Plumbing Articles - Plumbing Tips & Help

HOME > Plumbing Articles – Plumbing Tips & Help

Looking for information on plumbing in Virginia Beach, Chesapeake and Norfolk? Need advice on small plumbing repairs and to know when to call a plumber? We are happy to link information on plumbing mechanics for your perusal. For serious plumbing emergencies in Hampton Roads, contact Atomic Plumbing at (757) 464-2934 today.

Hurricane Plumbing Tips – Atomic Plumbing

Winter Plumbing Tips – Atomic Plumbing

“Get Help with Your Plumbing” – by Bryan Burbank

“Plumbing Repair is No Pipe Dream” – by Daniel P Elliott

“Searching for a Plumbing Service” – by Sofia S. Lopez

“The Dangers of Hiring ‘Unprofessional’ Professionals” – by Kathryn Lively

“Is Your Toilet Leaking?” – by Kathryn Lively

“Is it Time to Remodel the Bathroom?” – by Kathryn Lively

“Green Plumbing Options Improve Your Home” – by Kathryn Lively

“Plumbing and Pest Control” – by Kathryn Lively

“The Importance of Drain Cleaning” – by Kathryn Lively

“The Home Plumbing Kit” – by Kathryn Lively

Contact Us

TESTIMONIALS

no short description
— Michael R
Just had my hot water heater replaced - James did an awesome job as well as his two assistants (Paul and Tim). Highly recommend- efficient and clean job!
— Sue Y
Ryan D came out to help us address an issue with our bathroom plumbing at the floor / slab level. He went above and beyond to help us get the issue resolved and get our bathroom in working order.
— Jon C

View All Testimonials

Google Rating

4.7

Atomic Plumbing & Drain Cleaning Corporation

4.7

Della Butler

23:31 17 Oct 18

Once again it was Atomic Plumbing to the rescue. This company is absolutely the best plumbing company in the whole area. This time I had James M and Ryan S complete a very complicated, long re-piping/re-routing of my gas line to the hot water heater and furnace. The gas company had found a leak and had to “red tag”/cut off my gas until the leak was repaired. I called Atomic and as always I received the very best service. Tiffany answered the phone and was so personable, warm, and reassuring. She quickly scheduled the repair. James M and Ryan S arrived on time and got to work. James was lead tech and fully explained the job and then he and his apprentice got to work. Both James and Ryan worked diligently and hard all day to complete the work. To cut to the chase, the work was approved by the city inspector and the gas company turned my gas back on. I was so relieved that what I thought might be a nightmare was handled so professsionally and promptly. Oh yes, the gas company tech actually complimented the work done by James M and Ryan S. I am so grateful to both of them for their hard work, their obvious skill, and their friendly, professional manner. Way to go Atomic! You have my business for life!

RetOTA1

15:36 16 Oct 18

Atomic plumbing has always been on time fixed the problem the first time. Ryan D has Ben serving us for some time. He is very professional gets the job done as quickly as possible. Ryan will also make any recommendation on how to do jobs making it easier on the customer. Highly recommend Atomic plumbing and Ryan D.

Donna Tabora

19:26 13 Oct 18

5 star for Atomic Plumbing.I called mid Saturday morning, Kimberly took my information and called me back promptly to let me know that Jim Miller was coming.Jim was professional, evaluated and diagnosed the issue within 10 minutes, had great customer service and let us know what the cost was before he started to work.Turns out our toilet was over flowing and leaked to downstair rooms. I would highly recommend Atomic Plumbing, thank you for great customer service!!!

J Watkins

02:11 25 Sep 18

Jimmy P removed a 6 inch diameter root that had grown around my main water line. He was diligent in finding our the cause of the leak, kept me informed throughout the process and made sure that I was up and running with water for my family in less than an 8 hour period. It was a huge undertaking. Jimmy P was first class and polite . The had the necessary experience that was needed to get this water main break under control. He made the best of a horrible situation. Extremely pleasant and talented. I would highly suggest that all of my friends request Jimmy P at ATOMIC!

Carter White

20:37 24 Sep 18

James and Aron came to my condo to unclog the kitchen sink, which took a bit of doing (due to my inappropriate use of the disposal - egg shells - a big no). The line had to be snaked twice. Not a pretty task. Both James and Aron were professional in their manner, carefully explaining everything they needed to do, what the cost would be, and advice for future use. An additional job was added as I needed to replace the kitchen faucet. They made arrangements to get the proper faucet replacement and that job was done all in the same day (saving me a return trip fee). These pros were polite, competent, and knew how to explain every aspect of the job in language a novice could understand. I have another unrelated job that I will be requesting Atomic and the James/Aron team to handle. I highly recommend this company! They shoot straight and get the job done in a timely, cost-efficient manner. Great customer service all around! Thank you.

