Category: New Plumbing Installations

Posted on by

5 Signs Your Kitchen Needs To Be Redone

5 Signs your kitchen needs to be redone a beautiful kitchen | London Plumbing | Residential Plumber Services in London Ontario

Proper maintenance of your kitchen is vital, since kitchen plumbing problems can be crippling and prevent your home from running properly.

However, maintenance cannot prevent every issue, and problems can still occur when components unexpectedly fail.

As kitchens get older and need more repairs, the cost of the repairs can be higher than the cost of replacing kitchen components.

When this happens, it may be time to redo your kitchen.

If you’re considering a home kitchen plumbing renovation, you may want to consider a plumber such as London Plumbing to ensure you encounter no issues during installation.

But how do you know when it’s time to redo your kitchen?

If you’re experiencing any of the issues below, it may be time to consider renovating your kitchen.

1. Your Faucet Is Leaking

A leaky faucet can increase your water bill by wasting water. It only gets worse with time, so it needs to be dealt with quickly.

Leaky faucets are often caused by faulty o-rings or washers, but they may also be caused by mineral deposits and corrosion on internal components.

If you’re handy, you can try replacing these parts on your own, but you might just need to replace the whole faucet.

If you’re unsure, it’s always better to call a plumber.

2. Your Hot Water Isn’t So Hot

Hot water is essential for cleanliness and comfort. Cold showers are uncomfortable, and cold dishwashing isn’t as sanitary.

If you’re lacking hot water, there are a few simple fixes you can check first.

First, make sure the shutoff valve under your sink is in the correct orientation; turn it counter-clockwise as far as it can go.

Next, check your hot water heater.If it’s too small, it may not be meeting the needs of your house.

If your hot water heater is gas, the pilot light may be out, and if it’s electric, it may be a problem with the heating element.

If, after checking those items, you’re still lacking hot water, give us a call and we’ll figure it out for you.

We’ll check for mineral deposits, obstructions in your supply line, a number of other possible issues.

A beautiful kitchen and plumbing renovation | Residential Plumber Services in London Ontario

3. Your Drains Are Draining Too Slowly

Although there are a number of reasons why your sink may be draining too slowly, a clog is a likely culprit.

Determining whether the slow drainage is local to one sink or occurs across the home will help narrow down whether the drainage issue is due to a clog or a house-wide problem.

If you suspect it’s local to one sink, you can try using a liquid drain cleaner or a plunger to clear the blockage.

If that doesn’t resolve the issue, it’s time to give us a call.

4. Your Decor Is 20 Years Out Of Style

You shouldn’t expect your plumbing contractor to have a good eye for interior decor.

We know what we’re good at, and we stick with it; for the other stuff, we hire the pros.

Here at London Plumbing, we work with interior decorators in London with the experience and eye for style that we just don’t have, like MatiDesign, an interior decorator and home stager with more than 20 years of experience in the industry.

Check out her website to find out more.

5. Your Appliances Are Dying

A problem with your refrigerator or dishwasher can be catastrophic.

Your refrigerator could start leaking due to an issue with your supply line or your water supply.

An issue with your refrigerator could cause water damage from leakage, or a loss of food from cooling issues.

Dishwashers are a convenience and not essential, but if they leak or fail, it can also cause water damage.

A dishwasher could leak due to damage in the gasket around the door, supply or drainage line issues, or inlet valve issues.

Dishwashers can also experience drainage issues due to clogged drain lines, filters, or pumps.

Contact London Plumbing

If you’re having problems in your kitchen, or if it’s time to give it a facelift, contact London Plumbing today.

We’ll help you find out what the best repairs or upgrades for your individual kitchen are.

We have years of experience in the repair, maintenance, and replacement of all aspects of kitchen plumbing.

When you call London Plumbing, we’ll make sure a small leak in your kitchen doesn’t turn into a major mess.

Call London Plumbing today.

Posted on by

Top 5 Signs You Need A New Bathroom Faucet

Top 5 Signs You Need A New Bathroom Faucet | Residential Plumbing London | London Ontario Plumbing

Admit it, the last time you were at a nice restaurant, you got a little jealous of the taps in their bathrooms.

Bathroom taps are often overlooked when you’re at home, but there’s no time like the present to update yours and get you noticed by your guests.

Keep in mind you may want a consult on the best types of new faucet installs in advance of choosing your stylish new tap, to make sure you don’t run into issues when you’re assembling the plumbing or running it for the first time.

