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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Saving Water (and money) with a New Toilet.

Now that SWIFTMUD has issued its latest water restrictions, you’ve decided it’s time to buy a new toilet to brighten up your bathroom and save water. Changing your toilet to save water isn’t a bad idea. The epa.gov notes, “By replacing old, inefficient toilets with WaterSense labeled models, the average family can reduce water used for toilets by 20 to 60 percent. That’s nearly 13,000 gallons of water savings for your home every year! This could add up to a savings of more than $140 per year in water costs, and $2,900 over the lifetime of the toilets.”

Why are high-performing toilets better? 

Familyhandyman.com explains that a high-performing toilet works in one flush. But, a lowering performing model tends to do the opposite. That’s good news if you’re looking at toilets that have larger trap ways. Larger trap ways prevent clogging because larger flush valves allow a more powerful rush of water to enter and clean the bowl. But don’t expect high performance from a cheap, contractor’s bargain toilet. When it comes down to it, familyhandyman.com says, the important choice is flushing performance.

You can rate flushing performance by comparing ratings at consumerreports.org. (And, while your at it, check for rebates.)  Consider pressure assisted toilets to make cleaning easier. Cleaning can also be easier with wall hung toilets.

Do the full range of choices makes your eyes cross? Then it’s time to consult Billy the Sunshine Plumber for help about their expert experiences with toilets.

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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Toilet clogged and backing up? Billy the Sunshine Plumber will help!

You were planning on spending the day biking on the Serenova Tract. Instead, you were in your bathroom, cleaning up the backed up icky stuff from your clogged toilet and trying to get rid of the blockage. It was a really nasty way to spend a Sunday.

It was not only a dirty job, you had to admit it was your fault for flushing wipes down the toilet. In you defense, you thought they were “flushable,” because the label said so.

Rule No.1 of housekeeping – don’t trust labels.

“When a product is labeled ‘flushable,’ it generally means that it will clear your toilet bowl. It does not mean it will definitely clear your pipes or break down in the sewer system or at a wastewater treatment plant. Water and wastewater utilities around the world have found a significant increase of wipes in their sewer pipes and at their plants,” according to nyc.gov. “Truly flushable items are ones that: break into small pieces quickly, are not buoyant, and only contain materials which will readily degrade in a range of natural environments (like paper, not plastic).”

The problem is more than the formation of a clog. The problem is made worse by the fact that the wipes clear the toilet bowl and form the clog farther down in a pipe. That makes it especially hard for homeowners to clear up the mess by themselves.Many find it’s best to call the trusted plumbers 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 your toilet backs up into your tub.

The day started out great with a visit to Three Sister Springs to see the manatees. But that changed when you got home and your toilet backed up into your tub.

“Overflow from the tub drain when you flush the toilet can be unpleasant, but it’s a problem that is usually easy to fix. It simply means that there is an obstruction in the waste stack below the point where the tub drain connects. You can clear most blockages in the stack with a plunger or a toilet auger,” according to homeguides.sfgate,com.

If that doesn’t work and you can’t get the clog cleared by yourself, it’s  time to call the trusted plumbing pros 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 even on theNew Years holiday.

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Billy the Sunshine Plumber can help if “flushable wipes” clog your toilet or pipes.

You were planning on attending the last weekend of Sanding Ovations but your Thanksgiving guests didn’t oblige. Despite the fact you asked them  not to flush anything except waste and toilet paper down the drain, someone didn’t listen. That person apparently flushed a whole bunch of flushable wipes down the toilet and you’ve been struggling for two days trying to get things unclogged. You’re about to break down and call a plumber.

Flushable wipes, which really don’t flush, are hard on plumbing.

“We’ve survived using toilet paper since its invention in 1857, so flushable wipes probably aren’t something you really need,” lifechoices.com says. “Aside from being much more expensive than traditional toilet paper, they’re typically made with synthetic materials, plastics or polyester, that won’t break down. So even if they do flush down your toilet, they end up clogging our sewers. This poses hazardous risks to sewerage professionals who must break up these clogs, as well as considerable costs.

“Save your money, save your pipes and stick with traditional toilet paper. If you just can’t live without a moistened wipe, consider a toilet tissue spray.”

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 even on holidays.

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Billy the Sunshine Plumber is here to help if you have a Thanksgiving plumbing emergency.

You were thrilled that First Friday has returned after a two-plus year absence. For you, the celebration helped kick off the holiday season. Now you can sit down and start planning for the first of the big celebrations – Thanksgiving.

