problem in Tampa Bay This Holiday

You were exhausted when you returned home last night. It didn’t help to wake up to a plumbing problem. You had no idea that visiting Santa would be so tiring. So, when you got home, you crashed in the bed only to wake hours later to clogged sinks. Sadly, this is not the first time it has happened. Persistent clogs and slow drains are just two “silent” indicators that your home has plumbing problems, b.willspoint.org says. Other hints that you have problems include bad odors, water discoloration, and water stains or damage. A toilet that constantly runs or high water bills also suggest you have a plumbing problem.

The bad news is that clogs prevent draining.

Generally speaking, all clogs and blockages are the same in that they prevent drainage. But what causes one sink or pipe to clog differs from appliance to appliance and from one sink or pipe to another. Kitchen clogs, for example, can be the result of fats, grease, and food stuff. Whereas, bathroom clogs can come from the accumulation of hair. And, toilet blockages can build up from hand wipes. Furthermore, you can get a blockage in the sewer line running from your home to the street if tree roots invade the pipe.

The good news is that all the clogs can be cleared away and your plumbing will flow freely.

The best way to make this happen is to call Billy Sunshine. You will have no worries if you call Billy the Sunshine Plumber for help. Home plumbing problems can range from a minor inconvenience to a major headache. But, addressing problems promptly can save you time, money, and stress. Billy the Sunshine Plumber has been the Tampa Bay 24-hour plumber of choice since 1924 when he first opened for business. Billy the Sunshine Plumber is open 24/7/365 in Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando and Citrus counties. Days, nights, weekends, or holidays, Billy the Sunshine Plumber is always here for you.

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Help! My toilet is gurgling!

You returned from an afternoon of tobogganing at St. Pete’s Snowfest event to a backed up toilet that was gurgling at you. You’re not sure why your toilet backed up. However, you have noticed that your bathroom fixtures all seem to be running slow these days. Sounds like you have a plumbing problem that’s centered in your sewer. And, those symptoms could indicate you have a blockage or clog in your sewer line caused by tree roots growing in the system.

How do roots get into the sewer system?

Lifehacker.com explains that tree roots search everywhere for water and nutrients. And, if they find a source – even a tiny crack in a sewer pipe – they will creep in and grow until they block the pipe flow. Simply chopping down the tree may not solve the problem. The roots can remain in the pipe for years after the tree is gone. And, there are many indications that you have roots in your toilet. Among them, according to lifehacker.com:

• slow-moving drains in bathroom fixtures
• gurgling sounds in toilets
• backed-up toilets
• low water pressure
• sinkholes or waterlogged areas on your lawn

What’s the best solution to roots in sewer system?

Angi.com says you can prevent root formation in your pipes by using root killer twice a year. Or, you could replace your old pipes. But, before you panic about replacing your whole sewer line,  Angi.com says you may be able to repair pipes with small cracks without the entire line being replaced. (But, pipes that are older, near their lifespan, or severely damaged should be replaced.)

If you are not sure you can detect the root clog and repair it, it’s time to call Billy the Sunshine Plumber. Billy the Sunshine Plumber has been the Tampa Bay 24-hour plumber of choice since 1924 when he first opened for business. Billy the Sunshine Plumber is open 24/7/365 in Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando and Citrus counties. Days, nights, weekends, or holidays, Billy the Sunshine Plumber is always here for you.

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Coffee may be your favorites, but it’s not one of your plumbing favorites.

Yes! Coffee is one of your favorite things in life.

You’re always collecting and passing coffee-related memes along to friends. Not only that, you’re always experimenting with new coffee drinks. And, you are guessing that’s how you managed to clog your kitchen drain. You had no idea your drains and garbage disposal did not get along with coffee grounds.

Why Coffee grounds are not your plumbing’s best friend.

Chowhound.com explains: Coffee grounds can merge when combined with water and form clumps. When this happens, they act like they do in a coffee filter and create a blockage in the pipes, according to ajc.com. Even worse, chowhound.com says, they can smell up your sink and pipe because they trap grease and rotting food that become enmeshed or manage to make their way through the clog.

The best thing to do with coffee grounds is to dump them in the trash or put them in a compost pile.

But housedigest.com offers several alternatives.

• FERTILIZE. Among those are likely the most well known of using them to fertilize your garden. Housedigest.com notes coffee grounds not only provide nutrients to the soil, they also attract beneficial earthworms.
• DEODORIZE. The coffee grounds can be used to deodorize shoes, although housedigest.com says you need to put them in an air permeable sac before putting them in your shoes. They can also repel bugs and be used to clean ovens and burnt on messes on pots and pans, housedigest.com says.
• AND MORE. You can also use them to  dye fabric, make candles, and repair scratches on wood furniture.

