Phoenix Plumbing Blog

How Do You Repipe a Mobile/Manufactured Home?

admin — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 13:35:56 +0000

Mobile homes, or manufactured homes are often in need of re-piping. Most older models have some form of polybutylene pipe underneath the home and behind the walls. Some even have plastic shut off valves and polybutylene supply lines. These shut off valves are notorious for not shutting off when you need them too; like when you have a leak and NEED them to shut off. And polybutylene pipe (or “poly” pipe as it is often referred to), is a nightmare waiting to happen. A spraying hole in a “poly” pipe line can ruin a floor in a very short time; the particle board underlayment absorbs the water, swells up, and the flooring buckles. An ounce of preventition is definitely the best policy here. The next step is to determine whether to repipe in plastic or copper. The high cost of copper pipe, and the difficulty of installation under a manufactured home, make Wirsbo plastic pipe an affordable and practical solution. With new brass shut off valves, and no-burst stainless supply lines, your new plumbing with last, for most of us, a lifetime-Wirsbo pipe has a 30 year warranty, that’s a better warranty that copper pipe.

If you want to be pro-active on your home repairs, and re-pipe BEFORE the flood, call us at Sav-On Plumbing for a free estimate. Call us today.

Pressure – Balanced Shower Valve – Do I Need One?

admin — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 19:32:26 +0000

Has this ever happened to you? You’re in the shower and someone flushes a toilet and WOW, the water goes from pleasantly warm to scalding hot! Most likely, you have an old style, “non pressure-balanced” shower valve. This is not only annoying, it’s also a safety hazard. Imagine your mother-in-law; no, imagine YOUR mother getting scalded by by this burning hot water, unable to adjust the water temperature or get out of the way fast enough to avoid being burned. We all know how that would make us feel. The remedy to this entirely avoidable nightmare is a pressure balanced shower valve. When someone flushes a toilet, or turns on a faucet, this valve keeps the hot and cold water volumes “balanced”, so that any temperature change will be a minor one. The cost of avoiding the above described scenario is well worth the piece of mind it will deliver. Even if it’s not your mother (or mother-in-law), none of us like getting scorched by burning hot water when it is easily avoidable. Call us at Sav-On Plumbing; we will come out and give you a free estimate on replacing your shower or tub/shower valves with new “pressure balanced” ones.

Why Do I Have Smelly/Brown Water Coming from my Faucets?

admin — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 16:17:31 +0000

Smelly water and brown water coming from your faucets can be, but are not always related. Oftentimes, when you get brown water from your faucets, the culprit is a piece of galvanized pipe that is going bad. “But I’ve got copper plumbing” you say. Many people have copper plumbing in the walls, but their angle stops valves are connected to a galvanized nipple coming out of the wall. And, many water heaters have galvanized nipples on top of them. The connection between the copper and the galvanized goes bad, and voila-here comes the brown water. At Sav-On Plumbing, we can track down the source of this brown water and remedy the situation. If left untreated for too long, it may involve replacing the water heater. These things are best repaired when they first appear. Smelly water, or water that smells like “rotten eggs” is usually a sign that the anode rod in the water heater has gone bad. This anode rod protects your water heater from corrosion from the inside out. This is definitely something you’ll want to get fixed ASAP. Sometimes this can be fixed by replacing the anode rod and treating the water heater with bleach water; other times the water heater must be replaced. Call us and we will examine your problem, and together come up with the best solution for your individual circumstance.

