​Welcome back! Today we are going to be addressing an issue we all face from time to time: clogs. Our sinks can be testy from time to time and back up. We’ll be addressing what causes these clogs in our sinks and how to prevent them. 

Here are some of the usual suspects:

Number 1: (as if there is any doubt) Hair.
Be it from man or woman, hair seems to be the number one offender. Men’s first instinct to is to shave over a sink and wash it down, but a lot of these short, coarse hairs get stuck in the scum lining our pipes and becoming a bigger issue. Same thing with women and the long strands of hair we’ve all seen pulled out when things get, for lack of a better word, hairy. It might not be as convenient, but it might be a good idea to practice an alternative method of disposal for our hair waste.

Number 2: Toothpaste and Gels.
This one isn’t as obvious but toothpaste/gels/just about any thick substance can build up in our pipes over time creating perfect traps for hair and other cleaning products. Making for a perfect formula for clogs. The pipes can usually handle it, but people tend to not keep the water open long enough to wash the substance through the pipe resulting in it lingering not too far from the sink surface. 

Number 3: Make up.
Ladies, this is one we know all too well. Make up. If it falls on the sink, scoop it up with some toilet paper and put it in the trash. 

Number 4: Soap scum.
This one is pretty self explanatory and fairly simple to resolve. As with toothpaste, rinse the sink or tub thoroughly allowing for the water to wash everything away. Nowadays we are always in a rush and tend to not have the extra seconds to do this.

Freebie Tip: Drain cleaners.
Now, our first instinct is to use things like generic drain cleaners. We suggest against these, especially with plastic pipes. The chemicals used in drain cleaners can cause damage on plastic pipes by creating heat. Overtime these drain cleaners can be the cause of leaks and they can also cause damage to our septic tanks. In addition, drain cleaners are terrible for the environment.
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​If you find yourself face-to-face with a plumbing problem, please call us at: 214-328-7371. One of our certified plumbing technicians is ready to assist you 24/7. ​​

We’d like to think the chilly weather is behind us, but as unpredictable as Dallas weather is we thought we’d run over some tips other people around the country have pitched to us, so we can keep warm in the event our power goes out again. In addition, we have a tasty bisque recipe you’ll enjoy, as well as some tips to keep your garbage disposal in tip top shape!

First off, last month was pretty rough for many of us out there, because of the lack of power and burst pipes due to the snowstorm with below zero temperatures that we faced. Most of us don't have access to generators, so here are some tips:

1. If you have a fireplace, this is the best time to use it. Make sure to open the damper, so the smoke has somewhere to go and have plenty of firewood for such emergencies. 
2. Layer your clothing, but don't overdo it and start sweating. Gloves, thick socks, and a hat to keep heat in will help.
3. Find blankets you can prop up over windows to keep heat from escaping. Late at night this helps big time.
4. Exercise. A quick round of jumping jacks will get the body heat going.
5. If you have a tent and the space inside, set your tent up inside and sleep in there.
6. Sleeping bags are also a big help at night, they are designed to keep heat inside. 
7. Keep your pets warm as well. Wrap them in their favorite blanket and throw on a sweater and socks. They get cold, too.

Another great way to stay warm is with a delicious bisque. This is an easy 15 minute Butternut Bisque recipe that will warm up the whole family. Let's get cooking!

Ingredients

• 3 Tablespoons of butter
• 1 Medium Onion, chopped
• 2 sliced garlic cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• Salt to taste
• 1 large butternut squash (around 4lbs)
• 1 can of chicken broth
• 1 cup of half-and-half
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
• 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon of Cayenne Pepper for garnish (depending how hot you want to go)

Optional: Croutons or a sliced, toasted baguette to serve with

Directions

• Peel, seed and cut the butternut squash into 1 inch cubes.
• In a large saucepan heat and melt butter. Add the onion, garlic, thyme, cinnamon and cayenne. 
• Season with salt and cook. Be mindful to stir it once in a while until the onion is fully softened, 5-7 minutes.
• Add the cut up squash, broth, half-and-half, and 3 cups of water.
• Bring mixture to a boil and reduce to simmer. Continue cooking the mixture until squash is tender. This is usually about 20 minutes.
• The mixture won’t all fit inside a conventional kitchen blender, so in small batches. Pour mixture in blender and puree until smooth.

From this point on, just serve and enjoy! It should look somewhat like this…

We talk a lot about garbage disposals on this blog, and that is because they are an essential part of our kitchen - and a part of the kitchen we often see breaking due to the things we put in it while cooking. It is always good to keep in mind what foods can be disposed of through this method and what foods need to be thrown away in the garbage. If you are just throwing away anything you can think of in there you are going to have trouble sometime down the line with your pipes. As much as we like to come by and visit to fix it, we thought we’d give you a heads up!

​Friends, we hope March is turning out to be a relaxing, but productive month for you all and we hope to see you next time right here on our Metro-Flow Plumbing blog. Thank you for your continued support, Dallas.

If you find yourself face-to-face with a plumbing problem, please call us at: 214-328-7371. One of our certified plumbing technicians is ready to assist you 24/7. ​​

Hello Dallas, our team here at Metro-Flow has been working around the clock tackling jobs and serving the community since last months snowfall. We hope you and yours are keeping warm and are safe and sound. 

