Q. I have a question. WE have a house with good water pressure in front hose bib, but inside the house we have low water pressure to any fixtures. There is no sign of pipe breakage inside house as walls and floors are dry. Water meter dial is barely turning..Any idea what the issue is?
HI LxQ.
Thank you for the answering. The problem occurred suddenly. Nothing was changed..we haven't installed anything or done anything that could have caused it. It was working yesterday morning, and then in the afternoon it happened.
One plumber suggested that a new cutoff valve is install for the house and for the fron hosebib because there's a "possibility" that old cutoff for house inside wore out and closed up.
Is this a good assessment? They want to charge me $648 to replace those. This fee include fee for digging and backfill. I don't know. It seems a bit much to me. And I don't even know if that's the root cause of the problem. I could be spending $648 for something that doesn't fix the issue. I would like to get feedbacks and opionions before I spend that money.
Any feedback would be appreciated.
HI LxQ.
Thank you for the answering. The problem occurred suddenly. Nothing was changed..we haven't installed anything or done anything that could have caused it. It was working yesterday morning, and then in the afternoon it happened.
One plumber suggested that a new cutoff valve is install for the house and for the fron hosebib because there's a "possibility" that old cutoff for house inside wore out and closed up.
Is this a good assessment? They want to charge me $648 to replace those. This fee include fee for digging and backfill. I don't know. It seems a bit much to me. And I don't even know if that's the root cause of the problem. I could be spending $648 for something that doesn't fix the issue. I would like to get feedbacks and opionions before I spend that money.
Any feedback would be appreciated.
Answer
If you have a ball valve or gate valve, NO they are ripping you off, that's not how they function.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ball_valve
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gate_valve
If you have a globe or stop valve (the type with a washer in it), it is possible that it is plugged up or the washer broke free from the valve seat and is partially blocking the flow of water.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Globe_valve
That price is CRAZY high - I usually charge $125 per valve to replace them.
And what digging and backfilling? The shutoff valve you are worried about is INSIDE your house somewhere (crawlspace, utility room, etc). If it were the one at the meter you wouldn't be getting good flow from your hosebib! Your problem is in the internal plumbing somwhere after the line splits off for the front hosebib (unless you have a filter or softener which has plugged up).
If you don't want to do it yourself, I would get a free estimate from another contractor!
If you have a ball valve or gate valve, NO they are ripping you off, that's not how they function.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ball_valve
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gate_valve
If you have a globe or stop valve (the type with a washer in it), it is possible that it is plugged up or the washer broke free from the valve seat and is partially blocking the flow of water.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Globe_valve
That price is CRAZY high - I usually charge $125 per valve to replace them.
And what digging and backfilling? The shutoff valve you are worried about is INSIDE your house somewhere (crawlspace, utility room, etc). If it were the one at the meter you wouldn't be getting good flow from your hosebib! Your problem is in the internal plumbing somwhere after the line splits off for the front hosebib (unless you have a filter or softener which has plugged up).
If you don't want to do it yourself, I would get a free estimate from another contractor!
Thinking of starting a pressure washing service as a part-time business.?
brian77833
any idea what they charge per hour????any feed back would be great. Thanks
Answer
Pressure Washing can be a money maker.
I suggest you decide what you are going to do.
Sidewalks, houses, decks, drive ways, trucks, cars, semi trailers, boats, heavy equipment, drive through pads, dumpster pads etc.
Look on the net for sources of what is needed for each and what is the best size pressure washers & nozzles to use for the job. Decide what kind of washer, [ hot or cold ]. Type of chemicals. How much pressure you will need. Be careful on the nozzles and the pressure used. You can cause a lot of damage quickly if you don't know what you are doing. You also can get an idea for pricing from these sites.
When negotiating price be sure you know what the customer wants and price accordingly. [ Light rinse or deep cleanse or something in between . ]
It is not rocket science but there are certain things to learn to be successful..
It is not just turning on water and getting paid. There are EPA regulations and many cities have requirements on how to capture & dispose of waste water.
Many if not most companies will want proof of insurance.
Government regulations have made it somewhat more difficult for mobile services.
It is a business that has low barriers of entry, pricing can get cut throat and customers can be picky.
Even though you want to do it part time, treat it like a business.
Treat it like a hobby or sideline you most likely will earn accordingly. Usually nothing or very little.
Treat it like a business you may be surprised what you can earn and the demand for dependable, knowledgeable contractors.
I would avoid the urge of buying a washer from a mass merchandiser.
Instead look for commercial pressure wash suppliers.
Most larger cities and many smaller size towns has at least one.
Most are willing to help and suggest to a newbie how to get started. They could be a good source to learn pricing for your particular local.
I know of at least two who will make special arrangements [ price wise ] on professional washers to get a new person started. [ Don't wait until Spring to make arrangements. The field and demand for equipment is highest then.]
Fall is a good time for washing and sealing decks.
Also decide how you plan to move your equipment. Enclosed or open trailer or truck. Many places you may need to bring your own water. Decide if you want to take on those types of jobs and buy the needed tanks.
One tip;
Use the right type of soaps or chemicals for the job.
Let them and the equipment do the work..
They will do the job better, quicker and easier thereby making you money.
Good luck.
Pressure Washing can be a money maker.
I suggest you decide what you are going to do.
Sidewalks, houses, decks, drive ways, trucks, cars, semi trailers, boats, heavy equipment, drive through pads, dumpster pads etc.
Look on the net for sources of what is needed for each and what is the best size pressure washers & nozzles to use for the job. Decide what kind of washer, [ hot or cold ]. Type of chemicals. How much pressure you will need. Be careful on the nozzles and the pressure used. You can cause a lot of damage quickly if you don't know what you are doing. You also can get an idea for pricing from these sites.
When negotiating price be sure you know what the customer wants and price accordingly. [ Light rinse or deep cleanse or something in between . ]
It is not rocket science but there are certain things to learn to be successful..
It is not just turning on water and getting paid. There are EPA regulations and many cities have requirements on how to capture & dispose of waste water.
Many if not most companies will want proof of insurance.
Government regulations have made it somewhat more difficult for mobile services.
It is a business that has low barriers of entry, pricing can get cut throat and customers can be picky.
Even though you want to do it part time, treat it like a business.
Treat it like a hobby or sideline you most likely will earn accordingly. Usually nothing or very little.
Treat it like a business you may be surprised what you can earn and the demand for dependable, knowledgeable contractors.
I would avoid the urge of buying a washer from a mass merchandiser.
Instead look for commercial pressure wash suppliers.
Most larger cities and many smaller size towns has at least one.
Most are willing to help and suggest to a newbie how to get started. They could be a good source to learn pricing for your particular local.
I know of at least two who will make special arrangements [ price wise ] on professional washers to get a new person started. [ Don't wait until Spring to make arrangements. The field and demand for equipment is highest then.]
Fall is a good time for washing and sealing decks.
Also decide how you plan to move your equipment. Enclosed or open trailer or truck. Many places you may need to bring your own water. Decide if you want to take on those types of jobs and buy the needed tanks.
One tip;
Use the right type of soaps or chemicals for the job.
Let them and the equipment do the work..
They will do the job better, quicker and easier thereby making you money.
Good luck.
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