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Coffee grounds cannot go in the sink.

Can Coffee Grounds Go Down The Sink?

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Coffee for many is a morning staple. It is the smell many want in the morning and the taste to start their day off right. When we run coffee in our machines, grounds are left over. What do we do with them? Some people think putting them down the sink makes it smell better. Can coffee grounds go down the sink? Unfortunately, no, as they don’t dissolve in water and can cause clogs in the drainage system.

Let’s take a look.

What Happens With the Coffee Grounds in The Sink?

As mentioned above, they don’t dissolve in water and can accumulate in pipes, leading to blockages. This can result in slow-draining sinks or even complete backups, requiring expensive repairs.

Egg shells cannot go in a sink as they can stick to the pipes.

What Else Should Not Go In The Sink?

Apart from coffee grounds, there are several other items that you should never dispose of in the sink. These include:

  • Grease or cooking oil: These substances can solidify in pipes, causing major blockages.
  • Eggshells: The thin membrane lining inside eggshells can stick to pipes and create obstructions.
  • Rice, pasta, and bread: These starchy foods can absorb water and expand, leading to pipe blockages over time.
  • Fibrous vegetables, such as celery and potato peels: The long, stringy fibers can wrap around pipes and impede drainage.

Putting the wrong things down the sink can have serious consequences for your plumbing system. Clogs can develop, resulting in slow drainage, foul odors, and even sewage backups. In some cases, the pipes may burst or leak due to increased pressure caused by blockages. This can lead to extensive water damage and costly repairs.

Coffee grounds are great on plants and help them grow.

Other Ideas For The Coffee Grounds

Instead of disposing of coffee grounds down the sink, there are several eco-friendly alternatives you can consider:

  1. Composting: Coffee grounds make an excellent addition to compost piles or bins. They can enrich the soil with organic matter, improve drainage, and act as a natural fertilizer.
  2. Gardening: Coffee grounds can be sprinkled around acid-loving plants like azaleas, rhododendrons, and blueberries. They provide essential nutrients and help maintain the desired pH level in the soil.
  3. Cleaning: Coffee grounds can be used as an abrasive cleaner for pots, pans, and even as a natural scrub for exfoliating your skin.

Other Recommended Maintenance

Now that you know why you don’t put coffee grounds down the sink, let’s take a look at a few other areas of maintenance. One of those is drain cleaner in the garbage disposal. Some people say that drain cleaner is okay, but the problem is there are harsh chemicals used to make it. Thus, it can eat away at the pipes and cause major damage.

Next, garbage disposals can last a long time with maintenance. In fact, they can last 10-15 years which is longer than many appliances in the home. Just be sure to take care of it properly.

Lastly, garbage disposals don’t need a GFCI. They only need a dedicated circuit that is 15 or 20 amp and it should be a circuit that is separate from the dishwasher. This is so the dishwasher circuit is not on overload.

When to Call Inside and Out Property Inspectors?

If you have accidentally put the wrong things down the sink and are experiencing persistent plumbing issues, it is advisable to call Inside and Out Property Inspectors so we can recommend a master plumber. They have the expertise and proper tools to clear stubborn blockages safely and efficiently, preventing further damage to your plumbing system.

Conclusion

To maintain a healthy plumbing system and avoid costly repairs, it is crucial not to put coffee grounds and other inappropriate items down the sink. Also, by responsibly disposing of coffee grounds and using eco-friendly alternatives, you can protect your pipes and contribute to a more sustainable environment. If in doubt or facing severe plumbing problems, always consult a professional for assistance. Contact Inside and Out Property Inspectors in Jacksonville, FL, and surrounding areas to get your home inspection done today.

Lead paint in or on a home should be dealt with using proper safety measures.

When Did Lead Paint Stop Being Used?

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Buying an older home can come with a lot of questions. There were building materials and building codes that are completely different in today’s home market. As a home buyer, you should be very thorough with your home inspection. Ensure that everything in the home is up to building code, and there are no harmful materials in the home. Keep in mind that materials like asbestos and lead paint could have been used many years ago. When did lead paint stop being used? Lead paint was used all the way up to 1978. After 1978 it was phased out due to its toxicity.

Let’s take a look below at some more details regarding lead paint in the home.

What Is Lead Paint?

Lead-based house paint is a highly toxic material that was created before the 1980s. Lead is a metal that can cause major health issues in young children and adults. If lead is absorbed in the body, it can break down organs such as the kidneys, brain, nerves, and your blood. This toxic metal can create some major damage to the body.

It is estimated that 29 million houses in the United States have lead-based paint in them. This leads to a contaminated home with lead paint that can create damaging lead dust. If you ever suspect that your home has lead paint in it, call for a lead paint inspection. Once you have the lead paint inspection done, you can get a risk assessment to see how hazardous the paint in your home is.

Lead paint is highly toxic and should be removed with precaution.

How Can I Reduce My Exposure To Lead Paint?

To protect you and your family from lead exposure and lead hazards you will want to consider the following things below to reduce your exposure to lead paint. If the home was built before 1978 it is likely to have levels of lead that could result in lead poisoning. Let’s take a look at the ways we can reduce lead paint exposure.

  • Check-in – Reach out to your local health department and schedule a test for lead paint in your home.
  • Keep it clean – Inspect the entire home for any areas of paint that are peeling from the walls or other painted structures. Keeping your child from accessing any paint chips is important.
  • Safely renovate – If you begin to renovate the home, sanding, cutting, replacing windows, and other activities could create lead dust in the air and reduce the air quality. Also, this can expose you and your family to significant health damage. Be sure to review the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines for lead paint removal.
  • Removal – Hire a professional lead-based paint removal company to get all lead paint chips and peeling paint off their surfaces. This kind of work should be done with proper safety precautions and tools and equipment to protect all involved.
  • Mop regularly – It is recommended that you use a wet mop on your floors and dust the window sills and wells with a wet rag. Keeping all surfaces free from any dust is important for maintaining your health and safety.
  • Wash regularly – If you suspect that your home has contaminated dust or soil, you will want to wash your child’s hands on a regular basis.
  • Create a barrier – Use contact paper and duct tape to cover holes and walls that are contaminated. Consequently, this should be done as you await the proper removal of the contaminated areas. Also, keep children away from contaminated soils.
  • Keep away – Be sure to keep pregnant women and children from accessing the home during renovations. While a renovation is being done, dust is flying around and paint debris is in the area. Once the work is done and all areas are cleaned up, the pregnant women and children can re-enter the home.

