Our Retail and Service Department hours are 8:30am to 5:30pm, Monday through Friday

Absolutely!  This is what we call our “Service Department”, and is available the same hours as the retail store.  Aurora Plumbing is fully licensed, bonded, and insured for your peace of mind.

The majority of homes now have some version of a "Frost-Free" or "Freeze-Proof" hose bib, and one might think that means they are protected from freezing no matter what. That is actually not entirely true!

  Frost-Free bibs shut the water off deep within the wall when turned off. The water that is in the tube going from that point out to where you screw on your hose then needs to 'drain' itself so there is no water left in that tube. 

  Leaving a hose screwed onto the bib will create a ‘vacuum’, which keeps that water from draining out of the portion of the bib that is in the wall. Think of it like putting your finger over the end of a straw in a glass of water and pulling the straw up out of the water. The water stays in the straw until you release your finger. Same basic principle here. Removing the hose is the same as releasing your finger from the straw... the water can now drain out of the hose bib, and it will be safe for the winter months.

The simple answer is "no". If the hose is removed, you are protected from any freeze we would normally get in our region. 

  However, the benefit of putting a freeze cover on, even if not needed, is that it is a great way to 'remind' anyone that may use a hose bib during winter months to remove the hose once they're done. It is impossible to install a freeze cover with a hose attached, so the hose has to be removed. So we like to see them installed for this reason.

The first thing to do is determine if you have low water 'pressure', or low water 'volume'. These two terms are often thought to be interchangeable. While they are related... they are not the same in this instance.

  To determine whether you have low 'pressure' versus 'volume', you can simply get a water pressure gauge that screws on to your hose bib. These are available at Aurora Plumbing's retail store, or one of our plumbers can come out to assess for you. Simply screw on the gauge and turn on the bib. As a general rule, a good working water pressure should be more than 30 PSI (pounds per square inch) and less than 80 PSI.  The generally accepted ‘normal’ is 50-60 PSI.

  If you show “low” pressure (less than 30 PSI), then you may be able to install a system called a “pressure booster” in your water system.  This will boost your pressure to an often preset 50 PSI, or they are generally slightly adjustable if this is not enough/too much pressure for your personal preference.

  If you have a more average pressure, but you feel that you’re not getting enough water from your fixtures... you probably have low water “volume”.  There are many potential reasons for low water volume, not the least of which is older, corroded piping in your home, which is restricting the water from flowing freely out of your fixtures.  In this case, a re-piping of the hot and cold water lines in your home would correct this issue.  It’s best to have one of Aurora Plumbing’s licensed plumbers assess your situation for you to see what the problem may be.  

It is very common for older toilets (and in some cases, toilets that are not so old) to have a ‘diminished’ capacity as they age.  While there are some things that can be done to remedy this, such as a new flapper and/or fill valve, etc., there are other things that are happening ‘behind the scenes’, so to speak.  At least, out of view.

  Within our toilets are pathways for water exiting the tank to flow freely through to give you a thorough flush.  These pathways are all over within the bowl of the toilet, out of sight – and out of reach.  This means they are impossible to clean.

  Sometimes mineral build-up and/or other build-up can impede these water pathways over time, which slows the water down to the point that it can affect the flush.

  Many things have been attempted, but rarely have they worked.  So, in these cases, we simply recommend saying goodbye to the old friend and coming into our showroom to pick out its replacement.

As water heaters age, there are many things that can make it become less and less efficient, therefore lessening the available hot water for showers, etc..  

One potential issue is deposit build-up in the bottom of the tank.  Over time, there can be so much sediment build-up in the tank that it in essence becomes a ‘smaller’ tank – and therefore doesn’t deliver as much hot water.  We once cut open an old water heater and found about 8-10 gallons of sediment packed on the bottom!  That means this particular water heater, which was a 52 gallon electric water heater, was only able to produce 40-ish gallons of hot water.  This is somewhat extreme... but sediment build-up happens to every water heater.

This is why it is recommended that every water heater be ‘flushed’ roughly once per year.  Flushing can help keep the bottom of your heater clean.

While most water heaters look very similar, there are definite differences in the quality of workmanship and materials used to make the water heater.

  The majority of a water heater is made using ‘rolled steel’.  Not only is rolled steel not created equal, but the method of welding the seams, etc., can be vastly different.  To do it right takes extra time, better materials, and the right worker that takes pride in their product.

  Water heaters also have a protective layer inside the tank which is often referred to as ‘glass lining’, but is not truly ‘glass’.  Every manufacturer has their own secret ‘recipe’ for this lining.  It can be quite difficult to find the right material that will last the longest.  This lining has to expand and contract at the exact same rate as the steel tank so it resists cracking, which leads to water reaching the steel tank, which leads to rust forming – then the tank starts leaking.  This process of lining the tank with the glass is a very expensive part of the manufacturing process, and some manufacturers will cut costs in this area.  This leads to a heater that will not last as long, in all likelihood. 

