As a consumer, there are lots of options to choose from when a service is needed. That applies to the plumbing industry as there is no shortage of local and national plumbing companies spread throughout the United States. Examining the benefits of each one often provides a logical answer.

Customer benefits

A national plumbing company does not have to rely on regular customers. Their brand is usually enough to bring them business. But a local plumbing company depends on quality customer service for its survival. For that reason, a local plumbing company will always take additional steps because it needs local customers to support its business.

More vested

Local plumbing contractors have more vested in their projects as they can be used as referrals or turn into repeat business. These are also the businesses that pay taxes in the local community, which really binds them to their work. These local contractors may also see their clients on a regular basis, which means their reputations are at stake during each job.

Similarly, a local plumbing company has more vested in your project than just seeing it completed. If the contractor’s work meets or exceeds your expectations, then you can become a positive referral, resulting in even more local business for the contractor. Local home improvement contractors often live in the same community as the homes they remodel and can’t afford to disappoint their neighbors. Plus, they pay taxes and have a commercial interest in your community’s success.

Word of mouth

National plumbing companies have plenty of marketing funds to advertise. Their company does not have to rely on word of mouth, whereas local plumbers do. One unsatisfied customer could quickly balloon to many because of word of mouth. This is why quality is a must for local plumbing contractors. They know that and are often more accessible, flexible and outgoing to their clients.

A connection to the community

Local plumbing companies make up the fabric of a community. Since the people who run these businesses are also consumers in that same area, there is typically an extra attention to detail. That is because there is a name to go along with the face. Local plumbers can relate to their customers because they share the same community. That connection adds value.

Lay of the land

Local plumbers know the ins and outs better than a national company because of their experience. This can also lead to advice on how to maintain your plumbing, as well as insight on common plumbing problems specific to that area.

Vines Plumbing is ready to step in and be that local plumbing company you can trust.

Dear Friends,

It seems like coronavirus is all anyone can talk about — and that’s for good reason.

This virus is sweeping the globe, and has been classified as a pandemic…

Which means it’s a serious health condition that’s spreading at above-average rates, all across the world.

Now, I believe we SHOULD take coronavirus very seriously…

And I want you to know, you can take some basic steps to keep yourself and your loved ones healthy during these uncertain times.

Here’s what I recommend you do:

1. Know Your Risk

Early research out of China shows the people who are most at risk are older folks, as well as people with underlying medical conditions, like diabetes, heart disease, or respiratory issues.

So, if you fall into one of these categories, make sure you are taking EXTRA precautions during this time. Try to stay 6 feet away from other people, and practice “social distancing” as much as possible.

That means staying out of crowded public places, like malls or movie theatres… and staying at your own home as much as possible to reduce your risk.

What can you do?

2. Keep Things Clean

Clean, clean, clean! Now, you DON’T have to run out and stock up on hand sanitizer — but you SHOULD be frequently washing your hands with soap and warm water, for at least 20 seconds.

Keep your hands away from your face, mouth, and eyes to help stop the virus from entering your body.

And be sure to wipe down surfaces you touch frequently, like doorknobs, keyboards, light switches, and even your cell phone. You can use products like bleach and Lysol. If you are really concerned you can have Vines use a fogger in your home or business using a green product.

If you ARE out of your home for any reason, please avoid touching “high-touch” areas, like elevator buttons or stair railings. If you MUST touch them, use a tissue, a sleeve, or something else to put a “barrier” between your body and the surface.

And then wash your hands as soon as you’re able!

If I sound like a broken record, it’s because washing your hands is the #1 thing you can do to prevent the spread of germs. It’s THAT important!

3. What If You Get Sick?

Typical symptoms of coronavirus include coughing, fever, and shortness of breath… and these signs can show up anywhere from 2–14 days after you’re exposed.

This is another reason why it’s important to stay away from other people who may be infected — they could be sick without knowing it.

If you start to feel sick, call your doctor and let them know as soon as you can — but please, don’t drive to their office unannounced. Most of us have specific instructions from our County Health Department about where to send our patients for testing.

Be sure to follow your doctor’s orders — many people will be able to recover at home in about 2 weeks’ time.

