Top Plumber in Connecticut Shares the Secrets on How to Prevent Pipes From Freezing

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It’s getting to be that time of the year, again, where you have to put on a few extra layers before walking outside. For many in the North, the snowfall has already begun. With the snowfall comes freezing temperatures, with freezing temperatures comes plumbing issues if not properly cared for/prepped! Our plumbers at Moonlight Plumbing, a top plumber in Connecticut, want to help ensure your family’s plumbing is prepared for what this winter may bring.

Before Winter Plumbing Prep

Install Insulation in Your Pipes

If water in your plumbing freezes, it will expand causing the pipe to burst. That’s why it’s so important to insulate and, in general, prep pipes for freezing temperatures. The best option is to purchase specifically designed pipe insulation. It’s especially important for areas of your home that are unheated like an attic, garage or basement. If you need an urgent, temporary solution, you can always use duct tape and newspaper for a quick insulation fix.

Seal Any and All Cracks

You’ll want to be sure you check your home for cracks and openings to stop drafts from freezing water systems. Specific areas to check include window and door frames, cable holes, sill plates, interior and exterior walls, etc. These fixes will improve your home insulation, in general, for the brutal winter nights.

Apply Electrical Heating Tape to Pipers

This is an option for easily-accessible pipes. This tape can be applied directly to any pipe to help retain heat. Note there are two different kinds of heating tape that can be used; self-monitoring and manual. Self-monitoring has a sensor that will automatically turn on and off when it senses the pipe needs more or less heat. Manual requires you to plug it in when the pipes may need more heat.

*DANGER: Follow manufacturer’s instructions and safety procedures when using and applying electrical heating tape.

Seal Crawl Spaces

If you live in an area where the winters are quite brutal, you want to be sure to cover crawl spaces with foam pieces cut to the dimensions of the vents. Secure foam with duct tape to ensure best insulation.

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During Winter Tips/Tricks

Open Cabinets Regularly

While this may sound like an odd suggestion, any warm air circulating around pipes will better help to retain heat within the pipes. Be sure to remove any harmful chemicals from the cabinet if accessible to small children or pets!

Keep the Garage Door(s) Closed

Obviously, this is really important if you have water lines that run through your garage. Even one night of letting the cold air rush in because of leaving it open can be enough to burst and ruin your pipes.

Keep Thermostat Consistent

It’s important to keep steady temperatures around the home as it will help prevent ice blockages. It may be tempting to lower the thermostat at night to save on the heating bill, but this puts your pipes at risk. Take our word for it, a burst pipe is much more expensive than a slightly larger heating bill!

Open Interior Doors to Keep Your Home at a Consistent Temperature

This goes hand in hand with the point above. A steady flow of a consistent temperature will only improve and ensure pipes stay warm.

Set Heat to at Least 55˚F When You’re Not Home

This message mostly goes out to the “snow birds.” While it’s easy to just think you can turn everything off to save on utilities while you’re gone for the next few months, that’s just not the case. Be sure to keep your thermostat set to 55˚F or above to help prevent a piping disaster.

Let the Faucets Drip

Last tip/recommendation is to let the faucets drip. This doesn’t mean to turn on all the faucets in your house for every winter night. But, when particularly bitter weather is headed your way, determine which faucets are fed by “exposed” pipes and keep a drip of water running throughout the bad weather. Since running water carries more internal energy, it will create a warmer pipe versus stagnant water.

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Frozen Pipes? The Top Plumber in Connecticut Can Help!

If you happen to run into an unfortunate frozen or burst pipe issue, be sure to contact a professional IMMEDIATELY! Our Moonlight plumbers are available to assist with any plumbing emergencies anytime (24/7). Call the top plumber in Connecticut, Moonlight Plumbing, or email our team for more information/assistance. Stay safe and be prepared for the coming winter months!

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Residential Plumber Shares 10 Signs Your Plumbing Needs to be Replaced

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Some things in our home stand the test of time. Unfortunately, plumbing does not. With time and use, your home will start to give subtle hints that you need to call a plumber. In the lives of busy homeowners, we find that small plumbing issues get pushed aside until they become big, unavoidable and oftentimes expensive issues. Our residential plumber doesn’t want that to happen to you.

