General Plumbing Maintenance Tips

Below are a list of General Plumbing Maintenance Tips to ensure that you are getting the most cost effective and safe plumbing throughout your home. Practice the following tips and you can potentially save yourself money and future headaches.

1.Pour a gallon of water into infrequently used drains (including floor drains) to fill the trap and prevent odors from entering the house. Slow floor drains should be snaked to ensure they will carry away water quickly during a flood.

2.Check exposed pipes under sinks and in the basement for signs of leaks.

3.Install a backflow valve in the floor drain if you live in an area where sewers sometimes backup into homes. This device will prevent future backups.

4.If your home has a sump pump, make sure it operates properly by pouring a few buckets of water into the sump pit. The pump should quickly turn on, discharge the water then shut off without any problems.


If you live in the Naperville-Plainfield-Aurora, Geneva-Batavia-St.Charles or Wheaton-Winfield-Warrenville-Glen Ellyn area, contact AquaTech Plumbing at 630-416-3555, 630-377-9555, or 630-462-3555 for any of your plumbing needs.

A Tankless Water Heater Is Affordable And Eco Friendly

So the old water heater is cutting out again, eh? Is it making a pinging sound? Does it sound like a rusty robot trying to do yoga? Does it sound like it's going to take off into the stratosphere? Well, maybe it's time for a new water heater.

Are you still watching one of those clunky, boxy, tube t.v.'s? Do you check your email using Windows 95? No! So why are you stuck in the past with an old water heater that has behavioral issues and thinks Bill Clinton is still President?

Time for a tankless water heater! They are affordable, eco friendly, and will save you thousands annually.

If you live in the Naperville-Plainfield-Aurora, Geneva-Batavia-St.Charles or Wheaton-Winfield-Warrenville-Glen Ellyn area, contact AquaTech Plumbing at 630-416-3555, 630-377-9555, or 630-462-3555 call us for a free estimate on installing your new tankless water heater.

Keep Your Garbage Disposal In Working Order

Your garbage disposal will be asked to perform at maximum capacity every holiday season. A few things to keep in mind when using your disposer will ensure maximum use.

• Don't overload the disposal. If you're cutting up a bunch of veggies like celery and potatoes, be sure to put the waste into the trash. When using the disposal, insert items in small amounts. Overloading such fibrous materials into the disposer can clog and overwhelm it. 
• Keep it clean. To rid your disposer of odors, take a bowl and fill it with ice, then, sprinkle an ample amount of baking soda onto the ice. Next, turn the disposal on and dump the ice with the baking soda into the sink. It will clean the teeth and remove smells. It's like brushing and rinsing your disposal's teeth.
• Purchase a quality disposal. If it's time to replace your old one, don't get the cheapest solution. Go for efficiency. Spending more will save you the hassle of replacing it early on. 
• Teach kids that the disposal is very dangerous. Mark the disposal switch with red to prevent accidents. Make sure they know what not to put in it.

If you live in the Naperville-Plainfield-Aurora, Geneva-Batavia-St.Charles or Wheaton-Winfield-Warrenville-Glen Ellyn area, contact AquaTech Plumbing at 630-416-3555, 630-377-9555, or 630-462-3555 for assistance in keeping your garbage disposal and kitchen lines in good working order.

How Can I Tell If I Have A Slab Leak?

What is a repipe?

A repipe is the complete replacement of the incoming water system in a home or business from the water meter or well to all plumbing fixtures. As severe as it sounds it is actually a very common procedure. It is called for in situations where pipes have begun to leak due to deterioration, or when low pressure due to calcification is present.

How can I tell if I have a slab leak?

A slab leak is a term for a leak in one of the water lines running below the concrete floor of your home. To see if you have a slab leak, check your water meter. Without running any water in the house (laundry, toilet, dishwasher, etc.), check the dial face for any movement. Many meters have a "leak detector" which appears as a small black triangle or a small white wheel. If this is spinning or there is any movement on the dial, this indicates a leak in your water pipe system.

I am getting a foul odor from a bathroom in my home that we rarely even use. Why?

