New to FL Facts: Licensing

Are You New to Florida Living?

The plumbing situation might be a bit different for you here in Florida compared to where you used to live! Or it might be similar! Either way, we hope to help answer some of those curious questions for you in this blog series: “New to FL Facts!”

Here to share his plumbing knowledge and expertise with you is Byron Thomson, Next Level Plumbing’s owner and master plumber.

Topic of the Day: Licensing

Each state can be different from another, and Florida is no exception. As a plumber I have talked to many people who have just moved down and are learning the differences, often the hard way. Some things are easy to tell, like we have alligators, it is very hot and it’s humid in the summer.

Some things are not as clearly evident, for instance, licensing.

In Florida we have different rules and regulations regarding contractors in comparison to what other states have. One significant factor is licensing. I do not know every state’s laws in this regard, but I do know there are many with higher standards than Florida.

Here in Florida the only requirement for a plumber, or any trade for that matter, is that the owner of the business holds a state issued master plumbing license. Nobody else in the company is required to have any license at all. So someone could literally pull random people off the street, put them in a truck, and send them out to fix plumbing.

What this means is that often the license holder is in the office, or on a boat, and most of the plumbers that get sent out to your house will not personally be licensed. This does not mean that they don’t know what they are talking about, but it does increase the odds that there is under developed talent working at your house.

I personally know of several plumbers without a license that are very good, but I also know of a whole lot who are not. It is important to hire a plumbing company who will send out qualified technicians to perform the work at your house.

Often times what happens is that plumbing companies get so busy that they hire helpers, and then start sending helpers out on their own too soon because they are so busy. This decreases the amount of training the technician has, and decreases the service you are paying for in the end.

At Next Level Plumbing we strive to hire qualified technicians who are very capable of handling your plumbing problems in the Sarasota/Bradenton area and we are continually training them to be better and better for you.

Interested? Curious to know more? Let us know! You can continue to read more of Byron’s blogs by clicking the links below.

New to FL Facts: Water Quality

Storytime with Byron: “Toilet Truths”

Hide & Seek: How Old is My Water Heater?

Hope you enjoy!
As always, if you are looking for a plumber to help you out with a maintenance call or plumbing emergency, feel free to give us a call or text at (941)504-3578, check out our website, or email us at nextlevelplumbinginc@gmail.com. We’d be happy to schedule a free estimate for you and provide you with all the professional help you need!

The post New to FL Facts: Licensing appeared first on Next Level Plumbing.

source https://nextlevelplumbingllc.com/2578-2/

Storytime with Byron: “Toilet Truths”

The time where Byron shares a story about a job or product or even customer that could be useful for others to know.

“What toilet should I buy?”

Toilets are often the most misunderstood part of the plumbing. The basic assumption is that every toilet will work if it fits. This is not always true. And even if it fits, sometimes things can go wrong.

To help you understand what I mean, here is a story about a brand of toilet that can help you avoid the same problem.

I was called out to fix a leaking toilet. When I arrived at the house I was shown a brand new American Standard toilet (installed by someone else). It looked like there was a defective fill valve inside, so I replace the fill valve. When I turned the water back on it still leaked and upon further investigation I found that the liner they designed to go inside the tank had a small crack and was defective.

Since this part was only made by them I had to call them to find it, and was hoping they would send me a free one because the toilet was only months old. When I got them on the phone they asked for the original purchase receipt. Since the customer did not have it American Standard would not honor their warranty.

So my customer was forced to make a choice. Either order the part and pay full price for it and the install price, or buy a completely new toilet. She did not have time to wait for the part to come in and have a toilet down that long, so she ended up buying a whole new toilet.

American Standard has not been easy to work warranties with, and because of that I recommend staying away from their products. Gerber and Kohler make good products that are not too pricey. If you choose Gerber don’t choose their Maxwell series. The other ones are good.

Hopefully this edition of Storytime with Byron has been helpful to you!
It’s something to consider! If this blog helped you in any way, check out more of Byron’s blogs!

Ask Byron: Tank VS. Tankless?

AYP: Plumbing Tips for Renters

New to FL Facts: Water Quality

Hope you enjoy!
As always, if you are looking for a plumber to help you out with a maintenance call or plumbing emergency, feel free to give us a call or text at (941)504-3578, check out our website, or email us at nextlevelplumbinginc@gmail.com. We’d be happy to schedule a free estimate for you and provide you with all the professional help you need!

The post Storytime with Byron: “Toilet Truths” appeared first on Next Level Plumbing.

source https://nextlevelplumbingllc.com/storytime-with-byron-toilet-truths/

How to Help Your Plumber: PETS?!

H2HYP

How to Help Your Plumber:

Pets & Plumbers…

Not a topic that applies to every household, but it’s an important one to address!

Here are some things to consider when you have a technician coming into your home, and some tips to help the appointment with that technician go smoothly!

Topic of the Day: Man’s Best Friend, but not always the Plumbers!

