Slow Drains Could Be a Sign of a Larger Problem

March 18th, 2016

 

Fox Valley Plumber FAQ

Slow Drains in my Appleton, MI Home

Slow drains are often caused by the accumulation of debris, hair and soap scum. If you notice that the water in the shower or kitchen drain, or the sink in your kitchen or bathroom, isn’t going down as quickly as it used to, you should act fast before the problem worsens.

Often, the best solution to a slow drain is to remove the hair and debris that have accumulated. For this task, you can use a pair of needle nose pliers or a clothes hanger bent into a hook shape. After removing the debris blocking the drain, you should run hot water down the drain. In most cases, this will effectively solve the problem at hand. However, if the water is moving slowly, you may have a bigger problem at hand.

What could slow drains mean for my home?

In some cases, a slow drain is an indicator of a larger problem. It is one thing to notice a slow drain occurring in one part of the house, and it is an entirely different matter if you notice slow drains happening all at once in different places in your home .If you notice other symptoms like bad smells and gurgling sounds coming from the drain, it is best to call in expert plumbers to properly diagnose the problem at hand and enforce the appropriate solutions.

There are times when a slow drain indicates an issue in the main sewer line which will leave your plumbing and sewer system unusable. Main sewer problems can also lead to flooding and backing up of dirty and unhealthy water. In other cases, a slow drain may be a sign that your septic tank needs to be pumped out. An expert plumber can determine whether the septic tank does need to be pumped out or if the symptoms you are seeing are indicative of a different problem. Apart from pumping out the septic tank, your plumber may recommend a few other solutions, including the use of an augur or a high pressure water jet.

Slow Drain Solutions

An augur is a mechanical device that is powered by an electric motor. This device slowly spins inside the drain in order to remove the accumulated debris which impedes the proper flow of water. A high pressure water jet, on the other hand, can scrub the interiors of pipes in order to remove accumulated debris, including hair and soap scum. In some cases, your plumber may recommend cutting off tree roots which have damaged a section of your home’s pipes.

Again, if removing the accumulated debris in the shower or kitchen drain or sink does not do the trick, or if you notice unusual noises, call in the professionals to help solve the problem for you. Do not attempt to do it yourself.

 

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Is My Sewer Line Damage Caused By Tree Roots?

March 16th, 2016

How to determine if  your sewer line damage is caused by tree roots

sewer line damage

It’s a big delight for gardeners to see trees and plants growing healthily through the changing seasons. It’s always nice to see carefully planted vegetation thriving even through extreme weather like we get here in Appleton, WI.

However, trees and shrubs that root deeply and widely tend to overpower and destroy plumbing structures installed underground. Sewer line damage is common in areas like Appleton where there are big, old trees and shrubs, and this can be a big problem. Their roots can grow within the sewer line, creating blockages that inhibit the proper flow of water and waste. These blockages will cause backflow that can reek and create health problems; worst of all, additional household expenses for the repair of the sewer line will definitely add up. Not a fun diagnosis to get from your local plumber.

So, how do you know if you have sewer line damage?

  1. Slow-flowing drains indicate that the system is having a difficult time pushing everything down.
  2. Another reliable indicator is the frequent gurgling noise from the toilet. That sound means it’s barely successful in doing its job of flushing waste away.
  3. Overflow. This means the drain is clogged. Common drain clogs are easy enough to take care of; there are corrosive liquid agents that can break them down easily. But if you’ve already used a great amount of these products and your drains still get clogged often and the toilets overflow, it’s highly likely that roots have penetrated your sewer lines and are causing the clogging in your pipes.

What to do when you have a plumbing problem you think may be a sewer problem?

There’s no smarter way of dealing with this situation than calling in the pros. They know what to do about this problem — this includes getting permission from the local public works office to carry out repairs that will involve some serious digging.

A Professional plumber will inspect the drains and sewer with a camera to accurately assess the situation. They will then inform you of the best repair strategy to take; if there’s major damage because of the roots, the lines will have to be replaced.

For the dig, they can help you get permission from authorities; this way, repair can be carried out as soon as possible to prevent further damage and inconvenience to your household. They’ll also get rid of the roots that caused the damage and help you create a barrier (recommended growth inhibitors are copper sulfate and potassium hydroxide) between the trees and pipes.