Matt Keiper

15:55 10 Aug 18

Called in on Wednesday evening to schedule a new sink hookup and was put on the schedule for Friday morning with no problems. Ryan arrived and took a look at what I had, gave some recommendations and provided a couple quotes. He took his time and made sure everything he installed was the most efficient and correct for my setup. We will continue to use and strongly recommend Atomic Plumbing.

Lori Acker

19:52 17 Jul 18

Great experience, despite the plumbing issue! Ryan D was on time, professional, efficient and quickly identified our issue. He explained our options, including estimated costs and then proceeded to get everything back in working order for us. I was impressed that he wore shoe coverings inside the home, laid out a mat in the work area, and under the sink. There was literally no clean up needed on our part. We would call them again and recommend them to others! Job well done!

allie

16:19 10 Jul 18

I have used atomic a couple of times and have received nothing but great service! When we first bought our house, we hadn't moved to the area yet and weren't moving for another month. We drove down for a weekend to get the A.C. replaced, and found the sink in the master bath (that the previous owner just had installed) had flooded the whole bedroom. I believe it was Eric who helped us, and he was wonderful. Despite it being July, and no A.C, he took care of us without complaint. And because we were going back home in the next couple days he made sure to get it done quickly!Recently we decided to replace our water heater and didn't hesitate to call Atomic. Ryan and Zach helped us this time and provided the same level of service I expected! They were polite, clean and made sure everything went smoothly. Atomic is definitely a little pricer than some smaller companies, but you get what you pay for and I'd rather pay to get it done correctly the first time than later when your water line snaps in the master bathroom and you're out of town.

Samantha Butcher

14:47 04 Jul 18

Our Water Heater failed and flooded our attic on the weekend. They answered the phone and had someone out the same day. By the next day, we had a new water heater installed and hot water, all over the weekend. They were quick and professional. Justin D answered all my questions and took the time to explain. When speaking to Justin it was clear that he cared and was well trained in customer experience. Thank you all for making a stressful situation a little easier to deal with. We appreciate your services.

Jenna Hillard

18:19 29 Jun 18

James and Paul did an AWESOME job from start to finish with our toilet replacement and installation!! We unfortunately had a bad experience with our general contractor and his plumber and needed immediate assistance. I called Atomic and they immediately got me connected with a scheduler, then had James and Paul out to our house extremely fast! James and Paul were friendly, knowledgeable, professional, and efficient. They advised us based on their expertise and helped us pick out a new toilet and install it correctly. We are so grateful for their work and their professionalism. Would highly recommend them and hire them again!

Chuck Mehle

15:42 27 Jun 18

Top notch service -- rapid response too!Had a leaky pipe to a washing machine. Called Atomic Plumbing at 8 AM -- they arrived at my house on time and less than 2 hours after my initial call to them. James & Paul were my technicians. Professional, polite, efficient and skilled, they rapidly replaced dated water valves and -- I must say, they did a great job. The repairs not only are functional, but they look great, too!I especially was impressed with the method of pricing. They assess your issue, then provide a flat-fee repair price before any work is done. Their prices are reasonable with no surprises.Highly recommend this company if you want it done right the first time by professionals.

Tony Grayson

18:10 21 Jun 18

Atomic Plumbing & Drain Cleaning provided Expert Plumber Jimmy Powell to diagnose and perform an emergency repair at my home. I had experienced flooding from poor workmanship by one of their competitors, who then refused to help me. When I contacted Atomic Plumbing with an emergency request, they stepped up immediately to assist me, and sent their plumber Jimmy P., who identified and corrected the poor workmanship that caused the flooding. Very knowledgeable in his trade, confident in the correction that he crafted, and he is a genuine good person. I would have been pleased with that much, but the reasonable price for the emergency work and the 1 year warranty that Jimmy presented on behalf of Atomic Plumbing brought it all home for me. This is a company that stands behind their good name and will send you the very best plumbing professionals when you are having a bad plumbing day. I am so glad that I contacted Atomic and met Jimmy. You will be too. Call Atomic Plumbing FIRST!

