It’s been months of hearing that bathroom faucet drip slowly, yet you have yet to take the time to complete the repair. As tempting as it may be to continue putting it off to another weekend, repairing your leaky faucet needs to be a priority – this weekend! Here’s why.

Wear and Tear

The longer you don’t fix your dripping faucet, the more wear and tear that occurs to your faucet washers and sink. Gently move your faucet around – does it stay in place? If it doesn’t, be sure to tighten your faucet. Otherwise, this can create unnecessary strain and cause you to replace your faucet earlier than expected.

When water gathers around the base of the fixture, there may be visible cracks or warps. If that’s the case, your faucet may be broken and need a replacement rather than a repair.

Water Waste

A slow-dripping faucet may not seem like it would cause that much waste, but it certainly does over time. A faucet that drips every second can lead to 3,000 gallons of water wasted in a year – the equivalent of taking 180 showers.  

Costly Water Bills

Fixing a leaky faucet can create cost savings, too. According to the EPA, homeowners can save up to 10 percent of their average yearly water costs when they complete a faucet repair. If more than one faucet is dripping or the water coming through is heated, even more savings can be generated.

Tips for Fixing Your Leaky Faucet

To fix your leaky faucet, follow the steps below:

1. Start by gathering the right tools and equipment. Have plenty of rags available for easy cleanup, a Phillips and flat-head screwdriver to remove the faucet screw, and replacement parts to exchange for the failed components. White vinegar is helpful to loosen grime in the spout and complete the final cleanup.
2. Turn off the water supply by turning the shutoff valves under the sink or closing the main water valves.
3. Close the drain to prevent small screws from going down the drain pipes.
4. Take the system apart, paying attention to the order and orientation of the parts as you remove them. Take a picture to make the reassembly process easier.
5. Closely inspect the faucet parts for noticeable wear and tear and replace any necessary. Seals, rubber washers, and O-rings are common culprits of leaky faucets.
6. Reassemble the faucet and test the water flow. Perform one final cleanup using white vinegar.

The Bottom Line

Repairing a leaky faucet helps prevent more costly future repairs, is better for the environment, and provides financial savings.

A professional plumber has the expertise, tools, and experience to repair your home’s plumbing systems as quickly as possible. If you have a leaky faucet and don’t have the time or expertise to replace it, our licensed plumbers can help! Contact us today for more details about our services.

With today’s high inflation costs, finding ways to lower your household bills is more important than ever. Decreasing the amount of water you and your family use is a great place to start.

Water is used in countless daily household indoor and outdoor tasks, from cooking to bathing. Although upgrading to efficient fixtures is one of the best ways to save water, there are other less costly ways, too. Below, we’ll review some of the easiest ways to conserve water at your Etobicoke or Toronto home.

Conserving Water in the Bathroom

Start by using your toilet only for what it’s intended for – and not as a wastebasket. Each time you flush a tissue or other small amount of garbage, you waste gallons of water.

If your home has older toilets, look into replacing them with low or dual flush models. A dual flush toilet can use less than 70 percent water during flushes!
A low-flow showerhead is another great upgrade to make to your bathroom. They use less than 2.5 gallons per minute and often come with a cut-off valve that allows you to prevent the flow of water. This helps reduce the total amount of water you use during each shower.

Add an adjustable toilet flapper for extra savings. They ensure the flush rate is the minimum needed during each flush use while still achieving a single good flush.

Conserving Water in the Kitchen

Fill your sink with water instead of leaving the tap running during food prep or clean-up. Install a simple low-flow aerator to reduce the amount of water flowing from your kitchen sink tap.

As for your dishwasher, only turn it on when it’s completely full. Scrape dirty dishes rather than rinse them before putting them in the unit. If you’re in the market to purchase a new dishwasher, choose one that has a “light-wash” option.

Conserving Water While Doing Laundry

Upgrading to a high-efficiency washing machine will eventually pay for itself over years of water and energy conservation. Many new washers use less than half of the energy per load compared to older models.

When you have laundry to do, try waiting until you have enough to complete a full load. If a partial load is necessary, remember to use the appropriate water level.

Since the permanent-press cycle uses additional water for an extra rinse cycle, it’s best to avoid it.

If you are upgrading your laundry room to include a high-efficiency washing machine, learn more on our Efficient Laundry Room Plumbing blog.

The Key Takeaway

Fixing leaks in any of your household’s plumbing is also essential to saving water. Complete a quick inspection under sinks to check for water damage or inspect your water meter’s leak indicator to see if there’s movement. Dripping faucets can lead to huge water waste, so get them repaired by a professional Etobicoke plumber right away.

Remember, conserving water at home does more than save money on your utility bill – it helps the environment, too. By following the tips above, you’ll be well on your way to achieving both!

