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MISSION STATEMENT:
To provide our customers with a level of service that impresses them so much we are their 1st Choice for all of their plumbing needs and they are confident when recommending our services to their friends and family.
"Why is there never enough time to do it right the first time, but always enough time to go back & fix it?" What a great question... We are committed to doing the job right the first time. We are thorough in our diagnosis, and concise in our repairs. We have a tremendously low re-call rate. We keep it that way because we do it right the first time.
"The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten". This is such a great quote. We’re not expensive...our prices are comparable to other plumbing companies that hire state licensed plumbing professionals. Licensed plumbers have the documented experience and education required to legally work on your plumbing. You can always find someone to do the job "cheaper", but are you getting a better value? Is the plumber licensed? Is the company insured? Do they have the experience to do the type of job you need? Are they drug free? Did they have a background check done? Be sure to ask these questions before you have a company send someone to your home.
- How do I shut the water off in an emergency?
- How can you increase water pressure?
- How can I prevent my water pipes from bursting during the severe cold weather days?
- Do I need a new water heater?
- What factors should be considered in deciding to replace a water heater?
- Why does my water heater run out so quickly now?
- What are tankless water heaters and are they more energy efficient?
- How exactly does a tankless water heater work?
- How do you size a tankless water heater?
- What is the life expectancy of the average tankless water heater unit?
- Is there anything I should do before calling for service?
- Can I install my own water heater?
- Do you offer financing?
- Can you dispose of my old water heater?
- Our water bill appears to be unusually higher than normal. What could be causing this?
- How much water is lost to leaks?
- Do leaks get bigger with age?
- Does water from leaks always rise to the surface?
- How can I determine if there are leaks at my home or business?
- What do leak repairs cost?
- What is a vent, and what does it do for the plumbing system?
- How do I add plumbing if the sewer line is higher than the fixtures?
1) How do I shut the water off in an emergency?
Look at the diagram below. If the cut off valve is running with the pipe, it is open (water is on), if the cut off valve crosses the pipe, it is closed (water is off). Another way to tell is the “ears” on the valve the water department uses to lock your water meter in the off position. If the “ears” line up so that a lock can go through them, it is closed. You can use a pair of pliers, channel locks, vice grips, etc. or you can purchase a meter key from most hardware stores.
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2) How can you increase water pressure?
This question is too general to answer in detail. There are a lot of
considerations, e.g. Do you have enough pressure at your mains? Do you have old pipe work with deposit build-up, perhaps lead or galvanized? Is your main stop open fully? Here is some general advice:
- Turn up the prv.
- Turn up the pump controller.
- Replace water piping.
- Replace clogged aerators at the shower heads and sinks.
Often the problem will appear to be a pressure issue when it is a volume or flow issue. A restriction in a line or just having a long line or under sized line could be the problem. Call 1st Choice Plumbing at (770)596-5064
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3) How can I prevent my water pipes from bursting during the severe cold weather days?
Make sure all outside spigots have the garden hose disconnected. Make sure all vents are covered on crawl space to allow for no draft. All plumbing on outside walls should be protected by leaving faucets dripping and by leaving cabinet doors open for room temperature ventilation.
Call 1st Choice Plumbing at (770)596-5064
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4) Do I need a new water heater?
If your water heater is over five years old and no longer provides you with water or there is a puddle on the floor, it is time to replace your water heater.
Call 1st Choice Plumbing at (770)596-5064
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5) What factors should be considered in deciding to replace a water heater?
Age of your existing water heater is important, climate, amount of hot water you use, and how hard your water is. The average lifespan of a residential water heater is between 6 & 10 years but can be reduced through lack of maintenance and heavy use. All water heaters will eventually leak, and leaking water heaters can make quite a mess!
Call 1st Choice Plumbing at (770)596-5064
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6) Why does my water heater run out so quickly now?