To you, Thanksgiving is a time for food, fun and fellowship. For plumbers, it’s the set up for the busiest day of the year – Brown Friday. Yep, Brown Friday is the same day as Black Friday but it’s called Brown Friday because of the color of the – well – the problems many homeowners confront on Thanksgiving.

“With everybody having guests and family in town, the plumbing system is under more demand. … It can become overloaded,” according to a plumber consulted by realtor.com. ”It’s no wonder the day after Thanksgiving is twice as busy as any other day of the year—even more so than Hanukkah and Christmas.”

Problems, according to realtor.com, are most likely to pop up in the kitchen or bathroom. The kitchen sink and garbage disposal suffer from having turkey bones, grease and other things shoved down them. And the bathroom suffers from having more people han usual using the facilities.

“Problems in the kitchen go hand in hand with blocked sewer lines, which drain all household wastewater. And when sewer lines are clogged—toilets won’t flush,” realtor.com explains.

If you can’t easily dislodge any clogs or blockages yourself, it’s time to call the trusted Tampa Bay plumbers 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 even on holidays.

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Billy the Sunshine Plumber will get rid of clogs and blockages no matter where they are in your plumbing system.

You were dressing for Scream-a-Geddon when you noticed a bubbling or gurgling coming from your toilet. It’s a sound you’ve never heard before and you’re afraid it means bad plumbing trouble.

You’re right to be worried.

“Bothersome gurgling or bubbling coming from your commode can indicate a larger problem,” according to bobvila.com. “When a toilet gurgles, it indicates that negative air pressure (suction) is building up in the drain line, creating an airlock of sorts. … The buildup of negative air pressure is caused by a clog in one of two areas: somewhere in the drain system, which could be close to the toilet or farther down the main sewer line that connects to your community’s sewer system, or in your home’s vent stack (the pipe that allows sewer gases to escape through the roof). Depending on the severity of the clog, the remedy could be a do-it-yourself job, or you might have to call a plumber. The gurgle might not be too annoying now, but if the culprit is a broken or collapsed sewer line, it will have to be fixed—and the sooner the better. If neglected, waste could back up into toilets, showers, or tubs.”

If the clog is not serious, then plunging the toilet may be enough to clear things out. If that doesn’t work, you need to start by tracking down the clog’s location.

If you’re not comfortable doing that, or you can’t locate the clog by yourself, it’s time to call for a trusted plumber. You can find a reliable plumber 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 even on holidays.

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Billy the Sunshine Plumber will make sure your plumbing is in top shape.

You first noticed the noise a few weeks ago after returning from Oktoberfest. In the weeks since, it’s just gotten worse – a kind of hissing noise every time you flush the toilet.

Bobvila.com says the snakelike sound is a relatively common problem: “It’s related to your toilet’s inlet water valve, also called a ‘fill valve.’ Over time, hard water deposits or bits of sediment can settle in the valve and partially block water flow into the tank. This increases water pressure in the valve, which in turn forces the water out in a narrow stream, creating vibration and the pesky noise. While this won’t cause damage to the toilet, the issue won’t get any better on its own. If sediment is present it could clog the valve to a greater extent, making the hiss even louder and taking even longer for the tank to fill with water.”

The cure is relatively simple. You can clean the inlet valve and seal. If that doesn’t work, you might have to replace the seal. In a worst case scenario, the entire inlet valve assembly may have to be replaced. While cleaning the assembly or replacing the seal could be DIY projects for some, replacing the entire assembly is more complicated and may call for plumbing experts like those 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 even on holidays.

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Billy the Sunshine Plumber will solve all your plumbing problems.

You were planning on going to the Colored Pencil event at the Pasco Art Guild this morning. Instead, you’ve found yourself stuck at home with a running toilet.

Much as you might like to ignore a running toilet, it’s not a good idea just to let it go. Architectural Digest notes that,”besides being annoying to hear in the middle of the night, this is wasting a significant amount of water, and will certainly raise your water bill.”

And, generally, fixing a running toilet is a fairly straightforward DIY task although it can become more compllicated.

“Most running toilets can be resolved by replacing the internal parts within the tank, or simply adjusting the length of the chain attached to the flapper,” Architectural Digest says. “If a replacement in internal parts is needed, these parts include a flush valve, fill valve, gasket, nuts, bolts, and washers.”

If you find yourself needing help with a running toilet, or any other plumbing problem, you can easily solve the issue by calling the trusted plumbing professionals 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 even on holidays.

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