What to expect when you call South West Plumbing:

When you have a plumbing or heating need, you want it handled quickly, and efficiently. We want you to know that when you choose South West Plumbing, we plan to take care of everything for you. From the moment you pick up the phone or schedule an appointment online, we are ready to bring our V.I.P.-level service to your door!

Our customer service representatives understand that your problem is their problem too, and that you deserve their attention, courtesy, and respect… We appreciate that you have chosen to call us and we will work quickly to get the information necessary for getting a service technician to your home. (Read on about exceptional customer service)

Before the technician arrives, our professional dispatchers will contact you… They will call to verify the time of your appointment and ask the right questions to help clarify the nature of the service call. (Read on about our talented dispatchers)

We work fast in getting our fully uniformed technicians to your home or business… It is important that you know you are dealing with an official representative of our company, so our techs will offer you their business card at “Hello”. (Read on about our Prompt Plumbing Service)

Your tech will then perform a cursory examination of the problem… This may include asking the necessary questions to help identify the best way to address the issue. (Read on about plumbing diagnosis)

Once the diagnosis is complete, our service tech will explain the steps necessary to correct the issues presented, all of the options available to you, and the cost… We want you to be able to make an informed decision about the plumbing or heating work. (Read on about our up-front options and pricing)

Once the best course of action has been determined, our technician will ask you to sign an “authorization to proceed” statement… This assures both of us that we have an agreement and that we both understand what work is going to be done. (Read on)

Now we get to work… We welcome you to watch our top flight techs do their magic. (Read on about our Hard-Working Plumbers)

During the service call our tech will ask permission to perform a complete plumbing or heating system inspection… This is a service that we offer to all of our customers. (Read on about our Complete Plumbing Inspections)

Once the repair or replacement is complete, we will show you our work… We will explain the proper operation and maintenance of the fixture or appliance and ask if there are any other questions concerning the work. (Read on about our Your Plumbing Issue Solved)

Shortly after the service we will give you a quality assurance call to check on the service that you received… (Read on about our Follow-Up Calls)

The Founder and President of South West Plumbing, Bill Buckingham, has always lived by these words: “If you are ever dissatisfied with the products or services offered by South West Plumbing, We will do whatever it takes to make it right!” Each of us here also lives by that credo, assuring you that we will be there for you whenever you need us, every day, every night, winter, spring summer or fall…South West Plumbing… The 1 to Call.

The quickest, easiest way to improve the looks and function of your bathroom is with a new sink, faucet and maybe a toilet. These 3 things are the most common items customers choose to replace and are also the most frequently used fixtures.

A new water-saver toilet will give you years of trouble free service as well as save you money on your ever-increasing water bill. Some toilets today use as little as 1.1 gallons per flush and some even have dual flush technology for even more savings.

Today’s faucets also use less water and are easier to operate. You can choose self-closing faucets that turn themselves of after 3-5 seconds or a low flow faucet that uses only .75 gallons per minute. Many customers choose a new lever style faucet that is so easy to use it is rated for handicap use. Sometimes turning a knob is not easy. Wet hands, or disabilities can render that old faucet un-usable.

Bathroom sinks take a beating. Soap, toothpaste, mouthwash, and whatever else, tend to wear away the finish. In addition, the water pooling near the drain will eventually cause a rust stain and worse yet, a leak. Luckily, most manufacturers have standardized the size of bathroom sinks so there is an endless variety to choose from. Most change-outs can be done in a single day and with the addition of that new faucet, the whole look of the bathroom can be updated.

One more area to consider is the bath tub or shower. When you are using the tub or shower you are using up to 5 gallons per minute—that is a lot of water! Consider a low flow shower head. This will cut the water usage way down but still give you the pressure that you need and like. Or, maybe you would consider adding an adjustable hand held shower head. This little bit of luxury cost very little and adds an element that you find in spas and hotels. One more thing about the tub: It is always nice to have a grab bar to help get in and out. Some of these bars are quite stylish and you don’t have to be old or disabled to enjoy the convenience and safety that they offer.

