Tag Archives: plumbing

Jul '22

Important Questions to Ask a Chicago Plumber Before Hiring

Finding the right plumber when you have plumbing issues in your home is more than half the effort of solving the problem. A good plumber looks holistically at your plumbing systems, instead of simply focusing on the single issue you reported, as amateurs do. That plumber not only solves the plumbing problem but also helps you prevent future problems.

How do you find that kind of plumber?

Most homeowners wait until there is a pressing problem with their plumbing before they look for a plumber, says Envy Property Management. When you do this, chances are you won’t care much about the qualifications of the person you hire. You just want them to make the problem go away. This is one reason why plumbing problems in your home are never completely solved.

To find a qualified Chicago plumber, you should start the process long before there are issues with your home’s plumbing. This will help you avoid the anxieties that lead to hiring the wrong person.

So, what criteria should you use when trying to find a plumber for your home? If you live in the Chicago area, the list below will answer that question for you.

Are they local or national?

A national chain may have all the right people but the two things they lack are flexibility and a personal touch. These are important when looking for a plumber. You want a local company that you can build a long-term relationship with. That plumber should come to know your home’s plumbing intimately so that they can diagnose and solve problems quickly and economically.

What kind of plumbing services do they provide?

When looking for a local plumber for your home, you do not want to hire a commercial plumber in Chicago. Commercial and residential plumbing systems are very different, and a commercial plumber may not give you the kind of service you need in your home. Only hire a commercial plumber if they also provide residential plumbing services.

Ask about licensing, qualifications, and memberships

Plumbers in Chicago are required to have up-to-date licenses to practice in the city. Check that the plumber is properly licensed by the city. You will also want to know if they are members of the local chapter of their professional organization. The training of the employees who will be doing the work matters, so make sure to ask about that.

How long have they been in business?

Experience counts: not everything is learned in training. The longer a plumber has been in business, the more time they have had to gain the needed expertise to solve the most difficult plumbing issues. The other reason to hire an experienced plumber is you can use them as your sounding board; they become a trusted adviser on all plumbing issues.

Are they bonded and insured?

What kind of insurance do they have? How much insurance do they carry? The plumber’s insurance policy should include worker compensation for any worker who is injured while on your property, liability insurance to protect you from lawsuits, and property insurance if your property is damaged by their workers.

What do others say about them?

The company should have an online footprint that you can follow. Check online review sources to see what people are saying about them. Look out for negative reviews and pay particular attention to how the company responds to those. Some online sources where you can look for reviews are BBB (Better Business Bureau) and Yelp.

Can they provide references?

Ask the plumber for a verifiable list of people who have used their services in the last year. These should be people who live in Chicago. Ask the plumber’s permission to contact these references. Make sure to call some of the people on the list to find out what their experience of working with the plumber was like.

Do they offer a warranty on their work?

What happens if there are issues with a job the company did for you? Will they fix the problems at no cost to you? Will there be a warranty on the parts they supply? If there are warranties, you will want to know the terms and conditions attached to them. Warranties should be gotten in writing.

How will they estimate the cost of the job?

Will they provide a free estimate? How do they arrive at that estimate? Will you get a quote over the phone, or should you expect them to do a home inspection? You want your plumber to have the right information about a problem before quoting on the job. Do not work with plumbers who attempt to give you a quote over the phone.

How do they charge?

Do they use hourly rates or flat rates? With flat rates, you know what you are paying for a job, but hourly rates can be unpredictable. You also want to see the contract and payment terms. Do they expect you to pay upfront, halfway through the job, or after the work is completed?

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May '22

How to Save Money and Water Using Plumbing Fixtures

An efficient building is not only sustainable but cost-efficient as well. One way of saving operational costs is through the strategic use of the water supply using various plumbing fixtures. To reduce water costs, you can use these fixtures and tips to ensure that you are using your water efficiently:

Regular Maintenance

The primary cause of water waste is leakage, and you might not see them until they necessitate a significant repair. Minor plumbing issues that you initially thought were irrelevant can cause considerable damage and inconvenience to the building occupants.

A well-maintained plumbing system can help you reduce costs. A plumber will inspect for leaks in the faucets, drainage, and toilets during the inspection.

Install access doors in critical locations to make things more convenient for the plumber during maintenance or repair. A stainless steel access door with a surface mount is an excellent way of providing access to plumbing components while protecting them from unauthorized access.

Install a Quality Shower Head

Another standard fixture notorious for wasting water is broken or outdated shower heads. Experts suggest using high-quality shower heads since traditional models use up to two and a half gallons of water per minute. Newer models effectively reduce the volume of water that travels through the shower head.

Invest in Valves That Reduce Pressure

A skilled plumber must check the water pressure as routine maintenance. If the PSI is unusually high, they may advise you to install a pressure-reducing valve (PRV). It’s applicable in many settings, including apartments, where the average plumbing system can operate at 35 psi.

The issue is that many people are unaware that they are using significantly more pressure than is necessary. You can reduce water pressure by installing these valves on your main supply line. It reduces the amount of waste and extends the life of your plumbing.

Experts suggest using high-quality shower heads since traditional models use up to two and a half gallons of water per minute.

Switch to High-Efficiency Toilets

Older toilets tend to use about 3.5 gallons every flush and are a significant source of water waste. Newer, highly efficient models can cut flush volume to as little as 1.3 gallons. These toilets can reduce flushes by incorporating gravity and air pressure into the design. The upgraded feature allows the removal of waste without consuming much water.

