Straight talk from the plumber

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 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. We can also convert natural gas appliances to propane and vice versa but we do not repair the units themselves.

Can you install a hose or line so I can drain my washing machine water into my yard? The use of grey water for yard irrigation used to be a big no-no in the state of California, however things have changed. It can be done but there are some restrictions. You cannot just run gray water onto your yard via a hose laying on the ground plus a permit will be required by either the county or city.

Can you run a line from my RV to my septic tank so the RV can be used as a residence? No. Kern county does not allow using an RV as a residence unless it's in a trailer park or as a temporary (6 months) residence while building a new residence.

Can you install, repair and do maintenance on my evaporative cooler (swamp cooler)? Yes, we can! While we know that it seems like warmer weather is still a ways off, but it will be here before you know it. Our desert dwelling friends should book a future appointment NOW to get a new cooler installed or the existing one ready for summer.

Why don't you have emergency hours? This is a tough one. We sympathize with folks who run into problems on the weekend or later in the evening. At this point in our business, we simply don't have enough technicians to be available 24/7. While we may not be able to get to you, we will respond to messages via our Facebook page and do what we can to help.

Why do you charge so much more than my handyman? The biggest reason is due to insurance costs. We carry liability as well as worker's comp insurance for our employees. This is to protect you. Because we carry liability insurance, there is recourse if we damage your property. Worker's comp insurance means the technician can't sue you if they get hurt while working at your home. An uninsured worker in your home can sue you if they get hurt on your property. Collecting for damage that an uninsured worker does to your home is darn near impossible. We won't take that risk and neither should you.

I had my septic pumped a year ago when I moved in but now it is full. I read online that it should take a minimum of 3-4 years before it's full. What's going on? A 3-bedroom home in Kern County is required to have a minimum 1,000 gallon tank. The average person uses 100 gallons of water a day. Doing the math, that means a single occupant will fill the tank in less than two weeks. Add a few occupants and it will fill even quicker. Septic tanks fill with water and waste to capacity pretty quickly and then stay that way. That's how they function. When you read that it will take 3-4 years to "fill" a tank and then should be pumped, the author is referring to solid material not liquids.

The staff and technicians at John the Plumber are always happy to answer your questions. Don't hesitate to give them a call at (661) 823-8031/(760) 373-7050. You can also email us your questions to [email protected].