“Memorial Day this year is especially important as we are reminded almost daily of the great sacrifices that the men and women of the Armed Services make to defend our way of life.” -Robin Hayes

We are celebrating those who are protecting our country day and night and those who have lived and freely given their lives to protect this beautiful country.

“These fallen heroes represent the character of a nation who has a long history of patriotism and honor – and a nation who has fought many battles to keep our country free from threats of terror.”

~ Michael N. Castle

These men and women showed other countries what it truly means to be American; to be courageous, patriotic, and honorable.

We are indebted to these remarkable men and women and have the responsibility to never forget them. Of course we mourn them, but let’s spend today celebrating them.

“It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.” ~ George S. Patton

The Gary’s Quality Plumbing family is proud of our veterans for the sacrifices they are willing to make everyday for our freedom. Shaina Hamilton, Gerald Voigt, and Gary Skinner have all served our nation, communities and families. We honor you and remember our fallen.

Be positive. Be proud. Make a Difference.We have gotten where we are as a nation because of our service men and women. Hold on to the values and morals that they have fought so diligently for. Show your support throughout this week. Gary’s Quality Plumbing uses American vendors and American parts. We believe in a strong America and thank all of our service men and women for making all that we do possible.

Have a blessed Memorial Day

Looking for things to do in Collin County this weekend? Check this out!

And don’t forget our specials, good until the end of the month.

I can think of a few things I would do with an extra 20 in hand and I’m sure you can too!

Gary’s quality plumbing understand that every penny counts (that’s 2,000 pennies, people!!) and we have an offer just for you! This Memorial Day weekend is all about you, your family, and of course all of our service men and women. We don’t want a pesky plumbing problem interrupting YOU on this Memorial Day.

That’s why starting May 20th to the 31st we are offering a $20 dollar discount to all service calls. All you have to do is call in, mention our discount to Dorothy or Debi and schedule your appointment today! 972-424-6479

Ever get that terrifying and helpless  moment where water is rising in your sink, shower, or toilet and you are afraid the flow won’t stop? One of the biggest complaints that I have when it comes to my plumbing at home actually isn’t the plumbing itself, but its what happens to my home, septic systems, and all other things related to plumbing over time.

Use damages what we have. Even something as simple as our own  natural hair loss can cause a major backup in our plumbing and septic systems. Shedding hair clogs drains. Enough said. I hate it but it is a fact of life.

So either you can shave your head and be done with it (not something I recommend) or find an alternative solution.

An easy way to fix a clogged drain can be to plunge it …. but sometimes the act of getting the plunger out and going to work on the drain can get messy, out of control, and dangerous for a sink, shower, or toilet drain. If that happens to be where your hair has developed a relationship and you’re a do-it-yourselfer, avoid the plunger and opt for a closet auger. You can find one at a home improvement store. But at those times when it appears that Bigfoot has been shedding in your shower and a closet auger won’t cut it, you may need to call an expert.

Plumbers have equipment specialized for such moments – sewer snakes, sewer cameras, sewer pumps… all that fun stuff. In the case of an extensively clogged drain, a pump of your sewer line might just be all it takes to set you free of the hair monster in your bathroom. Always remember, YOU ARE NOT ALONE. Gary’s Quality Plumbing will joyfully take care of all your plumbing needs and keep you safe from the monsters in your drains!

Would like to learn more about protecting your drains?

Sign up for our Ask The Plumber Newsletter today! (Psssst … >>>)

]]> http://garysqualityplumbing.com/blog/monsters-use-the-bathroom-too/feed/ 0 http://garysqualityplumbing.com/blog/monsters-use-the-bathroom-too/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GarysQualityPlumbing/~3/hFdy5ze1lDY/ http://garysqualityplumbing.com/blog/repair-renovation-reliability/#comments Mon, 13 May 2013 19:32:40 +0000 Jessica Brock http://garysqualityplumbing.com/?p=1291 My name is Jessica Brock and I am the newest and youngest member of the Gary’s Quality Plumbing Team. I’m here for you. My crew and I have your back in everything plumbing and of course, WE DO PLUMBING RIGHT.