Your infrequent use of the bathroom is probably the cause of the problem. Certain plumbing fixtures have a built-in trap in their drains to keep sewer gas from seeping back into the home. Over time they can dry up. Dump a bucket of water into each of the plumbing fixtures in the bathroom. Flush regularly and this should solve the problem.

If you live in Naperville-Plainfield-Aurora, Geneva-Batavia-St.Charles or Wheaton-Winfield-Warrenville-Glen Ellyn area, contact AquaTech Plumbing at 630-416-3555, 630-377-9555, or 630-462-3555 for assistance in keeping your plumbing in good working order.

Wipes Clog Pipes!

We teach our children while they are potty training to NOT put anything in the toilet other than waste and toilet paper. We teach them this and then we turn around and practice opposite of what we've preached. We do so by flushing wet wipes and baby wipes down the toilet. These items cause damage to entire sewer systems, affecting thousands of homes and businesses.

Most of us know not to flush paper towels down the toilet. They are thick and made for absorbing water, not to dissolve in water. Think about wet wipes and baby wipes. They are often times thicker and more durable than paper towels. They've absorbed water and retained it without disintegrating. That is a pretty good glimpse into how they're sewer life will play out. Wet wipes are wet and strong, even capable of causing iceberg sized masses to form in sewer systems throughout the nation.

If you live in Naperville-Plainfield-Aurora, Geneva-Batavia-St.Charles or Wheaton-Winfield-Warrenville-Glen Ellyn area, contact AquaTech Plumbing at 630-416-3555, 630-377-9555, or 630-462-3555 for assistance in keeping your plumbing in good working order. Wipes have grown in popularity over the last few years and they are wrecking havoc on our plumbing systems. Remember, wipes clog pipes!

Fall Maintenance Tips For Home Owners

Early fall is the time of year to prepare your house for the cooler weather just around the corner. Most people know to clean their gutters and seal openings around windows that can leak heat, but there are other less obvious measures you'll need to take to keep your home in tip-top shape inside and out.

1. Replace your air filter.

It's extremely important to make sure your heating system is working correctly and safely. It's recommended having a heating and cooling specialist look over your system once a year at this time. If you have a forced hot air system, your heating and cooling systems use the same filters. If they're dirty, filthy air will be circulating around your home. Filter changing is something homeowners can and should do themselves.

2. Prevent trouble down below.

There may be things that need tending to beneath your property. We recommend having underground sprinkler systems flushed before the cold sets in.The process involves blowing air into pipes to displace leftover water. This is important because water lines are typically only 6 to 8 inches below ground -- and prone to freezing. If they freeze and then burst, you could have a costly repair situation on your hands.

Homeowners with septic tanks should also think about pumping them now -- before the ground freezes and snow buries your yard. Septic tanks should be checked once every year and cleaned no less than every three years.

3. Go topside.

Roofs usually have a 20 to 30 year life, but that doesn't mean they don't need attention. Your roof's condition should be checked once a year. While you're up there, look for missing or rotting shingles. Also inspect the gutters to make sure they're free of leaves and debris. This time of year is a good time to repair any broken gutters and downspouts.

Don't forget to trim dead or overgrown tree limbs hanging over your house. All it takes is one storm to bring weak branches down and damage your roof.

If you live in the Naperville-Plainfield-Aurora, Geneva-Batavia-St.Charles or Wheaton-Winfield-Warrenville-Glen Ellyn area, contact AquaTech Plumbing at 630-416-3555, 630-377-9555, or 630-462-3555 for assistance in keeping your home's plumbing in good working order.

The History Of Plumbing

Plumbing has a very rich and long history that not many are aware of. Ancient civilizations even used a crude form of plumbing that we see variances of today. Below is a list of facts you may or may not know regarding the plumbing industry...

1. "The John" is named for a real man. 
There's a reason why we call toilets "johns." It refers to Sir John Harington, the creator of the first modern flushing toilet. Harington created his model upon request from his godmother, Queen Elizabeth I of England. Allegedly, she refused to use it because it was too noisy.

