Falcone and Truman

Hot Water Recirculation

admin — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 13:56:33 +0000

A great way to help make your home more “green” is to add a hot water recirculation system. We would be able to retro fit any existing home. Basically, instead of turning on your hot water and playing the “lets find something to do while we wait” game you could have hot water instantly. No more 1,000’s of gallons per year of wasted water. Check out our go green page to learn more. Happy Holiday’s!

Vacation

admin — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 19:49:32 +0000

It is a good idea to shut the main water valve to the house off. This way if some thing springs a leak it will limit the damage and the cost of all the wasted water.
Turn the thermostat to your hot water heater all the way down so you are not heating the water in the tank.
Turn off the outside spigots if need be so neighboring children do not turn them on and leave them running.

Garbage Disposal

admin — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 19:48:41 +0000

Always run cold water when using the garbage disposal to keep any grease and oils that can accumulate in a solid state so they can be broken up before going through the trap. Liquid grease and oils can cling to pipes and increase the chance of your pipes clogging.
Use your garbage disposal often to keep it clean and in good working condition.
Use citrus fruit rinds or whole pieces such as lemons or oranges in your disposal to keep it smelling fresher.
Break down larger items and try not to overload the disposal all at once.
Run the disposal until all food waste is dispatched. Continue to run cold water for 15 to 20 seconds after shutting the disposal off. This will allow all the waste to move down the drain.
If your garbage disposal is not working check the bottom of the disposal. Most have a reset button.

In case of leak

admin — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 19:47:20 +0000

Always know where your shut off valves are. If you need to shut off the whole house there should be a valve where the water enters the house. If you need to shut off the hot water just shut off the cold water feed to the hot water heater. After shutting off the water open a faucet below the leak to relieve the pressure from the pipes.

No Hot Water

admin — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 19:46:13 +0000

If your hot water heater is electric and you have no hot water check the circuit panel or the fuse box to make sure the electric to the hot water heater has not been cut off.
If you have a gas hot water heater check to make sure the pilot has not gone our. Sometimes a down draft from the chimney or the room can cause this. If it is out, follow the lighting instructions on the hot water heater. If the pilot refuses to stay lit you may have a bad thermocouple and should contact your plumbing contractor.

Tackling clogged drains

admin — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 19:42:27 +0000

Sinks and bathtubs: Most clogged or slow drains can be opened with a good plunger. Be sure to first have a little standing water in the basin area to help create a good seal. Be sure to seal off the overflow with a rag otherwise you will just be pumping air out the overflow. Open the drain and vigorously pump the plunger in a vertical motion at least a few times being careful not to break the seal between the plunger and the sink until you are ready. This may need to be repeated a few times. If the drain gets a little better you can try filling the basin with more water. This created an increase in head pressure and may assist opening the drain. Always run the water for a few minutes after you have cleared the drain.
Toilets: Since toilets already have standing water in the trap and likely more if it is clogged a plunger should work fine. Remember to plunge it rapidly. If this fails we suggest you call a registered plumbing contractor such as Falcone and Truman.
If you flush a toilet and it backs up into the tub or shower you have a main drain clog. Falcone and Truman can remedy this with our drain cleaning equipment.

Getting your house ready for cold weather:

admin — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 19:40:39 +0000

Disconnect and drain all garden hoses and any lawn sprinkler water supply lines. Make sure to shut off the supply valves to the outdoor spigots (usually right inside the crawlspace or basement). Once they are shut off from the inside open the outdoor spigot to let it drain.
Make sure any water supply lines in unheated areas are at least insulated and any drafts or outside air leaks are sealed off. Inexpensive pipe insulation can be found at most home centers.
Remember to keep garage doors closed during freezing temperatures. Many homes have water lines in the garage ceiling that could quickly freeze.
If you are concerned about a water line possibly freezing you can open a faucet and let the water trickle out. The moving water will keep the supply line from quickly freezing. This is just a temporary remedy until a permanent solution is worked out.
If you have lines that are already frozen try these:
- If the frozen lines are in a cabinet or crawlspace try raising the temperature in the house. Open the cabinet doors and use a fan to blow air from the warm area into the cold space.
- Use a hair dryer as a blower and aim it at the frozen pipes.

Hello world!

admin — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 06:16:12 +0000

Falcone and Truman has been proudly serving Delaware, Philadelphia, Montgomery, and Chester Counties for over 30 years.

At Falcone and Truman we will stop at nothing to insure of your satisfaction with every phase of your service experience. Always neat and clean, our goal is to leave you with the assurance that you have chosen the right company for your needs.

Specializing in both residential and commercial plumbing and heating Falcone and Truman has become one of the most respected companies in south eastern PA, NJ, and DE.