connecticut plumbing services Archives

Water Heater Repair vs. Replacement

Many homeowners can feel overwhelmed by the decision to repair their water heater or to just replace it altogether. Before you make the decision to replace your unit, hire a trustworthy plumber that knows what they’re looking at. They may be able to efficiently repair your water heater saving you a lot of time, money and hassle. Here are some of the tips we use to help our client decide on water heater repair or replacement.

Know The Age of Your Water Heater

Most water heaters last between 10 and 15 years. If you’re experiencing consistent problems with your water heater, it may be time to consider replacing rather than repairing. Water heater efficiency and cost is important. Continuing to put money into repairs on an old water heater is not the most beneficial option when considering your time and money.

Access the Frequency of Repairs in the Past

If you’re making yearly repairs on your water heater, it may be time to consider investing in a new one. However, if you’re experiencing an issue for the first time, you may benefit more from a simple repair. Keep in mind the cumulative cost of constant repairs versus a one time investment of a new water heater.

Evaluate the Severity of Your Water Heater Issues

Evaluating how serious your water heater problems are is vital in making that final decision in repairing or replacing. Call a professional from Moonlight Plumbing to come in and evaluate your water heater problems. We will give you an accurate estimate on the cost of your water heater repair. We can help you decide whether it’s a smart idea to replace or repair.

Consider the Cost of Your Current Water Heater Bill

Another benefit of talking to a Moonlight Plumbing professional is getting a general idea of your monthly water heater cost. If your monthly bill is too high or you’re experiencing frequent loss of hot water, we can help you analyze your cost to benefit ratio to determine your smartest option.

Compare the Quality and Cost of Technicians in Your Area

If you’ve hired plumbers in the past for water heater repairs but continue experiencing low quality performance, it may be time to get a second opinion. If water heater issues are occurring because of misdiagnosis, you shouldn’t jump right into purchasing a replacement. First, get a trusted second opinion and an accurate assessment from a professional at Moonlight Plumbing.

If you want a second opinion on replacing your water heater, contact us today for 10% off your first service! You can count on our team of experts to deliver trustworthy service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

March 18, 2021/by Moonlight Plumbing

Tips & Tricks from our Plumbing Contractors

What You Need to Know About Replacing Your Existing Cast Iron Drain Pipes

If your house was built 50-100 years ago, you’re probably looking at replacing your cast iron drain pipes. They’ve likely started to leak, discolor your water, or caused some sort of plumbing issue in your home. Now, the big debate. Do you repair the damage done or replace the pipes altogether? Our experts at Moonlight Plumbing are here to help guide you through your decision making process and help fix your residential drainage issues.

Common Issues That Arise with Cast Iron Pipes

Cast iron pipes were designed to last for long periods of time. In fact, they were created to last 80 to 100 years, outlasting many of us. The caveat is you have to properly maintain them to make them last so long. Even if they are properly maintained, there’s no avoiding natural disasters like tree roots interfering with the underground plumbing systems. Most certainly, though, if not properly cared for, deterioration of cast iron pipes will happen at a very rapid rate. There’s truly no telling WHEN your pipes will go bad. But our experts can say, with confidence, they WILL go bad. If your home has cast iron pipes, consider investing in PVC pipes to save your house from the following problems:

Discolored Water and/or Odors Around Your Home
Mold in the Walls
Slow Drains
Cracks
Sewage Puddles
Lawn or Driveway Indentations
Pest Infestations
And More!

Why You Should Not Repair Cast Iron Pipes, Rather Replace Them

We’ve all heard the saying “We won this battle, but not the war.” The same logic can be applied to cast iron pipe repairs. The fix may work temporarily, but after a short time there will be many other issues that arise. If you have to do a repair to the pipes, in general, that means their usage and time has nearly come to an end. The small, less expensive repairs will end up costing quite a bit and you will eventually need to replace the pipes. Thus, making all the time, effort and money put into the many small repairs a waste.

To make the full replacement cost less of a burden, you can always look into splitting up the replacement into phases. Meaning, replace a section of the pipes month one then do another section at month six. This is not always a feasible option as it varies depending on the house and piping. It also depends on if the contractor is able/willing to do this. It doesn’t hurt to ask, though!

low angle photography of road with bright light

Conclusion: Call One of Our Experts for Your Residential Drainage Issues

At Moonlight Plumbing, our experts have handled various cast iron pipe repairs and replacements. We want to help guide you through your decision when it comes to any residential drainage issues. Contact our team today to further discuss your options and see how we may be able to help

December 16, 2020/by Moonlight Plumbing

Plumbing - Get the Facts

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

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.

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.

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!

November 24, 2020/by Moonlight Plumbing

Moonlight Plumbing

Faucet Trends From a Commercial Plumber

If you own, manage, or are developing a commercial building, you’ve got plumbing on your mind. When it comes to commercial plumbing, the current trends are quality and convenience. Our commercial plumber recommends finding the balance between functionality and eco-friendly with your appliances and fixtures to best serve your customers or employees.