2.Copper has been used in plumbing since ancient times. 
Today, copper is widely considered the best material for piping, but it wasn't our generation that discovered it. Archaeological digs have unearthed evidence showing that the ancient Egyptians used copper piping for their bathroom plumbing over 3,000 years ago!

3.Flushing uses more than a third of your water. 
Flushing the toilet uses enough water to constitute 38% of the average home's annual water usage. This works out to around 37,000 gallons for a family of four. If this seems too high for you to justify, you should invest in a low-flush toilet, which can save you over 18,000 gallons of water per year.

4.Heating up tap water wastes more than you may realize
! If you run your shower or tap to wait for the water to heat up, you likely waste 9,000 gallons of water per year. This waste accounts for up to 15% of your annual heating expenses.

5.Albert Einstein wanted to be a plumber
. In 1954, Einstein sent a letter to the New York-based magazine The Reporter and said that if he could live life over again, he would rather be a plumber than a scientist. As a result, he was named an honorary member of the Plumbers and Steamfitters Union!

If you live in Naperville-Plainfield-Aurora, Geneva-Batavia-St.Charles or Wheaton-Winfield-Warrenville-Glen Ellyn area, contact AquaTech Plumbing at 630-416-3555, 630-377-9555, or 630-462-3555 for assistance with any of your plumbing needs.

Why AquaTech Plumbing?

Why AquaTech Plumbing?

Fast 24-7 Emergency Service Price upfront, before we start Prompt, clean licensed plumbers Your problem fixed right the first time

30 years experience Family owned and operated Licensed, bonded and insured Warranty on parts & labor

See our About Us page for more information.

EXCELLENT SERVICE
Our mission is to serve you in a way that makes you a customer for life.
Everything we do is with the customer’s best interest in mind. When you choose AquaTech Plumbing, you can be sure you’ll receive first class service. We are a family-owned and operated business that prides itself on gaining and satisfying repeat customers.

BETTER PLUMBING FOR BETTER PRICING!
In knowledge and experience, AquaTech’s licensed plumbers are a cut above the rest.
This ensures you get solutions, no matter how involved your problem. We are skilled in installation of innovative plumbing products, such as tankless water heaters and our revolutionary new sump pump back-up system. We keep abreast of all the latest technology. And we also excel with typical household plumbing problems and emergencies. No job is too small. Only our customers matter.

It’s this knowledge and skill level, plus the personal service which has made us so successful. Whether it’s being on time, or wearing booties and using tarps so we won’t dirty your floor, AquaTech’s clean and experienced plumbers always give you thoughtful service.

Click here to contact us today!

GUARANTEED UP - FRONT PRICE
Our pricing is by the job not by the hour. Upon arrival, your plumber will give you the guaranteed up-front price to complete the work. You are assured a quick, accurate problem diagnosis and estimate, and with the large inventory of parts on our trucks, you are ensured a prompt solution in one visit. Your plumbing job will be completed right the first time at a competitive price.

WRITTEN WARRANTY
AquaTech Plumbing Corporation provides a written warranty at time of service on all parts and labor. Warranty for products such as water heaters is limited to the manufacturer’s warranty.

WHY CHOOSE US?
To get “Better Plumbing for Better Pricing!” You have a staff of dedicated management, service representatives, and plumbers at your disposal.

Our Mission Statement
Our mission is to serve you in a way that makes you a customer for life.

Our Vision
To be a company which customers can trust to show empathy, come through promptly in a crisis, provide the highest ethical professionalism, and exceed expectations to make them customers for life.

How To Avoid Plumbing Disasters

Plumbing disasters can be unexpected and costly. The good thing is there are ways to prevent plumbing disasters from happening in the first place with a little bit of preventive maintenance. This could save you hundreds -- if not thousands of dollars.

The following are a few tips that will hopefully help you avoid plumbing mishaps in the future:

Familiarize yourself with your main house shut off valve, where it is located and how to turn it off in case of an emergency. It may be a ball-valve or a gate-valve. These can be tricky to locate sometimes. It could be in the basement, a crawl space, or buried somewhere in your front yard so it's great to know where it is before you're in a dire situation.

