Max Sr & Paul Schoenwalder Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning, A Corp. Blog: Archive for the ‘Plumbing’ Category

Why You Should Choose a Licensed and Insured Plumber (Over a Handyman)

Monday, January 11th, 2021

plumber-using-wrench-to-tighten-pipeWe’ve been in the home services industry for quite awhile now—over a century, actually! This means that we’ve seen what can happen when you have the wrong team or handyman looking over your plumbing system. Plumbing services are a tough job. Even something seemingly easy, such as unclogging a drain, can turn into even a bigger problem if not done correctly.

Still though, we understand the urge to hire a general “handyman” in order to save money.

Our expert plumbers are here to stress how important it is that you hire a licensed and insured plumber, instead. Sure, you might save some money upfront by trusting an amateur. In the end though, hiring the wrong team for the work can cost you far more than it’s worth.  Read on to learn why it’s so important to trust plumbing jobs to the pros.

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Follow This #1 Bathroom Remodeling Tip!

Monday, November 16th, 2020

envisioning-bathroomIf you’ve come across this blog post, there’s a good chance that you have a bathroom that doesn’t look the way you’d like it to. Or perhaps it’s not as functional as you think it can be. Whatever the case, you’ve come here because you’re thinking of starting a bathroom remodel. As the most used room in your home, it’s easy to see why—a good remodeling job can give you a brand new space after all!

But, there are things that go wrong if you choose to not work with a qualified and experienced plumbing professional. The level of attention you have to give to planning and prepping for your remodeling job will make a huge difference in the results. So, our #1 bathroom remodeling tip is to hire a professional to help with the job! Otherwise, you can run into a number of problems that will leave you needing to call in a professional plumber anyway. Curious as to what they are? Read on.

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What’s FOG and What Does It Do to Your Plumbing?

Monday, October 5th, 2020

water-flowing-down-a-sink-drainWhen we talk about “FOG,” we aren’t referring to the layer of mist you may see settling in around your town on a cool morning. While you should certainly be cautious of that kind of fog, especially while driving, we’re actually talking about the FOG that too many homeowners pour down their kitchen sink drains–fats, oils, and grease.

FOG is actually one of the worst things that can negatively impact your kitchen drain, and sometimes even your sewer line if you pour enough of it down. Avoiding this problem is relatively easy, but we understand you might be kind of curious about whether or not it really is that bad and if you should be concerned. Read on!

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“Do I Need to Worry about Frozen Pipes This Winter?”

Monday, September 21st, 2020

brown-pipe-with-icicles-drippingIf you’ve lived in the area for even just a year, then you know how chilly our winters get. And sure, we’re not quite there yet, but now is the time to start thinking about it so you can prepare. One way to prepare that we share often is to invest in maintenance for your heating system. This ensures you have trouble-free heating throughout our colder months, and your heater lasts longer too.

But your HVAC system isn’t the only thing that needs attention–so too does your plumbing system! Just a couple consecutive days of below-freezing weather can result in frozen pipes, which is a bigger deal than many homeowners realize. So yes, it is something you should worry about. But, it’s not something you can’t do anything about! Read on to learn more.

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Is Your Sump Pump Working Properly?

Monday, August 24th, 2020

sump-pump-in-basementIf you have a basement and live around Scotch Plains, then having a sump pump system is essential. Sump pumps are tasked with preventing water damage due to flooding and automatically go to work as excess water is collected in the sump. The water is then pumped out to either a wastewater system or a well.

You might not think that you need such a preventive device, but with the rainy season here it’s vital that you have this system professionally installed and serviced, and that you test it every quarter or so to make sure it’s still in good shape and functioning as it should. How do you do this? Read on!

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Keep Your Lawn Green This Summer: Here’s How

Monday, July 27th, 2020

sprinkler-systemDid you know that even the smallest leak can lead to gallons of wasted water each year? Not only is this environmentally-unfriendly, but it means you’re paying for water that you’re not even benefiting from. One culprit of water leaks is lawn faucets, otherwise known as outdoor faucets. And unfortunately, the annoying side effect of this is a patchy or brown lawn, since lawn faucets and sprinklers can’t do their job if they’re leaking!

What causes these leaks? Oftentimes it’s leftover damage from winter–your pipes may have froze, and as those frozen pipes thaw it creates pressure inside your plumbing system, which can lead to cracked and even burst pipes. If you’ve noticed your lawn faucets and sprinklers aren’t quite doing their job this year, or if you’re chalking up your brown yard to the high summer temperatures, it’s time to consider if you have a leak. How can you check for this? Read on! 

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Watch Out for These 4 Mistakes When Remodeling Your Bathroom

Monday, June 29th, 2020

father-washing-infant-son-in-tubMaking the decision to remodel the bathroom or bathrooms of your home can be really exciting, but also really frustrating and stressful. Of course you long to have a beautiful new space in your home, but things can happened that were totally unplanned.

Of course, one way to reduce the risk of mishaps is to hire a professional plumber to help with the process. This can save you both time and money—sure, a DIY project may seem cheaper, but if you make the mistakes we’re about to outline, then ultimately you could wind up paying more than you planned to.

For a functional and comfortable bathroom, you need the right contractor on your side, to help avoid these 4 common mistake when doing a bathroom remodel:

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Should You Hire a Pro for Your Commercial Plumbing Needs?

Monday, June 15th, 2020

commercial-building-bathroomOf all the things you think about in terms of running your business or managing your commercial space, we’re going to assume that the building’s plumbing is not at the top of your list. However, it would likely cause considerable problems if your commercial plumbing stopped working correctly, right?

And unlike residential plumbing systems, which just cause a temporary inconvenience when in disrepair, a malfunctioning commercial plumbing system could mean lost business and costly repairs. Of course, there is a way to keep your commercial plumbing in good shape and reduce the risk of running into unexpected commercial plumbing repair needs. What’s the secret?

Hiring a professional to perform commercial plumbing maintenance. Read on to learn more!

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What to Do in a Plumbing Emergency

Monday, May 4th, 2020

pipe-with-leakThere are many times where a plumbing problem simply cannot wait for “normal business hours,” and in those cases, you need to be able to get in touch with a plumber right away.

But, do you really know what constitutes as a plumbing emergency? When should you really bite the bullet and call for emergency plumbing services, and is it worth incurring an additional cost? For the most part, that’s a question that only you as an individual can answer, and it’s also dependent on the exact scenario. For instance, a small leak in a single faucet isn’t likely a huge cause for concern, but if there is water spreading across your kitchen floor, that’s a different situation entirely. What should you do if that’s the case? We’ll get to that in a moment…

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Do You Need Professional Drain Cleaning?

Monday, January 27th, 2020

plumber-cleaning-drain-with-drain-snakeThe holidays may be over but they could still have their lingering effects, and no, we don’t mean on your credit card bill.

We’re talking about your plumbing! If you hosted any big meals this past holiday season, you likely made a lot of use of your kitchen sink and garbage disposal system. As such, you may have a buildup of FOG (fats, oils, and grease) and other food items.

Kitchens aren’t the only victim of the holidays, either, when it comes to your plumbing system. Visiting guests means excessive use of your bathrooms as well, where clogs are just as likely.

But how do you know if you need professional drain cleaning? Read on as we uncover some of the signs.

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