Archive for August, 2009

Plumber Call Out Fees

All Vancouver plumbers charge a call out fee if you’ve asked them to look at a job. Every plumber has costs to cover and must charge something if you don’t hire him.

If you need a plumber and have him visit the job site, expect to pay a minimum charge for travel time if you decide against hiring him for the job. It’s not often a local plumber needs to charge the call out fee, but it is normal practice so expect a bill if you turn him down.

Free estimates are common in the plumbing trade, and can be done over the phone in many cases. If you have a plumbing issue that must be seen in person, then you should ask a few questions by phone before the plumbing contractor drives out to your place.

Charging the call out fee is not a common occurrence because the plumber that shows up usually ends up doing the work. The call out fee is typically waived when you agree to hire the man.

Most plumbers charge about the same hourly rate, so ask what that is on the phone. If he happens to be a specialist, chances are good the rates are higher than average. If price is important to you, then get that out of the way on the phone, not at the job site.

Warning:

If you’re just looking for the cheapest plumbing contractors, you might end up with sub standard work. That will cost you more in the long run if the job needs to be re-done or worse, you were sold cheap parts for a premium price. Beware the mechanical contractor who seems too eager to lower prices, or comes across as desperate to get the work. You may end up with more issues than the original plumbing problem.

Click Here… to see about hiring one of the local professional plumbers we recommend.

Vancouver Plumbing Contractors

When looking for a Vancouver plumber it’s a good idea to ask if the man on the job is a Journeyman or an plumbing apprentice. That way you can relax knowing the man is experienced.

Most Vancouver plumbing companies follow best practices, but knowing you have the right man for the job will put your mind at ease. No matter what type of plumbing contractors you hire, it is your responsibility to ask ahead of time if the man they assign to you has his plumbing ticket or not.

When you request a Vancouver plumber through our referral service you can rest easy knowing we’ve screened the contractors we recommend so you don’t have to spend hours phoning around, asking friends about their experiences, or interviewing different plumbing companies you’ve found in the media. Our referral service is free to consumers.

Click Here… or on one of the links at the bottom of this page to see about hiring a professional from our group of recommended plumbing contractors.

Shut Off Valves

Plumbing isn’t a very interesting thing for anyone living in a modern home these days. Running water and natural gas is taken for granted until something goes wrong, and then panic strikes. One thing every North American should know about their home is basic plumbing and how it works in case an emergency arises.

Understand Your Infrastructure

The first thing you should become familiar with is the main water shut off valve, and the main gas valve. If something drastic happens like a burst pipe or a gas leak, you want to know how to shut off the supply.  You’ll find a main shut-off at the municipal water supply meter or the pressure tank of a private well.

The gas meter and gas service shutoff valve is usually located on the side or in front of the building. Take a tour around your house and find your gas main, then take some time to find out how to shut it off. If it’s is not readily apparent, take the time to ask someone so you’ll know what to do in case of an emergency.

Sometimes the shut off valves will be inside the house, so locate them and get familiar with how to control them.  Newer homes will have water shut off valves at every faucet, so look around to find those too. If they are not in plain view then you might want to consider having shut off valves installed under your sinks, on the washing machine and anywhere else water flows in your home.

Get Things taken Care Of

For a job like that, hire a plumber who is willing to take the time to explain how things work, and you’ll understand one of the most important things in your home. Knowing how to control your plumbing system will give you a sense of control for your most valuable asset, your home.

Garbage Disposal Tips

Having a garburator in your home is very handy for reducing the amount of garbage you produce. It’s been said that you can reduce up to 40% of the bulk by shredding organic material through your garburator.

Because garburators are mechanical appliances, they will eventually break down. Maintaining your garbage disposal will help extend its life and save you time and money for repairs or unnecessary clean-up.

It’s a good idea to run water before, during and after you have pulverized something to help break up and drain away as much material as possible. Not clearing the container regularly will cause a number of problems which I will list here.

• Waste material will eventually plug up the system and make the motor work harder
• Shredded materials left in the bowl will cause fruit flies to multiply in the summer months
• Grease from fried foods will line the inside and cause a nasty build up

It’s recommended to run cold water when dumping greasy foods. This can still cause build-up, so every so often you can pour boiling water down the sink to melt the grease.

How To Clear Your Garburator

You have probably heard that ice cubes and salt will clear a garburator nicely, and it does to a certain extent. I’ve found that a stale bagel works the best. The bread is very heavy and tends to pick up everything in the garburator bowl clearing it very nicely. Asking for a stale bagle at your local coffe shop may not go over very well, but you could bring a plain one home just to see if it works like I’ve said.