If you have older plumbing look for rust and corroded areas on the pipe. If you think you have a problem, our plumbers are only a call away. They can come out, inspect your plumbing, and give you an estimate on repairing or replacing lines.

Be sure to inspect your water heater periodically. This is one of the most common causes of interior water damage. Again, you'll want to look for rusty pipes going into the water heater and check for leaking or rust spots on the tank itself. Also, if your water heater is located inside your house you should have a drain pan installed under it. This way, if it does leak the water will drain all over your floor. Call us if you think you have a problem. Remember, preventive maintenance can save you in the long run.

If you're going away for just the weekend or on a long vacation, let a neighbor know where your main shut off is in case of an emergency. If you're not comfortable involving a neighbor, you can shut off your water at the main valve before you go out of town. This way you won't come home to a flooded house!

If you live in Naperville-Plainfield-Aurora, Geneva-Batavia-St.Charles or Wheaton-Winfield-Warrenville-Glen Ellyn area, contact AquaTech Plumbing at 630-416-3555, 630-377-9555, or 630-462-3555 for assistance with preventing or fixing plumbing disasters.

When Was The Last Time You Cleaned Your Sewer And Drains?

When was the last time you cleaned your sewer and drains? Recently? Most people may answer ‘no' to that question. Did you know that hundreds of variations of bacteria and mold can be easily carried throughout the entire house by way of your pipes? It doesn't take much. Often, we assume since water is always flowing through the pipes and not sitting idle that we are always keeping the pipes clean. Not the case, in fact, water is a great source for bacteria and mold to thrive and water-flow is its carrier.

Here are a few reasons why you should consider cleaning your drains and pipes annually...

The Hazards of Sewage Backup

A sewage backup will commonly present a serious health hazard mainly caused by bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Sewage backup is dangerous due to the many ways it transmits diseases and because it is sometimes hard to predict.

What is Sewage?

Sewage backup hazards are better understood once you learn what sewage is. It's also known as raw sewage, sewage sludge, or septic tank waste. Raw sewage is mainly gray or black water. It usually contains the organic waste and waste water produced by household and industrial sources. Sewage typically contains everything from soap to solid waste, human excrement, industrial effluent, and debris. It is discharged by drains and sewer lines. Excrement is the major source of harmful microorganisms such as coliform, fecal coliform, Escherichia coliform (E. coli), and Enterococcus.

Exposure to sewage or its products may result in a number of diseases:

• Gastroenteritis
 - An inflammation of the stomach and the intestine. Gastroenteritis may result in diarrhea with vomiting and cramps when irritation is excessive. When caused by an infectious agent, it is often associated with fever.
• Hepatitis
 Hepatitis - Inflammation of the liver. Hepatitis caused by a virus is known as viral hepatitis. When Hepatitis is a result of sewage backup it is often characterized by inflammation of the liver and jaundice.
• Occupational Asthma
 - A respiratory disorder characterized by attacks of breathlessness, chest tightness and wheezing.
• Weil's Disease - An acute feverish disease marked by gastroenteritis, mild jaundice, persistent and severe headache.

Those are just a few reasons to have your sewer cleaned. If you live in Naperville-Plainfield-Aurora, Geneva-Batavia-St.Charles or Wheaton-Winfield-Warrenville-Glen Ellyn area, contact AquaTech Plumbing at 630-416-3555, 630-377-9555, or 630-462-3555 for a thorough inspection and cleaning of your sewer.

D-I-WHY Don't You Call A Professional???

So, you've just returned home from the home improvement store with a cart full of new fixtures and other accessories for your kitchen or bathroom. You're so excited to see the new look that you decide to install them yourself. The guy at the home improvement store said it's a cinch and that a third grader could do it. Hopefully for your sake that third grader is a licensed plumber.

A seemingly simple task taken on by a non-licensed contractor or plumber can result in catastrophic results. I'm not saying your house will implode if you install a new faucet, but it could leak steadily for a year, soften the floor, and come crashing down in your kitchen on top of the other faucet you installed (that also leaks). Try this, an improperly installed faucet can mean the difference between losing thousands of dollars or keeping money in the bank.

