Mrs. Rooter Blog

Instead of just throwing everything in the garbage or down the garbage disposal, why not think about composting? I have a neighbor who regularly composts.  Not only is she doing her part in making the world a better place, she is doing her pipes a favor too.  Way to go Lynn!

Did you know  all organic matter will eventually disintegrate? If it once was alive, it can be composted.  Composting yard trimmings and kitchen scraps can produce a healthier soil to give your living yard and garden a better nutrient system.

Composting helps reduce the amount of waste going down our drains and in our landfills. Each of us can manage the organic waste we generate by creating a compost box at home. Check with your local city hall for tips and directions.

Just a few of the many things you can compost are:

• Paper napkins
• Potato peels
• Tea bags
• Egg shells
• Grass trimmings
• Fruit rinds
• Shellfish shells and fish bones
• Peanut shells
• Brown paper bags
• Bread crusts 

If you do accidently put some of these things down the garbage disposal and develop a clog contact your local Mr. Rooter® Plumbing.

Here’s wishing you a world class and some fun composting!

Earlier this week I gave you some helpful tips on what to avoid sending down your kitchen drain. These are not the only drains in which your family may notice slowdown or back-up. Bathroom sink and tub drains often clog with hair.  You’d be amazed how much hair accumulates in a drain.  The best way to fix this problem (especially if you have long hair like me or my daughter) is to put a screen in your tub and shower to help catch the hair before it even goes down the drain.  You can find one at your local hardware store such as Lowe’s or Home Depot.

My little brother used to think he could flush anything down a toilet and I’ve found many of our customers too think they can flush a myriad of items down their toilets.  Toilets are amazing pieces of engineering but even they can’t handle cotton balls, excess toilet paper, dental floss, hair, and toys. Watch what you put on the back of your toilet.  We get a lot of calls with toilet stoppages from items accidentally falling in from the back of the toilet.

Don’t forget to watch out for what goes in the washing machine as well. Anything left in pockets can end up in your washing machine and possible the drain. Beware of loose change, tissues, lighters and gum.

To help you maintain your drains ask your local Mr. Rooter® Plumbing office about BioChoiceES®, an all natural drain maintenance product.

Here’s wishing you a world class day and trouble-free flushing.

It is so tempting to put everything down the kitchen drain. At least once a week after a long day and then cooking dinner I am tempted to even send the plates down the drain – leftover scraps, bones and all! But what is easy for us is hard for our drains. Then a long day really gets out of hand when the disposer is not working or the sink backs up.

The best rule of thumb to follow is to not put anything down the drain that is not in some form of a liquid state. Below I listed some of the worse culprits for causing a backed up or slow moving drain and what you want to  avoid sending down the drain.

• Coffee grounds
• Poultry skin
• Chunky leftovers
• Potato or onion peels
• Egg shells
• Bones
• Grease
• Butchers twine
• Pesticides and chemicals
• Motor oil

Even with a garbage disposal you need to make sure to avoid large chunks of food I’ve even heard of a technician pulling a dish towel from a stopped drain. If you do find yourself in this predicament you’ll want to call your local Mr. Rooter® Plumbing.

In a few days I’ll give you a list for more things to avoid in household drains. Don’t forget to bookmark this page to go back to it.

Here’s wishing you a world class day and smooth pipes!

I love celebrating birthdays. When I was a kid my parents made each birthday feel like such a special occasion. It was our special day, and we got it each and every year.

It seems so unfair that those born on February 29 miss out on that because their actual birth date only rolls around once every four years. John Proffitt of the Mr. Rooter Plumbing shop in Richmond, Va., agrees.  Way to go John!

Last week he invited Leap Year babies to stop by the Mr. Rooter booth at the Maymont Flower and Garden Show in Richmond to receive birthday goodies.  Birthday celebrants received gift bags with a complimentary home check-up, a $50 coupon off any future plumbing service and a $99 one-year Advantage Plan.

I think it was fun – but also generous – for John to do this. In these tough economic times, people can really use gifts like this to make sure their home is in good working order.  Kudos to Mr. Proffitt for going above and beyond to help his community!

Here’s wishing you a world class birthday, leap year babies.

Just like people, as our homes age they require more maintenance.  We recently had to replace a lock on one of our doors that decided to stop locking for no reason that I could find.  It seems like every month a home (like most people) needs some tender loving care.  

Older homes may require even a little more TLC than the average home. If you have large trees in your yard tree roots may negatively affect the integrity of your plumbing.  In other words – you may have tree roots literally growing into old or weak pipes. Old pipes with cracks or bad joints are an invitation for roots to grow into and become entangled inside any outside pipe you may have. Roots in those lines often cause backed up drains, which as you may well guess can cause all kinds of backups and problems in your home.

A great way to be on top of your aging plumbing is to become an Advantage Plan® member. This preferred member status gives you free plumbing check-ups to ensure your plumbing is up to par and doesn’t require any urgent updating to give you peace of mind. Don’t forget to ask for your free video inspection of those lines.

