Kalkbrenner Plumbing & Heating Inc

Tom K. did a great job of listening to my plumbing issue. He then came back and described the actions he was going to take along with the time frame. He resolved the problem very quickly and adeptly. I would definitely call the company again. ***EDIT: I have to lower my rating. When I had another issue with a kitchen sink clog, the pvc pipes were glued into the metal pipes making it impossible to remove. I ultimately fixed the clog myself, but this really made the job much more difficult.

This is a tough review to write because, in the end, it’s one plumber’s word against another’s. All I can really do is lay out the facts of what happened and leave it to you to decide how to take them. If anything, this is just a testament to how you should always get a second (or even third) opinion.

I had a leak in my boiler, so I called Benjamin Franklin to come take a look. They were very courteous on the phone and very prompt (they arrived an hour or so before they said they would).

Here are the facts of what happened when the plumber visited:

1) He looked at the boiler, but DID NOT/WAS NOT ABLE TO open it.
2) He told me that the boiler was improperly installed
3) He told me that in his 30 years of doing this he had never seen a boiler like it
4) He told me that he wouldn’t recommend working on an improperly installed boiler
5) He told me that I would be hard pressed to find ANY plumber who would work on it
6) He told me that even if I could find someone to work on it, I wouldn’t be able to find the parts because it’s such an odd boiler

He recommended that I replace the whole unit for a total of $15,000. This obviously came as quite a shock to me. I was disappointed that there were no recommendations beyond replacing the unit as a whole. And obviously the sticker price bothered me as well. I found it hard to believe that we had ONLY two options: 1) stick with our leak, or 2.) pay $15K to replace the whole unit.

So I called a second plumber.

Here are the facts of what happened when the SECOND plumber from another company visited:

1) He immediately popped open the boiler and found the leak.
2) He told me that nothing else about the boiler looked bad
3) He copied down the serial numbers of the unit and took pictures of the part to order it
4) He DID say that he had never seen a unit like it, but that didn’t stop him from working on it
5) He came back within a week’s time after ordering the part and fixed the leak in 30 minutes

Benjamin Franklin Plumbing stands by their recommendation to replace the boiler. They stand by the fact that it is improperly installed and therefore, even with a fix, still a problem.

It’s hard to debate them on this because I don’t know anything about plumbing. It becomes a complete he said/he said scenario. All I can say is I have spoken to the previous owners of the house and the boiler has never given them any trouble and has been functioning for a couple decades now.

Take these facts as you will, and decide how you feel about the situation. If anything, there’s no harm in calling them and discussing their services. They are, after all, polite, prompt and courteous. But always get a second (or third) opinion.

Kalkbrenner folks responded same day to what turned out to be a pretty deep clog and Mike was great to work with. He shared his knowledge and offered advice for preventing future issues. Plumbing certainly costs a bit (hence only 4 stars) but when you need it - you need it.

The Kalkbrenner team is a solid and professional bunch and we're quite pleased with their work. They were professional, communicative, and took the time to discuss options and talk through their work.

An excellent experience replacing my water heater. Worked with me to create a reasonable cost and everything was straightforward and communicated well. Absolutely will call on them again.

The company vehicle drives in the left lane on the freeway and refuses to let people around him. I witnessed 4 vehicles pass on the right before I was stuck behind him.
This is the second time this has happened to me with this company truck, so I thought calling their management would help.
The girl who answered the phone said “I don’t know what you want me to do about it... we need to work.”
But here’s the thing, you can drive to work and obey traffic laws just like everyone else. “Slower traffic move right” isn’t just a suggestion.
If a company is so selfish that they think their work is more important than anyone else’s who use the freeway, then they def will not be getting any business from our household.

Knowledgeable on product sold. Quick installation of tankless water heater. Good price. Found another issue and repaired that as well. Overall it was an excellent experience.

Excellent service...arrived in a timely manner...friendly and polite...

Also, being new to not only this town but also the climate...the pro was kind enough to explain to me how to operate and maintain our boiler.

Highly recommend!

I have had Mike and Tom complete plumbing projects at our house and both have been professional about discussing what needs to be done along with options and pricing. Great guys and great work!

Mike Kalkbrenner has provided service for my home for 18 years. Super service. Mike is very knowledgeable and never leaves until he is sure the problem is resolved.