Author: infogenix

The Importance of Testing Well Water

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Not all homes in Silver Spring and Montgomery County have access to a municipal plumbing system. These homes instead rely on drawing their water from the ground well. Our plumbers are familiar with the plumbing systems necessary to keep water flowing from a well and into a home’s freshwater pipes. We work with well pumps, so if your home uses a well and you’ve experienced issues with a drop in water pressure, contact our team. They can help with fixing your well pump or replacing it if necessary. Our regular maintenance will see that your well pump continues to work at its best.

Today, however, we’re going to address another important concern with wells, and one that our professionals can help you with as well: water testing.

Regular Water Testing Is Vital for Wells

The water that comes from the municipal system must go through a treatment plant first to remove contaminants such as bacteria and lead. But water from wells doesn’t go through a treatment plant, which often makes it necessary for a homeowner to have a water treatment system in place to remove pollutants. There is a danger of harmful impurities entering a well through ground seepage.

Here are some of the specific concerns with well water that testing will find:

  • Hard water minerals: The minerals that cause hard water are principally magnesium and calcium. This is the most common problem found in well water, and happens because of water passing through limestone and gypsum. Hard water isn’t known to cause negative effects on health, but it will cause damage to pipes and water-using appliances.
  • Nitrogen: Nitrogen compounds enter the ground water through a number of sources, such as fertilizers, manure, sewage, and landfills. Common kinds of nitrogen in ground water are ammonia and nitrates. Nitrates are especially harmful to children under 6 years old.
  • Bacteria: Many types of dangerous bacteria can enter through water seepage. coli is only one example of dangerous coliform bacteria that can enter your water.
  • Sulfur: Sulfide and sulfates in water creates the “rotten egg smell” from well water. They can cause plumbing damage from corrosion and cause stains on clothing.

How Often to Schedule Well Water Testing

The National Ground Water Association recommends that well owners have water testing from professionals done once a year. They recommend testing more often if a homeowner notices specific issues with the water, which includes changes in taste and appearance, or if the property has recently had a septic system problem. Homes with infants or young children may often need to have more frequent water testing because children are at a higher risk from waterborne pollutants.

If you haven’t had water testing for your well in over a year, call our offices today to schedule your water testing in Chevy Chase, MD.

Water Testing Is a Good Idea for Any Home

We’ll close out this post with the reminder that testing water for a home, regardless of whether that water comes from a well or the municipal system, is a good idea. The water that comes through civic pipes can pick up lead, chemicals, hard water minerals, and other harmful pollutants. Thanks to our professional testing, you can find the water treatment system that will provide your house with healthy water.

Mallick Plumbing & Heating is the Contractor of Choice! Contact us for all your plumbing needs.

Commercial Grease Traps: Why They’re Important

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A lot of grease goes down the drains in the kitchen of a home, which can sometimes end up creating clogging issues. However, this is nothing compared to the fats, oils, and grease that flow down the drains in a food service establishment. From commercial cafeterias to small restaurants, grease is a serious issue that must be addressed differently from what is found in a residential kitchen.

What a Commercial Grease Trap Does

A commercial grease trap is a device that separates out fats, oils, and grease (hereafter known as FOG) from the wastewater that goes down drains in a business. The grease trap is sometimes located under a counter, but it may also be buried outside the property for larger businesses. The water passes through a series of chambers where the FOG is allowed to rise to the top and separate from the water. The FOG is collected, and the wastewater continues into the sewer system.

Why This Is Important

A grease trap will help a business keep its drains clean and reduce the risk of clogs starting. But that’s not the primary purpose of a commercial grease trap. It’s there to protect the municipal sewer and plumbing from excess grease that can create massive clogs throughout the sewage system.

Most municipal health codes require a food service company to have grease traps in place. Not having a grease trap, or having a clogged or broken one, can result in a health code violation that will shutter a business. You don’t want that to happen!

Contact Us for Commercial Grease Trap Services

Our team of commercial plumbers is experienced with installing, replacing, and maintaining grease traps. We’ll put in a new one if you need it to see that you’re up to code, and we’ll also see the routine cleaning necessary for your establishment to pass regular health inspections.