Gary’s Quality plumbing has been an integral part of my life since birth. Gary is my grandfather, Debi (our lovely receptionist) is my mother, Adam is my step-father, and all of our other good lookin’ plumbers are my uncles – Danny, Jason, and Steve. Needless to say, I know a thing or two about unclogging a toilet …

My main priority is to allow you to have a deep understanding of our products, our expert plumbing abilities, and to allow you to build closer relationship with our family – your family.

Let the epic plumbing journey begin!

By the way, I’d love to talk with you on Facebook!

Gary’s Quality Plumbing does gas line installation and repair, so we’re very familiar with safety measures as we work. I can tell you this, we saved lives last week.

Danny was down in Dallas to install a new gas water heater. During the install, he had to remove a metal plate that had been screwed to the floor to get to pipes that ran through the crawl space. He had to get into that area to work, and as he got in a more confined area, the smell of gas was undeniable. The homeowner said she had noticed that odor for 2-3 days already!

Danny called the gas company immediately. The minute the technician walked in the house, the gas detector went off like crazy. They shut the gas off at the meter. Our dear customers would have been on the evening news if the leak was not detected and there was an explosion. All we could think about was if these people could miss the smell of gas in their home for that long, others could, too. We’re all human, and unless we’re reminded of these things, it’s possible to shrug off a legitimate concern. We wanted to bring this to you right away.

It all turned out well, Danny left the metal plate off that opening and let everything air out overnight. Then he went back for the repair.

We want people to be alert to the odor of gas and realize it is a serious situation if there is a leak.

Here’s what you need to know if you encounter the smell of gas in or around your home, or someone you care about. Remember, we get used to odors over time and it’s easy to miss once we’ve been exposed for awhile.

• The gas company should be called at once.
• NO light switches should be operated, or
• Anything else that might cause a spark and cause an explosion.

Once the gas company turns everything off, give us a call and we’ll come out and repair the problem. Don’t let it wait! Call 972-424-6479 and get it taken care of right away.

Real people, with real jobs, really do work in those treatment facilities. These facilities strain it, clean it and connect connect it – with pipes – to water treatment facilities that treat it with chemicals and send it back to your communities, neighborhoods and homes. By the time that water comes out the faucet at your sink when you go to make dinner, it’s been traveling quite a distance.

Sounds like a pretty big deal, doesn’t it? When we talk about being cautious about what you put down your drains, there’s a reason for it. We see first hand what clogs up a home, and know that if drains don’t get stopped up there, they will later on in the pipeline. If your neighborhood has ever had the water turned off while they work on the lines, you know how clogs and breaks affect everyone.

Between toxic chemicals used for cleaning or solvents, flushed prescriptions, and toys – our pipes take on a lot of things that just shouldn’t be going down them. Here’s another list you need to commit to memory and teach your family:

• Baby wipes
• Feminine protection
• Potato peels
• Coffee grounds
• Paper towels
• Cleaning wipes of any kind

All those items keep water from exiting your home easily, and begin building up somewhere in the pipeline. Some treatment plants aren’t equipped with a ‘grinder’ device used to help break down and remove solids, and have to manually remove those items before the water can be treated.

For years municipalities have been fighting to keep the word ‘disposable’ off of tampons and baby wipes, with little luck! But you read Ask The Plumber, so you know better. Those fibrous items never completely break down, instead becoming huge, shreds that knot up in the system that have to be manually removed. If they can’t be, you have breakdowns in services and SOMEONE is inconvenienced greatly because of another person’s lack of consideration – or possibly just ignorance.

Ignorance we can address. Please share this post with your friends, families and neighbors and have them share it on Facebook, too. ‘Disposable’ or not, do NOT flush tampons, baby wipes, cleaning wipes or paper towels down the toilet, for the good of your community. Please leave your comments below.

If a product repair will cost $100, but takes a back order and shipping fee, and a brand new model that’s more cost efficient will cost an additional $200, most people will choose to upgrade their product. The difference lies in how long it will take to recoup the $200 in water or energy savings.

Many people have a budget for domestic repairs, and have to consider the initial price – and rightly so. For years, higher efficiency meant higher up front cost, too. Sometimes it still does. Most cases, however, the effort to become more environmentally cautious has been going on for a long time, and the prices associated with higher efficiency have had to come down to match the standards in the marketplace.

