Clogged Shower Drain: What to Try First, and When DIY Stops Working
Water pooling around your feet? The safe ways to clear a shower drain yourself, why chemical drain cleaners are a gamble, and the signs the clog is deeper than the shower.
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Plumbing Tips & Advice
Straight answers from a licensed Mesa plumber.
Toilet Won't Unclog? What to Try, and When to Call a Plumber
Plunging didn't work? How to stop an overflow, the right way to plunge, when to use a toilet auger, and the signs the clog isn't in the toilet at all.
Read moreLeaking Tub or Shower Faucet: Why It Drips and How It Gets Fixed
A shower head that drips after you shut it off, a tub spout that never stops, or a leak behind the handle? What each one means and which ones need a new cartridge.
Read moreTank vs. Tankless Water Heater: Which Is Right for Your Home?
How tank and tankless water heaters work, what each does well, what to plan for with hard water, and how to choose for your household.
Read more7 Signs Your Water Heater Needs Replacing
Rusty water, rumbling, leaks and running out of hot water: the signs a water heater is near the end, and which ones a repair or flush can fix.
Read moreSigns of a Sewer Line Problem (and What Fixing It Involves)
Gurgling drains, sewage smells and backups in the tub can point to your main sewer line. The warning signs, common causes, and repair options from cleaning to trenchless.
Read moreHow to Know If a Plumber Is Good: An Arizona Checklist
How to check a plumber's Arizona ROC license in two minutes, what the license protects, and the other signs of a plumber you can trust.
Read moreHow Much Is the Cheapest Plumber? What You Actually Pay For
Why the lowest price on the phone isn't always the cheapest job, how plumbers price their work, and how to keep a plumbing bill down.
Read moreWhat Do Plumbing Services Include? A Homeowner’s Guide
Repairs, drains, sewer lines, water heaters, leaks, water treatment and maintenance: what a full-service plumber handles, and when to call for each.
Read more10 Things Plumbers Wish Every Homeowner Knew
Simple habits that prevent most plumbing emergencies: shutoff valves, grease, wipes, drain cleaners, hard water, water heaters and when to call.
Read moreCan I Legally Do My Own Plumbing in Arizona?
What Arizona law allows homeowners to do themselves, when you need a permit, the handyman limit, and which jobs are worth handing to a licensed plumber.
Read moreWhat Is the 135 Rule in Plumbing? (And What Applies in Mesa)
The 135-degree cleanout rule comes from the Uniform Plumbing Code. Mesa uses the International Plumbing Code, which sets a different rule. Here's the difference.
Read moreCan a Shower and Toilet Share the Same Drain?
Yes, in most homes they connect to the same drain line. How it works, why venting matters, and what gurgling between them tells you.
Read moreShould a Toilet Drain Be 3 or 4 Inches?
Code sets 3 inches as the minimum toilet drain, but 4-inch pipe is common too. When each is used, what a 4x3 flange is, and the rough-in measurement that matters more.
Read moreWater Heater Leaking? Where It Comes From and What to Do Now
Water under your water heater? How to shut it off safely, find where the leak is coming from, and tell a quick fix from a tank that needs replacing.
Read moreWater Heater Expansion Tank: Do You Need One, and How to Tell If It Failed
What the small tank next to your water heater does, when the plumbing code calls for one, and simple signs it has stopped working.
Read moreSewer Cleanout: What It Is, Where to Find It, and Why It Matters
The capped pipe in your yard is your sewer cleanout. Where it usually is, what it's for, what to do in a backup, and why plumbers ask about it.
Read moreToilet Leaking at the Base or From the Tank: Causes and Fixes
Water around the bottom of the toilet, or a tank that drips? How to find the real source, which leaks you can fix, and when the toilet needs to be reset.
Read moreOutdoor Spigot Leaking? How to Find the Problem and Fix It
A dripping hose spigot, a leak at the handle, or water behind the wall? The common causes of a leaking outdoor faucet and which ones you can fix yourself.
Read moreHigh Water Pressure in Your House: Signs and When to Get It Checked
Banging pipes, running toilets and leaky faucets can all mean your water pressure is too high. The 80 psi limit, how to test it yourself, and when to call a plumber.
Read moreLow Water Pressure in Your House: Common Causes and Fixes
Weak shower, slow faucets, or no pressure at all? How to tell whether it's one fixture, your whole house or the city, and what each cause takes to fix.
Read moreHydro Jetting: What It Is, When You Need It, and Is It Safe for Your Pipes?
How hydro jetting works, how it differs from snaking a drain, the signs your line needs it, and why a camera inspection comes first.
Read moreHow to Shut Off Your Water in a Plumbing Emergency
A burst pipe or leaking water heater? Where to find the shutoff valves in an Arizona home, which way to turn them, and what to do next.
Read moreWhat Our $99 Service Call Covers
What you get for OX Plumbing's $99 service call fee, how it goes toward your repair, and when an estimate is free.
Read moreWater Softener or Salt-Free Conditioner? What Works on East Valley Hard Water
Salt softeners and salt-free conditioners do different jobs. What each one does to hard water, what an Arizona State University study found, and how to choose.
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