What Services Do Plumbers Provide?

Pipes run throughout your house to move water from one place to the next. Plumbers are experts in knowing how to install and repair these pipes properly to keep homeowners from having water issues. There are many services that today's plumbers provide homeowners. You, as a homeowner may not be aware of all of them, so check out the following information.

New Construction

It takes the expertise of a plumber to know how to plan the layout of all the pipes in a house that is being built. Many different sizes of pipes are used going through the house depending on their use. The main and sewer lines most of the time are larger than the pipes within the walls that carry the water from room to room. Also, plumbers will install the plumbing to the sinks, faucets, showers, toilets and tubs. Garbage disposal hook ups, reverse osmosis systems, irrigation lines and pool systems are some of the other types of new construction projects that plumbers have expertise in doing, along with much more.

Emergency Repairs

There are those times that your pipes burst or other plumbing emergencies out of the blue. Most plumbers are available 24/7 to take care of these emergencies. They can come out even in the middle of night, when need be.

Kitchen or Bathroom Remodels

Many times, homeowners want to remodel their bathrooms or kitchens in such a way that the pipes have to be changed into a different configuration to suit the needs of the remodel efforts. It is best to let a Waukesha plumber do the work on a task this extreme.

Radiant Heat

Radiant heat provides heat to a room by moving warm water through special tubing that is installed underneath the floor in the room. This makes the floors warm, as well as other parts of the room. Plumbers today specialize in the installation of this type of heating. This is best installed when the house is first being built.

Maintaining the Plumbing

Some plumbers offer special maintenance contracts. These help to ensure your plumbing is always in excellent working condition. The plumbers contract with the homeowners to check the house on a periodic basis to catch any issues before they become huge problems.

This is a brief synopsis of the some of the services plumbers provide homeowners. It is vital that all plumbing be installed correctly. Also, when there are issues a plumber is often the best one to repair the problems.

How to Handle Plumbing Emergencies

Most homeowners have a plumbing emergency at least once in their lives. It is important for everyone to understand how to handle an emergency to minimize problems. There are some things you can do before the plumber arrives that will help cut down on possible damage.

List of Tips for Emergencies for Plumbing

When toilets clog to where they will no flush, they just might overflow. Turn off the water just below the tank with the knob. This will automatically stop all water from flowing into the tank and toilet bowl. Then it is safe to use the plunger to attempt to unclog the toilet.

If your emergency involves broken or leaking pipes though, you will need to turn the water off at the main. Small leaks can even lead to big water loss, if the flow is not turned off at the main. Large leaks are huge problems if the water is not stopped. With either, a professional plumber is best to make sure the problem is fixed correctly.

Frozen pipes can be a problem in the winter, if they are not properly insulated. These should be thawed out slowly using hot towels or a hair dryer. Don't use a blowtorch, because it will heat up the pipes too quickly, which could cause them to break.

If your water heater springs a leak, the first thing to do is to turn off its water supply. Then you need to turn off the water heater. If it is a gas unit, turn off the gas to the heater. The line for this is typically either yellow or black. If it is an electric one, turn off the power at the breaker box. Waukesha plumbers are called out many times to fix or repair water heaters.
Clogged drains sometimes are easy to unclog with a bit of drain cleaner just follow the directions on the bottle. However, there are those times that the pipes have to be taken apart to find out where the problem is. This is a time to call a professional in to diagnose the problem.

These are some valuable tips to ensure that you know how to deal with some of the possible Waukesha plumbing emergencies that you could face at your house. Being able to deal with these emergencies, even before the plumber gets there will minimize any damage that may occur otherwise.

Why Plumbing Break and How to Prevent It

Like everything else in and around the home, your plumbing system is susceptible to wear and tear and damages from other structures such as trees and shrubs. A broken or faulty water and drainage system can produce some really embarrassing experiences, but that’s not all. Having to call in your Oconomowoc plumber to fix a fault or replacing a broken part can prove to be costly.

Homeowners can play an active role in protecting their plumbing system from damages. All that is required is a knowledge of the objects or conditions that can cause damage to the piping system. Here are a couple reasons why plumbing breaks. Each will be followed by a short suggestion on how to prevent the damage from occurring.

