New Water Heater Regulations for 2015

The Department of Energy announced new water heater regulations and standards that began April 16, 2015. These changes will effect how water heaters are designed, manufactured, tested, distributed, and installed. These changes will affect manufacturers, wholesalers, installers and customers alike (Bradford White).

For a detailed review of the changes please watch the video below:

All water heaters produced after April 16, 2015 need to conform to new energy standards, making all models run more efficiently. The changes are anticipated to save approximately 3.3 quads of energy and result in approximately $63 billion in energy bill savings for products shipped from 2015-2044. The standard will avoid about 172.5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions, equivalent to the annual greenhouse gas emissions of about 33.8 million automobiles (DOE).

The chart below outlines the increased efficiencies that new models must meet. 

While we all can agree that these are noble and necessary changes, we must also be aware of the inevitable increase in water heater prices that has followed. Bradford White alone anticipates a 15-35% increase on ALL water heater prices to off-set the costs of buying new mandatory machinery, adjusting their factories to handle the new, larger model water heaters, as well as the unforeseen costs of building, inspecting, and shipping the new models.

Bradford White also developed an excellent Q & A section  that outlines how we will be affected by the new regulations. This information can be found on their website at http://www.bradfordwhite.com/doe-department-energy-final-rule-effective-04162015-frequently-asked-questions.

You can also read more on the Department of Energy’s site: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards/product.aspx/productid/27.

We hope that this information helps prepare you for the road ahead. We understand the importance of making a proper investment in your home with a great water heater and a high quality installation. We want these changes to be as clear to you as possible so if you would like clarification on any of the changes or simply have questions on how you may be affected, please feel free to call us at 303-465-1900.

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It’s cold outside, snow flurries are popping up all over the place, and the malls are getting crowded; that can mean only one thing: The holidays are here!

Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or Boxing Day, it’s exciting to see all the festivities and decorations brightening up our city.

With the holiday season also comes family traditions. We all have different traditions in our families that help remind us of when we were younger and times were simpler. Within my family we still follow several traditions throughout the month of December.

For instance, we prepare a huge batch of homemade hard candy on the first weekend of December to share with friends, family, and to give as gifts. This tradition goes back 3 generations now which is very exciting.

My wife comes from a Jewish background so we also celebrate the eight days of Hanukkah with traditional hebrew prayers and the lighting of the menorah. This is a practice that I love because as I had very few Jewish friends growing up so I had little opportunity to learn about their customs, which are beautiful.

On Christmas eve, the family gets together in the evening and exchanges one small gift, just for fun and as an excuse to sit and have drinks together. On Christmas morning my father-in-law prepares fresh cinnamon rolls and we all delight in those before getting a nice tall cup of coffee and assembling around the Christmas tree.

These are just a few of the fun traditions our family holds on to. How about you? Do you still keep traditions alive in your family? Or are you starting new traditions this year?

We’d love to hear all about it. Tell us your holiday traditions on Twitter and Facebook with the tag #MPTraditions.

Cheers!

-Chris

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We’ve Got All the Right Tools!

One of the characteristics that separates professional plumbers from the rest of the wrenchers out there is the tools we use in our daily work. As you can imagine, there are a lot of different types of plumbing fixtures. Different producers, different parts, and different applications. All these different items require different tools.

It would be really nice if every producer and supplier of plumbing items used the same parts, but unfortunately that’s not the case. Because of this, plumbers have to be prepared for all the different styles of plumbing parts by having a wide array of tools for the job.

Most plumbers collect these tools over their lifetime in the industry. When new parts come out, they get the tool that’s made for that part. This is how we can repair and replace the fixtures in your home without causing additional damage.

Many times do it yourselfers and handymen will assume that they can use a standard wrench for just about anything, not realizing how delicate the part may be. We had a great customer recently decide to try and replace his own shower cartridge. He’s a handy guy with a good head on his shoulders, but unfortunately he just didn’t have the right tool for the job. What he ended up with was a completely broken shower valve that needed to be replaced.

You can see how the copper pipes twisted and crimped while he was trying to remove the cartridge. Below, you’ll see how the wrench dug into the body of the shower valve, tearing up the metal and exposing the new unsealed metal to corrosion and oxidation.

Now, McAdams Plumbing believes in self-sustainability and we completely understand folks wanting to do their own plumbing work. Heck, we support this! That’s why we host the do-it-yourself page. We just always ask you know your limitations.

When you get into a situation that feels uncomfortable, give us a call and talk about what you have going on. You may be able to save yourself a lot of money in repairs with a simple phone call.

As always, thanks for reading along. Hope everyone has a great week out there!

