Residential Plumbing in St. Louis – Maplewood Plumbing
St. Louis homeowners face a lot of potential home improvement projects. From the master bath to the kitchen and down to the basement, there is no lack of room for plumbing problems, and the need for residential plumbing repair.
Residential plumbing includes plumbing and drain cleaning services for the inside and outside of homes. Water, drain and sewer lines, water heaters, sink fixtures and plumbing in bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms and basements, tub and shower fixtures and plumbing in master bathrooms, guest bathrooms, hall bathrooms, half baths and powder rooms, and every other fixture in a house that a plumber might be called on to install or repair.
There are many differences between residential plumbing and commercial plumbing, from the complexity of plumbing systems to scope of work, drainage, and water issues. This is why we separate our residential plumbing services from our commercial plumbing services, which you can find here.
Here are just a few of those differences:
Usage and health concerns. In a house, just one family is dependent on the plumbing system, so there are fewer pipe fittings and drains. Plumbing needs are also easier to manage in a residence because there are fewer people, which makes it easier to ensure good hygiene.
Size and complexity. Because just one family is using a home’s plumbing, the drainage system is smaller and doesn’t need to be as durable to have a long life. The systems in a house are also simpler and easier to navigate than the multiple bathrooms and levels of many commercial buildings.
Clogged drains and leaks. When there is a clogged drain in your home’s plumbing system, it typically requires one plumber to solve because the plumbing is straightforward and simple. It’s also usually faster to solve, and down time doesn’t impact income in the same way that a commercial building would be affected financially by blocked drains. Also, leaky faucets are easier to spot in home plumbing, because houses usually only have a few of them. And the amount of waste and cost is much lower, as well.
Plumbers’ scope of knowledge and work. Most residential plumbing services can be handled within a regular workweek, although there are occasional weekend and late-night emergencies. Commercial plumbing, on the other hand, may need to be handled when buildings are empty—during weekends, evenings, and holidays. Residential plumbing jobs also typically require a wider scope of knowledge for various sections of plumbing, whereas Commercial plumbing jobs tend to use the same equipment over and over for large applications.
Basement Plumbing
Less than 35% of the homes in St. Louis County and St. Louis City have a basement. So, if your home is equipped with a lower level, you’re in the minority, although most new construction homes in our area do have a basement. If your home is one of the 65% that does not have a basement, it might be equipped with a crawl space. While a crawl space might be large enough for you to walk through, it’s not a livable space and is typically used for storage. It’s also where a house’s utilities can be found such as electrical lines, water supplypipes, and heating ducts. Crawl spaces also help to protect your home from potential weather and water damage.
If your St. Louis City or St. Louis County home does have a basement, you’ll want to watch for issues such as frozen pipes and backed up sewer lines that can cause major issues in the bottom level of your home. The basement is also a popular location for adding on as your family grows. You might want to create a new family room or playroom, a wet bar, and/or bathroom. New bathrooms can be dug out, sump pumps can be added to keep water out, and water heaters can be upgraded or repaired if not working properly.
There are different types of water heaters available for homeowners and they are important for providing hot water for showers and baths. Most hold how much water?
The first thing you should take note of when you move into your home is where the water supply shut-off valveis for your house. This way, if you ever do have a back-up or flood, you can cut off the water supply to circumvent some of the damage. If your St. Louis home is built on a slab (i.e., no basement), your water shut-off valve is probably near your water heater or under your kitchen sink. If it does have a basement, you’ll most likely find it there. Some St. Louis homes have a crawl space in lieu of a basement. Your main water supplyshut-off valve could be here as well, usually along the front of the house.
Bathroom Plumbing
Because of their constant use, bathrooms tend to be a common place for issues. Toilets can overflow, sinks can back up, bathtubs can crack, peel, or leak. Shower wall tiles can chip, caulking can wear out, and faucetsand valves can leak or drip. Bathroom vanities and toilets need proper plumbing and maintenance to work correctly. Whether you notice a problem, or simply want to update the look of your bathroom with a new sink vanity, shower, tub, or faucets, a plumbing company like Maplewood Plumbing and Sewer can help.