Shifting of the ground

This often occurs during the summer when the time becomes hot and dry, causing the ground to shrink and crack. That shifting can cause pipes in or near the foundation of the home to break and leak. The corrective measures might include a slab leak repair, a regular water pipe repair or a sewer line repair.

Preventative measure: Keep your lawn and foundation nicely watered throughout the hot summer months.

Pipe freeze

Exposed pipes (indoor or outdoor) can become frozen and break during the winter months if the temperature falls below freezing point. If broken on the inside, you could be dealing with water logged carpets and furniture.

Preventative measure: Wrap the exposed areas of the pipe with some insulation. As long as you can see the pipe (even under the cabinet of the sink) you should insulate them. Do the same to your heater (wherever in the house it is) using either a specially made blanket or tape along with insulation.

You should also ensure that lock offs that allow water to flow to exterior faucets are all turned off and drained. In case the temperature gets really low, you can protect hose bibbs and outdoor faucets with insulated covers. Ensure the water supply to your sprinkler system is also turned off. Use compressed air to blow through the pipeline to get rid of any water left there as it could cause the line to freeze and burst.

A final tip from PJ’s Plumbing is that you leave your furnace on at a minimum of 55 degrees if you go off on vacation. If you are accustomed to spending the entire winter in a tropical area and have no caretaker for your home, be sure to drain the entire pumping system.

Kitchen & Bathroom Remodel Planning

Your home should look and feel exactly how you want it to. Unfortunately, much like everything else, your house ages. Appliances become broken and out-of-date, counters get chipped and worn, floors get warped, sinks become leaky, etc. Eventually it gets to a point where you need to remodel your kitchen or bathroom. But where to start…?

A remodel can be done very cost-effectively, but it should be noted that it is a serious undertaking that should not be attempted without licensed and certified help. With that in mind, home owners often wonder how they can be sure that they are getting the best service at the best price. Ask yourself, does the company have years of experience, great customer testimonials and are they licensed and certified? has installation certifications, is a member of the Hartland Chamber of Commerce, American Society of Plumbing Engineers and the Radiant Panel Association.

After you find a reputable and reliable plumber to help with your remodel, the next thing you should consider is what exactly you want done. The plumber should have a wide range of products for you to choose from and evaluate. Take into account materials, where it was made, the color, texture and overall feel of your new install. Don’t settle; remember your plumber is there to work with you and bring your vision to life. If they aren’t providing the changes that you want, it’s time to move on to another company.

Last, think about function and form. Some sinks and counters look really nice, but if they are rough and not a good fit for the size of the area you are working with, don’t try to fit a square peg in a round hole. Go with a company whose goal is to put your design and ideas first and you will be extremely happy with your remodel. This post originally posted by to Paul Glapinski

Essentials of a Good Pewaukee Plumber

Hiring the right Pewaukee plumber is going to be critical to ensure that the job is done properly the first time and that you aren’t left wasting time or money. In fact, hiring someone at random who doesn’t have the basic knowledge and understanding of how your pipes work could cause major problems in your home. Here are the most vital things to keep in mind.

When you first look at any Pewaukee plumber, you need to ensure that they are licensed, bonded and insured. If they aren’t all three, you need to look at someone else. Not only will this end up causing you potential damage, but it could also cause problems on an insurance claim if something goes wrong and you don’t have a covered professional.

Once you have found a selection of plumbers, you should begin to explain the reason why you are calling them. Make sure you detail the problem and tell them you would like to their experience with that particular concern. The more experience a person has in the industry the more likely they are going to have the knowledge and expertise you are going to need.

Before you finalize the deal, take a quick look over the testimonials they have in place. It will be important that you take the time to look over all the information that is being said about the company. If you notice any red flags, such as negative reviews from genuine customers or the positive reviews restating information, then you may need to reconsider the information that you are reviewing.

When you have the Pewaukee plumber that you feel you can trust, you will need to pay close attention to their appearance when they arrive at your home. If they are covered in raw sewage and looking to walk across your white carpets, there may be a concern. Make sure they are taking care to respect you and your home when they come in, while also devoting the time they are in your home to work.

