Are you known locally?

Being known locally is important. It helps your customers connect with and relate to you and your business. Why? Understanding the community you live and work in is important for many reasons. Travel time, local sustainability and reputation are important if your service provider is local. There are environmental considerations too but that is not going to be discussed here. How long a business has been in the community is a good indicator of how important it is for them as a business to have and maintain a positive relationship and reputation. The smaller the community the more important it is to stay in touch with your current and potential customers.

With over 50 years in the same location and 25 plus years in business Better Plumbing is a sterling example of community commitment and customer satisfaction. We have served Milpitas residents and the residents of both Santa Clara and Alameda Counties with a commitment to total customer service.

Call us today for all of your plumbing needs and questions so you can experience the level of service so hard to find these days. And thank you for your 34 plus years of business!

Better Plumbing

(408) 263-8433

Social Media and the Service Sector... what you want versus what you get

You discover you need a professional to help you with a problem your having. Where do you turn? Consumers have a new avenue of finding professionals today which include the use of the internet and social media. Consumer websites abound with offers to help you find a professional with the expertise you need. There are profiles to read, background checks done and even customers who tell the tale of their experience with the professional you may be considering. Great right? Well let's look a little closer and see what can also be happening to influence your decision. 

When a customer endorses a professional how can you be sure it is not a relative or friend? The truth is you can't. This is why photos of the work are just as important as the testimonials are. What do the former customers say? Great price? Neat work? Quality parts? Are you sure they are saying the things that are important to you? Read carefully what message is really coming across both from the professional and their customers. Usually everything works the minute it is installed so function isn't as important as quality and craftsmanship in my opinion. 

Which sites are reliable for recommendations is up to you. I like the sites which do not charge the professional or consumer to sign up. Why? Because if they do then there seems to me a conflict of interest occurs when a professional pays to be promoted as trustworthy or "Certified" without posting how when and why they are "Certified". 

No complaints or disciplinary action from the licensing Governmental Agency is the best indication of a reliable and trustworthy professional. You can check the status of a licensed professional online. In California, the Department of Consumer Affairs which is the Administrator of the Contractor State License Board electronically gives you insight into the professional you are about to hire.  

And finally, background checks. Sounds great right? Did you know most background checks are done on the owner of the company and not the technician who will come to your home or business. If you want a background check ask the website or company to send you one on the technician coming to your home or business. And again how do you know who the background check is on since you really don't know the person coming to your home or business. Trust your instincts! If you feel uncomfortable, call someone else. The best resource for finding someone still is asking someone you know and already trust. Even then, trust.. but verify!

Finding a professional you can trust is a wonderful thing. Please be sure to tell others so they can experience quality and craftsmanship without headache and stress! Proud professionals everywhere are littered with unscrupulous and fraudulent workers posing as a professionals. Most of the time you only find out at the end of the job. So check references for larger projects to insure you are not regretting taking the "best price" at the highest cost to you, the consumer!  

How can you become more aware of the day to day needs of your existence?

"We live in a world of disease and everyday is a battle of survival"

We take for granted most of the conveniences  of our life thinking the whole world enjoys the benefits of modern plumbing. Watch this video and see how you can tell if your viewpoint is one that is mainstream.

Running toilet?

Ever hear a noise at night coming from your bathroom? Chances are it is the sound of money going down the drain! Toilets are the  "silent water vampires" of modern plumbing. A running toilet wastes water, energy and money. A simple leak check yearly is recommended and can be done usually very simply.





Don't let that running toilet get away from you! Put a stop to running toilet by tackling the problem with a leak check you can usually obtain free from the local hardware store or home center.

If you need help or assistance on water conservation feel free to contact me for a free no obligation estimate on fixing those leaks you may have!

Thank you!

If you have any questions or comments feel free to call me and I will be glad to help you if I can. I can be reached at (408) 263-8433.

your plumber,

Cameron

Water conservation may no longer be an option.

Ever wonder how some of the most complicated problems in life might be worked out? Water conservation is not new. The perspective this video offers is. It helps us to understand what we can do collectively to address current and future resources as a species.



Water is a resource that all human beings need to survive. Water conservation is the least we can do no matter what the cost.

Let me show you how you can do a small part in conserving this precious resource.

Is cheaper better?

A lot has been said about price. Is price all there is to consider when selecting a plumber? Well, watch this video and ask yourself that question. If you still think that cheap price is appealing let me know. I hope this has informed you as a consumer. Safety is no accident!

Backflow Prevention, what is it?

Ever see those big valves sticking out of the ground near the sidewalk and wonder what they are for? Have you heard of anti-siphon devices and wondered what they were talking about? Even though you may not know what they are they work relentlessly to protect the public health. These valves are installed on domestic water lines to prevent the back flowing of water into your fresh water supply.

Now, you may ask, when is it possible for water to flow backwards into the fresh waterline? Often, when there is a fire, firetrucks will pump the water from the domestic supply. If, during this time you are say, filling a swimming pool, the negative pressure will siphon the water from the pool and make its way back into the utilities water supply contaminating it. Same goes for when you are gardening and lay the hose on the ground and the water is drawn back into the water supply dirt and bacteria can contaminate the water supply.

Back flow devices and anti-siphoning devices prevent this from happening. With back flow devices if a negative flow occurs the valve "checks" or prevents the flow of water when the pressure coming into your supply is lower than the pressure already past the valve thus preventing an equalizing or back flow situation. This is usually accompanied by what is commonly called dumping. This occurs when the water is released from the relief valve it is a sign that a back flowing has attempted to occur.

Anti-siphon devices are somewhat the same although they usually are installed on landscaping supply lines and hose bibs. These prevent back flow by opening and allowing air to enter the line when a negative pressure situation occurs.

If you have any questions or comments about installing or maintaing your backflow devices feel free to call me at (408) 263-8433.

your plumber,

Cameron

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One way to select a plumber...

You need a plumber, now! Water is coming out everywhere and that smell! Where that’s coming from you're afraid to ask.

So how do you select a plumber? What criteria should a person use? Here is some friendly advice from someone who has over 30 years in the trade. Remember your real estate is usually the largest investment you'll make in life. Do you really want to let just anyone in there? No! If they aren't licensed you could fall victim to criminals who prey on owners who don't check out who they hire. There are those who use someone just because they answer the phone. Really that's all they have to do. Some look for the best "deal" they can find thinking no one is really qualified that does the work. Some go to the good old stand by, the same guy who has been doing the work for them all these years. Sometimes it pays to look around for who is the most qualified for your particular task. Drain clearing is pretty standard stuff if all you want is the water to go down. If you want to know why it stopped up and how to prevent it from happening so soon you may want to consider someone who has a video inspection system. Maybe you would benefit by using enzymes to combat sludge build up. So you see there are as many ways to clear a drain as are those interested. Think about some of the consequences of hiring someone unqualified or just plain too lazy to learn the new technology of plumbing. Plumbers install gas lines, waterlines, drain lines, tankless water heaters, sewer lines and automatic gas shut-off valves et. These are the tools by which modern man combats the spread of disease. Plumbing that does not meet current minimum standards endangers the occupants of the dwelling and the public at large. So mix it up. Ask around before picking up that phone book. Ask yourself if you would let that person you hire touch everything you put in your mouth or on your body. The plumber brings you water you drink and the showers you take. If the answer is no then call someone else.

By the way, how many things are wrong in this photo? Go ahead and post your response.

your plumber,

Cameron