Wisler Plumbing and Air

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The Biggest Current Trends in Our Industry

Plumbing Repair

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We’re Facing a People Deficit

In any business, they say the hardest challenge is finding good help. The trades are one area where this is most prevalent. It’s relatively well-known that there’s a lack of skilled tradespeople right now. Although there are probably slightly more people now than five years ago, we’re definitely still in a significant deficit. There just hasn’t been an influx of young people for quite some time. The trades are dying skills, there’s plenty of work out there, and there’s a shortage of people able to do that work competently. Our organization is working hard to introduce people to our trade and communicate some of the associated benefits. A college/white collar job isn’t for everybody—those kinds of jobs are needed, but sometimes a person is better suited for a different path.

 

R-22 Is on Its Way Out

There’s a refrigerant that used to be prevalent in the HVAC industry called R-22, which is currently being phased out due to its harmful effects on the ozone and our environment. Although R-22 is quickly becoming obsolete, there are many systems still running on this refrigerant (like old car air conditioners). Because R-22 is becoming expensive and difficult to find, it’s going to be challenging to repair/replace older systems as they fail.

 

Tankless Is on the Way Up

The switch from tank water heaters to tankless water heaters has become a pretty heavy trend over the last several years. We’ve been putting in tankless systems since around 2008, but they’ve steadily been becoming more and more mainstream. They have a track record of dependability after being on the market for all this time, and I think they’re going to continue to be on the upswing when it comes to what kind of water heater people choose for their home.

 

Training & Opportunities Are Available

Right now we’re experiencing a changing job market and a deficit in our trade. People seeking a new opportunity might not even be aware that Wisler Plumbing & Air has several different programs available. By and large, we’re looking for people who don’t have experience—not because we mind hiring an experienced person, but simply because they are so few and far between. We had to create a system around providing training and schooling for people coming into the trade. The good news is that somebody can work full-time, learn the trade, and earn a living at the same time (which might be a better option for someone considering the financial implications of college.)

For anyone interested in working at Wisler Plumbing & Air, the process is simple: visit WislerJobs.com and apply online. Maryanne will receive your application and work with you to figure out the next steps. (She’s usually able to get things going fairly quickly.) For service-related questions, reach out to us online or give us a call at 540-483-9382.

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There are times when you need to call a plumber and discuss what’s wrong with your plumbing.  That discussion may include terms specific to the plumbing trade and those terms can be confusing if you have never heard them before. The trades use very technical language, and plumbing in particular has a lot of weird names for things. Here are some of the most common terms that you might not already know.

 

Stop valve – You’ll find these under the cabinets or under the toilet. Right where water comes out of the wall or floor, there’s a little valve you can use to turn the water on or off before it gets to the fixture. Anytime someone mentions a ‘stop’, ‘stop valve’, ‘emergency shutoff valve’, or ‘emergency stop’, they are referring to this shutoff valve located right at the fixture.

 

P-trap – This is generally found underneath the sink (kitchen sink, bathroom sink, etc.). It’s the funny looking pipe segment right under the drain. Plumbers will say something like, “I need to take the p-trap off to get the object that got stuck in there.” It gets its name because it looks like a P if you take it apart and stand it up on its end. The p-trap’s job is to hold water in order to prevent sewer gas from coming back into your home.

 

Drain cleaning – This is a term that’s frequently taken for granted. Drain cleaning is not simply unstopping a drain. If you have a stopped-up drain, yes, putting a cable down will unstop it. However, as the name indicates, drain cleaning is where the pipe or drain is actually cleaned. This can be done with a cable or with high-pressure jetting. Remember, when a plumber references drain cleaning, they’re actually referring to something other than just unstopping the drain.

 

Ball valve – A ball valve is generally a shutoff valve. It has a lever, and is frequently found where the main water comes into your home. When someone refers to the ball valve, they may be talking about that main water shutoff—but not necessarily.

 

Gate valve – You can differentiate a gate valve from a ball valve by checking whether it uses a lever or a round handle. A ball valve uses a lever, whereas a gate valve will have a round handle.

 

Fill valve – A fill valve is a component in the back of the toilet tank. The water connects to it, and it’s what fills up the toilet tank so you can flush it.

