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Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Suggestions To Look For A Good Waukesha Plumbing Contractor

You would have often heard people make these statements, “everything is fine in the apartment we live in but the plumbing work is sub-standard” or “I would definitely purchase the current accommodation I live in if the plumbing quality was good”. It is very difficult to understand why most houses face plumbing problems, even when the construction looks top-class and sturdy. That may be because there are so many small and big aspects that constitute a successful plumbing work. A small leak can play havoc and gradually lead to major problems. Similarly, a clogged drain can pose untold miseries and health issues if left unattended. If you live in Waukesha, there are a few things you need to know before you hire the services of a reliable Waukesha plumbing contractor.

First and foremost, decide the amount that you are ready to spend on your plumbing work and then start looking for a suitable plumber. Do not please settle for the first one that comes along just because the services were very cheap. When you pay very less, you may have to compromise with the quality and it is always better to hire someone who charges a decent price but gives good warranty.


Before hiring a Waukesha plumbing contractor, ensure the work expertise of the person. In all probability, you will need to pay a little more for an experienced plumber, but the quality of work will be good and will come with guarantee. Moreover, your work will be done quickly and perfectly too. It goes without saying that finding out if the plumber carries an authorized license is absolutely necessary to avoid any problems in the future. Obtaining a written guarantee from your plumbing contractor is also another way of ensuring quality service.


Not all plumbing complaints can wait until you have located a good Waukesha plumbing company. There are some emergencies that call for urgent repair such as a clogged drain, or a leakage in a pipe along the ceiling that starts to drip on the carpet below. For such situations, it would be better to have the local emergency plumbing service numbers in Waukesha – they normally offer 24 hours service -, which can be contacted any time.


Another way of finding out how good a certain plumbing company is to know the number of their satisfied and dissatisfied customers. Checking the customers ‘comments online would be fine way of knowing the credibility of a company. A good plumbing company will have an easy-to-navigate website and provide all types of information. Sometimes, an impressive and informative website with happy customers’ comments is a good indicator of a company’s reliability and quality of service. With so much help available on the internet, it makes sense to put it to good use before spending your valuable money. Take your time and then hire a standard company that does good job at a decent price, without giving you any cause for complaint.

Saturday, August 24, 2013

Finding a good Pewaukee plumber

You can make a beautiful home; have lovely interiors and an attractive outdoor living space. All that is fine but if the plumbing work becomes sub-standard and if you encounter sub problem day in day out, the sheer enjoyment of living in your own home is lost. You can get anything but finding a good plumber can become a Herculean task, because as it happens, the really good ones would be busy attending to their customer calls most of the time. The ones that you do manage to find in a hurry would only do an inferior work at a high price. There are times when you get one part repaired, and some other part starts to give you trouble.

If you live in Pewaukee or Hartland area, you have a reason to be happy as there are some really good Pewaukee plumbers and equally good Hartland plumbers, who will do a good job without costing you a bomb! Even then, it is always advisable to do a neat home work from your end before finalizing a plumber that meets with your approval and needs. The following paragraphs will throw some light on the ways to identify a good Pewaukee plumber.

Do not every settle for a plumber who does not carry an authorized license. There are some plumbers that would have learnt the trade by observing or by working under some reputed plumber and would have taken to repairing independently without adequate training. Such half-baked knowledge, especially in the plumbing department can always create problems for you. Hence verify a plumber’s license and insurance details before hiring.
You are doing anything wrong if you want to know the number of years of experience a certain plumbing company carries. The longer they have been in business, the more credible will be their work quality and reliability. And then, bear in mind that not all new ones are bad and not all old ones are good too. Collecting feedback from people known to you and on the internet is also a fine way of verifying the credentials like in Pj's Plumbing a Pewaukee plumbing company.

If your plumbing work involves big repairs or some replacements, you must then insist on a quote and a guarantee from the company only to make sure that there is not huge difference between the initially quoted price and the final price. A nominal difference is fine though, as such a fluctuation is always acceptable in any major repair or replacement. There are some that will quote a small amount to grab the business, and then escalate the final price quoting various reasons, and you will have no choice other than to cough up the amount.

