Plumber - When to Call a Professional and When to DIY

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Plumber - When to Call a Professional and When to
DIY
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Table of Contents

• How to Get in Contact with a Good Plumber.
• Clogged Drain Repair When to Call a Professional
  and When to DIY.
• The Basics of Getting Ready for Water Line
  Repair.
• How to Go About Water Heater Installation.

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How to Get in Contact with a Good Plumber

• Calling a plumber requires some research. A good
  plumber with many years of experience may be hard
  to find, but not impossible! One of the best ways
  to network to find a good plumber is to call
  friends. A good reputation is important, but you
  also want someone that you can communicate with
  well. Sometimes you also need someone who is just
  fast, or who can do an exceptionally hard job.
  Its important to say what you are looking for in
  a plumber, especially if you have an emergency
  like a huge leak.
• Your plumber should be someone you can
  communicate with well. Since everyone
  communicates differently, this might be a
  challenge to find. It is well worth the search.
  Communicating well with tradespeople starts with
  making time to talk and finding your building
  plans if you can. You will want to make sure that
  you can recall when things started to go wrong
  with your plumbing. Thoroughness is paramount
  when it comes to plumbing, so your plumber may
  check on the whole house even if only one pipe is
  broken. Suspect pipes can conduct rust and erode
  valves, so take the time to talk with your
  plumber about water quality and any oddities you
  might have noticed. You will help them save lots
  of time on the job.

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• You want a plumber that can attend to you right
  away, usually. Water damage is tough to fix, so
  making an appointment for your plumber as soon as
  you spot a leak is a good idea. The fastest way
  to find a plumber is usually to go through a
  combination of friends and the phone book. You
  can also save time by working up a list of
  contractors slowly and keeping track of
  advertisements. Being prepared with a few warm
  leads on who might be the fastest person to come
  out is a great way to get ahead of a leak. You
  can also save time by scheduling house checkups,
  just like you would schedule a checkup with a
  doctor. This enables you to get ahead of a broken
  gasket or other malfunction and fix it before it
  breaks all the way.
• Specialty plumbers are also available for certain
  jobs. For really rare types of malfunction, you
  might find that a specialty plumber is what is
  needed. Some plumbers have industrial
  certificates or certificates to work on plumbing
  with natural gas lines or on home remodels, for
  example. You can do research on sites like
  Angies List or a simple internet search for your
  area to find out who has them. You can also call
  a union office or a contractor to see who might
  have a specialty that is in your area.

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• A plumber is a tradesman, so be prepared for a
  good-sized bill for the right person. Knowing
  this, do your research and buy with confidence
  when you find the right plumber. A job well done
  is worth the expense because of water damage
  prevention and peace of mind. You can keep track
  of advertisements and call around before you need
  a plumber if you want to get ahead of the game,
  but you can also network through friends or make
  heavy use of your phone book if you dont have
  time to call people ahead of a leak. Have someone
  with a good reputation whom you can communicate
  really well when a need arises.

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Clogged Drain Repair When to Call a Professional
and When to DIY

• Your clogged drain repair doesnt have to be
  complicated. Drains can get all kinds of things
  in them, from hair to dirt buildup. Sometimes,
  drains become clogged with residue that is
  industrial. They may get slime in them or grease.
  It is important to know what is in your drain
  while you try to unclog it. You can stick a wire
  hanger down the drain to try to find out what is
  in there if you need to at first. You can also
  swirl the wire around to try to pull out hair and
  other stringy materials to clean it. If you cant
  find out what is in the drain or it is farther
  down than your hanger will reach, you should
  proceed with caution.
• There are a few things everyone can do at home
  for clogged drain repair, providing a solid chunk
  of something isnt stuck down them. One option is
  to pour a chemical cleaner down the drain. There
  are several green alternatives to this, such as
  baking soda and vinegar. You can also try bleach,
  but the smell is incredibly strong. Bleach is
  also flammable and it can make people faint, so
  watch your nose if you decide to try it. Make
  sure you open at least the door, and open both
  the door and the window if possible. You dont
  want to pass out in the bathroom on accident!

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• Its time to call a professional when these tips
  are too strenuous, the clog is severe, or the
  tips dont work. These things will get rid of
  most minor clogs, and a few major ones. If a
  chemical or natural cleaner like baking soda and
  vinegar wont work, you might have something
  serious on your hands, like a plastic toy or a
  chunk of industrial grease. Dont wait too long
  before calling a professional. They can assess
  what is in your drain and pump it if need be.
• To avoid needing clogged drain repair, make sure
  you are using your drains for the right purpose.
  Industrial drains are different from home
  systems. A home system may become clogged over
  time by natural materials like heavy dirt, small
  pieces of gravel, and micous clay that can
  accumulate. These things may not be noticeable as
  they build up, and you may not even know they are
  tracked into your house until the drain is
  clogged. Industrial drains have both catches and
  larger apertures to handle micous clays and
  gravel, while home drains do not. Make sure
  youre not asking your home drains to handle an
  industrial job by cleaning them often and
  checking them. Then you can adjust your shoe or
  laundry situation to avoid clogging them.

