Plumbing professionals run into a lot of situations when they go to a job site. It could be a simple leaking faucet all the way up to a homeowner who attempted a do-it-yourself repair and broke a few pipes.
As a plumber, it’s your job to make a repair no matter what, but it can be tough going into a home where the homeowner has already tried doing the work themselves.
Take a look at plumbing Facebook groups and you can see what plumbers run into. Some of those groups are filled with photos of “how’d they do that?” examples. I’ve seen photos of used soda bottles serving as drain pipes, pipes duct taped together and so much more that you wouldn’t believe.
Andy and Patrick Wallner, owners of Wallner Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning in Redding, California, have probably seen a lot of those type of jobs themselves — either as plumbers or following their dad around when they were kids and he ran the company.
The Wallners, profiled in this issue, have operated the family business since 1968. While they’ve ventured for a time into new construction, they have always prided themselves on being service and repair plumbers.
Andy and Patrick make sure their crews are prepared for any job situation they might run into by packing their 11 trucks and vans full of supplies.
The brothers say the trucks are checked daily, but they also prepare the crews by doing training sessions with them.
MORE FOR THE CUSTOMER
The Wallners also wanted to do more than just plumbing for their customers. It was 24 years after the company was founded that the two brothers decided to take a chance and enter the HVAC services world.
That side of the business has grown to now account for 50 to 60 percent of all revenue.
Wallner Plumbing Heating & Air Conditioning isn’t the only plumbing firm that started as strictly plumbing and ventured into HVAC work. It makes sense, really. You’re still working with pipes and vents of some sort.
This issue has what you need if you are in or are considering the jump into the HVAC industry. Our Product Focus feature is loaded with tools and equipment that you’ll need in any job situation.
WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN?
I’m curious as to what you’ve seen on job sites you’ve been called out to. What is the strangest do-it-yourself fix you’ve see, and how did you resolve it? Email me at editor@plumbermag.com.
Enjoy this issue!