You see, no two homes are identical. Even if they have the same blue print. There is always an alteration to suit a particular home when it comes to plumbing and electricity. There are basic guidelines but there is no one particular way to install these fixtures.

Do you have plumber's putty? Vise grips? A snake? Probably not. If you do, then you're probably a plumber! If you don't have any of those basic plumbing tools then call someone who does. Those fixtures deserve to be calibrated to an exact point for maximum efficiency. That's where we come in. If you knocked a tooth out would you go buy a new one and put it in yourself? I don't think so! Same goes for your home's fixtures.

If you live in Naperville-Plainfield-Aurora, Geneva-Batavia-St.Charles or Wheaton-Winfield-Warrenville-Glen Ellyn area, contact AquaTech Plumbing at 630-416-3555, 630-377-9555, or 630-462-3555 for any of your plumbing fixture replacement needs.

What Is Video Snaking?

What Is Video Snaking ?

Video snaking or "See-Snake" is a process where a plumbing company runs a video line or camera down your branch lines (the pipes that lead from bathtubs and faucets to the house's sewer line) or down the house's sewer line (the larger pipe that leads from the house to the municipal sewer line on the street). At the end of the line is a camera that lets you see the line close-up. If you are doing an entire sewer line video inspection you will see a walk-through, leading from the trap, down through the sewer line, and up to any obstructions. If the camera can push through the blockage, it may continue through to the municipal line.

How Often Will You Need This Done?

This would not be a frequent occurrence. If you are purchasing a home, adding a bathroom, or remodeling your kitchen or bathroom then video snaking is in order. Typically, most homeowners call in a sewer line video inspection only if there is a problem, such as a blockage that cannot be fixed by plunging, or sewer rodding or drain cleaning. Locating the problem via video is a lot more cost effective than aimlessly digging holes, looking for the culprit.

If you live in the Naperville-Plainfield-Aurora, Geneva-Batavia-St.Charles or Wheaton-Winfield-Warrenville-Glen Ellyn area, contact AquaTech Plumbing at 630-416-3555, 630-377-9555, or 630-462-3555 for any of your video snaking needs.

Prevent A Gas Emergency In Your Home With These 10 Safety Tips:

1. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions when operating and caring for natural gas appliances, and use each appliance for its intended purpose.

2. Keep the area around your gas water clear and free of debris.

3. Ensure fuel-burning appliances are installed, used and maintained properly and safely. Hire a qualified technician to inspect heating and venting equipment annually, and use a carbon monoxide alarm that meets current standards.

4. Never use a gas oven to warm a home.

5. Don't use fuel lines for storage. Heavy coats or other items hanging from a fuel line (often located near the ceiling in basements) can stress the joints in the pipe and cause gas leaks. Don't allow children to swing on the pipes or hang clothes from them either.

6. Use a broom to keep gas meters, pipes and other service equipment clear in winter. Gas-appliance chimneys and vents must be cleared after snow and ice storms to ensure proper venting and prevent carbon monoxide accumulation.

7. Set your water heater temperature to 120 degrees or lower. Check the water temperature before placing a child in the bathtub, and never leave a child alone or with other young children in the bathtub.

8. Replace flexible connectors. Cracks can form and cause serious gas leaks in these flexible pipes that attach appliances to fuel lines. Limit the number of times you move natural gas appliances, and replace flexible connectors at least every 10 years with an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) approved model.

9. Never use a gas generator inside your home, garage, or near a window. Generators emit toxic and deadly carbon monoxide gas.

10. Rely on your eyes, ears, and nose to spot a gas leak. A damaged connection to a gas appliance, a hissing sound, or its distinct smell are all telltale signs of a gas leak.

There Are Two Types Of Sump Pumps: Pedestal And Submersible

You may be asking yourself, "What is a sump pump and do I need one?" A sump pump's job is to keep the area under a building dry and to prevent the building from flooding. Sump pumps are located inside sump pits. Water flows into the sump pit through either drains or the soil. The sump pump's job is to direct water out of the pit and away from the building so the basement and building stays dry.

Even if your basement has never flooded, you should still invest in a sump pump.

