Everyone loves to save money or at least not waste it. This is why we put together this list to help you lower your water bill. We hope you find it useful and share it with your friends and family. Happy savings! 
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1. Toilet. Commodes with the WaterSense label use 60% less water per flush than traditional toilets. You can install a low pressure toilet, similar to those popular in Europe. On older models, check to make sure the flapper closes properly, a common source of water leaks. You can also fill two water bottles with an inch or two of sand or gravel and put them in the tank of the toilet. This will raise the water in the tank and trick it into using less per flush.
2. Washing machine. Many machines allow you to choose a load size, and then the machine fills with a corresponding amount of water. Shopping for a new model? Select one that's Energy Star certified. Another way to save water is by using cold water vs. hot water. It will preserve colors better, and it will save water and energy.
3. Dishwasher. Look for the Energy Star certification, but also make sure the appliance offers a light wash option, which uses less water. Another way to save water is by actually using your dishwasher. Did you know it takes less water to run a full load vs. washing the dishes by hand? The key here is full, so load it up and let it run.
4. Fix leaks. This might seem obvious, but sometimes it is hard to tell that a faucet is leaking, especially if it doesn’t make a sound. It is good to replace washers in faucets every few years, especially if you live in an older place.
5. Insulate Water Pipes. Go to a hardware store and get some foam that is already cut in the shape of a pipe. Tape that to the pipes. This will help heat up your water faster, so you won’t lose as much while you’re waiting for it to heat. If you aren't sure how to do this, contact us. We are happy to help.

Hope you found these tips helpful. Share them with your friends and make sure to contact us with any plumbing questions. We are here to assist you 24/7. You may reach us at 214-328-7371 or email us at metroflow@metroflowplumbing.com.
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Dallas weather is unpredictable, we know that. This is why it's important to keep an eye out for changes in temperature as these can affect your house, particularly its plumbing. The following seven tips will help you prevent your pipes from freezing and save you lots of money, because the last thing you want is for one of the pipes to freeze, burst, and become a large headache, for your pocket, time, and the insurance company.

1. Let cold water drip. That's right. Though it may sound wasteful, it's imperative that you let your faucets drip, just a little, when temperatures drop below 35 degrees. This continued movement keeps their heart rate up and can prevent the water from freezing within the pipes.
2. Keep the thermostat set to the same temperature. Maintaining your home thermostat stable regardless of the weather changes, will allow you to offer your thermostat sanity and continue to work to its full potential. 
3. Keep the garage door closed. Keeping your garage door closed, specially if there are water supply lines in the garage, will help you keep your home temperature leveled and prevent internal pipes from freezing.
4. Open the cabinet doors. This one raises some eyebrows, but it helps. Keeping the cabinet doors in the bathrooms and kitchen open to let warmer air circulate around the pipes helps to prevent the pipes from staying within a cool enclosed  environment, which can encourage the water within the pipes to freeze, expand, and burst.
5. Insulation is key. Make sure your house has insulation, particularly in the basement, attics, crawl spaces, and exposed water pipes. Not sure if it does? Give us a call and we will run a plumbing inspection, provide you with your options, and help you get your house ready.
6. Disconnect water hoses from outside faucets. This is one of the first things to tackle when you hear that temperatures will drop to freezing levels. Go out, disconnect the water hoses, and...
7. Wrap or cover outside faucets. Think of it as putting a sweater on your outside faucets and exposed pipes. Try to keep them warm so the water within them won't freeze, expand and burst. Remember that a pipe may burst anywhere in your house, not only on the exposed parts, that's why protecting them from cold temperates is important.

Got questions? Give us a call at 214-328-7371 or email us at metroflow@metroflowplumbing.com. We are here for you 24/7 and ready to assist you any way we can.
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You'll be tempted to throw away left overs, oil, potatoes, and other items into the garbage disposal. Don't do it. These things can clog garbage disposal and/or deteriorate your garbage disposal blades. Avoid throwing poultry bones and skin, fruit or vegetable peels, and cornhusks into the disposal. Should you find yourself in a bind, remember that Metro-Flow Plumbing is open 24/7. You may reach us at 214-328-7371.

Remember that if you need help with a plumbing issue or want to schedule a plumbing inspection, Metro-Flow Plumbing is open 24/7 and can help you. You may reach us at 214-328-7371. One of our certified and insured plumbers will assist you.

There are many tips out there on how to get your house ready for guests, especially now during the holiday season. Most of them will remind you to clean the bathroom, fluff your bedroom and living room pillows, and even make sure that your doorbell is working. However, many of these you already knew. Here are a couple that will help make your house a home for your guests. Get ready to be crowned, "Hostess with the Mostest".

We are not telling you to make cookies from scratch. In fact, we are encouraging you to go buy some chocolate chip cookies from the grocery store, open up the packaging, and place them in a cookie sheet. Stick them in the oven 30min before your guests are scheduled to arrive and get nothing but compliments from the moment they step into your house. It will immediately give them a sense of belonging and a feeling of being home. We love Pillsbury Chocolate Chip Cookies and for $2.73, they're even cheaper that a scented candle.

Help make your guests feel like they're staying at a 5-star hotel by purchasing new bedsheets and using them for the first time on them. We recently purchased and tried some sold on Amazon. Got King size bedsheets for only $23.99 and they have them in a variety of colors and sizes. Check them out here. You'll have your guests asking you about them... At least ours did. Freshly washed towels will also be welcomed and appreciated.

One of the easiest ways to identify a clogged drain is by noticing how slow the water is draining in the sink or shower. This is a clear indicator that something is clogging the drain and should be addressed in a timely manner to prevent pricey plumbing repairs. Addressing plumbing problems earlier on is a best practice that has proven to help make of the fix a much easier one, therefore usually costing the home owner much less than if they would've waited to fix the problem much longer.

The following six reasons are the most common culprits of clogged drains:

Our fur babies can also be guilty of causing drains to clog. Hair catching screen can also help us prevent clogged drains when giving our little ones a bath. 

It's very common to think that grease may be disposed in the kitchen sink or garbage disposal, however, even when hot it can damage the plumbing. Grease will harden and solidify as it cools and get stuck on the drains. When grease is dumped down the drain, it sticks to the sides of your plumbing pipes, cool, and harden. As a result, you’ll be left with a slow draining sink or garbage disposal that will not work to its full potential. 

It can shock many to think that soap could hurt pipes, but it can. Soap can actually cause clogged drains over time. If you have hard water in your home, soap may coat the insides of your pipes, restricting the flow of water and delivering water that is not as clean as we would wish it would be. Hard water can leave your skin feeling like it has a soapy film after a nice shower, making you want to rinse it off multiple times. Hard water can also make your skin and hair dull, as well as contribute to hair loss and dandruff. 

Now that we know hard water can cause hair loss and dandruff, let's look into what it can do to your pipes. If you have hard water at home full of minerals, these mineral deposits can cling to the sides of your pipes, making it easier for other materials to get stuck and clog your drains. There are ways to clean the water in your house and provide you and your family with the cleanest water. Call us at 214-328-7371 and ask us about the various water filtration systems we have available to our customers. 

Baby wipes, even when the packaging claims they are "flushable", they are not and should be disposed in the trash - not the toilet. We shouldn’t flush anything other than toilet paper and waste down the toilet drains. Products like baby wipes do not break down as well as toilet paper does and as a result can cause some serious plumbing clogs.