Another thing to consider is the product warranty and safety features. New models have been built according to standards of today, which are much more safe for the consumer and the installer.

Overall, make your decisions about repair or replacement based on the lifecycle costs whenever you can. Spending more on the front end takes the sting out of repairing an older model with new parts. You may end up replacing and replacing and replacing with your older, less efficient product or fixture – which can include the labor costs per visit – or you can spend more on a higher efficiency fixture that saves you money and never gives you any trouble.

We all want to save money wherever we can, but it’s important to know what value truly means to you. When you have questions about repairing or replacement, call Gary’s Quality Plumbing and talk to Debi, Dorothy, or one of the guys. We’ll help you see the whole picture as it relates to your household plumbing so the right decision can be made. Call 972-424-6479 today.

We just enjoy using one more than the other. What do you think?

For instance,

• Gas temperatures are easy to control and reduce quickly.
• Newer electric cook tops are easy to clean.

Still, electricity prices are high, and when it takes longer to get to the correct temperature, it stands to reason that cooking takes longer, too.

If you enjoy cooking with gas but don’t have gas lines to your stove or oven, you’ll be surprised to learn the cost of installing them is quite reasonable if you already have gas running to your home.

Cook holiday feasts your way! Here’s some additional reading on the subject.

When Remodeling Means Moving or Adding Gas Lines

Call us to learn what’s involved in a gas line and cook top installation, 972-424-6479.

What are our reader preferences? Leave your comments for us!

Having raised six kids, I know it’s easy to spend a lot of money. I want to share some things I’ve done for years that have helped me control expenses so I don’t break the bank.

• Buy in bulk If you’re feeding more than four of you, groceries purchased in bulk will save you money. Costco and Sam’s have made my life so much easier – and I’ve generally saved by the pound. That’s not always the case, but more often than not, it is.
• Make wise choices with your leftovers. Deal with them right away. If you’re going to make soups, stews, or sandwiches, separate what you’ll be using and mark it for what you intend it for, and freeze it immediately. That way you won’t have to waste food that you’re sick of, but you’ll have some fun reserves for colder days when you don’t want to leave the house!
• Instead of purchasing fun toys and items per child, purchase similar items per age group. It really works out well to do that because the children associate like that anyway, and they can play together without grumbling. Look for items that might be discounted if you purchase more than a couple. I assign a price range per age range, and then I can anticipate my bill. Saves time, money, and hassle, making holiday giving more enjoyable.
• Schedule your drain clean outs BEFORE the holidays, and if you forget – immediately after! Drains get all sorts of unwanted attention – from kids dropping toys in toilets to super high volumes of waste in the disposer. It’s MUCH cheaper to be proactive and avoid a catastrophe than it is to pay for damage resulting from severe back ups, water removal, or restoration services. Once you have a problem, you don’t want to wait for an availability.
• Replace faucets, shower heads and toilets with appliances that use less water. Plano water bills are going up by 10% starting November 1st, and high water use associated with entertaining and clean up may cause this particular bill to be staggering. Get in on the City of Plano utility rebates for low-flush toilets to get ahead of the bill.

I hope these tips help you stretch your dollar. Do you have any you’d like to share with our readers? Please leave them in the comments below.

Most water bills went up this year, just when some cities lifted some water restrictions!

That might mean a big surprise in the mail pretty soon.

If you live in Plano, you can still take advantage of conservation incentives. When you replace your existing toilets with a WaterSense approved low-flush toilet, and have your Plano plumber install it for you, you can take the proof to the utility office and get a rebate on your water bill.

Have your home checked at least once a year for leaks on your property. You can do this yourself, there’s a video on the City of Plano website, or you can have us come out and check it out for you when you’re having other work done. Since we don’t charge by the job, but by the hour, we can get more done for you at a better price than other plumbing companies are able to do.

Don’t let toilets flush themselves, or faucet fixtures leak. The amount of water and money that wastes is crazy. For instance, a shower head leaking at 10 drips per minute wastes more than 500 gallons per year.

Don’t let your bill get scary this Halloween. Take control of your water consumption and enjoy some extra money for Christmas! Tell us, what’s the highest water bill you’ve ever received? Leave your answer in the comments, and then share this post on Facebook for more responses! (This should be fun!)