Here are the top 5 signs you need a new bathroom faucet.

1. It’s Getting Rusty Or Grimy

The good news is you’ve probably gotten your money’s worth from your tap, if it’s got to the point where there’s rust and grime.

When your grimy tap starts getting rusty, it can mean it’s in its death throes, especially if it has already progressed to the point of corrosion.

However, rust and corrosion can also lead to leaks – before this happens is the best time to start looking for a new hardware.

If you’re experiencing rusty fittings, hiring a plumber means you can also have any iron fittings replaced, so your new faucets don’t also get affected.

2. It’s Leaking Water Through The Handles

When you turn your taps on and off, you want the water to stop and start through the faucet, not the bottom of the tap handles, but sometimes this happens.

Leaky handles are a sign the rubber gasket is starting to degrade and needs to be replaced.

This happens because of long-term use, but it’s a good reminder that wear-and-tear affects all moving components, including taps.

3. It Won’t Stop Dripping

A lot of households experience this problem; perhaps you’ve even gotten so used to the sound of dripping from your bathroom that you have forgotten you also have this problem.

The biggest problem with dripping faucets is they can noticeably increase your water bill, which is definitely something you want to avoid.

4. It’s Causing Issues With Your Shower

Here’s a good reason to tackle your tap issue, if you enjoy your hot showers without water pressure issues.

Bathtub faucets have a diverter that you engage when you want to have water come from the shower head.

Sometimes the diverter stops engaging properly, causing water to continue to flow from the tub spout, even while it’s coming from the showerhead.

The result is usually a decreased shower flow, which is never helpful when you’ve got a head full of shampoo suds.

We certainly recommend you bring in a plumber to help with this issue; London Plumbing has helped many households in fixing this problem, and because we are local, we can be there for you in a jiffy.

5. It’s Just Old And Ugly

Going back to those sexy restaurant fixtures – you don’t have to spend a fortune to have taps you’ll love to use.

Sometimes all a bathroom needs is a new shower curtain and some shiny new faucets; set yourself a budget and then start keeping an eye out for deals.

It’s easy to capture that vacation or spa feeling in your home by changing out ugly old taps and getting an essential oil diffuser, at a fraction of the cost of a real vacation.

Contact London Plumbing

London Plumbing has years of experience installing and fixing plumbing hardware such as faucets.

Because there can be issues waiting for you behind your tub faucets or under your sink, we do recommend having a plumber install your new hardware.

When you call London Plumbing, we’ll make sure a small upgrade doesn’t turn into a huge bathroom reno down the road because of unnoticed plumbing problems.

Call London Plumbing to consult on what taps work best for your setup, or to have a look at your current tap issues.

We’re happy to discuss any hardware updates you have in mind, and can give you feedback on any other reno plans you might have in the future; let us help you create your at-home oasis.

Posted on by

Should You Replace Your Plumbing Fixtures?

Should You Replace Your Plumbing Fixtures? | London Plumbing | London Ontario Plumber

You know how sometimes when you’re trying to cook a meal and you put too much spice in it, you can cover up that mistake by adding something else?

And then other times you try to sprinkle a bit of salt in but then your teenage son thought it would be HILARIOUS to unscrew the cap so you end up with a pot of tomato sauce with more salt in it than there is in his tears when you tell him he’s grounded for a week, and you have to throw the whole thing out and start over again?

Plumbing is like that.

Sometimes you can repair an old plumbing fixture. There’s nothing really wrong with it other than maybe a small part – in that case, a general residential plumbing repair company can help you.

But other times it’s so messed up that you just need to throw the whole thing out and start fresh.

The only real way to know is to give us a call so we can check out the problem and let you know what to do. But here are some telltale signs.

Cracked Toilet

Toilets are pretty tough. After all, they’re designed to hold the weight of everyone from your super skinny cousin Felicia to your big uncle Al. Really, the porcelain parts of a toilet should last pretty much forever. But if for some reason the porcelain does crack (like if you just broke through the wall you were hiding in so Trinity and Neo can get away, and you just got the hell beaten out of you by Agent Smith) there’s nothing you can do.

How did you crack the porcelain anyway?

Never mind, I probably don’t want to know.

But if it’s cracked then you need to replace your toilet.