In this scenario we see a little trick-or-treater is being chased- not a plumber- but it’s not hard to imagine it being a plumber is it?! While many pets are ultra friendly and welcome anyone into their home, there are also pets that are very protective of their home and humans. Even though they may be perfectly well behaved around most people, they also may decide they dislike a random stranger! And that random stranger could be an AC technician or plumber coming into your home to fix something for you.

Your pet may not realize that their effort to scare off the person they’re not so comfortable with in the house isn’t helping you out like they intended to. Our technicians understand that many pups feel they have a job- to protect their home and family! But that doesn’t mean they are willing to risk being left alone with your pet watching them while they work.

Parents of pups??? Please do any technician coming into your house, a favor and keep your furry kids from accidentally protecting when they’re not supposed to!?! Both of our techs here at Next Level Plumbing have had many experiences where dogs have chased them out of the house. they don’t want to be bitten or chased, but they cannot do their job if the dog wont leave them be!

They’ve heard countless customers tell them “My dog(s) are total couch potatoes, they’re the sweetest dogs, don’t worry! They’ll leave you alone, they don’t bite!” or the all time favorite, “He’s all bark-no bite!” Which may be the case, but isn’t always true… Some plumbers/technicians don’t blink an eye at dogs of any size! But for the sake, and sanity, of the plumber, it is best to be courteous and either keep your dog with you, or put away so that no accidents occur.

Pet & Plumber/Technician Etiquette:

1. Ask if the plumber/technician is ok with your pets before inviting them into your home!

2. If they are NOT ok, please be considerate and put your pets away in a place where they cannot get out or be let out by mistake!

3. If your plumber/technician IS ok with your pets, please stay within range for safety reasons, it would be bad to leave and come back to find your pet has injured your plumber and he can no longer complete his work because of it!

Want to read more about pets and plumbing? Check out some more of our blogs below!

Plumbing for Your Pet (Part 1)

Plumbing for Your Pet (Part 2)

National Pet Day!

As always, don’t hesitate to give us a call or text at 941-504-3578! Whether it’s a last minute problem, or something you want to schedule to be done at a later date, we’ll be more than happy to help you with any plumbing issues you may have!

The post How to Help Your Plumber: PETS?! appeared first on Next Level Plumbing.

source https://nextlevelplumbingllc.com/how-to-help-your-plumber-pets/

Hide & Seek: How Old is My Water Heater?

“How old is your water heater?”

Not everyone knows all about the important technology helping things run smoothly in their home. There are plenty of us who responds with a blank expression and shrug of shoulders when the age of the water heater comes into question, in fact, a common reply to that question is “I don’t know, does it matter???”

Luckily, Next Level Plumbing has plenty of Next Level knowledge all about water heaters, how to tell their age, and why it’s so important to keep track of your water heaters birthdays! You can always ask the plumbing tech you’ve hired any plumbing questions you might have, OR you can just read below for advice from Next Level Plumbing’s owner and master plumber, Byron Thomson!

So without further ado, please check out Byron’s very helpful “Hide & Seek” informative Q&A blog: Finding the Age of Your Water Heater!

 

How old is my water heater???

This is a question that I get asked rather often because the age of your water heater helps indicate how much longer it will last. While there are exceptions to any rule, you can expect 10-12 years out of your old water heater, and maybe 15 years on long end.

Is it difficult to tell it’s age?

Telling the age of your water heater is not usually that difficult. The age will be embedded into the serial number on the label. Usually the first four numbers will tell the month and year it was made. Sometimes it will be letters that are used instead of numbers and those letters correspond to the month and year the water heater was manufactured.

How can I learn more about my water heater?

It is hard to remember which water heater does what, so when I’m checking the age of a water heater that I’m unsure how to decode, I check the website linked below…

http://building-center.org/water-heater-table-of-contents-age-manufacture-date-serial-number/

*That website has helped me find the age of every water heater I was not familiar with, and I have never come across one that was not in there. However…

If your water heater is extra mysterious and you can’t figure out it’s age or have questions about it’s condition, the plumber can always help you out with that!

Hopefully this edition of Hide & Seek has been helpful to you!

It’s something to consider! If this blog helped you in any way, check out more of Byron’s blogs!

Ask Byron: Tank VS. Tankless?

Fix It Felix: Common Fixes You Can Do!

Ask Your Plumber: DIY Toilet Fixes?

 

As always, don’t hesitate to give us a call or text at 941-504-3578! Whether it’s a last minute emergency, or something you want to schedule to be done later in the year, we’ll be more than happy to help you with any plumbing problems you may have!

The post Hide & Seek: How Old is My Water Heater? appeared first on Next Level Plumbing.

source https://nextlevelplumbingllc.com/hide-seek-how-old-is-my-water-heater/

Hide & Seek: Plumbing Edition- The Cleanout

Finding Your Cleanout

It’s not surprising that many people respond with a blank expression and shrug of shoulders when asked where the cleanout is, in fact, a common reply to that question is “The What?”