Rob Viau

00:25 17 Jun 18

From the beginning James was very professional and extremely knowledgeable regarding our water heater. On replacement day Tim the apprentice was equally professional. Atomic Plumbing will be our go to plumber for any future issues and we will not hesitate to recommend Atomic to anyone who asks. Five Stars to James, Tim and Beverly in the office!

Bill Dohrmann

20:49 09 Jun 18

Ryan, came out on time on Friday evening, determined the problem, gave me the pricing and discussed everything with me. He did an outstanding job, on Saturday when he returned and installed the water heater. He cleaned up after himself and left the job site even cleaner than when he started. Would definitely request him again and will recommend Atomic Plumbing to my friends.

Laura Langton

14:45 09 Jun 18

Justin and Paul were extremely polite. They worked as quickly as they could and got my hot water heater replaced. I have two dogs that are a handful, and they learned their names and talked to them to help keep them calm, which meant a lot to me. I felt comfortable having them in my home. The customer service at the company was great as well, very helpful on the phone. I would recommend them.

Erica Lambert

18:48 05 Jun 18

Cold water alerted us that something was wrong with our 10 year old water heater. We called Atomic Plumbing on a Saturday evening and they had appointments available the very next morning! The ladies answering the phones were incredible and the system they have in place to alert you when your technician will be coming is top notch (including a picture and information about your technician in e-mail form). We found our technician, Randy, to be honest, professional and incredibly talented. He diagnosed our problem in a short amount of time, gave us several reasonable options and was able to give us a brand new water heater the next day for a great rate. Cannot say enough good things about Atomic Plumbing & Drain Cleaning and will definitely be using them in the future!

Stephen Ries

21:32 29 May 18

Ryan and Zach came quickly to my residence when the office scheduled them to come a day early to my pleasant surprise. They sharply dressed and very professional. They quickly diagnosed the kitchen faucet problem, brought the right tools to affect repairs and fixed the leak, I was impressed by their professionalism and teamwork. If I ever have another plumbing problem, Ryan and Zach performance convinced my to call Atomic next time.

Diane Boyd

17:05 14 May 18

A handyman walked away from the job after cutting off the water to my mother's house and removing a toilet. He did this while I was attending a funeral. My mother is 87 years old. Called Atomic Plumbing and Ryan Dean responded Saturday afternoon and restored water to the house. He finished the job Sunday morning. He was the nicest, courteous, neat plumber I have ever met. I can't say enough good things about Atomic Plumbing from the employee who took my call to Ryan Dean's excellent service.

Alan Reese

00:16 28 Apr 18

Called Atomic plumbing after kitchen was flooded with water the evening before, was given a time a technician would be out. Technician Jimmy Powell showed up early and after checking problem He went right to work. He stated he would have to cut a hole in the ceiling to get to the the drain. After some careful measurements his cut was right on target. Jimmy fixed the problem and was a true professional from start to finish. I wouldn't hesitate to call Atomic Plumbing for any plumbing needs, and would highly recommend Jimmy Powell as the technician.

Fudgy Man

21:21 21 Apr 18

We had a Saturday evening before Easter emergency when our water heater began leaking. We got the water turned off and contacted Atomic Plumbing. Their friendly appointment person told us they would have someone here the next morning, Easter! Jim came at 11 am and told us it would be best to replace it. We told him to go ahead. They went out and got a high quality one as we requested and installed it in a few hours. Very professional and kept us informed along the way. We appreciate Atomic Plumbing.

Carolyn Werner

14:49 29 Mar 18

I have used Atomic Plumbing a few times, and they have provided excellent service each time. Yesterday I called to have a sewage leak in my crawl space fixed. The office offered to try to fit me in the same day I called but as I had plans to be out, they offered to give me an early morning appointment instead. I was given a courtesy call 30 min prior to the arrival of 2 technicians. They were professional and friendly and assessed the problem. They explained the problem and their solution and proposed a fair estimate. The repair was completed in less time than they estimated. I would highly recommend this company to anyone needing plumbing repair.

Donald Lamb

23:39 05 Mar 18

Ryan and Zach came to my house on both Saturday nigh and Sunday. I had a houseful of company one person was 86 years old and our plumbing was backed up. Ryan was able to get us comfortable for Saturday night and assuring me that the flooding would stop. On Sunday he and Zack came out and fixed the problem. Both were not only very professional but also very personable and easy to work with. They addressed the problem and thoroughly checked out our septic system to ensure that everything was running smoothly.. atomic plumbing went above and beyond in a time of need for the Lamb family and I thank them immensely for their efforts and service. Sincerely Donald

Kaleigh Corrales

20:04 15 Feb 18

We have used Atomic multiple times and every time they have done a phenomenal job! We've had 2 different plumbing specialist, both named Justin, and each have been wonderful and knowledgeable in helping us with our problems. Our most recent issue was a leaking service line. Atomic had Justin D. to my house at 7pm, and was able to schedule me for next day repairs! I will only use and recommend Atomic as my plumbing service!

