Ask Your Fox Valley Plumber

March 28th, 2016

Fox Valley Plumber FAQ

Ask Your Fox Valley Plumber, Answers to our most commonly asked plumbing questions!

Leaky pipes, flooded basements and the constant sound of running water are just some of the common plumbing issues that many homeowners face. While many believe they can correct these problems on their own by watching DIY plumbing videos or just simply ignore the issue which could be causing more damaging and cost you a significant amount more on your monthly water bills. Below are just a few of the most common plumbing issue you should ask your Fox Valley plumber about to save you money and time.

Common Plumbing Problems

Sink or Faucet Dripping

A dripping faucets is not just an annoyance it can be cost you more than you think on your water bill each month. This common plumbing problem is often ignored for as long as possible but each tiny drip is wasting water and adding to your water bill. Your fox valley plumber can easily have this common issue corrected in very little time and will say you money on the next months water bill.

Running Toilet

There are lots of cute plumbing jokes about running toilets, but when it’s happening in your home it’s not so funny. A running toilet can be due to a number of defects from a decayed toilet flapper to a poorly working tank float ball and arm. This is one plumbing problem you will want corrected as soon as possible because the excessive leaking could be wasting up to 200 gallons of water a day, which shows up on your water bill. This plumbing problem is often due to an internal issue within the system and is best if left to your Fox Valley plumber professional to look at.

Low Water Pressure in My Home

We get a lot of calls about lack of water pressure after our clients have tried to unsuccessfully fix the problem themselves. This is a common problem among older home and in older neighborhoods and can be due to a number of reason. Sometimes it’s an easy fix like needing to have the faucets heads, like the shower head replaced, or this could be an indication that you have a leak somewhere in the pipe lines. Obviously one is a more immediate problem than the other. Your Fox Valley Plumber at Turek’s Plumbing can do an inspection and if the problem is not with your faucets, we can camera your main line to see if there is a deeper issue. 

Water Slowly Drains Or Cronic Clogged Drains

While many homeowners will typically use an over the counter drain cleaner to help improve their water drainage these can cause a significant amount of damage to your pipes and end up cost you more than its worth. You will want to call you Fox Valley plumber to clean away clogged drains to ensure you do not cause any avoidable damage to your pipelines.

Hose Bibb Leaking

This common plumbing issues is a regular assurance once the weather starts to warm up again. Most often the hose bibb is not properly protected from the cold and freezing temperature of the winter weather, which cause the bibb to crack and leak. Although it can be easily fixed by your Fox Valley plumber it can also be avoided by investing in a frost proof hose bibb.

Water Heater Leaking 

With proper yearly maintenance water heaters tend to last between eight to twelve years. But when leaks occur or you suffer through an unfortunate cold shower in the mornings you will want to give your Fox Valley plumber a call. This can be anything from a simple repair or having your water heater replaced it is better to have any issues with your water heater look at sooner rather than later.

 

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Kitchen Remodel Planning Tips

March 25th, 2016

Kitchen Remodel Planning

Turek’s Kitchen Remodel Planning Checklist for Your Home Renovation Project 

Whether you are planning to remodel your kitchen to accommodate your family’s growing needs, to update its style, or simply to increase your property’s value, there are a few important factors that you need to consider before embarking on this project. Turek’s Plumbing has come up with a kitchen remodel checklist in order to start this project off on the right foot and prevent or eliminate some potential hassles you might encounter along the way. No demolition/remodel project is flawless but we sure can try to get it right with proper planning. 

Identify your current kitchen space

Before and during the planning stage, be sure to take into serious consideration how much available space you have for your kitchen. More often than not, the available space will influence the layout of your new kitchen as well as dictate which elements you can squeeze in and which elements are not serving the space well. By seeking the help of an experienced kitchen designer, you can better evaluate your available space and make efficient use of this. Your kitchen remodel planning contractor will carefully lay out the plans of your new kitchen including precise measurements, bringing your vision to life.  

