Metal vs. Plastic – What type of plumbing is ideal for your home?

When replacing their plumbing, homeowners in El Paso are typically asked to choose between copper and plastic pipes. Slowly but surely, plastic pipes are replacing copper pipes as the go-to plumbing standard. Despite their increased popularity, however, many people are still wary of plastic pipes. Some have concerns about health, while others are worried about reliability. The reality, though,  is that plastic pipes may be the best choice for both your home and your wallet. If you wish to replace your plumbing, and you are from El Paso, consider calling a reliable plumbing company. Don’t hesitate to contact us anytime. For more info, visit Plumber-ElPaso.com.

What You Should Know

Plastic pipes, often referred to as PEX (cross linked polyurethane), were introduced in the U.S. in the 1980s. PEX pipes were initially popular with people looking to do quick repairs on their own – PEX tubing is color-coded by water temperature, eliminating much of the guesswork for amateurs. PEX is available in almost every hardware store in El Paso.

Pros

• Repiping your home is an expensive task. New copper pipes can easily cost $10,000 or more. However, PEX pipes are typically 25 percent cheaper than copper.
• PEX pipes resistant to acidic water- contact with acid will not degrade the plastic.
• Because plastic is far more flexible than metal, PEX tubing will greatly reduce the risk of frozen pipes bursting. This flexibility also allows PEX pipes to be installed in small, tight areas that metal pipes could not reach.
• Plastic pipes do not rust and corrode over time. They will remain in pristine condition much longer than metal pipes.
• PEX pipes meet strict health and safety regulations. Chemicals like BPA will not leach into the potable water supply, making it safe to drink.
• PEX pipes are very heat-resistant and can carry both hot and cold water.

Cons

• Though PEX tubing will not burst when frozen, the plastic may crack. This may cause water to seep out over time.
• PEX pipes are not recyclable. When you are finished with them they will end up in a landfill.
• PEX is highly sensitive to UV radiation. If exposed to frequent sunlight, PEX pipes will become very brittle and will eventually rupture. This type of plumbing should only be installed for indoor use.

Plastic pipes may not be the right choice for everyone. You will need to consider your unique needs to make the best possible decision. If you are unsure, consult an El Paso plumber to help you weigh the pros and cons.

How can El Paso residents combat low water pressure?

Low water pressure can be very frustrating. Luckily, however, this can be a relatively simple problem to remedy. If you are a resident of El Paso and prefer calling a professional plumber, contact our company – Genesis Plumber.

Possible Causes

There are a few things you must check to properly diagnose the problem:

1) Check that the water meter valve is open completely. The water meter valve is one of two major valves that control water flow into residential property – if this is not open all the way water could be blocked. The water meter is typically on an outside wall.

2) Make sure that the main shut off valve is completely open. This is the second major valve that controls water flow. This valve can be found where water the water mainline enters the home, usually in the basement or garage.

3) Check to see if the pressure regulator is working properly. The pressure regulator adjusts the pressure of the water so that pipes, faucets, and other plumbing elements are not damaged. A faulty pressure regulator can greatly inhibit the flow of water into your home – the reading should be between 50 and 80 psi.

4) Compare water flow from indoor faucets with the flow from outdoor spigots. Like mainline pipes, sediment buildup in faucets can decrease water flow. If the water pressure outside is greater than it is inside, you may need to replace your fixtures.

5) If you have checked everything and are not having any luck, the problem could be with the pipes themselves. Dirt and mineral buildup can accumulate over the years and wreak havoc on your plumbing. Older homes, especially those with galvanized iron pipes, are especially prone to this. Find out when (or if) your pipes have been replaced.

Solutions

If you are experiencing any of the first four problems, you can fix your water pressure without hiring a professional.

1) If your water meter valve is not completely open, you can open it yourself. Most water meter valves have a pressure adjustment screw on top. If the screw is too loose, water flow will be very poor. To increase water pressure simply rotate the screw clockwise to tighten it.

2) To open the main shut off valve,  twist the knob counter-clockwise. This may take more than one full rotation.

3) If the pressure regulator does not show a reading between 50 and 80 psi you will need to replace it. You can do this yourself if you find the same model at an El Paso hardware store. However, if you are very inexperienced, it may be easier to hire a professional.

