Category Archives: In The News

Cincinnati Plumbing Service Gift Certificates Available

Gift Certificates Now Available

As a new or existing homeowner you can be overwhelmed with the problems that come along with owning a home or condominium. At Flow-Rite Plumbing we offer an easy solution for this. We have gift certificates available for purchase in any denomination you wish starting at $ 35.00 and upwards. Whatever the problem you or your loved ones face when it comes to plumbing around your home  you can be assured that we will treat you with knowledge and respect upon arrival as well as solve your problem the first time out. A gift certificate also makes a great housewarming gift for new homeowners!

A gift certificate from Flow-Rite Plumbing for family,friends and loved ones is a perfect way to take some of the burden off when a plumbing problem arises at an unexpected time. All gift certificates expire after a two year period from the date of purchase and are good toward any of our many plumbing services provided. Flow-Rite Plumbing offers full service in the residential and commercial plumbing fields.

Call today to receive 10% off all gift certificates of any denomination!

(513) 383-4242

Frozen Pipe Repair

It’s that time of year when the weather in Cincinnati can drop down in the single digits. The local weather man might not always be right but we all need to take their forecast into mind. Especially when they say that the wind chill will make it seem even colder.

The wind chill affects us the same way it effects our plumbing piping on or near the outside walls. If the forecast calls for temperatures that will fall below the 32 degree freezing mark then be prepared. Remember you also have to take in account what the wind chill factor is. This is especially important when the forecast calls for more than one day of continued cold weather below the freezing mark.

In the last few days we have replaced burst piping under sinks and in many outside walls. This is primarily due to homeowners that have not taken the simple steps to protect their piping. The most simple solution to preventing pipes from freezing on these ever so chilly days is to turn up the heat and make sure that the heat can get to the piping either through the walls or into that sink cabinet. Most homeowners have told us that they thought they would save money by keeping the heat set at a lower temp. Well they did save money that would have otherwise gone to the gas and electric company however they spent those savings in double when they pay for the Cincinnati Plumber to replace their busted water and drain lines because they froze.

Please see our post on how to prevent frozen pipes and follow the list very carefully, it may save you a costly service call to a Cincinnati Plumber.

If your in need of frozen pipe repair in Cincinnati then call us today for service at

 (513) 383-4242

Cincinnati Plumbers tips helping homeowners

We have been giving the homeowner/business owner tips on how to keep the plumber away since 1997

We enjoy being knowledgeable about your plumbing problems and serving the customer how we would like to be served. With knowledge and respect! Most plumbing companies don’t mind showing up to fix your problem, at least hopefully they do, then take your money with no real explanation or preventative measures discussed. A lot of companies think that no explanation is necessary either because their technician is working on commission trying to up sell you or they just know simply how to install faucets, toilets and maybe run a drain snake only. However they still charge a rate that reflects the fact that there should be a knowledgeable plumber on site. We hear this all the time about companies that have been there before us.

If you have had this happen to you in the past then give Flow-Rite Plumbing of Cincinnati a call for affordable and no nonsense plumbing service. (513) 383-4242 When you call us or email us about a plumbing repairs we don’t just give you a ballpark price without asking questions. We give you an professional opinion based price always based on knowledge of the problem. We ask questions and give possible scenarios so you the customer are informed and have multiple solutions when possible. As always we recommend that you call at least two other companies for pricing. Remember that if something seems like it is an emergency it may not always be one that you have to pay emergency rates for! Most emergency calls we receive are things that can wait until the next day after we explain what to do in the meantime. This is another attribute you won’t usually find at other plumbing companies when they answer the phone!

When a service call is arranged and we are on site you will be given in writing the amount to perform all work discussed. The only time this amount changes is when additional work is added by the customer. An example would be if we were there doing the initial work and the customer asks “while you are here how much would it cost to replace the toilet upstairs?” This of course would be in addition to the work that was priced originally.

If you haven’t used our services yet and live in greater Cincinnati then give us a call and see for yourself!

Cincinnati Plumbers website to change soon!

Our website will be changing soon!

With help from Cincinnati Web Design we will be updating pictures, changing some options and adding a PayPal payment button to the site just to name a few. Please check back with Cincinnati Plumbers frequently and don’t forget to look for our new service call specials offered to the neighbors of Flow-Rite Plumbing. We will also be adding a customer feedback page to our website where customers can leave comments good or bad. I doubt there will be any bad ones though! If there are, then we will post them if they are regarding a legitimate service call.

We look forward to hearing from customers and visitors alike so please feel free to leave any and all comments you wish on either the comments  section of our blog or the contact us page of our site for now. The changes have not been made yet but will be here soon.

