Say No Draino!

Draino and other over the counter drain openers are very corrosive and only work (if they do at all) on slow drains and on minor problems. What happens when you pour a drain opener into a drain that will not open? The drain cleaner will sit on top of the clog, eating away at your pipe and causing further damage. When the plumber comes over to fix it, he or she will then have to contend with both the original clog, and the added corrosion from the Draino.

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Looking for a quick plumbing quote or ready to schedule repairs? Reach us by filling out the form below or by calling our office.

Raleigh, NC 
P.O. Box 41432
Raleigh, NC 27629
Phone: (919) 341-1911
Fax: (919) 341-3915
Email our Raleigh plumbers
Greensboro, NC
P.O. Box 29402
Greensboro, NC 27429
Phone: (336) 338-3882
Fax: (919) 341-3915
Email our Greensboro plumbers

How Do I Shut Off My Water Heater?

No matter what water heater you buy, someday it will get old and start leaking if it isn’t replaced first. It’s very important to know how to shut the unit off in case of a leak. If you are looking at the front of the water heater, you will see two pipes at the top (most likely copper or plastic pipe).

On the pipe to the right (the cold water side), you will find a shut off valve. This may be either a gate valve (a round turning valve) or a ball valve (a handle valve). IMPORTANT: Gate valves are sometimes a bit tricky and often aren’t reliable. If you have one of these valves, slowly turn the valve clockwise until it closes. This may require several revelations. Be sure not to turn the valve too tight or with too much force.

To ensure that the hot water is shut off, go to any faucet in the house and turn on the hot water – the water should subside completely. This may take a couple of minutes. If the water doesn’t subside, leave the hot water on in the faucet, return to the water heater and listen carefully for a hissing sound coming from the valve. If you hear one, the valve has not been shut all the way – try opening and closing it several times until it closes tightly.

Video Camera Line Inspection

Video Inspections for Sewer Lines, Drains & Pipes

At Modern Plumbing & Backflow, we’re committed to providing the latest and most effective solutions to your plumbing problems. Have an unidentified sewer or drain issue? That’s where video inspections come in! With this innovative method, we’re able to pinpoint cracks and clogs in your plumbing in order to recommend the best course of action.

Our Greensboro and Raleigh plumbers use specialized cameras to see inside your home’s plumbing system, inspecting even the hardest to reach spots in your sewer line. Our high tech equipment allows us to determine the exact cause of pipe breakage and solve the problem effectively, whether it requires minor sewer line repairs or a total replacement.

If you suspect a breakage in your home sewer line, drains or plumbing system, call Modern Plumbing & Backflow for a video inspection. You can count on us for competitive pricing and fast service.

Based in Greensboro and Raleigh, NC, our experienced plumbers perform video sewer and drain inspections in Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary,Clayton, Wake Forest, Holly Springs, Greensboro, Winston Salem, Burlington, High Point and the surrounding areas.

Happy Valentines Day!

Happy Valentines Day from all of us at Modern Plumbing and Backflow!

 

Help Us Help You!

One of the best ways we improve our service is by reading customer feedback. We're constantly looking to better ourselves and you can help us do that! Just by clicking the link here you can be apart of our growth. You can leave a star rating and any comments you have regarding our business. We really appreciate your time.

You Can Count On Us

In the fast paced food service industry, there’s no time to wait for repairs. Whether it’s a clogged drain, faulty grease trap or bathroom repairs, Modern Plumbing & Backflow is there when you need us.

Our Raleigh and Greensboro restaurant plumbers offer quick, reliable service so even if a problem strikes, you can keep business humming along as usual. We’ve got the technology and know-how to provide you with effective plumbing installations, repairs, inspections and more.

Leaky Faucets

A leaky faucet may cost you big money if not corrected. It’s estimated that one leak dripping at a speed of 20 drips per minute = 694 gallons of wasted water per year. And that’s just a small leak! Don’t forget that if you live in Raleigh, Durham, Greensboro or Winston Salem, your bill is split, which means that not only do you pay for the water but you also pay for the drainage on that water.

Say No Draino!

Draino and other over the counter drain openers are very corrosive and only work (if they do at all) on slow drains and on minor problems. What happens when you pour a drain opener into a drain that will not open? The drain cleaner will sit on top of the clog, eating away at your pipe and causing further damage. When the plumber comes over to fix it, he or she will then have to contend with both the original clog, and the added corrosion from the Draino.

How Do I Perform Annual Flushing and Maintenance on My Water Heater?

• Step One: Turn off your electricity or gas to water heater (electric water heaters go to your electrical breaker box , gas can be shut off at your water heater, look where your gas comes into your water heater within 3 free of where it enters the water heater you will see a shut off valve for your gas).
• Step Two: Hook a standard garden hose to the boiler drain of your water heater. (located on the very bottom of the tank.) Make sure the other end of the hose is in a safe place to drain the water heater outside your home or in a bathtub.
• Step Three: Turn on the boiler drain.
• Step Four: Run drain at full pressure for approximately 2 minutes. Then shut off  incoming water to the water heater (This is located on the cold water side of the water heater (right side at the top of the heater) see plumbing tips on how to shut down your water heater) The idea behind letting the water run at full pressure for approximately 2 minutes before you shut it down is to push out any sediment that is at the bottom of the water heater so water will drain out freely .  If you don’t run it at full pressure for 2 minutes sediment will probably clog up the boiler drain and the heater won’t drain completely .
• Step Five: After you have shut down the water heater, on the cold water side to stop the flow of incoming water  pull the T+P valve this is a spring loaded check valve on the side of the water heater aproxamtly ¾ of the way to the top. This valve may also be located at the top of the water heater. When the lever is straight out, it is open. This will allow air inside the waterheater, breaking the siphonage and allow the water to free flow.
• Step 6: Now you should have your water heater draining.  This will take approximately 15 to 20 minutes for it to completely drain. When you don’t see any more water coming out of the hose the water heater is probably drained.
• Step 7: A lot of pepole think at this point your water heater is drained and completely free of sediment, (not true). Let us pretend your water heater is a can of soda. In this example, we are going to take out 25% of the soda from the can and fill the remainder of  the can back up with sand. Then we are going to poke a little hole in the bottom of the can representing the boiler drain on the water heater. Now all of the soda will find its way out through the hole, along with some of the sand. But the majority of the sand will remain on the sides and the bottom of the can. Now how do we get the rest of the sand out?
• Step 8: Close your boiler drain and remove your hose. Then close your T +P valve, and turn the cold water valve back on. At this point, your should hear water rushing into your water heater.  (VERY IMPORTANT)  please make sure all of your faucets are off in your home except for the hot water side on your tub and tub only!  (not the shower)  After you turn on the cold water to your water heater you will hear air and burping coming from the tub spout.  This is normal this will continue for 3 -5 minutes. Then the water will run very dirty at first, continue to let it run until it runs clear. Once it runs clear shut it off.  All the dirty water that your see coming out of the tub spout is the remaining sediment in the water heater that has been pushed out by the presure of the water. The reason I suggested running the water in the tub and tub only is the tub is the only fixture in your home that doesn’t have an aerator or restrictor that can get clogged with sediment.
• Step 9: Last step, turn your electricity or gas back on to your water heater. Instruction on how to relight the water heater if it’s gas are on the side of the water heater.

Save Water When Doing Laundry

Happy New Year!

Modern Plumbing and Backflow would like to wish you and your loved ones a very happy new year!