10 Signs to Put on Your “Do I need to call a plumber?” Checklist.

  1. Dripping Faucet: If your water does not shut off completely when turned off, there’s an issue that often doesn’t fix itself. After you try some DIY hacks, call your plumber to take a look. 
  1. Drain is Clogging: First, try unclogging a drain with a commercial liquid like Draino. You can also purchase a “snake” tool to push down – or pull up – the globs of junk in your drain. If this doesn’t work, your pipes may be corroded and in need of a closer look by a residential plumber.
  1. Slow Drains: In addition to a clogged sink, slow drains could be a venting issue. Without venting, the liquid you pour in your drain has nowhere to go. Think about when you put your finger on top of a straw filled with water. It’s the same thing. You may need new vent pipes. 
  1. Just Plain Old: When you are experiencing some of these issues, consider the age of your home.  Older homes may contain galvanized piping. This piping corrodes and rusts over time causing water pressure, color issues and leaks.
  1. Low Water Pressure: Sediment buildup and corrosion are the common culprits here. Both block water from passing. Check your laundry machine, sinks and showers for pressure issues.
  1. Water Discoloration: It goes without saying, but a yellow, red or brown tint to your water is not good. This is a clear sign of sediment and rust build up. Something to note is if this only happens when running the hot water, it could be a corroded hot water heater, not a plumbing issue.
  1. Water Tastes or Smells Bad: Another telltale sign your piping needs an expert residential plumber is if you water has an unfamiliar taste or smell.  The offender could be a bad wax seal or a toilet with loose bolts with leaking water. 
  1. Water Temperature Changes: If old pipes are jamming your regulating valve, your water temperature may change from cold to hot without touching the water nozzle. Unless you enjoy the excitement of a spontaneous scalding shower, I’d say it’s time to call your plumber.
  1. Running Toilet: If adjusting the flapper or changing the flush system doesn’t stop a running toilet, you could be utilizing 200 gallons per day and paying a pretty hefty water bill next month. 
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  • residential plumber connecticut

Residential Plumber Says to Follow Your Senses

In conclusion, an easy way to remember these common plumbing  issues is to use your senses! Does your water smell funky, look discolored or sound strange? As expert residential plumbers, we promise, you can avoid major disasters by uncovering plumbing issues early! If not discovered, you may be looking at a total plumbing replacement. 

 If any of these issues are happening in your home, contact us to get a quote! 

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Connecticut Plumber Suggests Getting Away From Fossil Fuels and Into Renewable Energy

Many of us see eliminating oil heat from our house as a daunting task. A lot of us see the larger upfront cost and don’t really understand the benefits of paying for this upgrade. You’re not alone thinking the costs won’t outweigh the benefits. But, our Connecticut plumber wants to help clarify why you should be weary of using oil to heat your water/home and look into investing in a more renewable energy source. And, when/if you’re ready to make the switch we know just who to call!

Connecticut Plumber Shares the Oil Facts

If our planet doesn’t reduce its carbon footprint by 50% in the next two decades, we’ll all experience serious consequences. This means many of us need to stop using oil in our homes. Oil is used for three main reasons in our home: to heat water, living space, or the chimney. One of the biggest issues with using oil to heat your home is the “standby” losses that occur with your boiler. Typically, about a quarter of your heat is wasted by escaping through your chimney or into your basement!

There are countless other downfalls of using oil as your main heat source. Here are just a few of the “big factors” we’d like to share. Typically, oil has higher fuel cost because \ heating oil is more expensive than heating natural gas. Also, oil requires a lot of maintenance. Dirt and soot often get mixed in the oil and build up causing issues. So, more times than one would like, there are repair men sent to the house to help clean out the build up. Finally, in general, oil heat is just inconvenient. It doesn’t have the pipeline infrastructure so you have to store the oil in a tank and refill regularly.

Solutions We Offer at Moonlight Plumbing

If you’re looking to replace/upgrade your system, we have a couple options at Moonlight Plumbing that may suit your needs.