Keep in mind that in the 20th century, the EPA banned the use of lead in paint and homes. Public health is the biggest concern. Lead creates health problems for property owners who purchase a home with lead-based paint.

Other Recommended Maintenance

Now that you know when lead paint was stopped being used you can read up on how to negotiate after the home inspection. If your initial inspection finds that you have lead paint in or on the surfaces of the home, you will want to negotiate the sale price as you look to remove all toxic lead materials from the home.

Next, be sure to read up on who the best home inspection companies are in your local area. It is vital that you not just hire the cheapest home inspector. Hire the most reputable home inspection team to assist with determining if the home you live in has toxic materials in or on it.

Lastly, keeping your home inspection report is important for having a point of reference during the risk assessment portion of the home. Finding out if the paint does have lead in it will be necessary for any home buyer to know before a purchase is made. The home inspection report is a great start in the process.

If you find lead paint in your home, hire a professional to remove it.

When Do I Call A Professional?

Dealing with lead paint is not ideal for any family. It can cause some major health issues for you and your family. Be sure to reach out to your local home inspection team. They will determine if the paint in your older home is lead-based. Protecting you and your family should be a priority before worrying about any home purchase. Additionally, your local home inspection team can recommend a local risk assessment company. They will determine how toxic the paint in your home might be.

Conclusion

Whenever you are concerned about paint and other potentially toxic materials in your home, you should reach out to your local home inspection team. They can conduct a full home inspection and let you know if you have lead paint in your home or other toxic materials in the home. Contact Inside and Out Property Inspectors in Jacksonville, FL, and surrounding areas to get your home inspection done today.

How To Kill Moss On Brick

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Owning a home requires a lot of maintenance. Imagine that you are about to throw a summer party and you haven’t paid any attention to your brick patio and exterior brick walls. You take a look around as you plan your party preps and notice a large amount of moss has taken over your brick. Are you wondering how to kill moss on brick? Either hire a professional cleaning service or utilize an eco-friendly chemical and your pressure washer.

Let’s take a look below at the best ways to manage and kill or clean moss off brick.

How Can I Clean Moss Off Brick?

Applying a household chemical such as bleach and water to the moss on the brick is a great way to kill and remove it. Keep in mind, bleach is not eco-friendly and can be replaced with other products. One of the safest products to use would be vinegar. Mixing equal parts vinegar with equal parts water to ensure an environmentally friendly solution that can be used to kill moss. Also, it will not kill surrounding plants. Let the mixture soak into the moss for 15 to 20 minutes. Then take your pressure washer and scrub brush to remove the moss from the brick surface.

Using the right chemicals will help you kill and clean moss off brick.

What Are The Best Ways To Keep Moss Off Brick?

Believe it or not, there are a few ways that you can keep moss growth off your brick surfaces. Let’s take a look below at what those options are.

Sunlight

Exposing your brick wall or brick patio to sunlight is a great way to keep moss off of the surface. Moss only grows on dark and damp surfaces. Sunlight will naturally kill or prevent moss from growing.

Irrigation

Check your sprinkler system for where the zones are spraying. Also, check for leaks in your sprinkler system. A leaky faucet or sprinkler head can promote the damp and dark zone for moss to grow.

Boiling Water

Using hot water, such as boiling water is a great way to prevent moss from growing on your hardscape. Additionally, a good scrubbing after the boiling water is applied is a great way to keep the moss off of the brick. Also, it is eco-friendly preventative maintenance.

Vinegar

A vinegar and water mixture is a great combination for treating and killing moss. Anytime you use an eco-friendly solution, this is a great way to kill and keep moss away. Be sure to scrub the area or use a pressure washer to remove any moss from the brick.

Power Washing

Pressure washing or power washing the surface is a necessity for completely removing the moss from your brick. Completing this project once a month will ensure that your brick surfaces stay clean and look brand new. Use your garden hose and a nozzle if you do not have access to a power washer.

Baking Soda

Another great eco-friendly product for killing moss from the brick is baking soda. Pour the baking soda directly on the moss and leave it overnight. The next day, brush the area and scrub or power wash the moss off of the brick.

What Other Options Do I Have?

Unfortunately, if you aren’t big on eco-friendly concepts and want to zap away the moss and surrounding vegetation for a long time, you can use the following chemicals below.

Bleach

Mixing one cup of bleach with two gallons of water and spraying the solution onto moss will suffice. Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes. Using water in a spray bottle allows the beach to soak into the moss and kill it. Also, avoid pouring bleach directly onto the surface.

Commercial Moss Killer

Commercial moss killers are products that are not deemed to be very safe. Although these products can be purchased at your local hardware store, it is important to consider using these products as a last resort.

How Can I Clean Moss Off Other Surfaces?

Remember that moss can grow on several solid surfaces. Damp and dark surfaces are breeding grounds for moss. If you have a situation of moss growing on your solid surfaces other than brick, use a spray bottle with a water and bleach mixture. Spray the solution on the brick and use a scrub brush to remove the moss from the solid surface. Keep in mind that using bleach should be done with protective gear and away from pets and children. Consequently, pressure washing regularly with an eco-friendly solution such as vinegar is perfect for maintaining your solid surfaces.

How Much Does It Cost To Clean?