There are two types of sump pumps: pedestal and submersible. Pedestal pumps use an electric motor attached to a column. It sits above the sump pit. It's easy to get to and if well maintained, can last a long time. Submersible pumps are designed to work beneath the water and are located in the sump pit. These types of pumps are harder to get to, but are quite inconspicuous which is great if you don't want it to be seen. They are typically quieter than pedestal pumps.

Sump pumps don't just prevent your basement from flooding, they also control underground wetness which results in mold and mildew. Mold and mildew can lead to health problems down the road.

If you already have a sump pump and you're not sure if it works properly, now is the perfect time to find out. Areas that experienced excessive snow fall will need to prevent flooding as the snow melts. Also, spring showers can leave your basement filled with water if you don't have a sump pump or if your sump pump is not in working order.

Even though a sump pump can be your best ally against a flood, they do fail under certain circumstances, including neglect and power outages.

In addition to having a sump pump, a battery back-up system is advisable, in case your power does go out. Certain battery back-up systems will automatically “cycle” your back-up pump so that it won’t sit neglected and therefore fail when it is called upon in a power outage. These systems can be expensive but are well worth it, especially if you have a finished basement.

Contact Naperville area AquaTech Plumbing at 630-416-3555 for sump pump installation or repair before you have the task of dealing with a flooded basement.

How To Keep Your Home Free Of Leaks When You Are On Vacation

Here are a few suggestions to keep your home free of floods and leaks while you are away.

10 Plumbing Tips Before You Leave on Vacation:

1. If you don't need a sprinkler system or a pool pump to run, be sure to turn off your main plumbing shut off valve before you leave for an extended period of time. There will still be water in your plumbing system, but additional water won't enter into the system while you're gone. This is a great opportunity to check that the plumbing main shut off valve is working properly.
2. Can't shut off the main valve? You can shut off individual valves under your sinks, behind your toilets, behind the refrigerator, and behind the washing machine. Only turn off the valves that are in good working order.
3. If you turned off your plumbing main shut off valve, this is still a good time to look at all your shut off valves and supply lines under your sinks and toilets to be sure none are wet or leaking before leaving.
4. If you have plumbing behind your refrigerator, pull the refrigerator out and check to be sure nothing is wet or corroded.
5. Look all around your water heater and water softener, make sure there is no water present. These items also have their own shut off valves that can be turned off to lessen the chance of water damage. 
6. If the water heater is in good condition, turn the thermostat down so that it isn't constantly running to heat the water while you are away. On an electric water heater, turn the breaker off at your main electrical breaker box. This will avoid wasting energy while you're away.
7. Add water to all drains before leaving to keep them wet. This will minimize odors in your pipes when you return.
8. Do an inspection of the outside of your home, make sure nothing is leaking before you leave the house. Be sure to check the hoses, sprinklers, etc.
9. If you have a drinking water system, make sure your drinking water system is newer, as older lines on these units can crack and break and are often the culprit causing water damage in many homes. Some of these systems can be turned off individually at the valve under the sink to lessen the possibility of water damage.
10. While you're away, have someone check inside and around your home to ensure that nothing has broken or was forgotten while your family is enjoying their vacation. An unattended plumbing problem can be very costly and frustrating to return home to.

If you live in the Naperville-Plainfield-Aurora, Geneva-Batavia-St.Charles or Wheaton-Winfield-Warrenville-Glen Ellyn area, contact AquaTech Plumbing at 630-416-3555, 630-377-9555, or 630-462-3555 for any of your pre-vacation plumbing questions and needs.

How Do You Prevent Your Household Sinks From Clogging?

How do you prevent your household sinks from clogging? The short answer-- Stop dumping stuff down the drain! The main culprits behind a clogged or slow moving drain are usually hair and food. The bathroom sink drain gets full of hair and the kitchen sink drain gets full of food and debris. If you could keep hair and food out of the drain you would prevent 99% of the clogs before they happen.

