Archive for Plumbing
Looking For a Free Plumbing or Heating Service Estimate! What Is It Worth?
Posted by: | CommentsEverybody loves to get something for free. The internet constantly barrages you with offers of free IPads, TV’s and vacations. Most people will look at it and say to themselves, “Yeah right”.
More and more people are asking for free over the phone estimates for plumbing service or heating service work. Some examples of homeowner requests are.
- My furnace will not work. What will it cost to fix it?
- I have a plumbing leak somewhere and I don’t know where. How much to fix it?
- I need a new water heater, but I don’t know if I have code issues or size or if it is the right one. How much to replace it?
- I don’t know the type or size of my waste disposal, but I would like a quote over the phone.
There are some things that are obvious and are easier to diagnose and give pricing. However, there might be bigger issues causing the obvious issue. For that reason a home visit by a plumber or hvac service technician is needed. A price can then be given to correctly fix the problem and any other issues that may be occurring.
An over the phone free estimate can cost you more than paying for a licensed plumber or heating contractor to come to your home and assess and provide an up front price. The free phone estimate is not in writing and is not given with a commitment to honor the price. This is due to the contractor not knowing the situation and thus not being able to give an informed estimate. The number will usually go up once the contractor is on site or worse yet, started the job for you.
Providing an estimate at your home is an expense for a contractor. A better question than “Do you provide free estimates?” is “How can you afford to do free estimates?”. The cost has to paid somehow. Either by increasing the price when the contractor gets to your home or cutting corners to save money. Another option is even worse for the homeowner. Service will be provided and paid for, but the contractor is nowhere to be found for warranty issues since they have gone out of business.
You can count on Minneapolis Saint Paul Plumbing Heating Air for superior service at a value locked in price. Give us a call or schedule online for your up front price for any plumbing, heating, drain cleaning, air conditioning service or replacement project you have.
No Water To Toilet? It May Be Your Toilet Supply Hose In Your MN Home.
Posted by: | CommentsWe have a technician meeting every Tuesday at our office. This meeting includes plumber, hvac technicians, and drain cleaners. Along with the training on new product and technicques is a section of the meeting where the technicians tell us what they are seeing in homes. This could be what home owners are requesting along with issues with products that they are replacing.
The meeting today brought up a problem that is costing home owners money when they try to keep their home from flooding with water due to a broken hose. It was an example of good intentions leading to unintended results.
According to our plumbers, there are toilet supply lines that are being promoted as keeping your home safe from flooding if they break. They are designed to close and not allow water to pass if they detect a flow rate that is higher than normal. This is a great idea and product when it works. However, it does cause a problem when you need to shut off the water to the toilet and then turn it back on quickly. The quick turning on of the water to the toilet results in the supply hose thinking that there is a burst and shutting off. The hose then needs to be reset before it will operate correctly or allow any water to flow.
Home owners are calling us to come investigate the lack of water in their toilet. This call results in a service fee that is uncessary if care is taken to follow the reset directions of the hose. It could also be that these hoses were put on by another plumbing company without the customer’s knowledge. Either way a service call is the result.
In order to prevent the supply hose from locking up you need to turn on the water slowly. This will simulate the normal flow that happens when you flush the toilet.
Call Minneapolis Saint Paul Plumbing Heating Air if your toilet is not filling or is having any other problems.
Back to School is Great Time to Think Water Efficiency!
Posted by: | CommentsBack to school time is a busy and exciting time of the year. New clothes and school supplies for the kids, visits to the new classroom, mom or dad trying to get the schedule under control and cold water.
Back to school means that everybody is trying to get ready in the morning at the same time. Your water heater becomes the most needed fixture in your home. Water efficiency can play a huge part in how quickly and comfortably you get ready in the morning. It is amazing how getting a cold shower in the morning can slow you down for the entire day.
Making your water go further helps save money and can help with your comfort also. Using less water in the shower helps the hot water to go further and allows the water heater time to recover from the hot water use. More hot water to keep more people happy and ready to go.
Below are some great way to help with water efficiency.
- Low Flow Shower Head – The old style shower head uses 3 to 5 gallons per minute (GPM). These are not available anymore but are still in homes. New low flow shower heads are 1.5 and 2.0 GPM. In a typical 10 minute shower you would use 30 to 50 gallons of water with the higher use shower head. The new shower heads would be 10.5 gallons to 20 gallons. How much of this would be hot water depends on how hot you like your shower. This also does not include the 30 seconds most people let the shower run to warm up.
- New Water Heater – A water heater over time will develop scale on the bottom. This scale reduces the amount of water in the tank and increases the amount of time that it takes to heat the water since it is trying to heat through the scale at the bottom of the tank. New water heaters are more efficient and the same size water heater can provide you with more hot water through quicker recovery time.