Keep in mind that the cost of removing moss from brick walls or patios will be based on the square footage of the project. The national average cost to remove the moss ranges from $0.58 to $1.00 per square foot. Additionally, you will be expected to pay a labor charge to complete the project. Most professionals charge a service fee between $45 and $65 per hour. Also, in some cases, you will just pay a flat rate of $90 to $120 per job.

Other Recommended Maintenance

Now that you are aware of how to kill moss on brick, it is a great idea to read up on how to kill moss on your roof. Believe it or not, there are likely similarities between killing moss on brick and killing moss on a roof.

Next, while you have your pressure washer out cleaning your brick patio, you might want to consider cleaning your stucco walls. It is important to read up on easy ways to clean stucco before you go assuming that you have the answer. Reading the suggestions might surprise you and make your task a lot simpler.

Lastly, gain an understanding of where moss and mold like to grow. As stated above, dark and damp places are very popular for moss and mold. In some cases, mold will grow well before any moss has a chance. This can occur on solid surfaces such as concrete blocks. If you happen to have a concrete block home or have used concrete blocks in parts of your home, you will want to know how to control mold growing on concrete blocks.

Killing moss off your brick wall or patio brick is fairly simple.

When Do I Call A Professional?

Getting moss off your brick walls or paver brick patio is a project that can be easily accomplished. If you don’t have a pressure washer available, you are going to want to use a professional pressure washing company. Also, you should not mix your chemicals incorrectly. Using the wrong chemicals can damage your brick and cause health concerns for you and your family. Consequently, to avoid any issues with your health and chemical damage, use a professional.

Conclusion

Mosses are known to grow on a brick when the area is dark and damp. The moment that you notice moss growing on your brick wall or brick paver patio, it is likely an area that does not get sun. Consult your local pressure washing professional on how to kill and clean the moss off of your brick. Also, call on your local home inspection team to determine where the moss is likely to grow back and where it is concentrated the most. Reach out to Inside and Out Property Inspectors in Jacksonville, FL, and surrounding areas to get your home inspection done today.

Baking soda and citrus can help get the smell out of your carpet.

How To Get Smell Out Of Carpet

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When you make the big decision of purchasing a home, you want to remind yourself that this investment requires upkeep and maintenance. Having pets that wander your carpet or spills that occur on the carpet could cause a few concerns. In most cases, homeowners do not think of the overuse of their carpets. Some homeowners will hire a carpet cleaning company once a year to clean the carpets. However, this doesn’t necessarily solve all of the issues. Luckily, if your carpet smells, a carpet cleaning company might help. Wondering how to get the smell out of carpet? There are a variety of ways to get this done, baking soda, and vinegar are always an option.

Let’s take a look below at how you can keep your carpet smelling fresh.

Vacuum the baking soda out of the carpet after it has had the time to soak up the smells from your carpet.

What Are The Steps?

Every home project requires a particular level of instructions or directions. Let’s take a look at how we can get the foul odors out of the carpet.

  1. Sprinkle the Baking Soda – Baking soda has many uses in your home. As a natural odor absorber, it can be used in your closet, garbage, garbage disposal, or on your carpets. Spread the baking soda around your carpet.
  2. Spread the Baking Soda – With your shoes on, walk around the carpet to spread the baking soda around the carpet. It is important to spread the baking soda around.
  3. Let it settle in – Allow the baking soda to settle into the carpet for roughly 30 minutes. You want the baking soda to seep down to the base of the carpet. Not only will it soak up odors, but it will also grab excess moisture.
  4. Suck it up – Grab your vacuum cleaner and vacuum up the baking soda.
  5. Still smells – Repeat these steps until you no longer have a smell.

How Can I Keep My Home Smelling Fresh?

Luckily, if the baking soda trick doesn’t work, there are a few other tricks that you can pull off. Let’s take a look below at what those other options might be.

  • Essential oils – Masking the smells in your home with essential oils is a great way to naturally eliminate odors. If you don’t have an oil diffuser, just mix the correct amount of oil drops with water into a spray bottle. Then spray the mixture onto your carpet.
  • Fruit peels – Cut up the fruit peels for oranges, limes, or lemons, and grind them into your garbage disposal. This will create a fruity smell in your kitchen that can mask other odors in your home.
  • Crockpot – With the lid off and the crockpot on the “low” setting, mix baking soda and water and let the heat from the crockpot do the trick.
  • Vinegar and water – If you have a mildew smell coming from your carpet, mix 2 cups of warm water with 1 cup of distilled white vinegar. Gently spray the vinegar solution onto your carpet. Once the carpet dries, you will no longer smell the vinegar scent.

Keep in mind that you can also look to cleaning products such as hydrogen peroxide or carpet shampoo. You will want the area dry and if not, use a fan to air dry the carpet.

Other Recommended Maintenance

Now that you have an idea of how to get a smell out of your carpet, you can begin reading up on how to remove mold from your carpets. Mold is a likely proponent of your smelly carpet. Understanding how to remove the mold will determine if you need to replace the carpet or simply get it cleaned.

Next, while using a carpet cleaner or scrubbing away mold and stains, soap is likely to settle on the carpet. Removing the soap from the carpet is important. You will want to read up on how to clean soap out of your carpets. This will ensure that the carpet gets properly dried.

Lastly, the moment that you start cleaning your carpet, you will want to know how long it takes the carpet to dry. If you do not dry the carpet promptly, then you risk the carpet breeding mold and mildew. Consequently, if this occurs, you will be back to square one about getting smells out of your carpet.

Hire a professional carpet cleaning service if you do not have the time to remove smells from your carpets.

When Do I Call A Professional?

Carpet cleaning services are fairly prevalent in most communities. If you do not have a local carpet cleaning service, it is possible that you could rent a carpet cleaning machine from your local hardware store. Once you have completed the recommended cleaning steps above, determine how effective they were. If you aren’t satisfied, reach out to your local home inspection team. They can inspect your carpet and other floors. Also, they can refer a reputable carpet cleaning company.