Luckily, here at Next Level Plumbing we happen to know just what the cleanout is, what it’s for, and beyond that how to help repair your plumbing problem by using it!

Please keep reading to check out our very helpful “Hide & Seek” informative blog to Finding Your Cleanout!

*The cleanout for your house is an important part of the plumbing system. Unfortunately in our area (Sarasota, Venice, & Manatee Counties) it is often hidden. This means that in addition to doing the work, the plumber will need to locate it as well.*

What is a cleanout?

It is a fitting in the drainage pipe that allows the plumber to run a snake down the drain.

Why is this important?

Most of the time in a whole house stoppage the most thorough drain cleaning job is done through the cleanout. Other methods can work like pulling the toilet, or getting on the roof, but these can incur extra costs that are avoided by using the cleanout.

Why are they so often hidden in the Sarasota/Bradenton area?

That is a really good question, and one we really don’t know the answer to. Nowadays code requires plumbers to install them above ground so they are visible, but that wasn’t always the case. Because of this, many are buried outside.

So how can you find them if they are buried?

Plumbers can look at the layout of the house and sometimes that will give them a clue as to where to look, but sometimes they have to run a camera or a snake to find it.

How can you find it yourself?

Some cleanouts are very difficult to find, but some you may be able to locate with a little effort.

Here’s what to look for…

Often times the cleanout was installed above ground outside, but the landscapers then mulched around the house and covered it. If you are pruning your bushes around your house and see a white pipe with a cap on it that is about 4” in diameter, you’ve found your cleanout.

In traditional Floridian houses they will be outside within 3’ of the edge of the house. This is why they are so often hidden by the bushes.

If you are installing landscaping around your house and while digging find a metal pipe about 4”, that is the drain pipe and the cleanout is right there or within a foot or two. It is best to note that spot, or leave it open and have a plumber come out and install a cleanout above the ground.

If you have a septic tank, often the cleanout will be directly in line between the center of the tank and the house.

Finding your cleanout is sometimes easy, and sometimes a lot of work. If you walk around your house and look for a 4” white pipe coming up out of the ground with a cap, you have found it. Look under bushes and spread the mulch around to find it.

If you’re unable to locate your home’s cleanout, the plumber can always end up finding it.

Hopefully this edition of Hide & Seek has been helpful to you!

As always, don’t hesitate to give us a call or text at 941-504-3578! Whether it’s a last minute emergency, or something you want to schedule to be done later in the year, we’ll be more than happy to help you with any plumbing problems you may have!

The post Hide & Seek: Plumbing Edition- The Cleanout appeared first on Next Level Plumbing.

source https://nextlevelplumbingllc.com/hide-seek-plumbing-edition-the-cleanout/

New to FL Facts: Water Quality

Are You New to Florida Living?

The plumbing situation might be a bit different for you here in Florida compared to where you used to live! Or it might be similar! Either way, we hope to help answer some of those curious questions for you in this blog series: “New to FL Facts!”

Here to share his plumbing knowledge and expertise with you is Byron Thomson, Next Level Plumbing’s owner and master plumber.

Topic of the Day: Water Quality

Water quality is a very important part of our lives that we can easily take for granted. But it is something that should be taken very seriously as it can directly effect our health, as well as the plumbing products in our home.

One of the things that is different in Southwest Florida as opposed to the north east states is the water quality. We often come across people who have drank their water in their home up north, but find the water is very different here. Unfortunately for those of us who live here, we have very poor water quality. It is hard on the plumbing, and also not healthy to consume.

Recently, many of our local municipalities have begun to deregulate the protections that were in place to prevent cross contamination of our water supply. They are requiring less testing, and longer periods in between testing. This will undoubtedly result in unsafe water being delivered to our communities.

 

So what can we do about it?

 

Unfortunately as a plumbing trade we were not able to convince the powers in charge to stop this deregulation from going into effect. This means that most likely it will take a lawsuit or series of lawsuits to implement more safe standards for our water supply. In the mean time it is each of our responsibilities to provide our own filtration to meet our own water quality standards.

Water quality is often an overwhelming subject to start to tackle as there are so many options to consider. At Next Level Plumbing we like to evaluate each individual case and personally build or recommend the best solution that fits each customers needs.

Interested? Curious to know more? Let us know! You can continue to read more of Byron’s blogs by clicking the links below.

Ask Byron: Tank VS. Tankless?

AYP: Plumbing Tips for Renters

N2K: Pulling Plumbing Permits

Hope you enjoy!

As always, if you are looking for a plumber to help you out with a maintenance call or plumbing emergency, feel free to give us a call or text at (941)504-3578, check out our website, or email us at nextlevelplumbinginc@gmail.com. We’d be happy to schedule a free estimate for you and provide you with all the professional help you need!

The post New to FL Facts: Water Quality appeared first on Next Level Plumbing.

source https://nextlevelplumbingllc.com/new-to-fl-facts-water-quality/