 

Flapper – Most people probably know what a flapper is, but there are some who don’t. A flapper is a component located in the back of the toilet tank. When you push down on the toilet handle, the flapper lifts up to allow water to flush the toilet. Sometimes you’ll hear a plumber say, “The flapper is leaking,” or “The flapper went bad.” That means the rubber component in the toilet tank needs to be replaced.

 

Wall hydrant, hose bib – These devices are located on the outside of your home (generally speaking), where a hose is attached. A wall hydrant is different from a hose bib, because wall hydrants are designed to be frost-free or freezeproof. In other words, they don’t need to be winterized. Wall hydrants go into the home and the water is shut off, preventing ice that would cause the pipe to burst. Hose bibs are much simpler devices that do need to be winterized.

 

Supply line – A supply line is the water tube that goes from the stop valve at a fixture up to the actual faucet, toilet, or even washing machine. (The lines that go to washing machines are often just called washer hoses.)

 

Cleanout – This is basically an access point to your drains. Sometimes you might see a plug or cap that can be unscrewed somewhere in your basement, or maybe a crawlspace under your sink. The cleanout is used to allow cables or cameras down the drain.

 

Water meter – Normally located on the street, a water meter is what the municipality uses to measure how much water you use during a curtain period of time in order to regulate your water bill.

 

Now that you know these commonly-used plumbing terms, you’ll be able to decipher the Greek language that plumbers use. Hopefully this knowledge comes in handy next time you’re getting service or talking about what’s going on in your home. If you have any questions, contact us or give us a call at 540-483-9382.

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There are definitely both pros and cons for one-truck plumbers and larger plumbing companies. At one point in time, I was a one-truck company as well. (Everyone has to get started somewhere.) I think most people initially consider how much it will cost to hire a one-truck plumber versus a larger plumbing company. It is true that larger plumbing companies have higher overhead. Therefore, their rates are going to be higher than a one-truck company. But what does that overhead cover, and what does it provide to homeowners? That will come into play as we review the differences between these two company types.

Availability

First, and foremost, is availability to provide service. When homeowners have a plumbing problem, they usually want it to get taken care of very quickly. Unfortunately, a one-truck company’s lack of resources means they can only be one place at any given time. Although their rates might be lower, it could take them weeks to make the visit. That’s something you might want to consider if you’re thinking about who to choose.

Training

Another difference I think worth mentioning is whether the employees receive ongoing training. A company with one to three employees is often going to be tied up with taking care of daily work. Since they have to wear multiple different hats, they aren’t going to be able to focus on perfecting their craft or keeping current with the times as new products come out. It can be very challenging for a smaller company to have the resources to train on installing, diagnosing, or repairing newly released products. This doesn’t have to be the case with a larger company. We’re very committed to continuing education for all of our technicians. My brother, Brian’s full-time job is to train incoming technicians as well as tenure technicians.

Options

When a technician from a one-truck plumber visits someone’s home—even if they’ve been in the plumbing trade for many years—they might not be trained on how to work with something like a new tankless water heater. If you wanted a tankless system put in your home, they wouldn’t know how to size it properly or install it properly without that training. They probably wouldn’t even suggest it to you as a potential option. Instead, they might say something like, “Well, tankless water heaters don’t work well and they aren’t worth the money,” when that may not actually be the case. (Of course, there are situations where tankless heaters aren’t the best solution, but sometimes they’re a no-brainer.)

Warranty and Service

Another thing to consider is that smaller one-truck operations tend to be priced more economically because they usually base their prices on the volume of work they need to do in a week or a month. (This isn’t a hard and fast rule, but it’s usually how one-truck companies operate.) Therefore, they really don’t have the availability to go back for a return visit that won’t pay them any money—after all, they have bills to pay. If you pay an economical price, you’re probably not going to get a warranty, and if you do call the company, it’s probably not going to go well. Everyone should be aware of this added risk as a consumer. Although the price might be less expensive up front, what’s the total cost moving forward?

We’re priced to make a profit so that we can stay in business. That’s important for the security of our employees, but most importantly, it allows us to give warranties for every water heater, faucet, or toilet we put in a client’s home. Clients know they can call us back 8 years in the future if anything goes wrong. It’s well-known that most small businesses fail within the first 5 years, so if a company doesn’t properly set their prices to sustain them well into the future, they might not be around to service the product they installed. The cheapest price isn’t always the best in the long run.

