A plumber and a plumbing contractor can be the same guy, but not always. We typically call a plumber when we have a leaky faucet, clogged drain or other common plumbing problems. You might consider the plumber’s job as plumbing SERVICE.

A plumbing contractor’s job might be considered more as plumbing CONSTRUCTION.  The plumbing contractor can construct waste disposal systems, run gas connections for flue systems, install water heaters and back flow systems.  

Which one you hire will depend on your particular job. And it may also depend on the size of the company. A small firm may have a plumber/contractor. A larger firm may have a contractor who supervises teams of plumbers and contractors. And THAT’s your plumbing FYI for the day!

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PEX tubing is flexible tubing, much like a hose, that has uses in plumbing. It has been in use in Europe since the 60s, and made its way here in the 80s. It’s flexible, OK for drinking water, and has found several uses in indoor plumbing.  It is more freeze-resistant indoors (not a big concern here in SC) but less so outdoors. If you get a hard freeze upstate, you might have less success using PEX outdoors in-ground. And you can’t really use it above ground, either. It’s very sensitive to UV light, so it can’t be exposed to the sun. So, ask your plumber if PEX tubing is an option on your next job.

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When I was selling my house once, the home inspection determined that I needed to replace the faucet on my laundry tub.  The house was from 1948, and I am pretty sure this was the original faucet. It dripped like crazy and you could barely turn the handles.  So I took a digital picture of the faucet, printed it out, and then went to the hardware store. Strangely enough, I found it the part right away. Of course, once I got home I realized the old part was soldered to the moon and back. What a waste of time! So I had to call a plumber.  Once he showed up, and I handed him the part, he was nice enough to tell me that I hadn’t actually wasted any time at all. He told me that charges vary between companies, but that I had saved 50% on this particular part, rather than buying it from him.  So, it’s something to think about. If the problem or defective part is obvious, and the hardware store is convenient, and you have the time, think about buying it yourself, and then calling your plumber!

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On our anniversary, my wife and I stayed at an old, four-star plantation hotel in Summerville SC. Checking out our lovely accomodations, we went into the bathroom and found the bidet. Now, I’ve seen bidets in Europe, but never in Summerville!   For the uninitiated, a bidet is the European alternative to toilet paper. And you can’t miss it…if you go into a bathroom and see what looks like 2 toilets, one of them is likely a bidet. Basically, you use the toilet, stand up, sit on the bidet, and then hit the faucet. The water jet does the rest. Anyway, Europeans swear by the bidet, but it never caught on her in the USA. Except, apparently, in Summerville SC!

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Down the Drain

A major reason for calling a plumber, around my place anyway, is to unclog the drains. Who knows how half the stuff that ends up in our pipes gets there? Personally, I blame the kids. But if your clogged drains AREN’T the result of Hot Wheels cars or purple-haired troll dolls, then it’s likely just the standard food and grease. A plumber friend told me that a lot of people think that having a dispos-all under the sink is a license to throw entire turkeys down the drain. I think he was exaggerating. But I have been guilty in the past. What are those things for, if not to chop up your food waste and to make a horrible sound? The problem is, judging by that sound, you think they are really powerful, and they usually aren’t. They aren’t rated to chop up some of the stuff we throw in. So do yourself a favor…use the garbage can whenever possible.

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Save Money on a Plumber’s Service Call

When you visit your auto mechanic for a tune up, do you replace half of the spark plugs, or do replace them all? Maybe only one of the six is going bad, but as long as he has the engine taken apart, why not do them all at once? It’s the same with your plumber. If you’re having the problem with a faucet or a toilet or a leak somewhere in the house, take an inventory. Check every faucet, every toilet, every drain, and so on. Then make one call instead of three. It’s a sure way to help you save money on service calls.

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Adding antifreeze to pool plumbing is a very simple process that anyone can do with ease. There is no real need to call a plumber for this so do not even think about it. The good news is that you will be able to find antifreeze at most specialized shops and the store clerk will aid you in choosing the right product for your pool. Just ask for help and he will surely point you in the right direction after asking a few easy to answer questions like what type of pool you have and some details linked to the plumbing system.

After purchasing antifreeze for pools, all you need to do is pour id down the skimmer, start the pump and eventually install an Ice Equalizer if required. Around 2 to 3 inches of antifreeze should be enough. The basics of adding antifreeze stands in a very simple concept: it is needed in any area of the pool system that might freeze due to accumulated or standing water. Pay attention to not use automotive antifreeze as it is simply not good for your pool. Only purchase special antifreeze from pool stores or you could also purchase antifreeze that is designed for RV/Boat plumbing applications. It will also do the trick.