4) Sediment buildup in faucets is another quick – fix. After you install new fixtures you should notice a much greater water flow.

5) Unfortunately, replacing your pipes is no easy task. You will need to hire a professional plumber and obtain a permit. Total replacement can and cost $10,000 or more. Though the price is intimidating, this should be a one-time job as new pipes will last between 50 and 70 years.

If you have taken the above steps and are still displeased with your water pressure, you can install a pressure booster. This tank holds a reserve of pressurized water to mitigate low- flow. It is especially useful in larger households, where multiple faucets or showers may be running at the same time. Pressure boosters cost approximately $900 and can be found in hardware stores in El Paso or online. For more tips, visit familyhandyman.com.

How to Avoid Plumbing Scams in El Paso, TX?

Plumbіng іѕ a vеrу соmрlісаtеd tаѕk, wе all knоw that nоt everyone can do іt аnd that it requires a lоt оf knоwlеdgе аnd precision. Thеrе are аlѕо a lоt оf реорlе оffеrіng “professional” рlumbіng services both оnlіnе and оn thе phone bооkѕ. Mаnу of thеm say that thеу саn gіvе you fаѕt rеѕultѕ for less.

We highly recommend you to call a licensed plumbing company with years of experience. We are one of them – check the services we do on https://plumber-elpaso.com.

Unfоrtunаtеlу, mоѕt of thеѕе people аrе juѕt actually trуіng tо scam уоu. Thіѕ is whу уоu nееd tо rеаd оn аnd fіnd out mоrе about them.

Thе Mаtеrіаlѕ

Plumbіng mаtеrіаlѕ like hіgh quality, сорреr tubіng оr сrоѕѕ-lіnkеd polyethylene ріріng саn be very expensive, but mоѕt hоmеоwnеrѕ are willing tо рау it fоr аѕ lоng аѕ іt саn hеlр kеер thе hоmе’ѕ рlumbіng іn еxсеllеnt соndіtіоn fоr уеаrѕ. Thе scam, however, involves plumbers сhаrgіng уоu a lоt оf mоnеу аnd promising tо uѕе thе high-quality mаtеrіаlѕ, but actually uѕіng сhеар alternatives.

You саn аvоіd іt ѕіmрlу bу fіrѕt asking thе list оf аll the раrtѕ that уоur соntrасtоr рlаnѕ оn uѕіng. You can thеn tаkе the lіѕt tо уоur local hardware оr hоmе-іmрrоvеmеnt store ѕо you саn соmраrе уоur contractor’s рrісеѕ wіth thе actual рrісе аt thе store. Yоu саn also сhесk thе асtuаl materials yourself, for example on ebay.com. If you see thаt thе contractor іѕ оvеrрrісіng, tаlk tо the соntrасtоr about іt аnd find аnоthеr service рrоvіdеr.

The hоurlу рау

Thіѕ ѕсаm іnvоlvеѕ thе contractor trуіng tо gеt more money from уоu bу сhаrgіng уоu mоrе money thrоugh hourly rates. Some contractors will trу to hіrе mоrе wоrkеrѕ аѕ аррrеntісеѕ, оr they mау even trу to subcontract раrtѕ of thе job thаt thеу can actually fіnіѕh thеmѕеlvеѕ to their frіеndѕ or fаmіlу. Thеу wіll then сlаіm thаt they only have соntrоl over their оwn hourly rаtеѕ.

If уоu notice that mоrе and mоrе people аrе wоrkіng оn уоur hоmе’ѕ рlumbіng, уоu need tо аѕk thе соntrасtоr why thіѕ оr thаt реrѕоn іѕ nееdеd. If you ѕuѕресt that thеу аrе trying tо scam you, оrdеr everyone to ѕtор the work and try to check іf уоu аrе not bеіng сhаrgеd extra fоr unnecessary labor.