Why be Wrong?……..When you can Flow-Rite!

A clean toilet is necessary!

Do you put the right chemicals in your toilet to clean it?

If you put the store bought little toilet fresheners in your toilet tank then you are asking for a service call from your neighborhood plumber! We have all seen the little blue thingy hanging inside the toilet tank before somewhere or another maybe even in your own toilet tank.

Do yourself a favor and take them out or don’t buy the next one. If you have multiples in the closet then throw them away or sell them at the yard sale. The chemicals in these things almost always contain some sort of chlorine or bleach chemical which will certainly cause premature failure of your toilet tank rubber parts and very likely end with a service call to your friendly neighborhood plumbing company.

The chlorine in these magic blue water making sanitizers affects all of the essential interior parts of your toilet tank by deteriorating them quite quickly. I know, this is something that is not written on the package when you buy these things at your local supermarket but if they did that they wouldn’t sell any would they?

If you like the blue water then add blue food coloring to the tank every time you flush or you can simply add a hanging toilet bowl sanitizer in your toilet bowl to freshen the appearance of the water after you flush. Of course these too can create a possible problem by being dislodged and falling into the toilet creating a clog! Once again call the neighborhood plumbing company.

The best means of keeping a toilet clean is to physically clean the toilet bowl and the fixture itself the old fashioned way with toilet bowl cleaner and a brush! Trust me I know it isn’t pleasant. I do it myself at least once a week in my own home.

Call your neighborhood Cincinnati Plumbers at (513) 383-4242

Drain cleaning in Cincinnati

Need a Drain Cleaner that works?

Flow-Rite Plumbing of Cincinnati offers its own drain cleaning solution that anyone can use! Contact us at (513) 383-4242 for shipping info or contact us through our website at Flow-RitePlumbing.com. Pricing is $ 12.75 per pound of drain cleaner plus shipping depending on where you are located of course. ORDERS OF SIX POUNDS OR MORE INCLUDE FREE SHIPPING TO THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES! 

One pound of drain cleaner will normally treat two fixtures per pound for a month’s time.A kitchen sink, bathtub or bathroom sink drain are examples. This drain cleaner is effective on slow drains as well as partially clogged drains, but is intended for the maintenance of slow drains due to normal use. This drain cleaner is not intended for use in toilets and must be applied per instructions to all other drains. We use this drain cleaner on a regular basis in the commercial field and in residential settings with great success.

If you are searching to find an economical way to maintain your slower running drains in your house or in your own business then we have what you need. It is easy to use and only requires  a monthly application per drain to keep the high priced drain cleaning and rooter companies away. Please feel free to call with questions. We accept all credit cards through Pay Pal and checks or money orders through the mail. Instructions on how to use the drain cleaner will be mailed with your order. Call today! (513- 383-4242

ORDERS OF SIX POUNDS OR MORE INCLUDE FREE SHIPPING TO THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES! 

Grease Traps and why you need them!

Grease traps are essential to plumbing performance!

Grease traps are often known about in the commercial field of plumbing however they are usually not understood fully. Yes they do trap grease as the name well suggests. The big misunderstanding is that they trap this grease without ever needing maintenance or cleaning. This is the big problem amongst most commercial property owners.

A grease trap is designed to hold a given amount of grease or food debris. Each trap is sized according to the fixture or fixtures it serves as per plumbing code or other authorities. When a grease trap reaches its capacity due to normal usage then it needs cleaned of all food and grease debris so it can function properly. If this cleaning is not performed on a regular basis then the grease trap ceases to perform properly and lets the grease go into the plumbing piping which is what we intended to stop by adding a grease trap in the first place.

Like I said before this is a common misunderstanding in the commercial field of plumbing maintenance. As a plumbing professional I see this happen all the time especially in a restaurant setting. I receive calls for clogged drains only to find that a grease trap has not been maintained properly by regular cleaning and has caused a back up due to grease in the lines downstream of the grease trap. Now the bad news comes.

plumbing companyuse a hot water jetter to clean the grease out of the drain lines. This perplexes most people who think that they don’t have large amounts of grease in the everyday use of their facility. It is really simple to determine whether you have enough grease going down your drains to cause the problems you are facing. You called a plumbing company because you have a clogged drain didn’t you?

You would be surprised to hear how many times I have explained this in more than a nice way that this is the problem and yet the management still calls us to clean out the drains over and over again costing them more in the long run than it would cost to just clean out the grease trap when it needs it on a routine basis. I don’t mean to rant but this seems like a no brainer to me! If you want to pay us to keep cleaning the drains because you can’t maintain a cleaning program well then bring it on. We love customers like you.