What is a Comfort-Height Toilet and Do I Need One?

admin — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 08:17:00 +0000

A “comfort-height” toilet is a toilet that is higher up from the floor than a standard height toilet. The height of a toilet is measured from the floor to the edge of the rim. Toilets vary in height from 14″ to 18″. If you are used to a toilet that is say 15″ or so, and install a toilet that is 14″, you will definitely notice that 1″ difference the first time you go to sit down, in fact that 1″ will seem more like a foot and you will probably feel like you’re going to fall. Generally speaking, your cheaper toilets tend to fall in the shorter range. Your taller toilets, or “comfort height toilets” tend to cost more; how much more depends on the quality of the toilet you purchase. A 16-1/2″ inch toilet is the most common toilet we sell. Our customers rave about how much easier getting on and off the “throne” is when it is the higher toilet. Since there aren’t any places where you can just go and try a comfort height toilet, you’re probably going to have to trust us on this claim. Check our reviews on Yelp,DexKnows.com and the testimonials on our web site. Then call us and we can discuss whether this is something you would like. These toilets also come as “water-saver” toilets. We recommend the 1.28gal per flush models. These toilets have a powerful flush, and use only 1.28 gallons. Call us today.

Do I Need a Pressure Regulator?

admin — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 01:20:15 +0000

Do you hear loud banging noises when your plumbing fixtures shut off after use? Or maybe you can hear the water flowing through the pipes when you use your plumbing. These are signs of excessive water pressure. If the water pressure to your home exceeds 85 lbs., the Uniform Plumbing Code (the code that regulates plumbing in AZ) says you need a pressure regulator.

Maybe you already have a pressure regulator but it is out of adjustment, or needs to be repaired. A properly adjusted pressure regulator will extend the life of your plumbing system, reducing the pressure on your plumbing fixtures makes them less prone to leaks and drips. And excessive water pressure is a mortal enemy of your water heater. The pressure is easily checked with a pressure gauge attached at your hose bib. In order to get an accurate reading, any present leaks must first be fixed before the test. Sav-On Plumbing will be happy to test your pressure at no charge. Call us today to schedule a free, no charge look.

If you need a pressure regulator, we will be happy to give you a free estimate on the purchase and install of one. We can also fix any other plumbing problems you may have. Call us today.

Why a Phone Estimate is Not Such a Good Idea

admin — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 17:54:47 +0000

waterheater leaked and caused over $9000.00 in damages.

We get a lot of phone calls from customers asking for a “phone estimate”. Usually, these customers are just checking prices, looking for the “best deal”. The problem here is that it is unreasonable to expect a phone estimate, given sight unseen, to be a firm price the customer can hold the contractor to, and it is unfair to expect it to be accurate, given all the variables involved in a plumbing repair job.

At Sav-On Plumbing, we offer a free on-site estimate and we will give you a full description of what we will do and a firm price you can hold us to, given that the work involved is what we estimate it to be. Sometimes, when the work is hidden from view this is not possible. Our policy in this case is to give an estimate based on what we think is involved, and once the problem is exposed (for instance, a leak behind the wall), we will confirm what the actual job is and the actual cost. We do NOT want to be the guy who quotes a low price over the phone just to get to the job, and once we’re there say “Oh, this job is much more involved and blah, blah,blah, and it’s going to cost you two/three times the original phone estimate. Their hope is that once they’re there, you’ll figure “I might as well have them fix it”, and you end up paying through the nose for it. At best, they have wasted your time. We are not looking to waste your time or ours. Call a few companies and get their phone estimate; then call us and we’ll look at the job and give you a price you and we can live with. You’ll save time and money dealing with us-That’s why we’re Sav-On Plumbing.

Water Heater Pans

admin — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 17:51:19 +0000

Water Heater Pans – A Low Cost, High Return Insurance Policy.

Water heater leaked without a pan for about a year causing over $9,000 in damage.

A water heater pan, or water heater drain pan, is a great insurance policy against possible water heater leaks. Sooner or later, no matter how good of a water heater you install, it will eventually leak. This includes you “lifetime warranty” water heaters also. Unfortunately, not all homes are set up so that you can have a water heater pan. But if you can, a water heater pan can save you costly repairs from water damage, including drywall damage, carpet, cabinet, furniture and even “black mold” damage.

