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Hillcrest Plumbing & Heating

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Canada
Vancouver, BC
Hillcrest Plumbing & Heating

Over 55 years of delivering outstanding plumbing, heating, and gas line service in Metro Vancouver. We are your one-stop plumbing shop.

Hillcrest Plumbing & Heating has been serving Vancouver and the Lower Mainland since 1967. From water heaters, boilers and furnaces to bathtubs, we go out of our way to find the plumbing fixtures and supplies you need, and if we don't have it, we'll get it for you! Call today for a free quote, 604-879-1415

10/24/2023

You know that old plumbing hack where you weigh down a 2L bottle in your toilet tank to save water? It's not meant for newer low-flow toilets.

In fact, it can actually be bad for them — in some toilets, it very noticeably weakens the strength of each flush.

If the flushing power is *too* weak, waste won't pass through your plumbing correctly.

You'll end up flushing multiple times...which will use more water than a single flush without the bottle. 😬

Wanting to conserve water is great, and choosing a low-flow toilet can definitely help with that. Just remember to retire the old water bottle hack when you're making the upgrade!

10/17/2023

Low water pressure in a home isn't "just the way it is". ❌

This is one of those plumbing misconceptions that refuses to go away.

It usually happens like this: the pressure problems begin, the current resident doesn't deal with them, and then they pass them on to the next resident, saying "oh, the place just has low water pressure".

From there, it becomes an accepted part of the home — but it doesn't need to be!

Whether it's a clogged fixture, built-up sediment, or an issue with the home's pressure regulator, most water pressure issues can be fixed.

Sometimes it's even as simple as a valve that's mistakenly been left partially closed.

So, if there's low water pressure in your home - or you hear someone say that it's "just the way it is" - remember: water pressure problems *can* be fixed!

09/26/2023

The riskiest time of the year for blocked drains has arrived. 🍂🚨

Plenty of leaves plus plenty of rainwater equals plenty of opportunities for drain blockages, so keep an eye on the drains around your property.

If you notice leaves accumulating in your yard or on drainage grates in the street, clean them up as best you can. Yup, even if they aren't from your property. Leaves don't just block drains by the homes they came from!

Raking and bagging are always effective, and mowing can make the job quicker and easier as well — just be careful to avoid overtaxing your mower with waterlogged leaves.

It takes a bit of work, but it's a whole lot better than seeing sewage water back up onto your property when the first big storm of the season hits!

09/19/2023

Do you know where your home's water shutoff valves are? 💧⚙️

It's worth taking the time to find out — if an accident or emergency happens, knowing where your home's water valves are can be the difference between mopping up a small mess and paying thousands for water damage restoration.

Here are some reference points to guide you:

🏠 Main Water Valve - this one has the least consistent location. Check near the water meter, in the basement, or in the crawlspace.

🚽 Toilets - shutoff valves for toilets are located beside or just behind the toilet base.

🛁 Faucets - under the sink, look for a pair of metal tubes, each with its own valve.

🍽️ Dishwasher - again under the sink, look for an additional tube and valve branching away from the main kitchen faucet's water lines.

👚 Washing Machine - look for a pair of wall-mounted valves behind or just above the washing machine.

Some valves will be shaped like a handle, while others will be more like a k**b. Either way, turning clockwise will shut off the water.

One last thing! Make sure other adults and older teens in your household know where the valves are, too. That way, if you're not at home when something happens, they'll still know what to do.

09/12/2023

Tree roots can mean bad news for drainage pipes. 😬

The "good" news is that serious pipe damage doesn't happen overnight.

Sure, super fast-growing tree roots can get into pipes in as little as a month, but that's rare. In most cases, it takes years for tree roots to enter pipes and cause serious problems.

If you're thinking, "Oh. So you're saying I can catch the problem early?" — you're 100% spot-on.

As roots get into a pipe, they act like a net, catching solids which gradually build up into a blockage.

That usually translates into two noticeable "symptoms" in home plumbing systems:

1️⃣ Slow drainage throughout the home
2️⃣ Gurgling sounds from toilets

So, if you have trees around your home, see one or both of those signs, *and* notice that they continue to get worse even after you try regular clearing methods, it's a good idea to get an inspection.

It might be tree roots. It might even be something else! But at least you'll know for sure and have a plan to solve the problem.👌

09/06/2023

Let's talk about low-flow showerheads. Do they make a meaningful difference for energy savings? 🚿💧

The numbers say...yes.

In most households, showers account for 15% of all household energy use. So, if you're going from a regular showerhead (around 2.5 gallons per minute, or gpm) to a low-flow model (around 1.5 gpm) you'll definitely notice a difference when your bills arrive.

Now, we're not talking about thousands of dollars in savings here. Over the course of a year, if you typically take a couple of showers a day, you'll probably save around $100.

That's not huge, but it's also not nothing.

It's usually more than enough to cover the cost of switching to a low-flow showerhead, which means you'll see returns on your upgrade within the first year — and every year after that. 💰

08/29/2023

There's a lot of conflicting info out there about the "right" temperature for a water heater. 🌡️😬

It's easy to find big news outlets and even plumbing websites saying that you should turn your water heater down from 60°C (140°F) to 49°C (120°F) to prevent scalding and save on energy costs.