  Management at Aurora Plumbing have traveled to many water heater plants, and have seen these differences first-hand.  This is how we’ve come to support just a couple manufacturers.

The lifespan of a water heater can vary widely depending on a few factors.  Water quality is one factor – and we are lucky to have some of the best water in the country in the Seattle area.   Another factor is what the temperature is set to.  The hotter you have your temperature set, generally the fewer years you’ll get out of the heater.  

  This is because the larger the temperature fluctuation between cold to hot, the more the metal and ceramic lining will expand and contract, creating small cracks in the protective lining within the heater, causing it to expire sooner.

  An average water heater’s life expectancy is about 11-14 years.  So if your heater is getting up there in age, it’s best to call Aurora Plumbing and get it replaced before it creates an expensive situation!

There are two ‘sizes’ you’ll need to know about your water heater:  1)  The “gallon capacity”, which is listed on the side of your heater on a sticker with many other bits of info.  The most common size is about 50 gallons.  – and – 2) The “physical” size of the heater, meaning its height and diameter.

  When searching for a replacement heater, both sizes are important.  Gallon capacity, so you get the same amount of water as your old unit... but almost more importantly you’ll need the physical dimensions!  

  Newer water heaters have to conform to very strict regulations regarding their ‘energy factor’.  The main way to increase a heater’s energy factor is by increasing the insulation around the heater so it doesn’t cool off easily during hours when you’re not running hot water.  Increasing insulation means that the insulation has to be ‘thicker’, meaning the overall size of the heater is larger.  

  This can be an issue when your hold heater is in a small space, such as a closet or alcove.  Generally speaking, newer water heaters are about 2 inches larger in diameter, and at least an inch taller than your old water heater, which didn’t have as much insulation.  In some situations, you’ll not only want to measure the space the new water heater will sit in, but any doorways the new heater will have to pass through.  For instance, you may find your closet is 24 inches wide where the heater sits... but the door to the closet has a clearance of only 19 inches.  So you’ll be limited to whatever heater is 19 inches or smaller.... or there is the larger job of removing the door altogether.

Yes, these are basically interchangeable terms.  A “tankless” heater produces hot water ‘on demand’ – and an “On Demand” heater is ‘tankless’ in that it doesn’t have a large vessel in which to store the hot water.

  The term “Instant Hot Water Heater” is different, however.  This refers to having fully hot water immediately upon opening a faucet.  This can be non-related to your water heater, whether it’s a tank-type, “tankless”, or “on demand”.   This term has to do with having some sort of “hot water circulation” system in the home, which keeps hot water in the pipes in the wall, and ‘at the ready’ when you open a faucet.

This is because the pipe that carries hot water from your water heater to the faucet you opened has water that has been cooling off since the last time that faucet has been used.  When you open the hot water side of the faucet, the hot water from the heater is pushing all that cooler water out as it is making its way to the faucet.  

  Most pipe runs from a water heater are ¾ inch or more for most of the way.  For every 50 feet of ¾ inch pipe, there will be over a gallon of cool (cold) water that needs to be pushed out.  If your faucet runs at about 2 gallons per minute, it will take about 30 seconds to get ‘hot’ water from the heater.  That’s a long time when you’re just watching water run down the drain!

  There are a few methods to combat this.  A “recirculation” (often referred to as ‘recirc’) system uses a pump to push the hot water through a loop that runs back to the water heater.  It’s best to have one of our experts talk you through which option would work best for your situation.

This is why we prefer the term “Tankless” water heater rather than “On Demand”.  By changing out a tank-style heater with a ‘tankless’/’on demand’ heater, you’ve done nothing to change ‘where’ the water is coming from.  It still has to travel the same distance from your heater to the faucet.  

There is a chance your disposal will be in need of replacement.  However, there is something you can try first that doesn’t require any tools!  Garbage disposals are equipped with safety features, and one of these features is an ‘overload’ circuit that protects the motor from overheating if there is any sort of jam that stops the blades from turning – even for a moment.  When this happens, the circuit will trip a safety switch.  This can be remedied by resetting this circuit by means of a ‘reset button’.  This button is most often on the very bottom of the disposal, and will be a small, red plastic piece that pops out.  This red button can be reset by first turning off the switch to the disposal, and simply pushing that red button back up into the bottom of the disposal.  This will reset the circuit, and if nothing else is wrong, your disposal will work when you turn the switch back on.  

  If, after trying this, your disposal is still not working, it’s likely time to replace it with a new model.  This is also a good time to decide if you want to upgrade your disposal, based on your needs.  Any one of our experts at Aurora Plumbing can get you information on the best options for you.

This is referring to the distance from the centerline of the drain in the floor (referred to as a ‘toilet flange’) to the studs in the wall behind the toilet.  Note that we put the word “studs” in bold.  This is because you normally will have wall material (sheetrock/tile/trim boards, etc.) on your ‘studs’, and therefore you have to make adjustments in your measurements to accommodate for whatever you have on your walls.

