A: Yes! You may not know everything that a plumber does. A plumber is a highly skilled craftsman who installs and repairs pipes and plumbing fixtures, diagnoses clogged drain problems and solves all problems related to water and drainage systems in your home. What sets Quality Plumbing Services Inc. plumbers apart from the others is our dedication to continued training and education in the latest plumbing techniques and tools to do better work for our customers. Our professional plumbing technicians not only receive technical training but also receive training in customer service. This means you are guaranteed a courteous, professional and friendly plumber at your door, every time!

A: Usually drains are clogged because people are not careful of what they put in them, especially in the kitchen. Other drains, like in the bathroom, get clogged because of the oil residue from soaps, shampoos and hair. It is recommended that you are conscious of what you put down your drains and treat them regularly with a drain cleaner such as Bio-Clean or Root-X. These cleaners are safe to use and available to plumbing contractors. Order your products from Quality Plumbing Services Inc. today!

A: Chemical drain openers can sometimes temporarily open a slow drain, but are hazardous to use and are not recommended for every type of drain or pipe in your home’s system. The chemicals used in these products also damage chrome, and do not work on toilet clogs. Never plunge a drain after pouring a chemical drain opener into the drain, because the chemicals can splash back at you: burning your skin, damaging clothing, or causing blindness. There is also a long list of many other household chemicals that chemical drain openers interact with, such as bleach and ammonia. If you have recently poured other products down the drain or used cleaning materials and rinsed them into a sink, a chemical drain opener can react with these chemicals and produce noxious fumes that can be released into your home. And of course, like any other household chemical, these drain openers are poisonous and can be dangerous to have around children and pets.

A: Root intrusion in sewer pipes, if left unchecked, will eventually result in slow or clogged drains. Once they penetrate, they continue to grow and can completely fill the pipe with tangled root masses. These masses trap toilet tissue and other debris flowing to the main sewer. The roots also exert pressure on the pipe, often leading to breakage. Clay pipe is the most susceptible to root intrusion and often found in older homes in our area.

A: You can start by calling Quality Plumbing Services Inc. We can perform a video inspection of your sewer line to observe potential problems such as root infestation, grease buildup, or failing pipe. If there is a blockage we can use power rodding equipment to remove obstructions and roots from sewer & drain lines.

A: Technically you shouldn’t flush anything down the toilet, other than human waste and toilet paper.

• No baby wipes, napkins, Kleenex, or paper towels – these are not meant to be flushed. They will all flush for a while, however will not dissolve in water like toilet paper does and will cause a clog much faster.
• Don’t flush any sanitary items or diapers– place a trash can next to your toilet for that.
• No Q-tips, cotton balls, or dental floss
• No hair out of your hairbrush
• No large food scraps or cooking grease.
• No toys – Lego pieces, cars, dolls, bouncy balls etc. definitely don’t flush very well!
• No cell phones

A: It depends on the model/brand and maintenance of the water heater. A 5 year model will last anywhere from 5-7 years and a 10 year model can last up to 12 years. However, a lot depends on your water quality, and proper installation. You should check your water heater on a regular basis for any rust or corrosions around the valves and pipe connections. That will give you a good idea as to the condition of your water heater.

A: What you hear are the bubbles rising up from the bottom of the tank. The water heater bottom is covered with sediment and is overheating. The water in the tank has to filter through the sediment. When it reaches the overheated base of the tank, it violently boils. When water starts to boil, the bubbles rise to the top. Call Quality Plumbing Services Inc. at (847) 259-0200. This is one of the warning signs that it is time to replace your water heater soon.

A: You should call for service right away. Leaking water heaters usually indicate the tank has rusted through. There are no repairs for this problem. You most likely need a new water heater. Call Quality Plumbing Services Inc. at (847) 259-0200 and have one of our qualified technicians inspect your water heater.