How to keep your Kitchen drain clear:

Keeping food out of the kitchen sink drain can be easy, if you have a sink strainer. It's cheap and readily available and saves you from potential plumbing catastrophes. Most strainers are the basket type with holes or there is the screen style which just sets over the drain opening catching all the big food particles. You simply lift out the screen and dump it in the trash when it's full or when the water won't drain. Anything that will slip past this screen is small enough so it won't cause a back-up. They can be bought at Home Depot for around $3.00.

How to keep your bathroom drain clear:

When it comes to the bathroom sink (or tub), your drain's biggest enemy is hair. Unfortunately there isn't a screen that fits a bathroom sink. Bathroom sinks, unlike kitchen sinks, usually have a pop-up drain assembly with a lever right behind the faucet to lift and lower the stopper. The best prevention here is to wipe up any loose hair before it enters the sink drain. You will occasionally need to remove the pop-up in order to clean out the hair. It's a messy job but one that needs to be done. Some tubs have a fixed metal screen and some have a loose rubber plug. If you have a fixed drain cover you'll need to remove this cover so a hair stopper will fit.

Over the years the inside diameter of your drain pipes get smaller and smaller. You'd be shocked if you could see inside your pipes but this is an indicator of the health of your plumbing. There are a number of drain cleaners on the market both organic and caustic but those are not recommended. Always contact a professional plumber before putting ANYTHING, organic or not, down your drain. If you are experiencing slow draining or clogged pipes, contact Naperville area AquaTech Plumbing for all of your drain cleaning needs!

Prolong The Life Of Enameled Cast Iron Sinks

Today, kitchen sink bowls come in a variety of different materials. Although enameled cast iron remains an attractive and durable product, many people today are choosing bowls made of stainless steel and other solid surface materials for their added durability, stain resistance, and as aesthetic appeal.

Bowls are available in: Swanstone, Surrell, Corian, Moenstone, and much more. The most important thing to remember is to follow the manufacturer's instructions pertaining to the material of which your bowl is constructed. With some of the solid surface materials, scratches can be removed when lightly sanded because the color goes throughout the thickness of the material.

Do not allow fruit or vegetable juices or cleaning acids to sit on any surface. An acid-resisting sink will safely resist lemon, orange, and other citrus fruit juices, tomato juice, mayonnaise, and other vinegar preparations if these are not permitted to remain more than a few hours. A regular enamel finish is not impervious to acids.

Teas and coffee grounds will also stain enameled surfaces, if allowed to remain very long. Photographic solutions are even more harmful to enamel, and the amateur photographer should not be allowed to use the sink, because a fixture once damaged in this way can never be corrected.

In order to prolong the life of enameled cast iron sinks, clean the bowl immediately after each use. Use a nonabrasive cleaner. Constant use of abrasive cleaners can eventually wear the finish down, making it much more porous and susceptible to stains. This can also happen with enameled, cast iron tubs over a long period, leaving behind unsightly discoloration and haze. When cleaning the sink, use hot water and soap. Water and soap are not as hard on the enameled finish as strong cleaning solutions like washing soda or a gritty abrasive. If a cleaner is used, it should be one that specifically states that it is nonabrasive.

Contact Naperville area AquaTech Plumbing at www.aquatechplumbing.com/contact for all of your plumbing needs.

10 Reasons To Go Tankless Today!

1. You will receive an endless flow of hot water!
2. Lower energy costs! - From 20% to 50% savings annually.
3. You will receive a $300 federal tax credit plus SCG operating incentives.
4. Tankless water heaters last for 20-30 years whereas a traditional water heater’s usual life span is 8-12.
5. Tankless heaters don't lose efficiency over the unit's lifespan.
6. Tankless water heaters save space.
7. Tankless heaters have a built in scalding protection feature. 
8. Tankless water heaters have a new automatic fill feature.
9. Tankless heaters fill spas, whirlpools, tubs and Jacuzzis much quicker.
10. Tankless water heaters protect your health and the environment.

Additional benefits
In order to make the hot water supply last, a traditional standard tank water heater heats the water up to 140 degrees, then you must use cold water to cool it down. With a tankless water heater, you set a temperature, let's say 120 degrees, and you have the perfect temperature without wasting energy. Furthermore, since a tankless water heater has no refresh rate (it's instantaneous), there is no need to overheat the water as with a conventional tank.