Mallick Plumbing & Heating is the Service Contractor of Choice in Bethesda, MD. We offer 24-hour service.

Why Do Slab Leaks Happen? | Mallick Plumbing & Heating

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One of the most important services that our plumbers offer to customers in Silver Spring, MD and throughout Montgomery County is leak detection. The majority of the plumbing in your house is hidden from sight, and that makes it difficult to tell exactly where (or even if) a leak is occurring. It takes skilled plumbers with the right type of detection equipment to pinpoint where the leak is so it can be repaired or the pipe replaced with the least amount of damage possible.

One particular kind of pipe leak is especially tricky to locate and fix: the slab leak. This refers to a pipe leak in the concrete foundation of a home, either in the cold water or hot water lines. (About 80% of the time the leaks are in the hot water lines.) These leaks not only waste a significant amount of water, but they can also lead to structural damage to the house and the development of harmful mold and mildew. Leaks in the hot water lines also lead to the water heater wasting power.

Our plumbers use special equipment such as listening discs, ground microphones, and thermal scanners to find where slab leaks are happening. Fixing a slab leak sometimes involves using a jackhammer to reach the pipes, but less invasive methods such as lateral digging to create a bypass pipe are often possible.

But Why Are These Buried Pipes Leaking in the First Place?

Isn’t a pipe that’s placed down in thick concrete protected from damage? Not really. There are a number of different causes of pipe leaks down in the foundation of a house:

  • Abrasion: Pipes sometimes rattle around as water moves through them. This is not so much because of the movement of the water; it’s the change in temperature causing the pipe to expand and contract. This motion can make the outside of the pipe scrape against the concrete, abraded it until it wears away enough for leaks to start. This is one of the reasons that hot water slab leaks are more common: the expansion from heat causes these pipes to shift around more.
  • Corrosion: Older homes have pipes made from metal that can corrode. And this includes copper, which is corrosion resistant—not corrosion proof. Chemical in the water can trigger corrosion, as can contact with wires that create electrolysis in the pipe. In some cases, it’s a better long-term solution to have repiping done rather than the leaks repaired.
  • Ground shifting: A foundation for a home isn’t as stable as you might think. We don’t have earthquakes here like in California, but all it takes is storm weather to shift the soil just enough that the foundation will place pressure on a pipe and break it. This can also occur because of construction mistakes. This kind of slab leak is often the worst since it can cause extensive flooding.

If you have any reason to suspect that there’s a slab leak in your house (high water bills, cracks in the basement floor, odd behavior from the water heater) you only need to contact our plumbers for the repairs that will take care of it.

Mallick Plumbing & Heating is the Service Contractor of Choice! We’re here for all your plumbing needs in Silver Spring, MD.

Ways to Tell It’s Time to Schedule Water Testing

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Water testing does a thorough job of finding out if the water in a home contains unhealthy pollutants. The testing usually takes around a week: a team of professionals comes to the house to take samples from different water sources in the house, and then sends them to a lab. A week later, the lab results return, and the professionals go over the report with the homeowners and offer suggestions for how to improve water quality.

We’re proud to offer water testing services, as well as filters, UV water purifiers, water softeners, and reverse osmosis systems to purifier a home’s water. If you aren’t sure if you should have water testing done, here’s a few ways to tell the time has come:

1. You’ve never had water testing before

Yes, the easiest sign that you need water testing is that you simply haven’t had it done. Almost any home can benefit from water testing—and even if the testing doesn’t find issues that need addressing, you’ll be glad to have the peace of mind.

2. Your water comes from a well

It’s essential to have your water tested regularly (as in once a year) if you receive the water from a well rather than the municipal system. The water from a well doesn’t go through a treatment plant, and there could be numerous ground contaminants in it.

3. High turbidity in the water (i.e. the water looks cloudy)

If you look at a glass of water poured from one of the taps, and it appears cloudy, which means there’s high turbidity in the water. Testing will find out what is causing this and what to do about it.

4. A change in water taste or smell

Unpleasant metal tastes or rotten-egg odors in the water are warnings of problems such as heavy metals and sulfides.