If you think your home may need some TLC or it’s getting up there in years, call your local Mr. Rooter Plumbing to set up your appointment now.

Here’s wishing you clean pipes and a world class day!

Who doesn’t like getting a good deal? Or receiving faster service? I remember going to Disney World on their 20 year anniversary and being picked randomly as one of their honored guests to get priority treatment.  After having served three years overseas it was a real treat to be made to feel so special.  And going to front of the line was an experience I will not forget.

Did you know that Advantage Plan™ memberships with Mr. Rooter® Plumbing entitle you to priority scheduling and preferential pricing? These plans allow you to have coverage on all your homes, even if you have vacation property or a rental unit in another town. As a member, you will have detailed records kept of your home plumbing work. Your plan is also transferable should you sell your home. These records can give you peace of mind that your plumbing is well maintained, and you can use it to show potential buyers the same.

The Advantage Plan™ can also be used with our sister companies that specialize in other household services we all need from time to time. You get the same great service with electrical, appliance repair, glass replacement, heating and air conditioning, and restoration work.

If you are interested in becoming an Advantage Plan™ member, check out the website at www.mrrooter.com or contact your local office today.

 Here’s wishing you a world class day!

With Valentine’s Day quickly approaching (for all those last minute buyers it’s this Sunday!), I thought I would take a break from writing about plumbing and instead share some fun Valentine’s Day trivia.  Around here we call it …having fun in the process.

Are the below figures true or false? Good luck!

True or False:

• 35 million heart-shaped boxes of chocolate will be sold.
• 110 million roses will be sold and delivered.
• 8 billion candy hearts will be sold.
• Teachers will receive the most cards.

Scroll down for the answers…

All of the above are true. How did you do? It’s good to see that teachers receive the most cards – they work hard and deserve a little extra recognition. I have to say 8 billion candy hearts surprised me. That’s a lot of hearts! But the world is a better place with more hearts in it.

Here’s wishing you a lovely Valentine’s Day.

If you had friends over for the Super Bowl, your garbage disposal may need a good cleaning. If that’s the case, I have a simple, inexpensive way for you to do so.  My favorite method of deodorizing the garbage disposal is with citrus peels.

Get ready for this – you only need ice cubes and citrus peels! I recommend oranges because they smell so clean and fresh, but some of my friends use lemons or limes.

It’s as easy as following these steps:

1. Pour a large bowlful of ice cubes and a cup of citrus peels – oranges, lemons or limes – in the disposal.

2. Turn on cold water and then the disposal for 30 to 45 seconds.

3. Then turn off the disposal and continue to rinse with hot water for 15 more seconds.

Here’s wishing you a fresh smelling kitchen and a world class day.

The big game is almost here. By now, I’m sure you know exactly where you will be watching the Super Bowl. If it’s at your place, I have some bathroom tips that will help keep your toilet from backing up or overflowing.

Before your guests arrive, use these tips our Mr. Rooter Plumbing technicians tell our customers:

- Remove small objects from the top of your toilet tank that could fall in, causing it to clog. You’d be amazed how many times what we find in the clogged toilet fell in from the top of the toilet tank. 

- Make sure your trash bin is easy to see and get to in the bathroom, so guests won’t flush paper towels, napkins or facial tissue.

- You may want to stock your bathroom with single-ply toilet paper, depending on the number of people attending your party. This can really help.

Regardless if you’re throwing the party, it’s always important to know how to use the water shut-off valve (this is behind the toilet tank). You know how messy toilet overflows are to clean up, but they can also damage your floors.

These tips should keep your plumbing in good working order. But if you need plumbing services, remember that Mr. Rooter Plumbing is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week – and there’s never an overtime charge.

Here’s to your team winning the Super Bowl. 

Did you know Super Bowl Sunday is the second-largest day of food consumption? According to the American Institute of Food Distribution, we only eat more food on Thanksgiving Day. Wow!

Being from Texas, I am surrounded by friends and family who look forward to football season, especially the Super Bowl. (I try to keep it to myself that I’m not the biggest fan.) But if you’re like Jeff Moody, our VP of Operations for Mr. Rooter Corporation, you’ll have a house full of guests over for the big game. And that means your garbage disposal and toilets will likely be working overtime.

If you’re hosting a Super Bowl party, you will want to take some precautions in your kitchen and bathroom before your guests arrive. Let’s start with some steps our Mr. Rooter Plumbing technicians recommend you take in the kitchen:

- Don’t overload your garbage disposal with leftovers. This can clog you kitchen sink. When in doubt –throw it out.

- Throw scraps in the trash or compost pile instead.

- Avoid pouring grease down the drain. Grease hardens when it’s in your pipes.

- Wipe off greasy plates and pans with a paper towel before washing them.

Come back later in the week; I’ll share some suggestions for your bathroom. Here’s wishing you a world class day.