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Why are Plumbers So Expensive?

Plumbing

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When we go fill our vehicle up with gas, it’s expensive. When we go to the doctor, we’re always surprised of how expensive it is. Rising prices are a reality. For plumbing specifically, you don’t hire a plumber very frequently. It might have been five years ago when, when you had the plumber in your home last time. So your perception of what it’s going to cost today might be based on what it cost five years ago or 10 years ago.

There’s a wide range of expertise out there when it comes to plumbing. So, you may not be comparing apples to apples all the time. A plumber that’s in a one truck operation, that’s just working out of his home is probably going to be less expensive, but he may not be insured! He may not be available. He may not have warranties on the project. So, make sure that you’re comparing apples to apples whenever you’re thinking of pricing. Just because a company gives you a quote twice as much, doesn’t mean that they’re ripping you off. The question to ask is what’s included in that cost and making sure that you break that down and understand what the value points are.

And we’re currently in a time where demand is high for plumbers, and there’s just not many skilled people out there to do the work. And so therefore that raises the costs of a company to provide that service because there’s just such a high demand and not much supply of competence. So, they have to train people and all those costs get rolled into the business. So that does increase the cost as well.

A company that wants to keep good, competent plumbers on hand has to pay them enough that they’re happy.

So…is this is a good time to become a plumber?

Absolutely. At Wisler Plumbing and Air we have an apprenticeship program. So you don’t have to have experience to come to work for us. We’re looking for humble, hungry, and smart people to join our team. And we provide training for them and get them in a career that’s going to be very fulfilling for years to come.

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“Flushable” wipes might be very convenient in the short-term, but they probably won’t be in the long-term. Many are advertised as flushable, but they’re still not healthy for your plumbing system. If you Google it, you’ll see that even public sewage disposal systems have had to adapt in the recent years to take on a high level of fiber-type material that’s in the sewage.

A septic system works because of bio material that breaks down biodegradable materials like toilet paper. Wipes are generally much stronger and thicker than toilet paper. So yes, they may be flushable, but it’s not toilet paper. They’re going to sit in the storage tank, and if you’re using a lot of them, they’re going to build up and cause problems.

They aren’t too common in the United States yet, but one thing to consider is a bidet. They have tremendous benefits, especially around hygiene. Using a bidet is cleaner than toilet paper, and if you’re caring for someone sick or elderly, they can be very handy.

I think of a client I had one time that had a cancer patient in their home that was constantly getting sick. They were using a lot of wipes and causing problems with their system. If you’re dealing with that, you definitely want to look into other solutions. One of them might be a bidet, or if you need to use wipes, put them in the waste basket instead of flushing.

If you’re interested in a bidet, you can reach out to us at Wisler Plumbing and Air. We generally use what’s called a bidet seat, which essentially transforms your toilet seat to second as a bidet. If you’d like more information, you can call us at 540-483-9382.

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If you’re traveling for a long winter vacation, here are a few things you can do to prepare your home’s plumbing system so it stays safe.

Winterize outdoor plumbing.

Make sure that you winterize all outdoor plumbing, especially if you have a home down by the lake around our area. Any outdoor showers or kitchens need to be winterized by removing all the water, not just by shutting off the water. (A lot of times the water is removed by blowing air through the pipes.)

Check the insulation.

There are certain situations where a house has a well/well pit or crawlspace surrounded with insulation. If the cover has leaked or the insulation has gotten wet, it’s not going to do a very good job of insulating the pipe. Check the insulation to make sure it’s in good order and not torn apart.

Check the heat.

Some houses have areas that aren’t heated or cooled by automatic means, with a heat lamp or heater with thermostat. Turn them up to make sure they are functioning properly and the lamps are working. Nobody wants to find out the bulb has burned out during a cold night.

Keep the cold air out.

For crawlspaces and cellars located underneath the house, make sure any vents or doors are closed securely. You don’t want cold air blowing into those spaces.

Shut off outdoor faucets.

Outdoor faucets sometimes have shutoff valves. We always recommend shutting off the valves to outdoor faucets to prevent anything from freezing and/or bursting.

If you want a professional to come winterize your home and make sure it’s prepared for winter vacation, reach out to the team at Wisler Plumbing & Air by contacting us online or giving us a call at 540-483-9382.

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This year there are plenty of things I’m thankful for. I believe that there is a creator who sustains life, so for me, every moment of my life and all my blessings are from God and His grace. I’m very thankful for that. I’m also thankful for the health of my family and my own health. We just recently got a new addition to our family, so my wife and I are super excited and thankful for the new child in our lives.

Every day I get to come in and work with the best team I’ve ever been a part of, and I’m just so thankful for the team members who put their faith and trust in this organization and contribute so much.

