Now is a great time to get your high-efficiency furnace tuned up for winter heating. Boston Standard Plumbing & Heating offers these tips to help you get ready for the colder fall weather. High efficiency furnaces typically take in fresh air and exhaust to the outside. High efficiency furnaces can be vented through pipes at [...]
Earthquakes In Boston? Could (And Did!) Happen!
September 2nd, 2011 · DIY Blog · DIY Heating · DIY Plumbing
Last week, there was a whole lotta shakin’ goin’ on as an earthquake centered in Virginia rattled much of the East Coast, including Boston. No significant damage to buildings was reported here, but infrequently, earthquakes can and do happen along the East Coast. When they do occur, it’s a good idea to have plumbing and [...]
Silt And Sediment Can Cause Plumbing Problems
August 25th, 2011 · DIY Blog · DIY Plumbing · Water Heaters
The Boston Water and Sewer Commission periodically does work on the water infrastructure. Local water main replacements and repairs can leave homeowners without water for a period of time, but they can also introduce silt and sediment into residential Boston plumbing once service is restored. Larger silt and sediment particles can collect in hot water [...]
Test The Pressure Relief Valve On Your Water Heater
August 18th, 2011 · DIY Blog · DIY Plumbing · Tips and Tricks · Water Heaters
Last week, I gave you a procedure to use for draining your hot water tank. You should perform water heater maintenance annually to ensure that it operates safely and efficiently, and does not accumulate sediment that can cause your water tank to fail prematurely. As part of your annual water heater maintenance routine, you can [...]
How To Drain Your Water Heater
August 12th, 2011 · DIY Blog · DIY Plumbing · Tips and Tricks · Water Heaters
Water heaters can give you years of trouble-free service, but a little water heater maintenance can help extend the life of your tank beyond its minimum rated service period. Many water tanks suffer from lack of maintenance, which can deteriorate the tank and cause it to fail prematurely. To help keep your hot water tank [...]
It’s hard to think about flooding during the driest part of a Boston summer, but this is actually a great time to protect your home against water damage. Water damage from flooding can occur with little warning, and can be the result of severe storms or plumbing problems within your home. Regardless of the water [...]
Sewer Lateral Financial Assistance Program May Fix Boston Sewer Problems
July 7th, 2011 · DIY Blog · DIY Plumbing
If you own a home in Boston, sewer problems can do more than make a mess. They can also be expensive to fix! There is a program you should know about that may help relieve the cost of fixing problems that arise with your lateral sewer connection. The lateral sewer connection is the pipe that [...]
Your home may contain an odd collection of pipes, with some runs being made of one material, and other runs being made of other materials. Often, a mixture of materials can signal problems that may have been addressed by former owners of your home in Boston. Plumbing materials have changed over time, and I thought [...]
Last week, I talked about a common plumbing problem Boston homeowners may face, the venerable clog. Most clogs are caused by attempting to flush too much material through the trapway. These kinds of clogs can be relieved with plunging. In other cases, an object becomes lodged in the trapway and can cause problems with slow [...]
Toilet Troubles: Curing Common Toilet Problems
June 16th, 2011 · DIY Blog · DIY Plumbing · Tips and Tricks · Toilets
Toilets give years of dependable and often maintenance-free service, so when problems arise, some homeowners don’t know what to do. Mechanically speaking, toilets are pretty simple devices, which is why they don’t often develop serious problems. Here are a few common toilet problems Boston homeowners may encounter, and what you can do to solve them. [...]