Finally, once all that is done, you can expect to be provided advice on how to regularly maintain and clear the lines to prevent roots from growing inside them. As always Turek’s Plumbing is at your service for honest reliable sewer and drain service. 

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Turek’s Plumbing Employee KYLE TESSEN

January 19th, 2016
  • IMG_2238What is your role at Turek’s Plumbing?

Plumbing Service Technician

  • How many years have you been with the company? 

6 years

  • What do you like most about Turek’s Plumbing?

The professional people I work with.

  • What do you find the most challenging?

Keeping the office happy 😉

  • What are 3 words to describe Turek’s Plumbing?

Professional, courteous, clean, organized

  • How has Turek’s Plumbing changed since you started working here?

It has grown significantly.

  • What is on your wish list for the next year with Turek’s Plumbing?

To rise with the company.

  • What is your proudest moment at work?

Someone telling me it can’t be done and doing it.

  • Do you recall any embarrassing moment?

Backing into the overhead door with the trailer.

  • Motto or personal mantra?

The A-Team

  • What do you like to do on your days off?

Relax, cook out, hang with friends & family.

  • What’s one thing on your bucket list?

To build my own home.

  • You’re happiest when?

When I create something and step back and say “I did that!”

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Thanksgiving Clogged Pipes

November 17th, 2015

Feature-Thanksgiving-modern-classics-1200x800Thanksgiving is right around the corner. Everyone cooks & bakes all day preparing for the big Turkey day. As people get ready for the holidays, what they forget about is how easily kitchen sinks can get clogged with food. It never fails at this time of year, we get at least one call a year for emergency service on plugged up drain lines due to food waste & overuse on sink pipes. Often, this damage is being caused without people’s knowledge. There are certain items that can and cannot be sent down garbage disposals and shouldn’t be funneled down the sink drain. Many don’t realize foods such as pumpkin, celery, egg shells, leftover cooking oil, stuffing (bread), etc. all do not belong in your pipes.

We all assume garbage disposals are these wonderful kitchen monsters that eat our trash and flush it away, but these are the main culprit for clogged pipe lines. After years of use, these awesome tools do not work like they do when they’re brand new. So just be cautious of what you dispose of in the next couple of weeks. If you do have issues or any questions, Turek’s is a 24hr Emergency Service. Read this great review we received below and give us a call! 

“Our sink was clogged from Thanksgiving and our garbage disposal did not work. We called one place to fix and no one returned our call. I then called Tureks and the phone was promptly answered and the person on the line was extremely professional. I called around noon and I was given an appointment 2 hours later – on Friday after Thanksgiving – how great is that! Kyle came right on time and provided outstanding service – he cleaned out the drain and diagnosed our malfunctioning disposal – luckily he had a commercial brand disposal in his truck and in no time replaced our disposal. On top of that he volunteered to tighten our loose faucet and reconnect a pipe that came undone in my garage. Kyle was absolutely superb – extremely knowledgeable – very polite and made sure that we were satisfied with his work and clean up. We had a very good experience with Kyle and with Turek’s plumbing – they are worth their weight in gold – in today’s environment – it is rare to find such honest – caring and wonderful service – thank you Ed and to your team.”

 

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November Turek-y Hunt!

November 11th, 2015

turek-yhunt

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George the Handsome Pumpkin

October 23rd, 2015

ONCE UPON A TIME,

There lived a large orange pumpkin named George. George was the most handsome pumpkin in all the land (at least he thought)…IMG_8612

Every year Halloween came around and George waited patiently in the patch hoping and wishing someone would finally take him home. He had spent months working on his figure. Dieting like everyone said to do, twisting and turning in the sun to catch the best tan, and getting plenty of sleep at night. But it always failed. Every year, the kids would walk right past him and neglect to pick him up. But this year was his year. George could feel it!

October 30th rolled around & George could see little Jesse Fernwicky walking towards him about 10 ft away. George pulled his stomach in tight, tucked in his shirt, and crossed his toes. Jesse walked past him, scoping him out, judging him from every angle and then finally, SNAP! Right off the vine he went. George was the one! “Yippee,” George yelled! This was his time to shine. Little Jesse brought George home & proudly showed him off to his friends at school. The next day, Halloween Eve, Jesse was ready to carve George into the most perfect design.