Conclusion

After you have attempted to get the smells out of your carpet keep a record of how many times this maintenance occurs. Consequently, this might be a situation where it is time to replace your carpet. In some cases, the padding underneath the carpet can get moldy and soggy and creates a constant smell. This would be a good time to get a home inspection. They can conduct a thorough inspection of your carpet and flooring. Reach out to Inside and Out Property Inspectors in Jacksonville, FL, and surrounding areas to get your home inspection done today.

Removing the drain from your bathroom sink is easy.

How To Remove A Drain From Bathroom Sink

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Owning a home requires you to complete a lot of maintenance and projects. One of those rare projects deals with clearing your sink drain and keeping the P-trap free and clear. If you don’t want your bathroom sink drain to clog, you will want to ensure that it is cleaned out on a regular basis. Ever wonder how to remove a drain from a bathroom sink? Believe it or not, there is a simple nine-step process to remove your sink drain.

Let’s take a look below at how to remove the drain from your bathroom sink.

If you need to remove the drain of your bathroom sink you will want specific tools. Let’s take a look at what those tools are.

Loosening the P-trap can be fairly simple with the right tools.

What Are The Best Steps?

Believe it or not, the steps to removing your bathroom sink drain are fairly easy. If you don’t have the tools or the patience to complete this project, reach out to your local professionally licensed master plumber. Let’s take a look below at what those steps are.

  1. Place your bucket under the P-trap that is located under your sink.
  2. Turn off the water for both of your hot and cold faucet lines.
  3. Pull the stopper and then remove the spring clip attached to the pivot rod and then unscrew the pivot nut from the connected drain pipe under the sink.
  4. Then remove the drain stop from the drain pipe.
  5. Unclog the drain with your hair removal tool.
  6. Now unscrew each section of the P-trap from the main drain pipe.
  7. Use hot water and vinegar to rinse the drain pipe and clean it from any gunk that is remaining.
  8. Pop the drain pipe from the sink to remove the drain pipe.
  9. Clean the drain pipe and the sink.
  10. Use a plumber’s putty and replace the drain pipe in the sink so that you have a tight seal.
  11. Re-attach the plumbing below the sink and clean all areas that are still dirty.

Following these steps allows you to pop the drain stopper and remove the sink stopper to clean the stopper. If you want to remove the bathroom sink drain assembly, then unscrew the nut and take out the bathroom sink stopper so that the drain opens are keys.

How Much Does It Cost?

The good thing about removing a drain from your bathroom sink is that it is fairly simple to do. However, if you don’t have the tools or the energy to get this project done, you can call on a local master plumber. The average labor charge for a project like this is between $40 and $50 per hour.

Now that you know how to remove the drain from your bathroom sink, you can check on why the sink drain pipes might be leaking. Once you determine the issue, you can use a patch and clamp with some epoxy putty to stop the leak.

Next, while you are checking your plumbing, you can work on your kitchen sink. Make sure that the kitchen faucet is tight so that there are no leaks. Use the wrench that you used to remove the drain from your bathroom sink to tighten the kitchen faucet.

Lastly, if you have a clog in your sink drain and cannot remove the drain from your bathroom sink, consider pouring salt down the drain. Pouring salt down the drain and rinsing it with hot water allows the salt to emulsify and work to remove the clog in your bathroom sink drain.

Getting the drain cap off to remove the bathroom sink clog is fairly simple.

When Do I Call A Professional?

If removing the drain from your bathroom sink becomes an issue, call on a local master plumber. Not only can they replace your bathroom sink drain, but they can also clean it and check all of the plumbing in your bathroom. Keep in mind, calling on your local home inspection team is also a great idea. Additionally, they can inspect your entire plumbing system. Also, they can refer a reputable Master Plumber.

Conclusion

When it comes to removing your bathroom sink drain, can be a fairly simple project. However, if you don’t have the tools or the strength to remove the drain, you will want to call a professional. Consequently, using a master plumber can allow you the opportunity to have all of your sink drains removed for cleaning. Also, call on your local home inspection team to inspect your entire plumbing system checked. Contact Inside and Out Property Inspectors in Jacksonville, FL, and surrounding areas to get your sewer scope inspection done today.

Toilet tank cylinder float fill valve.

How to Adjust the Water Level in a Toilet?

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One of the few frustrating maintenance items in a home involves your toilet. When the fill valve in your toilet begins to malfunction, it could cause the water levels in your toilet to be off. Once you flush the toilet, the fill valve will work to refill the toilet tank and bowl. Unfortunately, if the fill valve is not working in unison with the amount of water needed in your toilet bowl overflowing could occur. How do I adjust the water level in the toilet? In most cases, use your screwdriver to adjust the fill valve float in your toilet tank.
let’s take a look below at what this means.

Ball and arm float valve.

What Type Of Fill Valve Do I Have?

Before you decide how to adjust the water level in your toilet, you need to know the type of fill valve that you have. Take the lid off your toilet tank and look at the type of fill valve. Let’s take a look below at what type of fill valves could be in your toilet tank.

  • Cylinder style float – This style of fill valve looks like a plastic cylinder that has an opening going through the middle of the cylinder.
  • Ball and Arm float – This style of fill valve has a metal arm with a ball attached at the end of it.

How Do I Adjust Each Fill Valve?

Adjusting the water level in your toilet tank and toilet bowl should occur with the fill valve. Each type of fill valve can be adjusted so that your water levels can shift to meet your needs. Let’s take a look below at the steps to adjust each type of fill valve.

