A few weeks ago, the Oakland Athletics and Seattle Mariners ballplayers were disturbed by overflowing toilets spilling out into the dugout. The players were forced to elevate their feet or stand on the top step to avoid the mess, as covered in this Los Angeles Times article .

The Oakland Coliseum is home to both the Athletics and Raiders: the only remaining dual-purpose stadium. As long as the Athletics are still in contention, the Raiders field must include the outline of infield dirt and artificial turf.

There are additional concerns about the Coliseum , which was built during an era when form very distantly followed function.

Fortunately, the Raiders lease ends after this season and their owner, Mark Davis, does not want to sign another short-term deal. He has looked into getting a new stadium and even considered moving the team.

One of the most promising cities is Los Angeles, the second biggest media market in America and a city where the Raiders were briefly located.

So could bad plumbing and clogged toilets be the straw that broke the camel’s back? We’ll just have to wait and see.

This list is exactly what it sounds like: the best scenes in TV and film that take place in front of, on top of, or near a toilet.

5) All in the Family

Did you know that the first person to flush a toilet on primetime television was Archie Bunker? That’s right, this now classic and wholesome TV was a bit controversial when it debuted in 1970. We can thank this innocuous moment for the other entries on the list.

4) Lethal Weapon II

Talk about sitting-on-the-edge-of-your-seat suspense! For those who have never watched this movie, Detective Murtaugh realizes that a bomb has been wired to explode as soon as he gets off the toilet. Unable to disable it, his partner, Martin Riggs, comes up with a creative plan to save their lives…

3) Dumb and Dumber

Although they have been focused on more prestigious roles as of late, Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels recently agreed to reprise their roles as Lloyd Christmas and Harry Dunne in an upcoming sequel. Until then, we will have to be satisfied with this hilarious scene after Harry drinks tea laced with laxatives and uses a broken toilet.

2) There’s Something About Mary

“We got a bleeder!”

This scene will forever make men cautious when zipping up their fly. If you decide to look up this clip on YouTube (and it is there), be warned that it is NSFW.

1) Breaking Bad

This scene from season 5 is when Hank reads Gale’s inscription and (SPOILER ALERT) realizes that Walt is Heisenberg. That’s some intense bathroom literature!

We know that calling a plumber can be a hassle. First of all, you’re dealing with the stress of your plumbing crisis, whatever that may be. Second, you are inviting a stranger into your house, which can be nerve-wracking. Lastly, after the job is done, you have to pay whatever the plumber charges, putting a significant dent in your wallet.

To help alleviate the tension caused by paying exorbitant costs, Rooter Experts in Los Angeles promises transparent pricing for our services. We also offer incredible discounts on printable coupons. Just visit our Plumbing Coupons page to view all of the terrific offers.

We feature reduced prices on appliances and services, discounts for senior citizens, and a great deal on drain cleaning .

Make sure you present the coupon at the time of service and with your last invoice. Also, check the expiration date to ensure it is still valid.

Our reputable business has been helping Los Angeles residents for years and now we are offering even better rates. Don’t wait for your clogged drain or broken flusher to get worse; take care of the problem today, while saving some money.

Everyone has heard the story about the guy who buys the baby alligator and flushes it down the toilet when it starts getting too big, just to have it come back an attack him when it is full grown.

This tale has been pretty soundly proven to be an urban legend. Sewers are too toxic for survival and do not contain enough food for a creature as large as an alligator.

But what about snakes? Could a snake come out of the toilet?

A Nightmare Becomes Reality

As it turns out, yes; snakes have been confirmed to crawl out of toilet bowls. Recently.

Just this week, a man in Israel was using the john when a snake crept out of the bowl and bit his… uh… privates. Luckily, the snake bite was not poisonous and the man will recover, but the bite should leave behind a lasting mark.

And this isn’t even the first reported case. A year ago, in New York, a man was brushing his teeth and looked over at the toilet when he thought he spotted something moving. Horrified, he realized it was a snake coming out of the hole.

The man called his super, who called a plumbing company, who sent a plumber to handle the situation. The plumber tried to gently pull the snake out, moving it inch by inch, until it was free. Afterwards, he placed it in a cooler, where it was measured at four feet long! They brought it to a Manhattan snake sanctuary.

How do snakes get into toilets? And how can I prevent it?!

Although there are multiple accounts of snakes in toilets (and rats, too), they are still extremely rare. It doesn’t appear to be something you can control, but is also not something to get overly worried about.

The most common cause is a snake somehow sneaking into the plumbing, possibly by crawling into a different toilet bowl, where they make their way through the pipes and emerge from another hole. It is unsure how the Israeli snake got into the bowl, but the one in New York was a California Kingsnake, a common pet that probably belonged to another tenant.