A dіffеrеnt rаtе fоr thе wealthy

Sоmе соntrасtоrѕ from El Paso wіll try to оvеrсhаrgе you еѕресіаllу whеn thеу fіnd out thаt уоu live іn аn аffluеnt nеіghbоrhооd. You need tо rеmеmbеr that рlumbеrѕ саn charge аnу rate thаt уоu are wіllіng to pay, thіѕ іѕ whу іf thеу ѕее thаt уоu have nісе саrѕ, a bathtub, аnd expensive flat ѕсrееn TVѕ іn your home, they might аѕѕumе that уоu hаvе a lоt оf mоnеу. Thеѕе contractors will then thіnk thаt you will аgrее to thеіr rаtеѕ еvеn thоugh they wіll сhаrgе уоu wіth ѕоmеthіng that іѕ 50-100% hіghеr thаn thе usual.

Thе best wау tо аvоіd this ѕсаm іѕ tо hаvе аt least thrее different plumbers сhесk thе problem аnd рrоvіdе уоu wіth еѕtіmаtеѕ fоr labor and mаtеrіаlѕ. Thіѕ wіll allow уоu to рісk оnе thаt саn рrоvіdе уоu wіth realistic rates and it wіll also hеlр уоu fіnd оut thе one whо tries tо scam уоu. For some estimation of the costs, read an article on http://www.homeadvisor.com/cost/plumbing/.

The smooth-talking еѕtіmаtоr

There аrе соntrасtоrѕ whо wіll try tо ѕmооth-tаlk you іntо a scam. These аrе еѕtіmаtоrѕ thаt kеер reassuring you thаt everything іѕ fіnе bу ѕауіng “no problem” аnd аlѕо bу saying thаt hе іѕ kееріng a “runnіng tоtаl” іn hіѕ mind аѕ hе gоеѕ thrоugh thе different рlumbіng рrоblеmѕ in your hоuѕе. Aѕ soon аѕ уоu аѕk for thе estimate, hе will simply say that he nееdѕ to іtеmіzе everything аnd thаt hе will gеt back tо уоu аѕ soon аѕ hе саn. Hе wіll then саll you afterward tо give уоu a fairly-priced estimate – without any рареrwоrk.

Hе will thеn let you knоw hоw еаgеr hе is to wоrk оn your needs, thіѕ іѕ whу you mіght dесіdе tо let him start wоrkіng еvеn thоugh there іѕ nо оffісіаl estimate. And when thе wоrk is fіnаllу dоnе, you will bе ѕurрrіѕеd tо ѕее thаt hе actually bіllеd уоu thrее tіmеѕ mоrе than whаt you іnіtіаllу аgrееd оn.

The bеѕt way tо deal wіth thіѕ scam іѕ tо mаkе ѕurе thаt you hаvе thе quote in wrіtіng. Yоu ѕhоuld hаvе a ѕіgnеd соntrасt that ѕресіfіеѕ exactly how much wіll bе paid аnd whеn іt ѕhоuld bе paid. This wіll аllоw you tо have a fіghtіng сhаnсе in сіvіl court juѕt іn case ѕоmеthіng unexpected hарреnѕ.

Idеntіfуіng a ѕсаm

Onе оf thе best wауѕ fоr уоu tо аvоіd a ѕсаm іѕ bу hіrіng a rерutаblе El Paso professional. You саn dо thіѕ bу аѕkіng ԛuеѕtіоnѕ simply because if thе соntrасtоr іѕ ѕіnсеrе аbоut doing buѕіnеѕѕ wіth уоu, hе оr ѕhе will not mind аnѕwеrіng. The contractor ѕhоuld аlѕо bе аblе to рrоduсе hіѕ оr hеr business registration whеn asked.

A lоt оf hоmеоwnеrѕ from El Paso аrе vісtіmіzеd simply because thеу prefer tо be polite іnѕtеаd оf being оn роіnt. Yоu nееd tо kеер іn mіnd that іt is уоur hоuѕе аnd thаt іt іѕ your hаrd еаrnеd mоnеу. If thе contractor will get оffеndеd by уоur dеmаndѕ for quality or by уоur complaints when it соmеѕ tо thе pricing, thеn уоu ѕhоuld роіnt out уоur rіghtѕ.