  • Option #1: Tankless Water Heaters
    • Saves Money – it prevents the system from heating water that won’t be used.
    • Efficient – It only uses energy to heat the water on an as-needed basis.
    • Longevity – You’ll be less likely to replace your water heater.
    • No Limit to Hot Water – It heats water on demand so there’s never a chance of running out.
  • Option #2: Conventional Water Heaters
    • There are two subcategories when selecting this option; natural gas or electric.
    • Option A – Natural Gas Heaters:
      • Cheaper Than Oil – there’s more stable supply and demand for gas making it cheaper than oil.
      • Requires Little Maintenance – gas burns cleaner than oil resulting in less build up of dirt or other particles. Therefore, less repairs/cleaning necessary.
      • Gas is Nontoxic – it won’t contaminate soil or groundwater if it leaks.
    • Option B – Electric Heaters:
      • Safe and Reliable – most have no moving parts which means there’s less chance of breaking down. Thus, resulting in longer life span as well.
      • Affordable and Efficient – it’s the cheapest option of heating a home because of stable supply and demand for a long period of time now.
        • They can also be wired room to room so if a room is not in use, you won’t need to heat it saving you money
      • Environmentally Friendly – doesn’t require the burning of anything so it will not emit pollutants into the atmosphere. It also eliminates the risk of gas leaks.
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  • connecticut plumber

Let Us Help You Find a Better Solution

While there is no right or wrong way to heat your house, our Connecticut plumber believes there is a worse and better solution. Finding the right solution to heat your home so it’s affordable, reliable, and efficient is important. If you’re ready to help stop pollution, save money in the long term, and upgrade your home by switching your oil heater to natural gas or electric, call one of our experts today. Or, if you have questions or need more information reach out on our website, too! We look forward to helping you find a better way to heat your home.

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Tips for Finding the Right Plumber

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It’s inevitable that a majority of us will need to call a plumber at some point in our lives. Whether your plumbing breaks because of an accident, the daily wear and tear, or one of the many other reasons it’s bound to happen. And, whatever the reason, you’ll most likely be calling an expert for help. But, how do you know if you’re choosing a reliable plumber? How do you know if the pricing is fair? Many of us have never done this before, what makes a plumber a good plumber? These are all important and great questions to have answers to before making that initial call. We’re here to provide some answers and helpful tips on how to choose the right plumber for the job.

Our Plumber Suggests to Check These Things

  • Check Qualifications

    • You want to ensure they have a license. Licenses are a REQUIREMENT for all practicing plumbers.
    • Also ensure they have insurance in case of disasters. You don’t want them to get hurt in your home and try to hold you responsible.
    • Before scheduling a visit, ask if they do background checks on employees. After all, the plumber will be entering your home, place of business, etc. and you shouldn’t have to worry about the broken plumbing and the plumber fixing it.

  • How Professional Are They?

    • Yes, they are just “plumbers” but plumbers represent a business. Don’t work with a plumber who doesn’t treat you with kindness and respect!
    • Ensure they are dressed appropriately for the job. Showing up in sweatpants and a ripped up t-shirt isn’t what we call “professional”.
    • Don’t forget, professionalism also includes scheduling and invoicing. Arriving to appointments, scheduled phone calls, etc. should be on time and well organized in general.

  • Are they prepared for emergencies?

    • A professional plumber should never put you off, tell you to wait, or act like your emergency is unimportant. He/she should also not panic and should help you feel more at ease about the situation after just a short phone call.
    • They should have 24/7 availability for all urgent needs. A good plumber knows that you don’t ask for your kitchen to flood at a certain time, but you need it to be stopped ASAP!
    • And, last but not least, they should obviously have the appropriate equipment to handle the urgent situation.
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  • Pricing

    • A plumber has expertise in his/her field so prices can be higher than some expect. But, ensure they are not too high to a point where they are likely taking advantage of the situation. Also, take caution of plumbers who seem “cheap”. There could be a reason for this. For example, using low quality products for the repair or they may be inexperienced. Just be aware when getting estimates.
    • Also, be weary of plumbers who provide an estimate over the phone without ever seeing the situation in person. How do they know how much it costs if they haven’t seen what they’re fixing? We don’t know how they do it!
    • While it is expected that initial estimates will not match the total to the penny, they should be close. An experienced plumber understands we all have a budget and saying one price and charging another isn’t right or fair. But, also understand things may come about during the repair. A professional will discuss any options with you prior to acting on them if they suspect additional charges.

