Freezing is a particular problem in warmer climates such as North Texas, where pipes are located in uninsulated or underinsulated attics or crawl spaces, garages or kitchen cabinets. Other plumbing trouble spots include outdoor hose bibs, sprinkler systems and swimming pools supply lines. As freezing water expands, pipes break, costing Fort Worth residents and business owners thousands of dollars a year. This plumbing nightmare can be prevented, however, with a few simple precautions.

It may be too late to take measures such as draining pools and sprinkler system supply lines or wrapping plumbing with insulated sleeves, tape or newspaper. You can take action during cold weather, however, by doing something as simple as keeping garage doors closed if there are water supply lines in the garage.

When it comes to gas lines in a home or office space, most people think of traditional black iron gas piping. However, an alternative called CSST (corrugated stainless steel tubing) is also available and quickly gaining popularity. A flexible stainless steel pipe and PVC covering comprise CSST. During manufacturing, it is thoroughly air-tested for leaks. According to the National Association of Home Builders, over 150 million feet of CSST has been installed in residential and commercial buildings since 1989. CSST offers a few advantages over black iron piping:

Lower labor cost to install. CSST is simply pulled and cut to length whereas black iron pipe requires time-consuming and precise measurements, cutting and threading of individual pipe pieces. Installation is easier for the installer, and the savings are passed on to the consumer.
Gas leak sources are reduced. Because black iron pipe is inflexible, tee and coupling fittings are needed for every direction change. This introduces more potential gas leak sources. CSST is flexible and has no problems working its way through curves and bends.
Future gas lines are easily accommodated. If a CSST system is configured with a central distribution point, gas ports can quickly be added.

As easy as CSST is to work with, its installation should only be left to trained professionals. It must be properly grounded to meet inspection. Master gas fitters from our Fort Worth plumbing company are licensed in the installation of CSST gas lines. Call us at 817-349-7130 for more information.

While fixing plumbing in a customer’s home, on occasion we get asked our thoughts on the safety and purity of tap water as drinking water. There are even times when customers want to know our opinion on the classic bottled water vs. tap water debate. Although every Ben Franklin plumber is entitled to their opinion on the subject, we feel there are some facts and issues that people should consider if they are questioning the safety of their drinking water.

Because water has naturally-occuring contaminants like algae and other particles, it’s necessary for municipal water treatment facilities to chlorinate the water in addition to employing other processes to deliver optimum purification–and to satsify federal guidelines like the National Primary Drinking Water Regulations established by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency).

Given these rigorous requirements–and not factoring in other considerations like proximity or location near organizations that produce chemicals and pollutants that have been known to contaminate public water supplies–your tap water is, more or less, pretty safe.

What people need to consider is the safety of bottled water. It seems the public–some of our
customers included–have a tendency to question the safety of tap water because they don’t like its taste and think that this signals something must be wrong. I know many people feel that
bottled water just tastes better–and, let’s face it, it’s packaging and marketing goes along way
toward convincing us that it is somehow superior to tap water.

Although the bottled water industry is regulated by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration),
another organization–the NRDC (National Resource Defense Council) has reported that
bottled water isn’t any safer than tap water. In fact, the NRDC stated that 22% of the bottled
water brands it tested had results that showed a chemical contaminant level that exceeded strict
state standards for drinking water safety.

The NRDC has also gone so far as to report that after testing 1,000 bottled water and tap water
samples, the conclusion was that bottled water was no more safe than tap water. They’ve even
reported that at least 25% of bottled water is just bottled tap water that has undergone further
treatment (and in some cases, the tap water is just bottled and marked-up in price).

So, besides perception, it seems the remaining issue really comes down to taste. If you really
can’t stand the taste of your tap water, we suggest purchasing a carbon filter that can be eaisly
attached to your faucet and provides additional filtration.

(Me personally? I tend to take my tap water with some lemon juice and I’m good to go.)

However, if your tap water is not running clear or you can see particles in your tap water then
you may have a filtration problem that needs immediate attention. Please don’t hesitate to
call Ben Franklin Plumbing in Fort Worth at  817-349-7130 and we’ll be right over!

Fort Worth Garbage Disposals are convenient and effective ways to reduce not only trash, but also the sanitary issues that arise from rotting garbage. However, with most modern conveniences comes a certain level of responsibility.

Cleaning and caring for a garbage disposal system doesn’t take as much effort as you may think. A common cleaning tip is to dump and dispose a small amount of ice; this will sharpen the blades and lead to more effective “disposing.” Dumping [very] small chicken bones into the disposal will help to remove any excess grease that may have accumulated. To give your system a fresh scent, try grinding down chunks of lemon.

There are certain items that should never be fed into a garbage disposal:

• Banana peels: The peels are very fibrous and can tangle in the garbage disposal blades
• Large bones: It may seem like common sense, but it’s very easy to accidentally drop a bone from a half-eaten drumstick into the disposal
• Tea bags or coffee filters: Never try to dispose of any type of paper product
• Onion skins, raw celery, cooked rice, potato peels, asparagus, and grease are other items that can harm your Fort Worth TX Garbage Disposal.

And remember: now matter how dire your situation, never put your hand into the garbage disposal, even if the power is disconnected. One of our expert Fort Worth TX Plumbers will be able to assist you in a timely, professional manner.

Tankless water heaters are gaining in popularity because they can instantly heat water as it flows through the device.  They will not retain any water internally except for what is in the heat exchanger coil.  These are often installed throughout the house at more than one point of use (POU).  You will find them far from the central unit or some of the larger models can be use to meet all the requirements of a household.  The main advantage to this type of heater is the continuous flow of hot water and the savings on energy.

The tankless water heater’s turbine senses the flow and starts the heating process when there is a demand. The flow turbine will then send a signal to the control board which will look at multiple factors. It will look at the incoming water temperature, the desired water temperature as set on the temperature controller, and the calculated difference between the two temperatures. Depending upon what the calculated incoming and the desired temperatures are, the gas or electric flow into the burner assembly is modulated and the electronic ignition sequence begins. Once the water is heated to the desired temperature, it will circulate through the copper heat exchanger providing a continuous hot water. When the tap is turned off, tankless water heaters will shut down and go into a standby mode until it’s needed again.

Point of use tankless water heaters are located right where the water is being used which means that the it’s almost instantly hot.  That also means a savings of this resource.  A point of use tank will also save more energy than a centrally installed heater because there is no hot water left in the pipes after the water is shut off.

There are many advantages to using tankless water heaters in your home.  As mentioned earlier the long term energy savings and the unlimited supply of hot water but there are more advantages to consider.  There is less physical space that is required because they can be mounted on a wall or internally in a building’s structure.  Even if the system can not be mounted on the wall a tankless heater will take up less space than a tank-type heater.  Since no water is stored there is no risk of having water damage.

For tankless water heater installation or repair, please call our Fort Worth Plumbers at Ben Franklin Fort Worth Plumbing Company today!

Use these tips to make the most of one of the world’s most valuable resources – water.

• Install a dual flush toilet, that uses more or less water as needed
• Choose showers over baths, as they use less water if you keep them quick
• Check your plumbing systems regularly to avoid leaks
• Use plants that are water independent in your garden
• Install a rainwater tank and use it to water your garden and for other exterior washing needs
• Tankless water heaters which are 90% efficient and the Eternal water heater are energy efficient and heat the water as needed. The Eternal water heater which is 98% efficient, has a small chamber which holds 2 gallons of water so that you do not experience the hot and cold sandwich effect that are common with the other style tankless heaters.

For expert plumbing installation, repair, and service, call Ben Franklin Plumbers in Fort Worth for a free estimate today!