Ball and Arm Float

  • Remove the toilet tank lid.
  • Check the current water level in the tank so that you know how to adjust the float.
  • Check the height of the floating ball that is connected to a metal rod. You will see a plastic ball that is floating at the water level.
  • Turn off the water. Twist the water line feed into the off position. There is an oblong handle that you can turn clockwise until the handle is tight.
  • Flush the toilet to empty the water from the toilet tank.
  • Now, adjust the water level by turning the screw that is connected to the ball and arm float with a screwdriver.
  • Turning the screw clockwise will raise the water level.
  • Turning the plastic screw counterclockwise will decrease the water level.
  • Flush the toilet to test the water levels and determine if you need to make any other adjustments.

Cylinder style Float

  • Remove the toilet tank lid.
  • Check the current water level so that you know how to adjust it.
  • Find the cylinder float on the shaft of the fill valve.
  • Turn off the water. Twist the water line feed into the off position. There is an oblong handle that you can turn clockwise until the handle is tight.
  • Flush the toilet to empty the water from the toilet tank.
  • Look for the release clip that is connected to the change stem. Also, this connects the float to the stem.
  • Gently pinch the release clip to raise or lower the float.
  • If that doesn’t work, get your screwdriver and gently twist the plastic screw located on the cylinder arm.
  • Turn the plastic screw clockwise to lower the cylinder float.
  • Turn the plastic screw counterclockwise to raise the cylinder float.
  • Check your desired water level by flushing the toilet and testing out the level each time you twist the screw.
  • Make adjustments based on the water level.

Other Recommended Maintenance

Now that you learned about adjusting the water level in the toilet, let’s take a look at other areas of maintenance.

One of those areas is the toilet leaking. If you see water outside of the toilet on the floor near the base, you want to stop using it. This is because the water has bacteria in it and will ruin the floor. You will want to make sure the t-bolt is in place and check the wax ring.

The next area is a gurgling bathroom sink. If you have a gurgling bathroom sink, this can be due to a vent pipe clogged, a bathroom drain clogged, a clogged garbage disposal, a P-trap that is busted, or a clogged drain.

Lastly, if you see that you have low water pressure in the sink, it can be due to a few things. It can be the aerator, a blockage in the faucet, or pipes. Once you figure out what it is, you can also flush the water heater to increase the water pressure.

Cylinder style float in toilet bowl.

When Do I Call A Professional?

Dealing with the maintenance of your toilet bowl and toilet tank can be rather frustrating. In most cases, it is best to hire a local master plumber. Not only can they update the fill valve in your toilet tank, but they can also check for leaks. If you aren’t sure who to call, reach out to your local home inspection team. Consequently, they can inspect your entire plumbing system and recommend any plumbing repairs. Also, they can refer a reputable local master plumber to complete the project.

Conclusion

Having to mess with a plumbing project can be rather frustrating. Most homeowners don’t have the tools to loosen or disconnect parts involved with a toilet. Additionally, having the strength to disconnect the various parts could be troubling. Luckily, you can reach out to your local reputable master plumber. Before you do that, go ahead and reach out to your local home inspection team. They can inspect and assess your entire plumbing system. Contact Inside and Out Property Inspectors in Jacksonville, FL, and surrounding areas to get your sewer scope inspection done today.

Use a drain snake to remove a clog from your bathroom sink drain.

How To Fix Gurgling Bathroom Sink

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Being a homeowner comes with many tasks and chores. The idea of maintenance is usually the last thing on a homeowner’s mind. Unfortunately, some things come up and you have to deal with them. For example, what do you do when something is gurgling in your pipes? In some cases, a toiler or even sink may be gurgling. How to fix a gurgling bathroom sink? Since there are a few reasons why this could occur, you will need to troubleshoot.

Let’s take a look at the best ways to determine what is causing a gurgling bathroom sink.

What Causes This

Dealing with a gurgling bathroom sink can be frustrating. Unfortunately, there are a lot of different reasons that could cause this to happen. Let’s take a look below at what those reasons might be.

  • Vent Pipe clogged – if your exterior vent pipe is blocked by debris like leaves and bird’s nests you will need to clear the line so that air can properly escape.
  • The bathtub drain is clogged – if your bathtub drain is clogged, a build-up of pressure can occur, creating a gurgling sound in other parts of your plumbing.
  • The garbage disposal is clogged – just like with your bathtub, if open areas of your plumbing get blocked, it can create trapping of air, which could cause gurgling.
  • A busted P-trap – when your P-trap is busted, this will cause your water to drain slowly due to a vacuum being created.
  • If any drain is clogged – the trapping of water and air in your plumbing will cause gurgling sounds to occur.
Consider using a plunger to unclog your bathroom sink.

How Can I Fix It

Luckily there are a lot of ways to ensure that the gurgling goes away. Some of the obvious ways are simply clearing out any clogs. So, how can you best clean out a clogged pipe, let’s take a look.

  • Drain cleaner – do your best to use an environmentally friendly drain cleaner. Some drain cleaners can be harsh on your pipes. Consider using vinegar and baking soda with hot water to clear a clogged drain.
  • Use an auger or drain snake – purchase a drain snake or rent a drain auger from your local hardware store. This will allow you to get deeper access to your plumbing and see if you can remove the clog.
  • Consider a plunger – if the clog is small you can use a plunger with petroleum jelly to create a good suction seal. Push straight up and down on the plunger to suck out or loosen the clog in your pipes.
  • Replace the P-trap – replacing the P-trap could do the trick. In some cases, the P-trap can have a clog, and removing the P-trap to clean it or simply replacing it can solve the problem.
  • Flush out the main system – run hot water done your drain for 15 minutes and see if the clog gets loosened.
  • Air admittance valve or main vent blockage – when you flush the toilet and hear a gurgling sound in your sink, it is usually the case of a blocked main vent. The main vent or air admittance valve is typically on your roof and above the bathroom. Clear the blockage with an auger or try using a water hose to flush it through. If you don’t want to risk it, hire a master plumber to fix the clog.

