Plumbers spend almost the majority of their day driving from one job to another. They have to be compensated for this time. Some add a flat service charge to each bill. Some charge a premium for the first hour, and some charge from the moment that they leave their last job.

Probably not. Plumbers usually will buy their fixtures from a whole sale plumbing supply company. The plumbing supply company has a wholesale contractor's price and a higher list or retail price. The plumber buys the fixture at the wholesale price and sells it to you at the list price.

The price difference pays for his time locating, purchasing, and delivering the fixture to your home. Home centers are selling more and more products that used to be available only at plumbing whole sellers supply stores.

Home-center chains buy fixtures in very large quantities and get sizeable discounts from manufacturers and distributors. They pass on some of those savings to you. In most cases, home center prices will be lower than list prices and, in some cases, even lower than the contractor’s price at the plumbing supply stores.

This is a diagnostic process where a state of the art, high-resolution video camera is inserted in a pipeline to view the pipe from the inside. It takes the guesswork out of diagnosing a pipeline problem and with this we can pinpoint exactly where a problem is and exactly how to fix it in the most cost-effective manner. RoadRunner Services Inc. has several of these cameras and qualified technicians to run them.

A re-pipe is a complete replacement of the water piping system in a home or business from the water meter to all plumbing fixtures. As severe as it sounds, it is actually a very common procedure. It is necessary in situations where the plumbing system pipes have begun to leak due to deterioration.

The most common cause of a sewer smell in the house is a dry p-trap, a p-trap is a curved pipe that is designed to hold water this creates a water seal to hold out sewer gas order. Unused showers, tubs, sinks, floor drains or utility room overflow drains are often the culprits due to evaporation of water in the trap.

Try pouring a gallon of water through the drain every two weeks or add a trap primer above your p-trap. A trap primer is a mechanical valve that is designed to automatically release a small amount of water into your drain to keep your trap seal in your p-trap full.

You may want to check to see if a toilet is leaking. First, check the water level to ensure that water is not overflow by way of the overflow pipe. This is the pipe in the middle of the tank. It has small tubing connected to it. If water is running into the overflow, adjust the fill valve to stop the flow approximately 1inch below the top of the overflow tube or to level mark stamped on the side of the tank.

Second, put a few drops of food coloring into the tank to test the flush mechanism. If the water in the bowl changes color within 15 minutes, this is an indication that water is leaking into the bowl and that the ball or flapper needs to be replaced.

Often, hair is caught on the grease buildup on the lining of the pipe. Grease buildup comes from shampoos, body oils, soap, toothpaste, shaving creams, etc. Rootering followed by product maintenance are recommended.

The unsightly buildup is mineral deposits. To remove these deposits from the showerhead, take a plastic bag and pour a cup of vinegar in it. Place the bag over the showerhead and use a twist tie to hold it in place overnight. In the morning, remove the bag and use an old toothbrush to gently scrub the deposits off. You might be able to remove the aerators from the faucets and allow them to soak in the vinegar overnight.

There is a product available from RoadRunner Services Inc. that will help with slow drains. The name of the product is Bio-Clean. We do not recommend chemical drain cleaners for maintenance as they are hard on the piping. Bio-Clean cleans pipes without harming them. If your kitchen sink is completely stopped up however, you will need to have it cleared first. Contact us to get more information on our Bio-Clean products or to have your drain rodded out.

Foul odors occur from a buildup of food debris within the disposer; to eliminate this odor, place ice cubes and lemon or orange peels in the disposer and run for 30 seconds. Next, squirt a little liquid dish detergent into the disposer while it is still running. Finally, run hot water for about 30 seconds to rinse all the debris away.

Usually, faucet dimensions and sink openings are standard throughout the plumbing industry, so the answer is usually yes. There are a few exceptions, some faucets and sinks are drilled for a 4” or a 8” faucet spread. So check the size of the sink opening before you buy new fixtures.

Noises can be fairly common in plumbing supply lines. If a washer in a faucet or valve is loose, you’ll hear it rattling or knocking. If the sound occurs when you open and close faucets rapidly, it generally means pipes are loose, and can be corrected by anchoring pipes more securely.

If it really bothers you, you can add air chambers at the end of long pipe runs. Their installation will probably require a plumbing professional like RoadRunner Services Inc.

Try to locate a valve near the break and shut off water to the area. If all else fails, find the main water valve and shut off the water. Next, call RoadRunner Services Inc. and we will do our best to assist you in this matter. If not an emergency, please contact us first thing in the morning and we can set up a time to repair the problem.

The main culprits are tree roots and once they’ve blocked the line there is very little you can do. RoadRunner Services Inc. can snake, rod the line to get it as clear as possible, and then use RootX to kill the remaining vegetation. But odds are the sewer line or a section of the sewer will most likely need to be replaced.

Manufacturers recommend setting water heaters at 120 degrees (F). This will prevent accidental scalding.

This is usually due to a sediment buildup in your tank. As water heaters grow older, they accumulate sediment and lime deposits. If these deposits are not removed periodically, the sediment will create a barrier between the burner and the water, greatly reducing the water heater's performance level. At least once every three months, drain water from the tank. Draining a gallon or so on a regular basis helps remove the sediment.

You should also periodically inspect your gas water heater burner. The flame under the heater should appear blue with yellow tips. If it’s mostly yellow, or if it’s sooty under there, your flue may be clogged, which is a dangerous situation. Contact RoadRunner Services Inc. to check it out. At least once every two years, have your water heater inspected by a service technician. We will also check the drain valve for signs of leakage, and the anode rods for corrosion.