First up, please feel free to check out one of our previous blogs here, where we address how to properly maintain your pipes in cold weather. We had a lot of burst pipes out there and we want to make sure everyone is up to date with what to do to avoid those situations. Also, in situations like the one we just went through, it is always a good idea to keep an eye out for boil water advisories even when the power has returned.

With that being said we wanted to welcome March and say Happy St. Patricks Day! This year we’re not just going to be wearing green, dying our beer, and celebrating casually. We’re going all out! We will be making delicious Irish Soda Bread and we have a great recipe for the whole family to enjoy, a movie or two, and some decoration tips.

Ingredients

• 4 to 4 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tbsp of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 4 tbsp of butter
• 1 cup of currants or raisins
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 3/4 cups of buttermilk

Directions

• Preheat oven to 425°F. 
• Whisk together flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda. Whisk together 4 cups of flour, the sugar, salt, and baking soda into a large mixing bowl. Work the butter into the flour, add currants or raisins. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and mix in buttermilk, beaten egg.
• Lightly knead dough and form dough mound. Dust hands with a little flour, then gently knead dough in the bowl just long enough to form a rough ball. If the dough is too sticky to work with, add in a little more flour. Do not over-knead.
• Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and shape into a round loaf. Note that the dough will be a little sticky.
  You want to work it just enough, so that the flour is just moistened and the dough just barely comes together. If you over-knead, the bread will end up tough. 
• Score with an X. Transfer dough to a large, lightly greased cast-iron skillet or a baking sheet (it will flatten out a bit in the pan or on the baking sheet). Using a serrated knife, score top of dough about an inch and a half deep in an "X" shape. 
• Bake. Transfer to oven and bake at 425°F until bread is golden and bottom sounds hollow when tapped, about 35-45 minutes. Let cool a few minutes. Remove pan or sheet from oven, let bread sit in the pan or on the sheet for 5-10 minutes, then remove to a rack to cool briefly.

​Make sure to serve your Irish Soda Bread warm - and make sure to keep to keep flour, grease, fats, and oils away from your drains and garbage disposal to prevent a clog.

There is something for the whole family...

Drama/Comedy
Sing Street (2016) Rated PG-13.
A light hearted coming of age story taking place in Dublin, Ireland for the whole family to enjoy.

Drama/Romance
Brooklyn (2015) Rated PG-13.
An Irish immigrant finds herself in 1950’s Brooklyn and struggles with the choice between her old and new home.

Horror
Leprechaun (1993) Rated R.
If horror is more your thing, Jennifer Aniston’s first movie follows a group of people who come between an evil Leprechaun and his precious gold.

Go the extra mile and decorate! Here are some ideas we used to decorate our home and make things more festive:

• Roll the green carpet with this Saint Patrick's Day welcome mat from West Elm.
• Decorate an entrance with this great Saint Patrick's Day decoration kit from Party City.
• Kick it up a notch with this eye-catching Saint Patrick's Day sports jacket from Shinesty.
• Want more? Check out these Saint Patrick's Day suggestions by Amazon.

​If you find yourself face-to-face with a plumbing problem, please call us at: 214-328-7371. One of our certified plumbing technicians is ready to assist you 24/7. ​​

Have you heard about Metro-Flow Plumbings revolutionary cured-in-place-pipe service? Metro-Flow Plumbing now offers the groundbreaking cured-in-place-pipe system to clients like you. Say "no" to costly excavations and get the work done in less time, while saving money and painful headaches.

​Thanks to the patented Perma-Liner™ system we here at Metro-Flow Plumbing can help you replace your old underground water lines without digging up your yard! Keep your yard looking pristine while doing right by your home. So how exactly does the Perma-Liner system work? Through a series of steps we are able to clean out and replace any damage done to pipes under your yard by pesky roots, grime, dirt or certain things that should’ve never been flushed to begin with. 

The Perma-Liner™ system allows us to replace your old pipes by simply using the existing pipes as a guide for our new pipe liner. Through a chemical process and some hardening using heat, you will have new pipes installed that will be even newer than the existing pipes the day you moved in!

​Don’t just take our word for it, see it in action below:
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• The EPA estimates 80% of these drain lines are failing and need repair.
• The infiltration from drain lines account for 75% of the infiltration of groundwater.
• The lining fully adheres to the host pipe and can negotiate multiple bends without joints and seams.
• Continuing maintenance on keeping pipelines operating.
• Failing service laterals due to cracked, broken, offset joints, and pipe erosion.
• Existing pipes made of clay, orangeburg, asbestos, wood, cast iron, and other materials are past life expectancy.
• Replacing piping requires extensive excavations. The Perma-Liner™ system needs only one access point.
• A 3 to 4 man crew is needed and your installations can be completed in one day.
• The Perma-Liner™ Drain Lining System takes hours versus days to be completed.

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Hope you are as impressed by the Perma-Liner™ system as we were the first time we saw it. The future of plumbing starts here and Metro-Flow Plumbing is happy to be your go to plumbing company for any future cured-in-place-pipe needs. You may learn more about this incredible system, here.

Have a great day Dallas and we hope you are having a great February!

​​If you find yourself face-to-face with a plumbing problem, please call us at: 214-328-7371. One of our certified plumbing technicians is ready to assist you 24/7. ​​