As a homeowner, seeing water leaking from your toilet can cause a lot of panic and worry that there is something bigger going on. The good news is that it’s likely a pretty simple fix for your Etobicoke, Toronto home. Here are a few reasons as to why your toilet could be leaking from the base. 

When Does The Toilet Leaking Happen?

If a toilet is leaking at the base, it will occur most of the time when the toilet is flushed, but you should test it to make sure. 

Sometimes condensation will build on the outer part of the toilet, so it’s important to do a test and make sure you visibly see water leaking when you flush the toilet. 

Faulty Toilet Valve

If you have a pool of water gathering behind the toilet, you might have a loose water supply line or a faulty shut-off valve. 

To rule this possibility out, take a look at the hoses behind the toilet and make sure they are secure and tight without any water coming from them when you flush the toilet. 

Check The Tee Bolts

One of the most common reasons toilets in Toronto homes leak is because they are not properly secured to the floor. 

To check this possibility, take a quick look at the base of the toilet. On most toilets, you will see two bolts that will probably be covered with plastic caps. If the wax ring placed under these bolts doesn’t form a water-tight seal, it will cause the toilet to leak when flushed. 

To fix this problem, you will need to tighten the bolts. You may need a flat head screwdriver or a putty knife to first pry the plastic caps off the bolts. Tighten the bolts just a little bit at a time – alternating between the left and right side. It’s very important that you do not over-tighten the bolts as it could cause the base of the toilet to crack, and then you’ll have a worse problem. 

If the bolts spin when you try to tighten them, they could be stripped, and you may need to buy new bolts completely. 

Replace the Toilet’s Wax Ring

If you checked the bolts and they aren’t loose, the wax rings still may not be completely water-tight, and that’s where the leak is coming from. Thankfully, the wax rings are something Toronto homeowners can replace on their own, and it’s not a super expensive project to complete. 

Contact D. Jason Plumbing Today

If you don’t feel comfortable doing these repairs yourself – or if you feel that there is a bigger issue that requires the attention of a plumber, you can always call on the professional plumbers at D. Jason Plumbing to help you out.

We are always happy to help you resolve any plumbing issues that may occur with your Etobicoke, Toronto home.  

When it comes to using your dishwasher, the idea of using salt (of any kind) in it might seem odd and almost as though it will damage the unit. However, when used as intended, dishwasher salt can help remove hard water or limescale stains from your dishes and make sure you don’t see any water spots as you’re emptying your dishwasher. Here’s what you need to know about dishwasher salt and how to use it in the dishwasher of your Etobicoke home.

Is dishwasher salt different than table salt? How?

Dishwasher salt has several differences from table salt, so you can’t get the two mixed up. Table salt has a much finer consistency as it is ground into much smaller granules. This can lead to clogged drains, so it’s crucial not to use table salt in your dishwasher.

On the other hand, Dishwasher salt is much thicker than table salt and will not interfere with how the dishwasher operates or cleans.

The biggest difference, though, is one that you can’t really see to compare. The chemical structure of dishwasher salt is usually 100% sodium chloride, without any additives, while table salt often has other minerals like magnesium that act as anti-caking agents.

How does dishwasher salt work?

While many people may believe that dishwasher salt will remove hard water stains or water spots on your dishes, it doesn’t work quite like this. The salt will work to reset the water softener that is built into the unit.

Some dishwashers will have water softener baskets that come with resin balls. These balls will absorb any calcium and magnesium – two compounds that will leave hard water stains on your dishes.

These resin balls will have a negative charge, and dishwasher salt has a positive charge. When used, the resin balls’ positively charged ions will be absorbed, which effectively resets them, so they are more effective in absorbing calcium and magnesium going forward.

How to use dishwasher salt

Dishwasher salt should only be used in dishwashers with a dedicated salt compartment. If your dishwasher has a built-in water softening system, it will probably have a compartment for the dishwasher salt.

To run a load with the dishwasher salt, fill up the appropriate compartment, shut it closed, and you’re ready to go.

It’s important that you don’t put the detergent into the salt compartment as it can damage the dishwashing unit. So, if you aren’t sure about whether this is an option for your dishwasher, you should consult the owner’s manual of your dishwasher to make sure you don’t ruin the unit.

If you have noticed that there are hard water stains on the dishes and silverware in your Etobicoke home, then dishwasher salt may be an option for you to try. Take a look at the manual of your dishwasher before putting the salt into it, as if it’s not meant to have the salt in it, you can do a lot of damage to the unit and clog up the hoses draining from your dishwasher.

However, if you own a dishwasher with a built-in water softener, then using some dishwasher salt can help reset the water softening unit and give you sparkling dishes every time.