Several things could happen. First check the shower head volume if shower's are too quick. A new shower head puts out about 2.5 gallons a minute. Some older heads put out 5 gallons a minute. Working with the shower head would double shower length in this case. In some cases, the dip tube on the cold water inlet has broken or worn. When this happens, it creates a short loop for the water, water at the bottom half of the tank will not be used. On electric water heaters, they commonly have two heating elements that work in turns. First the top element heats up the top of the tank, then power goes to the lower element. If the lower element is out, only the top of the tank gets heated. If the top element isn't working, there will be no hot water. Sometimes the Reset button needs to be pushed or reset. If this doesn't get the element working, call a professional. Replacement of the element may be needed. Call 1st Choice Plumbing at (770)596-5064
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7) What are tankless water heaters and are they more energy efficient?
You may have heard about tankless water heaters, which save energy by heating only the water you draw. Those savings do add up. But it will take several years for the average household to recoup the EXTRA $1,300 or so those units cost to buy and install.
Pros:
- Tankless water heaters are about the size of a medium suitcase, thus require less space.
- Tankless water heaters heat only the water you draw.
- The energy consumption of these units is lower because they do not have storage tanks and standby water heating losses are eliminated.
- As long as you have water, you have endless hot water.
Cons:
- Large simultaneous uses (two showers and the clothes washer, for example) may challenge their capacity, particularly in winter when the inlet water is coldest.
- Retrofit installation can be expensive.
- The energy consumption of these units is lower because they do
not have storage tanks and standby water heating losses are eliminated.
- Finally, it takes longer to get hot water to the fixture thus wasting water.
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8) How exactly does a tankless water heater work?
When the hot water tap is turned on, the water enters the heater. A flow sensor detects the water flow and the computer automatically ignites the burner. The water circulates through the heat exchanger and the heat exchanger instantly heats the water at the designated temperature (this takes approximately six seconds). When the hot water tap is turned off, the unit shuts down automatically. This process may vary by different brands of tankless water heaters. Call 1st Choice Plumbing at (770)596-5064
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9) How do you size a tankless water heater?
To size a tankless water heater, always look for its maximum flow rate at gallons per minute, not gallons per hour. You always have to think of a situation where the demand is at the peak flow capacity, either simultaneous use of showers for home or simultaneous use of faucets and different appliances for commercial applications. With any doubts, you can contact us directly to choose a right model for your application. The main determining factor is the flow rate of the household fixtures and the number of fixtures. Call 1st Choice Plumbing at (770)596-5064
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10) What is the life expectancy of the average tankless water heater unit?
Life expectancy of the unit is calculated to be 15-20 years. Call 1st Choice Plumbing at (770)596-5064
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11) Is there anything I should do before calling for service?
Be prepared to answer basic questions… What type and size water heater you have, (gas, electric, etc). What type and size pipe you have, (copper, pex, poly, pvc, etc). Where the leak is coming from, type of service you have, (septic tank or sewer) Anything you can tell us that may help us to diagnose the problem and to make sure that we have the right supplies to repair the problem. If you don’t know the answers to these questions, don’t worry! Our trained plumbers will be able to get the answers when they arrive on site. Call 1st Choice Plumbing at (770)596-5064
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12) Can I install my own water heater?
Water heaters should be installed by a plumber or someone with plumbing and heating experience. The Do-It-Yourself person may be able to handle many household jobs, but the installation of a water heater could create a dangerous situation if performed incorrectly. Remember, gas that has burned must be properly vented. There are many local codes and safety requirements that pertain to water heater installation and operation; without understanding these requirements you could be inadvertently breaking the law and more importantly endangering yourself and your family. If you do choose to install your own water heater, be sure to get a permit and have your city or county code official inspect the work for safety. Call 1st Choice Plumbing at (770)596-5064
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13) Do you offer financing?
1st Choice Plumbing accepts cash, checks, major credit cards and yes, we can assist you with financing. Call 1st Choice Plumbing at (770)596-5064
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14) Can you dispose of my old water heater?
Yes we can. Call 1st Choice Plumbing at (770)596-5064
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15) Our water bill appears to be unusually higher than normal. What could be causing this?
