Top Ten FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) About Plumbing - Wisler Plumbing & Air

1. Is there anything I should do to maintain my septic system?

Yes. You should do something to grow bacteria in your septic system, because that’s what makes it work.

2. How do I winterize plumbing in areas that are exposed to cold weather?

Depending on what kind of plumbing it is, the most effective way to winterize plumbing is to turn the water off, open the plumbing faucet/valve/etc., and use air to blow the water out of the line. If you don’t use air, then water will likely get stuck in the line, eventually freezing and bursting during the cold weather. That will invalidate all your work.

3. How much will something cost?

This is a big one, and it doesn’t necessarily apply to only plumbing. You should never receive a price sight unseen. If a plumber is able to tell you how much something costs before they even look at the problem, I wouldn’t trust the price they gave you.

4. Why does it cost so much?

At the very peak of the mountain, plumbing can appear to be very simple. However, there’s a lot of liability when you’re dealing with things like water. It’s easy for something to be done wrong if the person doesn’t know what they’re doing or if they don’t take the time to do the work correctly. All of a sudden, everything blows apart and causes a huge (and expensive) mess. Hire a professional if you want the job done right. A professional does cost more than a non-professional.

5. How long will a water heater last?

This is something that’s definitely variable. It depends on many different factors. For example, water quality and how much the system is used will make a difference on how long it lasts. We typically say that a water heater installed today will last around 8-12 years. That’s very different from a water heater that was installed 25 years ago. Things just don’t last as long as they used to.

6. How hot should my home’s water be?

We do not recommend hot water to be any hotter than 120 degrees. Anything higher than that temperature could become dangerous for small children or elderly people.

7. Why do I run out of hot water?

It could be because of your water heater. The first thing we do is look at your water heating needs. Then we look to see if the water heater is working properly and delivering the water that it’s supposed to. If it is, it may just not be sized properly.

8. Why does it take so long to get hot water?

You’re standing at the sink, waiting for hot water to come out but it takes practically forever. That’s because the hot water has to get from the heater to the faucet. If the water heater is physically located a long distance away from the faucet, it’s going to take a long time to get there. There are solutions to this problem. It would probably save you money in the long run to install a recirculation system to keep hot water at the faucet.

9. Why is my electric bill so high?

Your water heater (especially if it’s electric) definitely influences your electric bill. Electric water heaters are normally 30 percent of the electric bill. If the water heater is old or you have hardness/poor water quality, it can cause your bill to be much higher than necessary.

10. Why do I have such low water pressure in my home?

When most people ask for water pressure, they’re really asking for water volume. It could be caused by a number of factors. The street pressure that’s being provided to you might be low. You may be using a well that doesn’t have much water. Maybe you have old pipes that are like clogged arteries. The way to increase volume is to install booster pumps, fix the well situation, or replace the pipe to get rid of the clogged arteries in the plumbing system.

If you want to learn more, contact us online or give us a call at (540) 483-9382.