Other Recommended Maintenance

Now that you are aware of how to fix a gurgling bathroom sink, this would be a great time to read up on how to get the hair out of your sink drain. This could be one of the reasons why your sink is gurgling.

Next, another item in your home that could be affected by a clog in your plumbing is the toilet. If you find that the toilet is overflowing, it could be due to a clogged drain, a blocked vent pipe, or a higher float.

Lastly, read up on the best way to keep sediment from building up in your water lines. This could be a big reason why your sinks are gurgling. Hire a professional master plumber to come out and clear your water lines from any debris or buildup.

You might have to remove the P-trap to remove the clog in your bathroom sink drain.

When Do I Call A Professional

When it comes to any projects regarding plumbing you should read up on the best solutions to the issue. If you cannot find a solution that works for your issue, call on a master plumber. Also, reach out to your local home inspection team. They can inspect your entire plumber system by conducting a sewer scope of your pipes. This will create a list of concerns that a master plumber can then repair. Also, they can refer you to a reputable master plumber.

Conclusion

Whenever you are dealing with something regarding your plumbing, you should hire a master plumber. They can troubleshoot the entire reason why you are having an issue like a gurgling bathroom sink. If you want to learn more, call on your local home inspection team. They can inspect the plumbing system and determine what is wrong with your plumbing. Save money by getting the whole plumbing system inspected at one time. Contact Inside and Out Property Inspectors in Jacksonville, FL, and surrounding areas to get your sewer scope inspection done today.

Cleaning a hardwood floor.

How To Remove Stains From Hardwood Floors

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Homeowners have many concerns when it comes to their homes. It is such an investment to purchase a home and then maintain it as required to increase longevity and resale value. In that regard, keeping your floors looking clean and new is very important if you want your home’s resale value to be maintained. Unfortunately, flooring is the most highly trafficked area of your home. Whether it is carpet or tile or even hardwood floors, they are going to get stained at some point. How to remove stains from hardwood floors? It depends on the type of stain. The quicker you remove it the better the floor looks.

Let’s take a look below at how to remove stains from a hardwood floor.

Pet stains are some of the more common hardwood floor stains to deal with.

What Type Of Stains

Depending on the type of stain, will determine your best approach to removing it. If you are concerned with removing pet stains, dirt stains, oil stains, or water stains, your approach will vary. Unfortunately, there are no one-way fixes at all. Let’s take a look below at how we can handle each stain type.

  • Dirt stain – when it comes to these types of stains you will gently rub the area with warm water. Use a wet cloth or rag and simply scrub the dirt or wipe the dirt away. You can use a furniture polish spray or white vinegar to help loosen the dirt and grime.
  • Oil stain- for this type of stain you will want to use mineral spirits to lift the stain and then soapy water to absorb the stain and mineral spirits. Work quickly so that the mineral spirits don’t settle into the hardwood flooring. Follow up with some furniture polish to clean and protect the area.
  • Water stain -light stains are easier to remove than dark stains. Apply mineral oils across a wide range of the floor, not just on the spot of the stain. Use a soft cloth to scrub the area of the stain and the area around it. Let it sit for 12 hours and then go back and scrub and wipe with your soft dry rag. At this point, the stain should be gone. If the stain is darker, you will likely have to buff the stain out until it is gone. Then apply a new finish with wax or polish. Buff the area so that the new finish is blended into the old finish.
  • Pet stain – use hydrogen peroxide or another enzymatic cleaner like baking soda, to lift pet stains from your hardwood floor. If the pet urine isn’t cleaned up quickly, you might end up having to buff the area of the floor and refinish the area. This is the only way to guarantee the stain is gone and the urine smell is too.

Always keep in mind that removing stains from wood such as removing water stains or removing black stains could require different stain removal methods. Be sure to use the correct method on parts of the stain so that you don’t damage further damage the wood grain.

Other Recommended Maintenance

Now that you understand how to remove stains from your hardwood floor you can focus on whether or not they are squeaky due to a structural problem, or improper installation. Read up on why your floors are squeaky because you might need to get them replaced before worrying about removing any stains.

Next, determine whether or not you have a tougher stain to remove like paint. In some cases, when homeowners are painting their walls, paint can get dripped onto the hardwood floors. This would require a special cleanup in order to protect the hardwood floors. Be sure to read up on how to remove paint from your hardwood floors.

Lastly, understand that not all stains occur on hardwood floors. In many cases, homeowners elect to have carpet in their bedrooms or other less trafficked rooms in the home. In some cases, that can include removing mold from your carpet.

Hire a professional to buff out your hardwood floors and apply a new finish once a year.

When Do I Call A Professional

When it comes to hardwood floor stains, it is essential to call on a local professional contractor. Not every homeowner has the tools or materials to correctly remove a floor stain from their hardwood floors. That said, don’t be afraid to get your hardwood floors cleaned by a professional. If you aren’t sure who to call, reach out to your local home inspection team. They can inspect your hardwood floors for stains and their structural soundness. Also, they can refer you to a reputable professional contractor to help get your hardwood floor stains removed.

Conclusion

Removing stains from your hardwood floors is not easy. Most homeowners do not have the time or patience to worry about stains on their hardwood floors. However, it is important to remove stains from your hardwood floors the moment they occur. The longer you wait to remove the stains, the worse they can become. If you aren’t sure how to remove the stains, call on your local professional. Start with your local home inspection team. Reach out to Inside and Out Property Inspectors in Jacksonville, FL, and surrounding areas to get your home inspection done today.

Ceiling damage to water intrusion in the home.

What Is Water Intrusion

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Homeowners have many responsibilities when it comes to buying or building a home. You should always consider the materials of the home and the location of the home. Making sure that you aren’t in a flood zone or if you are, the house is properly water-proofed is key. Pay attention to the weather patterns so that you know when to touch up your home’s waterproofing. This could include new paint or a seal with caulk around your doors and window frames. Doing anything that you can to prevent water from intruding into the home is key. What is water intrusion? When water gains access into the home or a building and causes major damage to the materials inside the home.