I like to run water for at least a minute after I have pulverised orange peels for instance. That way it’s cleared up for next time, and I wont have to deal with fruit flies the next morning.

If you need a plumber to install a new system, check the listings on our site for a mechanical contractor near you.

Stop an Overflowing Toilet

When my kids were young my sister came over for a visit one time, she wanted to help so volunteered to change a diaper. Everything was going just fine until it came time to rinse and flush. You see my wife was using cloth diapers and liked to double them up for extra protection.

My dear sister didn’t know that there were two bits of cloth clinging to my sons back side. So being as wet as they were, the diapers came off in one piece and when she did the initial rinse, one of them peeled off and shot straight down the toilet just as she flushed. I guess the extra rinse water gave the inside diaper enough weight to drop off the outside one.

I happened to be just outside the bathroom door as this happened so I had a front row seat to the look on her face as she watched the diaper swirl down the tubes. It was only a moment before the bowl overflowed and she started screaming bloody murder, sending my wife into a full sprint down the hallway.

The Problem And Solution

We had central heat in that place and the floor had a bit of an angle on it, so the water flowed right into the heat vent like it was magnetically attracted, and straight downstairs.

We all three stood there with a stunned look on our faces for a moment, and then my wife jumped into action. She calmly lifted the tank lid and pulled up the floater valve, which of course turned off the water. Too bad we broke up a number of years ago, she would have had fun helping me write this story.

I got this “I told you so” look from the wife and was forever in awe of her prowess in the raising kids department forever there after.
I’ve gone ahead and done a little research on bathroom emergency tips to help you cope with the unavoidable. Here are a few things to know that might come in handy the next time there’s a panic in the throne room.

Plugged Toilet

If the toilet is plugging up, don’t try to flush again. The bowl will probably back up and overflow if you flush again. Chances are good it will start to drain on its own, but it will be slow. Also, let it drain down a bit (if it will co-operate) before using a plunger so it’s not so messy.

Enzymes Take Time

If you have a second bathroom, use enzymes on the clog and let it sit overnight or longer if needed. Pick up some enzymes that eat at waste material and let them dissolve the clog. These type of enzymes are used in septic systems and can be found at most hardware or plumbing stores. The enzyme will need to sit overnight usually, and it should dissolve most of the clog.

Plunging

If you can’t wait overnight try a plunger. Plunging is usually messy as water will splash up from the bowl. This isn’t the most sanitary method, but it’s better than to leave a mess sitting in the bowl.

Get a good plunger. The suction cup types are strictly for light duty, so be prepared and get a heavier plunger. Plungers that have a second flap inside have a little more strength and will move a larger volume of water with better force.

Snakes Aren’t As Messy

If you have a pipe snake or auger, use that as the next resort if the plunger doesn’t work. You can buy a small pipe snake or rent them for a bigger job.

Be Sanitary

A pair of rubber cleaning gloves or latex gloves will work the best when cleaning up a toilet overflow. If you want to protect the floor, use newspapers instead of towels. It’s not advisable to re-use towels if they’ve been used to clean that kind of mess.

So look around the house and see if you are ready for your next bathroom disaster. Next time it happens you’ll be better prepared.

Unclog a Drain

Every so often a clogged drain interrupts your routine and you’re forced to deal with it. There are a number of ways you can take care of that without having to call a plumber. One of them is the can of compressed gas. You hold it against the drain and let ‘er rip.

We don’t have any stats on this, but chances are good that it probably doesn’t work all the time. If you don’t hold it down tight enough against the drain for a good seal, it will probably pop up and you’ll lose the force of the air release.  Another way is to snake it, but again chances are good you don’t have a snake. So why not make one?

Make Your Own Plumbing Snake

Pick this up at the local hardware. 1/8″ diameter stainless steel cable with twisted strands, not braided. Get enough to work with so you can work it down the drain a ways. You will also need a pair of needle nose pliers.

First: Unwind some of the cable wires with your pliers (not the strands) and make it look like a matted mess with pieces of wire going in all directions. You want to be able to snag hair if that’s what is clogging the drain.

Second: Push your homemade snake in and twist it as you go.

Third: You can feel when you’re at the clog, so twist it until you get a little resistance and then twist and pull gently to bring it out. You will probably have to do that a few times to get the entire clog out depending on how bad it is.

If you are successful clearing the drain this way, you may want to consider getting a sieve for the opening, or something that might catch hair if your drain is wide open.

It’s also a good idea to clear the mouth of the drain withy your needle nose pliers every month or two if hair is collecting there. Think of it as part of your bathroom cleaning routine.