Broken Flushing Mechanism

Every toilet has a flushing mechanism built into it (shocking I know). This mechanism has a lot of moving parts and it’s not easy to replace these individually. Basically when your flushing mechanism breaks you need to replace the whole thing.

Not the whole toilet (not usually) but the flushing mechanism. If it’s broken, it might run all the time which wastes a lot of water. That’s bad for the environment and bad for your water bill!

Upgrading

I once saw someone who tried to paint their toilet. And I guess that’s… kind of cool if that’s what you’re going for. But it only works if you want to do some crazy design on it. If you paint it a solid colour it’s going to look horrible. Trust me.

If you’re remodeling and your toilet no longer fits with your washroom, go ahead and replace it. Don’t paint it.

Some people might think it’s wasteful to replace a toilet. Sometimes it is. But sometimes you can replace your toilet with a better model that uses less water, which actually makes it less wasteful.

What About Faucets?

Most leaky faucets are pretty easy to repair. Swap out a broken part for a new one, Bob’s your uncle. But most people like to replace their broken faucets since they’re not very expensive, and if one piece broke on your faucet chances are more parts are going to go soon.

Other people just don’t like their faucet anymore. They think it’s ugly, or it doesn’t fit with their new kitchen or washroom. In that case, go ahead and replace it.

Need Help Replacing Your Fixtures?

If you’re planning on replacing your plumbing fixtures, we can help. Give us a shout here at London Plumbing.

Posted on by

How To Replace A Toilet

How to Replace a Toilet | London Plumbing | London Ontario Plumber

Is your toilet old, cracked, or ugly? Does it waste more water than a sprinkler system left on all day just to water someone’s lawn? Did you win a new toilet in the company raffle and now you don’t know what to do with it?

If so, here’s a handy guide to replacing your own toilet.

Now look – it’s best if you give us a call before replacing your toilet. Let a professional residential household plumbing contractor take care of it. So you might think it’s a little weird that we have this article on here in the first place.

And I’d rather you call us. You’ll save yourself a lot of headaches. But if you’re the type of person who’s going to do it yourself anyway – because you like to tinker and learn how stuff works, you want to save some money, or you’re just too stubborn to ask for help – then you may as well at least read an article on it from someone who knows what they’re doing.

So here’s how to install a toilet.

Step 1: Turn Off The Water

If you didn’t know that this is THE VERY FIRST STEP when you replace any plumbing fixtures, stop what you’re doing and call us. Seriously, this one’s a no brainer. Undoing your old toilet with the water turned on will be a complete nightmare for you.

Step 2: Drain The Tank

Flush the toilet to empty the toilet out. If you turned the water off properly, it shouldn’t fill itself back up. Soak up anything that doesn’t drain out with a rag – you want it as bone dry as possible.

Step 3: Remove The Tank

Disconnect the water supply line underneath the tank and the flapper chain inside the tank. Then unscrew the bolts holding the tank in place and remove it.

Stick it outside, or lay down an old towel and put it on there.

Step 4: Remove The Bowl

Unscrew the bolts on the floor holding the bowl in place. Then rock it back and forth a bit to loosen it up. Pick the bowl up and carry it outside or put it on the towel. I hope you don’t plan on using that towel again, because the wax on the bottom of the bowl is going to ruin it.

Step 5: Clean The Drain

The drain hole is going to have some wax left over on it. Clean away as much of it as you can. Check out the bolts too – if they’re rusty, you should replace them.

Step 6: Get The New Toilet In Place

Get out your new wax ring and attach it to the bottom of your toilet. Then get ready to line up the ring with the drain and with the two bolts sticking out of the floor.

You only get one shot at this, so if you miss you need to get a new wax ring. There are no second chances here.

Once it’s in place, rock it back and forth to seal it in place, then bolt it down

Step 7: Attach The Tank

Remember how you removed the tank? Yeah do all that again, but in backwards order.

Step 8: Reattach The Water

Once it’s finished, test for leaks. Be ready with some old towels to soak the water up in case of emergency.

What Can Go Wrong?

This might seem like a simple process, and it kind of is. As far as plumbing installs go, a toilet is one of the easier ones. But that doesn’t mean it’s idiot proof.

If you read this and it still doesn’t make sense, it’s probably best for you to call a professional plumber, like the team we have here at London Plumbing. We can help you install your new toilet, sink, bathtub, or any other plumbing fixture you’re planning on replacing.