I guess I shouldn’t seem like I’m complaining but it boggles my mind how someone can be given a professional opinion on something and experience it over and over again and expect different results!

For the best overall results call a Cincinnati Plumber at (513) 383-4242

As Always, Why be Wrong…….When you can Flow-Rite!

Free Sewer Cleaning in Cincinnati

Do you want a Free Sewer Cleaning?

If you live within the jurisdiction of the Cincinnati Metropolitan Sewer District, then you may be entitled to a free main line sewer cleaning. If you pay sewer fees to this sewer provider then you are entitled to a free sewer cleaning as long as it is found to be the sewer districts problem. You can learn more by clicking on this hyperlink http://msdgc.org/wib/ Remember that there are limitations.

You may ask why would a plumbing company want to inform their possible customer that they could save money by not paying a plumbing company fees to unclog their drains. To us here at Flow-Rite Plumbing it is simple. Why not help a possible customer out for free when in return they might remember us when they do have to pay for a plumbing service call later for something else maybe. Who knows maybe our good deed will be returned? If not, we still performed a good deed by telling the customer about this service provided for no cost when we could have charged them for a sewer cleaning!

We don’t want to have to pay for something we don’t have to either! So pass it along to your neighbor or friend and don’t forget who told you about it!

Why be Wrong…….When you can Flow-Rite!

What to ask of a plumbing company

Would you call the same Cinninnati plumbing company back if…..

  1. you received prompt service calls when they were scheduled within a thirty minute to an hour time frame?
  2. you were treated with the knowledge and respect that you deserved when approached?
  3. you were given several options on the services that could be performed?
  4. you were given a detailed description of the services and what each scenario would cost?
  5. you were given a warranty in writing on your invoice?
  6. you were given a concrete price to fix your plumbing problems?
  7. you were treated like your plumbing problem was a priority?
  8. you were given a fair price to do the work?
  9. you were not sold something that you didn’t need or really want?
  10. you were happy with the quality of work for the price you were charged?

If you answered yes to any of these questions then you may already be our customer or might want to consider becoming one! One time using our services will make you a returning Flow-Rite Plumbing customer. This is self explanatory to us because it has proven itself time and time again with every return customer and referral we have. Every referral turns into a another satisfied customer which turns into another return customer so on and so forth.

As always…..Why be Wrong?…..When you can Flow-Rite!

(513) 383-4242

Feel free to leave comments below.

Backflow Preventers

What is a backflow preventer?

If your asking this question then you obviously need a crash course on what a backflow device is as it could save your life some day. Backflow preventers are overlooked in most cases because of the lack of knowledge about their need and what they do. Backflow preventers are commonly a plumbing code requirement in most all up to date jurisdictions. The need for backflow preventers hinges on the need for safe drinking water for all public humanity. The use of these devices along with the annual testing of them where applicable can protect the public water supply from becoming poisoned by contaminants that could make someone dangerously ill or even cause death.

The annual testing of these devices is very important because it insures the probability that the device is functioning properly in order to protect the public water supply. Although there are many forms of backflow prevention that are not testable they still exist in every persons home as we speak. That is if we as humans don’t by-pass these safety measures provided. One example of a non testable backflow preventer is an Air Gap which is simply the space between the end of a faucet where the water comes out and the point at which the water would overflow onto the floor if you filled the fixture that the faucet serves. This is a common backflow device that is implemented in every house around the world.

The way this device works is really simple and has no need to test annually. The air space between the faucet outlet and the possible level that the sink or fixture could overflow creates an area of free space or air at which the possibly contaminated sink water could never be siphoned back into the faucet. Thanks to gravity this can’t happen. This cannot happen because the sink water cannot travel though the air without being under pressure and physically get into the faucet if it were open and had no water pressure at the same time. An example of this would be if there was a water main break on your street.  This would result in a loss of water pressure to the entire house and at the same time create a siphoning effect at the faucet, possibly sucking up any nastiness that was in the sink water. That nastiness could get into your water piping within the house. The next time you turn on your faucet to get a drink of water it contains this nasty contaminated water that is all of a sudden in your drinking glass. Drink up!

Another backflow prevention device that some residences have is located where the water supply in a residence ties into an irrigation system. If you have an irrigation system for your lawn then you may be aware of such a device as it should be tested annually and the results will be forwarded to the local authorities having jurisdiction so they can make sure the device is working properly to prevent lawn fertilizer from being in contact with your drinking water. These devices are usually kept track of by your local health department.