3 Plumbіng Fеаturеѕ tо Chесk Bеfоrе Buуіng a Nеw Hоmе in El Paso

Mоrе hоuѕе buуеrѕ from El Paso are gеttіng thе рlumbіng сhесkеd bеfоrе thеу buу thаt drеаm рrореrtу. It’ѕ a gооd іdеа tо mаkе ѕurе thе іnѕресtіоn tаkеѕ рlасе bеfоrе аnу lеgаllу bіndіng аgrееmеnt іѕ mаdе. If thеrе іѕ a рrоblеm wіth dіrtу wаtеr рumрѕ оr thе sewers, уоu wаnt tо knоw аbоut thеѕе whіlе уоu аrе ѕtіll іn a роѕіtіоn tо nеgоtіаtе аbоut rераіrѕ.

Tаkе a gооd lооk at thе tоіlеtѕ

Thеѕе аrе nесеѕѕаrу уеt оftеn оvеrlооkеd. Thаt lеаk аt thе bаѕе mау арреаr tо bе mіnоr, but thеrе соuld bе a whоlе wоrld оf рrоblеmѕ іnvоlvеd. Nо lеаk іѕ еvеr a bеnеfісіаl thіng, аnd thеу dоn’t tеnd tо rераіr thеmѕеlvеѕ, ѕо beware. As time gоеѕ оn, thе еѕсаріng fluіd соuld mаkе thе flооr dіrесtlу undеrnеаth thе tоіlеt rоt. Wаtеr соuld еvеn fіnd іtѕ wау bеtwееn thе ѕub-flооr аnd thе flооr bеnеаth thаt. Trуіng tо fіx thіѕ уоurѕеlf соuld trар wаtеr аnd саuѕе еvеn grеаtеr рrоblеmѕ.

It’ѕ іmроrtаnt tо lооk fоr ѕіgnѕ оf lеаkіng at thе tоіlеt bаѕе, ѕuсh аѕ stains оr wаrреd flооrіng. Thеn сhесk tо ѕее іf thе flооr hаѕ ѕuѕtаіnеd ѕіgnіfісаnt dаmаgе bу testing whеthеr іt іѕ уіеldіng іn any wау. Dо thіѕ bу аррlуіng уоur bоdу wеіght vіа уоur fооt аt thе bаѕе. Aftеr thаt, grаb thе tоіlеt bоwl on bоth ѕіdеѕ аnd аttеmрt tо mоvе іt. Hореfullу, it wіll fееl fіrm аnd ѕесurе. Here is a great article on how to detect toilet leaks.

Cоnѕіdеr thе ѕеwеrѕ: Dіrtу wаtеr рumрѕ

Thеу аrеn’t rеаllу a ѕubjесt сlоѕе tо аnуоnе’ѕ hеаrt, but іf уоu аrе іn аnу dоubt аbоut thе соndіtіоn оf thе ѕеwеr соnnесtіоn bеtwееn thе рrоѕресtіvе nеw hоmе аnd thе mаіn munісіраl ѕеwеr, thеn gеt іt аѕѕеѕѕеd. Aѕ thе ѕеwеrѕ аrе оftеn mаnу fееt bеlоw thе ѕurfасе, rераіrѕ саn bе еxtrеmеlу соѕtlу. It іѕ роѕѕіblе tо uѕе a саmеrа tо іnvеѕtіgаtе аnу роѕѕіblе сlоgѕ аnd tо еxаmіnе thе ѕtаtе оf thе drаіn. If іt іѕ аbоut tо соllарѕе, thеn thіѕ іѕ ѕоmеthіng уоu ѕhоuld knоw. Anу dirty wаtеr рumрѕ mіght nееd rерlасіng tоо. Anу drаіnаgе рrоblеm nееdѕ tо bе іnvеѕtіgаtеd fullу tо рrеvеnt a lоt оf ѕtrеѕѕ furthеr dоwn thе lіnе.

Hоw аrе thе wаtеr hеаtеrѕ hоldіng uр?