- Tankless Water Heater – Tankless water heaters or On Demand water heaters provide you with hot water when you need it. Water is heated at the time of need and does not sit in a tank heating over and over again waiting to be needed. How water does not run out since there isn’t a set amount that is heated in a tank.
These are just a few of the many ideas on how to save water and money. These ideas will have the most impact when you are trying to get the kids off to school while you get off to work.
For more ideas you can go to http://eartheasy.com/live_water_saving.htm. You can also contact Minneapolis Saint Paul Plumbing Heating Air with any questions or if you would like to learn more about what appliances or plumbing changes you can make in your home.
Looking For St. Paul Plumbing? You May Not Be Contacting Who You Think?
Posted by: | CommentsIt can be very confusing when you are looking for a plumber online. Quite often you are in a hurry due to a plumbing leak or just need to get the plumbing service call scheduled and move on with your day. You are on Google search and putting in “Plumbers St Paul MN” to look for a contractor to help you out. You may even know the name of the company you are looking for but you don’t know the phone number or the website. This should be so easy. Wrong!!
The internet that was supposed to make life so much easier by putting information at your fingertips is also making it harder to know who you are contacting. It is easier to hide the true identity or name of a company on a website than it is in a phone book. You can make a website look like a competitors website and you as a consumer would not be able to know until a different truck showed up at your home. Some websites are actually companies trying to get interest in their services to provide a website for them.
Here are some tips on how to make sure you are contacting the plumbing company you think you are.
- Look for identifying clues to identity like a logo you recognize.
- Look for a company name like Minneapolis Saint Paul Plumbing Heating Air along with the physical address of the company.
- Ask the person who answers the phone if they are the company that you are trying to reach.
- Do not leave a message if there isn’t a live person answering. Some of the website are just advertising for people to buy the site.
- Listen to the name of the company when the phone is answered. Is it the same? Do they say the name or just a generic greeting?
Legitimate companies like Minneapolis Saint Paul Plumbing Heating Air do not need to fool the customer into calling. We rely on our reputation to distinguish us. Just like our up front pricing, we are up front with who we are and what you can expect from us.
You can reach us at 651-789-0628 for all your plumbing, heating, air conditioning, drain cleaning needs. You can also schedule an appointment online by clicking schedule service.
The Blue Oval and Ribbon Logo Is a Service Mark of Minneapolis Saint Paul Plumbing Heating Air.
When Needing Plumbing Service In MN, Does Drive Time Matter?
Posted by: | CommentsA recurring question that I hear our customer service reps receive is, “Where is your office?”. I catch myself asking why does it matter? I then remember that for a number of plumbing, heating and air companies it does matter to the customer. That is because they have drive time to the customers location included in their time and material calculation. This means that when they quote the price for the first hour it means you may only get 15 minutes in house because it took him 45 minutes to get there.
At Minneapolis Saint Paul Plumbing Heating Air, we don’t believe when you need a plumber or hvac technician for an emergency service call you should worry about where the plumber is coming from. You have enough concern and you don’t need to start thinking how much the cost will be just to have him drive to your house and how much time he will have to look at your issue.
There are a number of plumbing, heating and air companies like Minneapolis Saint Paul Plumbing Heating Air that now have a flat fee for coming to your home and accessing your needs no matter where you live or where the techs last call was. This way you know what the cost will be to have your plumbing, heating or air conditioning service need addressed and options for the fix or need.
Give us a call when you have a service need for your home. We will come out for one low fee and give you options for the repair or remodeling need.
What Does A Sump Pump Do In A MN Home?
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Sump Pump by Saint Paul Plumbing Heating Air
Everybody knows that a sump pump in your basement is critical to keeping water at bay and outside of the basement of your home. This time of the year is when a sump pump becomes your best friend and something you miss when it does not work properly
Sump Pump Pit in Basement
What isn’t known or written about as much is how the sump pump works in your home. Knowing how it works can help you understand why it is so critical to have in your home.
Most homes have what they call “Tiling” around their home. This is tubing that allows water to seep into it instead of trying to leak into the basement of a home. It reduces the pressure put against the basement walls by removing the water from the ground. The water that goes in the the tiling or tubing runs into plumbing pipes that are hooked up to it. The plumbing pipe then enters your home and empties into a sump pump pit. This pit is usually in a corner of your basement. The pit will contain a basket which will hold the water that is drained into it by the pipe that runs to the tiling around your house.
The sump pump sits inside the sump pump basket in the water that is gathered. The sump pump will have a pvc pipe coming out of it going straight up. This pipe will then be plumbed out of your home away from your home. This piping if done correctly will lead the water away from your home so that it does not work its way back into the sump pump pit again.
