Non-Toxic Cleaning Solutions You Can Make Yourself

Posted on April 26, 2022 by weilhammerplumbing

Many store-bought cleaning agents contain high amounts of harmful chemicals and toxic solutions. Not only can these be dangerous to humans, pets, and wildlife, but they can also damage your home’s plumbing systems, appliances, and more. So, let’s keep the Earth Day momentum going by introducing some non-toxic, homemade cleaning solutions you can use all around the house and beyond! Continue below to get started with some easy recipes you can make right at home.

Why Make Your Own Cleaners

Various products on the market today fail to specify their dangerous chemicals on the ingredients label. So, the best way to avoid contact with these types of dangerous products is to simply replace them with safer alternatives. Making your own chemical-free, non-toxic household cleaning products is extremely rewarding. Best of all, it is a lot less expensive and easy to do!

Simple and Safe Homemade Cleaning Solutions

Purchase quality spray bottles. Be sure to choose bottles with ounces measured on the outside of them. This will help you measure and mix solutions quicker and easier. Also, always label each bottle with the type of cleaning agents inside. For example, if the solution is for your kitchen, label it, “kitchen cleaner”, or something similar. Safe ingredients that can be used to create your own homemade cleaning solution range from vinegar and baking soda to borax, Castile soap, and essential oils. Make your own combinations and experiment with what works best for your cleaning goals and even allergies.

Safe and Non-Toxic Ingredients Include, But are Not Limited To:

❧ Distilled White Vinegar
❧ Baking Soda
❧ Borax or Washing Soda
❧ Olive Oil-Based Soap
❧ Coconut Oil-Based Soap
❧ Vegetable Soap
❧ Castile Soap
❧ Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
❧ Essential Oil
❧ Clean Water

⚠ Safety Warning ⚠
Although you are making Eco-friendly and safe cleaning products, it is still strongly encouraged to keep them locked up and out-of-reach from children, pets, and wildlife. No one wants to be responsible for a sick animal or child. If these solutions are ever ingested in large quantities, immediately contact emergency services for medical attention.

How to Use Your New Cleaners

When it comes to cleaning your kitchen with Eco-friendly solutions, use a mixture of baking soda, Borax, or washing soda with a little bit of vegetable soap and warm water. This solution can be applied on counters, floors, appliances, and other surfaces.

For ovens and appliances, mix baking soda and washing soda with a little bit of water to make a paste. Generously apply the paste and allow it to sit overnight. Then wash away in the morning for best results.

For countertop cleaning, gently scrub an even mixture of these same ingredients, and then rinse with clean water.

For cutting boards, use a mixture of vinegar and 3% hydrogen peroxide. Bottle each solution separately, spraying first with the vinegar and second with the hydrogen peroxide. Repeat these steps until you achieve a clean surface.

Drains, Sinks, Tubs, and More

Use the same solutions and recipes for bathroom tile, bathtubs, bathroom countertops, toilets, and sinks. For drains, use a combination of baking soda and vinegar. First poor half cup of baking soda down the drain, and then pour 1 cup of vinegar down the drain. Allow the drain to rest for a few minutes and then run hot water through the drain until it is unclogged.

Are you experiencing cloudy or spotty dishes? How about clogged drains or smelly water? Solve your plumbing issues soon, before they can get worse, and costlier! Contact Weilhammer Plumbing Company at 317-784-1870 for professional plumbing service and repair in Indianapolis, Indiana and its surrounding counties. We serve residential and commercial clients.

Support Earth Day This Week With These Money-Saving Plumbing Tips

Posted on April 22, 2022 by weilhammerplumbing

Today, April 22, 2022, is Earth Day! There are many ways to show your support for this very important and special day, and we hope that you find joy in whatever you choose! As for plumbing, you can save money and back the Earth Day cause by adopting some new plumbing-related systems and practices!

Continue below to learn more about the meaning of Earth Day, plus how you can make the switch to Eco-friendly plumbing in support of the environment and your bank account!

Plumbing Service Indianapolis Indiana 317-784-1870

What Does Earth Day Mean to You?

Earth Day was officially established in 1970, following a tremendously damaging oil spill in Santa Barbara, California that got the attention of Senator Gaylord Nelson. He came up with the idea after seeing how destructive the oil spill was to the local Eco-systems and dependent economies. He wanted the nation to realize just how important it is to preserve and protect our natural resources. Back then, the nation did not pay much attention to the damaging effects of industrial and societal pollution. Rachel Carson’s 1962 publication of “Silent Spring” was one of the first considerations of such environmental threats.