5. Film and build-up over fixtures and surfaces

When water starts to leave a detectable film across surfaces (most noticeable on glass), then it’s likely you have hard water. Hard water also leaves flaky deposits on fixtures and can bleach out colors from clothing in the laundry.

Times When a Tank Water Heater Is a Good Installation Choice

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We’re proud to offer a number of excellent alternate options when it comes to water heaters. The standard for most homes is a storage tank water heater, but now there’s the choice of a tankless water heater or a heat pump water heater. Both offer many benefits, such as cutting down on energy use and enjoying longer service lives.

In fact, when you look over all the benefits of these types of water heater, it might seem like there’s no reason to go with the conventional storage tank model. However… this isn’t exactly the truth.

No Two Homes have the Same Water Heater Needs

Deciding on the best water heater for a home isn’t something that should be done without careful consideration and the input of professionals. For example, although tankless and heat pump water heaters have the potential to save money through their energy-efficient performance, there isn’t a guarantee that they’ll save a home money over the long run. It depends on water use patterns. And because these two types of water heaters are more expensive to install, it’s possible they won’t pay back their costs compared to a less expensive tank water heater.

One area where a tank water heater has a special advantage is that it can take much more concentrated use compared to other systems. It’s easy for a tankless system to become overwhelmed, struggling to keep heating sufficient water when there are multiple taps on. If your household uses a large amount of hot water, it sometimes more advisable to go with a standard tank model.

Another thing to consider is the hot water plumbing. Changing to a new type of water heater may require re-piping to accommodate it. If you stay with a tank water heater, installing it is a much simpler job.

To make certain that you have the best possible water heater to meet your home’s needs, speak to our water heater specialists.

Mallick Plumbing & Heating is the service contractor of choice in Potomac, MD.

Is It Time for a New Garbage Disposal?

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You probably think of a garbage disposal as a pretty tough item in your kitchen: it can take anything you put in it, and it will keep working for many years without problems.

But although garbage disposals are durable, they won’t last forever. There’s no such thing as “the last garbage disposal you’ll ever need to buy.” At this time of year, after a holiday season when your disposal went through a great deal of work, you should size up the system’s performance and weigh whether it is time to replace it.

Below are some ways you can tell that you should contact us to replace your sink disposal. Our plumbers are ready to help with the garbage disposal services you need.

You need to hit the “reset” button regularly

The reset button on the bottom of the disposal unit is one you should only need to press on occasion—after a heavy clog, for example. If you have to reset the disposal on a regular basis, it probably means the motor is worn down and close to failing.

Food takes longer to grind

When it takes much longer than it used to for the disposal to clear out the food in the hopper, the grind ring or the impellers are wearing down. You can’t “sharpen” the blades (there aren’t any sharp blades in the disposal, only the blunt impellers), so it’s usually best to get a new unit.

Clogs are common

If the drain with the disposal is experiencing clogs on a regular basis, it may be because the disposal isn’t grinding as well as it used to. If you have a newer disposal, the problem may be that its capacity is too small for your needs.

Major leaks

Leaks around the disposal, such as the sink flange, can be costly and difficult to repair. In some cases, it’s less expensive to have a new disposal put in. Ask your plumber for advice about how to proceed.

Mallick Plumbing & Heating is the service contractor of choice in Rockville, MD, and the surrounding areas.

Problems You May Encounter with Your Home’s Grinder Pump

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The grinder pump is a part of the sewer system for many homes. Essentially, it functions similar to a garbage disposal, except it is more powerful and located farther along in the plumbing in a tank buried under your property. When the wastewater exiting your home reaches a set level, the pump turns on to move the water toward the civic sewer system—while also grinding down larger solid waste to prevent problems in the municipal sewer lines.

As with any mechanical device that handles a great deal of work around the year, a grinder pump can experience malfunctions. Below are three of the more common grinder pump issues you might run into. Call for professional plumbers when any of these occur!