Are they right? Sort of.

Water at 60°C can cause scalding, it's true. Turning down your water heater temperature will also help you use less energy.

But that temperature is the standard for a reason: it prevents dangerous bacteria from growing in a hot water tank.

That's why the BC Plumbing Code requires typical residential water tanks to be set at 60°C when they're installed.

The correct way to prevent scalding is to use a mixing valve. It prevents overly hot water from being sent to your taps or showerheads while still allowing you to keep your hot water tank at a safe temperature.

08/22/2023

You're at the store to buy a toilet plunger. You see "cup" and "fl**ge" plungers — do you know which one to get? 🤔

The correct answer is: get the fl**ge plunger (it's the black one in the illustration).

That extended part of the plunger helps it create a better seal along the curved bottom of a toilet bowl as you press down. With a better seal, it's easier to produce the force you need to clear a blockage.

Cup plungers (the red one in the illustration) are meant for plunging tubs and sinks. That's why they have a flat bottom - it lets them create a good seal around the typically flat edge of a tub or sink drain.

Now you know. Don't wreck your hands by using the wrong plunger - choose the right one for the job! 💪

08/15/2023

The nose knows. 🚽💨👃

No, really, it does — it can alert you to all kinds of plumbing problems, big and small.

If you notice a persistent smell of dampness, rotten eggs, or sewage, you should take the time to check up on it.

Sometimes, you'll find that it's a simple case of food debris in your garbage disposal or biofilm buildup in one of your drains. After a quick cleaning, you'll be good to go.

Other times, though, the source won't be obvious. Those are the smells to be extra wary of.

These "hidden" problems - things like underground sewage buildup and leaks in the walls - are usually the most costly ones to fix if they aren't addressed.

By the time you see moisture or dampness, you might already be looking at thousands of dollars in damage. But if you notice a smell early and figure out that it isn't just a simple DIY issue, you can get a little bit of professional plumbing work done — and prevent the need for a whole lot more later on.

The bottom line? Trust your nose! Taking a whiff of bad odor isn't fun, but dealing with the costs and stress of water damage is a whole lot worse.

08/08/2023

Summer BBQs are amazing. Melted vinyl siding...not so much, which is why the location of your grill's gas line hookup is starting to matter more and more.

It boils down to two things: people like the affordability and convenience of quick-connect gas outlets by the side of their homes. And they also like having powerful grills.

A few years ago, a good grill might have offered 30,000 or 40,000 BTUs of power, so hooking one up to a wall-mounted quick-connect and cooking near your home was manageable. These days, it isn't unusual to find grills that are putting out over 80,000 to 90,000 BTUs across multiple burners.

At those kinds of heat levels, there's a much higher chance of causing damage to your home's siding or overhangs, even if you're being mindful about not operating the grill right next to the wall.

So — if you're going high-end on your next natural gas BBQ, make sure your gas line hookup is located in a suitable place. That way, you'll never end up grilling more than you intend to! 😇

08/01/2023

People say that using greywater is a great way to give your garden the H2O it needs while still following water restrictions.

So why not make it a part of your home's plumbing?

Well...in BC, plumbing and sewage by-laws complicate things.

(As a refresher, greywater is used household water from baths, showers, or laundry and kitchen activities. It's different from blackwater, which can include toxic or human waste.)

It's worth talking about because, as we get used to water restrictions every summer, more people are looking into installing plumbing systems that let them use mostly-clean household water for their lawns without physically carrying it outside.

Is a system like that allowed? It depends on where you live.

On Vancouver Island, for example, it's allowed as long as your greywater irrigation system is approved by the local health authority and installed by an authorized contractor.

Here in Vancouver, though, the answer is "no". As of the latest revision of the city's plumbing by-laws, you still can't use a greywater irrigation system with your lawn or garden, especially if you're growing food.

That might change in the future, but for now, your best bet is to install a system for collecting and storing rainwater during the wetter months.

Systems like that *are* allowed for lawn care, and the right one can provide you with enough water for your lawn until the rainy season comes around again.

07/25/2023

After a long heatwave, you need to watch our for...flooding? 🤨

It's counterintuitive — but it's also true.

Extremely dry ground takes a lot longer to absorb water. So, if it rains heavily after a dry spell, the ground can't take in as much water as it normally does.

Instead, the water goes straight into drains and sewers...but since the ground hasn't absorbed as much of it, there's a higher risk of backups and flooding.

The light drizzle we've gotten lately isn't going to overwhelm any drainage systems, but it's a great reminder to be prepared, especially in light of the sudden torrential downpours in Nova Scotia.

That's definitely an extreme case, but it also doesn't take anywhere near that much rain for a drainage system to be overwhelmed during dry conditions.

The takeaway? Be mindful about drainage on your property.

If you've noticed slow water runoff or pooling water during fall or winter storms, it's a good idea to get your drains checked out — the same amount of rainfall during dry conditions might be more than more than your drainage system can handle.

Address

212 East 17th Avenue
Vancouver, BC
V5V1A7

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 5:30pm
Tuesday	8am - 5:30pm
Wednesday	8am - 5:30pm
Thursday	8am - 5:30pm
Friday	8am - 5:30pm
Saturday	8am - 5:30pm

Website

https://hillcrestplumbing.com/

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