So, with gusto, Senator Nelson decided to gather up a group of trusted colleagues to brainstorm ways to increase such awareness. The result was the proclamation of April 22nd to be a “national teach-in on the environment.” Of course, we know this as Earth Day now. In fact, Earth Day was one of the catalysts of the environmental movement that lead to the formation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and even the passing of important acts, like the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act.

✨ Visit earthday.org to learn more!

Eco-Friendly Plumbing to Support Earth Day and Environmental Protection:

Tankless Water Heaters

By making the switch from a traditional, tank-style water heater to a tankless water heater, you can preserve natural resources and save money for years to come. According to the Department of Energy, tankless water heaters can reduce energy consumption by 25% to 50% compared to tank-style units.

Tankless water heaters are highly energy-efficient, and a trusted alternative to on-demand hot water. Water is only heated when prompted, like when you run a bath or shower. That way, you are not wasting precious energy to keep water hot in the tank. These water heaters come in electric or gas.

Water Heater Temperature Setting

Having a water heater temperature setting that is too high poses a lot of safety risks, but also wastes energy. Set your water heater at a safe and comfortable 120° Fahrenheit to conserve energy and prevent burns and scalding accidents.

Dual-Flush Toilets

Water-saving toilets save more than just water. They also save you money on utility bills, potentially hundreds of dollars a year. Consider installing a dual-flush toilet to increase the level of water preservation in your home or office. These toilets are specially-designed to provide an option for a light flush or a deep flush. Think light for liquids and deep for solids. If your toilets were installed back in the 90’s, you are likely using up to 3 gallons of water per flush. That’s too much water!

Faucet Aerators

By adding aerators to your sink faucets, you can significantly reduce water wastage in your home or office. Also called low volume water restrictors, these tiny plumbing devices do what they claim: they mix the flow of water with air, thus aerating it, which reduces the volume of water flow. This can save up to 2.2 gallons of water! Plus, they are easy to install, as they simple screw onto the end of your faucets, and they come with an inexpensive price tag.

Additionally, you can swap out your old shower heads for a low-flow showerhead, which basically works in the same way as faucet aerators. A low-flow showerhead can potentially save the average family thousands of gallons of water each year. When shopping around, look for the WaterSense label.

Drip Repair

If you have a slow drip coming from a faucet, bathtub spout, or showerhead, it is money-wise to have it repaired right away. Whether a slow drip or a continuous one, this plumbing defect can waste a lot of water. In turn, your monthly utility bills take a hit.

Pipe Insulation

If your pipes are not properly insulated, whether lacking insulation or fitted with the wrong type of insulation, it can cause massive heat loss in your home’s water. By improving or repairing plumbing pipe insulation, you can better conserve energy and water.

Are you looking for a trusted plumber that can help you incorporate some Eco-friendly elements into your home or office? Contact Weilhammer Plumbing Company at 317-784-1870 when you need professional and affordable plumbing services for water heaters, toilets, plumbing pipes, and more, in Indianapolis, Indiana. We serve residential and commercial clients.

The Difference Between Salt and Saltless Water Softener Systems

Posted on April 14, 2022 by weilhammerplumbing

When it comes to buying a new water softener, consumers quickly learn that there is an overwhelming large number of options in terms of make, model, capacity, and efficiency. It is important to do your research and learn as much as you can about how water softeners work and the various versions currently available on the market in order to make the right decision for your home or office. Once you have a basic understanding of the water softener market, you can decide which version best meets your needs. The most basic decision is deciding between a salt-based and saltless water softener.

Continue reading to learn the difference between salt-using and salt-less water softener systems, plus who to trust for sales, service, and repair in Indianapolis and its surrounding areas.

Saltfree Water Softeners Indianapolis Indiana 317-784-1870

Water Softening: Salt Versus Saltfree

Traditional Water Softeners

Traditional salt-style water softeners use a process called ion exchange to eliminate hard mineral ions in water. They remove hard mineral ions from water by using negatively charged polymer resin beads that attract the positively charged ions, and then exchanges them with sodium potassium, which comes from the salt pellets used in the unit. Once the resin beads become too saturated, the water softener flushes them out through a drainpipe. This cleaning cycle is triggered automatically by an electronic meter valve on top of the unit.

