AFFORDABLE PLUMBING SERVICE IN San Angelo, TX

What Are the Most Common Plumbing Issues in San Angelo?

Like other cities in West Texas, San Angelo homeowners have to deal with some of the hardest water in the entire country, which can really do a number on our plumbing systems. San Angelo also has those universal plumbing issues that are caused by the wear and tear of daily life. Older plumbing systems that haven’t been maintained do tend to have more problems over time, as the various materials begin breaking down. Once you find you have to keep making the same repairs over and over again, that’s a major red flag that your plumbing could use some updating. Here are a few of the very common issues that we resolve around San Angelo. 

Low Water Pressure

If your shower stream is very weak or you’re struggling to get a full flush on the toilet, your home is dealing with low water pressure. This is not necessarily a problem if it only happens when you have heavy water usage, such as while running the washing machine and the dishwasher at the same time. Your plumbing system can only access so much water at a time, and that’s why you may want to stagger the use of certain appliances. 

We get many calls from homeowners dealing with low water pressure even during moderate use. This can be a sign of a water leak somewhere in your system, especially if your water bill is higher than it reasonably should be. Low water pressure can also be caused by having a significant buildup of hardened minerals in your pipes, which ends up making them much narrower and therefore able to handle less water. This buildup is called mineral scaling, and it happens often in San Angelo because of our extremely hard water. If you don’t have a water softener, or if it’s not working well, these substances will form a hard coating that gets thicker over time and affects the water pressure. 

Clogs and Slow-Running Drains

Clogs are an extremely common issue for kitchen and bathroom drains, which have to handle everything from food remains to hair strands. Most clogs in the area are due, at least in part, to the mineral deposits in your pipes from the city’s hard water. These substances can form gradual blockages and transform into a pretty stubborn obstruction, leaving you with a full sink or tub. Even sluggish drains are a major inconvenience that will slow you down as you go about your day. 

Most commercially available clog removers are both unreliable and potentially damaging to your pipes. At Mr Blue Plumbing, we know how to handle clogs safely and get things flowing again as quickly as possible. If you have clogs regularly, we can also recommend ways to prevent the problem, like adding a stainless steel hair catcher to your shower drain or a water softener. 

Leaky Pipes

This is one of the most significant problems that homeowners face in San Angelo, especially if you have an older home. Leaky pipes will decrease the overall quality of your plumbing, waste an astronomical amount of water, and raise your water bill. If that’s not enough, they also cause serious damage to your home if the leaking water pools in areas under your foundation. In most cases, we would just find the leaks and replace the affected sections with some new piping. If the problem is extremely widespread because your plumbing is just in really bad shape, it sometimes makes more financial sense to replace the entire system. You may also notice leaks from faucets and other fixtures that have been damaged over time by mineral build up from the city’s hard water.

Running Toilets and Leaky Faucets

These types of common plumbing issues are more than just annoying because they waste water and can lead to a serious hike in your water bill. A toilet that runs constantly is a particularly wasteful and expensive problem because it can waste tens of thousands of gallons of water in a single month.

How Does the Water in San Angelo Affect Your Plumbing?

The city sources water from five surface water bodies, including Lake Spence and the OH Ivie Reservoir. This water tends to have flowed through underground bedrock, which is why it naturally contains a lot of dissolved calcium and magnesium. The presence of minerals in San Angelo’s tap water measures at 356 parts per million (ppm), which is considered extremely high. West Texas is known for having extremely hard tap water, but San Angelo is up there, near the top, even for our region. 

Hard water is not harmful to drink, but it’s definitely not great for your plumbing system. The minerals present in hard water can affect the performance of any plumbing appliance over time, but they’re especially harmful to water heaters. As the minerals settle at the bottom, they become a rock-hard layer of sediment. This forces the heating element in the appliance to work harder and harder while producing hot water, which is what causes them to have a shorter working life. We get many service calls to inspect water heaters that are not producing hot water, making some ominous noises, or not functioning consistently. Water softening appliances are essential in San Angelo, but they are very vulnerable to mineral scaling during the process of filtering the hard water.

How Much Does Plumbing Usually Cost in San Angelo?

The cost of hiring our plumbers in San Angelo can vary quite a bit depending on the nature of the project and how long it will take to complete. Homeowners can expect to pay somewhere between $130 and $800, which is already a very large range. You might also be quoted a flat fee for straightforward jobs like repairing a faucet. We’ll be happy to give you some more precise numbers if you let us know about your situation. Take a look at the most important factors that go into your plumbing estimate. 

Complexity of the Job

Certain plumbing jobs are very technical and complex, such as installing a water heater. Leaking pipes are also potentially on the higher end of the range if we’re dealing with a significant number of leaks because accessing your piping, finding the leaks, and then making all the repairs is a time-consuming process. Simple plumbing jobs like removing a clog or repairing a running toilet will cost much less and usually take us less than an hour.

Regular Maintenance Vs Emergency Repairs 

One of the lessons you learn as a homeowner is that it’s always less expensive to take care of any problem early on, before it becomes much worse. Hiring our plumbers for urgent repairs will cost more than calling for basic maintenance, especially once we’re in the territory of a burst pipe or a backed-up sewer. Resolving these serious emergencies can get even more expensive if they happen after regular business hours, when we have to scramble to make sure we can send our experienced plumbers to handle the situation.

Materials Used

Plumbing materials are available in different grades, types, and price points. There are certain plumbing projects where the materials you choose will make a pretty significant difference on your final bill. For example, copper pipes cost a lot more than PVC pipes, and certain high-end plumbing fixtures cost more than their standard counterparts. There are tradeoffs to be made when it comes to both the functionality and durability of different materials. We will work with you to figure out the best solution for both your budget and your plumbing needs. 

Can Better Plumbing Save You Money in San Angelo?

Yes, in so many ways. For example, the preventative maintenance that keeps your plumbing system in good shape is always well worth the investment. Similarly, if you keep hiring our plumbers for a recurrent problem, it’s better to try to find a more permanent solution by resolving the underlying issue. Better plumbing is more reliable, and that can save you a lot of headaches and a lot of money.

Plumbing upgrades that improve your home’s efficiency can help to substantially lower your water and energy bills. This is especially true if you haven’t made any upgrades in the last 8 to 10 years. Older water heaters, dishwashers, and washing machines just really can’t compare to the high-efficiency EnergyStar models that are available today. The EPA’s WaterSense program highlights many excellent products that can make a big difference in your consumption, which is great for your wallet and the environment.

When Should You Call the Water Utility Company in San Angelo Vs Hire a Plumber?

Most problems you might have with your plumbing in San Angelo would require you to hire our plumbers, but there are some exceptions when you should call the city’s Water Utilities department instead. Any issue that’s specific to your home’s private plumbing system is your responsibility to resolve, which would include anything from low water pressure to a potential leak. If the problem is part of the city-owned plumbing infrastructure, which is maintained by the water utility company, then you should be calling them instead.

For example, if you completely lose water throughout your property, this would probably be caused by an outage in your area. This usually happens because of problems with a nearby municipal water line, and the city will send out a team to investigate.

When Do You Need Permits for Plumbing Service in San Angelo?

Plumbing projects in San Angelo are regulated closely to look out for the interests of both the homeowner and the entire community. You don’t need a permit for common plumbing repairs that are very superficial, like unclogging a drain. But you do need to go through the permitting process for structural plumbing projects like repairing or replacing a water line, repairing or replacing a sewer line, or installing a water heater.

As licensed plumbers, we’re very mindful of making sure our services comply with local and state regulations. That’s why we always let you know when permits are needed and make sure that’s taken care of before getting started with work.