Remember… an updated bathroom and plumbing will ad value to your home, improve the appearance and help your guests, as well as your self, feel comfortable in your home.
 
PS… If you decide to go all out and remodel the whole bathroom, don’t forget to have a plumber check out the pipes behind the walls. Too many times, I have gone into a home and found a beautiful bathroom that had to be dismantled because of a worn out pipe that was overlooked, and now has started to leak.

Any questions? Call us…

In 2011, our company began to work more frequently in the area water damage and restoration. Many times South West Plumbing is asked to fix a plumbing issue that originally lead to minor or major water damage in the home. So now, in those cases, we can have our water damage and restoration technicians out to you, faster than anyone. In any situation, though, we have a responsive team, waiting for your call to get to, and save your home from further damage.

Professional Equipment for Water Damage

We do everything within our training to save your home. Unlike some of the other water damage companies, that cut everything out to dry. We do most of our drying, “in place”. This saves money and time. Less time, that is, waiting for your home to be built back to pre-damage condition. We keep in constant contact with you and your insurance adjuster. We will not remove any wet material from your home unless the insurance company says we can. This prevents you from paying for work not warranted by the insurance company. As a certified contractor, we have strict guide lines we follow for water damage dry-outs.

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT PEOPLE DON’T KNOW ABOUT OUR SERVICE IS that we work with all insurance companies, we will bill them directly as a courtesy to you. As the home owner you have the right to chose who will do the work in your home. Insurance companies have a “preferred vendor” list of water damage contractors who, “work for, or with them”. But if you’d like to work with South West Plumbing, we do all we can to work within the insurance billing rules so that you have a better chance of only paying your deductible.

We’re doing our best to let folks know that they can rely on the same company that can stop the leak to ALSO clean up the water, dry your home, and restore the damaged materials to original form. You can read more about it at: www.southwestplumbing.biz/waterdamage, OR you can call us today at 206-932-1777.

In a recent search of the internet we discovered some great information. Customers are looking for answers to their plumbing problems online and what they are finding is not what they want or need.

In a recent search on “You Tube” The most popular plumbing repair searches were, in order:

How to install a toilet
How to solder a pipe
How to repair a shower valve
How to repair a bathroom faucet
How to replace a kitchen faucet

Hundreds of thousands of people have searched for this information and been taken to a huge array of videos, blogs, and websites. Some of these sites are actually trying to sell you something, others have some bad information being put forth by less than qualified individuals, and a few actually have some legitimate information.

In today’s society there is an overwhelming need to “get it now”, and it seems that the time spent on watching, reading and learning about how to do these things is counter-intuitive to that goal—-it’s actually the opposite of “get it now”.

Our Professional staff

We understand the “Do It Yourself” attitude, and sometimes that is the way to go. But when it comes to plumbing, heating, or electrical don’t you think it is best to get a professional to do the job?  The argument against having a pro do the job is most often “Price”. But when you actually look at the time, energy, trips to the home store, the second or third attempts to “get it right”, all of the yelling, throwing of tools and headaches, not to mention the cuts scrapes or additional damage that can happen…….It quite often works out to be cheaper to hire a pro. Or, more importantly, it’s less “costly” to you, your family, and your home.

A real professional will come to your home at no cost and look at the job that you need done. He will tell what it is going to cost, and give you a few options as to color, style, repair, replace etc. Really, that’s no different than a doctor would do—Diagnose the issue and talk about the options for treatment. Then he is going to have all of the part and the ability to get the job done quickly and efficiently, and most important…..correctly.

The best part is: you save time, headaches, and quite possible your marriage! (just kidding…or am I?) A real pro will show you how everything works when he is done and educate you on any maintenance or service required in the future.

