Checkbook.org rates Puget Sound plumbers

If you're looking for a plumber, there are a lot of decisions to make. To help ease the challenge, KING 5 viewers get special access, from Oct.5 to Oct. 12, to a part of the consumer Web site, "Checkbook.org."

Checkbook.org rates a wide variety of services. Recently, they rated 81 different plumbing firms around the Puget Sound. KING 5 viewers can get access to these ratings by clicking here . You do have to register your e-mail address, but Checkbook.org will not use your address for any purpose.

Additionally, here are some simple plumbing tips from Checkbook.Org:

- Make sure that you and anyone else living in your home knows the locations of water shutoff valves and how to use them. If you're unsure of valve locations, ask a plumber or home inspector to give you a tour and to label each valve with a tag that describes its function and how to turn it off. Shutoff valves will cut the flow of water to a single fixture, to a branch of the water supply system, or to the entire house. If a pipe bursts, quickly stopping the flow of leaking water can prevent extensive damage. If you have a problem with a single fixture, turning its shutoff valve off will allow you to continue to use fixtures throughout the rest of your home, letting you schedule a plumbing visit during normal hours.?

- Once or twice a year, check to make sure that the main water shutoff valve to your home is working properly.?

-Periodically check shutoff valves, exposed pipes, faucets, and your hot water heater for leaks. Regularly inspect ceilings and walls for signs of water damage. If you find a leak, have it repaired as soon as possible.?

- If you have a septic-tank system, have it inspected regularly by a licensed professional.?

- Install smoke and carbon-monoxide detectors near your water heater and furnace.?

- Keep all flammable and combustible materials away from your hot water heater.?

- To reduce the risks of fire or your health, make sure your water heater's venting has been checked for proper draft and that there is enough ventilation in the room.?

- Dispose of grease or rendered-down fat in the trash; never poor it down a drain.?

- Cover bathtub and shower drains with a screen to help prevent hair from clogging up their pipes.?

- Chemical drain cleaners are extremely dangerous products-before using them, make sure you read package directions and warning labels. When pouring a drain cleaner into a drain, make sure to avert your face as far away as possible from the bottle and the drain.?

- If a drain is completely clogged, do not try to clear it using a drain cleaner-doing so will likely leave you with a large pool of highly caustic water. Also, once a drain is completely clogged, using a drain cleaner is unlikely to solve the problem, and may simply contribute to the blockage.?

- Don't flush anything down the toilet that doesn't belong there. Paper towels, feminine products, disposable diapers, cat litter, hair, and other items can clog up the works.?

- Use care when operating your garbage disposer. Make sure that its on-off switch is in an area where it won't be accidentally turned on. If you have children, consider buying a batch-feed model that requires you to use a stopper before turning it on.?

- Heed warnings in your garbage disposer's operating manual. Many models can become clogged if you try to dispose of coffee grounds, uncooked rice, etc. Always run a steady stream of water into your garbage disposer when running it.?

- Before turning on your dishwasher, first run your garbage disposer for a few moments.?

- Periodically check the temperature setting of your hot water heater-most models should be set between 120 degrees and 140 degrees. Running the burner at lower temperatures will save energy costs and help extend the life of both the burner and the water tank.?