Let Rooter Experts Help!

If you call us to respond to a plumbing incident with your toilet, we will give it a complimentary animal inspection to make sure you are safe. Nobody wants a critter interrupting their private time!

In honor of the Fourth of July, this article will briefly review how plumbing has evolved in the United States of America.

Early settlers in the U.S. copied the Native Americans and used running water or secluded areas to dispose of waste. Unlike the crowded cities of Europe, America had plenty of space to ditch your excrement.

When cities did begin to rise up, settlers followed the European tradition of throwing waste and garbage out onto the street. The earliest garbage collectors were wild animals who would take the waste away.

The early 1800s saw the outhouse, called a “privy,” replace the chamber pot as the main means of bathroom use. But they were little more than a hole in the ground surrounded by four walls.

In 1829 the Tremont Hotel in Boston became the first hotel with indoor plumbing. It would be the pillar for first-class living in America.

Early pipes were made from hollow wood, which was a bountiful resource in early colonial times. This material was obviously not ideal for the job- it would often rot, sag, get infest with bugs, and taste woody. These pipes were crucial for firefighters, as a house fire could quickly spread throughout a neighborhood.

In 1804, Philadelphia became the first city in the world to use cast iron piping, developing one of the largest and most complex plumbing systems in existence.

Chicago made world news in 1869 with its revolutionary design for a twin-tunnel system that drew water from Lake Michigan. The tower survived the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 and still stands today, although greatly modernized.

Declaration of Independence signer Benjamin Franklin is rumored to be the first person to import a bathtub to America. The simple design was made of sheet copper, shaped like a shoe, and exported from France.

Near the end of the 19th century, America toilets began to equal, and even surpass, European models. They were far more sanitary and featured primitive flushing systems. The next challenge was convincing people to buy American toilets instead of the European products. This was accomplished by decorating the bowls with hand-painted designs and etchings.

Further developments included the shift to copper piping and later plastic piping, the increased understanding of germs and sanitation, and the expansion of public facilities to match the continued growth of building s and cities in America.

Hope this was an informative History Lesson!

Summer is a very social time of year. Everyone is outdoors, enjoying the sunshine, and wants to invite others to share in the good times. Of course, having more guests over can increase the workload of your plumbing. Here are some common plumbing problems, along with ways to avoid and rectify them.

1) Clogged Garbage Disposal

Summertime means an increase in outdoor barbequing. With a full party of guests, the hosts will be rushing around, preparing food. This often leads to throwing food scraps down the drain, rather than the garbage.

Hard foods, like corn cobs and watermelon rinds, are especially harmful. They can damage the blades of the garbage disposal. Oils, grease, and fat can also be bad by causing clogs.

Take your time to properly dispose of food waste and preserve your sink’s plumbing.

2) Toilets Getting Clogged

With extra house guests and kids out of school, your toilet will be working overtime. Make sure it is properly draining and immediately call a Los Angeles plumber if it gets plugged up.

3) Washing Machines Break Down

Can you believe how messy kids are? With the sun out, they are more prone to get dirt, blood, food, juice, and water on their clothes. If your washing machine could talk, it would beg you to take it easy. Run larger loads to conserve water, but don’t pack them too full. Move the machine to make sure none of your lines are leaking.

4) Increased Water Bills

The heat causes people to drink and use more water in the summer. You can keep your water bills in check by making sure that it gets turned off when not in use, which includes shutting off sprinklers and water hoses. Get your children in the habit of shutting off the outdoor hose after they are done playing.

5) Water is Too Hot

One common issue homeowners face is that their water heater is turned up too high. Make sure yours is below 120 degrees-Fahrenheit; that is plenty warm for tap water and showers.

Follow these tips and have a pleasant summer!

Today is Earth Day, when we celebrate the beautiful planet that we live on. We often take our world for granted, not respecting the gifts that Mother Nature gives us on a daily basis.

Within the past few decades, humans have begun to realize that our industrial output is harming the planet and have taken steps to reduce the damage. You can contribute to the green movement by following these 5 simple plumbing tips to reduce waste.

1) Fix Leaks: Did you know that a single leaky faucet can waste 20 gallons of water per day? Checking for leaks will help reduce your bill, as well as saving the earth.

2) Install Low Flow Toilets: Newer toilet models are designed to decrease water useage. Many even feature full and half flush options.

3) Tankless Water Heaters: Traditional tank heaters are inefficient because they require constant energy flow to keep the water tank warm. Tankless models heat the water as it is needed.

4) New Shower Heads and Faucets: Like toilets, these new devices reduce the amount of necessary water to take a shower or wash your hands.

5) Only Run Full Loads of Laundry: You can save water by only running your washing machine when it is full. A washing machine uses about 12 gallons of water for each load, regardless of how full it is, so limiting loads reduces water consumption.

