Residential Plumbing Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is my plumbing system?

A. Your plumbing system is the pipes and appliances that operate in your bathroom, kitchen, and laundry room. This means your plumbing system includes sinks, drains, showers, bathtubs, hot water heater, and toilets that operate your bathrooms and also the sinks and drains found your kitchen. Your plumbing system can also be expanded, if you decide to install a new dishwasher in your kitchen or washer in your laundry room or tankless water heater for endless, efficient hot water. Technicians from Hoffmann Brothers can complete repairs and maintenance work for your home’s plumbing system, request service today.

Q. How often does my plumbing system need maintenance?

A. To make sure your plumbing system is running at optimum efficiency, your plumbing system will need maintenance on a semi annual basis. You can use our plumbing system guide to help you keep up with preventative maintenance for your plumbing system. Call the technicians from Hoffmann Brothers if you need any assistance with maintenance or repairs for your plumbing system.

Q. What is a Tankless Water heater?

A. A tankless water heater is a water heater that provides an endless supply of hot water. These water heaters are the most efficient water heater in the market. The idea behind a tankless system is that it heats the water as you need it instead of continually heating water stored in a tank.. You can get a free estimate from Hoffmann Brothers to see if you're a good candidate for a tankless system. If you like the idea of saving a substantial amount of money every year on your monthly bills while at the ­same time conserving natural gas, then Tankless Water Heaters are for you! Tankless heaters also last about five to ten years longer than a tank heater, along with taking up much less space, and providing you with an unlimited amount of hot water. Call Hoffmann Brothers today to find out more information or to get a free estimate on new tankless water heater.

Q. What is a geothermal water heater?

A. A geothermal water heater extracts heat from the ground and uses it to heat your hot water. The heat that comes from the ground is free, renewable, does not pollute and you do not have to pay the Utility company for this energy. For every unit of energy put into the geothermal system you get four units of heat. A geothermal system is 400% efficient. To request a free energy audit for a Geothermal system for your home contact the St Louis Geothermal Contractor.

Q. Do you have a plumbing system guide?

A. YES! Hoffman Brothers wants to make sure that you have all the information to keep your plumbing system running efficiently.

We suggest:

  ❏ Looking for signs of leaks around your home’s foundation, where pipes run through walls, and near visible pipes. Signs of a leak include puddles of water and watermarks on walls, floors or ceilings. Especially look for leaks around the base of the water heater. A leaking water heater can be dangerous. Request service if you see any signs of leaks.

  ❏ Looking for signs of corrosion. Pipe corrosion can cause leaks and bad pipe connections if not corrected. Green stains around copper and brass fittings and on shutoff valves are a sign of corrosion.

  ❏ Testing water pressure. Water pressure measures the force of water, as it comes out of sink faucets and showerheads. Low water pressure can be a sign of a problem with the water line or of sediment build up in the faucet or shower head. High water pressure can cause damage to the fixture’s in your home. High water pressure is common.

  ❏ Removing the showerhead to look for any blockage or sediment that it may have collected. Blockages and sediment buildup can cause lower water pressure.

  ❏ Checking each sink, bathtub, and shower for the speed of drainage. Slow drainage is usually a sign of a clog in the drain or a blocked pipe. When draining, the water should have a full swirl. If you see bubbles when the water is draining, this usually indicates a problem.

  ❏ Checking the inside parts and the flushing handle of toilets. To make sure they are flushing properly, flush each toilet at least once. Check inside the tank of the toilet to see if any parts are rusted, missing, or broken. Make sure there is no water on the floor around the toilet, and that the toilet water does not continue to run after flushing.

  ❏ Looking for cracked tiles in the around sinks, near the water pipes in the home, or in the shower. Hollow or loose tiles can be an indication that there is a leak underneath or behind the tile that may have caused rotting.

  ❏ Checking if any sink, bathtub, or toilet caulking is coming off.

  ❏ Checking for mildew in sinks, bathtubs, showers, and clothes washers. Mildew is caused by standing water that has dried up again.

  ❏ Checking to see if toilets rock or move by pushing and pulling on each toilet.

  ❏ Looking inside the burner chamber of your home’s water heater, for any flakes of rust. Also, check the flame of the water heater, to make sure it is a blue color. If you see a yellow color, this can indicate that the jets need to be cleaned. The burners should be inspected and cleaned every year.

  ❏Tankless water heaters need annual service. The tanks must be flushed to remove sediment.

  ❏ Turning on all of the faucets to see if there is any water leaking out of the handles and valves.

  ❏ Checking the hoses connected to your washing machine, to make sure they are not cracked, brittle, or leaking.

Q. When should I call a professional Plumber?

A. Whenever you have a question or are unsure of how to repair your plumbing system, call a professional technician at Hoffmann Brothers. Your plumbing system is very delicate and improper repairs frequently end up costing more money to fix than the original problem. The technicians at Hoffmann Brothers have been to provide maintenance and repair work on all types of residential plumbing systems. We offer 24 hour services, so call Hoffmann Brothers whenever you have a plumbing system need.

Contact the Expert St. Louis, Missouri Heating & Air Conditioning Contractors at Hoffmann Brothers

For over 40 years, Hoffmann Brothers has proudly installed and serviced all types of heating and cooling systems throughout the St. Louis, MO Metropolitan Area. We service and repair all brands of HVAC systems and install American Standard Heating & Air Conditioning. Please give us a call today at (314) 664-3011 or send us an email on our Contact Us page.

Our service area includes St. Louis County, Missouri, St. Louis City, Jefferson County, St. Charles County, St. Clair, Illinois, Madison County, Ballwin, Chesterfield, Des Peres, Wildwood, Ladue, Kirkwood, Webster Groves, Clayton, Sunset Hills, and Creve Coeur. Hoffmann Brothers is the premier St. Louis, Missouri Heating and Cooling Contractor.