How your plumbing effects your water rates:
Water rates actually vary on a three tier system working on 3 areas

Low Use
Moderate Use
High Use

All three of which have different water rates. The idea is the more you use, the more you will spend but on an exponential increasing scale. For instance at current rates under Low Use $46.70 Medium $82.70 High $123.70 the rate at which you use your water will increase how much you spend for that water being used! There is good new in this however, because the converse is also true The less you use the more you save exponentially!

Here are 3 easy ways you can reduce your water usage right now and save big:

1. Have one of our technicians perform one of our $68 water audits on your home! Its a full inspection and Tune-Up of your plumbing system that GUARANTEES you will save money on your water bills or your money back- 100% guaranteed! http://calcoastplumbing.com/water-audit-coupon/

2. Make sure you are getting the correct pressure to your home! If you are not sure if you are regulating the pressure to your home or are not sure about what your pressure should be look here: http://calcoastplumbing.com/plumbing/what-is-the-correct-water-pressure-for-my-home/

3. Consider your options on High Efficiency Toilets which can easily be installed in a matter of hours by a certified plumbing technician. These new toilets cut your water usage from your toilets usually in half while giving you a new toilet that pays itself off in 2-3 years AND you can get up to $150 in rebates per toilet from the federal government!

Remember – right now you could be facilitating the same lifestyle of water usage while using up to 50% less with the right application of tune-ups and rebated items! If this is something you are interested in please call us and we can answer all your questions and get you set up with an appointment that will pay itself off GUARANTEED!

-Aaron Eddy
925-462-090

What is the correct water pressure for my home?

“Water Pressure to the home” “Pressure at the front of the House” “PSI at my home”
They all mean the same thing but what is the correct answer? If you are getting water hammering, banging, or if you are constantly getting drips at you faucets you may have too much pressure. This creates ware and tear on your whole homes plumbing system and diminishes the life of most fixtures and plumbing equipment.

High Water Pressure
and ALL water pressure for that matter is usually dictated by the city or the water supplier and can vary greatly not only from day to day but even hour to hour. If you don’t have a PRV (see below) there is no way to control the amount of pressure you are receiving from the water supplier

Pressure Regulating Valves
or PRV’s are found on many home in order to control the pressure that the water supplier sends. They are adjustable and protect you from spikes in water pressure to your home.

So what’s the correct pressure?
The preferred pressure to a home is generally anywhere from 60-70 PSI. This gets good water pressure to the home without blasting all your plumbing with dangerous pressure.

If you want to schedule a time for one of our certified plumbing technicians to come out and take a pressure reading at your home and go over pressure regulating options with you please feel free to give me a call!

Hope you are having a great summer!
-Aaron Eddy
925-462-1090

I was having a conversation with a lady named Marnette who runs a GREAT local website and she was asking about what we as a local plumbing company have been doing for local water conservation, heres what I said:

Hey Marnette!

So the water conservation program we are doing had two parts to it.

Inspection

The first is doing a full home inspection of an entire property from where the water comes onto the property to when it goes back out to the city. There are a few things we look for including leaks at 127 different points both inside and out. We dye test all the toilets to make sure there aren’t any “silent leaks” coming from them and then we do a complete plumbing tune-up where we make all the different plumbing mechanisms in the house run at full capacity like they should and do all the manufacturers suggested maintenance as well. (Examples of this includes tuning up and cleaning the mechanisms inside the toilets and also flushing out sediment of the water heater which wastes water and gas energy inside the water heater – crazy). So at the end of our water conservation tune-up at every home there should be no leaks and everything should be running to optimal efficiency.

Federal Rebates & Upgrades

There are a lot of “energy star” and “water sense” rebates going on where the Federal Gov is paying for “high efficiency products” to be installed in peoples homes so after we do the whole tune-up and check for all the leaks we let the customer know what items they would benefit MOST from that the federal government is sponsoring. Its a total win for our clients and to answer your question YES, anyone can do it.