Today, let’s talk about faucet trends.

Commercial Plumbing Faucet Trends

High Efficiency

We’ve all been told to turn the faucet off when we’re brushing our teeth. But what about saving water when we turn the faucet on? With water efficient faucets on the market, it may be time to consider a WaterSensed labeled faucet. These faucets, good for commercial or residential sinks, can reduce water flow by 30%. This low-flow fixture still offers 1.5 gallons of water per minute, and will help your business be more environmentally friendly.

Antimicrobial

When you are in high traffic facilities, you are more susceptible to germs. For example, hospitals, doctors offices and senior living facilities, are places that should highly consider these faucets. The inside of these fixtures are coated with an antimicrobial that inhibits the growth of bacteria. Touched by multiple people a day, these faucets can reduce the spread of infection. In today’s climate, these quality faucets have never been more important.

Motion Activated

These faucets are both functional and eco-friendly. With these faucets, you don’t have to touch a surface hundreds or thousands of people are touching daily. Water is only flowing when your hands are directly below the faucet. It’s a win-win for commercial plumbing, and although they’ve been around for a while, we’re seeing more and more buildings installing these highly efficient fixtures.

Contact A Commercial Plumber

When it comes to commercial plumbing fixtures, you have options but you won’t go wrong following these trends. If you have questions, are considering an upgrade or need to replace your commercial appliances or fixtures, contact us today!

November 9, 2020/by Moonlight Plumbing

Moonlight Plumbing

Moonlight Plumbing Shares Out of Town Checklist

If you’re going to be away from the house for a few days, a week, or even longer you’ll want to do a few things to your plumbing before you leave. Our plumbers at Moonlight Plumbing wanted to share a few, simple plumbing obligations that can help save money. It can even, potentially, save you from water mess caused by a leaky or broken pipe while you’re away.

Imagine it, you leave the house to go see family for a week. The best “vacation” we can get during quarantine. You really enjoy catching up with everyone and getting out of the house. You’re feeling relaxed for maybe the first time in a while. But, when you return home there’s a puddle of water on the kitchen floor. Your head starts spinning on where to start to clean up the mess. Before you arrive at a solution, you’re panicked at what broke and how much is it going to cost to fix it? Well, we want to provide you and your family with a helpful plumbing checklist to potentially avoid messes like this. You can use our list below to help check your plumbing is all set before you leave the house.

Moonlight Plumbing Before You Leave Checklist

Turn off the main water supply

No one is going to be home and using the water, so no one will be missing it. Save yourself the potential headache from a water pipe breaking and leaking while you’re not home!

Clean the garbage disposal

Probably one of the smelliest places in our house. Ensuring your disposal doesn’t have food sitting in it while you’re away will help minimize the smell. You should run a disposal frequently anyway, but especially do it right before you leave for a period of time.

Clean the toilets

Another smelly spot in our homes. Flushing the toilets frequently helps to eliminate/minimize odors. But, if no one flushes it for a week it can get quite the odor if not appropriately cleaned before leaving.

Check the sump pump

If there is a major flood in your basement due to a broken pipe, heavy rainfall, etc. you want to ensure your sump pump is going to help get the water out. You can test your pump by pouring a bucket of water into it and waiting for it to kick on. If it does, you’re all set. If not, give us a call.

Inspect and turn off water heater

If you’re turning off your main water supply, you certainly don’t need hot water. If you have a tank-based water heater, you can simply turn off the valve. This will also help save money because the water will no longer continue to cycle to keep warm while you’re away. You can actually drain the water out of your system and inspect for leaks before leaving as well. To be sure you do these maintenance preparations correctly, contact one of our professionals.

Shut off automatic ice maker

This is one a lot of people don’t think about. Your ice maker will continue to run and cost you money even though no one is using the ice.

Ensure outdoor sprinklers work properly (if you have them)

If you have an automatic sprinkler system, check that it’s set to run at the correct times each day. Also, double check that it’s following the proper schedule. The last thing you need is dead grass from the sprinklers not running, or a flooded yard from them never shutting off!

Leave washer and dishwasher doors open

Final little piece of information is to keep the washer and dishwasher doors open. This will help prevent a musty/old food smell, as well as mold. While unpleasant if you forget this, just be sure to run them empty when you get home. Try using a cleaner when you run it to get the pipes clear again and help the smell go away.

Returning Home

Remember, once you return home, to turn on the water heater, main water supply, sprinklers, ice maker, etc. You’ll want to flush the toilets and run the garbage disposal again. You’ll want to do this as soon as possible because regular flushing and rinsing helps prevent odors in these appliances. But, if you forget to do any of these things before leaving for vacation, and you find yourself in a messy situation – call our professionals at Moonlight Plumbing! Unfortunately, we’ve seen countless flooded rooms, broken/leaky pipes, and faulty appliances in general. But because of this, we know how to properly clean up and repair the mess the first time around. We’re here if you need us!

July 22, 2020/by Moonlight Plumbing

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