Archive for Plumbing Services
Monsoon Season Savings That Will Blow You Away
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What a storm we experienced last night. The monsoons are here, so be sure and check out our July Monsoon Season Savings, www.qualtire.com.
Hope all is well with everyone. As always, Qualtire Plumbing & Construction remains your Phoenix plumber and remodeler. Remember we are always just a phone call away at 602-246-0656. Have a safe summer.
Lurking Behind Those Walls
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- Robby pointing to the mold.
- There is obvious mold behind the walls.
Leaking drain pipes in an upstairs condo unit caused this mold in the unit below. Testing revealed several strains of mold, and of course, the black mold is obvious. Protective clothing is required in jobs such as these as you can tell from the picture of Robby.
A Thanksgiving Story
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A few years ago I asked my 96 year old grandmother what she thought the greatest technological advancement was in her lifetime and without any hesitation, she replied hot and cold indoor running water.
I was rather surprised by this reply; after all, she was born in 1913 and raised with 10 other brothers and sisters on a farm in Nebraska. Her idea of a family car was a wagon pulled by a team of horses; surely there were much better advancements than hot and cold running water, that’s just something we take for granted. She explained to me how all the years she was growing up it was one of her many chores to carry water in from the well that would be used throughout the day for cooking, cleaning, doing the dishes, washing up, etc. If you wanted it hot, you had to heat it on the wood or coal burning stove. Try bathing 11 kids and heating all that water. Needless to say, bath water was shared. Winters in Nebraska can be harsh, try carrying water in from the well when it’s freezing outside. When she was in her 20′s, she finally moved into a home that had indoor plumbing. It wasn’t too many more years before they had electricity and a party telephone line. She said none of those innovations improved the quality of life and health for her family as hot and cold running water.
Now I understood why she never minded doing all those dishes or bathing the grandbabies and great grandbabies in the kitchen sink. She said it never stopped amazing her how all you had to do was just turn a handle and water was at your fingertips. She used to say that whoever thought the cell phone was a great invention never had to use the outhouse in the middle of the night.
My grandmother is no longer with me to stand at the kitchen sink this Thanksgiving and help with the dishes and tell stories about growing up in the early 1900′s; but I think about her often when I turn on the faucet and just like her, I’m thankful for something that I take for granted everyday. To her it was magic.
We at Qualtire Plumbing and Construction hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving and have time to pause and reflect on the little things that make our lives better and for the family and loved ones that make life worthwhile.
Go Green with Hybrid Water Heaters
Posted by: | CommentsDid you know that in the Phoenix area your water heater is the second largest user of electricity? Hybrid electric heat pump water heaters can save you about $320 in your electric bill per year. That’s $3,200 over a ten-year period! And don’t forget, they qualify for a federal tax rebate of up to 30%.
Qualtire Plumbing & Construction is offering $500 off a new GE Hybrid water heater and installation. It saves electricity by using a heat pump on top of the water heater that takes warmth out of the ambient air and pumps it into the water tank. It draws cold water from the bottom of the tank and circulates it through the heater pump and back into the tank. The process will also cool the outside air which can be an advantage in your laundry room or garage.
Some other advantages are that it comes with a ten year warranty, has the Trusted Energy Star rating, fits in the same location as your old water heater using existing water and electrical connections, and has multiple settings for vacation and high demand for when you have guests.
Call Qualtire today at 602-246-0656 for more information or to schedule a technician to come to your home and see if this water heater is right for you. Remember Qualtire Plumbing & Construction has been your Phoenix plumber and remodeler since 1964. We do our own warranty work, too, so you always know who to call!
If anyone has any specific issues you would like us to discuss, by all means, please let us know. We’re always here to answer your questions and give you the best advice we can. You can call us at 602-246-0656 or email us at info@qualtire.com.
Main Shut-Off Valves & What You Should Know
Posted by: | CommentsDo you know how to shut off the water to your house in case of an emergency? With our “hard” water conditions here in Phoenix, shut-off valves have a tendency to fail.
First of all, do you know where your shut-off valve is located? Usually, it’s in the front of your home, but it can be located elsewhere. Make sure you know where it is and test occasionally for proper functioning. Additionally, make sure you can turn it on and off. Turn off and see if water stops by opening a faucet or two in your house. It may take a few minutes for flow to stop completely. If water continues after five minutes, it may not be working properly.
If you need assistance, we can check this for you and do a complete plumbing inspection of your house for only $59.00. Since monsoons aren’t the only thing that can flood your house, regular plumbing maintenance and repairs can prevent that emergency from occurring.
Thanks for your time, and call us at 602.246.0656 if you have any questions. Qualtire Plumbing & Construction is your Phoenix plumbing company and always just one phone call away.
