Everybody thinks they can be a plumber, and this is the one area where many construction projects fail to maintain standards. Maybe it is because plumbers do grimy jobs at times that the quality issue gets overlooked. Or, it could be unlike the dangers of electrical work, amateurs and handymen feel emboldened to do work in plumbing with limited skills. Whatever the reason, there is an epidemic of poor-quality plumbing work throughout Lake and Sumter counties. Many times, the homeowner or business owner doesn’t realize it until there is a failure, which floods the structure, or a major tear-out because of incorrect placement.
Recently, a family guest discovered a significant plumbing issue in my house that had been going on for probably a decade. Our guest came to breakfast one morning and said, “I love your heated floor in the bathroom.” Okay, but we don’t have a heated floor. We went to the guest bathroom and the floor was very warm. We hired a company that specializes in leaks in the foundation and found out that the hot water line was leaking, because the plumber glued a 90-degree elbow half-cocked and it was spewing hot water underneath the floor. It cost about $1,000 to fully repair this issue, which included fixing the tile in the bathroom. The worst part was this leak had been going on for years and we didn’t know it. It also ruined a regular water heater, tankless water heater and cost us about $150 per month. It was all because of an inattentive plumber who incorrectly glued a fitting in 2005. First tip — a warm floor is not good.
There are some clear and common signs that a plumber has done substandard work. If you see any of this, hoist your red flag before you buy or sign off on a job.
Who you hire as a plumber and the quality of your plumbing fixtures does matter. Be sure to hire a licensed and insured local plumber, because a local plumber understands their reputation in the community matters. If you are buying a home, check the plumbing out before you close on the house. A good licensed home inspector can help with this. The first step is to realize all plumbers and plumbing fixtures are not created equal.
Don Magruder is the CEO of RoMac Building Supply. He is also the host of the Around the House TV show on LSTV and LakeSumterTV.com at 1 and 6:30 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday; at 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday; and at 7 a.m., Noon and 6 p.m. Saturday.