There is another genuine method of finding a good Pewaukee or Hartland plumber. If a local electrician or a mechanic has rendered you good service over a period, you can find out from them if they know a reputed and reliable plumber as they are likely to have some contacts. Who knows they might even influence such a plumber to offer you some discount too!

Monday, August 19, 2013

DIY Tips From Oconomowoc Plumbing Professionals



Although most plumbing issues should be handled by experienced Oconomowoc plumbing professionals from companies. many minor plumbing issues can be prevented and addressed by the homeowners themselves as part of their do-it-yourself efforts. In fact, homeowners are well-advised to adopt regular maintenance procedures to ensure that plumbing issues are identified and addressed as early as possible. The earlier plumbing problems are addressed, the better for your pockets, your house and your family members living in your home.

Here are a few useful DIY tips from experienced plumbers that you can adopt in your own home. Just remember that calling in a reliable plumber is your best course of action when the plumbing issue is beyond your DIY knowledge, skills and tools.


Leaking Toilet


Before calling in a reliable Oconomowoc plumbing professional to check a possibly leaky toilet, you should test your theory. Pour a small amount of food coloring into the toilet tank and let it sit overnight; in the morning, see if the dye shows up on the bowl in which case, the toilet has a leak. Replace the flush valve, which should be easy and affordable.


Clogged Drains


Over time, the drains in the bathroom sink, shower and bathtub can be clogged with soap residue, hair, and other particles. Instead of waiting for a small flood in the bathroom or using an auger for extraction purposes, your best bet for de-clogging is a wet/dry vacuum. It also pays to regularly check the drains for items that can be easily retrieved like small particles before these are deposited in the recesses of the drain.


Sink Backup


Yet another issue that you can skip calling in a reliable Oconomowoc plumbing is kitchen sink backup. The kitchen sink can be clogged with food particles, cooking oil, and grease, among other gunk materials, so much so that backing up becomes an issue. DIY tips include:


• Place strainers on sink to catch various items, thus, keeping the drains as clean as possible for as long as possible


• Flush the drains on a regular basis. Use a few gallons of boiling water, which will melt the accumulated fats and soap residues.


• Use products that can prevent kitchen clogs by making it easier for the accumulated particles to be drained away.


The bottom line: Preventive measures are better than the remedies – or at the very least, these measures will make a potentially major plumbing issue into a relatively minor plumbing problem.


Laundry Connection


Experienced Oconomowoc plumbing professionals consider flooding due to faulty laundry connection as one of the most common yet preventable plumbing issues in homes. Over time, the rubber connection hoses will dry out and burst resulting in small floods around the house especially in the laundry room. DIY prevention tips:


• Check the rubber hoses on a regular basis; be on the lookout for blisters, cracks and other flaws in the hoses.


• Turn off the water supply valves to the washing machine when you will be away for extended periods. Install an easy-to-reach single-lever shutoff valve, if possible.


• Replace the rubber hoses with steel hoses.


And experienced Oconomowoc plumbing professionals suggest that homeowners and members of their households should know the location of the main shutoff valve as well as how to turn it off and on.

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

When to Call the Waukesha Plumbing Professionals

Many plumbing projects can be successfully accomplished on a do-it-yourself basis, thus, avoiding the necessity of calling in one of the reliable Waukesha plumbing professionals from reputable companies.

But when a plumbing issue is beyond your DIY skills and tools, then it is time to call in a reliable licensed plumber for the job. Keep in mind that a relatively minor issue can quickly become worse when the inappropriate measures are applied and this is true for plumbing problems.


In the following paragraphs, we shall discuss the top most common plumbing issues that homeowners such as yourself encounter and that requires the expertise of a licensed Waukesha plumbing professional.