Let’s take a look below at what is involved with water intrusion and how you can notice it when it occurs.

How Do You Define Water Intrusion

The main definition of water intrusion is simple. When water gains access to a home or building structure and causes damage to the structure and building materials and it’s working parts. Some damage that is a result of water intrusion would be mold, structural damage, and any wall, floor, or ceiling damage. Let’s take a look at possible sources of water intrusion.

  • Pipes that break inside the home.
  • A roof that leaks due to damage or wears and tear.
  • The sprinkler system is spraying water into the cracks of the home.

What Does It Look Like

Water intrusion into a home or building structure is typically specific to that building. Materials that each builder uses can often be different and those varying material types can respond differently to water. Let’s take a look at some of the symptoms of water intrusion.

  • Musty or stale smells.
  • Obvious signs of mold growing on your walls.
  • Paint that is touched by water can bubble up.
  • Wallpaper and linoleum can lose their finishes.
  • Wood flooring types will begin to buckle and warp.
  • Tile flooring could end up popping and cracking loose.

The moment that you experience water intrusion into your home you should call a professional water intrusion company to come out and inspect the damages, as well as begin the drying out process.

When the ceiling has water intrusion it looks like this. Paint peels and cracks.
Cracking and peeling of paint due to water intrusion on your ceiling.

How Does It Damage

The moment that water gets into your home a variety of things could occur. First, you are likely going to notice structural damage to your walls, floors, ceiling, and windows or doors, depending on the movement of water. If the water is not immediately noticed, you will have excess moisture and are likely going to develop mold growth.

With that being said, not only have you gone from having to replace any water-damaged structures, but now you will need a mold remediation team. Additionally, the water that intrudes into the home could end up causing damage to appliances and other expensive equipment that you might have in your home.

Make A Water Intrusion Plan

Before you even get into a scenario where you need a professional water damage repair company, make a water intrusion plan. Make a note of how often it rains in your area, and where the water runoff is going to go. Having gutters installed and regularly maintained is a great way to ensure water stays away from the home. Additionally, have a look at the slope of the yard, and what the city sewer situation is.

You never want to experience a backup of water and waste in your home. Also, check the structural integrity of the home itself. Ensure that it is holding up against any rains, even if it is an older home. Lastly, make sure that you are aware of the main water shutoff location. You might end up with a leaking pipe or plumbing leaks and need to shut down your water flow to prevent a larger amount of damage to the home.

Other Recommended Maintenance

Now that you know about water intrusion, here are a few other areas to take a look at for maintenance. One of those is the dryer. if you take a look at your laundry room and you see water on the floor, it could be from your dryer. The dryer can leak water if there is a ventilation issue or if it is the condenser dryer.

Another area to take a look at is water damage in the walls. Unfortunately, water can get into the home due to numerous reasons. However, there are signs you can look for such as wet or dark spots, cracking, bubbling, flaking, the smell of mold, musty, or dampness.

Lastly, finding a water leak inside the wall is difficult. However, calling on a home inspection company that uses a thermal imaging camera and moisture meter is essential. They can find a leak inside the walls that are not visible to the human eye.

Water intrusion on your hardwood floors is not a good thing.
Immediately clean up any water intrusion on your hardwood floors.

When Do I Call A Professional

Whether water intrusion occurs before, during, or after the construction of your home, you will need to reach out to a professional water damage company. They can come out and assess the damage that water intrusion has caused you. If this occurs during construction, you will likely get the builder to make the necessary repairs.

Additionally, if you aren’t sure where to start, reach out to your local home inspection team. They will likely conduct a home inspection before, during, and after your home is built. Also, if you have purchased a home and have experience water intrusion they can recommend a reputable water damage repair company.

Conclusion

As a homeowner, when you come home from a long day at work, the last thing you want to see is water on the floor or a water-saturated ceiling. Any signs of water damage to your home are not a good scenario. If you aren’t sure where the water intrusion may have occurred, go ahead and call your local home inspection team. Inside and Out Property Inspectors can conduct an infrared thermography inspection on your home in the Jacksonville and St. Augustine, FL areas.

Professional tiler installing a bathroom wall.

What Do You Tile First Floor Or Walls

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When it comes to owning a home, there are many projects to consider. Homeowners should also keep in mind that some projects are best left to professionals. Finding the right professional contractor requires a lot of research. A job like tiling is a very specific and detail-oriented project. If you do not hire the right professional tile contractor, then you might as well just attempt complete the project yourself. If you aren’t sure how to do this, reading up on the ins and outs of completing a labor-intensive project like tiling is key. What do you tile first floor or walls? There is no set way, however, tiling the walls first seems like the best choice.

Let’s take a look below at what is involved and how the choice of the floor or the walls can vary.

Why Should I Tile My Bathroom

Taking on the project of tiling your bathroom could be a daunting task. However, it is a necessary one as it produces many positives in your home. Let’s take a look at the reasons for tiling.

  • Cost – durability and moisture resistance allows you to enjoy tile longer than any other material. Even though the upfront cost is higher for tile, you will enjoy the tile a lot longer and have reduced replacement costs.
  • Moisture resistance – with tile being waterproof, you will be able to use soaps, shampoos, and other strong cleaners in the bathroom without causing damage. Tiles are great at keeping the water from being absorbed into the walls and floors of your bathroom.
  • Durability – a hard material that can last a long time. Most stone tiles will last 100 years and ceramic tiles can last up to 75 years.
  • Heat absorption – tiles are great at keeping the heat in. This keeps your shower at room temperature in the summer and even warmer in the cooler months. Also, they will not damage or crack due to the changes in heat levels.
  • Ease of maintenance – if mold or mildew begin to show up on your tile, they are very easy to clean. Any wet environment in a home promotes mold and mildew growth. So, being able to use soap and water or any other solution and simple scrub away the mold and mildew with a sponge is a huge plus.