The whole service is actually a $269 value but we have been doing it for local people in the tri valley for $68! It’s pretty great. The amount of water and energy that people save makes it pay for itself already. In fact for people who are skeptics we offer a guarantee that if their water and utility bills don’t reflect the savings that we will refund the 100% no questions asked!

Whew! So there it is. Let me know what other questions I can assist you with but that’s one of the programs we are running for Pleasantonians right now

Cheers,

-Aaron Eddy

Cal Coast Plumbing Co.

925-462-1090

We know that its not everyones childhood dream to be able to grow up and know all the terms and lingo for a plumbing job, but for that time when you need a reference here is a list of terms that may come up. Now you can sound like a professional plumber without having to be one! Also next time you have one of our Cal Coast Plumbing Technicians out at your home to fix you plumbing problem go ahead and quiz them with this glossary and see how they do!

ABS:
Generally, in the plumbing industry (it is used a lot in the auto industry because it is so durable) this is black colored plastic pipe and fittings used in drainage, sewer, waste and vents. ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) pipe/fittings and also PVC (see below) plastics have replaced much of the cast iron, lead and steel pipes formerly used for DWV. Important note is that no solvent cement (and primer) can totally “glue” (solvent weld) ABS to PVC plastic. Under normal conditions, quality ABS (when virgin resins are used) will not crack, chip or peel.

ACRYLIC:
A thermoplastic used on the surface of bathtubs and whirlpools. Generally comes in sheets and is formed to the shape of the mold (tubs/showers) in the factory. Generally fiberglass is added to the back for strength.

ADA:
Governmental guidelines. ADA stands for Americans with Disability Act. These guidelines do tend to change over time. When related to public plumbing, kitchen and bath the intent of the act/rules is to make restrooms, and other public sanitary facilities more easily accessible to those who have some disability such as being blind. Braille signs and grab bars are just two examples of products that we sell largely due to ADA rules.

ADAPTOR:
A fitting that joins two different types of pipes together. Or/Also a fitting that joins threaded with none threaded pipe (as in: female adaptor or male adaptor).

AGA:
Imprinted on many gas valves and appliances. It is the American Gas Association rating.

AIR ADMITTANCE VALVE:
A mechanical one way valve used in place of traditional non mechanical (very reliable) vents. It is to allow air to enter waste piping and equalizing pressures. Vents are used to preserve the seal of trap in plumbing fixtures. Also known as auto trap vents.

AIR GAP:
Air-filled space allowing contaminated water to discharge freely, preventing the contaminated water from ever siphoning back into the potable water supply.

ANGLE STOP:
An “emergency” stop (valve) that is usually installed before the water supply line (below) to toilets and faucets. Angle stops are to be shut off in case of an emergency or repair and are generally not designed for daily on and off usage. The difference between a “straight stop” and an “angle stops” is that the “angle” stop changes direction by 90 degrees while a straight stop is like most valves and does not change direction.

ANODE ROD:
Sacrificial rod used mainly in water heaters. It helps protect the lining of and generally lengthens the life of a water heater.

BALLCOCK:
Also known as a float valve, the ballcock controls the flow of water into a gravity-operated toilet tank. When the toilet is flushed the float ball drops with the water level causing the ballcock to open, this allows water to reenter the tank. As the water level rises it lifts the float ball causing the ballcock to close once the tank is completely filled.

BALL PASSAGE:
The ball passage indicates the size of a ball that can pass through a toilet’s trapway. It also refers to the size of the trapway of a toilet; the trap size is to be 1/8″ larger than the ball that can pass through it.

BASIN:
Generally circular, vessel with slopping or curving sides for holding water for washing.

BASKET STRAINERS:
Generally a basket shaped strainer drain receptacle with holes, for sinks. Used to catch large food particles to prevent them from entering the drainage system.

BIBB:
aka bibcock or hose bibb – typically a faucet with nozzle bent downward. Also called: outside/outdoor faucet/spigot or garden faucet.

BIDET:
Pronounced B’Day, is a plumbing fixture similar to a toilet bowl (but no solids are to be deposited in a bidet) used for washing genitals and posterior areas of the body. It is floor mounted, usually next to a toilet, and incorporates a washing basin, faucet and sprayer. Bidets are very popular in some countries such as France and have finally been “discovered” in the U.S.. A bidet is commonly equipped with a hot and cold mixing valve to provide warm water for washing.

