AFFORDABLE PLUMBING SERVICE IN Bend, OR

What Are the Most Common Plumbing Issues in Bend?

Bend’s location on the eastern edge of the Cascades mountain range, just under the volcanic peaks of the Three Sisters, and with the Deschutes River running through it, makes for a perfect holiday destination for many tourists. With over 300 days of sunshine a year, you would be mistaken to think the city doesn’t experience plumbing problems.

Common plumbing problems in Bend include the following:

• Clogged drains, especially during the rainy season when floodwaters hurl all sorts of things into the drains
• Weak water pressure caused by clogged drains, water leaks, or a water shutoff valve not fully open
• Old piping materials, which often break causing leakages
• Broken or unsafe water heaters
• Leaking, dripping, or sputtering faucets

 Some of these plumbing issues may not be so obvious and may escape your scrutiny. But our experienced professionals won’t miss anything during our inspections. For example, you may not tell if the low water pressure is a result of leaking pipes, especially in older buildings, such as those between the Old Mill District and Downtown Bend. A look at your past water bills may also tell us you are paying more than you use in your home, a clear sign of water leakages from the piping.

How Does the Water In Bend Affect Your Plumbing?

Bend boasts of award-winning tap water that rivals premium bottled water, but at a fraction of the price of bottled water. The city gets its water from two sources: groundwater pumped from the Regional Aquifer, and surface water from the Municipal Watershed.

The water is treated by membrane filtration to remove microbes and other organic material, and disinfection to remove any illnesses caused by some bacteria and protozoa. Water treatment takes place at the Outback Water Filtration Facility.

Water “Hardness”

Bend city water sources have a hardness ranging from 0.99 to 1.46 grains of hardness per gallon. The US Department of the Interior and the Water Quality Association classifies this hardness range under soft to slightly hard.

The slightly hard water in Bend may have no effect on plumbing in the short run. But with time, you may begin to notice that its effects go beyond the difficulty you may face cleaning your hair or washing your dishes. It may lead to the buildup of limescale which may clog pipes, and showerheads, and may break coffee makers.

How Much Does Plumbing Usually Cost in Bend?

When our plumber arrives at your facility, the first thing you will want to know is how much they will charge for the repairs. But you may never be able to accurately judge the cost of the repairs until our expert shows up, assesses the damages, and puts a cost on the repair work.

Generally, plumbing repairs cost a total of around $400 in Bend. While every job may be different, depending on the complexity, materials and labor, and external factors, knowing these figures may help calm your nerves when contemplating calling for repairs.

Cost Factor: Nature of Repairs

Some repairs require very little plumbing work, while others may stretch out your patience to the limits. A dripping water tap may only require tightening or replacing straight away, and it would take longer. But a leaking pipe may take longer to fix because our plumber has to locate the crack, which may be buried under the ground.

Such repairs can be time-consuming and require a technical approach to solve. This may bump up the cost of plumbing and labor. And if it’s an emergency, prepare to pay even more depending on the time of day you need the repairs. You may want to wait until the following day to call in our plumber, but some situations just can’t wait such as a broken bathroom pipe gushing out lots of water onto the floor.

Cost Factor: Materials and Labor Needed

One challenge facing our plumbers is that they have no idea what to expect until they have inspected the problem. Not all buildings have standard pipe layouts: some still feature a huge pipeline snaking around a load-bearing wall. This is often the case for older homes or historical buildings established before the advent of modern building codes. You may never know what the materials will cost you until you have a grasp of what needs replacement.

Cost Factor: External Factors

The forces of supply and demand may have a huge impact on the cost of plumbing, especially in Bend. During the rainy season, the plumbing in most homes experiences lots of pressure due to the effect of too much water flowing around, pushing up the demand for plumbing services. There are also cases of water shortages that increase your utility bills, but you can find the best way to optimize your water use to combat this challenge.

Can Better Plumbing Save You Money in Bend?

