Contents (Click To Jump)
- 1 What Are the Most Common Plumbing Problems In Boise?
- 2 How Does The Water In Boise Affect Your Plumbing?
- 3 How Much Does Plumbing Usually Cost in Boise?
- 4 Can Better Plumbing Save You Money In Boise?
- 5 When Should You Call The Water Utility Company In Boise Vs Hiring a Plumber?
- 6 When Do You Need Permits For Plumbing Service in Boise?
What Are the Most Common Plumbing Problems In Boise?
You love your Boise home. After all, it’s in a great city, with all the amenities you need and want. Your home is a huge investment, so you do your best to keep up with home maintenance, and you follow a strict schedule for taking care of maintenance issues. That includes having your plumbing regularly inspected by a licensed plumber like us. Even so, unexpected plumbing issues can creep up on you without warning. When any of the following problems arise in your Boise home, rely on the services of a professional plumber like Mr Blue Plumbing.
Low Water Pressure
If you’re experiencing low water pressure in Boise in a shower or sink, it may be an isolated issue. Soak the showerhead in vinegar or clean the sink faucet screen and try again. If the problem persists, you’ll need a licensed Boise plumber like us to find the source of the water restrictions and to make repairs.
Leaking Faucets
The constant drip of a leaking faucet or showerhead is utterly maddening, but that’s only half of it. Leaking faucets waste water and can cause issues with excess moisture building up in your home, especially during the winter, when Boise’s humidity jumps. Putting off repairs on a leaky faucet only makes the problem worse over time, so don’t wait, call us right away.
Constantly Running Toilet
When you flush the toilet, it should empty the bowl, refill it and stop running. If your toilet continues to run, you’ve got an issue that needs to be addressed quickly. Otherwise, when you get your monthly bill from your Boise water utility company, it’s going to be substantially higher than it should be.
Slow or Clogged Drains
One of the most common plumbing problems Boise homeowners face is a slow or clogged drain. Hair, grease, food, paper products, and foreign objects can restrict or even stop the water from flowing down the drain, creating a messy situation. Be very careful about what and how much you rinse down the drain.
Clogged Sewer Pipes
There are a number of things that can affect the flow of water through your sewer pipes. As with the drains in your home, excess grease, food particles, hair, soap, and paper products can cause clogs. More often, tree roots invade the pipes. If this is happening in your Boise home, the only course of action is to call a licensed plumber like us to fix it.
How Does The Water In Boise Affect Your Plumbing?
You may not realize it, but Boise water can contribute to plumbing problems. The reason is that there are high levels of dissolved minerals like magnesium and calcium found in it. On average, Boise water contains 108 PPM, which is hard, according to the USGS water hardness scale. Hard water can cause a variety of problems for your home and family, including:
- Mineral Buildup in Faucets
- Deposits in Your Water Heater
- Corrosion of Pipes and Fixtures
- Clogs and Restrictions
- Dishwasher and Washing Machine Problems
- Stained Clothing
- Spotted Dishes
- Stains in Tubs and Sinks
- Skin and Hair Issues
How Much Does Plumbing Usually Cost in Boise?
Calling us can be stressful, especially if you’re worried about the cost. The truth is, addressing plumbing problems sooner rather than later is more cost effective. If you’re concerned about how much plumbing services cost in Boise, keep these things in mind:
Labor Costs
In most cases, the cost of labor is the biggest expense when it comes to plumbing. We are highly-trained professionals, and our rates reflect our professional prowess. That said, the average cost per hour for hiring us ranges anywhere from $45 to $200. The majority of this cost is wrapped up in labor and the apprentices that are working for us. Our average salary in Idaho is somewhere around $54,000 a year, which accounts for our education, training, and experience.
Scope of the Work
Another huge factor in plumbing costs is how much work needs to be done or the scope of the job. Smaller jobs like repairing leaking faucets or replacing fixtures are less costly than replacing all the pipes in your home. Likewise, if you need extensive work to repair or replace your sewer lines, you’ll pay a higher price. You can minimize these costs by taking proper care of your plumbing and having regular inspections.
Parts and Materials
Finally, a few things that will affect your plumbing repair bill are the parts and materials. Some plumbing repair jobs can be completed using standard parts and materials, which keeps the costs relatively low. However, specialty or hard-to-find parts can add a substantial amount to the cost of repairs. For example, high-end, brand-name faucets are usually quite expensive, which is passed on to you in the final costs.
