How Hot Should My Home’s Water Be?
Since your hot water heater constitutes almost 20 percent of your energy bill, making sure the temperature settings stay efficient goes a long way to keeping costs down. As far as an ideal temperature, the EPA suggest 120 degrees. At this point, water stays hot enough to keep bacteria and other harmful diseases away, won’t […]
How Long Should My Water Heater Last?
Water heaters, like any household system, wear out and require replacement. How long a water heater lasts can depend on several factors, but most make it 10 or 15 years. Here’s a look at how to extend the life of your water heater and what common problems make it wear out before its time. Gas […]
Top Five Winter Plumbing Problems
Most people forget about their plumbing until there is a problem. That’s the problem. Nobody wants to deal with a backed up toilet, burst pipe, or clogged drain, but inevitably, these things do happen – no matter how careful you are. You might not know this but plumbing responds differently to the seasons, which can […]
My Pipe Froze and Busted! What Should I Do?
It might sound a little crazy to write about frozen pipes when we service the San Antonio areas, but we do get freezes in our part of the beautiful state from time to time of Texas. So, imagine you have one of the most common plumbing disasters up north – a pipe freezes and bursts. […]
What Are The Most Common Causes Of Pipe Corrosion?
Even if your home’s plumbing is relatively new, you should still be concerned about pipe corrosion. Corrosion isn’t caused by age only; other factors can also come into play. A corroded pipe is more prone to clog, leak, and even burst, which is why Five Star Plumbing offers pipe inspection services for all of our […]
My Water Bill Is Increasing But I Do Not Have a Leak
You just opened your water bill and received a shock to your system. It’s much higher than the last bill was, and you know you don’t have a water leak. There’s a hilarious video online about a cat flushing the toilet all day, which causes unbelievable high water bills for its owner. If you don’t […]
How Do You Unclog A Main Drain In A House?
Your drains are clogged, and you cannot get the water flowing no matter how much drain cleaner you pour down them. Here’s the thing. The clog may be in the main drain, i.e., the sewer or septic line depending on your system, and this tricky to unclog. You can do it, and we’ll explain how […]
How to Stop a Running Toilet
Toilets – having stayed the same for almost eight decades – run on a few simple components: the tank, lever, float, and flapper. As such, similar problems arise just as they always have. Fortunately, solving these issues involves similar strategies. If your toilet keeps running, consider trying these steps at home before calling a Five Star […]
How To Use Wastewater To Flush the Toilet
One of the more ingenious machines in your house, a toilet requires no electricity or running water to function. With that said, if you find yourself temporarily without water, knowing you can still take advantage of this modern convenience might save you from an embarrassing situation. Though being without water doesn’t equal an outright emergency, […]
What is Plumbing “Code?”
Since plumbing in every public and private building makes up a community sewage and water disposal system, having a code that breaks down the best, most up-to-date practices for service and installation ensures this mega-system functions properly. For example, sewage presents a public safety hazard if handled poorly. If an irresponsible citizen or professional mishandles […]