As you can imagine, you will not require the use of antifreeze during summer but it will be needed when the weather becomes colder. If you are hit with such a circumstance be sure to never forget about this maintenance procedure as your pipes might crack and this would bring in the need of possibly costly repairs that you will not have a pleasure in dealing with. Be sure to contact a specialist and ask for the time when you should start adding antifreeze to pool plumbing, based on the local climate.

There are some areas around the world that will never need it and others that require it for around 6 months per year. Asking for help in getting the information you need is the right thing to do. If you can not find anyone, research the Internet for weather patterns in the region you live in. You should start using antifreeze with at least two weeks before the colder season is expected to hit.

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Dual flush toilets are exactly what they claim to be: toilets that give you the option to choose from two different flushes. Why? Because, to put it plainly, it doesn’t take as much water to send number one packing as it does to get rid of number two. By purchasing a toilet with both a low and high volume flush, you’ll cut the water your toilet uses by more than half, not only saving you a bundle of money over the course of the toilet’s lifetime, but doing some good from an environmental standpoint as well.

How Much Difference Can Two Separate Flushes Make?
The answer to this question is shocking. Studies of dual flush toilets show that using a dual flush system as opposed to a conventional one can reduce water consumption by up to 67%. In fact, the water savings are so substantial that several nations, such as water starved Australia, have passed laws requiring that all new toilets installed are of this variety. There are even municipalities in the United States, all from areas where drought is a major concern, where similar statutes have been passed in an effort to conserve dwindling water resources.

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Symptom: There is water on the floor around the base of my toilet or water leaks from under the base of my toilet when I flush.

Usually this happens when the wax ring looses it’s seal. Replacing the wax ring under the toilet bowl should repair this problem.

The first step in making this repair is to turn off the water source and remove all the water from your toilet tank and bowl. A good maintenance tip is to have a stop valve installed before the water supply line to the toilet tank. This is very common in most residences. If there is no stop valve the water will have to be turned off outside to make this repair. Many times an inline shut off valve will be installed where the water enters the home. The water can be turned off here, or at the street where the water meter is installed. A good maintenance procedure is to install a shut off valve right outside the house where the water enters from the street. It is also very convenient for making other plumbing repairs.

Next, once all the water is out of the toilet tank and bowl and the water is turned off, disconnect the water supply line to the toilet tank. Next Remove the nuts from the bolts that hold the toilet bowl to the floor so you can lift the bowl off the floor and away from the toilet flange(top of the sewer pipe). Inspect the flange for deterioration or damage. Cast iron pipe flanges rust over time and may need to be repaired or replaced. There are several options for repairing a cast iron flange. Putting a new steel ring over the top of the cast iron flange, chipping off the rusted flange and replacing with a new cast iron flange, or inserting a PVC (plastic) flange with an expansion joint are some of the options for repairing a damaged or deteriorated cast iron flange. Repair techniques for PVC flanges include using a “half moon” metal part, or a PVC spacer. All these parts can be purchased at your local home improvement store.

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Free a toilet clog
Toilet clogs almost always occur at the top of the tight, up-curving trap that’s part of the fixture. In some cases, a plunger can provide enough power to clear the way, but more often than not, you’ll have to use a closet auger.

Place the auger end into the bowl with its bent tip aiming up (photo 5). Hold the tool shaft steady as you crank and push down on the handle (photo 6). You’ll feel the cable snake its way up and through the trap.

Continue cranking until you’ve dispensed the entire cable—about 3 ft. Retrieve the cable by simultaneously cranking and pulling up.

Flush the toilet to clear out the drainpipe. If it’s still a little sluggish, run the auger through the trap twice more: once up the left side of the trap, then again up the right side. This three-pronged attack will clear any matter clinging to the sides of the trap.

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Types Of Plumbers In South Carolina

There are actually two types of plumbers for two entirely separate plumbing jobs. The first is an emergency plumber. This is the individual you find yourself calling at 5 a.m. on a Saturday morning to fix a gushing water pipe in your bathroom. A key piece of advice is to choose a reputable, licensed South Carolina emergency plumber before you need him or her. It will behoove you to have him do smaller, non-emergency repairs or plumbing fixture installations around your home during regular hours. This will help you when a plumbing emergency does occur because a plumber is more likely to respond to a regular customer than a stranger who calls in the middle of the night. Realtors often have a ready-made list of emergency plumbers whom they deal with on a regular basis; this is a good place to start. Basic plumbing services like leaking pipe repairs or new trap installation will cost you around $45-$65 per hour in addition to parts.

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