Saltless Water Softeners

In contrast to salt-based water softeners, saltfree water softeners do not remove hard mineral ions. Instead, they change their chemical composition so that they do not adhere to anything. This process is known as Template Assisted Crystallization (TAC), which processes water through a catalytic media. The hard mineral ions are changed to hardened crystals that is not capable of sticking to any surface. Because of this fact, saltless water softening does not technically soften water, but rather, conditions it. For this reason, non-salt water softeners are more accurately described as water conditioners.

Saltfree Water Softeners in Indianapolis

To determine which water softening and conditioning system is best for your home or office, talk to a trusted Indianapolis IN water softener plumber who can offer professional advice, information, and installation. Choosing a water softener is just the beginning. Ensuring proper installation and routine maintenance sets the tone for problem-free water softening.

Are you looking for affordable water softeners and water softener service near you? Contact Weilhammer Plumbing Company at 317-784-1870 for professional sales, installation, service, and repair for saltless water softeners, today. We provide residential and commercial plumbing services for all make and model water softeners.

How to Stop an Overflowing Toilet

Posted on April 6, 2022 by weilhammerplumbing

An overflowing toilet isn’t just a frustrating and panicky problem to experience, but it’s also typically a nasty one. Fortunately, there are easy solutions for fixing an overflowing toilet right in the moment and preventing it from happening again in the future. Continue reading to learn how to stop an overflowing toilet and who to trust in central Indiana for quality plumbing service and repair.

Toilet Plumbing Services Indianapolis Indiana 317-784-1870

What To Do When Your Toilet is Overflowing

The great thing about an overflowing toilet—and we know what you’re thinking; “What could possibly be great about a toilet that is overflowing its unsanitary contents all of your bathroom floor?” Nonetheless, there is a positive element, and that is the fact that you can usually fix an overflowing toilet on your own.

Here are some supplies you might want to have on hand for emergency purposes in the case of the toilet is ever overflowing: rubber gloves, disposable towels, plunger, auger, and disinfecting solution.

Here’s What To Do:

SHUT OFF THE WATER SUPPLY

The first thing you want to do when your toilet starts to overflow is shut off the water supply. There is a valve located at the base your toilet that supplies the water to the toilet. Turn this valve counterclockwise, following the age old phrase lefty-loosey & righty-tighty, to stop the water from entering your toilet. To further protect your home from water damages and flooding, turn off the main water supply to the home as well while you work on the problem.

It is important to know exactly where your main water shut off valve is in your home for these types of flood-level emergencies. Main water shut off valves are commonly located in mud rooms or utility rooms, or in the garage or basement. Once you turn the water supply off, either to your toilet or to your home, the toilet should not continue to overflow water. However, you still need to deal with the water that has already overflowed.

CLEAN UP

It is critical to clean up a flooding mishap or large water spill, like an overflowed toilet, as possible to prevent water damages. If you allow water to sit on the floor, even for fifteen or twenty minutes, it can seep through the floorboards and into the home’s insulation and so forth. This can cause all sorts of wood rot, mold growth, and structural deterioration. It can also lead to foundation problems and repairs, which are both costly and invasive.

Allowing dirty toilet water to sit even for five or ten minutes on your bathroom floor can cause warping, discoloration, mold development, and all sorts of other design and aesthetic defects in laminate, tile, vinyl, and wood floors. Just be sure to clean up the overflowing toilet mess. As soon as it happens, to prevent further problems and frustrations down the road.

SOLVE THE TOILET PROBLEM

Your next step in the process of fixing an overflowing toilet is to actually fix the toilet. You need to determine what caused your toilet overflow and remedy the problem so that your toilet does not continue to have overflow incidents in the future. Clogs are one of the most common causes of an overflowing toilet, so use your plunger or auger (drain snake) to release anything causing an obstruction. You can also take a look in the toilet tank to see if anything is disconnected or clogged. If you can’t figure out what the problem is with your toilet, contact a local Indianapolis plumber for toilet inspection and repair.

Are you having some serious toilet problems that require some professional attention? Contact Weilhammer Plumbing Company at 317-784-1870 for plumbing repair and service for toilets and bathrooms in Indianapolis, Indiana. We serve residential and commercial clients.

Weilhammer Plumbing Co. Inc.

Monthly Archives: April 2022