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FURR" "A Family Tradition for 128 Years" Improvemen PORT PERRY STAR - Tuesday, March 29,1994 - 13a Time Clearing up misconceptions about plumbers Over the years, the plumber has been much maligned by co- medians, talk show hosts, and public speakers. Many people believe that plumbers are over- paid; the often used joke is told of a plumber who upon han- dling a bill to a doctor whose leaky pipes he repaired hears this statement, "Wow! One hun- dred dollars per hour, I'm a sur- geon and I don't make one hun- dred dollars per hour." To which the plumber replies, "I didn't make that much either when I was a surgeon!" Humorous? Perhaps. Accu- rate? Not even close! In fact, many plumbers bare- ly earn enough to pay their bills and feed their families. So, why the misconception? Well first, plumbing is some- thing that many people think they are capable of doing! After all, what's so tough about fixing a leaky faucet? Few people real- ize the damage and waste which could happen when unli- censed, untrained, uninsured people work on your plumbing. After all, don't you drink di- rectly from the tap? Did you know that improper plumbing can allow waste water to flow back into your system? How healthy would you be if you drank waste water? What about inconvenience? Do you remember the "out hous- es" which dominated the land- scape of North America earlier this century? Those could be pretty cold, scary places in the daytime, let aloneat 2 a.m.! Which of you want to go back to carrying water into the kitch- en from a well? Plumbers provide for the pub- lic health and welfare. They perform a valuable service to so- ciety and, in order to do that, they work in some pretty miser- able conditions. If you don't be- lieve me, call a local plumber and ride with him for a day. I think you'll be happy to pay whatever they ask! That doesn't excuse sloppy workmanship, however. Any plumber worth his salt knows that he is there to serve the cus- tomer. He or she must treat the customer well. They must leave the work areas cleaner than they found it. They should in- spect the entire plumbing sys- tem when they are in your home and alert you of potential prob- lems. The quality plumber must keep the customer informed. They should quote the price up front, before they start the job. Most of all, they should deliv- er more value to the customer than they charge in a fee. To- day's consumer is smart and they expect and deserve value. Perhaps the following poem by John Gardner describes the val- ue of a plumber. An Excellent Plumber Is Infi- nitely More Admirable Than An Incompe- tent Philosopher The Society That Scorns Excel- lence In Plumbing Because Plumbing Is A Humble Activity and Tolerates Shoddi- ness In Philosophy Because It Is An Fx alted ' Activity Will Have Neither Good Plumbing Nor Good Philosophy. Neither Its Pipes Nor Its Theo- ries Will Hold Water. John Gardner Closing Hint... Cultured marble sinks often show hairline cracks, which when filled with dirt look ugly and mask the appearance of a vanity unit. To clean: place the plugin the sink and fill the sink sufficient- ly with Javex to cover the affect- ed areas. Vent the bathroom area well and leave overnight to allow the Javex to do its work. To prevent: when changing from teeth cleaning - cold water to shaving - very hot water - do not change in one foul sweep. Change gradually over a few seconds, which will prevent the sudden contrasting tempera- tures on the marble and the re- sulting cracks. Mr. John Hewson is a service plumbing contractor with 20 years of experience operating in Courtesy of, the Durham Region market Mr. Rooter, area. Port Perry BOB'S CUSTOM PAINTING & DRYWALL SERVICE Is your bathroom or kitchen in need of a facelift? Let Bob revitalize your bathroom from new ceramic tile to a completely new custom bathroom. Quality Work -- Reasonable Prices FREE ESTIMATES 985-0919 » Interior & Exterior « Rec Rooms & Renovations Save up to 60% on your heating costs and Save with your choice of payment method Don't Pay Till Next Year! Purchase your Carrier Home Comfort System now and don't pay a thing until next year. There is no downpayment required and next year you can start making low monthly payments or you can pay in full with no interest. Ask us for details. (Ask about our gas & propane fireplace inserts). SAVE UP TO When you purchase a Carrier High-Efficiency Home Comfort System you can receive up to $800.00 Cash rebate. Ask us for the details. WITH AN INSTANT CASH REBATE BRIDLEWOOD Heating & Air Conditioning Specialists Ben Hillier or Dave Nippard Toll Free 1-800-661-7276 Authorized Dealer CONSUMERS GAS Serving Ontario for 23 years. BONUS: FREE Duct Cleaning -- or -- Night Set Back Thermostat with purchase and presentation of this ad.