4. Try To Keep Things Normal

It can be scary to stay at home for a long period of time… and it’s normal to feel anxious or unsure of what you can do. This is a great time to read you bible and listen to sermons online.

So, try to keep things normal as much as possible. Instead of having friends over for dinner, call them up on FaceTime and “get together” digitally. You don’t have to completely give up social connection… it just needs to look a little different for now.

If you normally take a walk after dinner, go take a walk after dinner! You can stick to your normal routine as much as possible — just try to keep at least 6 feet between you and other people. If you’re taking a walk around the block, it shouldn’t be too hard.

Yes, I’m going to do MY best to keep the same routine, too! I might even teach Stacey how to fish !!

Be careful out there, and take care of yourself. I’ll do my beat to keep you posted and remember if your in a bind Call VINES !!!

Many homeowners enjoy the benefits of a traditional tanked water heater. In addition, many people are discovering the great benefits of tankless water heaters. If your water heater is older and you want to replace it, check out these facts to determine if a tankless or tanked water heater is the right choice for you and your family.

Tankless Systems Reduce Energy Consumption

If you want to cut down on energy spending, a tankless water heater is a great choice because it can drastically reduce energy consumption.

If you use an average of 41 gallons or less of hot water per day, your tankless water heater may be 24 to 34 percent more efficient than a tanked system. If you use more water – such as 86 gallons or more per day – you may use 8 to 14 percent less energy than with a tanked system.

The biggest reason tankless systems are more efficient is because they don’t heat the water until you need it. Once you turn on the hot water, it starts getting hot. With a traditional water heater, the tank is full of hot water, which uses electricity to keep it hot. However, as long as your water heater is well-insulated, it should keep much of the water naturally hot without wasting too much energy.

Tankless Systems Come in Point-of-Use or Whole-Home

With tankless systems, you can choose a point-of-use water heater or a whole-home water heater. With point-of-use water heaters, the water heater only provides hot water to one faucet. This can help you save money if you only use hot water on some faucets, such as the washing machine, dishwasher, or kitchen sink. You can also use a point-of-use system in conjunction with a tanked water heater, especially if you have problematic faucets.

A whole-home system provides hot water to every faucet in the home, much like a traditional water heater. You can install the whole-house systems in one central location, but they take up much less room than a traditional tank.

Tanked Water Heaters Provide Instant Hot Water

The biggest benefit of having a tank of hot water is instant hot water. If you have a tanked water heater, as soon as you turn on the hot water faucet, hot water starts flowing because it comes directly from the tank. If the house uses all the hot water, you’ll have to wait for the tank to refill, but as long as you choose the appropriate size tank for your family, you shouldn’t experience a problem.

With a tankless system, the water runs over a heating device, but the heating device isn’t active until you turn on the hot water faucet. Therefore, you may have to wait for the heating device to fully warm. As a result, you may have to let cold water run for a while before the water reaches the desired temperature.

Tanked Water Heaters Are More Affordable to Purchase

Ultimately, many people choose tanked water heaters because they are more affordable to purchase and install. You can expect to pay between $300 and $3,500 for a traditional water heater and professional installation. The price depends on many factors, including the size, quality, and insulating properties.

A tankless system may cost $1,800 to $5,000 for the system and installation. Tankless water heaters tend to last longer than traditional tanked heaters, but tanked systems still last 10 to 15 years, making them an affordable investment for many homeowners.

Your home’s water heater is invaluable for providing heated water for cooking, cleaning, and bathing. However, while many people prefer a tanked system, a tankless water heater may be a great choice to consider. For more information about water heater replacement or which type of system is best for your needs, contact us at Vines Plumbing and Water Restoration today.

Mold can become an issue in your house due to water damage from plumbing issues that aren’t correctly dealt with. When you have mold in your home, it can spread quickly and lead to serious problems that affect everything from your flooring to the home’s structure.

Mold can also cause many health problems. To protect yourself, learn about mold and the ways mold in your home can affect your health.

How You Get Mold in Your Home

Mold requires certain conditions to thrive. These conditions include oxygen, warmth, darkness, moisture, and mold spores. Mold also needs a surface it can feed on such as drywall, fabric, or wood.