BISQUE:
Refers to the finish on the unglazed areas of vitreous china fixtures.

BTU:
Abbreviation for “British Thermal Unit”; a measurement of heat equal to the amount of heat necessary to raise one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit at sea level. (One BTU is equal to about 250 calories.)

CAST IRON:
Formerly used for drainage, sewers, waste, and vent pipe and fittings. Very durable and heavy metal. Today, many top quality bath tubs are still made with cast iron. Pipes and fittings today are generally only used for commercial applications where fire ratings are involved.

CENTERSET:
A style of bathroom lavatory faucet having combined spout and handles. Handles are 4″ from center of handle-to-handle. Also a single handle faucet installed on 4″ center-to-center faucet holes.

CHINA:
In the plumbing industry that generally refers to porcelain china used in making toilets and lavatory sinks. China is a material that is made from clay and is glazed and high fired in a kiln. The finish is very hard and smooth. An excellent product for toilets and lavatories.

CLOSE-COUPLED TOILET:
A two-piece toilet. The toilet tank is separate from the toilet bowl. This is the most common type of toilet.

CLOSET:
Generally means “water closet” (aka: toilet). A closet auger is a toilet auger which is used to clear toilet stoppages.

COMMODE:
Generally also stands for toilet.

CONSOLE LAV:
A table-like fixture with an integral lavatory. The back is fixed to a wall and the front is supported by consoles (brackets) or legs.

COUPLING:
A fitting that joins two pieces of pipe (or other fittings) together.

CW:
Cold water

CPVC:
Chlorinated PolyVinyl Chloride is a plastic product designed for drinking water at temperatures up to 180 degrees (where code permits). Comes in straight or rolls, generally off white colored (orange for fire sprinklers).

CWT:
Abbreviation for Copper Water Tube (refers to nominal pipe size).

CYCLE TIME:
Refers to the amount of time it takes a toilet to complete it’s flush cycle, from the instant it is flushed until the water supply shuts off.

DAM:
Refers to the seal caused by water in a trapway.

DIVERTER:
Valves which direct water to various outlets. They are used in showers, tub & shower combinations, bidets, Roman tub fillers and kitchen faucet sprayers.

DWV:
Abbreviation for Drainage, Waste & Vent systems. Not for drinking water.

DYNAMIC PRESSURE:
The pressure when the water IS flowing.

EFFLUENT:
Liquid waste, potentially hazardous, generally refers to liquid waste from septic tanks.

ELBOW (aka ELL):
A fitting with two openings that change directions 90 degrees.

ELONGATED:
The shape of the front of a toilet bowl. Generally about 2″ longer than the standard “round front” bowl.

ENAMEL:
An opaque vitreous composition applied by fusion to the surface of metal fixtures such as cast iron and pressed steel tubs, lavatories and sinks. Please do not confuse enameled steel with enameled cast iron. Cast iron with enameling is much more durable.

ESCUTCHEON:
A flange or shield beneath a faucet handle. This part covers the faucet stem and the hole in the fixture or wall.

FHT:
Abbreviation for female hose threads.

FSWT:
Female sweat connection

FIBERGLASS:
Glass in a fibrous form used in making products such as boats and bathtubs.

FINISHES:
The following finish abbreviations are generally used by many (not all) faucet manufacturers :
BC Brushed Chrome
BN Brushed Nickel
CP Polished Chrome
PB Polished Brass
SN Satin Nickel
WH White

FIP(S):
Abbreviation for threaded fitting – with threads inside the fitting.

FITTING:
A part used to join two sections of pipe or other fittings together. An example of a fitting is an elbow, bushing, or coupling.

FIXTURE:
Broad term in plumbing/kitchen/bath that could be an entire toilet, sink, tub, etc OR it could be the devices that provide a supply of water.