George couldn’t wait! This is what he signed up for, the gutting, the carving, & the candle lit evening. As Jesse doodled on the best looking face and peeled the top off of his handsome looking pumpkin, George felt all his gooey insides tingle. “Yes,” George thought to himself. “This is finally it!”

IMG_8614Jesse reached inside and squished all the stringy guts between his hands, handed them to his mom and started carving away. But THEN you’ll never believe what happened next! What did Jesse’s mom do? She took George’s sticky insides and washed them right down sink!!! George absolutely couldn’t believe it. He only dreamt of having his seeds roasted and his innards turned into pumpkin pie. “What was she doing?” George thought.

What Jesse’s Mom didn’t realize was that George the handsome pumpkin was NOT going to take this abuse. George was going to get revenge. He was not going to put up with being simply thrown down the drain and forgotten about. So what did George do? He clung on. He made himself even stickier and coated all of the drains clogging up Mrs. Fernwicky’s sink.

“That was brilliant move,” George said to himself. “Nobody will forget about me now.”

Well, lo and behold, what happened the next day?? Jesse’s Mom had to call the plumber. George  definitely had made his point. Ring Ring “Hi yes, I need someone to come out as soon as possible. My drain is clogged from pumpkin guts.” Plumber on the line, “Oh sorry, no, we don’t do Sunday calls. We actually don’t have the equipment for that. You’ll have to call someone else.” “Well that was helpful,” Jesse’s Mom thought, “Not…”

So Mrs. Fernwicky flipped through the Yellow Pages and found Turek’s Plumbing. Ring Ring. “Hi, this is Tureks Plumbing, how can we help you?” Mrs. Fernwicky says, “I just called another plumber. They were no help. My drain is clogged, I know it’s Sunday, but I really need my sink today.” Turek’s, “Oh Mrs. Fernwicky, that is not a problem. We have 24/7 Emergency service and all the right equipment to take care of the job. We’ll be out there as soon as possible. Thanks for giving us a call!”

A few minutes later, Turek’s Plumbing showed up at the door, just like they said, and had the sink back in commission in no time.

MORAL OF THE STORY:

Don’t let George take over your sink & garbage disposals next weekend. Otherwise, you’ll be the one calling Turek’s Plumbing. Throw your pumpkin guts in the garbage or check out many other uses for pumpkin here! http://www.brit.co/things-to-make-with-pumpkin-guts/ Have a safe, fun Halloween!

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TRISTAN DRATH

October 14th, 2015

IMG_2230What is your role at Turek’s Plumbing?

Sales, Project Developer, Operations

How many years have you been with the company? 

2 Years

What do you like most about Turek’s Plumbing?

I like how organized we are. We are always looking for ways to perfect what we do.

What do you find the most challenging

Homeshow Season. We are very busy and often work late nights

What are 3 words to describe Turek’s Plumbing?

Making it Happen!

How has Turek’s Plumbing changed since you started working here?

We are always changing. By the time this goes online I would have to add things.

What is on your wish list for the next year with Turek’s Plumbing?

To create enough sales to add another install crew member.

What is your proudest moment at work?

When you work for months on a project, sell it, everything goes smoothly, and the customer is happy.

Do you recall any embarrassing moment?

When Chris Laabs sneaks around the corner and jumps out at me. Happens a lot and gets me every time.

Motto or personal mantra?

To give the customer exactly what they want so they are 100% happy with the end result.

What do you like to do on your days off?

Farm

What’s one thing on your bucket list?

To own 80 acres of land or more

You’re happiest when?

 I’m sitting on my tractor on a warm sunny summer day with one kid on each fender. Nothing better.

Any random facts you could share with us?

I lived in TN for 9 years!! I’ve been married 10 years to my beautiful wife Jessy who gave me two wonderful kids Wyatt and Lila. Love you guys!

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DIY Winterizing Plumbing & Pipes

September 30th, 2015

Your pipes are more susceptible to freeze damage when temperatures drop to 20 degrees Fahrenheit or below. Fall is the time to start thinking about winterizing your pipes, particularly any outdoor plumbing you may have or even up at cottages you won’t be visiting this coming season. Wisconsin winter will be here before we know it!  Below are Turek’s recommended steps for winterizing your plumbing system.