The basic premise is simple: put a water heater drain pan under the heater, and hook up a drain line that takes the leaking water outside the home, garage, utility room, etc. The easiest time to do this is when a new water heater is installed. It’s probably an even better idea to install one under an older water heater, because it is going to leak-sooner rather than later.

Call Sav-On Plumbing and we will give you a free look and discuss your options. Once your heater starts leaking and the damage is done, it’s too late. Call now!

Why Do I Smell Sewage in my Bathroom?

admin — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 18:37:54 +0000

The most common reason for “sewer gas” smell in a bathroom is a deteriorated wax ring under the toilet. Other possible causes for this smell could be a broken or leaking p-trap under the shower or bath tub, or a leaking p-trap under a bathroom sink. One additional cause could be a build-up of hair in the sink drain mechanism that is decaying. While this is not technically sewer gas, the smell of decaying hair is remarkably similar to sewer gas and is often mistaken for this. This smell is the most easily remedied, as the solution is to clean the hair out of the trip lever mechanism.

If the smell is from the toilet, it will be necessary to pull the toilet up from the floor, remove the old wax ring, and install a new wax ring. New floor bolts should also be included in this repair; and a new shut off valve and toilet supply line are always a good idea. Then, caulking should be applied around the fixture to complete the repair. If the caulking is not done, air will get under the toilet and dry out the wax ring and cause it to shrink, putting you back at square one all over again.

If the cause is a broken or leaking p-trap, if it is under the sink, the repair requires a new p-trap to be installed. If the leaking p-trap is under the shower or bath tub, this is definitely a job for a professional as it will most likely require the removal of the shower or bath tub to make this repair.

At Sav-On Plumbing, we are qualified to diagnose the cause of the problem and to make the repair. Cal us for a free consulation on the cause of your sewer gas smell and a free estimate on the repair.

Recommended Water Heaters

admin — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 11:56:22 +0000

What Water Heater Does Sav-On Plumbing Recommend and Why?

At Sav-On Plumbing, we recommend and install Bradford White water heaters. We will install other brands, if that is what the customer wants or has already purchased. However, when we are asked to purchase and install a water heater for our customers, we recommend purchasing a Bradford White product. There are many good reasons to install Bradford White.

Firstly, Bradford White is the only water heater still manufactured in the United States (most other brands are manufactured in Mexico).
Secondly, Bradford White’s guarantee is the best in the business. Their standard guarantee on their water heaters is 6 years, the same as most other brands.
Bradford White was the first manufacturer to offer a six year warranty; other manufacturers then followed suit.
Bradford White also offers a full six year warranty on their parts; elements, thermostats, temperature relief valve and nipples. This means if you have us install a Bradford White heater and an element or thermostat fails, we will replace those parts for a labor charge only.
Plus, the quality of the working parts in a Bradford White water heater far surpasses the quality of the parts you will find in a home center water heater.
In addition to all this, Bradford White water are competitively priced to the home center and other plumbing outlets products.

So, if it’s time to replace your existing water heater, and we recommend you replace it BEFORE it fails and causes a flood or water damage, give us a call for a free quote on installing the best, Bradford White.

Why should I install a Water-Saving Toilet

admin — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 18:36:03 +0000

Today’s water-saving toilets really do save water. Years ago, when 1.6 gallons per flush first was mandated, it was not uncommon to have to “flush twice” to clear the bowl. That is not the case anymore. Todays water saving toilets are real savers; the newest toilets use only 1.28 gallons per flush. That is a 20% savings over the 1.6 gallon flush toilet, and 64% savings if you still have a 3.5 gallon/flush toilet. In a four person household, with each person flushing the toilet 8 times per day, it’s not hard to see where some real savings can be achieved. And these new toilets will flush; first time, every time-guaranteed. So if “going green” and “saving water” is something that appeals to you, call us at Sav-On Plumbing. We will install a new “comfort height” toilet that is attractive and highly functional at a price you will like.