FAQ Our Bell CA Plumbing Answers

Our Bell CA plumbing service gets asked all kinds of questions. Most of these are specific to the homeowner or business that is calling, but there are several recurring themes. Here's what we get asked the most.

Why is my water bill so much higher this month than last month?
If you have noticed a spike in your water bill but you haven't been doing anything out of the ordinary during the month, the most likely cause is a hidden leak. If you haven't noticed any dripping faucets, the leak is probably coming from one of two places – a broken pipe in a non visible area of the home or yard or a flapper leak in one of your toilets. To test the toilets, place several drops of food coloring in your toilet reservoir tanks. Wait for fifteen minutes and check your toilet bowls. If there is food coloring in the bowl, you need to replace the flapper. A single toilet leak can waste hundreds of gallons of water a week and could have caused the spike in your bill. If your toilet isn't leaking, call in a Bell CA plumbing expert to test for hidden leaks.

How can I reduce my water usage?
The best way to reduce water usage without changing your daily routine is to install low flow fixtures in your home. A low flow toilet can cut water usage by almost 40%. Placing aerators on your faucet heads can save another 15%. A low flow shower head can cut shower water use by over 50%.

Why is my water heater making a gurgling noise?
If your water heater is gurgling you may have a scale build-up on the interior of the tank. This scale forms when the sacrificial anode in the tank precipitates to prevent rusting of the tank body. This precipitate covers the interior surface of the tank and causes the heating element to work less efficiently. The water that comes in contact with the superheated scale immediately starts to boil and causes large air bubbles to form and pop at the top of the tank. A full tank sediment flush should remove the majority of the scale from the tank and stop the gurgling sound.

What does my water smell funny?
A rotten egg smell in your water is another sign of a sediment build-up in your water heater tank. Hydrogen sulfide is being produced by a large colony of bacteria living in the layer of sediment at the base of the tank. This gas is the source of the foul odor that you are smelling in your water. A full sediment flush, and possibly a hydrogen peroxide treatment, may be necessary to eliminate it.