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• Clogged drain repair doesnt have to be a
  frequent task. Keeping on top of your drains is a
  tough task, but its worth it in expensive
  pumping fees. While you cant help a few things
  getting by you into your drain, everyone can
  prevent buildup by watching what goes into their
  drains. Repairing a clogged drain is not as
  difficult if you handle small amounts of clog
  before they build up.
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The Basics of Getting Ready for Water Line Repair

• Getting your water line repaired by a
  professional doesnt have to be a hassle. Water
  lines can have various breaks in them, or on
  occasion a pipe rusts out. You should always call
  a professional plumber when you need water line
  repair. Calling at the first sign of a break is
  the best thing to do, before complications arise.
  There are many water lines in a house, and even
  more in most industrial buildings. Whatever the
  problem seems to be, its safer to hedge on the
  side of caution when it comes to water line
  repair. Call early and try to shut your water off
  if possible to hedge against any more breakage.
• Prep your house. Depending on the number of water
  line repairs needed, there are several things you
  can do to get ready. The best thing you can do is
  clean out the area of the garage or hideaway
  where your water heater and other major plumbing
  hookups are housed. The professionals will need
  access to major plumbing outlets with room for
  their tools. You will save a lot of time by
  making room for everything there. You can also
  anticipate that some electrical may need to be
  looked at for the hot water, so it is a good idea
  to clear your electrical panel area as well. Make
  room in the hallway for lots of tools, and try to
  access your house plans if possible so that the
  plumber can test the lines in a more efficient
  manner.

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• Do your research on the professional. You always
  want to know who you are working with if you can.
  Calling friends for recommendations or a
  contractor with a common acquaintance is a great
  way to start. You can also get reviews on sites
  like Angies List to find out more about your
  plumbers. Water line repair is a pretty serious
  task, so the people working may be making major
  pipe repairs if the situation warrants. You will
  want to get an idea of how good an estimator the
  plumber is and how long he takes before hiring.
  Start with those questions and then move into
  questions about quality and professionalism.
• Have the lines cleaned before they are repaired.
  This is one of the things that holds plumbers up
  and increases your estimated bill. You can save
  some time, money, and hassle by having the water
  lines cleaned before the plumber gets there.
  Depending on your geographical area and how much
  clay is in your soil, water lines can become
  fairly dirty. In rainier areas with less clay,
  they may stay pretty clean. Its a good idea to
  call someone who works in water or contracting to
  ask about the water line situation if you need an
  estimate of how large the cleaning bill may be in
  your locale.

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How to Go About Water Heater Installation

• Water heater installation should always be done
  by a professional. Hot water heaters are a heavy
  piece of equipment with a lot of wires and some
  high heat elements. There is also the issue of
  water pumping through the heater at a relatively
  high rate. You should always leave installation
  to a professional because of the safety risk if
  there is a leak. You should also not try to touch
  a broken hot water heater, to avoid getting
  burned. Even if you have gloves, broken hot water
  heaters can spurt extremely hot water or heat the
  water up to the wrong temperature. Make sure you
  are safe by turning your heater off if you
  suspect that its broken while you call a
  specialist.
• You should not try to install a water heater by
  yourself. Water heater installation has a unique
  combination of electrical wiring and plumbing,
  and the task is fairly complex. Many times
  specialists come out in pairs to do the job, as
  the heaters are quite heavy. Suffice it to say,
  its usually not a one-man job. You cant roll or
  slide the heaters around when they need moving,
  and it takes a couple of people to set them in
  their housing. It also takes a few helpers to
  test the heater as it adjusts once its
  installed.
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• Installing a new model is always a good idea.
  Sometimes people are tempted to repair old hot
  water heaters rather than buying a new model.
  While its certainly not a bad idea to repair
  them, its nearly always a good idea to buy a new
  model. Rust and other buildup can accumulate on
  older models, and all in all its just a safe bet
  to go with a new one. It is often worth the extra
  expense to go with a new model because they will
  require little to no maintenance for much longer
  than an older model. The time and cost savings on
  repairs are a nice thing, and so you should
  consider a new heater when it comes to water
  heater installation.
• Check the temperatures when installing since they
  reset themselves. During water heater
  installation, the lines and the valves are reset,
  and so the temperature of the water may not be
  what it was previously. Sometimes it sets the
  water temperature colder, but on occasion the
  water can be very hot until it is adjusted. Water
  heater installation is fairly complex, so you
  might need up to an hour to get the water
  adjusted to the correct temperature. Make sure
  you do this with your installation expert before
  he leaves, since its pretty tough to adjust by
  yourself.

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• Water heater installation is an expensive repair,
  but it is well worth it. A brand new water heater
  is a great option, and if you choose to go this
  route, you will experience a lot more peace of
  mind. Having clear water lines and a rust-free
  environment is well worth the expense of a new
  heater for many people. Search for professionals
  on sites like Angies List if you need help
  choosing a qualified installer for your hot water
  heater.
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