Having a septic tank means that you must take some extra precautions in maintaining it properly. Your septic tank will need to be pumped out every 3 or 4 years, but you can maintain it during that time so it stays in good working order and does not clog prematurely. Your septic tank is likely to get clogged if you flush anything down your toilet besides toilet paper or facial tissue. Anything else, including dental floss, paper towels, cotton swabs, feminine products, diapers, or the like will cause huge problems very quickly.

Washing too many loads of laundry during one day will overwhelm your septic tank and cause your system to slow down. Space out your laundry loads to avoid clogs. No more than two loads each day is optimum. Also, be careful what you put down the drain in your kitchen or bathroom. Oils and fats create a sludge that will clog your septic tank. Dispose of these in other containers to prevent sludge and scum from forming in your septic system. This is also good for the environment. Also, using solvents or chemicals will prevent

Clogged and blocked drains can ruin your plumbing system very quickly. Calling in the plumbers will give you the help you need, but this can be very expensive. They have the latest technology available, but that is not always what is necessary to unclog your drains and blockages to your plumbing system. Your goal may just be to unclog the drains without using harsh or dangerous chemicals. Remember that the professionals are there to help. However, many people prefer to try to unclog and unblock their own drains first, before calling in the experts.

It may seem like your drains in the kitchen and bathroom get clogged on a regular basis. We can recommend some green ways to keep your drains open, without using powerful industrial chemicals that can be harmful to the environment. These industrial products usually contain acid, lye, or other chemicals, and can be dangerous in many ways – including your wastewater system, the PVC pipes, as well as to your health.

You may want to use a more gentle and natural approach to keeping your drains from getting clogged. Many health food stores now carry natural cleaners that are bacteria based enzyme cleaners. Pouring a cup of baking soda down your drain will also work in many cases, if followed by pouring three or four cups of boiling water down the drain immediately afterwards. This works as long as water has not yet begun to back up in your drain. This is effective because the

During the past few months Los Angeles has had two minor earthquakes, and there have been two major earthquakes elsewhere in the world. While we are all aware that this will occur from time to time, many of us simply do not have all of the necessary precautions in place. One of the best precautions you can take is to have earthquake shut-off valves installed, and Schuelke Plumbing is here to serve you with this.

Schuelke Plumbing recommends that you have this system installed in your home, as well as in any commercial property you are responsible for. These shut-off valves will help to prevent explosions after an earthquake measuring 5.4 or greater on the Richter scale. The valve will sense and measure the intensity of the earthquake, and then automatically shut off the gas supply at that location.

It is important that it is certified by the

There are many reasons why you may be looking into copper repiping for your home, but perhaps the main reason is that you may have found a leak or your water pressure has dropped drastically.  Either way, once you have decided to do a copper repipe job in your home, you will need to decide on what is the best repair for you to do.   

Copper repiping is used to replace existing pipes that may have rusted or deteriorated over the years.  Most homes built over 25 years ago were piped with iron pipes, or galvanized pipes, which were covered with a zinc coating.  Over a period of time the zinc on the pipes would break down causing the pipes to rust.  Once this process happens it becomes necessary to change to copper repipe. Copper repiping is an extensive job and should not be taken lightly.  If you are thinking of doing it yourself, this is the process. You will want to run the copper piping right along side of the existing pipes as this will make the whole copper repiping much easier.  Make sure you have the right amount of fittings that you will need such as elbows, adapters and what fitting need to be threaded or not.

Clean the fittings and the pipe, then you will need to use a flux paste, which is an acid that cleans the copper making it solder able. If you are not familiar with soldering then you may want to check with some local companies to see if they can give you some pointers or consult a plumbing company.  Cleaning is the most important part before soldering.  Once you have cut the existing pipes and solder in the new copper repiping, your job is complete.  Double check, to assure that you have the cold water connected to the cold water pipe and the hot water connected to the hot water pipe.

Just weigh the options and the pros and cons of doing the job on your own or hiring someone to do the job. Schuelke Plumbing has been serving the greater Los Angeles area for more than 20 years and has the most professional reputation around. Give us a call and we will come out right away to assess your situation.

Trenchless sewers will make a huge difference in your plumbing system. If your Los Angeles area home is in need of a new sewer system, this may be the right time of year to get the work completed. Unlike most of the country, with freezing temperatures and several more months of unpredictable weather, here in the greater Los Angeles area plumbers are able to work outdoors throughout the year.

Schuelke Plumbing will come and take a look at your home or commercial building to see if you are in need of any type of plumbing repair or need more information about trenchless sewer repair. Many times there is a blockage, caused by grease buildup or a foreign object that is restricting the flow of your sewer line. Other times the culprit is corrosion that causes deterioration, resulting in collapses in the line that restrict flow.

Other reasons for your sewer lines to not be operating at their maximum level are leaking joints, root infiltration, or off-grade pipes. Our plumbers here at Schuelke will take a look, using our high tech video equipment and other state of the art plumbing methods.

Plumbing is something everyone must deal with, whether finding a plumbing contractor for new construction, a remodeling project, or just providing plumbing repair. Contact the professionals at Schuelke Plumbing if you need help with this.