Current kitchen layout

Perhaps you have grown accustomed to the current kitchen layout and you want to retain as many parts of this layout as much as possible but just want to upgrade cabinets, counter-tops and appliances. Your contractor will review the existing layout and figure out which things are simply not working and are out of place while considering the infrastructure of the kitchen, as we dive into further below. 

When looking into the planned layout for the new kitchen, the primary considerations should be efficiency and ease of movement. The new layout should give you (and your family members and the occasional party guests) ample room to move about. You can also save a lot of time in prepping and cooking by moving a few elements (like the sink and the range) closer together. Lots of elements to consider before you begin picking out the fun stuff like colors and fixtures. 

Your kitchen’s infrastructure

You might be planning on a few additions to your kitchen but you have to make sure that your home’s current infrastructure, specifically your home’s plumbing and electrical systems, can accommodate these additions. This is particularly true if your home is older. Another thing to consider when you are opening the kitchen to more of an open floor plan are load bearing walls. Having a company like Turek’s come out to evaluate and estimate the project is invaluable. We have the construction, plumbing and electrical know how. Ignoring this can bring to light potential issues halfway through the project, instantly drain your budget.

Kitchen Remodel Planning | Lifestyle and budget

Evaluate your current lifestyle and how your new kitchen should reflect this. Do you like to invite people over for meals and get-togethers, or will you simply use the kitchen for preparing meals with your family members? Your goal here is to evaluate the shortcomings of your current kitchen setup which your new kitchen should solve. Dream big and prioritize according to needs vs. wants. This will help your kitchen remodel contractor to budget the project.

Speaking of project budget, it is a good idea to be flexible, especially in terms of the materials to be used for the kitchen. Sometimes, exploring alternatives will allow you to get substantial savings which you can use to splurge on other kitchen essentials. Kitchen Remodel Planning doesn’t have to be overwhelming, especially when you hire a kitchen remodel contractor to lead you in the planning process. 

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Slow Drains Could Be a Sign of a Larger Problem

March 18th, 2016

 

Fox Valley Plumber FAQ

Slow Drains in my Appleton, MI Home

Slow drains are often caused by the accumulation of debris, hair and soap scum. If you notice that the water in the shower or kitchen drain, or the sink in your kitchen or bathroom, isn’t going down as quickly as it used to, you should act fast before the problem worsens.

Often, the best solution to a slow drain is to remove the hair and debris that have accumulated. For this task, you can use a pair of needle nose pliers or a clothes hanger bent into a hook shape. After removing the debris blocking the drain, you should run hot water down the drain. In most cases, this will effectively solve the problem at hand. However, if the water is moving slowly, you may have a bigger problem at hand.

What could slow drains mean for my home?

In some cases, a slow drain is an indicator of a larger problem. It is one thing to notice a slow drain occurring in one part of the house, and it is an entirely different matter if you notice slow drains happening all at once in different places in your home .If you notice other symptoms like bad smells and gurgling sounds coming from the drain, it is best to call in expert plumbers to properly diagnose the problem at hand and enforce the appropriate solutions.

There are times when a slow drain indicates an issue in the main sewer line which will leave your plumbing and sewer system unusable. Main sewer problems can also lead to flooding and backing up of dirty and unhealthy water. In other cases, a slow drain may be a sign that your septic tank needs to be pumped out. An expert plumber can determine whether the septic tank does need to be pumped out or if the symptoms you are seeing are indicative of a different problem. Apart from pumping out the septic tank, your plumber may recommend a few other solutions, including the use of an augur or a high pressure water jet.

Slow Drain Solutions

An augur is a mechanical device that is powered by an electric motor. This device slowly spins inside the drain in order to remove the accumulated debris which impedes the proper flow of water. A high pressure water jet, on the other hand, can scrub the interiors of pipes in order to remove accumulated debris, including hair and soap scum. In some cases, your plumber may recommend cutting off tree roots which have damaged a section of your home’s pipes.

Again, if removing the accumulated debris in the shower or kitchen drain or sink does not do the trick, or if you notice unusual noises, call in the professionals to help solve the problem for you. Do not attempt to do it yourself.