The sump pump has a form of float in it that tells it when there is water in the pit to be pumped out. This prevents the overflow into the basement of water. Water will fill up the basket resulting in the float to raise. This will signal the pump to start pumping the water out of the pit into the plumbing pipes. The sump pump has a check valve which opens when water is going up into the pipe and closes when the pump shut off. This prevents water from the pipe flowing back into the pit.
For everything to work correctly, it is very important that you have the sump pump installed correctly. A licensed plumber will know the correct piping procedures to make sure the water goes up and out of your home and away from the foundation. Having a sump pump isn’t enough to protect your home. As with everything, the correct installation is just as important as having one.
Call Minneapolis Saint Paul Plumbing Heating Air or contact us online if you have any questions or would like your sump pump install inspected.
How Do You Find Your Plumbing and Heating Company in MN?
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Scan to obtain phone app for plumbing service
In today’s busy world it is very important to get the information or services that you need as quickly and easy as possible. Many companies are vying for your loyalty by providing customers with methods of contacting them quickly and effortlessly.
Homeowners needing service on their plumbing, heating, air conditioning, and drain cleaning need to know that their contractor can be reached in many different ways. Some things in the home can wait, but many things like leaking pipes, water heaters not heating or toilets that are leaking or plugged need immediate attention.
At Minneapolis Saint Paul Plumbing Heating Air, we have heard the requests from our customers and homeowners to make it easier to contact us at any time of the day or night. Below are all the ways that homeowners can now reach us.
- Phone via Dex yellow pages or online.
- Website online request found by all search engines.
- Phone app for your smart phone.
The latest and greatest in technology is smart phones. You can use them to view websites and interact with the website. The even more convenient tool is apps for the smart phone. The picture above is a bar code that you can scan with your smart phone that will direct you to download the Minneapolis Saint Paul Plumbing Heating Air app.
Below are all the things you can do with the phone app on your smart phone:
- Emergency Plumbing and Heating Service Call – This will let you call the number without having to look up our number.
- Homeowner Plumbing and Heating Video of the Week – Provides homeowners with tips and information.
- Register To Win A Free Furnace
- Plumbing, Heating, Cooling and Drain Cleaning Specials
- Online Service Scheduling
- Our Facebook Page
We will continue to come up with ways for homeowners to contact us to when you need us. This is another example of how we strive to be the premier residential contractor in the Twin Cities.
What To Do In MN When Plumbing And Heating Pipes Are Frozen and Broken?
Posted by: | CommentsAs I write this we are beginning the recovery of another frozen house. This is what we call a house that has lost heat and has frozen and broken water pipes and hot water heat lines. This has been a record year for calls regarding homes that have lost heat which has resulted in frozen pipes breaking and causing damage in the home.
The most recent call we received was from a homeowner who was out of town and had a hot water pipe freeze and break which resulted in water shooting over to the boiler and causing the pilot lite to go out. With no heat the house proceeded to get colder to the point of freezing the plumbing and heating pipes. This resulted in broken baseboard heat along with broken piping for both the heating lines and plumbing lines.
The actions taken by another contractor before we were called has prompted me to write about what to do and more importantly, what not to do. The actions you take at this point could dramatically affect the cost and length of the rehabilitation.
- Remove Radiators and Toilets – If they are cracked, you will want to remove them before they have a chance to thaw. Radiators will leak a black sludge and cracked toilets will cause a lot of water damage.
- Shut Water Off – This should be done right away. Pipes that are frozen and broken will start leaking and shooting water if they start to thaw and they are under pressure. You will not know if there are any breaks until water is in the pipes or they are pressurized with air. You may need the city to shut the water off at the street if your water shut off at the water meter is frozen.
- Remove Valuables - This includes electronics, papers, pictures etc. They may not be damaged yet but will be exposed to dampness and water during the thaw and rehab process.
- Call Your Insurance Company – They will need to be notified as soon as possible. Most house freeze ups result in thousands to tens of thousand of dollars in damage.
- Call Your Plumber – Insurance companies will let you choose who you want to use as your contractor. They usually ask you who you are using for the repair. Make sure you contact a licensed plumbing contractor who has experience in working with frozen houses. Not every plumber has the necessary experience to know what to do first.
DO NOT TURN ON THE HEAT!!!
The house we are doing now and a number of homes we have done in the past were started by a contractor who thought the first thing to do is warm up the house so they could work on it. This is the worst thing you can do. The damage will increase greatly by doing this. Experienced plumbing and heating contractors know that it will be cold and uncomfortable for a day or two while radiators and toilets are hauled out and water is turned off.
No more damage will be done to your house once it is frozen solid. While it tempting to get warm, don’t do it.