Many places in your home provide these conditions to mold. If moisture is introduced to a dark and warm place in your home, such as a closet, cupboard, or basement, then you can find yourself dealing with mold. If you don’t have a professional remove mold correctly in the early stages, it can cause damage to your home as it grows and lead to a variety of health problems.

What Health Problems Mold Can Cause

Some people are more susceptible to mold reactions than others. For anyone who is predisposed to mold sensitivities, mold can cause allergy-like symptoms. These symptoms include red and itchy eyes, sneezing, coughing, stuffy nose, runny nose, and rashes.

People with serious predisposed sensitivities to mold can experience more severe reactions including breathing difficulties. People with conditions such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can experience asthma attacks and serious respiratory issues.

Exposure to certain strains of mold, such as aspergillus and stachybotrys chartarum, may lead to another major health concern. These strains of mold produce mycotoxins, which cause inflammation and other issues such as a condition called toxic mold syndrome.

Toxic mold syndrome is a type of black mold poisoning. Some of the symptoms that can come from toxic mold syndrome include anxiety, insomnia, fatigue, weakness, vertigo, memory loss, confusion, lack of concentration, verbal issues, learning difficulty, digestive issues, appetite loss, skin changes, depression, and infertility.

Toxic mold syndrome can be difficult to diagnose because many of the condition’s symptoms coincide with the symptoms of other conditions, such as bipolar disorder, Alzheimer’s, obsessive-compulsive disorder, autoimmune disorder, and attention deficit disorder.

How Conditions Due to Mold Exposure Are Diagnosed

The technology for testing for many mold-related conditions is still limited. However, in some cases, mycotoxins can be found in urine. Another way to diagnose conditions like mold toxicity syndrome is with a nasal swab test, which a doctor performs to test for the presence of bacteria.

Hormone changes often take place with mold-related issues that can be picked up in blood tests. For example, a skin prick test can show an allergic reaction to mold, which can help diagnose a mold-related condition.

Negative tests don’t necessarily mean a person is free of mold-related issues. In many cases, a physician will make a diagnosis based off the patient’s symptoms and/or the fact that mold was found in their home or workplace.

How to Protect Yourself From Mold

The best way to protect yourself from mold is to keep your home mold-free. Have roof leaks repaired immediately. Also, schedule repairs for plumbing issues as soon as you find them.

If you find a leak or see signs of moisture, such as damp carpet, bubbling paint, stains on the walls, or anything else that can point to plumbing leaks or other issues, contact us to come repair those issues right away.

If you think you already have mold in your home, we can come out and remove the mold safely from your home. You won’t always be able to see mold, so call us if you notice other possible signs of mold growth, such as a musty smell or dark areas of flooring.

Nobody sets out to encourage mold growth in their home. But between using natural materials such as fabrics and wood, and putting lots of water in the air, it can happen accidentally. Here are five ways to avoid providing a utopia for unwanted mold colonies.

1. Use an Electric Dehumidifier

If you have a small house and your excess moisture is coming from the basement, a large dehumidifier unit running in your basement could help keep your humidity levels appropriate. The ideal humidity levels for avoiding mold should be below 50 percent, but don’t go below 30 percent or your skin might start drying out.

You can also purchase smaller units for individual rooms, or move the unit around to different rooms of the house as convenient.

2. Add Moisture Absorbers and Fans

A whole-house dehumidifier won’t keep moisture from collecting on a window or behind the toilet. It can make sure there’s less water available, but the water can still condense on a cool surface. For these situations, small electric fans can help keep air moving rapidly across the surface so it doesn’t have time to allow moisture to condense out.

For small, enclosed spaces, even if there’s no window pane for water to condense on, the lack of air circulation can encourage mold growth. Keeping the humidity levels even lower in these spaces (such as cabinets and drawers) can be accomplished by using individual moisture absorbers.

3. Check Humidity Levels With a Hygrometer

If you’re not sure which areas in your house are the dampest, a small, affordable hygrometer could become your new best friend. Simply place it in various spots around your house, leaving it in each spot for 24 hours and keeping track of how the humidity fluctuates, to get a baseline for the level of dampness present in each room. Then, try putting it in more isolated spots such as inside cabinets or under sinks to gauge how much higher the humidity levels are there.