FLAPPER:
Part of the flush valve that seals water inside the toilet tank or allows passage of water into the toilet bowl during the flush cycle. Also known as a flush ball.

FLOAT BALL:
Connected to the ballcock inside the toilet tank. The float ball rises and falls with the water levels causing the ballcock to open and close.

FLUSHOMETER:
A toilet valve that delivers water and then shuts off after it meters a certain amount of water.

FRICTION LOSS:
Pressure lost in a pipe due to turbulence created by water traveling through pipe.

GAS COCK:
Gas valve.

GPF:
Gallons Per Flush. Today’s toilets, per federal law, are only allowed to deliver 1.6gpf or less. In many years past, toilets flushed as much as 7-8gpf.

GPH:
Gallons Per Hour.

GPM:
Gallons Per Minute.

GRAY WATER:
Waste water from all fixtures except toilets.

HANDSHOWER:
A showerhead designed with a handle that is connected to a water supply via a flexible hose.

HEAD:
The water pressure exerted by gravity (2.31 feet of height means/delivers one pound of head). Also, slang for toilet.

HOSE BIBB:
A garden or outdoor faucet. Also, a faucet that delivers water with a hose connection at the end of the spout (such as to a washing machine).

H.P.:
Abbreviation for “horse power.”

H.T.:
Abbreviation for “hose threads.” Garden hose threads are different than standard pipe threads. They are much more coarse and are 0.75 – 11.5 NH (normal hose). The 0.75 is the nominal diameter (3/4 inch) and the 11.5 is the number of threads per inch.

HW:
Hot water

I.D.:
Abbreviation for “inside diameter. In plumbing most pipes are sized by “nominal” (approx.) I.D. which means that when plumbers say 3/4″ pipe for example it generally means that the outside diameter is wider than 3/4″.

IPS:
Generally an abbreviation for “iron pipe size.” Sometimes it means male pipe threads.

LAVATORY (“LAV”):
A fixed bowl or basin with running water and drainage for washing. Many use the word “Lavatory” as meaning a bathroom.

MALE THREADS:
Male threads thread into female threads. Female fittings openings are larger than male fittings. Male fittings fit into/inside female fittings.

MHT:
Abbreviation for male hose threads.

MINI-WIDESPREAD:
A special style of bathroom lavatory faucet having separate spout and handles. But designed small enough that it will fit 4″ center-to-center faucet holes.

MIP:
Abbreviation for male pipe threads.

NPS:
Abbreviation for National Pipe Straight Threads Standard (IPS)

NPT:
Abbreviation for National Pipe Tapered Threads Standard (FIP, MIP)

ONE-PIECE TOILET:
The toilet tank and bowl are not separate, but make one single fixture. Less common and usually more expensive, but generally a more stylish toilet.

OD:
Abbreviation for “outside diameter.” The measurement of the diameter of the pipe as taken from the outside edge.

OVALITY:
The difference between the most wide OD and the most narrow OD on a pipe or tube. Found be subtracting the minimum outside diameter from the maximum outside diameter on a pipe.

OVERFLOW TUBE:
If the ballcock malfunctions this vertical tube inside the toilet tank will direct water into the toilet bowl. This is the part that can sometimes make your toilet sound like it is constantly running, which is an indication that there is a problem with your ballcock.

PEX:
Abbreviation for Polyethylene Plastic Material (stronger than, P.E.)

PIPES:
Unlike tubes, the measurement of a pipe (i.e. 2″) roughly references the inside diameter (ID) of the pipe and not the outside diameter (OD). A 2″ Sch 40 pipe actually has an OD of 2.375″, a wall thickness of .154″ and an ID of 2.067″.

PRV:
Abbreviation for “Pressure Regulator Valve.” Generally means water pressure regulator. Most codes require one if water pressures ever exceeds 80 pounds at any time on domestic potable water systems inside a structure.

POC:
Point of connection

POP-UP ASSEMBLY:
The drain mechanism of a faucet installed on a lavatory. The drain stopper “pops” up and down.