 

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Is My Sewer Line Damage Caused By Tree Roots?

March 16th, 2016

How to determine if  your sewer line damage is caused by tree roots

sewer line damage

It’s a big delight for gardeners to see trees and plants growing healthily through the changing seasons. It’s always nice to see carefully planted vegetation thriving even through extreme weather like we get here in Appleton, WI.

However, trees and shrubs that root deeply and widely tend to overpower and destroy plumbing structures installed underground. Sewer line damage is common in areas like Appleton where there are big, old trees and shrubs, and this can be a big problem. Their roots can grow within the sewer line, creating blockages that inhibit the proper flow of water and waste. These blockages will cause backflow that can reek and create health problems; worst of all, additional household expenses for the repair of the sewer line will definitely add up. Not a fun diagnosis to get from your local plumber.

So, how do you know if you have sewer line damage?

  1. Slow-flowing drains indicate that the system is having a difficult time pushing everything down.
  2. Another reliable indicator is the frequent gurgling noise from the toilet. That sound means it’s barely successful in doing its job of flushing waste away.
  3. Overflow. This means the drain is clogged. Common drain clogs are easy enough to take care of; there are corrosive liquid agents that can break them down easily. But if you’ve already used a great amount of these products and your drains still get clogged often and the toilets overflow, it’s highly likely that roots have penetrated your sewer lines and are causing the clogging in your pipes.

What to do when you have a plumbing problem you think may be a sewer problem?

There’s no smarter way of dealing with this situation than calling in the pros. They know what to do about this problem — this includes getting permission from the local public works office to carry out repairs that will involve some serious digging.

A Professional plumber will inspect the drains and sewer with a camera to accurately assess the situation. They will then inform you of the best repair strategy to take; if there’s major damage because of the roots, the lines will have to be replaced.

For the dig, they can help you get permission from authorities; this way, repair can be carried out as soon as possible to prevent further damage and inconvenience to your household. They’ll also get rid of the roots that caused the damage and help you create a barrier (recommended growth inhibitors are copper sulfate and potassium hydroxide) between the trees and pipes.

Finally, once all that is done, you can expect to be provided advice on how to regularly maintain and clear the lines to prevent roots from growing inside them. As always Turek’s Plumbing is at your service for honest reliable sewer and drain service. 

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Turek’s Plumbing Employee KYLE TESSEN

January 19th, 2016
  • IMG_2238What is your role at Turek’s Plumbing?

Plumbing Service Technician

  • How many years have you been with the company? 

6 years

  • What do you like most about Turek’s Plumbing?

The professional people I work with.

  • What do you find the most challenging?

Keeping the office happy 😉

  • What are 3 words to describe Turek’s Plumbing?

Professional, courteous, clean, organized

  • How has Turek’s Plumbing changed since you started working here?

It has grown significantly.

  • What is on your wish list for the next year with Turek’s Plumbing?

To rise with the company.

  • What is your proudest moment at work?

Someone telling me it can’t be done and doing it.

  • Do you recall any embarrassing moment?

Backing into the overhead door with the trailer.

  • Motto or personal mantra?

The A-Team

  • What do you like to do on your days off?

Relax, cook out, hang with friends & family.

  • What’s one thing on your bucket list?

To build my own home.

  • You’re happiest when?

When I create something and step back and say “I did that!”

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Thanksgiving Clogged Pipes

November 17th, 2015

Feature-Thanksgiving-modern-classics-1200x800Thanksgiving is right around the corner. Everyone cooks & bakes all day preparing for the big Turkey day. As people get ready for the holidays, what they forget about is how easily kitchen sinks can get clogged with food. It never fails at this time of year, we get at least one call a year for emergency service on plugged up drain lines due to food waste & overuse on sink pipes. Often, this damage is being caused without people’s knowledge. There are certain items that can and cannot be sent down garbage disposals and shouldn’t be funneled down the sink drain. Many don’t realize foods such as pumpkin, celery, egg shells, leftover cooking oil, stuffing (bread), etc. all do not belong in your pipes.