Better plumbing will certainly save you money regardless of where you are. This means that you need to hire our qualified plumbers to do a general inspection of your plumbing periodically to determine its state. Proactive inspections can prevent a minor problem from escalating into a major disaster.

The rule of thumb for people in Bend is to hope for the best but prepare for the worst. Whether you have been here for all your life, or just moved here a couple of weeks ago, you need to be ready for eventualities. To be on the safe side, you should know the state of your home plumbing. Be on the lookout for some tell-tale signs, such as the following:

• Leaking or dripping taps or faucets
• Low water pressure
• Flooded bathroom floor
• Spurting faucets or taps
• Abnormal utility bills

Spotting these abnormalities beforehand can save you lots of money. Repairing a minor fault, such as a dripping tap, will save thousands of dollars because you will have forestalled a major problem with your water and utility bills. Calling us for inspections once in while would be a small sacrifice to make to sleep peacefully with the knowledge that nothing which could be prevented may happen in the dead of the night.

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

It’s important to note that some problems may be beyond our plumbers, and may require the City of Bend Water to intervene. For example, our plumber won’t be of much help if the water main breaks or fails. But other issues won’t be as obvious as a flooded section of the road resulting from a broken pipe underneath.

Water Loss or Low Pressure

If you experience water loss or loss of water pressure in your home, don’t be quick to call us or Bend Water. You need to check if the problem is unique to your home or is affecting your neighbors, as well. If your neighbors have the same problem, it would be wise to call the City of Bend water. But if you notice that there’s water gushing from an intake line, or your basement has begun to flood, call us immediately.

Water Leaks

As for water leaks, our plumbers will most certainly be in a position to handle them. Our professionals have tools to help them locate trouble spots in your piping, and will definitely find it if it’s within your home. If they don’t, the leakage is an external problem that would require the help of Bend Water officials.

You will most likely locate leakage in your home, even before our plumber arrives. But you have to know where to look. Common and potential culprits include water taps, faucets, bathrooms, and – the ceiling. If your ceiling begins to develop weird-looking maps of strange planets, either your roof is giving in, or some piping has cracks.

A regular check on your utility bills may also help you spot anomalies. Your habits haven’t changed, but your water and energy bills keep rising month in, month out. You could be losing lots of water through underground leakages, or there could be problems with your HVAC systems. If the problem lies with the HVAC systems, call a qualified technician to sniff the problem out, and determine whether it needs repairs or a complete replacement.

When Do You Need Permits for Plumbing Service in Bend?

Without permits, it would be difficult for governments to ensure the quality of homes and structures. Permits are a sure way of ensuring building codes are followed to the letter. Governments design building codes carefully to maximize your safety in your home, and among neighbors.

But you may not know when you need a permit for plumbing services in Bend because documentation is a rather confusing topic to the layperson. However, you would have nothing to worry about if you engage experienced and professional plumbers, such as Mr Blue Plumbing.

Generally, Bend ordinances need you to have permits for nearly all your plumbing projects that require installing, replacing, or rearranging pipes or fixtures. These plumbing projects in Bend require permits:

• Replacing water heaters or underground piping
• Altering the piping in walls, ceilings, or beneath floors
• Installing plumbing fixtures where none existed previously
• Making emergency repairs or alterations on a section of pipe, five feet or longer

You won’t need a permit if you just want to replace a hose bib, resurface shower walls, or replace a sink, faucet, or toilet not concealed in the walls. But there are many plumbing jobs, some minor, and you may not be too sure if any one of them requires a permit. Our professional experienced plumbers will take away your worries since they are already familiar with Bend laws and regulations.

We hope to make your experience better by providing excellent plumbing services in Bend. There is lots of information available on plumbing regulations and licensing in Bend, Oregon, but it can be more confusing especially if you don’t have the patience to read through long texts and codes. Just remember to have all your plumbing inspections and repairs in the hands of our reputable, experienced, and professional plumbers.