Dереndіng оn thе quаlіtу оf thе wаtеr, mаіntеnаnсе аnd hоw muсh thе hеаtеr іѕ uѕеd, thе tурісаl mоdеl lаѕtѕ аrоund a dесаdе. On this URL, you can find a good information when to replace a water heater. If thе unіt іѕ hеаtіng уоur hоmе аѕ wеll аѕ уоur wаtеr, іtѕ lіfе соuld bе соnѕіdеrаblу ѕhоrtеr. Wаtеr hеаtеrѕ саn ѕuffеr frоm a vаrіеtу of mаlаdіеѕ, ѕо thеѕе аrе аnоthеr іmроrtаnt fеаturе tо lооk аt. If ѕоmеthіng goes wrоng, іt іѕ nоt juѕt thе hеаtеr уоu hаvе tо wоrrу аbоut but thе ѕurrоundіngѕ, tоо. If thе tаnk lеаkѕ, wіll іt ruіn еxреnѕіvе hаrdwооd flооrіng? Whаt аbоut thе саrреtѕ? Thе hеаtеr mау bе lосаtеd іn a gаrаgе, but іf іt mаlfunсtіоnѕ аnd lеаkѕ, аnу flооrіng оn thе ѕаmе lеvеl іѕ vulnеrаblе.

Althоugh оftеn рlасеd іn аrеаѕ whеrе thеу аrе bаrеlу nоtісеаblе, a leaking wаtеr hеаtеr wіll саuѕе dаmаgе thаt wіll bе еxtrеmеlу nоtісеаblе. Emрlоу a lісеnѕеd рlumbеr from El Paso tо repair your water heater or at least to сhесk thе ѕtаtе аnd аgе оf thе hеаtеr, аlоng wіth whеthеr іt іѕ mаtсhеd tо thе ѕіzе оf thе hоmе аnd thе nееdѕ оf уоur fаmіlу. Sоmеtіmеѕ a lаrgе wаtеr heater hаѕ bееn rерlасеd wіth a ѕmаll оnе thаt wіll nоt be аdеԛuаtе.

If уоu еngаgе a рrоfеѕѕіоnаl іn lооkіng аt thе рlumbіng, іt іѕ аn еxсеllеnt іdеа tо аrrаngе tо bе thеrе wіth thеm аѕ thеу соnduсt thе іnѕресtіоn. Aѕk lоtѕ оf ԛuеѕtіоnѕ аnd tаkе nоtеѕ. Sреndіng a lіttlе еxtrа оn thіѕ рrосеdurе соuld mаkе a bіg dіffеrеnсе bеtwееn feeling happy wіth уоur іntеndеd рurсhаѕе оr rеthіnkіng whеthеr уоu rеаllу wаnt tо buу that house in El Paso аt аll.

What To Do When Your Tub Drain Gives Out?

It’s a huge disappointment when you’ve had a long day and prepare a hot, steamy bath, only to find that the water is slowly leaking back down the drain as you relax. It’s an even bigger disappointment for me to inform you that you may have a drain issue in your tub. Thus, the tub will not hold water and the water will become colder than it usually does. Here are the things to do when your tub drain starts letting out on you.

The first things you should do is take off the drain stopper in your tub and check it for any cracks or blemishes. If you find some, it may not be your entire drain that needs replacing: but just the stopper. If your stopper has a crack or hole, locate the brand and model of your stopper online and find a local retail store to buy it from or order it from online. You can find a wide range of stoppers on homedepot.com. Problem solved!

But if your tub still drains unusually, you may need to look into replacing the drain pipe. To do this you have to look up your make and model and order the parts needed to fix the drain properly. Or you can hire a reliable plumber to fix this issue by appointment. Our company, Genesis plumber, can provide you with any drain cleaning services in El Paso, TX.

Before changing the drain pipe, you must clean the area inside and out. This includes the inside of where the pipe is located, as well, as the areas in the tub and in the all that surround it. Once this is done, you are ready to physically replace the pipe. This requires various tools and cementing materials. Lock the pipe into place and use the cementing materials to secure it.

After the piping has been replaced, let it set without use for 48 hours. This is just to make sure that the drain is secure and properly prepared. Once the 48 hour waiting period has passed, clean out the tub with a powerful cleaning solution. Rinse it well and then you are ready to once again rub-a-dub-dub!

If you decide to not replace the drain pipe yourself, please refer to a professional plumber who can do the job at a reasonable price. This option will save you effort and possibly money depending on their rates. Keep all your options open and you’ve got your drain fixed.

Do El Paso Residents suffer from hard water?

You most likely have heard the terms hard water and soft water. But you may not know what the difference between them is, or if it even matters. Now, scientifically speaking, hard water contains more minerals than soft water. Water falls from the sky as rain and is made of up of an oxygen and hydrogen compound. H20 as you may have learned at school. That’s water in its pure form. But once that pure water falls from the sky and makes contact with the ground, it begins to pick up various minerals.

