Bernie's Plumbing & Heating Company

I had Bernie's install an expansion tank on a water heater. The experience getting a service quote through email was great, and service was prompt.

I can't give full marks because the technician made the pipe too short and had to bend a valve handle for the tank to fit (see before/after pics), and he also didn't know to match tank pressure to house pressure (40psi from factory, 80psi required).

Got exact cost (including taxes) of water heater replacement on phone. Price was reasonable; they were out two days later, on time, professional, friendly. Other companies wouldn't even give me an estimate on phone, wanting to send someone out first 2 to 4 days later ( I'm assuming a salesman), and then setting up time for installation. With Bernie's it was straight forward -- one phone call, no sales pitch, one price and two days later a new water heater. Would highly recommend!

We noticed our old water heater failing one morning (cold showers). I called them after talking first with Kappler, who did our new HVAC system. They refused to look at our old heater, so I called Bernie's -- my grandmother's go-to plumbers, back in the day! They gave me a quote for a replacement heater they keep in stock, and that same evening, we had hot water again. Their installer was efficient and pleasant. We're thankful Bernie's is still around!

Bernie's plumbing is hit or miss. First technician with water heater installation was great. Second time around, to inspect the sump pump(s), the technician said everything was in working order, charged a diagnostic fee, and left. It was clear that everything was, in fact, not in working order. A sump pump pit was full of water and the pump needed to be replaced. And another plumbing co confirmed this. Perhaps, the techinician had an off day, but after explaining the issue to the manager, he said SOL, pay the diagnostic fee and a new charge to replace the pump. Note: FAQ on their website says these fees will be up front, before any work done, and that isn't true. We thought we found a good company in Boulder, but the search continues.

Response to manager. I'm not sure why the manager doesn't understand the situation after I had reached out a couple of times to clear up the confusion. If people are interested: a sump pump pit was full of water and the sump pump was not working. The technician later admitted he didn't even check the pit. The pit with the roots was a secondary pit, and functioning according to the technician. Again, technicians can have off days, a manager not understanding the problem and not caring to find a solution can be quite unpleasant, hence the 1 star.

I am so impressed with this company! The first call was welcoming and supportive. The timing to get an appointment was quick and the technician was on time, used their skills and timing perfectly. I was delighted by the pricing. I would use this company again and I highly recommend them based on my families experience.

Sean with Bernie's Plumbing came out today to fix my garbage disposal. He was on time, friendly, and very professional. I highly recommend!

Boulder Hypertension ??
Dear Neighbors ,
Many of Our neighborhood houses have been diagnosed with Hypertension (of your plumbing system) and your house might have it too ( unless you've had your home water pressure tested within the last few years!

This is Not a joke! The water pressure entering our Boulder neighborhood ( and I'm told this is common in many Boulder neighborhoods) has a pressure of approximately 120 pounds per square inch ( 120 PSI). By code , we're all required to have a pressure reducing valve which decreases that pressure to a generally recommended range between 40 -80 PSI. Pressure reducing valves have an anticipated life of approximately 10-15 years , after which they generally loses efficacy. Most of the housing stock in our neighborhood was built circa 1999-2000.
Home owners are expected to know this Stuff !! ???

On my street our house and at least 4 others (all 5 out of 5 houses tested )have been found with water pressures of 110-120 PSI instead of the recommended 60-80 PSI .

Dangers of PSI > 80 psi. Catastrophic water leaks, water loss and excessive wear and tear on plumbing connections. Water leaks are a high % of homeowners insurance claims.

It's easy and fast to check your home water pressure, simply screw a water pressure gauge ( around $12 online, Home Depot any hardware store.,etc) up to an outside hose faucet ,then turn the faucet on, takes less than a minute.

DATA points : Of 2 plumbing companies $500-$600 replacement range . I used Bernie's Plumbing , they offered a fixed price which was very reasonable, they were professional and installed a new pressure reducing valve expertly and efficiently.
PS: personal experience : no noticeable effect on shower stream or sprinkler system efficacy ( but I'd recommend you subjectively test the water flow at different levels of your home and your outside sprinkler/hose connection if you have your PR valve system replaced and set to a 40-80 recommended psi.)
Disclaimer, I'm not a plumber, no personal financial interest in this situation.

Responsive and affordable + expert installation. 2 days after finding a leaking water heater Bernie’s was at our home replacing the water heater, with a cost effective efficient solution. Communication was great and I’d highly recommend them for plumbing services.

We have used Bernie's many times over the past few years and they have been great. They do good work, show up when they say they'll show up (including over holidays) and have been helpful in keeping our older house with a lot of quirks maintained.

Bernie’s was a referral after the first two companies I tried were unable to come out to fix the leak for over a week. Sean did an excellent job fixing the leak despite challenges due to the less than great original construction plumbing that was the root cause of the leak.