What Do I Need For This Project

A project such as tiling can require a lot of extra tools and equipment. Before you decide to take on this project yourself, go ahead and price out all of the equipment and materials and compare that with your time costs. Let’s take a look at what is required for successful project completion.

Materials

Tools

Professional tiler installing a bathroom wall.
Installing a bathroom wall.

How Do I Tile The Wall

Just like every home project, there is a list of instructions that you should follow to tile the floor or walls. Let’s take a look at the recommended instructions for tiling a wall.

  1. Attach a baton in the horizontal position, on the datum point that you have originally measured out. Double-check that the baton is level for your initial starting point.
  2. Begin adding tiles from the middle of the wall and work your way outward. Make sure to apply tile adhesive in an even covering of the entire tile.
  3. Continue to work along the wall and use tile spacers to ensure that each tile is evenly spaced as it is affixed to the wall. As you approach a smaller area on the wall, go ahead and use your tile cutter to cut your tiles to fit the area.
  4. As soon as you have finished your first row of tiles and can verify that they have stuck, you can remove the baton and begin working downward.
  5. Using an edging strip to conceal a raw edge will require you to place it at the bottom edge underneath the end of the tile in your first row. You can then continue to place the tiles on top as you work up the wall.
  6. After giving the tile adhesive time to dry you can begin removing the tile spacers. You will also dig out any excess adhesive to create an even grout line opportunity.
  7. Now you will begin grouting your tile lines. Do your grouting in small sections as you go. You will want to give yourself time to sponge the excess grout off the tile before it hardens.
  8. Now you will take your damp sponge and wipe away the grout residue. After the grout has had a couple of hours to dry, you will take a dry cloth and buff out any excess dried grout to create a nice shiny finish on the tiles surface.
  9. In your wet areas of the shower, use a water-proof silicon to seal the joints.
Tiling is difficult so using a professional for the floor or walls is key.
Bathroom floor installation.

How Do I Tile The Floor

As you read above, there are instructions for every project. Following these instructions will all but ensure successful project completion. Let’s take a look at the instructions to complete the tiling of the floor.

  1. Your first step is verifying that the floor you are about to tile is strong and solid. In most cases, you will be affixing your floor tile to the concrete slab foundation with tile adhesive.
  2. Layout your tile pattern the way you would like to see it. This way you can be sure that the tile design fits your original planned idea. If you are working in a square space, you will likely work from the middle of the floor and fan-out from there.
  3. Make sure that the first row is straight. Use your level and ruler to measure out the room dimensions. Once you have placed your first middle tile, you will work toward the edges of the room. Only spread adhesive in an area that you can tile quickly. If you adhesive the floor too much, it could dry too quickly and would cause extra work.
  4. Be sure to use spacers in the same manner that you used them on the wall tiles. This keeps your floor tiles evenly spaced. Keep in mind that it is recommended that you use a lash clip system on any tiles that are considered polished and finished. Always use what is necessary to ensure spacing and leveling.
  5. The moment the floor tiles are dry, you can begin grouting the floor tile. Remember to use a sponge to wipe away excess grout.

Is There A Right Or Wrong Choice

Believe it or not, there is no right or wrong answer to tile the floor or walls. Depending on the design of your bathroom, will determine your best course of action. In most cases, professional tilers recommend tiling a wall first. This ensures that no damage is brought to the tiles on the floor. It can get messy with grout and accidental tool drops, and you wouldn’t want to crack or stain the floor tile. In addition, by tiling the wall first, you can move onto the floor without waiting for the wall to completely dry. However, if you were to tile the floor first, you would have to wait for the tiling to completely dry before starting on the wall tile.

Other Recommended Maintenance

While you are adding tile to to the floor or walls in the house, there are other areas to pay attention to as well. If you have a baseboard that is coming off or need to replace it, you should know how long it takes for caulk to dry. Silicone takes 24 hours to cure, while fast drying takes 30-60 minutes. This is important to know so you have an idea of how quickly you can finish a project in the house and you give the caulk the time it needs.

Another area is the washing machine. As homeowners, we often forget maintenance around the home because of busy schedules. One of those maintenance areas is removing mold from the rubber seal of the washing machine. This is something that needs to be done when you see mold growing. There are a few ways you can avoid this such as leaving the washing machine door open after using it so it airs out. Another way is not leaving wet clothes sitting in the washing machine as this promotes mold growth.

Lastly, if you notice that your water heater is leaking water, you can still use the water in the home. This will give you time to call a professional to come to the house and allow you to continue on with your daily water needs. Unfortunately, you may be looking at a repair of the pressure relief valve, or temperature gauge or an aging water heater. However, a professional can help you determine the issue.

Use a professional to tile the floor or walls.
Professional tiler installing a bathroom floor.

When Do I Call A Professional

Calling on a professional tiler for this project is probably the best choice. Oftentimes homeowners do not have the tools or the patience and time to spend the weekend working on tiling a bathroom floor and wall. Leaving this one up to the professionals will save you money and ensure that the job is done correctly. If you aren’t sure who to call in your local area, reach out to your local home inspection team. Not only can they refer a reputable professional tiler, but they can also look for other potential bathroom repairs during the home inspection. Keep in mind, that they might find that other bathrooms or rooms in the home could benefit from a professional tiler. Always use your resources first before spending money.

Conclusion

When it comes to a flooring project, it can be very stressful. Making sure that your tiles are level and the design flows is very important. If you don’t have the tools or the time to complete this project, it is highly recommended that you call on a professional tiler. Before you begin any major upgrade to your walls or flooring, make sure to call on your local home inspection team. They can ensure that you don’t have other issues such as mold growth or water leaks in the walls. Contact Inside and Out Property Inspectors in Jacksonville, FL, and surrounding areas to get your home inspection done today.

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