Derrick Barnhill

13:44 15 Feb 18

Scott was very knowledgeable and happy to test out all items of my finikie hot water heater. He called in tech support and tested pressures and did a vent pipe test to check air flow. How do I know this, because he explained everything to me. One afternoon with him, and I could be a tech. All joking aside. I appreciate the continued support of Atomic. Scott's professionalism and willingness to keep me in the loop is spot on. Thanks Scott.

Pamela Coghill

11:17 06 Feb 18

Atomic Plumbing has always sent professional, smart, friendly technicians to my house. This time was no different. Ryan was clean and courteous, gave me a range of options to choose from, and made sure the work was done to my satisfaction while leaving no trace of a mess before departing. Don’t worry Atomic, I’ll be back! Thanks Ryan!

David Block

18:49 23 Jan 18

Robert is knowledgeable, respectful and arrived within the time parameters he told me he would. He clearly communicated our problem to us and is working diligently to rectify it. I have to add, cleanliness in our household is of the utmost importance and Robert is meticulous with his work and pretty much left no trace of his presence when he was done. That part of the service in and of itself is invaluable.

Jane Houck

13:36 23 Jan 18

We had a leak under the kitchen sink & called Atomic Plumbing. They sent someone over that same day. They sent an email appointment confirmation & kept us posted both via email & telephone on the status of our appointment & expected arrival of the plumber. Our plumber was Don Richards. He was very pleasant and professional. He used protective covering on his shoes & went over the cost of the repair. He fixed the leak in no time and did not leave a mess at all. Very impressive. Thanks for the outstanding service Atomic Plumbing!

Nick Rocha

17:53 14 Jan 18

Outstanding, friendly, reasonably priced, and professional work! Atomic Plumbing provided excellent service from the timely response, to my call to updates prior to their arrival time, to the actual work conducted on site. They provided me with options and didn't try and strong arm us into service we didn't need. They stayed with us until we could verify the service was complete (and the toilet didn't back up again) and ensured we had peace of mind about the work that was done before they left. I asked for additional service to be completed on the upstairs bathroom shower and the technician, James M., provided an initial assessment for free and gave me options. Once I determined it was going to need his expertise, he quickly and efficiently got to work and fixed that problem too. They were military friendly and provided me a 10% discount which for a family of five on a single income, every little bit helps! I would STRONGLY recommend Atomic over the other guys any day of the week! Thank you Atomic! -Nick R.

brad sorgen

00:25 11 Jan 18

Called at 2pm and had service completed by 6pm on a cold any busy day with lots of frozen pipes. Extremely fast and took the time to communicate both the issue, and associated costs of repair. Also very communicative for when someone would be by. Got an update call from the service center saying “we are a bit busy but you are still in the schedule for today”. Much appreciated so I could plan my afternoon while waiting. Highly recommended.

David Petty

15:04 23 Dec 17

Ryan arrived on time with a positive attitude even though it was after hours on a Friday and did a great job. He quickly diagnosed and fixed the plumbing problem and answered several other questions I had regarding upgrades to bathroom fixtures. I was very impressed that Atomic was able to get a technician to my house within a few hours on a Friday night a few days before Christmas. Very professional organization and technician.

Shawn Melton

17:26 21 Dec 17

I was provided with tremendous service. Our technicians, Ryan and Scott, were professional and solved our problem quickly. Ryan took the time to explain what was causing our sewage line blockage and the different options that were available to us to try and resolve it. Ultimately we went with his recommendation and it worked. As far as pricing, we got our quote upfront and they charged exactly what they said they would. I would definitely use Atomic Plumbing again!

Stephanie Summerlin

17:24 17 Dec 17

Our water heater busted on Saturday. Sean came right out and was very informative and helpful. He explained that they would need to secure our type of water heater and once successful he would be out first thing Sunday morning to install it. He was here first thing at 7:30 AM with a smile on his face and removed the old water heater and installed the new one in no time. Sean is very knowledgeable and personable. My husband and I enjoyed talking about Football with him while he was here. I would also like to mention Tiffany, the dispatcher, she was great as well, very helpful when I made the initial call. I would definitely recommend Atomic Plumbing and Sean to anyone needing plumbing work done in the future.

