Big families have big needs – they need and use more of everything, and that includes plumbing. Here are 3 ways to save on plumbing:
Tip 1: Prioritize Preventative Maintenance
Plumbing preventative maintenance saves money and headaches in the long run. Preventative maintenance can be done on water heaters, sewer lines and drain lines. Visits that keep things in good condition will always cost less than big, surprise bills when the repair is urgent. They save you the headache as well because they buy you time to research and shop for repairs and replacements before they are required, which often allows you to save money.
Be sure to use covers for tub and shower drains and clear out the hair as needed. Opt for green products like THEWORKS Plastic Drain Snake (found at hardware stores) over caustic chemical drain cleaners that can hurt your family or your pipes when used over time. And, use the trash can for kitchen scraps rather than the kitchen sink/garbage disposal.
Tip 2: Buy Your Own Plumbing Parts
Buying your parts will save you from the markup and extra labor charges by your plumber. This option does require you to plan ahead, and, we have two suggestions for you to consider first:
Don’t purchase plumbing products from overseas vendors.
Often we find the plumbing code is different and won’t work with your current configurations, which could cost more.
For example, we had a customer who bought a “cool looking” toilet, but it didn’t line up correctly with the correctly installed stub. The installer did their best to bolt the toilet down, but when the wax ring failed to keep the seal, the customer had flooding. The only way to fix it was to reconfigure the subfloor and stub. This was a thousand-dollar adjustment that had to be made for the sake of aesthetics. Maybe that’s worth it to you, but it should be considered.
Know what you need.
You may not know what parts are needed, and this could cause you to over purchase, or purchase the wrong item(s) – keep your receipt and know the store’s return policy. If the plumbing problem seems straightforward, buying your own parts will save you money, but if not, be prepared to pay a service call charge by your plumber.
Tip 3: Get the Right Sized Water Heater
Running out of hot water during a shower isn’t fun and large families are likely to experience this more than other families. Tankless water heaters or larger water heaters can help resolve this. Running laundry, doing dishes, and also taking a shower can be done at the same time if you have the right-sized water heater. Plus, the improved efficiencies of new water heaters can help save money too.
For over 80 years, Garvin’s Sewer Service has been helping the Greater Denver area with their plumbing and drain needs. If you care about expertise and ethics, give us a call because in addition to that, ‘We clean drains, not bank accounts’, and we want to be YOUR Denver plumber.
