Category: Plumbing

5 Essential Tips to Prepare Your Home for Holiday Guests

Get Home Ready For The Holidays With These 5 Tips

The holidays are a special time for gathering with friends and family. As you anticipate welcoming guests into your home, it’s important to ensure your space is ready for the festivities. From plumbing to stocking up on essentials, here are five tips to prepare your home, featuring expert advice from Rosenthal, one of the most reliable heating and plumbing companies Santa Cruz has to offer.

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1. Declutter and Clean Your House

Start your preparations by decluttering your home. A clutter-free environment is welcoming and relaxing. Put away mail, gather any dirty dishes, and make sure everything has its own place in your home. Once you’ve tidied up, give your home a deep clean. Pay special attention to bathrooms and guest rooms, ensuring every corner sparkles. A clean home sets the tone for a comfortable and enjoyable holiday experience.

2. Ensure Adequate Seating

Comfortable seating is crucial when hosting holiday gatherings. Ensure you have enough chairs and cozy spots for everyone to relax. If necessary, rearrange furniture or bring in extra seating to accommodate all your guests. Creating a comfortable seating arrangement encourages conversation and relaxation, and an overall delighting space for your guests to enjoy the holiday.

3. Make Sure Your Plumbing Is in Proper Order

Holiday gatherings often mean increased use of your plumbing system. The last thing you want is a plumbing emergency during your celebration. Contact a plumber in Santa Cruz to check for leaks and ensure your hot water system is functioning efficiently. Proactive plumbing maintenance by a reliable plumber in Santa Cruz can prevent inconvenient disruptions and ensure a smooth holiday season.

4. Check Your Water Quality

High-quality water is essential for cooking, drinking, and bathing. If you’re concerned about your water quality, consider installing a water filtration system. Rosenthal, known as one of the most reliable heating and plumbing companies Santa Cruz has to offer, can provide expert advice and installation services for water filtration systems, ensuring your guests enjoy fresh and clean water.

5. Stock Up On Toiletries

With extra guests in your home, you’ll need additional toiletries. Stock up on toilet paper, hand soap, and other essentials. Provide extra towels and perhaps even a few luxurious items like scented lotions or bath salts to make your guests feel pampered.

Let Rosenthal Get Your Home Ready For The Holidays!

In conclusion, preparing your home for holiday guests involves a combination of cleanliness, comfort, and attention to detail. By decluttering and cleaning your house, ensuring adequate seating, and stocking up on toiletries, you create a welcoming environment. Additionally, making sure your plumbing is in proper order and checking your water quality (and your hot water heater as well!) are crucial steps. For all your plumbing needs, contact Rosenthal for the plumber Santa Cruz residents trust, offering reliable services to ensure your holiday season is both merry and bright.

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End Of Summer Santa Cruz Plumbing Checklist From Rosenthal Plumbing!

As Summer winds down, it’s not just about packing away beach gear and prepping for fall. It’s also the perfect time to give your Santa Cruz plumbing a thorough check-up. Rosenthal Plumbing is here to let you know about some tips and tricks to keeping your plumbing in good shape. Here’s our comprehensive end-of-Summer plumbing guide to ensure your Santa Cruz home is ready for the colder months ahead. Keep reading, or call us today to learn more!

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Tackle Clogs and Slow Drains

Experiencing frequent toilet clogs or sluggish drains? A mixture of a cup of baking soda, two cups of vinegar, followed by half a gallon of hot water might do the trick. For sinks, a well-cleaned plunger can be effective.

Persistent clogs or standing water might indicate deeper issues with your sewer or septic system. If you detect foul odors or odd occurrences like your washing machine filling when you shower, it’s time to call in the experts. Addressing sewer problems promptly can prevent more extensive and expensive repairs.

Inspect for Leaks: Pipes, Fixtures, and Appliances

Never underestimate a small leak. Even minor drips can waste significant amounts of water annually, putting undue stress on your plumbing. Regularly inspect areas around appliances and under sinks for any signs of moisture or water pooling.

Toilets can sometimes leak from the tank to the bowl. A simple test involves adding food coloring to your tank and waiting a few hours without flushing. If the color appears in the bowl, you have a leak. Also, inspect the base of the toilet for any water or dampness.

Winter often sees an uptick in leaky pipes due to freezing conditions. Regularly inspect exposed pipes, especially around your water heater, for rust or leaks. Consider calling a Rosenthal plumber to insulate your pipes before winter hits.

Water Heater Maintenance

Your Santa Cruz water heater is essential for daily comfort. Regular checks can prevent unexpected breakdowns.

