Our Company – FAQ

Where are you located?
Our main office is located in West Seattle but we have the ability to dispatch trucks from all over the greater Puget Sound. If you are located in the King, Snohomish, or Pierce Counties call us, we can send a technician right to your door!

If you live in one of these counties but are not accessible by bridge (I.e. Vashon Island) we apologize for any inconvenience but are unable to service your location.

Is your work guaranteed?
Yes! But it is important to note the difference between a guarantee and a warranty. South West Plumbing has both warranties on products and guarantees. Our fixtures all have individual warranties that vary as to length and your licensed plumber can go over that information with you.

Our guarantee of quality service is more of a promise to you that we will do the job right every time. If you aren’t completely satisfied with the quality of work, we will come back and fix the situation, at no charge to you. That is what our guarantee is all about. South West Plumbing is committed to serving you in a fast, friendly, and efficient manner, and we stand by our commitment.

Can I get an estimate over the phone?
Our Customer Service Representatives are not certified plumbers or technicians and therefore cannot give estimates or quotes over the phone. We dispatch our licensed plumbers to you so they can provide you with an accurate quote since we charge by the job not the hour. Every situation is different and we would not want to mislead anyone with a phone quoted price.

Can I speak with a technician about my problem?
Our licensed plumbers are dispatched remotely from locations within the three counties we serve; they are rarely at our offices. Also, every plumbing situation is fairly different. This is why we insist upon sending someone to your home to properly investigate the situation, explain it to you, and give you the solution on what should be done. With over 40 fully stocked trucks serving the King, Snohomish and Pierce counties, a technician is just a phone call away.

What is a “dispatch fee”?
A dispatch fee is the minimum charge for sending a licensed plumber or heating technician to your home to inspect/identify your problem and the best fit solution. This is a flat rate fee and is not related to the day or time of service, or the distance your technician traveled to get to you.

Do you have a travel charge?
We have no travel charges! We cover King, Snohomish, and Pierce Counties and have plumbers in your area. So, don’t hesitate to contact us, no matter where in those three counties that you live.

Plumbing Leaks, A Pest’s Best Friend

Plumbing leaks are certainly an annoyance, but they can actually cause more problems than you probably realize. In addition to wasting water and causing an irritating dripping sound, plumbing leaks can create a veritable paradise for household pests. You may not like your plumbing leaks, but cockroaches and other pests really love them. Seeing cockroaches and other pests does not necessarily mean you have a plumbing leak, but it can often be a good indication, and is certainly worth looking into.

Just like humans, pests must have the basics to survive which are food, water and shelter. Even those nasty German cockroaches can go for a couple weeks without any food, but will perish after just a few days if they can’t access moisture.

Cockroaches can find drinking water in leaky pipes, pipes with gaps around them and from dripping faucets. Turning off these “drinking fountains” for pests is of critical importance if you want to drive unwanted vermin out of your home.

The best way to eliminate household pests and make sure your home isn’t moonlighting as a roach motel is to have all your plumbing leaks fixed and ensure all your pipes are in optimal condition by having a thorough inspection from the experts at South West Plumbing.

Uninvited Guests
The next time you notice a plumbing leak in your home, make sure to call South West Plumbing to avoid sharing your residence with pests including:

• Rodents – Can exasperate plumbing problems by blocking pipes or gnawing on plumbing seals
• Snakes – May be looking for rodents or water for lunch
• Termites – Particularly interested in eating moist wood since it’s easier to chew
• Carpenter Ants – Known for burrowing through wood, and wet wood is easier to get through
• Cockroaches – Use leaky pipes as a source of drinking water
• Mosquitoes – Attracted to standing water caused by leaks

Plumbing Leak Repair Services
Every home has a water line that delivers fresh water, and every home is going to have a leak in their water line at some time. The effective lifespan of different pipe materials vary greatly.

At South West Plumbing, our plumbers are trained to locate the area of the leak and determine if repair or replacement is necessary. Should you choose to replace the line (most commonly selected option), we can get this job done quickly so you experience the least amount of inconvenience possible.

Our certified plumbers have years of experience to draw from in finding and repairing leaks inside your home. Most of the time only a small hole is required to pinpoint the source and repair the problem.  Our certified plumbers can repair all types of pipes in any location of your home.

Whatever option you choose, you can be sure the job South West Plumbing performs will be done quickly, professionally and correctly at a price you approve up front. Contact our certified plumbers and see what we can do for you.

Trenchless Repair

Trenchless sewer replacement is an option that customers love.

There is minimal disruption to landscaping and a shortened job time, which are two of the biggest reasons why people opt for trenchless repair. Our high-tech pipe bursting equipment can install a new sewer line under retaining walls, patios, driveways and allow for replacement in places where conventional digging may be cumbersome or not possible at all. All we need are two relatively small holes on your property and we can usually wrap up the job in a few days.

If your damaged sewer line is caught soon enough and a few other criteria are met another trenchless option is pipe lining. A high strength polymer lining is pushed through your existing sewer pipe and cured in place. Within one day the new pipe is ready to use. This new pipe is as strong as a conventional sewer line and will provide years of worry free service.

Things Plumbers Know About Your Bathroom Habits

Plumbers are pretty impressive problem solvers. They can save you a pretty penny and even spare your health if they diagnose dilemmas before your pipes burst or mold takes up residence, saving you from costly repairs or having to pour nasty chemicals down your drain. Here are some things your bathroom reveals about you and what to do instead:

You don’t turn on the fan when you shower
When mold moves into your bathroom, it can colonize in the crevices, the caulking, and even grow on your bathroom ceiling. Running the exhaust fan during and after a shower or hot bath to remove excess humidity. If that doesn’t give it the heave-ho, water could be getting behind the tiles or tub, or there may be a leak behind the wall. Fight mold with antimicrobial tea tree oil; add 15 to 20 drops to a spray bottle filled with water, and use it to spray down shower tiles after use. Also, be sure to shake out the shower curtain post-shower and only close it halfway to let air circulate.

You’ve been ignoring that hairball in your drain
If your shower drain is on slow-mo, hair could be the culprit. It collects and combines with soap residue and can turn into a rat’s nest–size blockage. Prevent the problem in the first place by picking up a hairguard at the hardware or dollar store. If the clog is close enough to the top, try pulling it out with tweezers. Otherwise, use a wire clothes hanger with a ‘J’ hook at the end. Stick it into the drain as far as you can, turn it a few times and slowly pull it out. And brace yourself—what comes out isn’t going to be pretty.

Your water is hard
That white film on your showerhead and plumbing fixtures means you have hard water. Hard water, which comes into contact with rocks or soil, has higher levels of essential minerals like calcium and magnesium than soft water does. Soft water is better for plumbing fixtures simply because minerals can actually damage plumbing appliances over the long haul. Soft water also means cleaner clothes and dishes with less detergent (bonus for the environment!), while hard water wins for taste and gives your body much-needed minerals. So how do you know if you have hard water? If your shower curtain is scum-free, your water’s likely soft.

Your leak is wasting serious water
There’s one quick plumbing fix everyone should know: how to turn off the main water valve. Your main water valve is usually in the basement or inside a closet, and in warmer climates, it’s often on an outside wall or inside the meter box near the curb. Just don’t save the search party for an emergency. If it takes a special tool, like a meter key, know where it is and how to use it. Stick the meter key into the box’s key slot, turn it counterclockwise, and lift off the lid. Locate the valve lever inside and, using a T bar or wrench, turn it clockwise to shut the water off.