There are going to be plenty of choices out there for a Pewaukee plumber. If you keep these essentials in mind, then there is a good chance that you are going to end up hiring a plumber that will get the job done and they are bound to exceed your expectations. After all, if the job is done right the first time by a professional, you will have a chance to focus on the things that are going to be more important in your home. All without the stress of wondering if you can expect another pipe burst in the near future.

Problems with Your Plumbing

As a homeowner, when there is a problem with your pipes, you are going to need to call a plumbing specialist to come out to fix them. While some of the problems you encounter will be unavoidable, you are going to find that others are the result of negligence and years of poor care of your pipes. Since most of these problems can be avoided, it can be a good idea to be proactive and do routine maintenance on your home’s plumbing system.

This can be as simple as securing the pipes and inspecting them for rust and other corrosion. When a problem section is noticed during an inspection, you can switch off the pipe and avoid a burst that can result in extra damage to your home. Often when this type of emergency happens, you are going to be faced with the endless spray of either cold or hot water in a room and this is going to lead to damage and possible mold and mildew.

Of course, a burst pipe from damage is just one problem why a plumbing professional may come out. Frozen pipes that need to be treated before they burst will be another. While it can often be avoided by closing off the main shutoff and ensuring that the pipes are kept warm, by the time they have frozen over, you are going to need to look at new options. Because of the safety concerns with pipes in this condition, it will be a good idea for you to call a professional to come out and to deal with these pipes for you.

When you have a leaky faucet or shower head, you can often take care of the concern on your own. That means looking at the unit and deciding why it is leaking. If you find that there really is no reason for the leak and you aren’t sure about what you should be doing, the next step is going to be to have someone come out and inspect it. If the problem is caused by the piece being old and in poor repair, it might be a good idea for you to just replace the entire unit, instead of trying to repair it.

Sometimes, the drains in your home will also be a problem that you are going to have to deal with. When that is the case, you will need to have some experienced professionals come out to treat the clog with their snakes. This is a tool that can quickly dislodge a clog and have your system working again before you know it.

Problems with the plumbing in your home don’t need to be a nightmare. Instead, call out the professionals who are available and have them work on fixing the problems before they get out of hand and turn into a costly repair.

This post is written by Paul Glapinski a professional plumber and repair specialist Located at W290n3820 Fox Field Ct, Pewaukee, WI 53072-3156.

Having Problems with the Kitchen Sink?

If you are having problems with plumbing in your kitchen, there is a very good chance the sink is the issue. This is the area that is heavily used and it can become a nightmare to try to cook when it becomes clogged. While the majority of issues that are faced will include a malfunctioning garbage disposal or broken drain baskets, clogged drains and leaky faucets are also going to be a concern. With so many different concerns to deal with, you might find yourself calling a Waukesha plumber out to take care of the issue at hand. However, some simple basic treatments can be done to reduce the amount of time the plumber spends at your home, or to even solve a minor problem for a fraction of the cost.

At your sink’s faucet, if you begin to experience frequent leaks or clogs, you may need to take apart the head of the faucet and look at the aerator. This is the area which the area runs from. As you are doing this, see if you notice any buildup that could be causing the concerns you are having. Chances are there will be a great deal of buildup that once cleaned, will solve the problem. If however there is nothing that can be the cause of the leak, you may need to call out a local plumber to take care of the job.

Another problem you are most likely going to end up dealing with will be the clogged drain, especially when you are dealing with garbage disposal units. When the disposal unit begins to malfunction, food and other particles can become trapped beneath it. As the buildup continues, it can cause the unit to stick and the motor to burn out. Fortunately, with the right tool, you can manually turn the unit and free it up and that will allow you to run hot water through the pipes to solve the problem. If possible, you can follow that with a natural enzyme cleaner that will help to break down contaminants and leave you with a better functioning system.

The most important thing for you to remember is that while some of the problems you encounter with the kitchen sink can be handled on your own, you do need to know when to call out your local plumber. These professionals will have the knowledge and expertise to get your sink back and running at peak performance in no time and it also helps to avoid any unnecessary damage that could be caused if someone were to pour harsh chemicals down the sink or attempt to fix the pipes and had no idea about what they were doing.