Several things can cause your water bill to be much higher. Start by first check your toilets. Put a few drops of red food coloring into your toilet tank. If you see that your bowl has the same color, then your toilet could be wasting hundreds of gallons of water down the drain. You could need a repair to your toilet. If the food coloring stays in the tank, call us and we'll walk you through how to determine if it is inside or outside the house. Call 1st Choice Plumbing at (770)596-5064
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16) How much water is lost to leaks?
The amount of water that can leak from a faucet or toilet over a day or week is sometimes quite sizable. Leaks cost water systems (the people that sell water) and water users money. For example, if your faucet(s) leaks 50 gallons a day (4.5 oz per minute) for one month (30 days), 1,500 gallons will be wasted. Call 1st Choice Plumbing at (770)596-5064
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17) Do leaks get bigger with age?
Yes. Leaks invariably get larger with time. A small leak this year will grow to become a large leak next year, all the while losing water and causing greater damage to infrastructure and property. Call 1st Choice Plumbing at (770)596-5064
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18) Does water from leaks always rise to the surface?
No, leaks are often unseen at the surface. Nonvisible leaks include leaks that percolate into the surrounding ground, leaks that enter other conveyance facilities, such as storm drains, sewers, stream channels, or old abandoned pipes. Leaks that do surface can be deceiving because water will take the path of least resistance. You may have a puddle in your yard from your neighbors leak. Call 1st Choice Plumbing at (770)596-5064
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19) How can I determine if there are leaks at my home or business?
Leaks from the pipes going to the building or inside the building lose water delivered through the utility meter and service. There is one way to test if leaks exist inside the building:
- Repair leaky faucets, showers, toilets, etc.
- Turn off all the water using appliances (including the swimming pool, ice cube maker, water softener, etc.),
Take a look at the meter pictured above. Notice the leak indicator, usually a little red triangle. This is the most sensitive indicator on the meter. If this triangle is rotating, water is passing through the meter. If the triangle is stationary, no water is passing through the meter. In most cases, the triangle is so sensitive, it can determine the smallest traces of water passing through the meter, i.e. small drips and very fine leaks. Call 1st Choice Plumbing at (770)596-5064
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20) What do leak repairs cost?
The cost of leak repair varies widely, from a few minutes by one person to tighten a nut on a leaky meter, to a few days by a crew with heavy equipment to repair a deeply buried main. Scheduled maintenance for leak repairs is far cheaper than unscheduled overtime. Call us and let us earn the opportunity to become your 1st Choice! Call 1st Choice Plumbing at (770)596-5064
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21) What is a vent, and what does it do for the plumbing system?
If you look on your roof, you will see pipes sticking out of the roof aprox 12" high. For every pipe that goes down, one needs to go up. The obvious reason we have vents is that sewer gases need to be vented outside of the dwelling. Not so obvious is what happens if they are not included in the waste and vent design. Imagine yourself drinking a soda from a straw. If you put your thumb over the straw, you can pull liquid up from the cup. Remove the thumb and see it instantly drain out! When liquid goes down a pipe, air needs to follow it. Without the vent pipe, the draining liquid will try to suck air through the P-traps on the plumbing fixtures, (tub, sink, etc.) glurp, glurp! If it manages to do so, you may know it from the "smell" coming from the now dry seal on the P-trap. Without vents, draining one fixture may cause another fixture in the house to back up, yuck! A waste and vent system should keep sewer gas out of the dwelling and drain every fixture well. Call 1st Choice Plumbing at (770)596-5064
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22) How do I add plumbing if the sewer line is higher than the fixtures?
A sewage ejection pump is the answer. The waste line is run into the sump basin, pumped through a check valve into the sewer line that grades with gravity. A vent pipe needs to be run also, (you can't pump out without replacing the air, it's like trying to suck air out of a bottle) It is a good idea to add a high water alarm, which is a good idea. It is run off of a separate electrical breaker to let you know if the pump isn't working before it's flood time. The check valve makes sure that what you pump out, stays out. Otherwise the pump will keep cycling. Call 1st Choice Plumbing at (770)596-5064
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Referrals
Call 1st Choice Plumbing today at 770-596-5064 to schedule your appointment, or browse our website for more information regarding Restaurant Plumbing or Residential Plumbing. If you have any other questions or comments, please contact us.
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