You may think this wouldn’t happen to you but it is an unfortunate circumstance that does happen to people and it is unexpected when it does. This is why the plumbing industry has plumbing codes that they follow in order to protect the public drinking water. As I stated before, the only way one of these safeguards can be by-passed is by human intervention. Sometimes this can be done unintentionally by adding a hose to the faucet outlet or some other means of by-passing the air space between the two points as discussed earlier. If this happens then there is a possibility of contaminating your water within your own house and in extreme circumstances you could contaminate the water all the way to the water main in the street.

There are many different types of backflow preventers in place especially in commercial buildings where the possibility of contamination is more prevalent because of constant usage more so than in a residential setting. These devices are among the ones that should be tested annually to eliminate the possibility of contamination to the buildings water or the public water in the water main outside of the building. In order to test these devices you must have knowledge of their mechanical workings and be a licensed backflow tester by the state or locality in which they are located. Flow-Rite Plumbing has licensed backflow testers in Ohio and Kentucky. 

Call today for a quote on your backflow testing needs! (513) 383-4242

As always…Why be Wrong?….When you can Flow-Rite!

Going Green in Cincinnati

Going “Green” can hurt the pocket book at first !

Going “Green” can severely affect the homeowners or business owners budget at first glance. However the advantages of energy efficient plumbing fixtures and systems can be rewarding in the long run. With the ever changing economy  bringing the need for cost effective fixtures and appliances there comes an added expense for the purchase of such things at least initially. Thankfully the government has rewarded us with tax incentives in the year 2009. You can earn up to 10 % tax credits back on the total cost of green technology fixtures and appliances. This even includes doors, windows and other such building materials. Check out your federal tax laws for further info and limits. Check out our Cincinnati Plumbers website for more info.

In the world of plumbing this points to a few key fixtures such as Water Heaters and Boilers as well as radiant heating applications. Not only do these energy saving fixtures save us costly natural gas and electric bills in the long run but they also provide us with a little incentive such as tax credits and in some cases a credit from your local gas and electric company also!

If a consumer sits down and does the math regarding how much gas and electric bills will decrease they would see that the up front initial money to purchase and install an energy efficient fixture would save them money in the long run. This is easier said than done though. I know because I have tried to convey these savings to many people regarding a new replacement water heater such as an Eternal Hybrid Water Heater. The consumer just can’t get past the the pay me now or pay me later aspect of green technology that I try to make as clear as possible. It’s human nature in a way. They look at a $ 800.00 water heater install compared to a $ 2600.00 water heater install. 

It’s a no brain-er right? I wouldn’t agree. The amount of money you can save by not heating water when you don’t need it with the more expensive water heater will save you an extra $ 30.00 a month on average! Yes it will take some time to make the difference up at $ 30.00 a month but after that you are home free with nothing but savings on your gas and electric bill. Don’t forget about the 2009 tax credit  that you get at the end of the first year.

I have a simple example that most will understand. A Lot of people go to a wholesale or discount membership type shopping club such as Costco or Sam’s Club to name few. The reason they go there is to find a better price on buying a larger quantity of product they use quite often at a substantially lower price for the amount they receive. They buy it at a discounted price although its more than they can use in a week and they save in the long run because they know they are going to use that staple item in their everyday lives. What is the difference if you purchase a water heater that lasts you longer and saves you more money in the long run because you haven’t spent all your savings on the gas or electric to make it work. To me this is a no brain-er!

As always, Why be Wrong?…..When you can Flow-Rite!

Call Cincinnati Plumbers at (513) 383-4242 for more info on green technology

Searching for a good plumber ?

How to choose a good plumber!

  1. Ask your friends, family and neighbors first who they would recommend. This is usually the best way to find a good plumbing company! 
  2. Take into consideration that they usually will remember who not to call instead of who to call!
  3. Always ask if the pluming company they recommend gave them an upfront price and stuck to that price when it was all said and done.
  4. If you are close then ask how much they paid for the services they received and maybe even ask to see for yourself.
  5. Ask them if they called or contacted several different companies before they chose the one they used.
  6. Ask if they called the first big plumbing ad in the phone book and stopped there.( If they did, then you might want to try shopping around yourself ! ) Remember those big ads get paid for by consumers like yourself.
  7. Ask if this was the first time they used the company they are referring and if it is, then ask if the company was referred to them by someone else.

  8. Remember to refer the company that you used and liked to your friends, family and neighbors no matter what profession or service they provide!

As always…. Why be Wrong ?…… When you can Flow-Rite!

Frozen Pipes

Keep your pipes from freezing!