Oh, and did I mention the warranty? Most companies will guarantee their work and quite often schedule a no cost follow up visit to insure that the work is holding up as promised. Our company effectively guarantees whatever “fix” or installation you pay for, and if something is “off” in the days following the repair, we come back and make it right at NO CHARGE. If YOUR “fix” goes wrong, you have to re-diagnose the issue, pay for damage, and re-“fix” the issue YOURSELF. Tell me THAT’S not a good insurance plan.

With all the things that take up your precious time in today’s busy world, home repair should be at the bottom of your list. Most people only need a plumber once every 2 years, so if we look at the costs involved, it only makes sense to call a pro.

Cost of cable TV, phone and internet for 2 years: $2800.00
Cost of cell phone for 2 years:                                   $1400.00
Cost of typical plumber visit:                                    $600.00

Cost of your time with family or friends:                Priceless!

As summer winds down to its inevitable end, we start to to see the change of season. September and October brings cool mornings, the changing color of the leaves, football (can’t forget that) and we just getting back to school.

Now is the perfect time to check your heating system as well as hot water tank. As the weather turns colder, the demand on this kind of equipment increases significantly. More showers and more laundry as well as cooler water being piped into your home cause the hot water tank to work harder than ever. If it is more than a few years old, it should be checked so that you do not end up with no hot water, or worse yet…a leak.

Now there is never a good time for equipment to break down, but a little prevention now could save a huge headache later. The same goes for the furnace or boiler that supplies you heat. Annual service could spot potential problems that may cost less to repair now or avoid a shutdown in the coldest weather of the year.

Many people put reminders on their calendar to remind them to get these appliances serviced. Some people book standing appointments to get this done. Any way that you choose to set an appointment will work. Also, many companies have special offers at this time of year.

An efficient unit can save you money and a yearly tine up can assure you that the unit is operating at its best.

The “Green” movement has found a home in the efficiency business and the most dramatic changes have come in the form of water heaters and furnaces.
Ask your technician about 95% efficient units, rebates, and modern convenience features that make today’s equipment far superior to units installed a few short years ago. Today’s technology has advanced at such a rate that equipment purchased as recently as 5 years ago is getting outdated at an alarming pace.

Check out this site for more information as to how you can upgrade your heating system and save money.

http://www.greenheating.org/

Thanks for reading.  Stay warm and cozy, friends!

That’s right… Sewer season. Most sewers have some sort of problem. It is inherent to the nature of the system. Anytime that you bury a water line, or house drain there is a chance that something can go wrong with it.

Most likely you have never given any thought to sewer season. It’s not like there is an official day marked on the calendar. Most of us don’t get out the decorations and celebrate. But your plumber knows what time of year it is.

As the weather turns dryer, your plants and trees get thirstier. The root structure of a tree extends as far as the branches that you see above ground. These plants and trees need water. One way or another they are going to find it. What is the closest source of that life-giving water? It’s your sewer.

Over the years the earth settles and minor cracks are formed in your sewer line. When your favorite tree starts to get thirsty, it sends out roots in search of water and those roots will find their way into your sewer.

Most of the time those roots do not cause severe damage. We simply get the plumber to come to our house and with his big powerful drain machine, he is able to cut the roots and allow your sewer to drain freely. Now the downside…..Each time that the roots are cut, they come back stronger and larger. After years of simple maintenance the roots have ruined the sewer to a point where it must be dug up and repaired.Have you ever seen weeds growing through a concrete sidewalk or driveway? The same is happening to your sewer.

“What Can I Do?”, you ask. Good question. First, water your yard and give your trees and plants all the refreshment that they need. Once the sewer is compromised, you may want to try getting it cleaned out. But remember what I said earlier. It’s only a matter of time.

If you have had problems in the past, please consider getting a repair done while the weather is nicer. It seems that problems always present themselves at the worst times. (Is there ever really, a good time for a problem?) But in the summer months the repair will go faster and cost you less money, less mess, and less of a headache.