The following are examples of variations that you can apply to your setting:

Waterless urinals for commercial use
Dual flush toilets

Install Water-Saving Faucets

Decreasing the volume of water you utilize will help you save money and energy. According to the EPA, faucets account for 15% of indoor residential water use. Another study found that water-saving taps can keep your water consumption by 15%. As a result, it would be best to upgrade your faucet to one suitable for your plumbing fittings.

Purchasing gaskets and aerators for your tap is also a wise decision. You can reduce water flow while keeping the pressure when you do so. The update will reduce your water consumption from 2.2 gallons to 1.5 gallons per minute.

Recirculate Your Hot Water Systems

The distance between you and your heat source may cause some water waste. The farther it is from the outlet, the longer it takes for you to get your hot water. It can waste water if you wait for the correct temperature. Prevent this by recirculating the pump transporting water to the outlet.

Check if your system sends hot water from your supply to your taps or showers to prevent waste from the cold water that drains as you wait. You can also conserve water by doing regular water heater maintenance to prolong the life of your water heater.

The Takeaway

Maximizing your potential to save water by making your plumbing more efficient is necessary for this day and age as many industries aim toward sustainability.

Knowing and understanding the benefits and how they impact your building over time would require professional help, so ensure that you work closely with an expert plumber to guarantee the best outcome for your setting.

Mar '22

Problems with DIY Plumbing Repairs

Plumbing issues in the home are wide range and every time something goes wrong with one of the plumbing features in your home, the chances that you are going to spend money to fix it are high. The combined cost of fixing small plumbing issues in the home can sum up to a lot of money at the end of the year.

One of the best ways to minimize the cost of solving problems with your plumbing is to understand how the system works. As a homeowner or a landlord, says Vineyard Property Management, you should know how to prevent, diagnose, and fix certain plumbing issues in your home. It makes no sense to call a plumber for problems you can handle yourself.

At the same time though, a do-it-yourself approach to plumbing issues in your home also can be a problem. DIY plumbers get into trouble when they start to imagine themselves as professional plumbers. There is a difference between what you can learn on a YouTube video and what a professional plumber knows.

Not knowing the limits of your DIY abilities will cause you more plumbing problems than you are trying to solve. The plumbing in your home is massive, complicated, and is made up of interconnected systems. Seemingly small issues in one part of the plumbing will result in bigger problems elsewhere.

Most amateur plumbers do not fully comprehend the truth about the complexity of a home’s plumbing. As a result, they will undertake projects without a complete overview of the system. What often results is they end up compounding the existing issues and causing bigger problems for themselves.

What are some of the DIY plumbing repairs that homeowners encounter?

Increased risk of flooding

The margin for error when fixing plumbing problems in the home is very narrow. Small things you overlook can result in consequences that are several times worse than the original problem.

It is not uncommon for the home to get flooded as a result of mistakes during a DIY plumbing repair. This happens because amateur plumbers do not follow a systematic routine and they can also fail to turn the water off.

Superficial fixes

Most DIY fixes focus on the immediate rather than the remote causes of a problem. The concern of the homeowner is to eliminate urgent and distressing issues. As a result, DIYers do not do a proper diagnosis of the issue but only apply superficial fixes.

The result of doing that is the underlying problem is left to persist and grow worse. When it is eventually discovered, it will cost a lot more money to solve than it would have if it was detected earlier.

Recurring problems

Without attention from a licensed plumber, your home’s plumbing systems will deteriorate at a faster rate. Firstly, the prevalence of shoddily done DIY fixes will combine to make the system more prone to damage.

Secondly, the lack of attention by a professional plumber will increase the rate of natural wear and tear. The issues of a plumbing system will steadily become worse if that system does not get the professional care it requires.

Exposure to safety hazards

In addition to pipes and connections, the plumbing system in your home also has components that use gas and electricity. Fiddling with appliances like water heaters and washing machines when you don’t have the necessary training is a recipe for disaster.

Moreover, some plumbing repairs require the use of power tools that can easily cause injuries. Lastly, slips and falls are common when doing plumbing repairs. Protect yourself by leaving the job to a professional.

Lost time and avoidable delays

There is nothing like a plumbing emergency to get you to rearrange your plans. The danger of flooding posed by the problem and the chance that you will be without water, makes solving the problem urgent.

The frequency of disruptions to your work schedule and lifestyle increases with the number of plumbing issues in the home. A professional plumber can help you prevent plumbing problems that show up at the most inopportune times.

Higher system maintenance cost

DIY repairs are more impromptu than they are systematic. A DIY approach to solving your home’s plumbing issues prevents you from adopting a preventative maintenance schedule that is based on timely inspection of the plumbing. This narrow focus on solving short-term problems will cost you more money in the long run because it is easier and cheaper to manage your home’s problems when you can anticipate the issues.

In conclusion, when maintaining the plumbing system in your home, it is important to make a distinction between what you can do and what you should not try to do. Minor repairs like changing faucet aerators or unclogging the toilet with a drain snake are things every homeowner should be able to DIY. More complex plumbing repairs are best left to a local plumber.

Hiring a local plumber when you need to will ensure your personal safety, protect your home’s plumbing system and also minimize your plumbing expenditure.