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With the holidays approaching, many homes will play host to tons of family and friends. If your home is the one being invaded, you’re probably going to want some alone time sooner rather than later. What better place than the bathroom? It’s designed for one person and there’s a lock on the door. While you’re in there, we’ve got the perfect light reading for you. Learn how the modern day toilet came to be. The Dawn of Indoor Plumbing In a world of chamber pots and outhouses, getting rid of waste wasn’t the easiest task. However, Sir John Harrington aimed […]
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If you’re hosting family or friends this holiday season, you’ve probably already started preparing. Cleaning and preparing your home can feel like a fulltime job, and the bathroom always feels like the steepest mountain to climb. With a few of these tips, you’ll not only have a perfectly clean bathroom, but one that will have your guests wanting to come back year after year! Clean, Clean, Clean! This probably goes without saying, but no one ever wants to use a dirty bathroom. You’ve probably already scrubbed, wiped and sanitized every surface possible, but there are often a few things we […]
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For most people, hot water is precious. From bathing to laundry to doing the dishes, hot water keeps us clean and healthy. However, it just never seems like there’s enough to go around. While your hot water heater does its job, there are always ways to make it more efficient to stretch the warmth a little longer. Another benefit is reducing your energy bill. Who doesn’t love saving money? Insulate Your Pipes As hot water leaves your heater and travels to your faucet or shower head, it will inevitably lose a little of its heat on the way. Taking the […]
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Even if you’re not the handiest person around, maintaining a small toolbox is a good idea. Some jobs can be done in minutes if you have the right tools for the job. At the very least, you can mitigate the issue until a professional arrives. This is especially true for plumbing-related issues. Having some of these specialized tools could very well help you keep things shipshape in your home. Pipe Wrench The classic plumber’s tool, a pipe wrench is a fairly large and heavy piece of equipment, but it’s well worth lugging around. The pipe wrench is typically used for […]
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Every once in a while, or perhaps too often, in some cases, the tranquility of our time at home is interrupted by a strange sound we just can’t place. There are the usual suspects, of course. Things like houses settling or that one creaky floor board. But oftentimes, these sounds come from plumbing. Learning to identify them could help you determine if there’s a problem. Or if these sounds are normal. Rattling Pipes Water moving through your pipes will always cause some vibration. However, if this rattling becomes audible enough to notice, it might be an issue. If you can […]
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Throughout Allegheny County and the surrounding areas, older homes contain a quirky little secret in their basements. To longtime residents, it might seem perfectly normal. However, newcomers to Pittsburgh might be a little taken aback by the (often working) toilet sitting right out in the open. Maybe you’ve never given these out-of-place pieces of porcelain a second thought, or maybe you’ve always wondered where these subterranean toilets are doing in an unfinished basement. Just like French fries on sandwiches and parking chairs, the “Pittsburgh toilet” makes our region the special place it is. Why do Houses in Pittsburgh Have Toilets […]
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We all love our fur babies. They’re part of the family, after all. However, every pet owner knows their furry friends come with some unique challenges. Hair, unexpected messes and chewed up household items are all part of the pet experience. Yet, one aspect of your home you might be overlooking is your plumbing. We’re not just talking about dogs drinking from the toilet or your cat jumping in the shower. Let’s explore some ways to make your pets more plumbing-friendly. Wash Your Pets Outside If your pet sheds, you know that hair gets just about everywhere. It should come […]
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When it comes to home plumbing, you probably give a little more thought to sinks, baths and showers. However, one piece of equipment many of us ignore is the sump pump. What does it actually do? Where is it? Do I even have one? These are a few questions heard a lot. With fall approaching, rainy days are here again. Many areas of Allegheny County are prone to basement flooding, and if your sump pump isn’t up to snuff, you could find a new swimming pool beneath your feet. What is a Sump Pump If you live in an area […]
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There’s nothing more frustrating or inconvenient than dealing with drain clogs. Not only can this type of plumbing issue pop up unexpectedly, it can be hard to determine what to do once it has occurred. That said, it is always better to prevent an issue from happening before one takes place. Here are three tips for keeping your drains clean. Tip #1: Don’t Dump Cooking Grease Down the Drain One of the biggest plumbing mistakes most people make is dumping cooking grease down the drain or directly into the garbage disposal. While it isn’t a big deal when the grease […]
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At Terry’s Plumbing, we know how tempting it can be to save a dollar or two on plumbing repairs by tackling the project yourself. However, there are certain tasks that are better left to the professionals due to safety or difficulty concerns. In fact, there are certain scenarios where attempting a repair by yourself can lead to bigger and more expensive issues than the initial problem! Here are three plumbing projects you shouldn’t do yourself. Project #1: Installing or Repairing a Hot Water Heater Hot water heaters don’t get nearly enough credit for making our lives comfortable and convenient. But […]
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