I get calls everyday wanting to know if there is such a thing as plumbing insurance. The short answer is, YES. You can insure anything that you want if you are willing to pay the premiums.

Now, for the more accurate answer: Most typical homeowner policies do not cover plumbing expenses.

When there is a plumbing emergency such as a leak in a pipe on the second story causing water to cascade through your kitchen light fixture, it has been my experience that insurance companies will cover the damage caused by the leak, but not the actual repair of the leak. Don’t ask me why that is, I don’t know. That is a question for your agent.

It is nice to know that once the episode is over and the leak is repaired, that your home will be fixed back to the pre-damage condition. You will most likely have to pay the deductible that you have established when you signed up for the insurance, but the rest of the repair cost is usually covered.

Now a different type of insurance has appeared in advertising. You may have received a flyer in the mail or seen these ads on the internet. Some companies are offering to provide insurance to help pay for the plumbers bill. These companies claim that for a moderate premium they will cover the expenses incurred if you have a plumbing problem with your sewer, or main water line or sometimes the inside plumbing.

If you choose to purchase this type of policy please read everything very carefully. Most plumbing companies will not accept this insurance as payment. Most often you are still required to pay the plumber and then seek re-imbursement from the insurance company. In addition, the rate that these companies pay is usually far less than what a plumber may charge. There may be a few good companies that will cover you just in case you have a problem, but my personal opinion is that they are not worth buying unless you know you have a problem and are planning to have some work done in the near future. If that is the case, they may save you a few dollars off the total cost. Just don’t expect them to cover all the costs—I have yet to see that happen in my 22+ years in the business.……I’m just sayin.

See the link below for the latest offering. This company sends their pre-selected companies to repair your problem. This may or may not be a good thing. It does, however, take away your choice of who to use for services in your home.

http://www.sunherald.com/2011/04/27/3059997/homeowners-in-washington-can-lower.html

Water plays an important role in our daily lives. Just about everything you touch, see or feel has some amount of water in it. We drink it, we swim in it, we wash with it we pour it on our plants. Mostly we are concerned with the water that is in our homes. The water that comes through our pipes for us to use, the water that goes down our drains, the water that sometimes ends up on our floors or leaks through our ceilings.

The recent events in Japan show us what we already know, but seldom think about… Water is also a very destructive force when uncontrolled. The tsunami wiped out miles of homes, business and property. The destructive power of water is relentless. Very few items on this earth can withstand exposure to water in large amounts or over a long period of time. This is also true about water that leaks in your home.

When you think about it, plumbing is a very well designed system of bringing water from miles away and dispensing it right where you need it (sink, bathtub, washing machine), and then collecting it and sending it miles away to be returned to the earth. If water escapes this confusing collection of twisting and turning pipes, it can find its way to places that can cause a lot of damage to your home.

Time after time we see damaged floors, walls, ceilings and belongings when we respond to service calls at our customer’s homes. Water damage is most likely the single largest cause for insurance claims in America. When water is allowed to soak into wood, plaster, carpet, etc. the damage starts right away. Unless the affected area is dried completely, the damage continues. Just because you cannot see the water does not mean that it is dry. Special equipment is required to determine if surfaces are wet and it is important to know how wet it is. Only then can the proper course of action be determined

Drying areas affected by water damage is an art and a science. Many factors are calculated and tracked to determine when your ceiling, basement or carpets are dry. Once dry, the damage stops. That is why it is important to act quickly when water damage is noticed. In most cases the damage can be stopped and the area restored with minimal expense. If left untreated, not only does the damage get worse, moist areas are prime for microbial growth. (Mold) Once mold gets started, the damage repair bill grows exponentially.

If you notice water under your sink, or a spot on the ceiling that was not there before, call a professional and get it taken care of right away. Time saved is Money saved! Be sure that the company you choose is a certified firm, and get the restoration process started as soon as possible. Water damage left untreated for as little as 48 hours can cause damage severe enough to require a tear out and rebuild of the affected area.