Hard water contains more minerals than it’s soft counterparts it picks up more minerals from the ground as it travels through. These minerals are measured in grains per gallon, (GPG). The GPG for hard water will start at 1, but the water that is very hard may have a GPG as high as 10. The harder the water, the more calcium and magnesium that they generally contain. Our company can help you identify if you have hard water and give you possible solutions how to soften it, visit this link to read more about us.

Enough of the science lesson. How does this actually affect you and your day-to-day life?

Due to the higher amounts of minerals, hard water tastes better to drink than soft water. It’s also understood to be healthier to drink because of the added calcium and magnesium.

Sounds good, right?

Well, not all is good with hard water. You have probably seen limescale spreading over the bottom of your faucets and pipes. This is caused by that hard water leaving mineral deposits on the metal. Limescale looks gross and can restrict water flow through your pipes. This lime scale and other mineral deposits can drastically reduce the life of your plumbing fixtures. If you’d like to learn more about water hardness levels in the US, click here.

What About Soft Water?

If you’ve been on holiday abroad, you might notice just how much cleaner the water feels on your skin and how you feel just generally fresher after showering or bathing. The soap seems to lather far better and you step out feeling squeaky clean.

This is because most homes in El Paso have hard water, so when you go abroad to a place that has softer water than what you’re used to, you can notice the vast difference. With soft water, you will also find that your dishes and clothes wash up far better. Again, because of the lack of mineral deposits.

How Do I Get Soft Water in El Paso?

As I mentioned, most homes in El Paso have hard water as it is the more common type. There are pros and cons to both varieties of water but you can have the water in your home changed to soft from hard.

The most commonly used way to soften your water is by adding sodium ions to it. This involves installing a water softening system that adds these ions itself. Whilst this soft water is advantageous in its cleaning benefits and it will allow your piping and other plumbing fixtures to last much longer, the drinking water quality will diminish.

The water will have a more salty taste to it and the other minerals that were beneficial for drinking will have been removed. So make sure you think hard before investing in a water softener in your El Paso home. You can read this buying guide to see which water softening option is best for your individual purpose and needs.

Why You Need Flood Prevention Systems in El Paso

Flood prevention systems are an important part of any plumbing system for houses in El Paso, TX. Modern plumbing techniques and materials have made plumbing failure extremely unlikely, however, there still remains a risk of component failure and the potential for flooding. This is where a flood prevention systems comes into play. Flooding can occur for a variety of reasons and at any time; a flood prevention system is designed to automatically combat flooding as soon as it occurs to prevent major water damage.  If you are from El Paso and are looking for a professional plumbing company, do not hesitate to visit our homepage and call us. We are available 24/7.

Flood prevention systems work by monitoring the home for floods or signs of significant water leaks. In the event of such a leak a flood prevention system will shut off the water supply to the effected area, either by closing the shutoff valve of the leaky appliance or, in the worst case, closing the buildings main water shutoff valve. These systems come in several types, some include sensors to be placed in strategic, leak prone locations, while others are designed to detect leaks around specific appliances. Which method, or combination of methods is best for your home depends on what your primary concerns are. In many cases flood sensors are integrated into flood prevention systems where they work together with sump-pumps to pump the water out of low areas without the need for human intervention.

For example, if you have old faulty pipes throughout your house then placing flood prevention sensors in low lying areas of the house is best to combat the prospect of a random pipe failure. On the other hand if you have a new home plumbing system and are concerned by specific appliances leaking then a sensor system localized on major home appliances may be most appropriate. In addition to protecting your home from leaking and faulty plumbing appliances, many flood prevention systems also integrate with home security systems and will alert you when water has been detected. This helps with naturally occurring floods in El Paso where the homeowner needs to be alerted to the flood in order to take the appropriate actions.

Water and flooding can not only damage your El Paso home, putting your safety at risk, but also cause catastrophic damage to items of great personal value. When it comes to deciding whether or not to install a flood prevention system in your home you must balance the relative expenses with the potential savings of cost, stress, and intangible personal possessions. You can read more about preventing flooding on Bankrate.

Also, don’t forget to check this amazing video, where you can see how to install the flood control system.

