AFFORDABLE PLUMBING SERVICE IN Yuma, AZ

What Are the Most Common Plumbing Issues in Yuma?

When Yuma was first settled back in the early 1500s by Native Americans, the demand for water in this region was provided by whatever means they had to transport water from the mighty Colorado River back to their settlements. That put a lot of wear on the animals and humans that were transporting all that water. Yuma today is no different. The water demand is high, so high that when you see a photo of Yuma from outer space, you see a wide green swath that is Yuma, surrounded by harsh dry desert. For about 600 years, people, animals, and eventually plumbing turned Yuma into that green swath from all water brought in.

Once homes began to see indoor plumbing back in the late 30s, the City of Yuma started to grow, and today there are approximately 30,000 households. Those households put a real strain on the water supply lines that bring the water to this area of the desert. That is our most common plumbing problem in Yuma – leaking pipes. There still remains a good portion of water supply lines constructed from cast iron piping and that piping is beginning to fail all across the greater Yuma area.

Leaking pipes isn’t the only problem that we see with plumbing in Yuma, so here are a few of our “repeat performers” when it comes to plumbing issues in Yuma.

• Leaking faucets
• Clogged drains
• Slow running drains
• Leaking toilets
• Toilets constantly running
• Water pressure issues
• Water heater issues

The number one reason for items on that list is due to aging. Things get old and eventually wear out or totally fail. That is the state of Yuma’s plumbing.

How Does the Water in Yuma Affect Your Plumbing?

In 1995, The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality published a short and sweet report of the quality of the groundwater here in Yuma. Their findings were that this area of the desert southwest contains a high pH level and high mineral content. This leads to corrosion of pipes, eventually eating through them. 

The other things found in the report were the high levels of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCL). Not very good news for the water in Yuma, or the plumbing carrying the water into Yuma. Yes, the water has a rather negative effect on the plumbing in Yuma, and just another solid reason to have a professional plumbing service like us backing you up!

How Much Does Plumbing Usually Cost in Yuma?

When we go out to make a plumbing repair, we are often asked why the labor charges are so high. It’s really easy to explain this. A professional plumber is no different from your doctor or dentist. He or she has put in a lot of both time and money to become a licensed professional plumber, so our labor charges reflect that. There is the educational aspect of being a professional plumber, too. Initial education with follow-up courses and constant recertification are all expensive. Another situation where the labor charges may seem high is when we come out to your home to fix the constantly running toilet and it only takes us 45 minutes to repair. When you see the final bill, you see that you have been charged for 2 hours of labor. Why is that? Most professional plumbers will have in the estimate or quote that you receive stating if the time to repair your plumbing issue is less than 2 hours, you will be charged at least 2 hours for labor. All those plumbing tools that are carried around by those big trucks aren’t cheap either, so your plumber in a sense is trying to recover his investment one plumbing repair at a time.

Now, let’s look at some average costs associated with a Yuma plumbing repair. The following numbers are the average low, high, and price paid for a plumbing repair in the greater Yuma area:

• Average low cost – $95
• Average high cost – $692
• Average price – $393

The following items are included in those averages:

• Average cost to hire a plumber in Yuma in 2021
• Average cost for materials in Yuma
• Average costs associated with site prep and clean-up

The following items, however, are not included in those averages:

• Permit costs associated with Yuma plumbing repair
• Material/supplies state taxes in Arizona
• Material/supplies local sales taxes in Yuma

Now, here are few contributing factors that could cause your plumbing repair costs to be a bit more:

Size of the Project

If you are going to have a main water supply line replaced as opposed to having a couple of leaky faucets repaired, of course, your plumbing repair project is going to cost more. When you buy an old used Volkswagen, it should cost less than a new Cadillac!

Equipment Rental

Is your Yuma plumbing repair project going to require the use of certain machinery that we may not have? In most cases, we will have the equipment we need to get the job done. That being said, there may be times when the use of a certain piece of equipment that we don’t have will be needed. When this happens, expect the rental equipment to be charged to you.

Extra Workers Needed

Those average costs above are labor charges in Yuma for one day. Perhaps your plumbing repair project is going to be a bit more involved and requires a few more people, which will cost you a bit more money.

Can Better Plumbing Save You Money in Yuma?

Have you ever had a car that was constantly needing repair? And sooner or later did you finally give in and buy a better car that was more reliable? The same goes for your plumbing. If we come out to your home 5 or 6 times per year to repair a leaking water pipe in your yard, wouldn’t it make more sense to replace the line to prevent any future costs associated with repairing it? 

Then there is the issue with getting your plumbing fixtures upgraded. The EPA set in motion a new WaterSense program to help you save money on your water bills each month. By upgrading your plumbing fixtures like your kitchen and bathroom faucets, showerheads, and toilet fill valves to WaterSense products, you could shave 20% of your current monthly water expenses. These products are designed to do their job better with less water. Doing more with less, in a sense. These products are easily identified by the WaterSense logo on the fixture packaging and can be found at most plumbing supply houses, as well as those home improvement big box stores across the nation.

When Should You Call the Water Utility Company in Yuma Vs Hire a Plumber?

If you experience any odd issues with your plumbing such as a loss of water pressure or water supply, check to see if your neighbors are experiencing the same thing. If they are, it is most likely an issue you will need to get in touch with the city’s water utility company for. As a rule of thumb, any issues determined to be after your water meter, going into your home, will be your responsibility, hence one of our professional plumbers can help sort things out. However, if the problem is determined to be before the water meter, the utility company is responsible.

Also, If you need to have any underground pipes or other type utility structures located before you begin tearing into your yard, then you can have the City of Yuma’s water/sewer department come out and show you where those lines are and properly mark the ground so you or your plumber don’t bring any harm to them.

When Do You Need Permits for Plumbing Service in Yuma?

Most professional plumbers like us work hand-in-hand with local water utility companies and if we need the City for anything, we will contact them and their services will be seamless with those of ours. If you want to speed up the permit application process, go ahead and print out a copy of the Application for Permit on the City of Yuma’s website and fill out the places that require your information as the property owner. We can then fill out our part and get the application filed and ready for the City of Yuma to do their part in the application for the permit process.

There are certain plumbing repairs that require you to first apply for, then purchase a permit from the City of Yuma. The larger and more involved plumbing repair projects will require you, or us on your behalf, to obtain the permits once the application has been approved. A good rule of thumb is that if there is going to be any ground broken to facilitate this plumbing repair project, then you will most likely need to go through the permitting process. If you are concerned about the costs of the permits required, refer to this handy guide from the City of Yuma.

If your plumbing repair project is upgrading those fixtures we discussed earlier, they can be installed by the average DIY person without the use of any permits. Small plumbing repairs don’t require the application and permitting process and don’t necessarily have to be completed by one of our professional plumbers. Just remember that the bigger the project is, the bigger the need for a permit.