  • Check for Rust and Damage: Inspect your tank for any cracks or rust. Pay attention to anode rods and pressure relief valves too.
  • Insulate: Exposed pipes from your water heater should be insulated to prevent freezing. Consider insulating the entire heater with a suitable jacket to enhance efficiency and reduce energy bills.
  • Drain and Clean: Sediment can accumulate in your tank over time. Regularly draining and flushing your tank can prevent this buildup, ensuring cleaner hot water and prolonging the heater’s lifespan.

Sewer Considerations

Your sewer system is often out of sight, out of mind, but it’s crucial to its health. Lush patches on your lawn, unpleasant odors, or yard leaks might indicate sewer issues. Recurring clogs and water backups are also red flags.

Rosenthal Plumbing provides video inspections with main sewer line cleaning. Even if you don’t suspect any issues, periodic checks are beneficial. If you’re considering selling your home, a video inspection can provide insights into the sewer’s condition.

Contact Rosenthal Plumbing for a Plumbing Review

Whether you’re facing plumbing challenges or just want a routine check, we’re here to assist. Contact Rosenthal Plumbing today for all your Santa Cruz plumbing needs, ensuring your home or business is in top shape for the seasons ahead.

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3 Common Summer Plumbing Problems You Should Watch Out For

Some Santa Cruz plumbing problems are more common in the summer than at any other time of year.

Here’s what you should be watching for this summer so you can keep your home working well all summer long.

If you do experience these or other plumbing this summer, don’t hesitate to call your local Santa Cruz and Santa Clara plumber.

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1) Flooded Basements

Sudden thunderstorms or downpours are more common in the summer than at other times of the year. These can flood your basement and do a lot of damage quickly. If you don’t have a sump pump, consider installing one. If you do have one, take a few minutes to test it before the next storm comes. 

2) Sprinkler Problems

Sprinkler heads break relatively easily, especially with increased foot traffic on lawns and with the weekly use of lawn mowers. These can cause all sorts of flooding and other plumbing problems. Make sure you check your sprinklers regularly during the summer and that you replace any broken parts as soon as possible. You can also check for overgrown or soggy areas on your lawn, as this can indicate a sprinkler issue. 

3) Clogged Shower Drains

When you spend time at the lake, the river, the beach, or even out in your backyard, you end up with more dirt and debris washing off in the shower. It can be hard for your normal water pressure to wash these all the way down the drain and into your sewer. You can end up with significant clogs after everyday activities. Do your best to rinse off with a hose before you shower to avoid needing drain cleaning services in Santa Cruz.

If you do run into any summer plumbing problems, call us at Rosenthal Plumbing right away. We’ll have an expert Santa Cruz plumber to your door fast!

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How to Fix a Leaky Kitchen Sink

Is your kitchen sink leaking? This is a frustratingly common occurrence that many homeowners experience at least once in their lifetimes. If you find that your kitchen sink is leaking underneath you don’t need to worry, and you don’t need to call a Santa Cruz plumber right away. Here’s what you need to know about how to fix a leak under the sink!

Time needed: 1 hour

  • Determine Where Sink is Leaking

    The first step toward fixing your kitchen sink leak is to find it. Depending on where the leak is, there are different ways to fix your leaking kitchen sink. Use the following steps to determine where the leak is coming from

  • Check If The Drain Leaks

    Run water into your sink, then drain it out. If you see water leaking while the sink is draining, then you have this type of leak. How you fix this kitchen sink leak depends on why it is leaking. Try to determine if you have a blockage or if there is corrosion or if something is just loose. You can fix the problem by simply tightening the nuts located at the point where the pipes meet. Otherwise you can use plumber’s putty to get the job done. You can remove the drain, repack it with fresh plumber’s putty, and then reattach the drain again.

  • Check If The Faucet Leaks

    Leaky faucets can be annoying and run up your water bill, but are typically the easiest to spot. You may notice water leaking from the top of the sink whenever someone turns on the faucet. Faucet leaks can happen underneath the sink, too, so be sure to check for a leak underneath your kitchen sink. To fix it, all you need to do is replace any failed washers or worn-out gaskets. Occasionally, a severe faucet leak will require you to replace the entire faucet. Replacing your kitchen faucet is fairly simple, however, if you are uncomfortably doing this, call one of our local plumbers to handle your sink installation.