The Proof is in the Plumbing!

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99 Dollar Drain Cleaning Explained

At McAdams Plumbing, we believe integrity is the most important part of the plumbing business. That’s why we want to take a moment to shine a light on 99 dollar drain cleaning services. Here’s the big question to wrestle with:

“Why is it that one company will charge 99 dollars for all drain cleaning services and another has multiple charges?”

While that seems like a straightforward question, that answer can be complicated.

Some plumbing companies specialize in only drain cleaning. These companies have less equipment, less insurance, smaller vehicles, and may not be licensed. You don’t need a plumbing license to be a drain cleaner, just the equipment and some experience. So with that in mind they may be able to offer all services for 99 dollars.

Other companies say 99 dollar drain cleaning but have many stipulations. This price may not cover:

• access fees
• travel fees
• diagnostic fees
• labor fees
• hazardous/difficult access fees
• time/length fees
• machine breakdown fees
• stair fees (which are fees charged to carry equipment up and down stairs, and yes they will charge you per stair).

These are just some of the many charges that increase that 99 dollar drain cleaning fee to $150.00+.

Another trick of the trade is to offer the 99 dollar drain cleaning service but then send out a salesperson with the plumber who will then work very hard to sell you a camera service after your cleaning. These people are persistent and very good at what they do. They’ll tell you how important it is to camera the line, how it can only be done after a drain cleaning service so you should just do it now, and they’ll even offer your what looks like a discount for having the camera service done in conjunction with the drain cleaning. Now your bill is up over $300.00 when all you needed was a mainline run.

The last, and probably most deceiving, practice is to charge 99 dollars for a drain line “clearing,” not “cleaning.” When this happens the plumber will basically just punch a hole through the blockage in your line for 99 dollars, then charge extra if you want the entire line fully cleaned. A “clearing” service usually comes with no warranty.

All of this information is offered to help make you a more informed consumer. If you are hiring a company for a drain cleaning service, ask them to tell you exactly what the fee covers and to tell you what other fees you could possibly see. All companies know what their drain cleaning fees are and what up charges exist.

With McAdams Plumbing, you’ll get a fully cleaned line, no matter which drain is backing up, for the same price we quote you up front. No games, no hidden fees. We’ll put it all right out there for you so you know exactly what you’re paying for.

Thanks for reading along and we hope you learned something!

The Proof is in the Plumbing!

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What Makes Us Different? Integrity

Culminating our 3 week look at what makes McAdams Plumbing different from other plumbing companies, today we talk about integrity.

Now, seriously, I know what you are thinking. Everyone says their company has integrity, so how does that make MP different? The answer is truly in our actions. As a locally run family company we see our customers all the time. They know us, they know our family, and they know our friends. As a company, we must make sure that every interaction we have with a customer is a great one. If for some reason it’s not, we’ll do everything in our power to fix it. We want to make you feel like family. Why? Because it’s the right thing to do! More than that, we are likely going to see you again in the neighborhood, at church, or at the grocery store, and when we do, we want to be greeted with a smile rather than avoidance. The only way to earn that is to prove our integrity to our customers and our community everyday.

When I served in the USAF, the creed was “Integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all we do.” At McAdams Plumbing, we have adopted the principles of that creed into our own business model. We define integrity as “doing the right thing, even when no one is looking,” and that is exactly what we strive for. Our personnel are always honest and trustworthy. All plumbers are fully licensed, ensured, and bonded for you and your home’s safety. We price our work in house, as a board, so that you know you are getting a fair price for the quality work of a Master Plumber. We do not answer to any investors who push bottom line earnings first and fair treatment of the customer later. We don’t have any corporate reference books or “rewards plans” to try and convince you you’ll be getting a deal for overpriced work. No, rather we build everything we do around the customer experience in order to make sure you are safe and happy with your purchase. Why? Again, because it’s simply the right thing to do.

We welcome any questions about our company, our methods, or our pricing. We’d be happy to talk with you over the phone, via email, or heck you can even shoot us a text if you want. Whatever you are comfortable with. Why? Because it’s the right thing to do. We’ll be here for you when you need us.

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MP – Talk of the Town 5 Star Award Winner!

McAdams Plumbing is honored to accept the Talk of the Town 5 Star Customer Satisfaction Award for the second consecutive year!

The Talk of the Town Award is given based on online customer reviews, blogs, social networks, business rating services, and other honors and accolades. This award is not paid for, but generated by an independent research company dedicated to promoting the ultimate customer service experience. This award directly reflects what our customers think of McAdams Plumbing and how we provide service.