Carbon Footprint
Every year more than 7 million used tank water heaters are taken to landfills in the United States. A tankless water heater is, for the most part, recyclable, so they don't end up in your local landfill. It is estimated that if people replaced their tank units with tankless there would be a savings of millions of gallons of oil a year, millions of gallons of propane, and billions of kilowatt hours. This is yet another reason to go tankless!

Concat Naperville area AquaTech Plumbing today for a new tankless water heater. 

Prevent A Clog During The Holidays

The holidays are a time for family, friends, and quite a few plumbing emergencies. A majority of Americans take part in holiday parties with 11 or more guests around Thanksgiving and Christmas. These extra guests put a serious strain on a home's plumbing system, which results in more emergency calls to plumbers.

Big holiday meals require a busy kitchen. Too much grease and food finds its way into the kitchen drain or disposal. Holiday guests also equate to extra showers and baths as well as lots of extra toilet flushes. It all adds up to potential plumbing disasters.

Pipes clog because of a gradual buildup over time from grease, hair, soap, or food particles. All it takes it one major overload, like a house full of guests, to exasperate the situation and create a clogged drain. Follow these following tips to avoid a plumbing disaster after this holiday season.

In the kitchen:

• Never put hard-to-grind, stringy, fibrous waste into the garbage disposal (i.e. poultry skins, carrots, celery, pumpkin pulp, or banana peels). The disposal can't sufficiently grind these items and they will clog your sink drain.
• Run cold water down the drain for about 15 seconds before and after using the garbage disposal to flush waste down the main line.
• Turn on the disposer before adding food debris.
• Run the dishwasher and washing machine at night or at off times to conserve hot water and maintain adequate water pressure for your guests.
• Avoid pouring fats or cooking oils down the drain because liquid fats solidify in the pipes and create clogs. Wipe congealed grease from pots.

In the bathroom:

• Plan ahead, spread out showers throughout the day; wait 10 minutes between showers rather than taking one right after another.
• If shower pressure is weak, pour a cup of vinegar into a plastic bag, place it over the shower head, and soak. Use a twist tie to hold it in place overnight. In the morning, remove the bag and use an old toothbrush to gently scrub off the mineral deposits to help restore water flow.
• Turn up the water heater slightly to retain hot water. To avoid scalding, do not exceed 120°F. 

Now that your home is quiet and your drains are draining slowly, contact the Naperville area plumbers of AquaTech Plumbing. We can help!

Have a safe and happy New Year, everyone!

Focus On Preventative Maintenence For Your Home

Plumbing disasters happen unexpectedly and are usually costly. Because our plumbing is hidden in our walls, attics, basements, and other inaccessible locales throughout our homes, it is usually too late for preventative measures when disaster strikes. The good thing is, even though we can't see what's going on behind our walls, we can take steps to prevent disaster from happening. Think less of "plumbing disasters" and focus on "preventative maintenance." This will save you a fortune. If you're not interested in saving money you needn't read on.

Steps for preventative maintenance:

• Familiarize yourself with your home's main water shut-off valve. Learn how to use the meter key to stop water flow in case disaster strikes. Impeding the flow of water in a plumbing emergency is of critical importance, consider it as "stopping the bleeding." Your home's main shut-off valve may be tricky to find.
• If you happen to have older plumbing such as galvanized water lines, look for rust around the fittings and the pipes themselves. If you happen to find any vulnerabilities, contact us immediately for an evaluation.
• Check your water heater. This is one of the most common causes of interior water damage. Same as the aforementioned, check for rust! Check the connections, pipes, and surrounding areas.
• If you leave for a long vacation this holiday season, turn your water off and set your heat to "vacation mode." This will prevent a plumbing disaster in your absence.
• Perform a monthly inspection. Check for leaks in the bathroom and kitchen. Check under the sink. If there is a mildew smell, look into it. Water leaks can lead to serious health issues when mold comes in to play.

Following these simple steps can help avoid any plumbing surprises. Contact Naperville area AquaTech Plumbing today if you have any issues with the plumbing in your home or business.