Problem solving

Today, I solved three plumbing mysteries using nothing more than knowledge. And a 99 cent steak knife. Three different problems, all ongoing, and three different solutions.

1. Problem: Sewer gas smell in kitchen. Solution: Clean garbage disposer. That's not sewer gas yer smelling. Garbage disposers are your enemy. I removed the one from my own kitchen and I am still alive. Food down the drain = plumbing bills in your future.
2. Problem: Water heater won't stay lit. Solution: Dang thermal reset switch. That's an expensive lesson to learn. An alternate solution would be to never buy a water heater from Lowe's or Home Depot. I know those water heaters to be prone to problems. It costs more to have a plumber install one for you, but it's all in the warranty and service. Whirlpool, GE and the like will honor whatever it is they say they will in their respective warranties, but on their time, not yours. And sometimes they will just sent you the parts and then you pay someone to install them. And that's not cool.
3. Problem: Commode water rises in the bowl, the drains, but slowly... even after using a plunger. Solution: Clear flush jet with 99 cent steak knife. The flush jet is the small hole near the bottom of the bowl where all the water drains. Some commodes have them, some don't. If you have an older toilet, or live in an older house, this is more common. Over time, minerals in the water deposit on the inside of that flush jet and eventually clog it up. I wear long rubber gloves and use a cheap steak knife to poke the hole clean, using the serration of the knife to break the deposits free. Cheap is important when it comes to a steak knife for this application, as you want a blade that you can bend to fit your flush jet. This lesson was a bargain for the student, as she won't have to call someone next time. I even let her keep the steak knife.

I enjoy sharing my knowledge and experience with customers, even if it means they won't have to call me for that particular kind of problem ever again. Because I help them though, they always call me again. A lot of plumbing problems are simple to fix, but many are not. I would rather teach someone how to fix the easy things so that when big problems arise, they aren't broke from fixing all the little ones. And plumbing is going to be around for a really long time.

Classes are always in session and the steak knife is included in the cost of tuition for the flush jet course.