Category: Plumbing

5 Signs You’re Due for a Drain Cleaning

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Do you have your drains professionally cleaned on a regular basis? If you’re like the average homeowner, your answer is probably a resounding “no.” We get it—it’s a seemingly unnecessary service from the perspective of anyone outside of the plumbing industry, but we can assure you that this really is an essential service.

Drain cleaning is a service that can make or break your plumbing system. You might think that you can keep any clog or drain problems at bay with a little over the counter chemical drain cleaner, but this is untrue. Not only are these drain cleaners terrible for your plumbing system, they really don’t do a great job of cleaning your plumbing system. If you’re looking for great plumbing services in Frederick, MD then we can do the job for you.

What to Look Out For

These are the signs that you need to call our team for professional drain cleaning.

  • Standing Water: Notice that your toes are pruning after taking a shower? This is an odd occurrence that really shouldn’t happen. Standing water is a sign that you’re having a problem with a slow drain. Standing water in your shower, washing machine, or sink shows that your draining problems have really become drastic. If you notice that this is a common problem in your home, contact a plumber sooner than later.
  • Foul Odors: Your drains shouldn’t smell foul. If you’re washing your hands and you smell the sewer, your drains aren’t functioning the way that they should. This is a sign that you might have a sewage backup within some portion of your pipes. We’re rounding out winter now, but this problem can accelerate and worsen when the temperatures rise. If this is a problem you’re having now, make sure you contact our team sooner than later.
  • Slow Draining: Does it seem like your sink takes forever to empty? Make sure to take note of these things in your washing machine, kitchen sink, and bathroom sinks. The drainage system in your home should be far from sluggish. A drain cleaning is a great way fortify your system and prevent a clog.
  • Fruit Flies: This is one sign of drain trouble that we really like to underscore because the connection to a failing plumbing system isn’t always obvious. Fruit flies are an annoyance and sometimes it seems like they’ve accumulated overnight in your home. If you’ve cleared your countertops and cleaned your kitchen but you still see fruit flies, it’s more than likely that they’re attracted to the food waste building up in your drain.
  • Odd Noises: Your plumbing system really isn’t an aspect of your home that should be too audible. If you’re heating gurgling, bubbling, banging, or sloshing sounds it’s a great idea to contact a professional plumber because you have a significant draining issue.

If you need a drain cleaning in your home, don’t try to cut any corners! Contact Mallick Plumbing & Heating today to schedule an appointment. We’re experts and we can meet all your plumbing needs!

Why You Should Never DIY Your Plumbing Services

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So you’ve got a slow-moving drain, a clog, or a backed-up toilet—we know how tempting it is to try to fix these issues on your own. After all, you have the entire internet at your fingertips with limitless resources on how you can perform your plumbing services on your own. Trust us, we can assure you that this isn’t the right move to make. More often than not, our talented team of plumbers finds themselves on job sites cleaning up the aftermath of a failed DIY attempt.

We understand why homeowners choose to take this route. You figure that you can just find a great resource, do it on your own, and save yourself a lot of money. If you’re worried about the price, come to our team for all your plumbing in Rockville, MD. We provide quality services at fair prices.

Here’s Why You Always Need a Professional

Here are a few compelling reasons why you should always go with a professional.

Security

When you go with our team, you’ll know that the job is getting done the right way the first time. When you try to DIY services in your own home, that means that you’ll wonder if the steps you’re taking are the right ones. You won’t have to worry with our team because we’re stocked with trained professionals with extensive in-field experience.

Convenience

If you try DIY plumbing services you’re probably going to go through a fair amount of troubleshooting. These jobs that homeowners try to perform on their own also typically take much longer to complete. The longer your plumbing job takes, the longer you’ll go without essential plumbing systems. Don’t put your comfort on the line just to try to save a few bucks. Our services are priced fairly because we understand that plumbing services are essential and, on top of this, they’re convenient.

Efficiency

Here at Mallick Plumbing & Heating, we’re your trusted Greater Washington Metro area plumbers for a reason. We understand the importance of a thorough job and efficiency. Since our founding, we’ve made respect for the customer the foundation on our business. You’ll never have to worry about long, drawn-out jobs or trying to upsell you. We understand what customers here need—we always offer installation, maintenance, repair, and replacement services at a fair price.

Expertise

When you go with our team, you know you’re getting an expert. We know that sometimes you might be tempted to just call that cut-rate handyman that promises to do the job just as well for half the price but trust us: when things seem too good to be true, it’s because they are. You need a professional with the right licensing, certifications, and insurance backing them to perform these plumbing jobs for you. Our experts check off all these boxes and have training and in-field experience too. You don’t need to opt for dodgy options when our team is available.

