Tureks Plumbing Services Blog: Archive for December, 2019

Repairing versus Replacing a Water Heater

Wednesday, December 18th, 2019

To repair or replace? This is an important question every homeowner needs to answer when dealing with water heaters. 

Water heaters are important in many homes. Homeowners would wish to repair their water heaters instead of buying new ones. It is more economical. However, there comes a time when replacing the water heater is actually more economical and beneficial. Deciding whether to repair or replace your water heater can be decided upon based on a number of factors. 

Here are some of the factors that will determine whether you will call a plumbing company in Appleton Wisconsin for a repair or a replacement for your water heater. 

Age of Your Water Heater

Water heaters tend to last long. A basic water heater will have a lifespan of about 10 years. If your water heater is less than ten years old and has been providing you with great service, then repairing it will make more sense. 

Note that all water eaters do not have the same lifespan. A storage water heater, for example, is likely to last for 15 years while a solar water heater is likely to last for 20 years. A tankless water heater one will last longer. 

Therefore, if the lifespan indicated has not lapsed, and the unit can be repaired, then let your plumber in Appleton Wisconsin carry out the repairs. 

Efficiency of Your Water Heater

How efficient is your water heater? 

You can tell how efficient your water heater is by looking at the sticker on the side, which estimates the annual costs of operation. Check to the R-Value (the ability for the water heater to resist heat based on its insulation). A higher R-value means better insulation. Replace the water heater is the R-value reads anything below 24 or if it feels hot to the touch. 

Additionally, check the water heater’s energy factor. The higher the energy factor, the more efficient your water heater is. Therefore, if your water heater is efficient in its operations, then repairing it will work well. 

Your Level of Satisfaction 

How satisfied are you with your water heater based on the amount of hot water you need in your home? 

If you have or are planning to have a family, then you will need to replace your water heater at some point. Your hot water requirements will increase based on the number of people using it. You will also have more laundry and dishes to clean as well as more people using the shower. 

A water heater that served you well when you were, perhaps, two, will not be sufficient when the number hikes to 5. This calls for a replacement. 

The same case applies to when your family starts to decrease. There is no point in having a high capacity water heater if people are moving out of the house. You will be wasting money on heating water unnecessarily.  

Cost of a Water Heater

Cost is a major factor in deciding whether to repair or replace your water heater. However, there are a number of questions you need to answer if caught between repairing and replacing a water heater. They include: 

  • What is the cost of both repairing and replacing a water heater 
  • If repairing is cheaper, how long will the water heater last before it has to be repaired again?
  • Are there any warranties offered o the replaced pats by the installer? 

Answering these questions will help you determine which one is a more worthy option. 

Level of Damage

Your plumber will be better able to advise on the level of damage and whether you need to replace or repair it. Some issues like leaks might call for a replacement. 

If you are caught between repairing and replacing a water heater in Appleton, perhaps its best to consult a plumber, Tureks Plumbing Services offers you professional services for all your domestic needs to keep you enjoying your home.

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Tips to Save Money on Your Bathroom Renovation

Wednesday, December 11th, 2019

Tips to Save Money on Your Bathroom Renovation - Tureks PlumbingMany homeowners put off remodeling their bathrooms and kitchens because the price tag of the renovation can be quite overwhelming. However, upgrading your bathroom doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg if you implement the following money-saving tips recommended by the bathroom remodel experts at Tureks Plumbing Services.

Put Together a Plan

There is nothing (cost-wise) as bad as starting your bathroom renovation when you don’t have a clear idea of what exactly you are trying to achieve and how you will achieve it. You are likely to make expensive mistakes. So, try to put a plan together and stick to it so that you can save money on your bathroom renovation.

To avoid making rookie mistakes, have a designer or remodel expert help you. These experts will come up with the most cost-effective ways to attain what you want. The cost you incur by hiring these professionals will pale in comparison to the savings that you make once the project gets underway. 

Don’t Shift the Plumbing

Tureks Plumbing Services strongly recommends that you keep the plumbing fixtures where they are if you want to keep the cost of the bathroom remodel affordably. As much as we make money by charging homeowners installation fees during remodels, we want to build relationships with our clients. So, we typically will advise against moving the plumbing if you’re on a tight budget (unless it is absolutely necessary). The money you save in this way can go towards other aspects of your renovation project, such as buying materials. Talk to an Appleton bathroom remodel professional first if you aren’t sure what you should do. 

Give the Mirror a New Frame

Think about this for a minute; when you say that you want to replace the mirror in the bathroom, are you tired of the mirror itself or the appearance of the frame no longer appeals to you? Oftentimes, the mirror itself may not be the problem. Rather, the frame may have started looking old, or the edges of the mirror could have started showing signs of wear.

Either way, giving the mirror a new stylish frame will cost less than replacing the mirror and its frame, and you will also transform the look of the bathroom mirror. How is that for hitting two birds with one stone! Our Appleton bathroom remodel experts can help you to select a frame that will match your stylistic needs during the renovation project.

Replace Just Parts of the Toilet

Did you know that changing the toilet seat and cover is enough to make your toilet look new? It is certainly more affordable to buy just a toilet seat and the cover instead of dumping the entire toilet in favor of a new one. You will save money on buying the new toilet, and you will save money on installation fees to fix the new toilet if you aren’t up to the task yourself. Tureks Plumbing Services has seen this done in lots of homes, so there is no reason why you can’t reduce how much you spend during your bathroom remodel by implementing the same money-saving tip.