Minneapolis Saint Paul Plumbing Heating Air has been helping homeowners with frozen homes for almost 100 years. Nobody has more experience then us. Call us or contact us online if you have any questions.
Sump Pumps Are A Critical Plumbing Fixture In MN Homes.
Posted by: | CommentsIt is hard to start thinking Sump Pumps when it is just finishing snowing another 12 inches in Minnesota. But it is also a great reminder that the snow will turn in to water and the water will need to flow somewhere. This is where now is the one of the best times to start thinking sump pumps.
Most homeowners have a sump pump somewhere in the basement of their home. It is a piece of equipment not unlike the furnace in that it gets forgotten as long as it works. However, there is a lot more damage potential if it does stop working. A broken furnace will probably not destroy a sump pump but, a broken sump pump can take out a furnace.
Having a working sump pump is critical to the protection of your home. A sump pump helps prevent water coming through your walls via a tiling system around your home. The water is directed into the sump pump pit via a pipe from the outside tiles around your house. The sump pump then sends the water back out via piping out of the pit outside your house and away from your home.
It is a great idea to check the operation of your sump pump before you need it. You can do a few things to help ensure the sump pump will operate when you need it to.
- Check Sump Pump Operation – You can do this by opening the cover of the pit. Pour water into the pit to see if the pump starts up. You may need about 5 gallons to get the pump to kick in.
- Check To See If Sump Pumps Shuts Off – Sometimes over the winter the end of the pipe outside your home can get plugged or frozen. You can tell if there is a problem by whether the water disappears out of the pit and the pump shuts off. If it run continuously there might be a plug.
- Install a Battery Back Up Sump Pump – This will help keep water out of your basement even if the power goes out due to a storm. This is often when you need the sump pump most.
A working sump pump is critical in your Minnesota home. A sump pump that has been installed correctly including the plumbing or piping will help you protect your furnace, water heater and anything else you have in your basement.
Call Minneapolis Saint Paul Plumbing Heating Air or schedule online if you have any questions regarding your home.
Toilets and Showerheads Result in Big Savings in Your MN Home!
Posted by: | CommentsEverybody is looking to find ways to save money. Some ways of saving money can be painful and require sacrifice and big changes in lifestyle. I personally like the changes that require minimal effects in my life other than a bigger savings account.
Water is going to be a very valuable commodity in the future. Some people say it will be even more precious than oil or gold. If this happens, the price of water will go up significantly. Learning ways to conserve water will help the pocket book now and will increase in the future.
Below is a list of great ways to save water and thus save money. Feel good while thinking about the future.
- Low Flush Toilet – Conventional toilets use 3.5 to 5 gallons each flush. The new ultra low flow toilets only use 1.2 gallons per flush. The average person uses the toilet about 4 to 5 times per day. This means a low flow toilet has the potential to save a family of four more than 14 thousand gallons a of water per year.
- Low Flow Showerhead - A standard showerhead drops 4.5 gallons of water a minute. Low Flow or Energy Efficient Showerheads only release 2.5 gallons a minute. A quality low flow showerhead can save a family of four as much as 20 thousand gallons of water a year without a reduction of rinsing ability. This will also save hot water. Between 14% and 25% of your home energy use goes to heat water.
Below are 15 more ideas that combined will help you save a lot of water.
- When doing the dishes, fill one sink with soapy water and the other with rinsing water.
- Don’t plant grass in areas that are hard to water or do not retain water like a sloping area or along sidewalks and driveways.
- Keep drinking water in a jug in the fridge so that every drop of water goes down someone and not the sink.
- Check out your bill and water meter to gauge your water use.
- Collect your leftover water for watering plants.
- Shorten your watering time. Early morning is the best time to water grass.
- Adjust the lawn mower to a higher blade setting. This will help hold water. I believe it also makes the yard look better and hides any imperfections.
- Check outdoor faucets, pipes, and hoses for leaks. Call your plumber if leaks are found.
- Use the water from your fish tank to water your plants when you clean it out. The water is nutritious for the plants.
- In your toilet tank, put food coloring to see if it seeps in your toilet bowl. Replace inside parts if it is leaking.
- On driveways and other walking areas on your lawn, use porous materials. I keeps water in your yard and prevents runoff.
- Bathe you pets in a dry area in your yard.
- Install new water saving appliances, like washing machines that save up to 20 gallons per load.
- Aerate your lawn by punching holes in your lawn about six inches apart. Water will reach the roots rather than run off the surface.
- Know where your master shut off is and make sure it works. It will prevent a lot of damage and water loss if your pipes leak or break.
Contact Minneapolis Saint Paul Plumbing Heating Air if you would like help with any of your plumbing problems or suggestions on water saving devices for your home. You can reach us either online or by phone.