PORCELAIN:
A white ceramic ware that consists of quartz, kaolin, and feldspar. It is fired at high temperature on steel or cast iron to make the surface of some bathtubs, kitchen sinks and bathroom lavatories. Many times the word “porcelain” also refers to porcelain china which is a ceramic product with porcelain glaze.

PORCELAIN ENAMEL:
Vitreous enamel. Many times the words “porcelain enamel” refers to pressed steel (not recommended by us) products with a porcelain glaze. When purchasing “fixtures” we like to recommend either a porcelain glaze on top of ceramic, or porcelain glaze on top of cast iron.

POTABLE:
In reference to water is that “potable” means it is drinkable water. Water that is suitable for human consumption.

POWER VENT:
Refers to mechanical venting in water heating. Generally (not always) water heaters that use power venting are more efficient than regular draft venting.

PRESSURE BALANCE VALVE:
A shower mixing valve that automatically maintains balance between hot and cold water supplies by immediately regulating fluctuations in pressure. As a result the outlet temperature remains constant.

PRIMING JET:
The opening in the toilet bowl that allows the flow of water from the tank, designed to push waste through the trapway.

PRV:
Pressure reducing valve.

PULL OUT SPRAY:
When referring to a kitchen faucet this is a retractable hose/sprayhead. We’d like to mention that hoses used with a pull-out spray can turn out to be a high replaceable item. If you have a pull out sprayer be sure to pull it out straight each and every time. Do not kink the hose because if you do, no matter what brand, you could be ordering replacement hoses frequently.

PVC:
Polyvinyl Chloride is used today for cold water piping (outside/underground) as well as for sewers, drains, wastes and venting pipes and fittings. Flexible PVC pipe is also available and quite practical for spas, pools and sprinklers. PVC in the plumbing business is generally white but sometimes comes in other colors (in our industry grey is the second most popular PVC color).

PVD:
Physical Vapor Deposition (used mostly with polished brass or gold finishes). This is a modern plating process used in faucet manufacturing. Vaporized zirconium reacts with nitrogen and other gases to form a VERY durable plated surface. Unlike former days when polished brass would easily tarnish over time, polished brass finishes with PVD are extremely durable and won’t generally tarnish or discolor.

REDUCER:
A fitting that connects pipes of different sizes together.

REFILL TUBE:
Carries water from the ballcock to the overflow tube after the siphon break in order to refill the toilet bowl.

RIM HOLES:
Small holes along the underside of the toilet bowl rim in which water flows out of, resulting in a rinsing of the toilet bowl’s inner surface.

RISER:
A vertical assembly of pipe and fittings that generally distributes water upward.

ROUGH-IN DIMENSIONS:
Rough-in dimensions give you the necessary information to install basic plumbing, electrical venting or other similar systems before installing the fixture. Many times a dimensional drawing is available that provides this information.

ROUND FRONT:
The standard shape of the front of a toilet bowl. Generally bout 2″ shorter than the optional “elongated” bowl.

SCHEDULE (SCH):
The “Schedule” designation tells you how thick the wall is for any size of pipe with the higher schedule numbers meaning a thicker wall. The most common schedules are Sch 40 and Sch 80, but the actual wall thickness varies depending on the size of the pipe.

SIPHONING:
Suction that takes place when water pressure drops which causes water or waste to be pulled through a descending outlet channel.

SIPHON BREAK:
Recognized by the gurgling sound that takes place at the end of a toilet flush, the siphon break is when air is re-introduced into the trapway, causing the siphoning action to cease.

SDR:
Standard Dimension Ratio (SDR) used for determining the minimum wall thickness for pipe. SDR is found by dividing the outside diameter (OD) of the pipe by the wall thickness measurement. To find the minimum wall thickness of a pipe you simply divide the OD by the SDR.

STATIC PRESSURE:
The pressure when NO water is flowing.

STRAIGHT STOP:
An “emergency” stop (valve) that is usually installed before the water supply line (below) to toilets and faucets. Angle stops are to be shut off in case of an emergency or repair and are generally not designed for daily on and off usage. The difference between a “straight stop” and an “angle stops” is that the “angle” stop changes direction by 90 degrees while a straight stop is like most valves and does not change direction.

