Frequently Asked Questions

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Most of the time, it's a failed wax ring. Once the wax ring fails, it allows sewer gas to enter the room from under the toilet. If it's not the wax ring, its most likely a broken stack within the walls, allowing sewer gas to fill the wall cavity and leach into the house. The bad smell can be resolved by having a smoke test performed. This will allow us to precisely locate the origin of the smell.

As long as you're only having water pressure issues at certain faucets, it's going to be the aerators. Over time the aerators become clogged, restricting water flow. They need to be cleaned out or replaced.

There is a blockage within your sewer line. As water drains throughout the house and hits the blockage, that water fills up the sewer line, eventually backing up to the lowest drain in the house. The shower/tub.

Gurgling happens when air is being forced out of the sewer system by a blockage. As the sewer line fills up with water, the air in the line is pushed back and out of the toilet.

As long as there is no water leaking outside of the toilet, the cause for a running toilet is a failed flapper, or flush gasket if you have a flush tower. 

The gasket that seals the connection to the tank and bowl has failed. Like everything in life, things get old and stop working. But don't panic, it's an easy fix. You just need a new tank to bowl gasket kit.

The wax ring has failed. The wax ring's job is to seal the toilet to the flange, keeping water and gas contained within the sewer system. In theory, a wax ring should last the life span of the toilet but over time, the wax ring breaks down and disintegrates. 

Unlike majority of other states, Florida does not require the employees of a plumbing company to be individually licensed. But with Stars & Pipes Plumbing you will always get a Plumber that has had 5 years of trade school and the required hours of apprenticeship. We will always send a licensed Plumber to you. Nothing less!

There are a few differences between the two and that's why the prices are quite different. The water heaters we buy from our plumbing supply stores are made with 5 to 6 lbs. more steel, are coated with an anti-corrosive material on the inside of the tank, and the boiler drain is made of brass.

In my opinion, nothing should be deliberately put into garbage disposals. Garbage disposals are there to grind up anything that happens to get by a strainer.

Pouring any kind of grease down the drain is not ideal. Over time, layers start to build up on the inside walls of the pipe, eventually choking the flow of water down to a dribble.

We recommend having your water heater flushed every 6 months. 

We work with a wide range of pipes including copper, PVC, CPVC, PEX, cast iron and galvanized steel.

Yes, we offer water heater installation services for both traditional tank-style water heaters and tankless water heaters.

We strive to respond to non-emergency plumbing services within 2 hours.

The answer to this question depends on the state you live in and where you live in that state. If you live in Florida, close to Tampa, you'll most likely spend between $1,500 and $2,500 with an honest company. Our average cost for a new water heater install is $1,500.

This can be fixed by installing a new cartridge.  Over time, the O-rings and gaskets break down and allow water to pass by it.

If the water heater is in the garage and accessible, an experienced Plumber will be able to install the water heater in 2 hours. The install will be an hour or so longer if there are stairs and it's under an air handler.  

This will be caused by a toilet with a failed flapper that is allowing water to pass through slowly over time, or a leaking pipe under the ground or slab. Check your meter. If its continuously spinning, and you have all water shut off, you most likely have a leaking pipe in the ground or slab. If the meter runs periodically, its most likely a failed toilet flapper. 

This will be caused by an old cartridge that needs to be replaced. 

The short answer is no. Up north, when the sewer is 6 plus feet in the ground, it's very expensive to fix. So, majority of people opt to have their sewer annually cleaned every 1.5 to 2 years.  So, if the price is too high to replace the sewer, you can just have it annually cleaned.