Make Salvage Yards Your Favorite

You can also save money during your bathroom remodel by buying the materials you need at salvage yards, antique sales, and other home stores. One big benefit of shopping this way is that you can get one-of-a-kind pieces that will make your bathroom truly unique. You can get everything from cast iron tubs, a shower curtain valance, sinks, light fixtures, and everything else. The savings that you make when you shop in this way can quickly add up.

Go for Open Shelving

While the bathroom is a private place, not everything there needs to be hidden away. For example, why should you tuck your floral towels inside a dark cabinet? Do your pretty soaps deserve to be hidden inside a cabinet? Open shelving allows you to leave in plain sight those items that add color and beauty to your bathroom. Open shelving is also easier on the pocket. Appleton bathroom remodel experts say your bathroom will look larger than it is when you choose open shelving. This is definitely a good thing, especially if your bathroom is on the smaller side. 

Lighting is Your Friend

Nothing can transform a bathroom as dramatically as upgrading the lighting system. Change out the fixtures from those that were installed by the builder and replace them with the stylish ones you love. If possible, install a skylight so that natural light can flood into the bathroom during the day and make this space more inviting. These changes can be made without breaking the bank, and your bathroom will never be the same again with this new lighting. You can also look into installing a new or larger window in your bathroom for enhanced natural light. 

Buy Leftovers Online

Our friends at Headwaters Construction Inc., general contractors in Sacramento, says most people buy a lot more materials for the remodel projects than they actually need. When the project is completed, they are stuck with those materials, and they will do anything to get rid of them in order to free the space that they are occupying.

For this reason, the bathroom remodel professionals at Tureks Plumbing Services recommend that you hop online on sites like eBay and Craigslist in search of someone who is giving away what you need. Many people sell leftover tile and vanities. These leftovers are deeply discounted and will save you quite some money. You can then buy the extra amount you need from a hardware store to supplement what you have bought affordably online.

Tips to Save Money on Your Bathroom Renovation

As you can see, you don’t need to have a huge budget in order to remodel your bathroom. Use the tips above to keep your costs as low as possible, and get in touch with us at Tureks Plumbing Services for an affordable home remodel.

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4 Problems an Emergency Plumber Can Fix

Wednesday, December 4th, 2019

4 problems an emergency plumber can fixOf all the emergencies that you can prepare for in your home, plumbing emergencies rank at the top. There’s no reason to panic, just contact your local emergency plumber in Appleton, WI. Tureks Plumbing Services is open 24/7, and we’d gladly come out to your home at any time of day to help. In this article, we discuss the top 4 problems an emergency plumber can fix. 

Flooding and Water Damage

Flooding and water damage is something that plumbing professionals should deal with. These problems normally arise when a pipe bursts, a drain (toilet or sink, for example) is clogged or any other such situation that can cause water to flood into your home.

Emergency plumbing repairs are necessary to fix the damage that allowed water or sewage to flood your home. Once this repair is completed, you can then embark on the difficult task of dealing with the water damage itself. Mold and mildew can quickly grow and render the home unfit for occupation. If you’re experiencing flooding or water damage in any area of your home, contact Tureks Plumbing Services today.

Water Heater Problems

Hot water is a staple that is often taken for granted until it’s no longer accessible. The prospect of taking a cold shower in the middle of winter isn’t an exactly inviting one, so you can understand why a water heater problem qualifies as a plumbing emergency. 

If your water heater is not working, you may need a water heater replacement. Our techs will make a thorough diagnosis and determine whether or not your water heater should be replaced or needs a tune-up. Don’t go all winter with cold water. Call Tureks Plumbing Services immediately, and we will make sure your hot water is working correctly.

Frozen Pipes

The cold months of the year heighten the risk of water pipes freezing and bursting, especially the pipes that are in unconditioned spaces of your home, such as the crawlspace, the basement, and the attic.

When the water in your water pipes freezes, it expands and eventually causes the pipes to burst since the pipe cannot expand at the same rate or to the same degree as the water.

We asked our friends at Gilmore Heating & Air, a plumbing and heating & cooling company in Placerville, about how homeowners know if their pipe is frozen. They said that one way to detect that you have a frozen pipe is when no water comes out when you open the faucet. If you are sure that the water supply to that fixture hasn’t been disconnected, then there is a strong likelihood that water has frozen somewhere in that pipe.

This is the time for you to act quickly by calling a plumbing company in Appleton Wisconsin so that the pipe can be thawed safely by an emergency plumber before it bursts. The longer you wait, the more your risk water damage once the pipe expands to its limits and bursts.

It is best to work with Tureks Plumbing Services early enough so that your entire plumbing system can be winterized. This proactive step will avert the need to scramble and fix problems of frozen pipes and the associated consequences, such as water damage.

Blocked Drains and Toilets

Typically, if you’re experiencing clogged drains and toilets after you’ve cleared them, there’s a bigger issue at hand. If you’ve done everything you can and you’re drains are still blocked, you likely have a backed-up sewer line. This often happens in older homes. Tree roots are one of the common causes of blocked sewer lines. You can tell that your sewer line is blocked if the following occurs: 

  • Your drains all run slow.
  • You have several plumbing fixtures clogged at the same time.
  • Water backs up when you flush the toilet.
  • You hear a gurgling or bubbling sound when you run water in the bathroom.
  • When your washing machine drains, your drains back up with water.

Now that you’ve learned the top 4 problems an emergency plumber can fix, you can determine if you need emergency services. If you’re experiencing any or all of these plumbing problems, contact your Fox Valley plumber immediately. A blocked sewer line can get messy and costly fast. It’s best to let the experts at Tureks Plumbing Services do what they do best, so just give us a call, and we’ll be out to your home in no time. 

For questions about our 24/7 plumbing services in Appleton, WI, contact Tureks Plumbing Services. Our team is always happy to help.

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