STREET ELBOW:
An elbow (90 degree bend) fitting that has a male end (same size as pipe) on one side and a female end (pipe fits inside this size) on the other side.

T-BOLT:
Also known as toilet or closet bolts, T-bolts are 2 anchor bolts that attach a toilet to the floor.

TAILPIECE:
The section of drain fitting that protrudes into the trap.

TANK:
Holds flush water for your fixture. On typical toilets the tank includes the ballcock, trip valve and flush lever.

TANK BALL:
The moving part of the flush valve that seals water in or allows water out of the tank during the flush cycle. Also known as the flapper, flush ball, stopper and seal disk.

TANK BOLTS:
Three bolts that hold together the tank, gasket and bowl of the toilet.

TANK COVER LOCK:
Device to prevent damage to and removal of the toilet tank cover and contents of the tank.

TAP:
Tap is synonymous with faucet. Also tap refers to the divergence of water from one fitting to another.

TEE:
Any T-shaped plumbing fitting.

TEFLON TAPE:
Thread sealing tape with stain resistant, water repellant Teflon finish. Teflon is a trademark of DuPont.

TEMPERED:
A heat treatment technique to strengthen and harden glass for more safety. Also applies to water that has been mixed in order to avoid a temperature extreme.

THERMOSTATIC VALVE:
A pressure balancing shower mixing valve with automatic temperature control. When temperature or pressure fluctuations occur at the water inlets, a thermal actuator adjusts the hot and cold ratio to maintain the original temperature setting.

THREAD SEALANT (LIQUID):
Provides a water seal in threaded connections.

THREAD SEALANT (TAPE):
Dry ribbons of sealant sold on spools. Unlike liquid sealant there is no chance of it getting into the supply lines and blocking water flow.

THROUGH-THE-FLOOR:
Installation where the bath drain tee outlet points down rather than horizontal.

THUMB NUT
To ease installation and to prevent over-tightening this nut was designed to be tightened without tools.

THUMB SCREW
To ease installation and to prevent over-tightening this screw was designed to be tightened without tools.

TILE-IN
Installation where the sink is fit flush with the countertop

TOILET SETTING COMPOUND
Provides a non-hardening watertight seal for the base of the toilet and the floor.

TORQUE WRENCH
Tool for measuring the amount of force applied to a threaded connection

TRANSFER VALVE
Valve the changes the flow of water from one outlet to another

TRAP:
A curved section of drain line that prevents sewer odors from escaping into the atmosphere. All “fixtures” that have drains must have a “P” trap installed. A toilet is the only plumbing fixture that has an “S” trap instead of a “P” trap.

TRAP SEAL:
The seal caused by water in a trap preventing septic gasses from leaking back into the home. The trap seal is measured from the inlet of the trap to the top of the dam.

TRAPWAY:
Trap built into a toilet connecting the bowl to the waste outlet where siphoning occurs.

TRIP ARM
The trip lever on the outside of the toilet tank connects to this

TRIP CHAIN
Chain that connects the toilet trip arm and the flapper on the flush valve

TRIP LEVER
Handle attached to the outside of the toilet tank used to initiate the flush

TUBES:
Unlike pipes, the measurement of a tube (i.e. 2″) corresponds to it’s outside diameter (OD). So the outside diameter of a 2″ tube is truly 2″.

TWO-PIECE TOILET:
The toilet tank is separate from the toilet bowl. This is the most common type of toilet and is also called a close-coupled toilet.

ULF:
Abbreviation for ultra low flush, which describes a toilet that deliver 1.6gpf or less.

UNC, UC, or NC:
Abbreviation for Unified National Coarse Thread (National Coarse) – Use on fittings, nuts, & bolts – not for pipes.

UNF, UF, or NF:
Abbreviation for Unified National Fine Thread (National Fine) – Use on fittings, nuts, & bolts – not for pipes.

VANITY:
A bathroom storage cabinet beneath the counter. Some plumbers also call a lavatory sink a vanity.