If you’re looking for a great professional plumber here in Maryland at the right price, make sure that you contact Mallick Plumbing and Heating today.

Simple Ways to Keep Your Plumbing System in Top Shape

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We find that the plumbing system is one that stays on the backburner in homeowners’ minds. We understand why—plumbing isn’t exactly a sexy topic and the plumbing system in your home is actually quite complex. It’s not always easy to understand how your plumbing system works and that’s why we have an expert team here at our company to help you with all your heating and cooling needs.

If you’re looking to keep your plumbing system in top shape, then make sure you have service from a reliable team like ours. If you’re looking for a great plumber in Hyattsville, MD then contact our team. We’ve serviced the Silver Spring area since 1994 and we’re the number one choice in HVAC for a reason.

Watch Out for These…

When you’re having trouble with your plumbing system, it’s always a good idea to call a professional plumber. Don’t try to DIY these services under any circumstance. But, if you’d like to take care of your plumbing system on your own time then make sure that you follow these guidelines.

In the Bathroom:

Don’t make the mistake of putting these down your bathroom sink or in your toilet.

Hair: Hair going down your shower or sink drain poses a big problem to your plumbing system. Hair tends to catch itself in preexisting sludge like substances in your plumbing system. Try putting a strainer over your drain so that you can scoop this hair up and dispose of it easily after a shower or bath.

Soap Scum: Do you know what soap scum is? It’s a term that we hear commonly in commercials, but we want to make sure that you know the source. Soap scum is the cause of a soap byproduct and hard water (water with a high mineral content of calcium or magnesium) mixing together. Soap scum forms build up in your drain and causes clogging.

In the Kitchen:

These are common problems we encounter in kitchen plumbing, avoid these substances at all costs:

FOG: FOG is an industry term that stands for “fat, oil, or grease.” FOG is by far the number one culprit of any kitchen sink clogging you might have. FOG is such a big deal because it travels down your drain as a liquid but then congeals, settles, and becomes a sludge-like solid that’s the perfect consistency to capture and trap any other particles going down your drain.

Coffee Grounds: Coffee grounds cause the same problem in your drain that FOG does. Never put coffee grounds down your kitchen sink. The best way to dispose of coffee grounds is to use a spare container and dispose of them in there and then deposit them in the trash. If you’re feeling eco-friendly, coffee grounds are a great source of nitrogen and serve as great fodder for your azaleas.

Everywhere:

This is advice that applies to your entire plumbing system.

Store Bought Drain Cleaner: If there’s one thing you should avoid no matter the circumstance, make sure that its store-bought drain cleaner. We get why you’d buy it, you’re standing in the aisle at the store and reading all these fantastic claims about how this cheap product can alleviate all your slow-moving drain problems, but trust us, these caustic chemicals do more harm than good.

If you need a plumber in Hyattsville, contact Mallick Plumbing and Heating today.

5 Signs That You Need a New Sump Pump

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If you’re a homeowner here in Maryland, it’s more than likely that you have a basement in your home. It’s still winter here in Maryland, but spring will be here before you know it and that’s the busy season for your sump pump—make sure that yours is ready. You know how important this system is for your home.

The last thing you want as things are thawing off is to realize that your sump pump is no longer able to keep your home safe, clean, and dry. If you want to know the warning signs that your sump pump is on the way out, keep reading below. If you need a plumber here in Bethesda, MD then be sure to contact our conscientious team.

Common Signs That You Need an Upgrade

If you’re experiencing any of these issues, then it might be time to replace your sump pump:

Old Age

No machine in your home can last forever. Your sump pump has a life expectancy of about ten years. If your machine is near that age and showing any of the problems below, it’s probably time for you to replace this system.

If you’re concerned about finding the right system for your home then contact our team. Our technicians are extensively trained and vastly experienced, so we can always inform you too. We work with all the best brands and we can assess your home and match you with the right make and model.

Noises

Your sump pump is never going to be completely silent, but if the system is making an excessive amount of noise, then you’ve got a problem on your hands. Frequent noise or exceptionally loud noises mean that there’s probably something wrong with the motor in your home. Make sure you listen out for any rattling, grinding, thuds, and other alarming noises.