If you get a clog you can’t clear – whether is is caused by coffee grounds or something  else – it’s time to call Billy the Sunshine Plumber. Billy the Sunshine Plumber has been the Tampa Bay 24-hour plumber of choice since 1924 when he first opened for business. Billy the Sunshine Plumber is open 24/7/365 in Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando and Citrus counties. Days, nights, weekends, or holidays, Billy the Sunshine Plumber is always here for you.

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Thanksgiving Plumbing Catastrophe – A Cautionary Tale

You had your Thanksgiving plans all set. First, you were heading to the Goody Goody Turkey Gobble Marathon. Your athletic relatives would enjoy the 5K.  And, with games and other family-oriented activities available for everyone else, your less athletically inclined relatives would also have a choice of things to do. Afterwards, you planned to return home for the big event – final prep for your Thanksgiving feast. But as the cliche goes, the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.

Your kitchen sink and garbage disposal jammed and backed up. And, you were not able to clear the clog by yourself.

Clogged kitchen sinks are common at this time of year as cooking and food disposal increase with more entertainment.

“A garbage disposal is an electronic device fitted to the underside of a kitchen sink. It uses blades to grind food waste into pieces small enough to be carried away in the plumbing system. It is a clean, fast, eco-friendly way to get rid of your kitchen waste, as food goes into the water system and not a landfill,” bhg.com says. “While things like vegetables, fruit, cooked foods, and even ice can go down a garbage disposal without problems, other things can clog your plumbing or damage the blades.”

So, what are the things that you should avoid sticking in the drain? Many are are the very items that are featured prominently on Thanksgiving menus. Among those items you should avoid placing in the sink are:

• coffee grounds
• fats and oils
• fibrous foods like celery
• starchy foods like rice
• nuts, pits and seeds
• shells and bones
• non-food items like wipes and paper towels.

Although you try to be careful, accidents can happen. Other family members may dispose of items that should not go down the drain. Silverware or glass may fall into the system. If that does happen, don’t worry, call Billy the Sunshine Plumber for help. It’s a happy end to a cautionary Thanksgiving day tale.

Billy the Sunshine Plumber has been the Tampa Bay 24-hour plumber of choice since 1924 when he first opened for business. Billy the Sunshine Plumber is open 24/7/365 in Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando and Citrus counties. Days, nights, weekends, or holidays, Billy the Sunshine Plumber is always here for you.

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Just 13 more days until one of the biggest holidays of the year.

Thanksgiving isn’t just a big holiday in its own right. It serves to kick off a longer holiday season that is known for its parties and foods.

You know what that means – you spend hours in the kitchen fixing family favorites and trying new recipes. Much of the time, you have friends and family crowded into the kitchen to “help” you.

Given the excitement and times when friends and family invade your kitchen during the holidays, it’s no wonder that your plumbing can suffer as inappropriate things get dumped down the drain and into your garbage disposal.

“It might be convenient to just rinse with water and flush it down the drain. But trust us, it’s worth it to throw it in the trash instead,” rd.com says. “Since you do so much cleaning in your sink, it can be easy to let things fall down the drain. But doing so could cause your drain to clog and even cause long-term damage.”

Among the items you should avoid dumping in the sink are eggshells, grease and coffee grounds. All three are notorious for collecting in pipes and causing clogs. Many times that’s something you can handle, but the clog might be more difficult to get rid of and call for a professional.

If you do need a professional plumber, look no further than Billy the Sunshine Plumber.

Billy the Sunshine Plumber has been the Tampa Bay 24-hour plumber of choice since 1924 when he first opened for business. Billy the Sunshine Plumber is open 24/7/365 in Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando and Citrus counties. Days, nights, weekends, or holidays, Billy the Sunshine Plumber is always here for you.

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Billy the Sunshine Plumber will clear that clog if you put the wrong items down the garbage disposal.

Stone crabs are hard to resist at any time. But the Stone Crab Jam makes those meaty claws even harder to turn down. Nothing wrong with that, if you’re careful about what you do with the shells – as in, keep them out of the garbage disposal. The shells are too tough for the disposal and could damage the appliance or end up clogging your pipes.

Sure, it’s obvious that Stone crab shells be kept out of the disposal… but you might be surprise that their is another kind of shell that should avoid the garbage disposal: EGGSHELLS. Who would have thought?!!