We try to be a positive impact on the community around us. I am very thankful for the community that I live in. We generally do not have a lot of unrest or civil issues. We’re pretty low-key and this is a great place to live in. The community has been very good to me, my family, and this organization and we’re very thankful for that.

As we’ve gone through the last couple of years with COVID, society has changed profoundly. There are lots of people who are tense and on-edge. We’ve even failed in certain situations, so I’m very thankful for my customers’ patience. It can be very challenging to meet the demands of others, but people have patiently waited for us to solve those problems and be better in the future. That patience goes a long way.

If you have any plumbing or HVAC issues in your home, reach out to the team at Wisler Plumbing & Air by contacting us online or giving us a call at 540-483-9382.

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If you’re planning to go on a long vacation, you’ll probably want to make sure your home is protected from any kind of damage. The worst-case scenario would be a major incident that happened while you were gone and completely unaware. There could even be a storm that blows debris onto your home. Here’s what you can do to keep your home safe so you aren’t preoccupied while you’re away.

Find a house sitter.

It might be wise to ask someone who has access to your home to drop by at least once a week. (Every day would probably be even better.) This person would be able to check on the electricity, plumbing, HVAC, or just the house in general to make sure nothing has gone wrong. Any potential incidents can be caught early if you have someone to take a look for you.

Prep your water heater.

You might want to turn the water heater down to 80 or 90 degrees, which is pretty easy to do with a gas system and a little bit harder on an electric one. If your system doesn’t have a vacation setting, you might just want to turn it off by flipping the breaker.

Consider turning off the main water valve.

If you’re gone for a week or more, it might be a good idea to turn off the main water valve going to the house. That way if a pipe bursts or something comes loose, there won’t be water running into the house and causing a lot of damage. (The only water released would be what’s in the lines.) There are a few reasons why you wouldn’t want to turn the water valve off, however. If you have automatic appliances like an ice machine or a pet water dispenser, it’s probably a better idea just to have someone check your house daily.

Turn on vacation mode.

Equipment like water treatment systems have a vacation mode that prevent them from backwashing or activating any of their functions. As soon as you get back and run a gallon of water, the system should automatically exit vacation mode.

Change your thermostat’s setting.

If you have a programmable thermostat, do a permanent hold on the heating or cooling, depending on the season. During winter you’d probably want to bring it down to 60 or 65 degrees, and during summer you’d probably go up to 75.

Check for air drafts.

During the winter you’ll want to make sure everything is sealed up properly so there’s no way for cold air to enter into crawlspaces, basements, or doors. Otherwise it could significantly affect the heating and cooling system and even freeze the pipes in the plumbing system.

If you’re traveling for the holidays this winter, make sure to go through everything in this list so your home will be safe when you return. If you have any questions, reach out to the team at Wisler Plumbing & Air by contacting us online or giving us a call at 540-483-9382.

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I’ve been a master plumber ever since I was 19 years old. One of the stipulations for obtaining a master plumber’s license is that you have to wait until after you’re 18. Because I grew up in the plumbing trade and had my experience and schooling done well before then, I sat for the journeyman plumber’s test as soon as I could. You have to hold your journeyman’s license for one year before taking the master’s test, which is what I did. (Just a quick note: when I use the terms ‘journeyman’ or ‘tradesman’, these are the names used by the state for licensing purposes.) You’re required to have 4 years of practical on-the-job experience combined with 240 hours of class time. If you have more field experience, each additional year takes off 80 hours of class time.

One of the more attractive aspects of becoming a tradesman is the fact that there are fewer licensed tradesmen now than ever. It’s a tremendous opportunity for someone to get certified, especially now that many companies are willing to pay your way to obtain a license (like we do). If you were to get a certificate for something like nursing, you’d generally have to pay for the schooling yourself and do it on your own time.

In the state of Virginia, tradespeople can work under the company owner’s license or supervisor’s license. However, we view certification as an accomplishment and a credential that makes employees build confidence. We encourage all of our team members to get their license, even though they don’t need to obtain one to be in a service truck. When they go to a customer’s home they can say they are a licensed plumber or HVAC technician, which feels really good.

Many people might have been in the trade for 10 or 20 years but they just haven’t made it a priority to sit for the test. We have a gentleman here who just got his license after doing plumbing for 30 years. When you talk to him about it, you can tell that it’s an accomplishment in which he takes immense pride. I’m sure it’s something that he’s wanted for a while.

If you’re interested in getting into the industry, the first step is generally joining a company with an apprenticeship program. Then you’ll be able to build on-the-job training and get enrolled in classes. At our company we hire apprentices, put them through training, and give them the platform to learn the trade. Because we are accredited, any in-house training will go towards the 240 hours of class time. If you’re interested in learning more, just head over to WislerJobs.com. If you need help with your plumbing or HVAC, just give us a call at 540-483-9382.

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