Issues Turning it On and Off

Have you noticed that your sump pump goes through a constant cycle of turning on and turning off? It’s probably a sign that there’s something wrong with your sump pump. You might have a power issue, a float switch issue, or a sign that you need a new sump pump in your home.

Your Pump is Constantly Running

If your sump pump is continuously running or just running too much no matter what the weather conditions outside are, it’s a sign that you have a problem. The longer that you let this issue go on, the worse the issue is going to get. This could potentially lead to a system breakdown so make sure that you address issues promptly.

No Water

Your sump pump needs water in the pit to function. If you notice that the system is dry, then you probably have a problem with how the system was installed, how it’s currently connected, or because there’s a problem with your drainage system.

If you need service for your sump pump, make sure to contact Mallick Plumbing & Heating.

What to Do When You Have a Clogged Drain

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Whether it’s lots of standing water in the shower, a toilet that won’t flush, or a backed-up sink, the source is the same—a clogged drain. This is an inconvenient occurrence, but luckily not the end of the world. When you have a problem like this, it’s important to know what to do so that you don’t unintentionally worsen the issue. If you have a clogged drain in Frederick, MD, call our team. If you’d like to know how to properly handle a drain clog, keep reading below.

Handling A Clog

To properly understand how to handle a drain clog, we should start off with what not to do.

Don’t Use a Chemical Cleaner

We know what you’re thinking—“really?” But yes, really. You should never put a chemical cleaner down your drain. Although these methods are cheap and promise quick relief, this is hardly ever the actual case. The problem with chemical drain cleaners is that they’re incredibly corrosive and they don’t have an “off” switch. There are two outcomes with a chemical drain cleaner, one is that you pour this substance down your pipe and it actually does eat away at the clog. The only problem with this is that the caustic chemicals have an insatiable appetite and will start to eat away at your pipe too. The other outcome is that the chemicals aren’t powerful enough to power away at the clog and they sit in your drain corroding the pipe. It’s always a better option to call a professional and have them handle this problem with the right tools.

Don’t Use Homemade Tools

We encounter the aftermath of many homeowners’ drain disasters after they’ve stuck something down into their drain hoping to dislodge or unearth their clog. We know that this type of handy work is well intended, but it typically has a very poor outcome. Instead of going down this route, call a professional.

Don’t Use Professional Tools Either

If you’re not a professional technician, you shouldn’t use professional tools either. Although these tools are meant to handle these types of problems, they typically just cause a bigger mess when they’re put into the hands of someone without extensive knowledge, experience, and expertise. Your drain system is incredibly complicated, make sure you have a professional work on this delicate hardware.

Wondering How You Can Prevent A Clog?

Clogs are pesky and inconvenient—prevention is the best method. If you want to avoid a clog, you can do so in the following ways:

  • Avoid putting coffee grounds down your drain
  • Avoid FOG (fat, oil, and grease)
  • Use a drain catcher in your kitchen and shower drains so that you’ll avoid hair, soap scum, and other materials from clogging your drain
  • Avoid fibrous materials like celery and corn husks

Why Choose Mallick Plumbing & Heating

Here at Mallick Plumbing & Heating, we’re more than just a plumbing and heating company, we’re a family that knows HVAC. We’re committed to providing the best service at the best prices.

If you have a drain you need to be unclogged, call Mallick Plumbing & Heating today to schedule an appointment.

How a Sump Pump Benefits Your Home

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If you have a basement in your Maryland home, then you need a sump pump. It’s that simple! Sump pumps are designed to give you peace of mind. We meet a lot of homeowners that don’t understand all the benefits of a sump pump, it’s one of those systems that does its job without you even realizing it. If you’d like to know how this system can work for you, keep reading below. If you need great plumbing in Rockville, MD then contact our team today to learn all the benefits.

What is a Sump Pump?

A sump pump is a system is in place to prevent basement flooding. Sump pumps are installed underneath the floor of basements and crawl spaces to collect groundwater before it threatens to flood your home. Here in Rockville, we have a high chance of flooding, so a sump pump is a great system to have. A sump pump will collect all of this and send it away from your home. You can think of this system as an additional piece of flood insurance.

Sump Pumps Help in the Following Ways:

Prevents Flooding

This is the main reason that people put a sump pump in their homes. Your sump pump has a pit called the sump that’s the lowest area of the unit. When the pit fills with water, the pump removes this was through a pipe that leads outdoors. Once your sump pump fills with a certain level of water it’s emptied automatically. Most sumps pumps use a float activator (the same technology used in your toilet tank) or a pressure sensor.