Some common problems found with plumbing include:
Rattling pipes; may be caused by several factors, most commonly because they are not sufficiently secured or strapped to the wall frame.  The pipes may need to be properly secured. Slow drains may be partially clogged.  If a kitchen sink, the dishwasher may be improperly plumbed.  The drain may need to be unclogged, or the dishwasher plumbing corrected. Loss of hot water when another faucet is turned on; especially in older homes when hot and cold water pressures are not balanced.  A pressure balance valve may be required.
Toilet tank leaks; plumbing parts inside the tank or seals may need replacing.

To make sure these plumbing repair problems are properly addressed, or when doing a remodeling project, you will want to enlist the services of a licensed plumbing contractor such as Schuelke Plumbing.

Plumbing a Remodel or New Construction

A remodeling project might include new plumbing design or new plumbing installation.  You will want to meet with the plumbers and all contractors involved and develop a timeline, so everyone works together and the project goes smoothly.

If you have found a leak or your water pressure has dropped, you may need to consider copper repiping. Galvanized pipes are iron pipes coated with zinc, commonly referred to as galvanized pipes. Structures built more than 25 years ago were fitted with these pipes, which means that more than 75% of the structures, both residential and commercial, in the greater Los Angeles area fall into this category.

As the galvanized pipes age, rust begins to form due to the zinc lining eroding. Once these galvanized pipes start to deteriorate they must be replaced. Most people choose to replace galvanized pipes with copper pipes. This process is referred to as copper repiping.

Copper repiping is a job best left to professional plumbers, such as those at Schuelke Plumbing. This is the level of experience and trust you want when doing a major plumbing repair. If your pipes have begun to leak, a foul odor come from the tap, or your tap water appears to be discolored due to rust, it is time to consider copper repipe for your home or residential building.

Did you know that roots from a tree or bush several hundred yards and several houses away can damage your home’s plumbing system if they break into your pipes? This is called root intrusion and can create a major blockage in your sewer line.

Trees and shrubs seek out water to grow, and pipes provide the perfect environment. Roots are even drawn to unbroken pipes because of condensation and will grow alongside and around the pipe to feed on the moisture.

There is a misconception that roots are the problem, but it is actually the pipe because the roots cannot get in the pipe unless there is a crack or bad joint. The older the pipe, the more susceptible it is to cracks, breaks and deformations.

A possible sign of root intrusion is a sudden back up or flooding of the lowest plumbing fixture in the house. When you fill a bathtub or shower with water and let it drain, make sure that the water is draining in a swirling, cyclonic action. If not, it may be time to call Schuelke Plumbing so we can

Leaky pipes in your home must be addressed immediately. You may even be unaware of the severe damage a leak can cause to a home. But the technicians at Schuelke Plumbing actually perform a free inspection when they come to your home for any other plumbing-related repair. What types of leaks do they look for? There are slab leaks, underground leaks in your yard, water leaks, and gas leaks. Schuelke plumbing has incredible cutting-edge technology that helps plumbers detect and pinpoint exactly where the leaky pipe is.

What are the signs that indicate that your home may have a leak? If you experience any of the following, you need to call Schuelke plumbers right away:

• Water bills that seem unusually high.
• Water meter readings changing when not using water.
• Sewer backup problems that become chronic.
• Running toilets and dripping faucets.
• Running water sounds when nothing is in use.
• Spongy, soft, or discolored walls.
• Musty odors from floors, walls near drains, or sewers.
• Cracked, or unusually damp foundation or slab.
• Warm areas on concrete floors, mildew, or excessive moisture under carpets.
• Wet or moist areas in the yard with unusually healthy plant or grass growth.

If your home has a slab leak, the water company will slap you with an outrageously high bill month after month. If the problem remains unfixed, you will experience dampness or wetness on the floor, and water coming through the foundation or the settling of the foundation. Slab leaks occur in two places, either the incoming water line or the sanitary sewer line, both of which are embedded in the foundation of your home.

A yard leak also has terrible consequences. In addition to a high water bill, you will find your font yard completely flooded. Traditionally, plumbers would have to dig up your entire front yard in order to fix the problem. However, Schuelke Plumbing uses a method called trenchless sewer repair. This ensures that your yard and driveway will stay intact during the process of installing the new sewer lines and sewer system. Schuelke’s plumbers and technicians have been doing this type of work for many years, with hundreds of satisfied clients as a result.

Schuelke plumbing also has the technology necessary to detect gas leaks. Gas leaks are the most dangerous because

Lead from plumbing products may be getting into our drinking water here in California, and Schuelke Plumbing is readyto meet the requirement of recent legislation in this area.  The amount of lead in drinking water depends on several different factors, such as how much lead is in the plumbing parts, how large an area of a lead-containing part comes into contact with the water, how long the water is in contact with the lead-containing surface, and how corrosive the water is. Lead has long been know to be harmful to humans. Exposure to lead can cause serious adverse health effects, including delays in physical and mental development.

California laws were enacted one year ago, in January of 2009, to increase protection of the public from exposure to lead in drinking water. This was done by reducing the amount of lead allowed in plumbing components. The intent of this legislation is to reduce the lead content in plumbing components intended to convey or dispense water for human consumption. Contact us right away if you