Watch out for Flooding
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Craig
Hi. I’m Craig, and I’m sure I have been to many of your homes for various plumbing repairs and home maintenance issues. I have been a professional service technician at Qualtire Plumbing & Construction for the last fifteen years. The office staff has been after me to write some blogs, but being that I’m more of an “out in the field” kind of guy, I’ve been reluctant to do so. They’ve teased me about calling my columns, “Craig’s Corner” or “Chat with Craig,” but I had to put my foot down and say no to that. So anyway here goes.
We’ve all heard the horror stories about some-one’s house being flooded. Make sure it’s not you by maintaining your water shut offs and shut-off valves at each faucet, toilet, water heater and washing machine. Check them periodically to make sure they are working properly.
Specifically with your washing machine valves and hoses, if hoses are more than four years old, they should be checked and probably replaced with steel no-burst hoses. I always suggest that if you don’t have the newer no-burst hoses, keep your valves in the “off” position if your washer is not in use.
Qualtire Plumbing & Construction is offering this month to replace your old hoses with the steel no-burst hoses for just $75.00. The Service/Diagnostic fee will be waived. That’s a pretty good deal, so hopefully I’ll be replacing some of those hoses for you soon. Thanks for taking the time to read, and I look forward to seeing you.
Rocking Toilets
Posted by: | CommentsToday’s topic is rocking toilets. You know how annoying it is to sit down and have the toilet move, don’t you? Well, the solution may be as simple as placing a wooden shim under the base to stop it from rocking back and forth. If that doesn’t work, then you may need to remove the toilet, add a new wax ring and bolts, and re-set the toilet. The worst-case scenario would be to have to replace the closet flange in the floor. Now unless you’re really handy with plumbing repairs, you may need to hire a professional service technician (some still like to say plumbers) for the last two solutions. So anyway, say good-bye to rocking toilets!
We love to talk to our customers here at Qualtire Plumbing & Construction and want you to know that we are always here to discuss your plumbing repair questions. Home maintenance is an ongoing issue for homeowners, we know, and it’s always something it seems! Thanks for taking the time to read my blog, and remember even though we like to refer to ourselves as your Phoenix plumbing company, we serve the entire valley.
Have a happy and safe 4th of July.
Smelly Water
Posted by: | CommentsWell, I’m back. I’ve been gone from my writing position for the last week or so as the powers that be (namely my wife and office staff) decided that my material wasn’t up to their standards. Anyway, they apparently found out how difficult it is to produce these blogs and came crawling back on hands and knees saying that my “Smelly Water” blog was okay after all, so here goes.
Does your water have an odor? Now, I’m not talking about a smelly drain which may indicate that you need to clean your drain. I’m talking about actual smelly water. Here are a few inexpensive solutions.
If the water has an odor at the kitchen sink, try installing a simple drinking water filter system with a separate tap. For ice cubes, an in-line carbon filter will make your ice cubes smell fresh. As far as the shower or tub, a whole-house filter at the service pipe will give you clean, pure water throughout.
Whether it is smelly water or other plumbing repairs and home maintenance issues, remember Qualtire Plumbing & Construction is here to answer your questions. We have been your Phoenix plumbing company serving the valley since 1964 and are always just one phone call or email away. We would love to hear from you. See you next time.
Drop Something Down the Sink?
Posted by: | CommentsI recently dropped one of my favorite earrings down the bathroom sink. Oh great!! Now being that my husband and I own a plumbing company here in Phoenix, I knew that I definitely did NOT want to run any water down the sink. Here are a few easy steps to follow if this happens to you.
As I said before, it’s important to not turn the faucet on. Place a bucket under the sink, and take the p-trap apart underneath the sink emptying the contents. Hopefully, you’ll find your lost earring or other misplaced item. If not, it is possible that it could have gotten caught in the pop-up assembly due to hair, etc. If you are really feeling handy, you can remove the plug from the pop-up assembly and visually inspect. If this doesn’t work, you may need to call a plumbing specialist to locate the missing item.
Hopefully, you found your item and are ready to reassemble the p-trap. Make sure the p-trap is in good condition or replace with a new one so it doesn’t leak. After you have successfully re-installed the p-trap, run an ample amount of water to make sure there are no leaks. I found my missing earring (with the help of my husband), and I hope you find your missing item also.
As your Phoenix plumbing company, we are always here to assist you with advice on those plumbing repairs or home maintenance issues. We also have professional service technicians to help you if necessary. We love to communicate with our customers, so please don’t hesitate to call, email, etc. with your questions. We have links to Facebook and Twitter on our Home page as well as information on our “Contact Us” page.
Water Discoloration
Posted by: | CommentsIf your water is suddenly discolored, don’t panic. It’s more than likely the City has been working on the water lines or testing fire hydrants in your neighborhood. It won’t hurt you, and the water should return to normal soon. If discoloration persists, then you might have additional problems which would need to be checked.
As your Phoenix plumbing company, we are always here to answer your questions. Don’t hesitate to call us with your plumbing and home maintenance concerns. Issues such as the water discoloration can occur and can be worrisome, and we are always just one phone call away.
Have a good week.
