AFFORDABLE PLUMBING SERVICE IN Queens, NY

What Are the Most Common Plumbing Issues in Queens?

Running into plumbing issues is part of owning property. Whether it’s a brand-new home or an older building, you’re likely to experience a common plumbing issue at some point. Many of the pipes are 66 years old or older in Queens, meaning we should expect plumbing issues. Fortunately, problems with plumbing in Queens commonly only require quick and simple repairs. In many situations in the city, you’re likely looking at issues such as leaking pipes or worn-out material. 

Leaking Pipes 

Pipes tend to get old, and just like bones, they can become brittle with age. From corrosion to material simply wearing out, leaking pipes are one of the most commonly found issues in plumbing. Another common culprit behind leaking pipes are seals slipping loose or degrading over time. Leaks aren’t an issue to panic over most of the time, but if you notice water pooling around an appliance, you may want to reach out to our plumbers to ensure that the issue isn’t bigger than expected.

Clogged Drains

Hair, shampoo, grease, dirt, skin flakes, and all kinds of soaps are common reasons you may be dealing with a clogged drain. Over time, these items accumulate and can cause water to back up in your pipes. Clogs can lead to drainage taking longer to go down as well as coming back up. While this issue can be a scary and unwanted experience, it’s usually relatively easy to fix. 

Low Water Pressure

Frequently caused by clogged pipes, low water pressure is when any disruption in water flow occurs. Often this can happen if pipes are rusted and corroded. Additionally, faulty fixtures can reduce water pressure, which you can see in showerheads or faucets over time. Other causes of low water pressure include closed valves, too high of a demand for water at once, and a broken pressure regulator, which helps maintain and stabilize water levels.

Faulty Water Heater

Experiencing a lack of hot water isn’t the only concern you may run into with your water heater, but it can be a sign that sediment has built up from the relatively hard water in Queens and is making your tank work harder to heat water. Sediment build-up can lead to your tank beginning to leak or eventually cause it to stop working altogether. Other signs that your water heater is failing may be cloudy or funky-smelling water from mineral deposits and can lead to clogged pipes. If you hear popping or rumbling noises, this could signify that your water heater is about to stop working from sediment build up. 

Broken or Worn Valves or Fittings

Occasionally, fittings come loose or stripped, and when this happens, you’ll typically begin to notice water pooling around things like your washer and dryer or your sinks. Loose or stripped fittings are nothing to panic about, and you can usually resolve this by replacing a few minor parts. Valves are similar in the fact that they wear out over time and can become loose or break. More common, valves will become rusted or corroded over time and may be difficult to cut off or move at all. 

Suppose at any time you believe you have a plumbing leak caused by any of the above. In that case, it’s time to call our plumbers and have them do a quick inspection to ensure that your potential plumbing issue doesn’t turn into a significant and unexpected problem, such as a flooded room. Not only will this save you time and money, but it can help prevent hazardous issues from arising. 

How Does the Water in Queens Affect Your Plumbing?

Depending on the plumbing specific to your home, how old it is, and what exactly is in the water in your Queens home, you may want to have a water main assessment done if you can. This is because Queens is known for having high lead levels in the water. High levels of lead in the water can be hazardous if consumed and cause vomiting, fatigue, and other health concerns. 

Water in Queens that’s heavy with lead can be damaging to the pipes it flows through. Many old lines are made with lead pipes, which is part of why lead poisoning is a concern in the city, but when time passes, you may have plumbing that’s deteriorated from the high percentages of lead passing through. 

How Much Does Plumbing Usually Cost in Queens?

Plumbing repairs vary in cost depending on the type of repair. More extensive, more complex repairs will cost more than fixing a few valves or brackets. Additionally, our plumbers typically charge for materials and by the hour. Plumbing repairs are very distinctive in how they’re quoted compared to other household repairs, so longer repairs mean a higher price.

When getting a quote to resolve any plumbing issues you may be dealing with, you can expect our pricing to include labor, materials and equipment, and average project costs such as machinery and cleanup fees. Our plumbers will usually not include permits and application fees. 

Sewer issues are usually one of the highest costs for plumbing repairs due to typically having to pump septic tanks. However, since most of Queens relies on public sewage, you more than likely will never have to worry about paying a few thousand dollars to pump one. In Queens, you’re much more likely to have to worry about replacing pipes and having new lines installed. 

Cost Factor: Complexity of Repairs

Clogged drains and easily accessible leaky pipes are lower on the spectrum when it comes to pricing. Whereas replacing a water heater can be pretty costly. The City usually handles water main replacement and is less typical of an issue. Our plumbers will usually charge more for jobs that require more than a couple of hours to fix and need more attention to detail. If you need our plumber to install all new water pipes throughout your home or rush a job, then you’ll have to pay for how critical the job is. 

Cost Factor: Materials and Equipment

Our plumbers can use different types of pipe when making repairs to water lines based on your preferences. The cost of pipe is scaled per square foot on average and varies based on whether it’s copper, PEX, PVC, or another type of material. Additionally, replacing items like faucets, gaskets, valves, pumps, and chemicals and compounds will impact the overall cost for necessary fixes.

Cost Factor: Fees and Inspections

Our plumbers typically don’t include the cost of permit fees in their quotes. You’ll either be paying our plumber an additional charge for the fees, or you’ll be paying the City. In Queens, the City requires inspections upon the completion of any type of plumbing work done. The assessment after completion of plumbing work means you’ll be paying for an appointed and certified inspector to come out and verify that the work meets local guidelines. 

Can Better Plumbing Save You Money in Queens?

Plumbing repairs do cost a bit of money, but letting plumbing issues prolong can cost you even more in the long run. You may not realize that even minor plumbing issues can raise your water bill. Things like low water pressure, clogged drains, and a faulty water heater can cost you hundreds of dollars annually. 

By installing new pipes when needed, servicing drains, and checking for loose or broken valves, you can prevent your monthly bill from gradually increasing. Better plumbing can not only assist in lessening your utility bill, but it can leave you feeling more refreshed when you do daily tasks like taking a shower or washing dishes. 

Plumbing repairs often increase the flow of water, which can help prevent future plumbing issues and keep your water heater from overworking. 

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

Determining whether you have a leak on your end or it’s the City’s issue can be a headache. In Queens, you can usually figure out if it’s a repair you need to handle pretty easily. Leaks and plumbing issues in homes are recognizable through poor drainage, low water pressure, or pooling water. If you notice these occurrences in your home, then you more than likely have a plumbing issue on your hands. In some situations, if you’re renting a place, your lease guarantees that your landlord handles utility issues, and at that point, you can request that they assist in managing things. 

If you begin to notice your water utility bill rising but don’t see any signs of leaks or notice plumbing issues on your end, it can be beneficial to check your meter. If you can turn it off with the shut-off valve, do so and watch to see if the meter continues to run. If it stops, but you still notice water pooling outside your home, it may be time to contact the water utility company. This likely means that there’s a small leak on their end, and they’ll usually give you a one-time credit for charges that you weren’t at fault or responsible for. 

When Do You Need Permits for Plumbing Service in Queens?

New York City strictly follows a plumbing code that regulates the installation, maintenance, repair, modification, extension, or alteration of any waste, domestic water, gas piping, or fire standpipes in any building or piping system throughout the entire city. This code is followed throughout all of Queens and requires that all forms of plumbing work have a permit. 

The City requires that the property owner hire a licensed professional in the state of New York like Mr. Blue Plumbing to file for any permits before beginning work.