4. Clean Susceptible Surfaces Frequently

Mold spores float through the air until they land on a habitable surface such as a damp wall. Then they’ll start sprouting and growing. But the more often you clean any given surface, the less time any mold spores will have to sprout and grow before you wipe them off.

Remember that cleaning to avoid mold is very different from cleanup after the fact. While you can’t simply wipe mold off after it’s started growing (it will grow back), you can clean the mold spores off with mold-killing cleaners before they’ve gotten established. If you already have visible mold growth, consider a professional remediation before the infestation worsens.

5. Leave Curtains Open (Except Shower Curtain)

Although sunlight doesn’t necessarily kill all mold (some mold is quite happy growing around the edges of a sunny window), the UV rays that it provides do have a generalized anti-mold effect. In addition, leaving thick curtains down will trap cool, wet air against the window (and any parts of the wall that it touches), making any beginning mold colonies extremely happy.

An exception to this is the shower curtain. Opening the shower curtain directly after a shower can trap water in its folds, encouraging mold and mildew there. Instead, leave the shower curtain closed (stretched out across the bathtub) until it dries.

These tips will help you control the environment inside your house so that the mold spores floating through the air are less likely to find a perfect home behind your furniture or under your sink. If you need help with mold cleanup beforehand, give Vines Restoration Plumbing HVAC a call today.

One of the most likely places you’ll discover mold in your home is the basement. Your home’s basement is often dark, undisturbed, and naturally moist due to being underground in your home’s foundation, creating the ideal breeding ground for mold spores.

The key to keeping your basement mold-free lies in knowing how to identify a mold problem, treating affected areas effectively, and preventing mold growth in the future. Read on to learn how to manage mold in your basement. You can use this advice for other mold-prone parts of the home as well, such as your attic and garage.

Identify Mold in the Basement

Mold carries a particular odor, often smelling like wet dirt or an old, musty rag. You’ll notice this smell in damp areas of your basement, such as in corners, under the stairs, or near windows where moisture is likely to get in. Mold will also grow around exposed pipes.

Not all mold is black in appearance: you may see mold in your basement — or stains from mildew — that is brown, yellow, tan, pink, or green in color. Mold comes in many forms, including large uneven shapes or small dots lining walls and exposed flooring. Mold will grow nearly anywhere in the basement as long as there is humidity, including along cement and brickwork.

Treat Mold in the Basement

The first way to treat a mold problem in your basement is to identify the type of mold existing in your home. Several species of mold are common to houses, including black or toxic mold. A mold remediation specialist will identify the type of mold you are dealing with. Black mold should always be treated by a specialist.

Some species of mold, such as aspergillus, are relatively harmless and easy to get rid of with ammonia or other chemical treatment. However, treating mold on your own poses a health risk to you and your family if you don’t use the right treatments or don’t have enough ventilation in your basement to prevent spreading mold spores.

That’s why you should leave mold remediation to a professional. A water damage restoration contractor will assess your basement’s mold damage and remove all traces of mold from your home.

Prevent Mold in the Basement

Prevent mold growth by providing ventilation to keep the air dry. Install ceiling or wall fans, crack open windows, and wrap exposed pipes with insulation to prevent condensation buildup and in turn help avert future mold growth. If your climate is naturally humid, place a dehumidifier in your basement to manage humidity in your home.

If moisture is getting into your home from outside, replace or repair rain gutters and place gravel around your home’s foundation. You can also waterproof basement walls with a special material to keep mold at bay.

Your water damage restoration contractor will identify where and how moisture is getting into your basement as part of your mold remediation process. Follow your expert’s advice for keeping your basement dry to keep mold from returning.

If mold is a consistent problem in your basement, have your contractor visit your home periodically to check for new mold spores. Keeping on top of a mold problem may take more than one professional treatment, particularly if you have a very damp basement that floods or leaks easily.

Mold is a common household concern and managing the fungi is difficult to do on your own. Our team of experts at Vines Restoration Plumbing HVAC are able to identify and treat your basement’s mold problem. Call us to schedule a consultation for mold remediation and restoration services today.