A. This is almost impossible to answer. It’s much like asking how long your Furnace, your TV, or your car will last. It simply depends too much on how often the pump has to run. If you have a small sump pit, and you have a lot of ground water in your area, the pump may have to run several times per hour. Naturally, that pump is not going to last as long as the same pump in the home of someone with a large sump pit and very little ground water where the pump only has to run a few times a year. Choosing a pump that is properly sized to your ground water conditions, has the appropriate float switch for your sump pit, and has good electrical supply connected to it will ensure the longest possible life for your pump. A general rule is to consider replacing a sump pump about every 5-7 years.

A. There are two basic designs for sump pumps. The first and most common is the submersible pump which has the entire unit always in water. These units range in quality from the home center plastic models with poor life span (1 month to 1 year) and pumping capacity (10 gallons/minute) up to heavy duty cast iron, high flow (45 gallons/minute), longer life units (5 to 7 years). These can be supplied and installed by Quality Plumbing Services Inc. The second design is what is known as a tower pump. These pumps have the motor and switch above the pit lid. Life span is extremely long (approximately 40 years) and pumping capacity is great (100 gallons/minute). Quality Plumbing Services Inc. stocks and installs what is to be considered the best of these pumps. The Tramco Tower pump with up to a 20 year warranty and is designed to last twice as long (40 years). This is the last pump you will ever need to buy!

A. The float switch is the most common cause of sump pump failure. The float switch can fail for any number of reasons. Many times the float simply gets stuck between the pump and the wall of the sump pit. That’s because the pump vibrates slightly whenever it runs, and can “walk” across the bottom of the pit, eventually trapping the float between it and the side of the pit. Other times, after so many up and down cycles, it just gives out and stops responding to the rise and fall of the water in the pit. Often it stops working while the pump is running. When this happens, the pump is left switched on so that the pump runs continuously until it burns itself out. You can’t do regular maintenance on a float switch; you can only replace it once it fails.

A. Another common cause of sump pump failure is electrical in nature. Plugging the pump into an extension cord, or an outlet that shares a circuit breaker with other electrical items, can cause the pump to receive low voltage. In order to run, it then has to draw higher amps. That causes the pump to run hotter. Heat is the enemy of electric motors and can cause the oil encased in the pump to over expand causing a seal leak. Once the seal leaks, water will get in and burn out the pump. This shortens the life of a pump dramatically. We recommend the pump be plugged directly into an outlet (no extension cords) and that the outlet be the only thing powered by the circuit breaker (or fuse) that feeds it.

A: This is not only an annoyance but also a waste of water and money. Leaky toilets can cost hundreds of dollars extra per year on your water bills. If the toilet continues to run into the bowl after the toilet is flushed, it indicates that some part of the mechanism is out of order. Sometimes a little jiggling of the flush valve mechanism solves the problem. Otherwise you may need to replace the entire mechanism. Contact Quality Plumbing Services Inc. to diagnose the problem and advise you on the proper course of action.

A: We accept cash, checks, Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover.

A: All of our jobs are COD, which means you pay us when the work is done. Unless we have specified different payment terms in the contract.

A: Our philosophy is to let our work speak for itself. Besides, with the Internet becoming such an integral part of communications, we prefer to be in touch with our customers the quickest and simplest way – via email and through our website.

A: Most of our customers come to us by referral. We are not commission based, which means we pay our technicians a salary whether or not they sell a job. That way they can really concentrate on what the client needs instead of worrying about the commissions they could make from each service call.
Our professional plumbing technicians at Quality Plumbing Services Inc. have over 40 years of experience in all aspects of service plumbing. There have been many instances when Quality Plumbing Services Inc. has been called upon to fix projects that others had already given up on. Our pricing is honest and transparent. We give you a bid up front. There are never any hidden costs.

You can always risk calling other plumbers, or you can call us first and save yourself time and hassle. After all, at Quality Plumbing Services Inc. We live by our motto – Quality People. Quality Products. Quality Service.