VENT:
When referring to plumbing fixtures, all fixtures (sinks, etc) must have a vent. Vents are used to allow air into the drainage systems to prevent P traps to from being siphoned dry.

VITREOUS:
A surface material on some plumbing fixtures derived from or consisting of glass. It is low in porosity and is translucent. Generally porcelain china is vitreous china.

VTR:
Vent through the roof

WASTE & OVERFLOW:
The drain assembly for a bathtub. The outlet at the top removes the “overflow” water during tub filling and the drain at the bottom removes “waste” water when the tub is drained.

WASTE SHOE:
Generally refers to a bathtub drain assembly.

WATER CLOSET (W.C.):
Toilet. Many in our industry will write w.c. on drawings or quotes which means water closet (aka: “toilet”).

WATER HAMMER:
Shock waves in plumbing generally due to high velocity water being shut off quickly. This is mainly caused by under sizing of pipes and faucets or valves that are shut off fast. Sometimes installing water hammer arrestors can help alleviate or lessen water hammer. Best is to increase water pipe sizes (thereby slowing velocity).

WHITE – EURO:
Not all whites are alike. Euro-white generally is a somewhat yellowish white. Similar to Corian and Avonite’s = Cameo white; Surell/Formica and Wilsonart’s = Frosty white.

WHITE – POLAR:
Polar-white generally is a bluish white. Similar to Kohler, Elkay, Moenstone, and Swanstone’s = White; Corian’s = Glacier white; Avonite’s = Porcelain white; Surrell/Formica’s = Arctic white.

WIDESPREAD:
A style of bathroom lavatory faucet having separate spout and handles. Usually 8″ from center of handle-to-handle. Some widespread faucets can be set with handles up to 12″ apart.

WORKING PRESSURE:
Normal, maxim

TWO-PIECE TOILET:
The toilet tank is separate from the toilet bowl. This is the most common type of toilet and is also called a close-coupled toilet.

ULF:
Abbreviation for ultra low flush, which describes a toilet that deliver 1.6gpf or less.

UNC, UC, or NC:
Abbreviation for Unified National Coarse Thread (National Coarse) – Use on fittings, nuts, & bolts – not for pipes.

UNF, UF, or NF:
Abbreviation for Unified National Fine Thread (National Fine) – Use on fittings, nuts, & bolts – not for pipes.

VANITY:
A bathroom storage cabinet beneath the counter. Some plumbers also call a lavatory sink a vanity.

VENT:
When referring to plumbing fixtures, all fixtures (sinks, etc) must have a vent. Vents are used to allow air into the drainage systems to prevent P traps to from being siphoned dry.

VITREOUS:
A surface material on some plumbing fixtures derived from or consisting of glass. It is low in porosity and is translucent. Generally porcelain china is vitreous china.

VTR:
Vent through the roof

WASTE & OVERFLOW:
The drain assembly for a bathtub. The outlet at the top removes the “overflow” water during tub filling and the drain at the bottom removes “waste” water when the tub is drained.

WASTE SHOE:
Generally refers to a bathtub drain assembly.

WATER CLOSET (W.C.):
Toilet. Many in our industry will write w.c. on drawings or quotes which means water closet (aka: “toilet”).

WATER HAMMER:
Shock waves in plumbing generally due to high velocity water being shut off quickly. This is mainly caused by undersizing of pipes and faucets or valves that are shut off fast. Sometimes installing water hammer arrestors can help alleviate or lessen water hammer. Best is to increase water pipe sizes (thereby slowing velocity).

WHITE – EURO:
Not all whites are alike. Euro-white generally is a somewhat yellowish white. Similar to Corian and Avonite’s = Cameo white; Surell/Formica and Wilsonart’s = Frosty white.

WHITE – POLAR:
Polar-white generally is a bluish white. Similar to Kohler, Elkay, Moenstone, and Swanstone’s = White; Corian’s = Glacier white; Avonite’s = Porcelain white; Surrell/Formica’s = Arctic white.

WIDESPREAD:
A style of bathroom lavatory faucet having separate spout and handles. Usually 8″ from center of handle-to-handle. Some widespread faucets can be set with handles up to 12″ apart.

