Oconomowoc Plumbing and You

Plumbers are an important part of any living situation. Whether you own your home, rent it, or simply live with someone else, you might find, that at some point, you need to seek out the services of a good plumber. There are many different circumstances under which the Oconomowoc Plumbing professional might be required, a clogged drain being the most common, of course.

Clogged drains can be a pain, to say the least. There is nothing more annoying than attempting to take a shower, only to find that the entire tub fills up around your feet. If you are one who enjoys taking long showers, then your time could be cut short as the water reaches the brim of the tub. To make it even worse, it can take several hours for the water to retreat into the drain if it is clogged. If you are discovering this in the midst of winter, then you will probably find yourself with a freezing cold tub of water, especially if your bathroom is against an exterior wall. A quick solution might be to add warm water, but this only adds to your problem! The one and only solution, is to call a good plumbing company.

A plumbing professional will be able to insert a sort of roto rooter into your drain, and of course extract the clog. Depending on the severity of the clog they may need to use an electric pipe snake to remedy the problem, but it can be done!

There are other plumbing problems that might necessitate a plumbing professional of course. For example you might need to call someone when your pipes burst, or when you suspect a leak could be present within your system. Plumbers are able to detect high or low pressure areas, and will be able to pinpoint the leak before it becomes a serious problem.

To put it quite simply, you will be in serious trouble if you do not have a good plumber. Your house will suffer, and you will find yourself spending a lot of money. You might be handy around the house, but when it comes to the more advanced plumbing tasks, you will want to make sure you have a good plumbing professional on your side. Start looking for one today, and make sure you are ready when the time comes. You never know when that might be.

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.

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.

Oconomowoc Plumbing Emergency Steps You Should Know

Emergency plumbing situations shouldn’t be neglected as if they are fixed early, you can prevent major problems and expenditure. Though you may not be able to do all Oconomowoc plumbing jobs, with some plumbing emergency steps you will be able to prevent a plumbing emergency.

The leading plumbing emergency is leakages and blockages that drastically affect other parts of the house if not attended to quickly. So as soon as you find a leakage, the first thing to do is switch off the water valve that connects to that area or the entire house. This helps prevent any potential damage that arises in the house walls and floor because of spread of water.

Know your valves to stop leakages

You should thus always know where your water valves are, and what they do. The main water valve operates the main water source while the secondary valve regulates water flow to the nearest outlet.
When you shut the main valve the water flow to the entire house is stopped. The secondary valve should be shut if you notice a leak nearest to the valve. This means that if it’s a leakage with your sink, you have to shut down the valve under the sink. Don’t just switch off one valve; switch off both the hot and water valves to stop the leak as you don’t actually know if the leak stems from the hot water pipe or cold water pipe.

Overflowing toilets

Similarly, if the plumbing emergency is an overflowing toilet, you have to turn off the valve under the toilet. This discontinues the water flow to the toilet, and thus prevents water accumulation and consequent bigger problems till a professional Pewaukee plumber finds the problem and fixes it for you.

In case of the minor plumbing problems that don’t need immediate attention, just list them on your home improvement list to take care of in the future, when you have the budget to take care of the plumbing work.

Sometimes, while attending to home remodeling jobs related with your kitchen or bathroom, you may have to shift the position of pipes and valves. Don’t attempt to do this alone; let a professional plumber take care of it as a single misplaced threading can make the entire plumbing system go bad. This can lead to greater damage to your house because of some pipe leakage or blockage.

With the help of the above mentioned emergency Oconomowoc plumbing problems that occur when you least expect them, you can prevent greater loss and damage to your house.

Oconomowoc Plumbing Tips for Handling Plumbing Emergencies

Plumbing emergencies like burst pipes, running toilets and plumbing system leaks happen when you least expect it. Not only does this lead to a waste of water, its consequent damages can be both extensive and dangerous.

In such circumstances, most people tend to start panicking which in turn makes it difficult for you to think straight. However instead of panicking, Oconomowoc plumbing company states that quick action can help prevent expensive repairs and damage.

                                                                                        Turn off water flow

The first thing to do in such an emergency is to make sure that the water flow is stopped by turning off all water flow to your home. While it’s practically impossible to get burst pipes and leaks fixed immediately, it’s possible to stop further damage by switching off the water source.
This prevents the wastage of gallons of water and extensive and expensive water damage to your home. So find the main water shutoff valve as quickly as possible, which is usually located outside your home near the water meter box.

This done, turn off the individual shut-off valves in your home. All bathrooms, the kitchen and laundry room as a shut-off valve where the plumbing fixtures are located. This prevents any water left in the plumbing system from leaking anymore.



 

                   Do not panic

All this does not actually resolve the problem. However it does prevent further damage and mold formation, and also gives you the time to call a professional and qualified plumber to assess your plumbing system.

So the golden rule to follow in plumbing emergencies is not to panic but to stay calm, assess the problem and take the necessary steps to temporarily resolve the problem. You definitely have to also seek professional help as soon as possible to prevent additional damages.


                                                                                       Choose a plumber you can depend on

As the plumber has to come to your home as soon as possible, it is important that you choose and know a plumber you can depend on. You have to choose an able and professional plumber who not only carries out annual maintenance checks on your plumbing system, but who is located near your home so that they can reach your home as quickly as possible.

So make sure you do your research and compare the rates and experience of various plumbing companies in your vicinity to finally choose a plumber you can call and depend on during a plumbing emergency.

With a cool mind and a professional plumber by your side, you will not panic and will be able to face and handle any Oconomowoc plumbing emergency.