  • Look at Reviews

    • A reliable, trustworthy plumber won’t, and doesn’t need to, hide their customer’s feedback. While no ones perfect, an average of ratings can give a good impression of the type of service you will receive.
    • At the end of the day, the work speaks for itself. Trust the reviews! See what customers have to say about us on Google, HomeAdvisor, or on our website.

  • Find a Local Plumber

    • Typically, plumbing issues are an urgent matter so finding someone who can come ASAP is important. If you hire a non-local it could take quite some travel time, fitting in their schedule can be more difficult, and overall is typically a longer process from start to finish.
    • Also, if there are further pressing issues, you want to be able to call the plumber familiar with the situation to take another look. It’s definitely more difficult to get the exact same plumber out to your house when the business is a large corporation.
    • This may be stereotypical, but typically local plumbers have more respect for the town and the people in it. Also, unlike the big corporate plumbers, local plumbers are less focused on the money and more concerned with the service. All in all, TRUST LOCAL!
    • Moonlight is the number one local plumber in Mystic, CT. But, don’t take our word for it. We let our work speak for itself and let our customers speak for the work. Read the reviews above to find out why we are the number one local plumber in Mystic.

See If We’re a Good Fit

Take this information and use it to choose the right plumber for the job. At the end of the day, you want a plumber who can fix the issue(s), but you also want to be treated with respect and feel assured your plumbing is in good hands. Talk to one of our plumbers today to see if we’re a good fit to help you!

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What Happens to Your Piping When Using Non-Treated Tap or Well Water

We typically don’t think twice about the water running through our pipes. That is until it’s flooding our kitchen or we drink it. Many of us replace old pipes, clean / unclog them, and do general plumbing maintenance to our pipes. All of this is quite important. But, you should also be conscious of what flows through your pipes. Understanding the difference between treated and untreated water and the effects untreated water can have on your pipes is vital in maintaining pipe longevity. So, let’s dive in.

Plumbing Insights: the Difference Between Treated and Untreated Tap/Well Water

Understanding what each treated water has filtered out can help to clarify why it’s so much better. Listed below are the contaminants in untreated tap and well water.

  1. Untreated well water may have these contaminants in it:
    • Microorganisms
    • Nitrate
    • Heavy metals
    • Organic chemicals
    • Radionuclides
    • Fluoride
  2. Untreated tap water may have these contaminants it:

Effects of Untreated Water on Your Plumbing

First of all, untreated water contains many minerals. These minerals create deposits which can clog your pipes. This solidified scale of minerals (or limescale) accumulates in pipes, water heaters, washing machines, and dishwashers. This, in turn, can result in big expenses or repairs. Also, clogs can obviously lead to issues throughout the plumbing system. They can affect water pressure, cause appliances to fail, and more. What a headache!

Secondly, untreated water can also cause build up along the pipe walls and connectors. This leads to loose connectors in piping (so increases the chance of a break in piping and water flooding your house). In addition to leaks, it can also create condensation in undesired places.

Finally, untreated water can cause cosmetic issues. It leaves hard-to-clean residue on shower heads, faucets, etc due to mineral build up on the exterior appliances. No one wants that!

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How to Treat Your Water

To prevent your pipes from untreated water damage, there are two options:

  1. Install a water softener.
  2. Install a reverse osmosis water treatment system. 

So, what is a water softener? Great question. It’s a tank situated between your water source and the internal plumbing that services your home. Obviously, this tank helps to filter out the harmful contaminants that may be in your water. Similarly, reverse osmosis strips contaminants from your water through a semipermeable membrane. Talk to an expert to see which is the best option for your home.

Save Money, Treat Your Water

In the long run, to save yourself from cleaning up a flooded room, save your pockets from repair costs, and to save your future self the headache… treat your water! In addition to treatment, continue to do regular maintenance work to keep pipes clean and water flowing steadily. Furthermore, if you have questions, need guidance, or have the unfortunate situation of untreated water damaging your pipes, we are here to help. Contact our professionals today!

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