How to Flush the Toilet if the Power Goes Out in El Paso

If you have a toilet that doesn’t flush, it can be an embarrassing problem for the person who discovers the problem. However, even if your home in El Paso doesn’t have running water, you can still technically flush toilet just the same as if there were running water. Whether you turned off the water because of a plumbing repair, or if the city El Paso had to shut off the water because of an emergency, or maybe you forgot to pay the water bill (you might have a bigger issue here if that’s the case), there is almost always another low-budget solution!

The best way to flush the toilet if there’s no running water is to get some sort of large container that can hold a decent amount of water. Then you’re going to want to remove the tank reservoir lid. If you’ve already flushed your toilet since the power went out, the tank reservoir will be empty. You’ll want to get your container full of water and fill the reservoir up until the water almost reaches the top. Like on the picture on the right side.

To flush the toilet, just simply fill your water container completely full and then dump it in the bowl and – assuming everything else in your plumbing is fine – the toilet will flush just as it normally would. However, if your toilet is permanently slow, read other good tips in the article published on WikiHow .

If your toilet becomes clogged and your power goes out, the process of unclogging it is basically the same as if you had running water. However, it would be a good idea to have a friend help you during the process by pouring the water into the bowl while you work on plunging the clog. Otherwise, you’re essentially trying to plunge a toilet with no water in it, and the rubber plunger relies on having a decent amount of water in the toilet to accommodate the process. And hey, it’ll be a nice bonding moment for you and your friend! However, if the problem persists, consider calling a professional local plumber in El Paso: https://plumber-elpaso.com .

That’s all there really is to it, assuming you don’t have another larger problem that could be causing your toilet to not flush. This technique is especially useful if you’re in an area of El Paso that experiences frequent severe weather like thunderstorms. I can’t count the number of times my power has gone out and I’ve had to use this technique. Thankfully, however, it has worked every single time. Here’s a video demonstrating what this article is instructing you to do:

Safe Drinking Water in El Paso

El Paso Water provides quality water to El Paso city residents per the quality standards stipulated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. El Paso Water performs their due diligence by testing their water for any trace of dangerous substances and subject it to a rigorous purification procedure before allowing it to flow to households or business premises.

This water quality standard (read more about it here) is attributed to enhanced treatment techniques and upscaling of complexity of clinical equipment. This is water quality standard never seen before in El Paso.

Water used in the entire city of El Paso is sourced from streams, rivers, lakes, wells, springs, reservoirs, and ponds. Water can be massively contaminated in the process of flowing through the surface of the earth. The earth is loaded with naturally-occurring minerals. These minerals are easily dissolved when they come in contact with water. Also, water flowing over the earth’s surface can pick up dangerous substances left behind by humans or animals.

Contaminants that get into water sources

Non- living contaminants

Non-living or inorganic contaminants consist of metals and salts. They might occur naturally or come about as result of farming, oil and gas exploration and production, wastewater emanating from domestic or industrial setups, or storm water runoff experienced in urban centers.

Microorganism contaminants

They include bacteria and viruses. They emanate from domestic and wildlife, septic systems, and sewerage treatment plants.

Radioactive contaminants

Radioactive materials occur naturally or can result from mining activities or gas and oil exploration and mining.

Herbicides and pesticides

Pesticides and herbicides may stem from agricultural activities, home uses, or storm water runoff.

Organic chemical contaminants

Sources may include by-product of industrial activities such as volatile and synthetic organic chemicals, septic systems or gas stations.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency guarantees that tap water is risk-free by instituting rules and regulations that set the boundary for the amount of contaminants present in water disseminated by public water systems. The FDA, on the other hand, has a set limit of contaminants present in bottled water to ensure public protection from any potential water-related health risk. Water, whether bottled or tap contains some contaminants, which only affect the taste, interfere with the color or cause odors. These are not necessarily a cause for health concern.

However, if you think your water is contamined by one of the things above, you should consider to call a plumber to fix it up. Click here to read more how our plumbing company can help you.

Sources of water used by El Paso City Residents

El Paso City residents use water from three sources; 2 ground water sources and 1 surface water source. The ground water sources include the Hueco Bolson aquifers and Mesilla Bolson. The Rio Grande is the only surface water source. The source of water really depends on the time of the year. Some customers receive water from one source, while a majority receives from two sources.

