Emergency Plumbing Services

Posts Tagged ‘Hiring’

I think tankless water heaters have many pros – and a few cons or considerations. They were originally designed to be used in situations where a tank is undesirable and/or inefficient, such as a building with very minimal hot water demand. They are more commonly used overseas than in the US, because we are not conscience of or concerned about space or efficiency as much as we should be.

Since water is heated on an as needed basis you can save tremendously.Think about how much energy ( money ) is wasted heating a huge tank of water to a certain temperature and maintaining that temperature as water is being constantly released. There are other more conventional alternatives that may be as good or better. For example,dollar savings are diminished or even nonexistent if the alternative is a hot water system integrated into your gas or oil heating system. If the price of gas or oil is especially low in your area, a stand alone tank unit using these fuels may be competitive if you take the extra effort to superinsulate the tank (via wrapping the tank with insulation) and keep the temperature down to under 110 – 150 degrees depending on how hot you like your water to be.

There is a consideration you must understand before making a purchase decision on a tankless water heater. Tank-type water heaters can supply enough hot water to run multiple hot water appliances or showers at the same time, provided you install a unit that can handle your needs. Of course,they can run out of heated water,since they have a limited capacity.

Tankless heaters, on the other hand, have large drop-offs in water temperature as the water flow through them increases. The elements in a tankless water heater heat the water up to an adjustable maximum temperature. Keep in mind that you can not be taking a hot shower, running the dishwasher and the hot washer cycle at the same time with a tankless water heater – one negative feature. Of course, this negative feature can be overcome by changing your hot water usage habits… for example only using one hot water appliance at a time, scheduling showers at different times than other members of your family, etc. It would be best to install several TWH
( tankless water heaters ) in the respective areas in your home.Otherwise you run the risk of being in the middle of a nice relaxing shower and then running out of hot water! On the positive side, with a tankless unit you never run out of hot water, since it heats on demand.

There are a number of companies out there that sell these units. I can not give a product recommendation, but I would get their usage statistics prior to buying. Another possible source of information would be your local plumbing supply house and NOT a hardware store. They will sell them but they do not have educated staff to help you make the proper purchase.

When you aready to make the installation, consider a local, licensed, bonded, insured handyman for the job. 90 % of the time a plumber and an electrcian is definetely needed while other times a carpenter, drywaller/ painter is also needed to modify or repair an area where an old tank was removed. It is less expensive, less of a hassle and quicker to hire one person instead of potentially three or more.

Unless planning a remodeling or construction project, most residential plumbing needs are “emergencies.” A drain is backed up, a toilet will not turn off, a disposal is not functioning, or a pipe is leaking. If you do not already have a great plumber, you’ll need to take steps to find the right person for the job (unless it’s a 3 am emergency). Below you’ll find several tips for hiring the best plumber for your money.

1) Locate a listing with a local address.

A plumber with only a toll free listing or no address might not be a local company.

2) Look for a qualified plumber.

Qualified plumbers are almost always licensed with the state. You can usually check the license status of a plumber and sometimes look at their complaint record. If not, you can check the Better Business Bureau. The plumber may or may not belong to a union, depending on where you live.

3) Make sure the plumber is insured.

As with any worker you allow in your home, make sure the plumber provides you with a copy of their insurance. You do not want to be on the hook for any worker injured on your property or for damages they might cause.

4) Request an estimate.

When you contact plumbers, tell them you want an estimate. Some plumbers charge for estimates: try to find one that does not. Review the estimates carefully and determine exactly what you are going to be paying for and what is not included, how long the project will take and the date of completion.

5) Ask for specific plans.

Have them show you whenever possible exactly what they will be doing. Plumbing can often run into work beyond the scope of an original diagnosis, so ask for the hourly rate for any work not described. For instance a small copper pipe leak near a hot water heater might reveal the hot water heater is bad. Or when one leak is repaired another one is discovered or created. Make sure any work not expressed in writing will require your written approval.

6) Get more information.

Ask every plumber how long they’ve been on the job, if the total cost includes the final clean up, and what guarantees are there with their work or the installed parts. Ask about the name brands of the particular parts the plumber will be working with. There are many alternative materials available today. For example CPVC is a great replacement for copper. This chlorinated polyvinyl chloride material has some definite advantages over copper pipe. These pipes and fittings do not scale and corrode which eliminates failure and the material does not promote condensation which can cause damage to walls and contents.

7) You should also ask what experience the plumber has had with your particular problem and inquire about any permits that might be required for your project and if the plumber will be responsible for applying for them.

Some repairs require the removal of drywall or other structure material to access the area and make the repair. While most plumbers will not be fixing these issues, make sure you know exactly what they will be doing to get to your problem so you will know what else might need repair.

9) Make sure the plumber is going to clean up and mess made by the repair. While they might not replace tiles that had to be removed or patch drywall, they should leave the area clean.

Keep in mind, the lowest estimate may not necessarily be the right one for you. This person will be in your home so make sure you feel comfortable about them. Consider how they answered your questions and how much experience they have, and their references. Skilled plumbers who are familiar with working with the public should take the time to discuss the issue, how they intend to repair it, and their overall estimate. If the plumber has an attitude and does not want to explain things, you should move on to the next one.