  • Frozen pump: Your grinder pump is buried down in the ground at a level below the frost line to prevent it from freezing during our chilly winters. However, a frozen pump can still occur for a pump that wasn’t placed deep enough. This will freeze the waste inside and stop the pump from working. It can also inflict serious damage to the pipes. Professionals can solve the problem and bury the pump deeper.
  • Blockage: Grease and dirt can build up in the grinder pump, and create blockage. If you notice slow drains or a large number of clogs—or sewage backs up into your home—then call immediately for professional plumbers.
  • Clots: A large enough item becoming stuck inside the pump will then allow smaller items to build up. The pump will start to work slower or make loud noises. Plumbers will need to clear out the clotting before the pump breaks down.

Not all plumbing companies offer repair and other services for grinder pumps. But we do! You can rely on us to handle any repairs that your home’s grinder pump may require to get it back to work. We can also replace the grinder pump if that’s what is needed.

Mallick Plumbing & Heating is the service contractor of choice in Chevy Chase, MD, and the surrounding areas.

Is It Time to Replace Your Gas Boiler?

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It’s already winter, and if you have a gas boiler to deliver comfort to your house, you’ve probably already had it running for a few days. But… will it be able to weather the weather this year? If the boiler is old enough, you may have some reservations about how much longer it’s going to last. Should you have it replaced before the winter gets colder?

Ways to Tell a Boiler Might Need Replacement

The best way to determine if a boiler has reached the end of its service is to call on a heating professional to size it up with an inspection. There are warning signs that will inform when to contact the pros:

  • Basic age: Boilers can last longer than other types of heating systems. But once a boiler gets past 20 years, it’s in a higher risk zone of developing crippling issues from leaks and corrosion. It’s a wise idea to start fresh at this point—and the new boiler will work at higher energy efficiency than the current one did when it was new.
  • Corrosion: Boilers are designed to resist the effects of corrosion for most of their service lives. When corrosion does appear, it’s often a sign that the system has worn down to the point where it ought to be retired.
  • Heating output decline: Are you starting to notice rooms are colder than they should be? Boilers aren’t supposed to leave cold spots because of the way they evenly radiate heat into rooms—so when cold spots appear, something serious might be wrong. It could be within the radiator or baseboard heater. But if the boiler is old enough, the likely cause is that it’s worn down to the point it can’t heat up the water enough for comfort.
  • Noisy operation: One of the advantages of a gas boiler for home heat is how quietly it runs. When the boiler starts to make too much noise, such as rumblings from the tank, then it may be past its prime.

Need assistance with boiler replacement in Bethesda, MD? Contact Mallick Plumbing & Heating, the Service Contractor of Choice!

Is a Heat Pump Water Heater Enough for Winter?

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We often recommend that our customers look into different options when it comes to a new water heater. The standard gas-powered or electric storage tank water heater isn’t the only choice anymore. Tankless water heaters offer advantages like unlimited hot water and high energy efficiency. And for homes that use electricity, going with a heat pump water heater is a money-saving alternative to the conventional electric water heater.

The Heat Pump Winter Dilemma

Heat pumps in general—not just water heater types, but the ones used for home comfort—come with a bit of a caveat that can worry people about whether they’ll work well enough for their needs. A heat pump operates through a process of heat transfer: it uses the circulation of refrigerant to move heat from one place to release it in another. In a heat pump water heater, the system leeches heat from the air around where the water heater is installed and moves it into the tank.

But since water heaters are usually installed in unheated parts of a house, such as a basement, where does the heat pump actually get heat when the temperature drops?

Although there is some scientific truth to this concern, in a practical application a heat pump water heater encounters no problems at operating during cold weather. There is always some heat in the air for the heat pump to access, no matter how cold it gets. Indoor comfort heat pumps can handle sub-freezing temperatures so a heat pump water heater will have no issue at all with a slightly cool basement or garage! The water heater will work all through the winter at the same energy efficiency you’re accustomed from it.

If you think that installing a heat pump water heater for your home in Silver Spring, MD or elsewhere in Montgomery County is a good idea, contact our water heater specialists and they’ll provide you with all the assistance you need.

Mallick Plumbing & Heating is the Service Contractor of Choice.

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