  The most common wall material is simply sheetrock.  We’ll use this as our example.  Sheetrock is almost always ½ inch thick.  So if you measure from the surface of your ‘sheetrock’ to the centerline of the drain – or toilet flange – and get 11-1/2”... you then add the ½” thickness of your sheetrock, and that total distance is 12”.  This means your toilet flange is centered at 12” from the “rough” wall – or ‘studs’.

  If the old toilet is still in place, you can use the center of the bolts that hold the toilet to the floor on either side of the bowl for your measurement, because the bolts are as close to the centerline of the toilet flange as you’ll get without removing the toilet.

Probably about 98% of toilet flanges are not exactly 12” from the studs, so you’re not alone!  For this reason, most toilet manufacturers allow for this.  Depending on brand and model of toilet, you can have up to ¾” of “oopsie” space behind the tank – which is the part of the toilet that is closest to the wall.  

  So, if you measure from the centerline of the drain (or floor bolts, if the old toilet is still installed) to the wall and get, for instance, just over 11 inches.  Adding for the ½” sheetrock, you get just over 11-1/2” total distance to the studs, or ‘rough’ wall.  You will need to be prepared with this information upon selecting a new toilet, but chances are very high that you’ll still be able to get a ‘standard’ 12” rough toilet to fit.

  If you’ve measured your rough opening, and it’s just over 12”, then that just means that the gap between the back of the tank to the wall will be slightly wider, which is rarely a problem.  But you want to minimize that gap as much as possible.

  While 12” is the ‘standard’ for toilets, there are also toilets that are listed as 10” and 14”.  These are typically more expensive due to the nature of them being much less common.  Once you’ve measured, you can come in to the showroom at Aurora Plumbing and talk to an expert about your options.

This depends on your definition of ‘very slow’.  If water is just trickling out of your new faucet, then no – it’s not normal, but there are ways to remedy that.    If the water flow is only slightly reduced, there ‘may’ be a remedy, but more than likely it’s due to flow restrictors that are required to be in most new faucets.  

   Old faucets had no Federal regulations as to how much water could flow through them, but new faucets do have to comply with these regulations.  For this reason, a new faucet may flow a bit slower than your old faucet... but not usually do a large degree.

   If your new faucet hardly lets any water flow through it (just a trickle), then it’s more likely that the water lines were not properly flushed before hooking up the new faucet.  Any time you shut water off to remove a fixture, you disturb the line.  When you turn the water back on to the fixture, bits of debris that became dislodged will flow through the tubing, and if you haven’t flushed this water thoroughly, this debris will make its way up into the new faucet and plug the ports.  

   So before hooking supply lines up to a new faucet, it’s a good practice to run the water through the lines into a bucket until it runs clear.  

   If the new faucet is already plugged up, you may have to disassemble it to wash out the debris.   

There can be a few deciding factors in this situation.  If the faucet is many years old, parts to repair the faucet may be discontinued.  Even in cases where there are replacement parts available, they probably are not made by the original manufacturer, and therefore may be of lesser quality.  

   Sometimes, the repair parts cost as much as a brand new faucet.  This is often the case in what we refer to as ‘disposable’ faucets.  These are faucets that are made to be sold cheap, and the repair parts are often not worth it, so people ‘dispose’ of the old faucet and buy a new one.

   However, in many cases, not only are repair parts fairly inexpensive, but the faucet may be of such good quality that it makes complete sense to put new parts in it.  In cases like this, the only reason to replace the entire faucet maybe because you just want something new!

In each case, Aurora Plumbing’s licensed plumbers and/or expert retail personnel can help you decide what is best in your situation.

Absolutely!  Hot and cold water pipes ‘bang’ when they are not secured in the walls/floors properly and a faucet is turned off – which causes a ‘hammer’ effect within the pipe.  This effect causes pipes to want to jump or move.  This produces the banging sound you hear.

There are products called “Hammer Arrestors” that have the ability to absorb the shock created by turning the faucet off, therefore lessening the chance the pipe will ‘jump’.  These can be relatively easily put at different locations in your plumbing system.  

The simple fact is that not all plumbing faucets or toilets (etc.) are created equal.  To make it more of a challenge... many times there are large price differences within a brand!  

For instance:  Manufacturer “A” makes a kitchen faucet that sells at my local discount store for $100.00.  BUT, manufacturer “A” also makes a kitchen faucet that looks very similar and is sold in my neighborhood plumbing store for $200.  Why??  Because there is a big difference in the quality of the faucet.  These quality differences are sometimes difficult to see, but they are there.  

Within every faucet are parts that are subject to great wear and tear.  These parts within economy faucets are generally made of inexpensive materials such as plastic and aluminum.  Easy to break, but for some reason, expensive to replace.  Better quality faucets – and therefore more expensive – use brass and stainless steel which will hold up very well against the forces exerted on them.

Aurora Plumbing uses our in-home service technicians’ input to assess the quality of a product, as well as taking apart each and every fixture we carry, so we can get a good look at the quality before our customer takes it home to install it.  Because of these strict standards, Aurora Plumbing’s customers can rest assured they are getting the best quality product on the market today!