Need plumbing services? No problem!
The team at Same Day Pros are here to help you understand more about plumbers.
Learn about how plumbing services work, what type of service you need, and how you can hire a licensed and insured professional to fix your plumbing issues right away.
What Are the Different Types of Plumbing Services?
When you call a plumber, there are multiple types of services that they may use internally to classify the issue, which may have different costs associated with it.
These services are all relatively common even for a residential building and may be a part of a larger service order. Different types of plumbing services may also require plumbers of different skill levels to address the issue in a timely manner.
Drainage Services
Fixing blockages in the drain, removing clogs from individual lines, and diagnosing overflow problems is all a part of drainage services. Whenever there is a problem with how the water in a home or business leaves the building and flows into the sewer lines, it’s typically classified as a drainage issue.
Water Supply Services
Water supply services typically deal with how the water is pumped into the home or business from the main line underground. Whether the home is getting too much water, or not enough, it can cause issues with the internal plumbing such as sewer backups, slow-draining sinks and low water pressure.
A professional and experienced plumber should diagnose and fix any water supply issues as collaboration with local ordinance may be required.
Gas Plumbing Services
Gas plumbing can be difficult to repair and requires a special expertise because it ties directly into natural gas lines.
In some cases, especially when dealing with major repairs, working with plumbing linked to gas lines may require collaboration with the local ordinance or specialized permits to ensure that the work is done safely.
Mechanical Services
Mechanical services might include the installation and reparation of pipes in the walls, but it can also include the installation or repair of sewer and drainage systems outside of the home. This type of plumbing work is typically done on a commercial scale, or on a residential scale for renovations, new building development, and home expansions. This type of work often requires a special permit from the local ordinance to complete.
Emergency Plumbing Services
Emergency plumbing services typically incur a surcharge as these work orders will jump to the top of the company’s list or may require the plumbers to work on weekends or holidays. Examples of these services might be a burst pipe that cannot be turned off, or plumbing in need of repair to use parts of the home, like the bathroom or kitchen.
Installation of New Parts and Appliances
Whether you are installing new plumbing parts or appliances in the home or business, it’s important to ensure that it is done by a professional plumber so that all the parts fit together well, and that the plumbing work is efficient and reliable. Faulty installation can lead to costly repairs and inefficient water usage.
Plumbing Repair
Plumbing repair is an important aspect of any plumbing job, but may also be necessary if there is a corroded or leaky line throughout the home. Repairs may happen alongside other work, or it could be to fix faulty pre-existing plumbing.
Leak Detection and Repair
Leaks are some of the most common plumbing problems in any residential or commercial space. Detecting a leak can be difficult, however, as not every leak occurs in an open space where it is easy to see. Some leaks can occur within the walls or even in the ground, beyond the exterior walls of the home. Common symptoms of a leak are discolored water, low water pressure in the home, or sewer line backups, which makes timely leak detection critical.
Inspection and Maintenance
Inspection and maintenance are both important in keeping your home’s plumbing system in good working condition. Over time, drains may get clogged, pipes can corrode, and the plumbing system may need to be updated to accommodate more rooms or appliances.
No matter the issue, regular inspection and maintenance is a good idea to keep the home’s value up and avoid costly repairs.
What Are the 3 Stages of Plumbing?
When done poorly, plumbing work can lead to costly repairs, water damage, and even direct damage to the interior or exterior of the home.
Because plumbing can be an expensive job to fix if done incorrectly, it’s important that a properly trained and licensed plumber does all your residential or commercial plumbing work.
When a plumber first enters the industry, they start by shadowing another, more experienced plumber on the job and move through three primary stages before they become highly experienced and specialized technicians.
Apprentice Plumber
As an apprentice, these new plumbers have received training in a classroom, but they also receive substantial on the job training. As they grow more capable in their skills, they may be sent on simpler jobs, but they must be supervised by another journeyman or master plumber throughout their time as an apprentice.
Journeyman Plumber
The journeyman plumber has gone through their apprenticeship and has completed four years of work experience. They must pass any educational requirements and then a written exam to become a licensed journeyman plumber.
Master Plumber
Before obtaining a master plumber’s license, the journeyman must meet additional educational requirements, pass another written exam and must have had at least two years as a journeyman on the job.
The benefits of becoming a master plumber is that they can operate their own plumbing business, pull permits for projects, and supervise a journeyman’s work.
From this point on, master plumbers may choose to further specialize in certain license types.
What Are the Most Common Plumbing Problems?
While you might be fortunate enough to never experience some of these plumbing problems, there are several that plumbers see the most of on a regular basis. (1)
Everyday life causes normal wear and tear on plumbing systems. It’s likely that, as a homeowner, you will face one, many or all of the following situations
Forbes.com
Leaks in the Pipes
While it might seem like a minor repair, leaky pipes can be difficult to get to, especially if they are in the walls or ceiling.
By the time you notice the leak, it’s likely that there has already been some water damage to the inside of the walls, which requires spraying fungicide to prevent mold and other costly repairs to the home itself.
Running Toilets
A running toilet isn’t just noisy, but it’s wasteful and expensive. Since the noise is a symptom of the water in the tank constantly being refilled, it can use up to 200 gallons each day.
Running toilets are most commonly caused by improperly sized flapper chains, worn out flapper seals, or refill tube problems. These issues should be addressed by a plumber as soon as possible to prevent water usage.
Low Water Pressure
Low water pressure may be frustrating, but there’s no reason to wait on calling a plumber when the issue could be greater.
This is typically a symptom of an issue with a cracked sewer line, or it could be due to a hidden water leak, pipe corrosion, or clogs in the plumbing lines somewhere.
Slow or Clogged Drains
Drainage problems are common, especially in the bathroom and kitchen. A clogged drain in a single line usually means that there is a clog in the line, which is a relatively easy repair. Routine drain cleaning services, as well as drain catchers for bathrooms and sinks can prevent this issue in the future.
If multiple drains throughout the home are clogged or slow to drain, however, the issue may be a larger problem with the sewer lines backing up and require a thorough inspection to find and repair the cause.
Problems with the Water Heater
The water heater sees a lot of use in the average home, so when the hot water is consistently running out, or fails to heat the water efficiently, it can cause problems.
Your plumber will inspect the heater, then diagnose and fix the issue. Sometimes, it is a failure in the heating element, corrosion inside the unit, loose electric connections or even ill-fitting parts which cause the issue.
Is it Easy to Hire a Plumber?
Struggling to find a plumber near me?
With Same Day Pros, it has never been easier to hire a plumber than it is today.
Type in the services you need, your location, then hit search.
It’s really as easy as that; we’ll do all the work for you, finding local professionals who are available now to tackle the problem.
There’s no reason to wait to fix your plumbing problems. The longer the issue sits, the more repairs will need to be done, leaving you with potential damage to the building and a costly water bill.
Find your pro today, even if you need same day services with Same Day Pros.
References:
- Forbes, How Much Does Plumbing Repair Cost?, https://www.forbes.com/advisor/home-improvement/plumbing-repair-cost/