Keeps Mold at Bay

Your sump pump keeps the area under your house dry, so it prevents the growth of pesky mold and mildew. Mold and mildew can only survive with a reliable source of water to sustain them. If you don’t have a sump pump and have a flood, the increased amounts of moisture in your home allow mold to thrive. These substances can unpleasant odors in your home. Mold and mildew are more than just eyesores, they’re a risk to your health.

Electrical Fires

How does a system that’s largely designed to prevent flooding also prevent fires? Flooding is actually one of the main causes of electrical fires in the home. It might seem a little odd, but it actually makes sense. The water fills every available space as it rises through your basement or crawl space. This means that it touches the inside of your walls and electrical wiring. These appliances aren’t meant to touch water. It the best-case scenario they’ll stop working, but it’s common for these things to short circuit and cause fires. There are typically many appliances in your basement that can cause these problems. A sump pump makes sure that they’re never at risk.

We Can Service Your Sump Pump Too

If you’re thinking of installing a sump pump in your home, the task doesn’t just stop at installation. If you want to make sure that your home is always safe from disaster you need to maintain this system too. Make sure you have a reliable team like ours to perform these services.

If you need a sump pump for your home, contact Mallick Plumbing & Heating to schedule an appointment today.

Never Put These Items Down Your Kitchen Sink

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The best way to ensure that your plumbing system stays healthy is through preventative means. There are many common items that you can omit from your drain system to avoid any drain clogs. A kitchen clog can greatly disrupt the daily flow of your home. If you need a fast and reliable plumber in Frederick, MD you should contact our team. We’ve compiled a short list of items to avoid below.

Eggshells

Eggshells aren’t a good item to put down your drain. You might think that your kitchen sink’s garbage disposal can handle anything but when they’re ground, they turn into a rough sandpaper-like substance that can blunt your blades over time. Make sure that these eggshells in up in your trashcan rather than your drain.

Fat, Grease, and Oil

Fat, grease, and oil are the top three culprits of drain clogs. You might hear these items commonly referred to as “FOG.” These items are such a problem because they might go down your drain as a liquid, but they’ll settle in your pipes as a sludge-like solid. It’s easy to avoid putting FOG down your drain, allow these liquids to cool and become solids. Once they are solids, dispose of these items in the trash.

Coffee Grounds

This is a main culprit of drain clogs. Coffee grounds aren’t completely water soluble, so they combined with preexisting FOG in your system to cause drain blockages. Make sure that before you clean your coffee maker you’ve dumped the coffee grounds into the trash.

Produce Stickers

It’s common that you’ll find stickers on your fruit and vegetables. These tiny stickers seem benign, but the adhesive used to have them stick to the produce actually causes problems within your plumbing system.

Additionally, make sure any fruit pits are put into the trash. Your garbage disposal isn’t equipped to handle these hard, round pits.

Drain Cleaner

Many homeowners are surprised by this item but it’s important to call a professional if you have a drain clog—don’t try to solve this problem with an over the counter drain cleaner. The chemicals used in this type of cleaner are incredibly caustic and hard on your pipes. It’s more than likely that you’ll cause more problems down the line rather than permanently fixing your drain clogs.

Pasta and Rice

Don’t let pasta and rice make your way down your drains. These items are a problem because they enter your drain one way, but they expand over time as you run more water down through your plumbing system. The swelling of these materials is a big cause of clogs.

Need Great Plumbing Services? Contact Us

If you slip up and discover you have a kitchen clog in your home, make sure you contact a professional as soon as possible. Don’t try to solve these issues on your own. At Mallick Plumbing & Heating, we pride ourselves on our integrity and quality service at reasonable prices. We understand the unique needs of homeowners here in the Greater Washington Metro area.

If you need plumbing services here in Frederick, contact our team today for service.

How Basic Planning Can Stop Pesky Drain Clogs

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Drain clogs may seem like an inevitable part of every homeowner’s life, but a little simple planning helps you avoid unnecessary clogs. Your plumbing system is one of the most important systems in your home. It might not be an aspect of your home that you think about every day, but without your plumbing system, you couldn’t take a shower in the morning or have a toilet in your home. Drain clogs are often the result of a slow build-up of debris in your system over time, so prevention is feasible. When you need drain cleaning in Bethesda, MD you need the services of our team here at Mallick Plumbing & Heating.  

Steps to Keep Your Plumbing System Healthy

There are remarkably simple steps you can take to keep your plumbing system healthy. We’ve listed a few key points below.

