Expert tips

Hot water tanks typically last for about eight years or more. An annual tank inspection is your best defense against leaks, overflows, and other tank issues.

The decision of when to repair or replace a pricey appliance is always challenging. You don't want to spend more money than you have to, but you also don't want to get sucked into a money pit. So, you need to know either to repair or replace your water tank.

Why Won’t My Toilet Stop Running? DIY Toilet Parts Replacement White noise in the background can be a source of comfort, but the sounds of a toilet that won’t stop running are far from comforting. In addition to being annoying and disruptive, a constantly running toilet means that you are wasting loads of water- which

Important Considerations for Your House When Going on Vacation Preparing for a vacation means making lots of lists and ensuring your home is protected in case of an emergency. Forgetting to prepare your home when you’re away could result in serious plumbing repairs and extensive damage to your home.

Don’t Forget to Get a Plumbing Inspection Before Deciding on That New Home! If you’re in the market for a new home, then you’ll need to get prepared for some inspections. The thrill of finding a home that you like can become overpowering, and if you’re not careful, you could end up signing yourself into

Water Waste Concerns: Why Saving Water for Summer Months is Key If you had to guess what the number one cause of wasted water is today, what would you guess? If you said “leaks,” you would be correct. Leaks can spring up in all kinds of places and for all kinds of reasons. There isn’t

For many people in the world buying a new home is not the ideal choice to make. In fact, many homeowners who have been living in the same home for decades don’t feel like leaving that home, it’s still full of family memories that one could hardly want to live elsewhere.

10 Benefits of an Advanced Water Filtration System Water makes up over 60% of your body. Not only is the amount of water you put into your body an important factor for overall good health, so is the quality of the water. Most of the water people consume today is loaded with chlorine and potentially

Your friendly plumber is often called day and night with questions from concerned customers about their system. When it comes to having someone inside your home, you need to make sure to ask plenty of questions first. Many people have been taken advantage of because they were too afraid to ask questions and found out the hard way about their reputation. When it comes to your home, find out all you can upfront. Here are the top 10 questions that plumbers are often asked before they are hired. 1. Are you licensed and qualified to work in this state? There is no law that says you have to be licensed to go into people’s homes and work on their plumbing. While technically you are supposed to be licensed, there are many companies that operate illegally. Asking if they carry a license is perfectly acceptable. Remember, if they mess it up you will have to call in a reputable company to fix it. Always ask for their license and make sure they are qualified and trained. 2. Does your company carry Workers’ compensation? While this may seem like a silly question to ask, if one of their workers is at your home and gets hurt; it can be a matter of who’s paying for the claim. It can be your home owner’s insurance that may have to pick up the tab if they are not properly insured. Don’t put yourself in that position, they need to insure their employees. 3. Are you bonded? If they are doing work in your home that totals more than $500, they need to be bonded. Being bonded is just another policy that protects you should they damage something in your home. Also, if something comes up missing or there is another issue, being bonded will help you out and ensures your protection. 4. How much does it cost to get an estimate? Before having any work done on your home’s plumbing system, make sure to get an estimate in writing. Most contractors will do an estimate for free, but you need to make sure what their policy is before you use their services. The estimate is your legal backing that you won’t have to pay more than what they originally wrote, regardless of how much they spend. 5. What are your charges? Some plumbers will charge an hourly fee, while others charge a flat rate charge for their work. You need to know up front how their billing system works. However, if you have an estimate in hand, this should offer you some protection. 6. What is the extra cost for emergency visits? Plumbers are on call 24/7 due to the fact that an emergency can happen at any time. However, most charge a service fee for being required to come out after hours. This fee can be anywhere from $100 to $200 extra dollars. Be sure to know the cost for an emergency service fee up-front. Most plumbing problems can wait till morning. If you don’t need someone right now, save yourself the money and call the next day. 7. Is there any guarantee or warranty on your work? When you are dealing with the plumbing system, it is very costly to have repairs made. You need to find out if the company has any sort of guarantee on their work. Do they offer you a warranty for a certain amount of time? Never let anyone work on your home that doesn’t offer some sort of safeguard. Better yet, make sure to get that warranty in writing. 8. Do you have any references from previous work? Don’t be afraid to ask for references. If a company won’t eagerly hand you over some reputable customers, then move on and do business elsewhere. Checking the internet is also a good source to find out information about their past experiences. Thanks to the power of the internet, it’s easy to steer clear of those who don’t uphold honest business practices and do great work. 9. Does your company have a website? A company that has a website means that they have put down roots in a community. Because companies can blow in and out of town quickly, you want someone who has been around for a while. A website can answer many of your questions and help you make wise decisions about your plumbing services. 10. How quick can you get here? Can you work around my schedule? If you are faced with an emergency, you want to know how quick the Kirkland area plumber can get to your home. If you have a tight schedule with work and such, make sure they have evening or weekend hours. Unless you have water spewing across the home, you can probably put off an emergency call. Not all plumbers are willing to work around schedules that don’t include a 9-5 pm without an emergency charge. Find a reputable plumber that works keeping the customer’s needs in mind. While some people may have a hard time asking some of these questions, it’s only to protect your home and your plumbing system. If a plumber doesn’t easily answer your inquiries, move on to the next one.