  • Locate the main water supply & be sure shut of valves are located and turned off
  • Turn off all electric and gas supplies to water heater or heaters, and other water supplied appliances
  • After purging all water distribution lines apply anti-freeze to all fixture drain traps toilet bowls and toilet tanks.
  • Insulate the pipes in all unheated areas, as they are most likely to freeze. Wrap the pipes in insulation tubes made of polyethylene or fiberglass.
  • On nights when the temperatures are expected to drop below freezing, be sure to turn on faucets along the exterior walls to create a small, steady drip. What this does is eliminates pressure that can build between the faucet and an ice blockage, so even if a pipe freezes, it may not burst.
  • Open all sink-base cabinet doors along exterior walls, this allows more heat to reach the pipes.
  • Take a look at cracks or holes along the outside walls and foundation of your home. Try filling those holes and cracks with spray foam insulation or caulking. This can help stop the cold air from coming into contact with your water pipes during extremely cold weather.
  • Pier and beam homes with ventilated crawl spaces should be sealed against the cold weather. Cover your vents with heavy-duty pieces of cardboard cut to fit the vents and then duct tape the cardboard in place. Remember to seal off access to the crawl space. If you have a basement, check for cracked basement windows that might allow cold air to make contact with your pipes. Look for worn or missing insulation around garage and utility doors. Reducing the amount of cold air in the area minimizes your pipes’ vulnerability.

pipes insulated_pipes

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KELLY PIASECKI

August 31st, 2015

IMG_2306

What is your role at Turek’s Plumbing?

Project Coordinator

How many years have you been with the company? 

3 years

What do you like most about Turek’s Plumbing?

It is ran by a great family and amazing people.

What do you find the most challenging?

A lot of responsibility if I forget to order or mess up!

What are 3 words to describe Turek’s Plumbing?

Flexible, innovative and fair

What drew you to the company originally? And how has Turek’s Plumbing changed since?

Tons! Turek’s is always changing to better itself and stay with the times

What is on your wish list for the next year with Turek’s Plumbing?

To become more efficient & knowledgeable on the remodel department

What is your proudest moment at work?

When I am relied on

Do you recall any embarrassing moment?

Which one? We all like to razz each other around here.

Motto or personal mantra?

He will never give me more than I can handle AND Everything happens for a reason.

What do you like to do on your days off?

What are those? J Spend time with my family.

What’s one thing on your bucket list?

Jump out of an airplane 

You’re happiest when?

When my childen are thriving.

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Fox Cities Best of the Valley

August 27th, 2015

So what really is this Best of the Valley Contest that everyone keeps talking about? Wellll….every year, the local Post Crescent newspaper runs a competition to see who can compete as the Fox Cities “Best of the Valley.” Area restaurants, shops, professional businesses, health services, and entertainment all battle it out for who the community loves the best!

This competition is a well-known yearly project that people have come to recognize when choosing their favorite places to go in the Fox Cities. The competition’s logo is displayed proudly throughout the Valley and participants run every year seeking the infamous “Best of the Valley” title.

Turek’s Plumbing has been apart of this competition for approximately 7 years, taking the title twice and placing as a finalist for several years. This year however, Turek’s is putting a twist on it!

Annually, Turek’s holds their own “Giving Back Campaign,” but for 2015 we’re mixing the two! It’s going to be our best year yet!

For every vote cast for Turek’s, we’re going to donate $1 to the Joy Rising Project, a local non-profit 501c3 organization dedicated to providing a realistic, natural looking wig hair system to those who are undergoing chemotherapy or other diseases resulting in hair loss. It’s an awesome project and we’re excited to be apart of it.

Now, what can you do you might ask? 

The contest runs SEPT. 3rd- SEPT 13th . Newspapers will include paper ballots and you can VOTE online for Turek’s Plumbing as Best of the Valley! We’re counting on you, fill out those ballots and log on to the internet. We’re not only hoping to get your vote, but the more votes we receive the more we’re going to be giving back to the community!

BONUS:  If we reach 300 votes we’ll DOUBLE the Give Back donation and if we reach 800+ votes we’re going to TRIPLE the donation!  So get online & pick up your papers. You can vote once a day! Spread the word.

But seriously, spread the word! The more you vote, the more we’ll give back to the community! We’re excited for what this year brings and we hope you are too!

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