When You Call for Help
Not all plumbing problems happen during regular business hours. If your plumbing problem is an emergency, and it happens after hours, during a weekend, or on a holiday, you may pay a premium for plumbing services. However, the additional cost is often offset by avoiding additional damage to your home by acting quickly.
Can Better Plumbing Save You Money In Boise?
Everything you do to maintain your Boise home helps to save you money in one way or another, and plumbing is no different. Keeping your plumbing in good working order by having it regularly inspected and repaired by a licensed plumber like us helps minimize emergency repairs. Better plumbing also eliminates other expenses such as increased water usage due to leaking or dripping faucets.
According to the EPA, the average family spends $1,100 a year for water. If you ask us to install WaterSense-labeled fixtures and Energy Star appliances, that can be reduced by as much as $350. You may also qualify for rebates and tax incentives if you install these water-saving devices. Plus, these water efficiency upgrades can help reduce the need for water treatments and updated delivery systems.
When Should You Call The Water Utility Company In Boise Vs Hiring a Plumber?
If you’re experiencing a problem with the plumbing in your Boise home, you want it taken care of right away, so you and your family can get back to living. When is it best to call your water utility company and when are our services in order?
When to Call the Water Utility Company?
The water utility company will only take responsibility for a plumbing issue that is outside of your home, on their side of the meter. Anytime you suspect the issue isn’t in your home, make the call to your water utility company. They’ll respond immediately, and you can rest assured that they have the tools, equipment, and crew to quickly remedy such problems. Call your Boise water utility company if:
- You have no water coming into your home.
- Your neighbors are also experiencing problems.
- There is a water main break in the street that’s causing flooding.
- You notice a sudden spike in your water bill but cannot find a leak.
- You need to have your water bill adjusted due to an undetected leak.
When to Call Us?
If you’re having any plumbing problems on your side of the water meter that is in your home or one of your outdoor faucets, it’s time to give us a call. You can expect us to help you with things like:
- Slow or clogged sinks in your bathroom and kitchen.
- Slow or clogged shower and tub drains.
- Backed up or heavily clogged toilets.
- Dripping and leaking faucets.
- Leaking water pipes inside your home.
- Low water flow issues.
- Hard water problems like buildup and stained clothing.
- Frozen water pipes in your basement, crawlspace, or garage.
You’ll also want to call us to have fixtures such as faucets, toilets, and showerheads replaced. We will recommend the best products for your home and your needs. We will remove the old fixtures and install the new ones, ensuring there are no leaks for worry-free plumbing in your home for years to come.
You can be assured that we can take care of any problem with ease. Usually, we will replace parts, repair breaks, and resolve your plumbing issues in a single visit.
What To Expect from Mr Blue Plumbing During Service Calls?
When you call us to help with your Boise plumbing issues, you can guarantee that we’ll arrive in a professional repair truck, ready to get to work. We are all highly-trained, licensed professionals who truly care about you and your family’s safety and comfort.
When Do You Need Permits For Plumbing Service in Boise?
The short answer is that you may need to purchase a permit for plumbing service in the City of Boise. A permit grants permission for an individual or company to perform plumbing services. When a permit is granted, it is given a unique document number which is used to identify the project, as well as to schedule inspections and approval of the work. You’ll need a permit to:
- Repair, replace, relocate, or add to the plumbing system inside your home.
- Install new plumbing fixtures including toilets, sinks, showers, tubs, and appliances like dishwashers.
- Install a new water heater or replace your existing water heater.
- Replace existing fixtures, if the job involves dealing with concealed plumbing.
- Replumb your home’s pipes.
In Boise, if you wish to obtain a permit for plumbing, remember:
- If you intend to do the work yourself, you must be the owner of the property at the time of the application, and you have to personally perform all the work. As a homeowner, you are not required to be licensed for this work. This applies to primary or secondary residences, but does not apply to rental homes you own because they are considered business property.
- When you hire a professional plumbing company like Mr Blue Plumbing, we are a contractor, and we must obtain permits in our own name, not yours. Be aware that you are responsible for making sure that any plumber like us that you hire is properly licensed with the Division of Building Safety.
If you start work on your own plumbing after obtaining the proper permits and you decide you cannot finish the work on your own, you can certainly call us. But do keep in mind that the we cannot, by law, complete the work under your name or permit. We must obtain a proper permit on our own.