Pittsford Drain Cleaning & Water Heater

Fischer Plumbing & HVAC has been a trusted name in Pittsford since 1935. Our goal has always been to provide our customers with the best customer service during unpleasant plumbing and HVAC situations.

With nearly 85 years of experience under our belts, we’re uniquely qualified to give you accurate repairs and system installations that will last and at a fair price.

We strive to be the area’s go-to plumbing company and offer a wide range of services, including:

• Drain cleaning services
• Clogged drain repair
• Hot water heater maintenance and repair
• Hot water tank installation and replacement
• Point of use water heater installation
• Tankless water heaters
• And more!

Contact us first when only the most trusted plumbing company will do.

Pittsford Clogged Drain Repair

One of the most common home plumbing issues are the dreaded clogged drains.

However, most clogs are preventable by being mindful of what goes down the drain.

Here are a few tips for keeping your drains clean and free-flowing.

• Don’t pour coffee grounds or cooking oil and grease down the drain. Put these items in the trash or onto a compost pile.
• If you use a garbage disposal, don’t put eggshells, onion skins, potato peels, hard foods like nuts, or dry expandable foods like pasta or oats down the drain.
• Use a mesh screen or perforated hair catcher to keep hair and soap scum from going down the shower and tub drains.
• Flush nothing down the toilet other than toilet paper and human waste; this means no feminine hygiene products, personal wipes, cotton balls, or any other bulky material.

If a drain becomes clogged, try using a plunger to loosen the obstruction. If that fails, you may be tempted to use a drain cleaner, but beware because chemical drain cleaning products can damage your plumbing and lead to more expensive repairs.

For safe, effective clogged drain repair, call Fischer Plumbing & HVAC professionals.

When to Replace Your Water Heater

We all depend on our water heaters to provide hot water whenever we want it. And while these systems work day and night for years, the constant use takes its toll eventually, and you must replace it.

While you can increase the lifespan of your water heater with routine maintenance, there are some signs to watch for that signal your water heater may be failing. Watching for these signs should give you enough warning to call a plumber for repairs or replacement before the system fails.

The Water Heater is Old

No matter how rugged an appliance is, age always gets the upper hand. The problem most homeowners face is they don’t know how old their water heater is, so it comes as a surprise when it fails.

The average lifespan of a water heater is about ten years. And while it’s generally recommended you replace your water heater once it reaches this point, sometimes, situations occur that require replacement sooner, such as

Rust on the tank or in the water

Banging, knocking, or popping noises as the water is heating
Leaks
Inconsistent water temperature
Not getting the same volume of hot water as before

The best way to determine the age of your water heater is to look at the serial number on the manufacturer’s sticker on the tank. This number won’t state outright when the unit was installed; instead, you’ll see a letter followed by a string of numbers, similar to this:

G061193740

The letter at the beginning of the string represents the month. In our example, G stands for the seventh month, July. The following two numbers represent the year, in this case, 2006. The rest of the numbers are the model’s serial numbers.

Rusty Water or Heater Inlet Valve

Steel is one of the strongest metals on the planet, but its most significant weakness is rust. Once rust takes hold of steel, there’s little you can do to stop it. Unfortunately, many of your water heater’s components are made with steel, and being in close contact with water year after year, rust is almost certainly a given.

Rust-colored water means there’s corrosion in the system. But the problem is that it’s difficult to tell if the rust is coming from inside the tank or from the pipe attached to the faucet.

If you get rusty water from the hot water tap, chances are it’s the tank that’s rusting. Once a water heater reaches its expiration date, rust is inevitable.

Suppose you see rust around the water inlet or pressure relief valve. In that case, it’s a good sign that the tank is in danger of corrosion, and replacing the system as soon as possible is the best option to protect your water supply.

Odd Noises

Another telltale sign that your water heater is nearing the end of its life is if you hear strange noises coming from the tank. As sediment builds up and coats the tank’s bottom, it hardens, causing the water heater to work harder to do its job, which creates strange knocking or popping sounds.

Loss Of Hot Water Volume

Do you notice that you’re running out of hot water sooner than before? Not getting the amount of hot water you’re used to is a clear sign that your water heater may be failing.

As sediment builds in the tank, it decreases its capacity and damages heating elements, leading to a loss of hot water.

Increased Repair Frequency

Lastly, if you find you’re calling a plumber for water heater repair every year, it’s better to stop throwing away money at fixing your water heater and plan on replacing it.

Although water heaters don’t last forever, you can extend your system’s lifespan by calling a plumbing company for annual water heater maintenance to keep your system running efficiently and fix minor issues before they escalate.

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