Tehachapi's Online Community News & Entertainment Guide
Tehachapi's Online Community News & Entertainment Guide
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A plumbing leak can quickly escalate from a minor inconvenience to a major disaster, causing significant damage to your home and possessions. Knowing how to handle an emergency leak can save you hundreds of dollars in repair costs and prevent extensive water damage. Here are some crucial steps to take if you encounter a plumbing leak, brought to you by John The Plumber. 1. Know your main water shut-off valve The first and most important step in any plumbing emergency is to stop the flow of...
We know it's still hot out. We know we will have several more weeks of warm weather, but it's not too early to discuss winterizing your evaporative cooler (or what some people call a swamp cooler). You don't want to wait until the first cold snap to be winterizing the cooler as you might not be able to get an appointment or, worse yet, your water supply line could freeze and cause damage. Many property owners don't give a whole lot of thought to their cooler except when it isn't working, but...
In a world that seems to have gone mad, where everything costs more and you get less, where common decency seems to have gone missing, there is hope! This might not be life changing news for everyone but for some it can make a big difference. It’s about your plumbing. Local plumbing shop, John the Plumber, has been looking for a way to give back to their customers and they believe they have found a perfect way to do that: with every service call, no matter how big or small, they will do a w...
The pandemic of 2020 impacted all of us in a myriad of ways including the supply chain of goods and replacement parts. Everything from glass and can shortages to computer chips to baby formula have been impacted. The workforce supply has been affected, as well, leaving many companies short-handed. These shortages and delivery delays have been experienced by local service providers leading to extreme frustration on the part of customers. John Nelson, owner of John the Plumber, is no stranger to...
Rain. We need it. Rain brings life to our parched soil. But too much rain can mean problems if you're on a septic system. John Nelson, owner of John the Plumber, is no stranger to these problems. "It's a been a few years since we've had a really wet winter," he said, "but seeing as how it's looking like we're going to have another wet one this year, we're already anticipating panicked calls from homeowners whose septic is backing up." When heavy rain soaks your drain field, the waste water...
As the weather gets colder people are firing up their heaters. For those on propane this can be a challenge as they may have let their tanks run low and they don't have the funds for even a partial tank fill-up. A common but very dangerous solution to this dilemma is to use a portable propane tank to run their appliances, such as the furnace, water heater and stove. Local plumber, John Nelson of John the Plumber, sees this quite often, especially during the cold months. "We'll get a call that a...
The weather is gorgeous right now and we may even have some warmer weeks in the forecast, but winter is on its way and that means freezing temps. In the plumbing world that means busted water lines. You can avoid all that by taking some simple but vital steps now. For those of you who have an evaporative or "swamp" cooler start thinking about winterizing your cooler. This involves draining the reserve pan, shutting off the water source and covering the unit itself to keep cold air from coming...
Every time a home is sold, there's a very good chance that the lender is going to require a septic certification. Seeing as how a large number of homes in the Tehachapi valley and the high desert communities of Kern County are on septic, that means there are a lot of septic certifications currently being performed for buyers and sellers. Local plumber John Nelson, of John the Plumber, thought this would be a good time to address what exactly is involved in a septic certification. "We get...
Knowing whom to hire when doing home projects can mean the difference between a successful venture or a major headache for the homeowner. Many people will reach out to friends, family or social media for referrals which can be a great source of names. However, even well-meaning friends don't know the right questions to ask and can end up referring someone who ends up not being so great. One of the most common requests people will have is for a "licensed handyman." The thing is, there is no such...
On Saturday, June 25, between 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., you will find John the Plumber owner, John Nelson, at the hiring fair being held at the Aspen Builders Inc. Activity Center at 410 W. D St., Tehachapi next to West Park. On hand will also be JTP's only female plumbing tech to help answer questions from an employee's perspective. "Growth has been a priority for us for quite a while," John tells us. "While I'll never retire, I'd like to step back and take on more of a trainer and owner role. To do...
John Nelson, owner of John the Plumber, no longer provides septic pumping services but he still inspects, certifies and does repairs on septic systems and has a few tips that he'd like to share with everyone. "Septic systems are not nearly as complicated as many people think," he said. "A basic explanation of how they work is that all water and waste from the home flows into a tank in the ground. That tank will either be made of plastic, metal or concrete and will have two lids that allow...
Life as an adult has never been easy but these last few years have been particularly trying for all of us. Between politics causing division among friends and family, a virus that wants to kill us and inflation like we haven't seen in a long time, maintaining a healthy mental state hasn't been easy. May is mental health month and John Nelson, owner of John the Plumber, wants to share a few words on the topic. "I'm certainly no one's guru when it comes to mental health but I have learned a few...
It’s not every day the plumber gives you tips so that you don’t need to call them, but today is that day. John Nelson, owner of John the Plumber, is always happy to do what he can to help folks out. “Business is great. So great that we can’t always get to people as quickly as we’d like, so if we’re able to help a customer solve their issue on their own, we’re happy to do so,” he said. What’s his top tip to DIYers (“Do-It-Yourself-ers”)? “Prevention and have a few basic tools on hand,” John te...
