Did You Know?

Approximately 30-50% of people do not know where their water main or gas main shut off valves are located.  Click here if you are one of these people!  Educating yourself on where your shut off valves are located is a great way to protect your home from costly leaks.  

What To Do If You Suspect You Have a Frozen Pipe

If you turn on a fixture and very little or no water comes out, you may have a frozen pipe.  We highly recommend calling a licensed plumber right away to get on their schedule as soon as possible.  Next, shut your water off at the main shut-off valve.  Click here to learn more about where your shut off valves are located.  If there is a visible leak and you do NOT know where your shut off valve is, then call your local water utility company so they can come and shut the water off for you underground at the street. 

Here are a few tips on thawing frozen pipes for the 'do-it-yourselfers': 

• Make sure the water is off at the main!
• Try to locate the frozen pipe.  If you had no water at any fixtures in the home, then the frozen pipe is probably near your main.  If only one fixture was affected, then one of the pipes feeding that fixture may be frozen.  Open the faucet that the suspected frozen pipes are feeding and try to follow the pipes from that fixture. 
• With the faucet remaining open, try to use a heat lamp or a hair dryer to thaw the frozen area. 
• Visually inspect the pipe for any cracks or breaks – if the pipe appears damaged then you will want to stop here, leave the water off and wait for a plumber to make the repair.
• If the pipe does not appear to be broken, you can turn the water back on once the frozen area has started to melt.
•  Leave the water running at this fixture until the pipe is completely thawed, you may want to leave it trickling to help prevent it from refreezing.
•  If the pipe froze once, it could freeze again – it’s important to have a plumber or contractor come out to identify any problem areas.  The piping may need to be rerouted, insulated, or your crawlspace may need to be insulated more.
• If you followed the above steps and were able to successfully thaw the frozen pipe, you should still have a plumber come out and inspect the piping to ensure there are no additional issues or leaks. 

Contractors for a Cause helping out a family in Berlin

Thanks again to Contractors For a Cause, for identifying and handling some much needed items for a family in Worcester County.  Our local plumbing supplier Thomas Somerville was kind enough to donate all of the material, and Seaside Plumbing was available to complete the install in time for Christmas!  New water heater, kitchen faucet, and new bathroom sink faucet installed and working great!

Tips to winterize your home for the season

Click on the link below to check out WMDT's interview with Josh on winterization tips!

Tips to winterize your home for the season.

Surfin' Snowman 5 Miler & 2 Mile Walk on January 2nd

Come out to the Surfin' Snowman 5 Miler and 2 Miler Walk, presented by Miken Builders on Saturday January 2nd at 4pm.  It will be a great way to start the new year, and support some local organizations like Justin's Beach House, Contractors for a Cause and the Bethany Beach Volunteer Fire Department.  

Magnolia Man Arrested for Home Improvement Fraud in Millsboro Ar - WBOC-TV 16, Delmarvas News Leader, FOX 21 -

Magnolia Man Arrested for Home Improvement Fraud in Millsboro Area - WBOC-TV 16, Delmarvas News Leader, FOX 21 -

Don't let this happen to you!  Reputable contractors should ALWAYS be licensed and insured.  Home improvement contractors and tradesman should hold a professional license through the state in which they are working - visiting your state's website should allow you to confirm whether or not the individual is licensed.  

Secondly, it can't hurt to ask for references, or do some research on the internet to make sure that the company/individual is in fact reputable.  You can also ask friends and neighbors if they have any recommendations on a reputable contractor.  

Lastly, some contractors will require a deposit ahead of time - if you are uncomfortable with this, please express your concerns and ask them for copies of their licenses and an insurance certificate.  A reputable company or individual should have no problem with providing this information.  

Garbage Disposal Repair - Common Troubleshooting Tips | AHS

Here are some troubleshooting tips for common garbage disposal problems, if these don't work then it might be a good idea to call a professional.