AFFORDABLE PLUMBING SERVICE IN Jersey City, NJ

What Are the Most Common Plumbing Issues in Jersey City?

Jersey City residents face a variety of plumbing emergencies that have to do with location, age of pipes, weather, and lack of proper maintenance.

Frozen Pipes

One of the most common plumbing issues property owners in Jersey City face is frozen pipes. In the winter, temperatures in Jersey City can drop below 20°F. When temperatures are low, water starts freezing inside the pipes, causing them to burst. This usually happens with water supply pipes that are located in unheated interior spaces like attics, garages, and basements.

When a pipe bursts, the problem needs to be fixed immediately. As the water starts flowing out of the damaged pipe, a property owner can lose thousands of dollars. That’s why it’s imperative to take preventive measures to keep pipes from freezing.

No matter how hard you try to keep pipes warm, accidents happen. When a pipe bursts, immediate assistance isn’t just vital to the safety of your house. It can help you avoid significant expenses.

If you see that your pipes are starting to freeze, call us immediately. Timely assistance can keep them from bursting. If the pipe already burst, we can provide emergency plumbing services as quickly as possible.

Tree Roots

Jersey City property owners often don’t pay enough attention to the root systems of their trees. Some trees native to the area can grow extremely long roots, which make their way into the sewer pipes, looking for water.

A tree root enters a pipe through a tiny crack, expanding it as it goes. Eventually, the sewer gets clogged, causing a variety of unpleasant issues for a homeowner. We can remove tree roots from your sewage system in several ways without replacing it entirely.

Our team can diagnose the problem and help you conquer it with minimal losses. By repairing or replacing sewer pipes properly, you can avoid this unpleasant issue in the future.

Bathroom Clogs

Bathroom clogs seem like a minor nuisance, but they can turn your life into a nightmare. While many property owners try to remove clogs on their own, only a few of them succeed. In fact, by using DIY advice from the internet and stuffing baking soda, vinegar, and hangars down the drain, it’s easy to do more harm than good. Even if you succeed by removing part of the blockage, it’s likely to return in the nearest future.

Greasy food, hair, mineral buildup, small objects, toilet paper buildup…the list goes on and on. Additionally, Jersey City’s hard water leaves mineral deposits that can contribute to the problem. Our team has extensive experience removing all types of clogs to help you avoid unpleasant odors, broken pipes, corrosion, flooding, and even sewage backup.

Leaky Faucets

Another common issue Jersey City residents complain about is leaky faucets. While it may seem like a minor problem, a leaky faucet can lead to serious issues like mold formation. By fixing the faucet timely, you can avoid unexpected expenses and keep your health in top shape. Faucets in the area generally get damaged by the minerals suspended in Jersey City’s hard water. Over time, water pressure can increase and further damage the fixtures in your home.

The worst thing a property owner in Jersey City can do when faced with the above-mentioned problems is to wait for them to disappear on their own.

Plumbing is like dental work. If you endure tooth pain hoping that it will go away, it’s likely to turn into a serious problem with costly consequences. By ignoring a seemingly minor plumbing issue, you could be setting yourself up for major expenses.

How Does the Water in Jersey City Affect Your Plumbing?

While water in some New Jersey cities is very hard, Jersey City has only moderately hard water. Water hardness is expressed as the number of parts per million (ppm) of calcium carbonate present in the water sample, Jersey City’s water hardness is 79 ppm. In comparison, Trenton’s water hardness is 222 ppm.

Even at a moderate level, water hardness can become an issue for your plumbing. Besides creating an unpleasant buildup around your faucets, tubs, and sinks, minerals in hard water build up inside your pipes, fixtures, and appliances. Since property owners can’t see this buildup, they usually don’t know about the problem.

With time, hard water can start causing a variety of plumbing issues including reduced water flow, clogs, pressure on pipes, and more. Over time, it leads to less efficient plumbing and frequent repairs.

If you notice white scale buildup on your plumbing fixtures, plumbing issues could be just around the corner. Our team can evaluate the mineral buildup situation in your home or building. With proper maintenance, it’s possible to avoid costly repairs.

