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Plumbing Heating Cooling in Albany Area since 1921

Certified NY State Backflow Preventer Inspections

Certified NY State Backflow Preventer Inspections

E.W. Tompkins has been offering New York State Certified Back Flow Preventer Inspections in the Capital Region for many years. We are experts on testing and maintaining backflow prevention systems. New York State Department of Health mandates that your system be tested at least once a year to minimize the liability of your bilding contaminating the public water supply. Systems are inspected to find failures that might allow contaminated water to be drawn into potable water supplies.  This can happen when we have freezing pipes in the Capital Region or when there is particularly high demand for water or maybe when water pressure fails.  Sometimes a water main breaks and causes issues.  Our New York State Certified Backflow Inspector has the training and can help you meet that state requirement. E.W. Tompkins can also repair your device.  Please contact us at 518-462-6577 to schedule your appointment.

Contact E.W. Tompkins at 518-452-6577

   
Four Items That Will Cause Drain Clogs

Four Items That Will Cause Drain Clogs

Albany Plumber - E.W. Tompkins Plumbing

Four Items That Typically Cause Drain Clogs.

If you can resist putting these four down your drains you may go a long time before you have to call E.W. Tompkins Plumbing  or another Capital Region plumber for drain service.  Drain service is expensive.  We pay our technicians and many times we are paying them overtime for evening and weekend calls.  The second reason why the service is expensive is because our machines are very expensive and need maintenance and replacement often. Never ever put the following down any house or apartment drain:

paper towels

grease

disposable baby wipes

tampons 

Lines in the home are typically about 2 inches in diameter.  There are angles to the run down to the septic tank or the sewer.  When you throw one of these items down, you start the ball rolling.  We routinely are out to homes where the first “item” was followed by 30 more making such a big mess.  To access drains, we have to get beneath sinks or pull a toilet of find the location of the larger pipe that exits the home.   Our plumbers may start off asking the client which drains in the house are affected.  If the upstairs and the downstairs are both having issues, then it could be a clog in the line going out.  If just a kitchen sink is affected, the clog might be located in the first feet beneath. We use tools called hand augers, mini rooters and very large rooter machines.  They are heavy to lug into the home.  We actually have winches to lift them back into our vans.   You may not know what the previous owner dropped into the drain — but you can maintain good drain health in the Capital Region of New York by making sure that all your family members use trash cans for the items listed above. Contact E.W. Tompkins Plumbing Heating Cooling for Albany Drain Cleaning.  Commercial and Residential Plumbing, Tankless Water Heaters, Water heater repair and installation, water line replacement and more. 518-462-6577
Book Plumbing Services Online

Book Plumbing Services Online

E.W. Tompkins is the first in the Capital Region to offer plumbing service booking online.   Head to our home page and look for the blinking RED bar at the top of the page. We offer “menu pricing” on typical plumbing services for water heaters, garbage disposal replacement, washing machine hose replacement, levels of drain cleaning, faucet installation, and toilet installations. It is easy!   Look for your category.   Look at the specifics.  Click on what you need.  Add to the cart, move to the next page, and click on a time period.   Time periods are offered Monday to Friday based on availability.  Payment is not made till services are rendered.  Taxes, extra materials needed and additional time are additional. We are excited to make your life easier.   Looking forward to being your plumber. Since 1921 Serving Albany NY
Change your Washing Machine Hoses!

Change your Washing Machine Hoses!

Washing machine hoses wear out.  And when they do its typically at the wrong time and you are out of the house!   The hoses are under a tremendous amount of pressure.

We suggest that when you go on vacation that you turn off the hot and cold water valvues behind the machine.  It is easy!
We do suggest replacing them every five years. The investment in a purchase of a new set of hoses is less than $20.  Certainly when you purchase a new washing machine you want to replace them at the same time. 

 Unless you are home and hear the leak of walk across the water on the floor the water is just going to cascade all over your home.  

So, replace the hoses instead of having to replace flooring, carpeting, calling your insurance company and all else.  

There are rubber hoses and then there are braided stainless steel hoses and then 

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