We all assume garbage disposals are these wonderful kitchen monsters that eat our trash and flush it away, but these are the main culprit for clogged pipe lines. After years of use, these awesome tools do not work like they do when they’re brand new. So just be cautious of what you dispose of in the next couple of weeks. If you do have issues or any questions, Turek’s is a 24hr Emergency Service. Read this great review we received below and give us a call! 

“Our sink was clogged from Thanksgiving and our garbage disposal did not work. We called one place to fix and no one returned our call. I then called Tureks and the phone was promptly answered and the person on the line was extremely professional. I called around noon and I was given an appointment 2 hours later – on Friday after Thanksgiving – how great is that! Kyle came right on time and provided outstanding service – he cleaned out the drain and diagnosed our malfunctioning disposal – luckily he had a commercial brand disposal in his truck and in no time replaced our disposal. On top of that he volunteered to tighten our loose faucet and reconnect a pipe that came undone in my garage. Kyle was absolutely superb – extremely knowledgeable – very polite and made sure that we were satisfied with his work and clean up. We had a very good experience with Kyle and with Turek’s plumbing – they are worth their weight in gold – in today’s environment – it is rare to find such honest – caring and wonderful service – thank you Ed and to your team.”

 

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November Turek-y Hunt!

November 11th, 2015

turek-yhunt

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George the Handsome Pumpkin

October 23rd, 2015

ONCE UPON A TIME,

There lived a large orange pumpkin named George. George was the most handsome pumpkin in all the land (at least he thought)…IMG_8612

Every year Halloween came around and George waited patiently in the patch hoping and wishing someone would finally take him home. He had spent months working on his figure. Dieting like everyone said to do, twisting and turning in the sun to catch the best tan, and getting plenty of sleep at night. But it always failed. Every year, the kids would walk right past him and neglect to pick him up. But this year was his year. George could feel it!

October 30th rolled around & George could see little Jesse Fernwicky walking towards him about 10 ft away. George pulled his stomach in tight, tucked in his shirt, and crossed his toes. Jesse walked past him, scoping him out, judging him from every angle and then finally, SNAP! Right off the vine he went. George was the one! “Yippee,” George yelled! This was his time to shine. Little Jesse brought George home & proudly showed him off to his friends at school. The next day, Halloween Eve, Jesse was ready to carve George into the most perfect design.

George couldn’t wait! This is what he signed up for, the gutting, the carving, & the candle lit evening. As Jesse doodled on the best looking face and peeled the top off of his handsome looking pumpkin, George felt all his gooey insides tingle. “Yes,” George thought to himself. “This is finally it!”

IMG_8614Jesse reached inside and squished all the stringy guts between his hands, handed them to his mom and started carving away. But THEN you’ll never believe what happened next! What did Jesse’s mom do? She took George’s sticky insides and washed them right down sink!!! George absolutely couldn’t believe it. He only dreamt of having his seeds roasted and his innards turned into pumpkin pie. “What was she doing?” George thought.

What Jesse’s Mom didn’t realize was that George the handsome pumpkin was NOT going to take this abuse. George was going to get revenge. He was not going to put up with being simply thrown down the drain and forgotten about. So what did George do? He clung on. He made himself even stickier and coated all of the drains clogging up Mrs. Fernwicky’s sink.

“That was brilliant move,” George said to himself. “Nobody will forget about me now.”

Well, lo and behold, what happened the next day?? Jesse’s Mom had to call the plumber. George  definitely had made his point. Ring Ring “Hi yes, I need someone to come out as soon as possible. My drain is clogged from pumpkin guts.” Plumber on the line, “Oh sorry, no, we don’t do Sunday calls. We actually don’t have the equipment for that. You’ll have to call someone else.” “Well that was helpful,” Jesse’s Mom thought, “Not…”

So Mrs. Fernwicky flipped through the Yellow Pages and found Turek’s Plumbing. Ring Ring. “Hi, this is Tureks Plumbing, how can we help you?” Mrs. Fernwicky says, “I just called another plumber. They were no help. My drain is clogged, I know it’s Sunday, but I really need my sink today.” Turek’s, “Oh Mrs. Fernwicky, that is not a problem. We have 24/7 Emergency service and all the right equipment to take care of the job. We’ll be out there as soon as possible. Thanks for giving us a call!”