By the way… South West Plumbing is a certified water damage firm. Another reason why we are “The 1 To Call”.

We are approaching the single busiest day for plumbing systems in America. I bet you thought that the day after Thanksgiving might be that day. If you did, you would be close, but wrong. Around Thanksgiving Day is a busy time for plumbers, it seems that many people put way too much stuff down the disposer and plumbers are busy all day and all night unclogging drains.

What I am talking about, though, is halftime at the Super Bowl. Over 100 million toilets all flushing within minutes of each other has come to be a problem for many sewer districts and treatment plants across America.

All across this country people will be waiting for the gun to signal the end of the first half of the championship game. Then… ker-flush! Over 200 million gallons of water is released into the miles of underground pipes that flow to the treatment plants. That’s a tsunami wave big enough to wipe out any city in America.

I know that this is not a concern to most people. We flush, turn on faucets, take showers, run the washing machine and dishwasher, and miraculously everything just seems to work (plus, all the “yucky” water goes away without a problem. It is not until this process stops working that we become concerned.

Meanwhile, fixture manufacturers have been working on reducing the amount of water that we use for over 20 years. Toilets have gone from 5 gallons per flush to 3.5 gallons, to 1.6 gallons and now to 1.28 and as low as 1.1 gallons per flush. Faucets have gone from 7 gallons a minute to 2.5 gallons per minute and some bathroom sink faucets are as low as 1.25 gallons per minute. Washing machines, dishwashers and all appliances that use water have been manipulated and tweaked to use less water. The result is that we spend less money to treat the water and we are charged fewer taxes to build more treatment plants, etc.

Did you know that, of all the water in the world, only 3% is fresh water? Even more alarming is that, of all the fresh water, only 0.3% of it is available from rivers, lakes and streams. That means that less than 1 ten-thousandth (1/10,000) of the water on the planet is readily available to us humans for our running water systems. (Click on link to see a graph) http://www.reec.nsw.edu.au/k6/page/wa13.htm

The point is that the manufacturers of plumbing fixtures help conserve water and protect the earth by creating innovative products. Licensed plumbers help conserve water and protect the earth by receiving training on all of the water saving products available today, and by being ready to upgrade your home’s plumbing fixtures at a moment’s notice.

If you would like to find out how you can reduce your water usage and save money, you can feel free to give us a call. We can get a well-trained and licensed plumber to your home to help you get started.

Hope you enjoy this little bit of Christmas parody………

T‘was the month before Christmas and throughout the abode

Were rusty old faucets and an outdated commode.

The plans had been made to have guests come a’callin

But the plumbing was needin’ some quick overhaulin’.

I was frettin’ and stressin’ as I thought of the cost

My mind was a spinnin’, my spirit was lost.

The days, they flew by like the leaves in a gust,

I needed a plumber… But who could I trust?

The holiday cards began arriving by mail

The coupons and specials announcing each sale

As I leafed through the stacks that the postman had brought

A particular offer had the answer I sought.

A kind looking man with a smile and a wave

Beckoned me to look closer at the money I’d save.

An offer quite tempting for needed repairs

To the kitchen, and powder and bathroom upstairs.

With Evenings and Weekends at No Extra Charge

The savings he offered were really quite large.

I picked up the phone and made a request

“Don’t send just a plumber…send me the Best!”

Within minutes a red and white truck had appeared.

On the back was the man with the smile and the beard.

Before I could blink there was a knock at my door

The plumber, his helper and tools galore

They went right to work, looking here, looking there

And when they told me the cost, I’d have money to spare.

They completed their job with a smile and a wink,

Two toilet, a faucet and new kitchen sink.

They gave me their thanks and went on their way

“Many more customers waiting today!”

My house looked amazing, my guests felt at ease

Needless to say I’m especially pleased.

So if you need plumbing or heating repair

Call the guys at South West; Fast, Friendly and Fair.