1. Licenses and Permits Are Required
The state requires licenses and permits for certain plumbing activities, said documents of which are in effect for the safety of everybody concerned. Keep in mind that many plumbing activities involve handling gas pipes, which has its fair share of risks from mishandling including explosions. You should then call in a licensed Waukesha plumber in many cases including but not limited to:

  • Bathroom remodeling projects since the pipes require rerouting, replacing and repairing, all of which are beyond the capacity of an average individual
  • Moving present plumbing
  • Adding gas lines in and out of the house
2.  Replacement of Shower Valve

It may initially appear that the replacement of a shower valve is easy considering that it’s just a single piece of bathroom equipment. Or is it? Upon closer inspection, the replacement of a shower valve will require time, effort and skills that an inexperienced DIY enthusiast cannot provide. And there’s also the fact that a reliable Waukesha plumbing professional will lessen if not completely avoid, damage on the shower walls.

3.Replacement of Tub

Yet another job that seems easy is replacing a bathtub. Don’t be fooled because the process requires sound knowledge and expert skills that plumbers have learned during their years of education, apprenticeship and work experience, which you cannot possess in a few hours of reading books and watching instructional videos. Call in the professional!

4. Water Heater Installation and Repair

Murphy’s Law applies to water heaters – everything that can go wrong will go wrong and probably in worst ways than you can imagine. Why risk your limb and life in water heater installation, repair and replacement when you have the expert services of a reliable Waukesha plumbing professional at your fingertips? With a DIY water heater project, getting burned is the least of your problems and we all know the cost of medical care in the United States.

5. Main Line Issues

When the toilets are backing up into the showers and tubs – Did we hear “eeww”? –the issue will most likely be with the main line. Non-plumbers have no business tinkering with the main line lest the issue become worse than it already is, thus, requiring more money for repairs. Plus, there’s also the fact that main line issues require special equipment that plumbers can operate and that you cannot.

Indeed, even when a plumbing issue seems minor in nature, it is almost always best to call in a reliable Waukesha plumbing professional.

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Setting Costs Expectations Regarding Oconomowoc Plumbing Services

As in the rest of the United States, Oconomowoc plumbing companies like PJ’s Plumbing will charge their clients with varying rates depending on the type and scope of work, among other factors. If you are then planning to hire the services of one of their plumbers, you must then be aware of the average costs for plumbing services in the area. At the very least, your expectations will be as realistic as possible so you can plan your budget for the plumbing job at hand.



Ask Family and Friends

Instead of asking for bids, estimates and quotations from the plumbers as your first step, you are well-advised to ask around from your family and friends about their actual expenditures for plumbing jobs similar to the planned job in your home. You will then have a general idea about the possible costs for it while also keeping in mind that each plumbing job is different. This step is obviously applicable to non-rush jobs.


There’s another benefit to asking around first: You will have basis for comparing the estimates provided by Oconomowoc plumbing companies; be wary of the companies with too low and too high estimates in relation to the average costs.

Do Your Online Research
 
Dozens of Internet sites provide reliable information on the possible costs for plumbing services in the United States in general and Wisconsin in particular. From these sites, you will be able to gather information on the average costs such as:

  • Per hour fee $45-$75 in rural areas while it may be $75-$150 in urban areas with most plumbers charging for a minimum 2-hour fee
  • Flat fee for jobs depending on the type and complexity of jobs and on the location of the job (i.e., rural and urban, bathroom or kitchen) with the following average costs as the standards in most parts of the country:
$200-$800 for every fixture in a new house construction plumbing

$50-$200 or more for toilet repair such as the replacement of tank mechanism, flange or wax ring

$150-$600 or more for basic toilet installation


$65-$250 or more for unclogging a drain from simple obstruction


$100-$800 or more when the main sewer requires “snaking” depending on distance


$1,000 and up for sewer line replacement


$200 and up for installation of standard utility sink


$300 and up for water heater installation


As with asking family and friends, doing your online research has its benefits including the opportunity to compare the bids, estimates and quotes provided by several Oconomowoc plumbing professionals against the industry standard. Just keep in mind that the actual rates will vary from the average rates but the former should not have substantial difference than the latter unless in special cases.


Ask for Estimates

 
And you can then ask for the bids, estimates and quotes from several plumbing companies or professionals for the specific project. Experts suggest getting at least three estimates but you can always go the extra mile and get five, if possible. You will then have basis for the lowest and highest bids from among the five estimates and then arrive at the average.


But since cost is not all there is to choosing the best Oconomowoc plumbing professional, you should consider other factors, too, like license, guarantee and reputation.