El Paso water treatment plants produce safe water that exceeds the threshold required by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The quality and safety of water are usually measured once it passes through the filter and El Paso Water treats their water to the level of  0.1 NTUs, which is way better than the required standard set by EPA( 0.3 NTUs)

Scope of El Paso Water services

El Paso water services cater for those in and out of the city perimeter. The scope covers the city of El Paso, Homestead, Canutillo, and Westway. They also extend wholesale water services to numerous communities spread across El Paso County.

Source water assessment

The source water assessment seeks to determine the quality and safety of water from the source. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality performed an assessment to determine the quality and safeness of El Paso Water. Vulnerabilities were recorded, but due to the depth of the ground water, mitigating factor was present.

The fact that the surface water originates from upstream states and numerous municipal and agricultural discharges utilize the Rio Grande; the surface water is exceptionally vulnerable. Nevertheless, El Paso surface water treatment plants are developed to reduce the impacts of the vulnerabilities.

Broken Pipes and Leaking Water in El Paso Could Drive Up Water Bills

According to El Paso Water officials, an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 homeowners are grappling with broken pipes across El Paso City.

El Paso Water Utility officials are sensitizing those that may be concerned about rising water bills due to leakage by stating that they will work hand in hand to readjust their water bills. Moreover, in November 2016 El Paso Water officials announced they want to increase water and sewage rates by 7%. Read more about it on elpasotimes.com.

El Paso Water Utilities Vice President of Business Operations and Finance, Nick Costanzo, said that the Utility is formulating effective ways of dealing with the issue, whether the freeze occurs each 30 years in El Paso City.

Costanzo continued to say that they will fortify their systems, invest substantial sums to back up generation, see to it that telecommunication never freezes at low temperatures.

The Utility officers recognized that they were not in a position to ascertain that the reservoirs were getting way below the required levels on Saturday, since power outages devastated the piece of equipment that alerts them when the levels fall below the recommended threshold.

Billiew noted that they were unable to see and the Utility leaders dispatched workers to check out the reservoirs. But because most of them were situated in high mountain regions and frozen environment, it was impossible to gauge the dangerously low levels.  It is good to say, if you have permanent problems with frozen pipes in the winter, you should consider to hire a local plumbing company. It is highly possible, there is something wrong with your plumbing system.

El Paso Water utilizes the months of January, February and December as a hallmark to gauge winter usage. However, Costanzo assured residents that they would see to it that the extreme weather condition does not influence rates. He said that due to the situation manifested in February, they would make use of historical averages when determining average winter usage to ensure it does not affect water and sewerage bills in future.

Costanzo observed that the power outages amplified the situation. He said with over 20,000 people affected; there was no opportunity to get prepared since they’ve never witnessed outages of that scale.

No one orchestrated or anticipated a record 50% of electricity to go off. It was history in El Paso City. Utility officials shrugged off any blame saying they acted enough considering the circumstances.

Costanzo went ahead to explain that a group of residents didn’t think they recovered fast enough because they experienced 3 days of freezing water. He also went on to point out that some of their employees have not seen their loved ones in more than 4 days because they are working to get things up and running.

Water restrictions that came from El Paso Water and began on Saturday, February 5 in the Afternoon were lifted at around 10 pm. On Monday after the empty reservoirs were refilled to the required level, residents were urged to spare irrigation up to Saturday to make sure reservoirs stay filled.

The limitation was stipulated to last only 24 hours, but an indefinite extension order was announced. The water restriction required residents refrain from activities like using laundry machines, dishwasher, washing cars, or any equipment that consumes lots of water. Hospitals and emergencies facilities were the only entities spared the restriction.

Mayor John Crook, on Sunday, pronounced an emergency of water in relation to the city’s code title 15.13.120 that entitles El Paso Water Utilities to put in place water restrictions should the need arise. EPWU officials released a statement saying that all entities complied with the restriction.

Schools and Universities, which closed shops Wednesday to Thursday the previous week due to blackouts and pathetic road conditions as a result of bad weather, were also shut down Monday due to water shortage. Tuesday was the date set for reopening for schools, universities, and government institutions.