Power Plumbing A Fixture in the Northcenter Community

Enter Power Plumbing’s main office on Ashland Avenue and before you even walk in the door, you’re met with a window full of accolades. Since moving to the area in 1980, this family-owned, family-operated (three generations!) business has won more than 34 awards for performance and customer service, including the Angie’s List Super Service Award a stunning 12 years in a row.

But more importantly to the Piccioli family, who have been running Power Plumbing since 1960, is the direct praise and support from people right here in the community. The company has been featured on parents’ lists at Coonley, Mather and other local schools, and regularly receive referrals from clients’ friends, teachers, parents and neighbors.

Office Manager Rae Lynn Piccioli chalks the high volume of praise up to simple customer service. “We spend a lot of time on the phone,” she says. “We’ll take 15 minutes; half an hour; as much time as we need if it’s something that can be solved over the phone. With some companies, you get their voicemail, but with us, you’re always talking to a person, and I think our customers really recognize that.”

In addition to providing quality customer service, the Power Plumbing team emphasizes the importance of educating their customers and residents at large in order to keep their home infrastructure well-maintained. Piccioli says many younger families are moving into recently rehabbed buildings that will have gone through cosmetic upgrades, but the pipes and fixtures have not been updated along with them. When moving into a rehab, especially after buying, the team advises residents to check the sewer system for roots, debris and general effectiveness, a service Power Plumbing also provides. For high rise customers, they also advise checking flood control.

For both home and condo owners, this year’s brutal winter created problems, especially when owners went out of town for extended periods of time. When the heat is turned off, sometimes the pipes freeze, creating bigger problems than a higher heating bill.

Another issue the Picciolis say they regularly run into is improper use of the garbage disposal. Did you know that your garbage disposal is supposed to undergo yearly maintenance? Even if you didn’t, it’s important to know how to properly use it. The team emphasizes that a garbage disposal is not meant to be treated like a garbage can, and things like onion skins, potato peels and celery can create clogs and other problems.

And the most important pieces of advice we heard from this family plumbing team?

“Take care of your neighbors,” Piccioli says. “And know where your shutoff valve is.”