“According to a Consumer Reports survey of 1,040 people based in the U.S., about 33% of respondents thought that throwing eggshells down the garbage disposal was an okay move. Like them, you might think that it can handle eggshells, but you don’t want to dispose of them in this manner since they can ruin the appliance — and that can cost you a lot of money,” housedigest.com says. “The first reason is that eggshells may not break down in a timely manner, and as such they can build up and clog the drain,,,, sending eggshells into your garbage disposal could end up clogging the pipes as well — particularly if you have an old home with a sensitive plumbing system. This is because the eggshell detritus can be ground into a sandy substance that can accumulate and get stuck — a situation that can be compounded if you throw grease down the drain as well….

“There’s one more reason to avoid tossing eggshells in the sink as opposed to the trash can… eggshells have a membrane that can actually stick to the garbage disposal’s shredder ring, which can make it so it won’t operate properly.”

If your garbage disposal does clog, it’s time to call Billy the Sunshine Plumber in Tampa Bay.

Billy the Sunshine Plumber has been the Tampa Bay 24-hour plumber of choice since 1924 when he first opened for business. Billy the Sunshine Plumber is open 24/7/365 in Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando and Citrus counties. Days, nights, weekends, or holidays, Billy the Sunshine Plumber is always here for you.

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Billy the Sunshine Plumber will eliminate those recurrent clogs in your kitchen sink,

You’re planning to go to the I Like It Hot Festival in Largo today. You’re hoping that, by the time you return the slow drain in your kitchen sink will have taken over and you can finish cleaning the kitchen. It’s been frustrating but no matter what you do, that drain seems to clog and re-clog.

Common reasons for kitchen sink clogging, according to angi.com, include fat, oil or grease; starches; coffee grounds; other food stuff; soap scum; toys or other small objects; or even tree roots deeper in the system.

“If … simple solutions … don’t work or you have several clogged sinks, this clog might be out of your league. Rather than renting more elaborate equipment and risking the possibility that you make things worse and break or damage your pipes, call a professional plumbing company to be sure that you get the job done right the first time. That will save yourself time and a big headache,” angi.com says.

You can find a trusted professional at Billy the Sunshine Plumber.

Billy the Sunshine Plumber has been the Tampa Bay 24-hour plumber of choice since 1924 when he first opened for business. Billy the Sunshine Plumber is open 24/7/365 in Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando and Citrus counties. Days, nights, weekends, or holidays, Billy the Sunshine Plumber is always here for you.

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Billy the Sunshine Plumber can help if you get a drainage or pipe clog from a weekend at the beach.

We’re at the first three-day weekend of the summer. And while many of us will hit the road or one of the many Memorial Day events around Tampa Bay; others will chill at the beach. But as much fun and relaxing as you might fin the beach, it can cause some plumbing problems at home if sand gets in your drains and pipes and forms a clog.

“Sand in a shower drain is not a good idea and will probably clog up the drain when it accumulates. Beach sand might not damage the plumbing itself when it washes down the drain, but when it blocks the drain, it will cause significant damage that requires a professional plumber’s skills to repair,” according to coastaldreamlife.com. “Once a shower drain is blocked with sand, most of the drain cleaning products will not work.”

That’s a cue to call in the plumbing experts at Billy the Sunshine Plumber for help.

Billy the Sunshine Plumber has been the Tampa Bay plumber of choice since 1924 when he first opened for business. Billy the Sunshine Plumber is open in Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando and Citrus counties.

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Billy the Sunshine Plumber can take care of those stubborn clog and blockages.

This is the best time of year to live in Florida. While much of the rest of the country is hunkering down with freezing temperatures and snow, you’re out on the golf course enjoying the sunshine. In fact, your only complaint these days is your plumbing. It seems to get clogged a lot and, although you can speed your drainage up some, it doesn’t stay clear for very long.

Sounds as if you may have a blockage deeper in your system. That can happen if you’ve been disposing of things that should never go into your plumbing system. Things like “flushable” wipes, which are not really flushable, no matter what the package says.

“Toilet paper is made to break apart and biodegrade as soon as it comes in contact with wetness. Obviously, wipes can’t do that, as their whole gimmick is wetness,” scarymommy.com explains. “Instead, wipes are made from synthetic materials like plastic or polyester. You already know from Earth Day science lessons that those materials take time to break down. Over time, the technology of wipe-making has gotten better, sure. That’s why companies seem to get away with calling some “flushable” while others are clearly labeled as not flushable. They still don’t break down as well as toilet paper, though.”

If you get a clog that forms deep in your system, you’re going to need the plumbing technicians at Billy the Sunshine Plumber to cure the problem. ‘

Billy the Sunshine Plumber has been the Tampa Bay 24-hour plumber of choice since 1924 when he first opened for business. Billy the Sunshine Plumber is open 24/7/365 in Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando and Citrus counties. Days, nights, weekends, or holidays, Billy the Sunshine Plumber is always here for you.

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