WORKING PRESSURE:
Normal, maximum

Whew! That’s all for now!

Hope this helps!
-Aaron Eddy

#Pleasanton is voted 63 of the best places to live by CNN Money. We hear it wasn’t ranked higher to keep it a secret http://ht.ly/2aRnD

And by life… we mean kids.

We were thinking of a way to tell our clients how much we love them and the community we work in, and decided that for one week only we are giving away our $239 tune-up package to the first 25 clients who read this and call to reserve their tune up! And its THIS WEEK ONLY! So if you are one of our beloved clients (or are even new and want to have a plumbing company that serves and loves you) call me at 925-462-1090 and mention this blog post and receive your free Whole Home Tune-Up and save water and energy this entire summer! Good only from today the 24th to this Friday the 25th!
Call me,
-Aaron Eddy
925-462-1090
Cal Coast Plumbing Co.

A picture from Noah, one of our clients sons, of out technician Ervin working in their kitchen! I love this!

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The Power of Transparency in Straight Forward Pricing

Everyday me or someone else at Cal Coast Plumbing answers the phones of either returning clients or new clients who are yet to use our services. One of the continual requests we get “how much is it going to cost?” It’s a good question too. Whether you are ordering food at a deli with marked prices or you are getting an estimate for a water heater replace, you want to know how much its going to cost you.
Years ago we would quote an hourly rate of what our time was worth on site to try and fix your plumbing issue. This gave a partial idea to what it might run and only covers 1 out of 3 aspects in cost of the job. The other two are HOW MUCH TIME it will take the plumber to do the work (keep in mind the amount of time in this scenario would depend on the plumbers competency) as well as materials it cost to do the job.

1. The hourly rate
2. How long it will take
3. How much materials are

So, many times when a client calls up and asks for an hourly rate I take a moment to help them understand why this is not a good measurement. In fact, speaking from experience, the lower the hourly rate we saw quoted on many jobs, the longer it would take on average for the plumber to fix the problem – costing the client MORE. (The less a plumber charges you in an hourly system typically the less education and experience he or she has). On the materials aspect of the job there is no knowing what mark up the plumber or company policy was and left a big question mark on knowing what was going to be charged to the clients. If for instance the plumber is paid on commission and there is no set price on materials, what is to stop a plumber from marking up materials 100% to 1,000%?! So we no longer quote an hourly rate as we have moved to a Straight Forward Pricing Guide.

The advantage of the Straight Forward Pricing Guide is in its transparency. It is a list of set prices for everything we do. Simple. All of our technicians are trained and understand what it is and how it works. All repairs and unclogging of drains fall into one of 10 listed categories with each item listed below it. All replacements and fixtures and water heaters ect. have between 1-3 options depending on quality and warranty that the homeowner wants. Simple. It is a pricing guide that is easy to understand and that you can hold in your hands. It is as transparent of a system that we have been able to come up with in our continual pursuit to make all our services more transparent and easy to understand for our amazing clients.

Please call with any comments or question. Out clients feedback is always valued!
-Aaron Eddy
925-462-1090

ps. a note about quoting over the phone: We currently do not quote services over the phone except of our $78 Whole Home Tune-Ups. We understand the desire to get a quote over the phone and wanted to take a moment to explain why we do not believe in this. The first reason is that the person quoting over the phone IS NOT A PLUMBER. Not at our company and not at any companies I know of. I know its frustrating but its like asking the receptionist at a doctors office to assess your symptoms – they might do it but it is for sure not in your best interest! To me personally any receptionist who is quoting job costs of a situation over the phone they have not seen or are not certified to fix are most likely just hoping to get a plumber on your doorstep. Be cautious. Also I am weary of anyone giving prices about situations they have not seen. Many times this is again just to hope to get to your doorstep

What we have done: In a desire to alleviate this frustration we often waive the service fee for a technician to come out and give a full assessment of the situations and the options for repair or replacement. This offers a complete risk free way of getting plumbing assessed by our trained technicians. There is no investment besides the time set aside for the technician to give their options.