It’s important to keep in mind that while water can affect your plumbing, your plumbing can affect water quality as well. For example, galvanized plumbing with copper pipes can increase the lead content in your water. By checking your plumbing timely, you can locate and eliminate lead sources before they threaten your health.

How Much Does Plumbing Usually Cost in Jersey City?

The cost of a plumbing project in Jersey City can vary from $100 to $700 and beyond but averages around $425. Since plumbing tasks differ greatly, so does the price. The complexity of the project, the cost of materials, and hourly vs fixed rates can affect plumbing costs. Let’s take a look at the key cost factors.

The Complexity of Your Project

The complexity of plumbing projects varies tremendously. It may take one of our experts several minutes to fix a leaky faucet or unclog your drain. Meanwhile, it could take a team of our professionals several hours to eliminate the consequences of a burst pipe or to replace a water heater.

For example, a toilet installation in Jersey City costs between $350 and $550. Meanwhile, fixing a leaky faucet will cost you between $100 and $200. Depending on the work you need to get done, our plumbers can charge either a fixed or an hourly fee. For small projects, there is always a minimum service call-out fee involved.

Emergencies

More often than not, you need to fix a burst pipe, deal with a leaky water heater, or repair a blocked sewer line as quickly as possible. When you need our plumber to arrive ASAP, you can expect to pay an emergency call-out fee.

Plumbing emergencies can’t wait. Unfortunately, they tend to happen at night or on weekends. Don’t worry. Our plumbers are available 24/7/365. Don’t wait until the morning to repair an emergency plumbing issue. The longer you wait, the more expenses you could incur in the future.

Materials

While our plumbers need a wrench and a couple of minutes to fix a leaky faucet, complex projects may require spare parts and other materials. The cost of these materials affects the final plumbing bill.

Some property owners choose to buy materials themselves. In this case, the plumbing bill will only include labor expenses. It’s usually more convenient and less expensive to ask our plumber to choose the materials. Our team works with different suppliers, who offer excellent wholesale prices on spare parts.

At MrBluePlumbing, we are always ready to give you a quick and accurate estimate to simplify your plumbing project planning.

Can Better Plumbing Save You Money in Jersey City?

Better plumbing can definitely save you money in Jersey City. The right approach to repair and maintenance can help you forget about plumbing emergencies.

Remember, not all plumbing problems are obvious. Some of them develop slowly. By the time you see the problem, it can be too late to repair it. In the best case, you’d need to replace a fixture. In the worst case, you could lose thousands of dollars due to a burst pipe.

That’s why it’s imperative to take advantage of high-quality plumbing services from the start.

• If you’ve just purchased a home or a property, a simple plumbing evaluation from our team can save you a significant amount of money.
  
• Timely plumbing advice from us could help you save money on new appliances.
  
• Knowing whom to call in an emergency can prevent a plumbing disaster.
  
• Using high-quality materials can help your plumbing last for years.

Jersey City’s hard water problem requires close attention. Better plumbing can help you save money on new pipes, fixtures, and appliances.

When Should You Call the Water Utility Company in Jersey City vs Hire a Plumber?

You should call the water utility company (JCMUA) if a problem occurs outside your property. To figure out where the problem occurred, you can simply call your neighbors. If they are experiencing a water issue as well, then the city is responsible.

When it comes to sewers, the city is generally responsible for problems with the public sewer main. However, upper and lower lateral pipes are your responsibility.

If you aren’t sure whose responsibility the plumbing issue is, you can call us for an evaluation. Our team can come to the site, assess the situation, and give you a clear answer about who is responsible.

When Do You Need Permits for Plumbing Service in Jersey City?

If you need to do minor plumbing repairs or tasks like faucet replacement, you don’t need a permit. However, to stay compliant with the Jersey City laws, you need to obtain a permit if you are planning major changes to your property’s plumbing system (e.g., moving or adding pipes). This includes plumbing work, which is done when constructing or remodeling a house or a building.

Minor projects like installing toilets, replacing existing sinks, pipe repair, and faucet replacement don’t require a permit.

Homeowners are responsible for obtaining permits, but our team can file for them for you. You can find more information on the New Jersey Council of Master Plumbers Inc. website.