  • Check The Water Supply Leaks

    If your water supply is leaking you may not notice it until water is flooding out of your cabenint causing not only a huge mess but potentail water damage! To find out if your leak is coming from your water supply, plug up your sink’s drain, then turn the water on and let it run. If there’s a leak under the kitchen sink while the water is running but not draining, then the leak is in your water supply. See if you can find the joint or pipe where the water is getting out and tighten it. If that doesn’t stop the leak you may need to replace a corroded or failed gasket in the connector.

  • Inspect For A Clogged P-Trap

    The P-trap is the curved section of a pipe found under the sink. Because the P-trap is out of sight, you may notice a leak right away. Its main purpose is to prevent foul smells from seeping through the drains, but it can also trap small pieces of food and gunk. When debris fills up at the P-Trap, it can cause a leak

  • Check For A Corroded P-Trap

    Another possible cause of a leaking P-trap is corrosion– especially if your sink consists of metal parts. If this is the case, you may need to replace the trap completely. If you don’t feel confident replace the P-Trap, or finding a replacement trap, reach out to a local plumber for plumbing repairs.

  • Look For A Damaged O-Ring

    Your kitchen sink is made of several different components including a screw that holds the faucet handle in place, and a small disc that is attached called the O-ring. The O-ring can wear out or become loose due to regular use, causing the faucet to leak near the handle. If the O-ring is damaged, replacing it should fix the problem.

  • Check For A Worn Washer

    Worn washers are among the most common causes of leaking sinks. Each time you use the faucet, the washer is pressed against the valve seat, resulting in the washers wearing out. If you have worn down washers you may start noticing leaks around the spout. Simply replacing the washer.

  • See If You Have Valve Seat Corrosion

    The valve seat is the connection between the spout and the faucet. When water sits around the valve seat it can begin corrode, causing the area around the spout to leak. We recommend cleaning the valve seat regularly or hiring a plumber to do so.

  • Call A Professional Plumber

    Many times, the best way to fix a leak under the kitchen sink is with the help of a professional plumber, as they have experience with faucets and sinks. If you can’t find the leak or you’ve tried everything you can to take care of it and it’s still there, you may need to call a plumber for leaky pipe repair. Some leaks are nearly impossible to see and/or access without professional tools.

Call Rosenthal Plumbing For Help With A Leaking Sink

If you need to fix your leaky sink and you haven’t had any luck with DIY methods, call us at Rosenthal Plumbing today. We’ll send out an expert get to the bottom of your Santa Cruz plumbing problem and solve it ASAP.

We also offer emergency plumbing for severe leaks because we know that some repairs can’t wait until the next business day. Give us a call today for help with your leaky sink or faucet!

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5 Common Plumbing Problems & How to Fix Them

Are you struggling with your plumbing in Santa Cruz? If you’re facing one of the problems below, you’re not alone. In fact, these are the most common plumbing problems we see, along with the solutions we use to get everything back to normal for you. 

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1) Dripping Faucets

That constant dripping isn’t just frustrating, it could be costing you quite a bit of money, too! Give our sink and faucet experts a call and we’ll figure out whether you need a new O-ring or a whole new faucet. Fix it and save money on your water bill today!

2) Clogged Drains

Pesky clogs can end up causing major water damage if you can’t get them to move. Our team will get rid of that clog and help you get everything flowing normally once again. Our Santa Cruz drain cleaning methods may involve hydro jetting, a plumbing snake, or chemical solvents to make that clog disappear!

3) Leaky Pipes

A small leak can be a major problem! Whether you can find the leak or not, we can fix it for you. Our team will get you the pipe repair or replacement that you need so you can use your water normally once again. We use the latest in leak detection technology so we don’t have to waste extra time finding your leak. 

4) Running Toilets

If your toilet in Santa Cruz is constantly running, you’d better give us a call quick! We’ll find out why it keeps running like that and get a fix in place ASAP so you can use it normally again. We may replace your stopper or fix the float so the problem will go away. Stop wasting money and water when you invest in a repair today!

5) Broken Water Heaters

Being out of hot water is miserable. It’s also problematic when you don’t have enough hot water for your whole house or when your water won’t get hot enough. Call us to find the right solution for you. We’ll fix your Santa Cruz water heater when we can. If that’s too expensive or the problem is too extensive, we’ll get you a new water heater that will work for you. 

Santa Cruz Plumbing Problem Solvers

Contact Rosenthal Plumbing for all of your plumbing needs in Santa Cruz. Whether you have one of these problems or something else is going on, we’ll fix it and make sure you’re completely satisfied before we leave. We’ll do whatever it takes to get your plumbing working well again fast!

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