Contact D. Jason Plumbing today!

Are you experiencing plumbing issues with your dishwasher? If so, contact us today and let us help you resolve the problem.

You’ve found the perfect home for your family in a beautiful Etobicoke neighbourhood. You’re all ready to put in an offer, and to make it more attractive to the sellers, you’re even willing to remove almost all the conditions. However, moving into your new Etobicoke home without any kind of inspection may not be the best idea. One of the most important inspections you could have on your new home is a plumbing inspection – and here’s why:

Find Hidden Pipe Leaks

This is one of the most important areas to inspect when looking at buying a home, as pipe leaks can mean there are a variety of other major issues with the plumbing. Additionally, leaky pipes can eventually lead to mould, mildew and water damage building up in the home. Having this inspection done can make sure you’re aware of any issues before closing on the home.

Checking Sewer Lines Before Buying a Home

The main sewer line is the connection from your home to the source of water from the city. Many times, previous homeowners will not even know about issues with their main sewer line connections, and some of the issues can end up being very costly for you, as the new owner. A full plumbing inspection will take a look at this area and make you aware of any issues you need to know about, and help prevent you from having to put a lot of money into fixing issues with a home you just moved into.

Safe & Clean Water Inspections

Another big component of the plumbing inspection is checking the quality of the water itself. Your family will be drinking and using the water, so if it’s unsafe in any way, you need to address that. For example, any discoloration in the water should be investigated further. There could be a few reasons the water is discoloured – ranging from serious to just a temporary flow of dirty water coming through the pipes. A licensed plumber will be able to determine why it’s happening and how to fix it.

Issues with the Toilets

Another area a licensed plumber will look at is the toilets in the home. No one wants to have a leaking toilet in a home they just moved into, so this is an important area to be checked out. For example, if the toilet is not securely attached to the floor, it can be because there is floor damage underneath. Many homeowners will just replace the flooring when they’ve had a toilet leak, which actually can make the situation worse.

Contact D. Jason Plumbing today.

Purchasing your forever home for your family in Etobicoke is a really exciting time, and plumbing inspections can save you from major headaches so you can really enjoy your time in your new home. If a plumbing inspection comes back with a few issues, it doesn’t mean you have to buy a whole new house or withdraw your offer on your home. Finding out these issues just gives you a better idea of what issues you may need to fix, and makes you aware of any big issues you’ll need to address.

To schedule a plumbing inspection for your dream home, contact D. Jason Plumbing today!

 

As a homeowner, you never want to deal with a water or sewage backup. So to keep your home’s drains and pipes in good working order, you should complete regular maintenance on your piping system – just like you would other parts of your home.

Getting a camera inspection is one of the best ways to avoid costly and stressful plumbing problems and should be a part of your plumbing maintenance. Here’s what you should know about getting one done at your home.

What Is a Plumbing Video Camera Inspection?

Experienced plumbers use a plumbing video camera inspection to visually observe the state of your home’s drain system. With the help of a flexible cable, a customized video camera is inserted into your plumbing system to complete a thorough inspection. As the camera works its way through your pipes, a plumber monitors its progress from ground level on a monitor.

Also known as a drain camera inspection, this inspection can accurately identify plumbing issues without unnecessary mess or expense. The cutting-edge technology can determine your plumbing problem’s exact cause and location, highlighting any area needing repair.

Benefits of Choosing a Plumbing Video Camera Inspection

Many plumbing issues are hard to detect with the naked eye since they’re often located deep inside your plumbing system. Until plumbing video camera inspections were available, finding the cause of a plumbing problem could be very messy and time-consuming. Traditional plumbers often have to remove drywall, damage your lawn, and make other significant messes to find and repair the concern. There is less time spent determining the cause with plumbing video camera inspections, leading to a quicker repair. Along the way, less mess created is created, too.

Plumbing video camera inspections serve a wide range of purposes. They’re helpful if you need to locate a missing valuable that fell down the drain, check the condition of a plumbing system in a home you’re considering purchasing, and identify the actual cause of an annoying leak. This type of inspection is beneficial at detecting tree root damage to your drainage system as well as cracked, deformed, and crushed plumbing pipes.

Getting one completed as part of your home’s plumbing maintenance can provide early identification and resolution of future problems – leading to immense savings and less stress. They ensure your pipes are operating correctly and extend the lifespan and performance of your plumbing system.

Hiring D. Jason Plumbing for a Camera Inspection

Our video camera inspections help locate your plumbing problem’s specific cause and location, with no unnecessary damage to your property. In business since 1988, our professional, certified plumbers use the latest video technology available to quickly and correctly repair your plumbing issue.

For more information about our plumbing services in the Etobicoke, Mississauga, and Toronto areas, reach out to our team of professionals today.