  • Anywhere you may have water pipes in the house that are in,on or close to an outside wall need to be kept from freezing by insulation or heat.
  • Most piping that freezes is located under the kitchen sink or at an outside hose hydrant that is not a frost proof type.
  • Locate all potential piping that could freeze in inclement weather by locating the lines visually when possible.
  • Start by visually locating the lines usually you can see them  by looking at your basement ceiling if it is not covered and following them to the fixtures they serve.
  • Observe where water lines penetrate either the wall or the floor when serving a fixture that is near an outside wall.
  • If they penetrate from below and continue upward through the floor but away from the outside wall underneath the sink then on especially cold days leave the cabinet doors open to let heat from the house to the piping.
  • If they penetrate from below and appear to penetrate from the wall or beside an outside wall  underneath the sink then leave any cabinet doors open and apply an additional heat source under the cabinet.
  • If you have outside hose hydrants make sure that you disconnect any hoses from them at the first sign of cold weather.
  • If you have outside hose hydrants that are not self draining or frost proof type then hopefully you have a shut off valve directly before the piping exits the house and attaches to the hose. In this case at the first sign of cold weather, turn off the valve inside the house before the hydrant and open the outside valve up completely until warm weather returns. Opening the outside valve where the hose connects will let the piping exposed to inclement weather drain all water that could possibly freeze.

Please note: The above scenarios are the most common things we find and not all possibilities are covered!

Feel free to call us for further info! (513) 383-4242

As always, Why be wrong?…..When you can Flow-Rite!

Flow-Rite Plumbing flat rate service fee

Are you tired of hourly rates ?

Do hourly rates frighten you when it comes to calling a Cincinnati plumbing service company? We don’t blame you because it’s a no loose situation for the plumbing company. This leaves you two options. The first is to do it yourself or the second is to call a flat rate plumbing company.

Most Cincinnati Plumbers that do flat rate pricing will not quote prices over the phone because they want their foot in your front door first! For example when you commit to a service call fee or diagnostic fee they have their foot in the door. This usually gives them the upper hand in the matter. When they arrive at your house and ask how you’ll be paying for the service call right off the bat you feel committed in a way to do business right then and there. You already have a plumber there anyway, right?  Keep in mind that the service call fee or diagnostic fee is just to explain what is wrong and how much they will charge to fix that particular problem only. They give you an inflated price and rely upon the fact that you will feel it necessary to take care of the problem then and there. As I explained before now you feel committed. If their price seems to high even to someone who doesn’t know plumbing then pay their service fee and call someone else to get a different price. You will save money in the long run.The problem lies in the fact that most of the flat rate companies out there have a large overhead because of their full page advertising in the yellow pages 15,000.00 – 25,000.00 a month believe it or not. The service plumber they send you is also working off of commission. You know what that means, the more money they get you to spend while they have you the more they make in commission. The company also makes more money to pay those yellow page ads off every month. I have been to seminars on flat rate pricing and disagree with one key value that they teach companies to do in flat rate pricing programs. They teach and actually emphasize that as a company you don’t want repeat customers. That’s right, you go in once and get a large amount of money and go on to the next house not expecting any repeat business. Sorry folks but I can’t swallow that. Why be in business?

Our Solution !

We have the solution to your plumbing service call uncertainties. When you call us at 513-383-4242 we will give you an approximate price over the phone on how much the total cost of your repairs could and should be! If you schedule a service call with us for a fee of $ 25.00, we will arrive at your residence not first asking how you will pay but with a “hello I am so and so with Flow-Rite Plumbing, let’s take a look at that problem you have”. Our technicians are not working on commission they are paid an hourly rate respective of their plumbing experience and performance on the job day to day. They are not trying to up sale you on everything to make a commission. This is why we are the plumbers that you will call back when you have another problem because we treated you better than the company before us and better than most ever have. After assessing the problem and the proper solution for it you will then be given a verbal explanation and pricing for the total of work to be completed. If you decide to proceed with the work, then and only then will we ask how you will be paying  for either for the service call only or the service call and the work to be performed. The service call is included in your total price when work is performed. You will be advised of warranty in writing on your invoice.

We don’t advertise in the phone book because we don’t have to! You will only find us online, from a business card, refrigerator magnet, pen or by the most popular, word of mouth! Usually this comes from family, friends and neighbors. This saves us money and in turn saves our customers money. Our business comes from word of mouth advertising. It’s pretty simple. The only way we stay in business is treating our customer the way we want to be treated and that’s with knowledge and respect. That’s how we do it folks and it doesn’t get any easier than that!

As always…… Why be Wrong ? …..When you can Flow-Rite!