A few minutes later, Turek’s Plumbing showed up at the door, just like they said, and had the sink back in commission in no time.

MORAL OF THE STORY:

Don’t let George take over your sink & garbage disposals next weekend. Otherwise, you’ll be the one calling Turek’s Plumbing. Throw your pumpkin guts in the garbage or check out many other uses for pumpkin here! http://www.brit.co/things-to-make-with-pumpkin-guts/ Have a safe, fun Halloween!

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TRISTAN DRATH

October 14th, 2015

IMG_2230What is your role at Turek’s Plumbing?

Sales, Project Developer, Operations

How many years have you been with the company? 

2 Years

What do you like most about Turek’s Plumbing?

I like how organized we are. We are always looking for ways to perfect what we do.

What do you find the most challenging

Homeshow Season. We are very busy and often work late nights

What are 3 words to describe Turek’s Plumbing?

Making it Happen!

How has Turek’s Plumbing changed since you started working here?

We are always changing. By the time this goes online I would have to add things.

What is on your wish list for the next year with Turek’s Plumbing?

To create enough sales to add another install crew member.

What is your proudest moment at work?

When you work for months on a project, sell it, everything goes smoothly, and the customer is happy.

Do you recall any embarrassing moment?

When Chris Laabs sneaks around the corner and jumps out at me. Happens a lot and gets me every time.

Motto or personal mantra?

To give the customer exactly what they want so they are 100% happy with the end result.

What do you like to do on your days off?

Farm

What’s one thing on your bucket list?

To own 80 acres of land or more

You’re happiest when?

 I’m sitting on my tractor on a warm sunny summer day with one kid on each fender. Nothing better.

Any random facts you could share with us?

I lived in TN for 9 years!! I’ve been married 10 years to my beautiful wife Jessy who gave me two wonderful kids Wyatt and Lila. Love you guys!

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DIY Winterizing Plumbing & Pipes

September 30th, 2015

Your pipes are more susceptible to freeze damage when temperatures drop to 20 degrees Fahrenheit or below. Fall is the time to start thinking about winterizing your pipes, particularly any outdoor plumbing you may have or even up at cottages you won’t be visiting this coming season. Wisconsin winter will be here before we know it!  Below are Turek’s recommended steps for winterizing your plumbing system.

  • Locate the main water supply & be sure shut of valves are located and turned off
  • Turn off all electric and gas supplies to water heater or heaters, and other water supplied appliances
  • After purging all water distribution lines apply anti-freeze to all fixture drain traps toilet bowls and toilet tanks.
  • Insulate the pipes in all unheated areas, as they are most likely to freeze. Wrap the pipes in insulation tubes made of polyethylene or fiberglass.
  • On nights when the temperatures are expected to drop below freezing, be sure to turn on faucets along the exterior walls to create a small, steady drip. What this does is eliminates pressure that can build between the faucet and an ice blockage, so even if a pipe freezes, it may not burst.
  • Open all sink-base cabinet doors along exterior walls, this allows more heat to reach the pipes.
  • Take a look at cracks or holes along the outside walls and foundation of your home. Try filling those holes and cracks with spray foam insulation or caulking. This can help stop the cold air from coming into contact with your water pipes during extremely cold weather.
  • Pier and beam homes with ventilated crawl spaces should be sealed against the cold weather. Cover your vents with heavy-duty pieces of cardboard cut to fit the vents and then duct tape the cardboard in place. Remember to seal off access to the crawl space. If you have a basement, check for cracked basement windows that might allow cold air to make contact with your pipes. Look for worn or missing insulation around garage and utility doors. Reducing the amount of cold air in the area minimizes your pipes’ vulnerability.

pipes insulated_pipes

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