Know Your System

The first step in preventing drain clogs is truly understanding your plumbing system. Most homeowners know the basics. But it’s vital that you know where your plumbing system exists within your home, where the vulnerable points are, where your shut-off valve is, and how to care for your system. Once you learn these basic points of your system, dealing with any plumbing issues that may arise in the future becomes much easier.

Be Mindful of What Goes Down the Drain

There are certain things that should never go down any drain in your home. These things are called FOGS or fats, oils, and grease. FOG is common in the kitchen, so make sure that you let oils and greases cool in a container like an old coffee can and dispose of them in the trashcan rather than pouring them down your sink. Oils like these may travel down as liquids but they’ll solidify and causes blockages.

Pro Tip: Don’t use over the counter drain cleaners to try and alleviate the issue. This is never a good idea. While these items may promise instant gratification, the caustic chemicals in these items do more harm than good to your pipes.

Fix Problems Quickly

If you do encounter a plumbing problem even after taking care of your drains, have a professional service your system as soon as possible. Don’t wait or try to fix these problems on your own, a professional from a team like ours has the right technology to clean your drains expertly.

Here at Mallick Plumbing & Heating, we use a process called hydro-jetting. Hydro-jetting is a lot what it sounds like, we shoot high-pressure water down the pipes to remove any blockages safely and efficiently. When you have professional drain cleaning done, it will ensure that a clog is a lot less likely to occur again.

Choose Mallick Plumbing & Heating for the Job

When you choose Mallick Plumbing & Heating you’ll know that you’re getting the best plumbing services in the Greater Washington Metro Area. We understand the intricacies of plumbing systems and know the needs of homeowners in our area—after all, we’ve been in business here since 1994.

If you need a great plumber in Bethesda, contact our team today to schedule an appointment.

No Water in My Home! (Here’s What Might Be Wrong)

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On the scale of plumbing problems, having no water in your home might be one of the worst issues you can have. But don’t panic! Our team here at Mallick Plumbing & Heating provides 24-hour emergency services for problems like these. We understand that it’s difficult to go without water in your home for long. If you need a plumber in Bethesda, MD you should contact our team. Our staff is always punctual, knowledgeable, and prepared for any problem you may have.

Need plumbing service in Maryland? Contact Mallick Plumbing & Heating for reliable repair, replacement, or maintenance today! 

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What You Should Do if Your House Has No Water

  • Check Another Tap: Before you panic, make sure you’re thorough in your analysis of the problem. Your first step should be to check the other taps in your home. While one tap not working correctly is scary, it doesn’t immediately mean your entire house has shut down. If the problem is only with one tap the problem is much smaller but if you’re right about your suspicions and your entire house isn’t receiving water, then you’ll need the help of a professional plumber.
  • Phone a Friend: Contact your next-door neighbors. If they’re also having trouble with water loss, then you’ve probably got a municipal water supply problem on your hands. You should call the water department to find out what the issue is and how long your supply will be out.
  • Check Your Water Main: Check the location of your main shut-off valve. If you’re not getting any water in your home, it’s likely because of a problem with the water main. If you have an emergency shut-off valve, it could have accidentally triggered and stopped your water flow, or the valve could be open and impeding your water supply because it’s leaking.

If you still can’t determine why your home isn’t receiving water after going through these steps, it’s time to call a professional.

Possible Reasons Why Your Water Has Stopped Working

Outside of common mishaps like the ones above, there are other problems with your system that can cause a lack of water in your home. You can determine which of these issues is causing problems for your home with the help of a licensed plumber.

  • A clogged tap connection: If your tap connection is old it can become full of sediment or susceptible to corrosion over time. In most cases, it’s better to completely replace this type of connection but in some cases, the connection can be cleaned and reconnected.
  • Poor or Aged Materials: Our technicians can help you determine if this is your problem If your water lines are extremely old or incorrectly sized during installation is causes low water pressure and even a lack of water over time.
  • Corroded or Clogged Pipes: When you think of a “clog” in relation to your pipes you might think of something caused by a backup of sludge or grime. The type of clog we’re detailing in this situation is due to a build-up of mineral residue along the inside of your pipe. We suffer from hard water here in Maryland that leaves ample mineral build up behind. If your home lacks water supply this could be the problem.

Call Mallick Plumbing & Heating

An issue with this type of impact needs an assessment from a professional. Our team here at Mallick Plumbing & Heating has served the Greater Washington Metro area for years and we can help you too.

If you have urgent plumbing needs in the Greater Washington Metro area, contact our team today.