How to hire a plumber
Experts urge three written estimates
By TIM GARDNER, The Winnipeg Sun
Everybody at some point has to hire a plumber.
So a Winnipeg plumber has come up with a formula for people who want to hire a plumber to tackle their big home renovation job.
"Get three estimates, preferably written," says Jim Nesbitt, owner of Town & Country Plumbing, about the proposed renovation project.
"And make sure a contractor is bonded and that he he has liability insurance and compensation for his men.
"These are questions that very few homeowners ever ask, and then they wonder why they get burnt in the end," Nesbitt says. "Legitimate companies all have to have these things. But of course with these things comes a price."
Robert Boulet, owner of Winnipeg's Priority Plumbing & Heating, says indeed price is not always the most important thing when consumers are looking for a good plumber to install a new bathroom or new kitchen sink in their home.
"Don't necessarily go for the cheapest price," Boulet says about estimates.
"Just make sure you hire a referral from someone you know, or hire someone you know is good and who stands by his work. You don't want to get some job done and then find out later on, when you've got warranty problems, that your guy is not coming back."
Collin De Ruyck, plumbing estimator for Winnipeg's Wheatland Plumbing and Heating Ltd., says the good news is that there is some preventative maintenance homeowners can practise themselves that can prevent some major plumbing renovations from becoming necessary.
Maintain drains
Although it's very hard to practise any home maintenance on water lines, De Ruyck says there are things people can do to help maintain their drains and water heaters.
"People can have their drains regularly cleared with cables from a drain company," De Ruyck says. "Or there are bio-enzyme drain cleaners that are drain-safe and non-toxic, and they will help keep drains clear. And if you keep the buildup out of old (cast-iron or galvanized-steel) drains, that's less moisture that's sitting in them that can rust them out."
Bio-enzyme drain cleaners are much better to use on drains than caustic drain cleaners, which can actually damage drains, De Ruyck says. The bio-enzyme cleaners should be used once a month on all kinds of drains in bathrooms, kitchens and basements.
"The best way to do it is just jot down on your calendar every fourth Sunday, 'Drain maintenance,' and it takes you about four or five minutes," De Ruyck says.
"You just mix up your solution and pour a little bit in each drain and away you go."
Flushing agent
There is also a way to help maintain water heaters, De Ruyck says. Residents should just attach a piece of garden hose to the drain at the bottom of their water heater, place the other end of the hose in a floor drain, and then turn the drain tap on. Cold water flowing into the tank will serve as a flushing agent and will get rid of much of the residue at the bottom of the tank.
After five minutes of flushing, residents just need to turn the drain tap off. A water heater should be flushed every six months but should never be drained completely, De Ruyck says. Most hot water heaters are glass-lined, and cold water flowing into an empty tank can cause a hot liner to crack and leak.
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