If your like most people you don't ever think about it until something goes wrong. Having hot water has become one of those modern luxuries that we take for granite up until the point when you run out of hot water. When you have a water heater quit working you don't exactly have a bunch of time to be waiting around for it to be fixed. Chances are, if a plumber is available to make the repair you are going to let him make the fix. We install Bradford White water heater's for around a $1000. 

If you are having trouble with your water heater there are a few things that you can troubleshoot to identify if your water heater needs to be replaced or if it can be repaired. First thing is to determine if your water heater is gas or electric. If you have an electric water heater is is very common for the heating elements to go bad. In most water heater's there is an upper heating element and a lower heating element. If you are experiencing luke warm water and your water heater is electric there is a good chance it is your heating element. If it is your upper heating element you can drain out half of your tank and should be able to get some hot water. For a gas water heater one of the most common repairs is the thermocouple. This is a simple fix that can usually restore hot water within an hour or so.

If you have a water heater that is leaking you should identify where the leak is coming from. If it is coming out of the t&p valve it can be easily replaced for just a couple of bucks. The t&p valve will likely be in the upper portion of your tank with a lever that you an raise to release the pressure of the tank. If you frequently have to replace the t&p valve then you should have a licensed plumber test your water pressure. If the pressure is too high you should install a thermal expansion tank to prevent future problems.

If you are in the Johnson county are and would like a free quote to replace your unit call your water heater kansas city specialist today. 

 If you live in a house that has old pipes for the water lines it is likely going to be galvanized steel. A galvanized water line is typically expected to last 40-50 years. Though in some cases it can last for much longer. There are two main signs that suggest that your plumbing system may be in need of repair. Low water pressure will usually suggest you have some type of build up in your lines. This is due to the minerals or hardness of the water that is running through your system.  One of the most common signs that your pipes are corroded is being scalded when somebody flushes a toilet. When supply lines are providing adequate pressure this should not be as noticeable.

Another thing to worry about with older water lines is corrosion. This will wear down the inner wall of the pipes, which leads to pinhole leaks. A pinhole leak can start out small and can be difficult to detect. If you have experienced multiple pinhole leaks, it may be best to replace the entire plumbing system.  A plumbing system is not going to fail all at once rather slowly deteriorate over a period of time.  

The process to re-pipe your house will likely require you to move out for few days.  When we are re-piping a house we cover all belongings and carpet with a thin layer of plastic. Updating your pipes will require removing sections of drywall to access the plumbing lines. If you are already in the process of remodeling your house it may make sense to go ahead and replace that portion of the plumbing. The best time to address a problem is before any damage is caused.

If you are planning on repiping your house and live in the Kansas City area, give us a call today. 

 

KCHC  (913) 220-3888

Throughout various regions, the techniques and steps required to winterize a house will vary. Here in the midwest, we experience a few cold spells in which the temperature can stay below 15 degrees fahrenheit for a week or longer. There are also various levels in which you can winterize a house. For instance, if the pilot light is going to be left on, the water heater does not need to be drained. Even if a house has been winterized, there can still be problems. For this reason, it is recommended to leave the furnace on to prevent the house from getting to low.

Draining the Supply Lines

Most people are familiar with the process of draining the down the water lines in their house. Open the plumbing system at it's lowest point and allow some time for the system to drain. Opening a fixture on the top floor can also help the system drain. Often, this does not get all the water out without the use of a compressor. A special fitting can be installed to force compressed air through the line.

Toilets & Sinks

Flush all of the water out of the toilet and fill tank with anti-freeze. You should also pour anti-freeze down every sink drain to prevent the p-trap from breaking.

Appliances

Often people forget about the need to winterize their appliances when leaving a house vacant for the winter. A dishwasher and washing machine can both be damaged if not winterized. This is as simple as adding some anti-freeze and turning the setting to drain.

 
If you need help winterizing a house in Kansas City, please contact KCHC. We are fully licensed and insured as a master plumbing contractor.
 

In the current economy more and more people are tackling DIY remodeling projects. It's important to understand that some improvements that you make to your own house may not be covered by insurance in the event of a problem.

Example 1

You are painting this weekend! It’s a long-postponed project, but finally, you are tackling it.

Sunday night, you are exhausted. One coat of primer and two coats of paint, and you still see the old, darker color shimmer through. Push on, add one more coat. Might as well do it right. When you’re done, you hurry to pick everything up. Rollers, brushes, drop cloths? In the trash bag they go. Tie it up and plop it in the garage. Deal with it tomorrow. Or next weekend.

But you forget that crumpled up, paint-stained drop cloths are highly combustible…

If this caused a fire, are you covered by your homeowner’s insurance?

In this situation, yes, there would be coverage. A fire loss that happens suddenly and accidentally, even if caused (as in this example) by negligence, is covered by your homeowner’s policy.

It’s going down as the summer of the bathroom remodel. You and your spouse decided to do it yourselves… both of you like doing this kind of work. Tearing out the old. Putting in the new. Taking care of the house. So you tackled the new bathroom together, laid the river-rock mural in the new walk-in shower, installed radiant heat under the new slate floor tile, and switched the location of toilet and vanity. You put a lot of thought and effort into this, got all your permits, and cleanly re-routed, installed and sealed the new copper pipes. Up to code!

Now, 3 months after the finishing brush stroke, something’s leaking!

At least, that’s what you suspect. When you come home at night, a puddle has collected between the toilet and the vanity. You mop it up, only to find it there again the next night. And you hate to admit it, but the strip of wall right above has gotten darker. And if you look closely (which you opt not to do), you can see fine hairline cracks.

