Changes to Plumbing Code Can Save You Money!

Do you know about the new law that goes into effect January 1st, 2010? It is a change to the existing plumbing code that says that anything installed in a potable water system, where people are going to drink the water, has to be almost completely lead free!



This is even more restrictive than the existing law, that went into effect some years ago. You can read the text of the new law here, but basically it says that, if the water is for human consumption, anything you install as part of that system has to have less than 0.25% lead in the surfaces that get wet. So, a kitchen faucet or bathroom faucet has to meet this requirement, but a shower valve or laundry sink faucet does not have to.



"Well, that's very interesting!" You say, "But how does that save me money?" There are two ways: read on!



Manufacturers have to find new ways to make their faucets, valves, etc., and it will cost them more money to make these changes. This means that the cost of the part is going to go up come 1/1/10! If you have the work done now, with the existing parts that cost less, you will save money.



As we get closer to January 1st, plumbing supply houses will be cutting prices to get rid of the inventory that they cannot sell next year (maybe!). Just as with most other plumbing companies, at AB&R Plumbing, part of the cost of a job is based on how much the parts cost us. If we pay less, you pay less! (And don't forget to check out our coupons section!)




If you have been thinking of changing your kitchen faucet or replacing the fixtures in your bathroom, you can do it now and save money. If you are worried that your angle stops (the valves under your sinks that shut off the water to the faucets) might be old and corroded, you can save some money by changing them now, rather than waiting until next year.


So, why am I telling you this? Well, if you do the work now, you will save money. We are always trying to drum up more business, but we don't want you to spend money you don't have to. One of the saying we use around here is, "Pigs get fed: hogs get slaughtered!" All we want to do is get fed. If we charge you too much, we will quickly run out of customers willing to get ripped off. That is why we tell you about things like this, that's why we have a coupon section on our website, that's why we are constantly reviewing our price book to see if we can make changes that will save you money.

If we save you money, you will tell your friends and neighbors. If we rip you off, you will tell everyone you know! We'd much rather have the positive advertising, thanks!


As always, if you have any questions, you can contact us at the office. Our numbers are:

North County - 714-641-3200

South County - 949-642-7900

Toll Free - 800-645-2689

Repair or Replace?

Right now, everyone is feeling the pinch. Whether you have lost your job, had your hours cut back, or just can't get as much overtime as you used to get, no one has as much money as they used to.

Even if this were not the case, no one wants to throw away money when they can get the same results and spend less. That's where this blog entry was born: is it better to repair it or replace it?

If you are talking about a very expensive item - a car, for example - you would obviously want to look at repairing it first. It may cost thousands to make the repair, but it will cost tens of thousands to buy a new one!

What about plumbing? Do you spend the money to repair that toilet, or just replace it with a new one and get the warranty and the other benefits of new?

I recently got a call from someone who had broken the lid on their toilet. The toilet was more than 10 years old, and of a very obscure brand. We looked it up on the internet, and replacing just the lid on his tank cost as much as $200.00!!! For a toilet tank lid!!!

When we discussed replacing the toilet, we determined that he could go buy a toilet at Home Depot and have us put it in for about $250.00. With the price he paid for the toilet, he gets a brand new toilet - that does not have 10 year old parts in it - for about $350.00. it will have a warranty and be professionally installed for less than twice what he would have paid just for the lid.

This seemed a no-brainer to him (and to me) and we set the appointment. But what about other problems?

It all comes down to weighing the cost versus the benefits. Is it worth the money to have the problem solved for less money, or pay a little more and get a warranty and all new parts? If you make this cheaper repair now, will you be making another repair next week, and the week after that? Will you end up paying more for multiple repairs that you would have if you had replaced it in the first place? It's hard to say.

You can always call us here at AB&R Plumbing, to run something like this by us. Check out our coupon page and see if you can't save a little bit of money off our already affordable prices.




Can we discuss the baseball All-Star game now? How did I miss it? When did this become only a popularity contest?

It was always favorite players, but they used to be favorites because they were good, not just because they played for your team! I mean, even if you hate the Yankees, you have to like Derek Jeeter! Don't like the Red Sox? Well, you have to be impressed with David Ortiz!

And why would anyone want Manny Ramirez at the All-Star game? he was suspended for 50 games for using a banned substance! Not only is that not All-Star behavior, but he hasn't even played enough games to be considered an All-Star this year! Let's get real!

Just my opinion. What do you think?