We aren’t everyone’s plumber, and we obviously aren’t the largest plumbing company either. If someone can find a one-truck company that works really well with them, I tip my hat and wish them good luck. Regardless of your choice of a one-truck company or a larger company, it’s a matter of weighing the pros and cons to choose the best option for your needs.

 

If you want to find out whether Wisler Plumbing & Air is the right fit for your home, contact us today or give us a call at 540-483-9382.

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Most people don’t think about their water heater and how it needs maintenance, but it’s just like any other piece of equipment. Our car, house, and even our own bodies need maintenance. If we don’t exercise and eat healthy, we’re probably not going to last as long. If we don’t change the oil in our car, it won’t last as long, either. Maintenance is just a good idea, but it can also be a way to save money.

Most people don’t realize that buildup occurs in the water heater, especially if there’s hardness in the water. Calcium is dissolved in hard water, but as it is heated, the calcium solidifies and accumulates either on the element of an electric heater or on the bottom of a gas water heater. The layer of calcium buildup acts as an insulation barrier, which means the water heater has to work harder to do the same job. Therefore, it will cause over-payment on your electric or gas bill. To help reduce buildup, we will flush the water heater.

The tank that holds the water is kind of like a settling tank. If there’s debris, sediment, or calcium, it’s going to settle to the bottom of the heater. The tank will corrode very quickly if it’s got a bunch of sediment and gunk at the bottom. That’s going to cause premature failure, and we solve that by flushing the tank as well.

We also check the anode rod when we maintain a water heater. (The owner’s manual says this should be done as part of proper maintenance.) The anode rod is there to protect the metal that makes up the tank itself. Once the anode rod is completely depleted, there is no protection left. If we replace the anode rod when it depletes, we can add a couple of years to the life of the water heater (which saves you money).

If it’s been a while since you had your water heater checked and maintained, just reach out to the team at Wisler Plumbing & Air. Contact us online or give us a call at 540-483-9382.

 

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James Wisler, Owner of Wisler Plumbing and Air

Our technicians have the biggest hearts. And, right now, we have a little extra time on our frequently-washed hands. So, we want to help.

Stuck at Home and Need Help?

If you’re stuck at home with plumbing or heating problems, you can talk with one of our certified technicians for FREE. We can troubleshoot on the phone or video chat. If your parents in Illinois need help, we’ll talk to them, too. Anyone with a phone or laptop can be a complimentary customer of Wisler Plumbing and Air. And, if needed, we can come to you for a more traditional visit. Sorry, visitations are only for those in our service area (although we may be able to recommend some of our plumber friends in other areas).

Call anytime: (540) 483-9382

Reducing Fear.

For some, uncertain times come with uncertainty around finances. We want to ease as much fear in your life as possible. That’s one reason we offer free Without Worry Comfort Checks and free phone consultations. The next time you speak with us, if you’re fearful of payment, ask about our payment plans. Water, heating and air, and plumbing are essential, money should not be an obstacle.

Look for the Helpers.

Mister Rogers once said, “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers.’”

We’re Wisler Plumbing & Air, and we want to help. We’re in this together. We have your backs, just like you have ours.

P.S. – And thanks, Dad, for teaching us how to be the helpers.

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My wife always says that the garbage disposal is the grossest thing in her kitchen. Whenever we think about a garbage disposal, the first thing that probably comes to mind is the smell. (If you peer down into one, it probably looks kind of disgusting, too.) Here’s what everyone can do to make garbage disposals a little bit less gross.

One way to effectively combat bad smells is by putting citrus peels down the disposal. Orange peels, lemon peels, and even clementine peels will do a good job of giving it a fresh smell and covering up any foulness. (Of course, how effective this solution is really depends on how long the disposal has been neglected.) Another effective solution would be to use a product like BioSmart, which eats the bacteria that causes bad smells. We make BioSmart available to our clients because it’s a very effective form of drain care.

When it comes to cleaning the disposal, a good strategy is to use ice cubes. It’s commonly said that ice cubes will sharpen the blades of the garbage disposal, but that’s not actually the case. The blades are made out of steel, which isn’t sharpened with ice. What’s really happening is the ice cubes are removing most of the debris stuck to the blades. This can also help to prevent foul smells.

If you have any trouble with your garbage disposal this year, reach out to the team at Wisler Plumbing and Air. Contact us online or give us a call at 540-483-9382.

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