I am highly anticipating the gradual transition from the rainy spring days into the sweltering heat of summer, just as my children anticipate breaking free from claustrophobic classrooms into a summer vacation full of outdoor activities. But before summer arrives, we have to prepare for the season; I need to buy sunscreen and bathing suits while the kids need to pass their final exams.

Likewise, there are steps to take to ensure your plumbing is optimized for the season. Here is a list of things you should do to prepare your plumbing for the summer.

1) Reduce the water temperature: Check your water temperature to make sure it is below 120 degrees. During the summer, it can be even lower, especially while on vacation.

2) Check washing machine hoses for bulges: Clothes seem to get dirtier in the summer because everyone is playing outside and swimming. Make sure your washing machine can handle the extra workload by checking for kinks in the connections.

3) Check outdoor faucets and hoses for leaks: The cold winter months can cause damage to outdoor plumbing, so inspect your hose before trying to water flowers or construct a homemade slip-and-slide.

4) Conserve water: If you wake up early to water plants before sunup, or wait until after sundown, you will save water. Midday watering causes much to dissipate in the sunshine.

5) Be careful what you put into garbage disposal: Garbage disposals were not designed to handle all food wastes. Stringy and fibrous foods, like celery and cornhusks, can wrap around the disposal blades. Never put down instant foods that expand with water, like mashed potato flakes, because they are almost guaranteed to cause a clog. This will ensure your summer BBQ goes off without a hitch.

Have a fun summer and try to make decisions that will conserve water and save the planet!

I hate going to the car mechanic and having them throw around a bunch of jargon I don’t understand. In the end, I have no idea what I paid for and always leave feeling like I was ripped off. In order to prevent that from happening with Rooter Experts Plumbing in Los Angeles, here is a glossary of common terms.

Apprentice Plumber: An entry-level person working to become certified. An apprentice will often be training under the watch of a professional.

Auger: Used to clear clogs in toilets and drains, this flexible metal rod is a common tool for most plumbers as it can wind deep into pipes.

CPVC: Short for chlorinated poly-vinyl chloride pipe, which is a plastic piping used for both hot and cold water.

Energy Star: The international rating system for measuring energy efficiency; used on washing machines and dishwashers.

Float Valve: This type of valve shuts down water flow at a certain level. The most common example is the hollow ball in the back of a toilet tank.

GPM: Gallons per minute; a measure of how much water a fixture needs to operate.

Hose bibb: The fitting on a hose that connects it to a spigot or faucet.

Journeyman: A plumber who has completed an apprenticeship, but still requires more training to achieve “master” status, typically taking 4-5 years.

Licensed, insured, & bonded: The three certifications that a plumbing company must possess in order to legally operate.

Overflow: An additional drain that prevents a fixture from overfilling and causing flooding. As an example, the small hole located at the top of a sink.

Pilot light: The small gas flame used to ignite a burner when activated.

Pressure gauge: A device used to measure the pressure in a water system.

Pressure tank: This tank controls water pressure so that you receive water on demand. When a faucet is turned on, the pressure forces out the water and when the water level reaches a predetermined level, the pump is started to raise water pressure.

Next week, we will continue part 2 of this glossary with additional terms you should know when hiring a plumber.

Valentine’s Day is all about love and romance… or at least that’s what it is supposed to be about. But last Valentine’s Day, Rooter had a different experience.

We got the call around 6 p.m. on February 14, 2012 and quickly headed over to the apartment address. The tenant buzzed up our plumber and he expected the basic clogged toilet, but was completely surprised when the door opened.

A male, around 25-year-old, was at the door, eyes red from crying. He sniffled and let in the Rooter Expert’s plumber, who said he immediately smelled a burning odor. As he was led to the bathroom, he saw a table set for a romantic candlelight dinner, except the food was spilled, plates were smashed, and the white tablecloth was scorched by the overturned candle holder.

As they neared the bathroom, he could see water stains on the carpet near the door. The tenant opened the door, and the bathroom was drowning in an inch of water, dotted with Sweethearts candies.

The plumber lifted the lid of the toilet and saw a white stuffed bear holding a heart, more candies, and roses crammed inside the bowl, which was slowly dribbling water over the rim.

The fix was relatively simple; a quick plumbers snaking got everything unclogged and operating properly, so the plumber packed up his tools and wrote up the work order.

As the tenant was signing it, still sobbing uncontrollably, our plumber couldn’t resist asking:

“So, what exactly happened here?”

“Um… well,” the tenant stuttered. “I gave my girlfriend a Valentine’s gift, and… ummm… it had the wrong name on the tag so she broke up with me.”

OUCH!

Hope the rest of you have a better Valentine’s Day than that!