AFFORDABLE PLUMBING SERVICE IN Myrtle Beach, SC

What Are the Most Common Plumbing Issues in Myrtle Beach?

While you can call a plumber for a number of issues, one of the most common calls that we get most often is low water pressure. Homeowners may have experienced standard water pressure prior to calling or began to notice the water pressure decline in the home. Everything from the faucets and showers inside the home to outdoor faucets will reflect the same decreased water pressure. 

Depending on which water supplier your residence is with, the issue could be with their system. For those residents living just outside of Myrtle Beach, your water supplier may be Grand Strand Water & Sewer Authority. If you are in the city limits, your water is provided by the City of Myrtle Beach’s Public Works Department. At the first sign of issues with the water, residents may start panicking and switching main water valves off and on, unaware of the work happening around them. Attempting to switch these valves will not help with the problem if the issue is with the supplier.

Sometimes, residents find themselves to be the only ones with decreased water pressure. This means that the issue is related to your property, and not the water supplier. At this point, it is time to investigate your home further for the source of the problem, if you are able to locate it.

Leaks are another common plumbing issue that residents in Myrtle Beach experience regularly. If the leak is visible, residents will call because it is dripping from a visible pipe or faucet in or around the home. In the Carolina Forest area of Myrtle Beach, most of the homes are newer construction. Leaks are becoming more common as some communities in this area get older and more maintenance is required. Unfortunately, some leaks are not as visible and are found after about a month or so when the water bill comes in and is significantly higher than before. At this time, the leak could be coming from beneath your home, or located in the interior piping. It is important to have these leaks controlled quickly as they can do more damage than raise your water bill. They can cause structural damage that is much more expensive. 

These leaks are sometimes related to the piping. For older homes, the water lines may need to be updated and pipes replaced with new ones that will prevent leaks from happening. Many homes in the heart of Myrtle Beach around the Myrtle Beach International Airport have more issues with interior leaks due to their aged piping. These homes were built over half a century ago and require more in-depth maintenance than others. There are a few signs of leaks that you can see, such as your faucet dripping when it is turned off completely or your toilet continuing to run water for long periods of time. 

How Does the Water in Myrtle Beach Affect Your Plumbing?

With Myrtle Beach being a coastal town, there is a lot of salt that is filtered into the water suppliers in Horry County from the environment. The potential for corrosion in water systems is higher than in inland towns simply because of the salt and oxygen content that is consistently circulating through the water system. To be clear, ocean water is not filtering through the system, but the ocean water does impact the air and local environment, which further irritates the plumbing system. With corrosion in many of the plumbing lines, the chances for leaks in the area are higher than those service areas further away from the ocean. 

How Much Does Plumbing Usually Cost in Myrtle Beach?

The cost of plumbing in Myrtle Beach is not a simple rate, because there are several factors that impact what you are charged as a customer from your plumber. Some services may cost only $100 for simple fixes, and others could be hundreds more. The average family in Myrtle Beach paid approximately $490 to $500 per plumbing service. In many cases, residents do not know they need plumbing services until t is too late. Some start to see signs and call ahead to make an appointment. What many customers are finding is that there are a number of cost factors that determine your plumbing bill and what you will pay at the time of the service. 

Services Required

When you contact a plumber for service, the type of service you request is the first step in determining cost. Whether you are scheduling service during regular business hours or need emergency service after hours, the rates will be different depending completely on the clock. Calls made as an emergency and made after hours often have a higher rate to cover the cost of overtime. For bigger services, such as the replacement of your water heater, you can schedule that service with us so that we are able to retrieve the required materials needed for the job and plan ahead for the time needed for the project. 

Required Materials

Depending on what is wrong with your plumbing system will determine the type of materials required for the service. Not all services require the same materials and may require parts to be ordered in for some larger services. While most common issues and the parts needed to fix them are readily available, larger services like septic system replacements and water heaters need to be ordered to fit the size required for your home and property. The cost of materials is factored into the overall bill for your plumbing service. You want to get the best quality materials for your service so that you are not experiencing this problem again soon. 

Labor

Unfortunately, not all plumbing emergencies are the same. Depending on how severe your problem is and what needs to be done, the labor required for your service could take 1 hour, or it could take up to 4 hours. With labor rates based on the hour, you will need to prepare to cover the cost of labor for the service. 

Additional Permits 

Depending on the severity of the issue, your plumber may need to require certain permits before they move forward with the service. Through the City of Myrtle Beach’s website, plumbers will have to request and purchase the permits as they relate to the services being rendered. These are often required for larger services where major repair and construction are required. 

Can Better Plumbing Save You Money in Myrtle Beach?

Quality plumbing in Myrtle Beach is essential to how much money you will spend over time and help with costs. While the initial services may seem like you are forking out a lot of dough, the long-term effect of quality services are substantial to the maintenance and care of your property. With water being a crucial utility for the residents of Myrtle Beach, having an affordable bill each month is essential. So many homes in the area are vacation homes, so plumbing maintenance is required to maintain the homes’ structure and overall water quality. Water faucets are indoor and outdoor in these homes, especially oceanfront properties that require water for rinsing off after a trip to the beach and spraying off beach accessories. Having to add constant plumbing costs to other maintenance and repair costs is not ideal. It could impact returning guests to the property and unsavory reviews due to plumbing.

Patching leaks in your plumbing and not solving the problem will cause the water to leak in another location. Since many homes in this area are built on a cement slab as a foundation without a basement or a crawl space, this means that leaks will start to appear in the walls of the home. If the leak proceeds long enough, the damage could require repairs to walls, flooring, and other expensive areas of the home.

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

Plumbing leaks can be tricky, and making the call between the water utility company and the plumber can be a bit blurry for some residents. Before you determine who you need for service, you need to know why you think there is a leak. The following are reasons for leaks that you cannot see and may mean that there is a problem with your plumbing. 

• An unexpectedly high water bill that reflects a larger amount of water being used
• Gradually higher water bill over the course of several months
• Discolored water coming from the faucets
• Unexplained puddles of water around the foundation of your home
• Water pressure changes from high to low
• Signs of water damage through the home

Any leaks you notice coming from pipes that are owned or directly connected with your water supplier should warrant a call to their service department so that their technicians can come out and inspect the damage. Some permits and services are required to be conducted by these individuals and must be obtained at their level. Also, the damage could be affecting neighbors and others in the nearby community. 

If at any point you are not sure, but want a professional opinion, you can schedule an appointment with us to come out and determine where the issue is located. We can also determine whether the water company needs to be notified. If we are not able to move forward without the assistance of the water company, they will let you know and work with them to schedule a time to work together on issues that may involve both parties to be solved. 

When Do You Need Permits for Plumbing Service in Myrtle Beach?

There are a few situations and services that require your plumber to obtain a permit for service in Myrtle Beach. One of the most common situations is when the labor and materials on the service exceed $1,000 alone. That means that just that portion of the bill is more than that amount and not the total of the service bill. 

Another one of the more common permit requests is for either placing a new septic system on the property or replacing it with a new one. Having to remove, replace, or even put down a new septic tank requires an extensive amount of construction to your property, not to mention the cost of labor. Before this service can be started, permits must be applied for and granted to the plumbers completing the work. 

If you need to have a water heater installed or an old one replaced, a permit for this service is also required in Myrtle Beach. The majority of these permits are granted for new residents that are being built and often obtained at the same time as the permit for the septic system.