The two words no homeowner wants to hear - SLAB LEAK.
Let me start by saying I know very little about plumbing. I can change out a faucet, unclog the bathroom sink or toilet, but that's about it. This particular situation was complicated by the fact that a local construction company had recently tapped in to the city sewer line, thus dumping commercial tons & gallons of sand and water into a sewer system designed for residential use. When clear sandy water first came up at the base of one wall of the living room we assumed it was from the construction company. When it got worse, I had to do something.
After my home warranty company, AMERICAN HOME SHIELD (they're FANTASTIC, by the way) gave me authorization to call a plumber, I called Isch Plumbing. A tech was dispatched immediately and he quickly diagnosed the slab leak. I was given 2 options for repair - either bust into the concrete and repair 32 year old pipes OR...... cap all the lines and run new plumbing through the attic! Brilliant resolution!
I chose to rerun the plumbing.
Norman and his crew turned the water off immediately to stop further leaking/damage and to allow everything to begin drying. Isch Plumbing also took the added precaution of disabling my water heater to prevent it from burning out. In less than 2 days everything was dry, fixed right & out of sight!
During the slab leak repair, our tenant informed the tech of a clog in the kitchen. The Isch Plumbing tech used a 30' tool to attack the clog but was unable to reach it. After that he poured commercial grade grease dissolver and left it for 5 hours, still clogged. The next day, owner Norman Isch came back with different equipment and spent 6 hours working to break up and remove the clog - 30" of GREASE!
I DO NOT put grease down the sink or even use the garbage disposal, however Norman explained everyone gets a little grease down the drain (residual on plates, pots & pans, which is released by washing dishes, either by hand or in the dishwasher) but that this clog was the result of decades of accumulation. So my "grease baby" (perhaps toddler???) was probably left over from the previous owners who occupied the home since it was built in 1986.
*Side note - when we first took occupancy of the home in 2011, there was a clog around the same end of the house. Coming & going over a period of 3 days and $750 later, Fountain Plumbing told me the clog was in the kitchen, was the size of a basketball and they had gotten rid of it. I now know kitchen plumbing isn't big enough to accommodate a basketball sized anything. And I think all Fountain did was move and slightly reduce the clog rather than remove it (which allowed water to flow and appear "fixed"), given the aforementioned. So that was $750 CASH down the drain -- LITERALLY. Isch Plumbing actually located, explained and CLEARED the clog, and for a little more than half the price I as charged for a lot of pomp and circumstance.*
Norman Isch communicated quickly & perfectly with my home warranty company, American Home Shield Home and my Homeowner's Insurance, AllState, as well as transmitted the necessary estimate and final invoice documents so that my claims could be processed fast and the reimbursement process started before the repair was even totally completed. Now THAT'S what I call SERVICE!
Isch Plumbing was prompt, professional, courteous, and most importantly, KNOWLEDGEABLE and HONEST. Norman's calm demeanor really helped during such a stressful situation, and the immediate expert diagnosis & action prevented additional damage and reduced inconvenience.
I highly recommend Isch Plumbing. They are THE BEST.
Thank you, Norman! read more