From the humble beginnings in our Broomfield home, McAdams Plumbing decided that we were going to better the service industry one customer at a time. We knew that the only way to accomplish this was to treat every single customer with respect, dignity, and understanding. While this award shows that we are making good strides, it in now way validates us. Every day we will strive to do better and find new ways to earn the continued trust of our current and new customers. We promise you that!

So a sincere and heartfelt thank you to all of our friends and customers who have given us a positive review online, chosen our company as the one for their family, recommended us to friends and neighbors, and supported us as we have grown. None of this is possible without you!

-MP

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NOW HIRING!!!

McAdams Plumbing, Broomfield’s premier residential plumbing service company, is currently seeking a full-time service plumber. We are changing the way plumbing companies do business by treating our customers, and our employees, with the high level of honesty and respect that they deserve. Come be a part of our family!

This job is for you if you are:

• Licensed 
• 10 years experience (drain cleaning exp. required)
• Good/honest with customers (an absolute must!)
• Motivated
• Willing to learn
• Wanting room for personal and professional growth
• Wanting fair, competitive wages
• Looking for a company that treats you right!

What we’ll provide for you:

• Quality of life
• Competitive wages
• A uniform
• A work vehicle
• Schedule flexibility
• Performance bonuses
• iPad 2
• Respect

What we will require:

• Copy of plumbers license
• Copy of drivers license
• Drug test
• Background check (bondable)
• No felony convictions
• Copy of motor vehicle record
• You can lift heavy equipment safely
• Knowledge of state plumbing codes

What you can expect to do:

• Customer service
• Drain cleaning (major and minor)
• Residential plumbing service (diagnose, repair, replace)
• Prepare bids
• Document service provided

Qualified hiring candidates can email their resume to [email protected] or fax to 303-465-1960. Thank you!

-MP

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Check Out Our New Broomfield Page!

McAdams Plumbing is honored to be a resident of the great city of Broomfield. So much so we decided to make a page and talk to you about how we stay involved with Broomfield.

We show you places we like, organizations we’re involved with, and how using our company benefits you, the Broomfield resident.

Now if you’re not a Broomfield resident, don’t worry, we’ll still treat you with the same respect and offer you only the highest quality service. We service the whole North Metro area. We just want to make sure that our home town gets some extra attention. After all, we work and live here!

So hop over to our new page  by clicking the banner above and see if we’re the right fit for your family. We’d love to be given the opportunity to earn your trust. And if you’re in our neighborhood, you’ve got nothing to lose. The Proof is in the Plumbing!

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That’s right everyone! McAdams Plumbing is celebrating the grand opening of our storefront location. It’s going to be a lot of fun and we hope many of you will come out and support our growth.

Since 2009 we have been working hard to change the service industry through a focus on customer service, quality work, and fair pricing. We’d love to thank all of our customers in person so come out and have some food with us!

When?

Where?

Events

Catering By

 Menu

• Meat Lasagna
• Spaghetti w/ Homemade Marinara (V)
• Salad w/ Ranch or Balsamic Vinaigrette
• Soft Drinks

Raffle will be for a Kohler Moxie shower head with wireless Blutooth speaker system. How cool is that?!

Alright everyone, make sure to invite your friends and family. We couldn’t have made it this far without our great customers! So come get some free food and let us say thank you in person. See you on May 30th!

-MP

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NOW HIRING!!!

McAdams Plumbing, Broomfield’s premier residential plumbing service company, is currently seeking a full-time service plumber. We have been around since 2009 and are changing the way plumbing companies do business by treating our customers, and our employees, with the high level of honesty and respect that they deserve. Come be a part of our growth!

This job is for you if you are:

• Licensed 
• Experienced (drain cleaning exp. required)
• Good/honest with customers (an absolute must!)
• Motivated
• Willing to learn
• Wanting room for personal and professional growth
• Wanting fair, competitive wages
• Looking for a company that treats you right!

What we will require:

• Copy of plumbers license
• Copy of drivers license
• Drug test
• Background check (bondable)
• No felony convictions
• Copy of motor vehicle record
• You can lift heavy equipment safely
• Knowledge of state plumbing codes

What you can expect to do:

• Customer service
• Drain cleaning (major and minor)
• Residential plumbing service (diagnose, repair, replace)
• Prepare bids
• Document service provided

What we’ll provide for you:

• Quality of life
• A uniform
• A work vehicle
• Schedule flexibility
• Performance bonuses
• iPad 2
• Respect

Qualified hiring candidates can email their resume to [email protected] or fax to 303-465-1960. Calls about the position are not OK. Email or fax only. Thank you.

-MP

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