You think of your homeowner’s insurance. Would your D-I-Y project be covered at all?

Well. Generally, your finished D-I-Y home improvement project would be covered for all the common perils insured on a homeowner’s policy, whether you do the work or a contractor does the work. But the perils covered on a homeowner’s policy have to be sudden and accidental occurrences.

And that’s the problem in this example. The answer here is: There might not be coverage. What happened here is a mistake, a construction defect. There are workmanship exclusions on a homeowner’s policy that apply whether the work was done by a contractor or the property owner. If the damage in this example was caused by faulty workmanship, not by a sudden and accidental occurrence, the loss would not be covered by your homeowner’s policy.

However, had you hired a contractor, you could sue him for repairs and or hold him responsible to fix the damage.

A side note: Water damage that happens over time (like a slow leak that causes dry rot) is generally excluded from coverage on your homeowner’s policy. So, it is critical to address any suspicious leaks immediately. They don’t go away on their own. They only become bigger (and possibly excluded) losses.

For more information on home insurance and how it relates to remodeling projects visit...

http://www.autohomeboat.com/research-center/real-life-situations/remodeling-my-house

Plumbers are frequently accused of charging excessive amounts of money for their services. In writing this article I hope to convey that in fact most plumbers are fair and just with their pricing. While each hourly rate will vary throughout the region.

When people refer to the high cost of plumbing they are usually referring to the hourly rate of the plumber. One thing that is often not understood by the typical homeowner is the amount of preparation that goes into doing service work. The difference between a professional plumber and a handyman is that a handyman will need to make several trips to the hardware store to complete the project. A professional plumbing contractor will have their truck fully stocked before showing. It is not unusual for a plumber to have over $25,000 worth of materials in his truck at all times. Often people underestimate the actual cost of materials not to mention the time that goes into picking up the materials and keeping an inventory of their materials.

When something goes awry in a home, it often has something to do with the plumbing. If a pipe burst it can cause several thousands of dollars within a few minutes. In addition to liability insurance, a plumbing contractor must also carry workman’s compensation on all employees.

Most plumbing jobs only take a few hours to complete. This means that several jobs must be scheduled for any given day. With so many different customers to deal with it is usually necessary to hire a secretary to help with answering the phone, billing, and other office work. There is also bound to be some down time throughout your typical workday. The business owner must pay his staff whether they are working or not. When an emergency call comes in, people need their problem fixed right away.

When I entered the trades at 18 my first job was framing houses. Getting a job as a laborer was as easy as walking up to a couple sites and asking. When the construction and remodeling industry is booming jobs are easy to come by. The economy that we are currently experiencing is a little different. As a newbie you can really face some disadvantages of getting hired over an experienced carpenter.  That doesn’t mean that there are not jobs available to younger guys. Some contractors prefer to train somebody who has not picked up any bad working habits. The other thing to consider is that Remodeling is hard on the body. Certain aspects are better handled by youthful labor. There will always be openings in the Remodeling Industry here is how to land one in today’s economy. 

When looking for a job in remodeling it is important to be as professional as possible. This does not mean calling the business directly and asking for a job. This is the most unprofessional way to approach employment. Although remodeling companies often do not advertise the need for employees, it does not mean they do not need the help. Presenting yourself as a potential employee can be done through the form of an email when presented the right information.

Creating a Resume has always been the first step when seeking any type of employment and the remodeling industry is no different. By providing a detailed description of your work experience you have a much better opportunity to be picked for a job. If you want consideration over other potential candidates you should also focus on maintaining a steady work history.  A guy that jumps around from one employer to the next is often a risk that many contractors are not willing to bet on. If you are seeking interior Remodeling work you will need to be able to pass a background check.

 The remodeling industry is filled with all types of people. Next to meeting somebody in person, providing a link to your facebook page, is a good way to show them who you are. You need to consider that you will likely be working inside the privacy of someone’s personal home.  It is important to maintain a clean appearance in which people feel safe with you working inside their home.

For those of you who have had some experience you can provide the employer with examples of your work. Taking pictures of all your completed projects is the best thing you can do. If you can work as a sub-contractor, General Contractors who otherwise may have been hiring could use you on a few small jobs. However, Liability & Workman’s Compensation Insurance is required in most states.

 

One of the most important variables to consider when selecting a remodeling contractor are the details of the payment schedule. I'm referring to the amount of money requested by the contractor in order to complete the remodeling project. When the terms are set properly, the homeowner will maintain leverage throughout the remodel. For major projects such as a room addition, basement finish, or large outdoor deck it is important for the finished product to live up to what was promised by the remodeling contractor. A payment breakdown will not be the same for every project. On some of our smaller jobs we may not require any payment until the project has been completed in it's entirety.

On a typical basement finish, we will require a 30% deposit at the start of the project. 30% upon completion of Rough-In inspection, 30% upon substantial completion of project, and the remaining 10% upon completion of all punch list items.

When we are taking on projects as the deck builder, we require a 50% deposit upon dropping the materials. The other 50% is paid upon completion of the project.

One other thing to consider as the homeowner is to make sure and ask for a copy of the Building Inspection results. We usually provide our clients with a copy via email. Individual projects will definitely vary as to how deposits should be dispersed. Just make sure you have the opportunity to approve or sign-off on the work, before paying the contractor in full.

These cabinets have been antiqued by our painter Ben of KC Painter Pro. To view more work completed by KCHC,  visit our new website.