John the Plumber gets a lot of the same questions from folks, so he decided to address a few of the more common ones so everyone can get the benefit of the answers. Can you repair my dishwasher? If the problem is a water supply or drain issue, then yes, we can fix that. If the problem is due to an actual defect or malfunction of the unit itself, then we suggest an appliance repair technician. The same is true for gas stoves or dryers. If the problem is due to a gas supply issue, we can fix that....
A customer asked me how much it cost to install a new 40 gallon water heater. I answered him: $1,450. He said: Why so much?? I asked: How much do you think it should cost you? He answered me: $500 maximum...I can get a new one from the hardware store for $400. Me: For $500 I invite you to do it yourself. Him: But.... I don’t know how to. Me: You can watch a video on YouTube or for $800 I’ll teach you how to. So besides saving you $450, you’ll get the knowledge for the next time you need to do...
(This article is a re-run from John the Plumber – but the message is still important – and with the holiday season fast approaching, they want to get this reminder out so that you don't have any plumbing mishaps.) Baby wipes, personal care wipes, bleach or cleaning wipes, makeup removing wipes – none of them belong in your toilet unless you really like your plumber. Seriously, don't flush even if the package says "flushable." John Nelson, owner of John the Plumber, explains, "Manu...
John the Plumber has a new office and Google isn't happy with it. "Not sure what happened exactly," explains owner, John Nelson. "Everything was fine on our Google page then we updated our address and suddenly our page was gone. We've sent Google everything they've asked for to verify the legitimacy of the business and the address but they still haven't restored our page. We have more tricks up our sleeve but if that doesn't work we'll have to create a brand new page. It's been really...
A few months ago, John the Plumber shared with us the benefits he's experienced from a plant-based diet along with his association with the Natural Market here in town. Well, John and his wife have decided to take this commitment to plant-based eating even a step further and open their own place. "The market was a great place to be, for Sarah and I," John said, "but it wasn't completely plant based. We are so committed to showing folks how healthy and delicious plant-based eating can be that we...
A well-known phrase in the United States Declaration of Independence is "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." While it may not have been the direct intent of the signers to include the freedom of career choice in that statement, it certainly must have been on the fringes of thought. "Enjoying your job" would definitely be in the "happiness" column and the folks over at John the Plumber can attest to that. John Nelson, owner of John the Plumber says, "What can I say? I love my job!" John...
One of the greatest concerns that a homeowner can have is regarding their septic system. If you aren't on septic, odds are you know someone who is, so you'll want to keep reading. Septic fears can be so great that some people won't even purchase a home that is on septic, which is a shame because it doesn't need to be that way. The folks over at John the Plumber want to help you get over any concerns or fears you have about septic systems and give you some tips to help extend the life of your...
John the Plumber gets a lot of the same questions for folks so he decided to address a few of the more common ones so everyone can get the benefit of the answers. Can you repair my dishwasher? If the problem is a water supply or drain issue, then yes, we can fix that. If the problem is due to an actual defect or malfunction of the unit itself, then we suggest an appliance repair technician. The same is true for gas stoves or dryers. If the problem is due to a gas supply issue, we can fix that....
What does being plant based have to do with being a plumber? John Nelson, owner of John the Plumber, concedes that being plant-based really doesn't impact his work as a plumber or his customers, at least not directly. "Do I feel better since going plant-based? Yes. Do my knees not hurt so much? Yep. Do I rarely get sick and miss work as a result? Yes, to that as well. But even when I hurt I went to work and did great work for my customers," he said. So how does being a plant-based plumber help...
Purchasing a new water heater is about as much fun as buying new tires for your vehicle. Suffice it to say, it's not. Like tires, they are an expensive purchase that really isn't exciting but is absolutely necessary. There are many options, such as brands, warranties and special features that can make the buying process stressful, especially if you're having to make the decision quickly and under duress. The crew over at John the Plumber understands all of this and wants to help you make the...
Tehachapi has already experienced below freezing overnight temperatures and there are more to come. When that happens water lines freeze and burst causing thousands of dollars worth of damage to homes and their contents. John Nelson, owner of John the Plumber, has seen the devastation resulting from breaks of frozen water lines and wants to help you avoid that. "I've walked into homes where the entire ceiling has fallen into the living room, destroying the entertainment center. I've seen...
Baby wipes, personal care wipes, bleach or cleaning wipes, makeup removing wipes...none of them belong in your toilet unless you really like your plumber. Seriously, don't flush even if the package says "flushable." John Nelson, owner of John the Plumber, explains, "Manufacturers put that label on their packages to sell wipes. Sure, they flush but they don't break down. That means they end up clogging your sewer line, floating in your septic tank or ending up in the waste water treatment...