Barb Grabowski

19:59 14 Dec 17

We are very satisfied with Atomic Plumbing and with Brian H. The office was helpful and up front with how the service call would be handled. I was informed of the payment forms that would be acceptable. I was able to schedule the appointment to fix a leaky toilet for the day and time suited to my convenience. I was called when they were on the way and after explaining what he felt was wrong and what he would do to repair it and the overall cost if he found nothing else, he got straight to work and was finished within an hour. He put vinyl covers over his shoes upon entering the house and was very respectful. What a refreshing experience and you can be confident they won't rip you off! Thank you Atomic Plumbing and Brian H!

Mary Richardson

17:38 11 Dec 17

My hot water heater needed replacement. Deanna was very pleasant, knowledgeable, and most helpful. She scheduled my appointment and James M. and Aaron arrived exactly on time. They were professional and had the job done in no time! Although it was a bit more expensive than I was expecting, the service was excellent. Thank you for a job well done.

Beach City

21:45 09 Dec 17

Had a main line back up on a cold rainy day. I checked google for a reliable plumber and called the first one that came up which was Atomic. Called and talked to DeAnne and she was very helpful. She had Ryan call me and I told him what was going on, he told me he would be here in 15 minutes. 12 minutes later Ryan pulled in and I showed him the problem, he told me the price and I told him to go for it. Ryan had this power snake the likes of which I have never seen before, it not only powered through the clog with no problem he was able to tell me how far down the pipe the clog was to within a couple of feet by the number of sections he used to reach it. To be on the safe side He ran the snake a few feet past the clog which put it just past the city clean out.Both DeAnne and Ryan were courteous and professional and got my problem resolved quickly and at a reasonable cost.I will be recommending Atomic to everyone I know. Hopefully Ryan will be able to take care of others with his wonder snake.

Charles Pramawat

20:30 04 Dec 17

Bravo, Don and Zach!! My bathroom was a total mess (leaking!) and with the holidays around the corner I was in desperate need of help. Don careful assessed the situation, walked me thru my options, and kept me aware of the next steps. I was never left wondering “what now?”. As promised, they arrived on-time and ready to begin. My house was kept protected from damage and the work was expertly finished. Warranties were explained and a walk-through revealed all the fine details. I am a fan of good work. Don and Zach exceeded all my expectations. I recommend using Atomic Plumbing to everyone.

Clara Hart

17:23 10 Nov 17

Robert R. was fantastic! We have been battling a leak that no one else could find for almost 2 years. Robert researched and found the leak! He is very thorough and professional and seems to really care. Couldn't give a better review!

Weldon L Foster Jr

23:15 30 Oct 17

Don R. is a “Superstar”! He quickly identified the outdated timer attached to our water that was malfunctioning, as it was making a very annoying grinding sound. He disconnected the timer and rerouted the power cable to the water heater. The problem was solved instantaneously. Moreover, Don had provided us with some useful information that we deemed valuable as well. Don, we truly appreciate your top notch service.P.S. You have restored peace back into my household.

Kathleen Mulkey

19:40 07 Oct 17

Ryan arrived right on time and was very cordial and friendly. He got right to work and provided me a very thorough description of the things that needed attention, and subsequently provided pricing for each of the requested service options and the extras that were also identified. He really did a great job and we were extremely satisfied. I recommended your company to a friend yesterday, and will definitely continue to use and recommend your company for future plumbing needs!Bravo Zulu Ryan.

Matt Smithson

20:31 22 Sep 17

I've used Atomic Plumbing for several years now. Most recently this week. I had a leaking main supply line under my driveway which was a laborious repair that required cutting my concrete driveway and digging down several feet to access the leak. My technician, Sean and his partner, Paul did an AWESOME job. They arrived on time, gave me a fair quote for the work, and began the repair process immediately. They were incredibly friendly and kept me abreast of the situation every step of the way.Like my previous experiences with Atomic, this one was professional and the final bill was slightly less than what they quoted me thanks to Atomic's military and veteran discount.If you need a plumber you will be well served to call Atomic.

See All Reviews

Plumbing Articles - Plumbing Tips & Help

Contact Us

FB CONNECT

SPECIALS

TESTIMONIALS

WE SPECIALIZE IN