This is also the room that tends to face the most clogs. If your home’s toilet starts to overflow, you can stop the resulting damage by turning the water off using the valve behind the toilet. This will give you time to find a plunger and clear the clog before you have a plumbing emergency on your hands. If you’re digging out your basement for a new bathroom, click here. If you’re remodeling your bathroom and moving any plumbing around, click here.
Kitchen Plumbing
Kitchens are the heart of the home. From the appliances to the fixtures and plumbing, kitchens need to be treated with care in order to keep running smoothly for the life of your St. Louis home. From low water pressure to leaking water supply and icemaker lines and faulty garbage disposals, catching problems early and getting them fixed can save you big headaches and expensive replacement costs. Visit the Kitchen Plumbing section of our website for a full list of our capabilities from replacing fixtures to installing gas lines. Kitchens are also the most popular room of a house, next to the bathrooms, to remodel. If you’re planning a kitchen remodel, be sure you hire a licensed plumber or reputable plumbing company like Maplewood Plumbing and Sewer to handle the plumbing and drain updates.
Laundry Room Plumbing
Laundry rooms add convenience for homeowners, but they can also add headaches if not properly maintained. Utility sinks, washing machines, laundry standpipes, and properly vented laundry drains are some of the most common repairs in this space. A licensed plumber can help you ensure your home’s laundry room runs smoothly.
Outside Plumbing
The outside of your home requires the same care and maintenance as the inside. Here in St. Louis, our weather varies from month to month and sometimes even from day to day. We have four seasons, and each requires different tasks to prepare your home for the coming weather changes.
Spring—St. Louis spring begins in mid-March and ends at the end of May. The high temperature for a spring day can range anywhere from 51 to 81 degrees F. The lows are usually anywhere between 33- and 62- degrees F. The most common plumbing issues that occur in spring are flooding basements from backed up drains. If you live in a low area of St. Louis, it’s best to know exactly what to do in the event of a flood before it happens. Click here for 10 tips that can help you be well prepared for a St. Louis spring.
Summer—St. Louis summers tend to be hot and muggy! Summer in St. Louis lasts about three and a half months, beginning with Memorial Day and ending in mid-September. Average daily highs during the summer months can climb to around 90 degrees F, with the lows hovering around 70.
Winter—While St. Louis residents don’t see too much snow during the winter months, the temperature does drop quite a bit, with the average high falling around 50 degrees F and the average low hovering around 25. Be sure to follow best practices for home maintenance to prevent frozen pipes and other plumbing emergencies.
Fall—Autumn is a favorite season here in St. Louis with the gorgeous leaves changing colors from green to brilliant reds, yellows, and oranges. It’s also marked by falling temperatures. Between mid-September and late November, daily high temps tend to fall between 63- and 75-degrees F and lows generally ranging from 44 to 53 degrees F. Be sure to keep your home’s gutter systems and downspouts clear of leaves, sticks, and debris to avoid water getting into your basement and causing plumbing problems.
Every St. Louis homeowner should make note of the location of the outdoor hose bib—or the hose attachment on the outside of the house. It will match up with the location of the water shut-off valve inside the house.
From faucet repair and hose bibs to plumbing stack repair and restoration, Maplewood Plumbing can help keep the outside of your home running smoothly.
Maplewood Plumbing and Sewer has been serving homes across St. Louis City and St. Louis County for more than 30 years. Our family-owned business prides itself on our solid reputation in the community. Give us a call and see for yourself why our loyal customers won’t use anyone else!
We offer a one-year warranty on all parts and labor excluding washers.
We are also experts in pipe replacement, gas pipe services, drain cleaning, and remodeling services. Give us a call at 314-645-6350 or fill out the contact form here to request a bid.
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