You’ve toured home after home, searching for your dream property. Now that you’ve found a house that has the perfect number of bedrooms, a backyard for your pups to run free, and closets that you can actually walk into, you’re ready to put down an offer.

Before you sign anything, every would-be homeowner needs to make sure that the property isn’t just everything you want aesthetically. The home also needs to have a full inspection. Water damage is sneaky in the way it can hide in almost plain sight. If you notice suspicious stains or any other possible water damage red flags, you need to take caution before moving on to the next step in the home buying process.

What should you do if you think your potential home has water damage? Take a look at how you can protect yourself and your investment.

Visual Inspection
Knowing what to look for when it comes to water damage is a step in the right direction – that is, if you want to uncover a potential problem before making a hefty down payment. Even though you may not have expert knowledge, you can still visually inspect the home for noticeable signs.

What are the symptoms of water damage? Look for peeling or flaking paint, moist or wet patches on the walls, or walls that are bowed. Keep in mind, peeling paint and damp walls aren’t always the result of water damage from a plumbing problem, leak, or flood. These symptoms also show up if the air is too humid or when paint or plaster is incorrectly applied.

Along with peeling, bowed, or wet areas, you may also see dirty or stained marks from dried water or mold. Even though the home may seem dry, these leftover telltale signs indicate that, at some point, the home may have had water damage. If that damage wasn’t handled correctly – that is, by a restoration expert – the home may have lingering problems that you’ll have to deal with as the new owner.

Professional Inspection
Along with inspecting the home yourself, hire a professional inspector to assess the possibility of water damage. Not only will the inspector note areas of water damage, but they can also help determine what’s causing the issue.

An issue such as this has many possible causes. Anything from a slowly leaking pipe to a previous flood during a rainstorm can result in water damage. The inspector will review the home’s systems, as well as its exterior and interior components. This helps the professional determine the extent of the damage and what issues are at fault.

Post-Inspection
The home-buying process isn’t an overnight or instant event. It takes time. What started with a water damage question following your own inspection may have turned into a water damage confirmation after the professional inspection. After you’ve received the full report from the home inspector, it’s time to decide whether you want to buy the property or not.

Some types of water damage are fairly minor and won’t require extensive repairs. A patch of peeling paint following a one-time washing machine leak or a stain after the dishwasher overflowed are more of aesthetic issues than functional problems. But if the inspector feels that the cause behind the damage is ongoing (such as a leaking pipe) or has left behind wood rot or mold that you’ll have to repair, you may be looking at an expensive fix.

You have a few different options after getting the not-so-good news that the home has extensive or ongoing water damage problems. You can walk away and keep the search for your dream home going. If that’s not an option, you can get a repair estimate from a restoration company.

A professional contractor can plan a safe, appropriate fix and provide you with a price. In some cases, the seller will agree to pay for the costs.

Does your would-be new home have water damage? Contact Vines Restoration Plumbing HVAC for more information.

Your home’s water heater is one of the main components of your plumbing system, and it works to provide hot water to all of the faucets and other water-using appliances in your home. There are several different types of water heaters available, each of which operates in a different manner to perform the same function.
Understanding the differences in each type of water heater and what they have to offer your home’s plumbing can help you figure out which variant is the right choice for your plumbing needs.

CONVENTIONAL WATER HEATERS

Conventional water heaters use a large storage tank with an installed heating element to keep a supply of hot water at a constant temperature, able to be used at any time. They are the most affordable type of water heater on the market and can provide hot water to multiple sources at once.
However, conventional water heaters do require time to recharge once all of your hot water has been used. This can be offset by installing a larger tank, but that will take up more space within your home. Conventional water heaters are also not very energy efficient and can drive up your monthly electrical bills.

TANKLESS WATER HEATERS

As their name would suggest, tankless water heaters do not have a large storage tank to hold hot water in. Instead, they heat water up on demand. This means that they will not have to constantly cycle on and off to maintain a supply of hot water, which can save you money on your energy bills each month.
Further, their lack of a tank means that they take up much less room, which makes them ideal for smaller houses and apartments that don’t have the storage space for a conventional water heater.
However, tankless water heaters do represent a higher initial investment than conventional water heaters do, which means that they won’t be able to fit into every budget. Further, the fact that they heat water on demand means that they can have issues supplying hot water to multiple faucets or appliances at once, which can limit their effectiveness in larger homes.

