Skinner Plumbing & Heating

They were excellent, they are timely, professional and knowledgeable.

Several pipes started leaking around boiler. Workers stopped leaks by disconnecting backup tank, replaced valves. Will need to replace expansion tank in future. I have used this company before and will use them again.

Please see above.

No heat on 1st floor for over 24 hours in two storey house. Needed a plumber ASAP. With help from the Chimney Dr. (Dakota Springfields - A++) got emergency service when others were saying 2-3 days. I was quoted an approximate price per hour for two men to find the problem, get whatever parts were needed, fix the system so I would have heat. Two men arrived much earlier than estimated time. They discussed the problem with me, including possible causes, but quickly narrowed it down to a broken circulator pump. One man went to a nearby plumbing supply store to get the replacement part (mine was very old and required a totally new one). The other man tried to shut off the water from the valve, but there wasn't one for that pump! I watched and tried to help, but every valve was for individual pipes, and none were the main. He said he needed to shut off the water into the house from the main, but I didn't know where it was, and it wasn't easy to find. We looked for entry from the outside, but then he saw that the meter was buried in the ground in a pit, and water entered the house through a pipe from underground, even though my house doesn't have a basement (just a concrete floor under the regular floor). I never knew this, even though I have lived in the house for decades! He looked in the "electrical utility closet" took out wooden planks that I didn't know were there, turned on a flashlight and showed me the underground water inflow and the trap. Now he was able to shut off the water at the source. While waiting for the part to arrive, he showed me some problems with the plumbing set-up related to what he was working on. However, he said he would have no problem working around it, I didn't need to fix or replace the parts, except that it was very unusual and not the best. He did not try to get me to buy anything I didn't need, even though I could see for myself that what he was saying was quite obvious. He tested the upstairs heating system, just in case. It was fine, no problem. He made sure the two thermostats were OK. They were. The second man returned with a new pump, less than half the size of the original, and no maintenance needed. As the pump was being fitted, he suggested that replacing the other (working) pump might be desirable, so as to give me much more room in the small space, but it wasn't necessary -- just an idea. He did not try to push it, just to inform. I really appreciated that, because he gave me the option to make an informed decision. After replacing the part, the worker bled the system, even though the valve was missing and he had to figure out a way to stop the water from spraying out in several directions. The water was drained into a bucket and down the toilet. Next he said that the reason the pump had broken was because it had not been oiled regularly. (I never knew it needed that, nor how to do so!) He showed me how to do it on the remaining pump (in three places), and when I showed him a little can of machinery oil I had, he said yes, and he actually did it for me as I watched so I would know how to do it for myself. I never would have known, and maybe the other pump would have broken too without him telling me and showing me. I was so glad he did! Now I know how to keep the pump running, and if I decide to replace it after the winter, it won't be as an emergency. While they were finishing up, they checked that there was now heat on both floors, they cleaned up nicely, and told me the price. I had expected it to be much more. However, it was exactly what I had been quoted for two men, two hours and replacement of a circulating pump. I was extremely happy, requested and got a tag put on the pipe with the company name for future reference, and I will certainly call them anytime I need a plumber. The price above includes tip. I was VERY pleased with every aspect of their work and I would recommend them HIGHLY to anyone.