eIt's fall and that means the holidays are coming up fast.  Dining rooms will soon be filled with family and friends and our kitchens will be getting a workout.

One of the reasons that fall is such a busy time for plumbers is that folks end up putting all kinds of things down garbage disposals that are better used for compost.  Here's a short list of foods that should not be sent down the disposal:

• Fibrous foods
  • celery stalks
  • onions
  • artichoke leaves or hearts
• Grease/lard (if you do spill some in your sink, immediately rinse with soap and cold water)
• Foods that can turn into a paste
  • pasta
  • rice
  • beans
• Very hard foods
  • bones (great for compost)
  • large fruit pits (ex: peach, avocado)
• Foods that can turn into a sand-like texture
  • egg shells (excellent for compost)
  • coffee grounds (great for compost!)
• non-food items
  
  

Now that you know what not to send down, how do you properly use a disposal?

• Turn a steady stream of cold water on first, then turn the disposal on.
• Run cold water down the disposal while it's in use.  Keep the water on for at least 15 seconds after food has cleared the disposal.
• Send through small amounts of small pieces of food at a time.  Don't fill up the whole disposal all at once.
• Keep your disposal clean.  Run water and a little dish soap, a few lemon or orange peels or ice through every now and then.
• Use the disposal on a regular basis to prevent rust and corrosion.

If you're disposal clogs up or stops working, give us a call, we're happy to come out and help.

All dad jokes aside, how neat is this thing? Cold water goes in, magic happens, and hot water comes out in an unending flow.

There's a lot to think about when considering if you want to convert your home to a tankless water heating system. It's a wonderful luxury to have an endless supply of hot water "on tap" but before you jump in and make the change, ask yourself these questions:

Why do you want a tankless system? 

• Do you want hot water faster?  If so, tankless is not the answer. 
  Hot water will still need to run through the lines and heat them up on the way to your faucet.  There are whole house circulation systems that can preheat lines and reduce wait time for hot water, but these require an additional installation (and run about $2,000).  There are also on-tap hot water heaters that can deliver hot water to your sink so you can have tea or ramen in moments.  These systems are relatively inexpensive but they are for small applications only.
  
  
• Are you hoping to save money on heating costs?  If so, tankless may not be the answer.
  Modern gas water heaters are efficient and cost only a few dollars per month to run.  Your savings may be minimal. 
  
  
• Are you hoping to never run out of hot water?  Tankless might be the answer.
  Sometimes, all a house needs is a larger tank, or to turn up the heat on the hot water heater.  For  large families, houses with large bathtubs or homes that may have multiple simultaneous users, tankless could be a great choice.

What state is your electrical system in? 

• Will you need to rewire the house? 
  Some tankless systems require a 220v line.  Unless you are planning to upgrade your electrical system anyway, this could be a large additional expense.
  
  

Is space at a premium?

• Townhomes, lofts, tiny houses, and granny flats can all use every square inch of space they can save.  If you have a small home on a small lot, the space that a hot water heater takes us can sometimes be put to better use.
  
  

Life expectancy

• Potentially, tankless systems can last up to 20 years, double the lifespan of a conventional water heater.  This could mean that tankless systems cost less in the long run.
  BUT
• Manufacturers of tankless systems use non-standard parts and often change their design specs.  It is entirely possible that the parts you need for a minor fix wont be available in 8, 10 or 12 years down the road.
• Many models require regular maintenance (sometimes as often as every 6 months)  or the warranty is voided.  This maintenance can add up over time.
  
  

Fear of flooding

• It's true, a busted water heater can mean 40, 50 or 60 gallons of water all over the floor.  And anyone who has had to clean up a flood like that would like to avoid it again at all costs.  But the best solution to this issue is a periodic visual inspection.  Go out to the garage, take a look at the heater.  If you see rust, or if it looks saggy or just not right in any way, call a plumber to come take a look.
  
  

Now that you've noodled your way through these points, feel free to give us a call and pick our brains about tankless.  Whether your thinking of converting or if you just want to nerd out and talk about this stuff, give us a call. We are happy to help.

It's Fall in San Diego, and with it comes the last days of after-work beach trips, shorter (if not cooler) days and pumpkin spiced everything.

For plumbers, Fall is the start of the crazy holiday season, our busiest time of year.

If you're planning to host family and friends in the upcoming months, this is a great time to take a look at your pipes, sinks, toilets, and hot water heater and make sure everything is in good shape.
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Better to schedule fixes now than to end up with a flooded kitchen on Thanksgiving.
​Give us a call, we're here to help.

Ever wondered what drain pipes look like after 100 years of use?
On the left is a sample of original cast iron pipe that we removed from a historic San Diego home. On the right is a sample of the replacement pipe.
Cast iron pipes are rated for 50 years. This lucky homeowner got double the expected life out of them. If your home was built before 1967 and still has original pipes, it's worth taking a look at them to see how they're holding up.
Give us a call, we can help you out.

Who doesn't like to take a minute and chill after a hard week of work?  Our favorite food is pretty much anything Mexican.  Eric is a combo plate/burrito kind of guy, Anthony is up for anything so long as he gets his horchata, and Stasi is all about the carne asada fries - unless, of course there are fresh carnitas available (because the pig is, of course, a magical animal).

Comment below and let us know what you're favorite food is.  And if you have a line on the best Mexican food in San Diego, please share it with us!  We're always excited to try a new place.  

Besos,
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The Community Plumbing Team

What can we say?  We love what we do and we try to have fun while we do it.
​If you see our van out and around, give us a wave and say "hi" we'd love to talk with you.

With a name like Community Plumbing, it makes sense for our very first blog post to be about our mission to support the communities that we serve.

In addition to providing excellent plumbing services to our customers, our goal is to support and improve our local neighborhoods in any way that we can.  One way that we give back is through our school donation program.  It is very simple: when you hire us, designate a local school to support and we will send them a donation equal to 5% of the total cost of your job.  For example, if you're job costs $1,000, the school gets a check for $50.00.  That's it, easy peasy.

We're passionate about education.  We want our local neighborhoods to thrive.  Give us a call, let's make good happen.