SOLAR WATER HEATERS

Solar water heaters are designed to save you even more energy than tankless water heaters. Solar heaters use solar panels installed outside or on top of your home to generate power which then heats water in a conventional hot water storage tank.
This method of heating water can eliminate – or at the very least severely reduce – your energy bills each month.
However, solar water heaters are extremely expensive compared to other variants, as they require their own infrastructure to be installed in the form of solar panels and specialized electrical equipment. They also take up a great deal of space both within and outside of your home, and they require constant maintenance to ensure that the solar panels are kept in good condition.
There’s also the obvious downside that solar water heaters are only well-suited for consistently sunny climates; colder and cloudy areas just won’t generate enough power to provide an adequate amount of hot water.

HEAT PUMP WATER HEATERS

Heat pump water heaters work by moving heat from outside of your home into the hot water storage tank and don’t actually make use of a heating element to heat up water. This makes them extremely energy efficient and more reliable than solar water heaters.
However, heat pump water heaters work fairly slowly and are only well-suited for climates that do not have cold winters. While they may be energy efficient, they can have trouble heating up large quantities of water. Because of this, they are usually installed as hybrid units so that a conventional heating element or tankless water heater can take over when they are not able to generate enough heat.
For any questions that you may have about your home’s water heater or if you have any other plumbing concerns, please feel free to contact us at Vines Restoration Plumbing HVAC.

Annual checkups are recommended for a variety of household systems; and even if you remember to get your AC system checked at the beginning of every warm season, you may not realize that your plumbing system needs to be regularly maintained as well. Unlike your AC, your plumbing system works year-round and accumulates constant wear and tear.

So whether you decide to have your system inspected and cleaned as part of your spring cleaning or in the fall before winter storms can burst any unprotected pipes, there are a number of factors in your plumbing system that require a professional checkup each year. Here are a few examples.

1. Water Heater

Sometimes water heater problems can sneak up on you. For example, if there’s sediment buildup in the tank, you might not notice that your system is sounding more rumbly than it did a few months ago – after all, each day sounded about the same as the day before.

A plumbing inspection includes water heater checkups, and a plumbing technician can find and diagnose problems such as sediment buildup, thermostat problems, valve problems and leaks in a tank easier than you could on your own.

A technician can also help you with problems that are just annoying, such as slightly-too-high water pressure. A technician can also perform regular maintenance services such as flushing out the tank and putting in a new anode rod, meaning there will be less maintenance work for you later.

2. Sump Pump

Your sump pump probably doesn’t get used often, especially during the less-stormy times of the year. However, after months of inactivity, some sump pumps may develop a malfunction. You can’t be sure yours will work perfectly just because it did so last year.

Instead, including the sump pump in your annual plumbing maintenance and inspection visit will help ensure that it’s in good working condition next time there’s a storm.

Although there are several maintenance tasks you can do yourself, such as cleaning out the pump screen, a professional inspection will include testing of the alarm and backup power, checking for functional valves and correct pit size and more, so you don’t have to worry about those maintenance tasks unless you want to.

3. Water Pipes

Not all homeowners realize this, but your water could be negatively affecting your pipes in a variety of ways. For example, if the water is too hard, it could be causing a layer of lime scale to build up on the inside of your pipes, which can gradually reduce their diameter until no water can get through at all.

On the other hand, if your water softener is too strong, the chemicals might damage your pipes as well. In addition, a too-high or too-low PH can also have ill effects, causing erosion or other problems.

So no matter what type of water you have – well water or city water – an annual inspection to make sure your pipes are in good health is ideal.

The plumbing inspection will also include checking for any drips, slow leaks and other “small” problems that could develop into very large problems at some point during the next few years. Having a professional look at your pipes can be very helpful that way.

As you can see, there are a number of reasons that annual inspections are recommended for your plumbing system. These few examples show that there’s a lot that can go wrong if you don’t stay up to date with upkeep.

If you’d like more info about plumbing maintenance or if you’d like to schedule a repair or maintenance visit, contact the experts at Vines Restoration Plumbing HVAC today via our website.