In this article I’m going to be explaining some of the lesser known tips and ideas for dealing with plumbing in your home, and how to pick a good professional. By the end, you’ll know the ins and out of dealing with contractors and what to look for.
Plumbing issues are sometimes straightforward and can be identified easily by any plumber. A leaky faucet is pretty simple to fix. A toilet that makes a loud sound after flushing just needs the flush valve replaced. You can even pick up one of these yourself at Home Depot.
However, not all plumbing issues are as easy to diagnose. Many people have had the experience where they have a toilet that backs up into the house. They call a plumber and they remove the clog. Then, the next day, it backs up into the house again. They call their plumber again, they do the same thing, and the next day the toilet backs up again.
Why does this happen?
Well, there are a number of possible reasons. There are many ways to go about diagnosing it, too. The problem could be further down the drain and you would never be able to tell. The problem may not even be under the house but outside.
It’s also possible that your pipes are just corroded all over the place and need to be replaced with new ones. This can be expensive, but sure beats having someone come out, paying them, and the problem not being fixed after days or weeks of trying. It’s better to at least know what the problem really is and addressing it head on, rather than guessing at what may or may not work.
If you’ve ever experienced a plumbing problem that just won’t go away, then you know how annoying and frustrating this can be.
What some higher end plumbing companies can do for you is provide you with a video snaking diagnosis. This is a pretty nifty tool that is basically a camera on the end of a drain snake. They put the camera down the drain and can see exactly what’s going on in your pipes. They can keep going along the pipe until they find the problem.
So, what do you do when you find the problem? Well, these devices have a radio locator on them that lets you pinpoint the location of the camera and know where the problem is. If the problem is under the garage floor, they’ll know exactly where to break the concrete. No guesswork.
Another neat feature is that they can record video and audio. The audio is recorded at the handle end, so the plumber can talk about what he sees and explain what’s happening. The recorded video of the inside of the pipes lets him make a little movie where he can show the house owner exactly what the problem is with their pipes. This sets many customers at ease because they can literally see what’s happening and what needs to be done about it. They know that they can rely on their plumber because they are showing them proof of what the problem is.
Another project you’ll want a good plumber for is to remodel or restore your bathroom.
Who should you pick? You’ll want someone with an eye for design and aesthetics and who is passionate about remodels.
How do you tell who has a good eye for style and design? Look to see what they have done in the past! Most plumbers have websites that will showcase their past work. You can look through these photos for ideas of what to do with your bathroom as well. You can also find ideas for what you may want to do with your space, too. You’ll know that they can do the same for you because they already did it for someone else.
Like with any profession, different plumbers have different preferences. Some of them may not like doing remodels very much and that will show in their work. Some of them love doing remodels, so the quality will be much better.
So, I recommend you look at other remodeling jobs they have done to make sure you like their style, and get someone who has a clear passion for this type of work, like the guys at Forthright Plumbing.
There you go. I hope all of that helps you when looking for and deciding on a plumber. There are a lot of different skill and experience levels in this industry, so it’s ok to shop around. With these tips you can be confident if picking the right one.
If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave one below.