“Another company told me the whole bathroom faucet had to go. Earlene took the handle off, showed me the worn seat and fixed it that afternoon. The bill was the number she gave me.”
Gladys J.Homeowner, College Hill
Plumbing repair in Wichita
If it can be fixed, we fix it.
Chism Plumbing Repair is two people: Earlene Chism and her apprentice, Duy Vue. We look at the faucet, toilet, valve or water heater you were told to replace, and say which it is: a repair, or time for something new.
- Licensed and insured, number in the footer
- A written price before work starts
Our rule of thumb
Fix it or replace it?
This is how we weigh each fixture and its age. It is a starting point: we look at yours before we say.
| Fixture, and its age | Fix it when | Replace it when | Our rule of thumb |
|---|---|---|---|
| Faucet that drips, under 15 years old | Fix it whenBetter: The drip is a washer, a seat or a cartridge, and the faucet body is sound. | Replace it whenThe body is pitted or cracked, or the maker no longer sells the part. | Our rule of thumbFix it first. Most drips are a small part. |
| Brass faucet, 25 years or older | Fix it whenBetter: The body is solid and the handles turn. We rebuild the valve inside. | Replace it whenThe seats are worn through, or you would rather have a single handle. | Our rule of thumbFix it, unless you want something new. |
| Toilet that runs, any age | Fix it whenBetter: It is a flapper, a fill valve or a chain, and the porcelain is sound. | Replace it whenThe tank or bowl is cracked, or it needs two flushes every time. | Our rule of thumbFix it. A running toilet is rarely a bad toilet. |
| Shutoff valves under sinks and toilets, 15 years or older | Fix it whenThe valve turns freely and does not weep at the stem. | Replace it whenBetter: It is stiff, weeps, or will not shut all the way. | Our rule of thumbReplace the stuck ones while we are there. Do not force them yourself. |
| Tub or shower valve, 1950s to 1970s | Fix it whenBetter: A new cartridge or seats fit the old valve, and the wall can stay closed. | Replace it whenNothing fits, or the wall is coming open for tile anyway. | Our rule of thumbFix it if the wall stays shut. |
| Tank water heater, under 8 years old | Fix it whenBetter: A thermostat, element, burner part or relief valve has failed, and the tank is dry. | Replace it whenThe tank itself is leaking. | Our rule of thumbFix it, unless the water is coming from the tank. |
| Tank water heater, 12 years or older | Fix it whenIt works, and the tank is dry underneath. | Replace it whenBetter: A repair costs real money, or you see rust or damp at the base. | Our rule of thumbReplace it on your schedule, before it picks one for you. |
| Galvanized supply pipe, houses from the 1940s and 1950s | Fix it whenOne bad joint on a run that is otherwise sound. | Replace it whenPressure is low, the water runs rusty, or it leaks in more than one place. | Our rule of thumbRepair a leak. Replace the run when the pipe is closing up inside. |
| Cast-iron drain, houses from the 1920s to the 1950s | Fix it whenOne cracked section or joint, found with a camera. | Replace it whenThe pipe is flaking through along most of its length. | Our rule of thumbFix a section. Replace the stack when the rest looks the same. |
What we repair
Fixtures, valves and old pipe
Kitchens, bathrooms and basements in houses that have been lived in for a while.
Faucets and taps
Drips, stiff handles and hose bibs that weep at the stem. Most come apart and go back together with a washer, a seat or a cartridge.
Toilets
Running, weeping at the base, rocking on the floor. It is a flapper or a fill valve more often than it is a new toilet.
Tubs and showers
Valves that drip, handles that spin, a diverter stuck on the tub spout. We start with the cartridge, not the wall.
Shutoff valves and supply lines
The small valves under every sink, and the lines above them. We replace the ones that have stopped turning, and say why.
Drains
Sinks and tubs that run slow or back up. We find where it is catching before we say anything about the pipe.
Old pipe and drains
Galvanized supply lines, cast-iron drains, and the patch that has held since before you moved in. We say what is still sound.
Who comes to your house
Earlene looks first, and tells you what she sees
Earlene Chism does the first visit herself, with Duy Vue beside her learning the trade. She shows you the worn part and says whether a repair is worth your money. If it isn't, she says that too, and you decide.
Most fixtures in an older house have a repair kit or a rebuild. When one doesn't, we tell you so before anything is taken apart.
We show you the worn part
We keep the old part for you to see
Repair and replacement priced side by side, where both make sense
Earlene Chism
Owner and plumber
A visit
What a visit looks like
Four steps, in this order, on every call.
- 01
Step 1: You tell us what it does
Say what it does and how old the house is. A photo of the fixture, texted to us, saves a trip.
- 02
Step 2: We look and explain
We open it up where we can, show you the worn part and say what each choice would involve. Nothing is touched until you have heard it.
- 03
Step 3: You get the price in writing
Repair and replacement side by side, where both make sense. If the job changes once a wall or floor is open, we stop and ask.
- 04
Step 4: We fix it and clean up
The old part stays with you if you want to see it. We wipe up, test it and leave a short written note of what was done.
Specials
A coupon for your next repair
When the shop runs a special, its coupon shows here. Mention it when you book.
Your coupon here The end date and terms go here. 
Your second coupon here The end date and terms go here.
Sample offers.
From people who asked first
“Two of the shutoff valves under my kitchen sink were stuck. She replaced those two and left the rest alone. I didn't expect a plumber to tell me what not to do.”
Eldon S.Homeowner, Riverside
“The water heater was twelve years old and she said plainly it was time. I got the repair price and the new-heater price on one page and chose the new one.”
Elida D.Homeowner, Delano
Sample reviews.
Where we work
Wichita, and the towns close around it
Two people and one van, so we stay close to the shop. If your town isn't listed, call and ask before you assume.
- Sedgwick County: Wichita, Bel Aire, Kechi, Colwich, Cheney, Clearwater, Eastborough, Mount Hope, Garden Plain · Home base: most calls are here.
- Butler County: Rose Hill, Augusta · East of town.
- Harvey County: Halstead, Sedgwick · North of town.
We don't go past Augusta, Halstead or Garden Plain. Beyond that, a plumber near you will get there faster than we can.
ZIP codes: 67203, 67204, 67205, 67206, 67207, 67208, 67209, 67210, 67211, 67212, 67213, 67214, 67216, 67217, 67218, 67219, 67220, 67226
Short answers
How do I know if mine is worth repairing?
Look at its age, its parts and the cost. The table above is the rule of thumb we use, and we look at yours before we say.
Do you charge to come and look?
Yes, there is a visit fee, and we tell you the amount when you call. If you say yes to the repair at the visit, the fee comes off the repair price.
Will I know the price before you start?
Yes, in writing. If the work changes once a wall or floor is open, we stop and you decide.
Do you come out at night?
No. We are two people and we don't take night or holiday calls. If water is running and you can't stop it, close the main shutoff and call us when we open.
Can you work on the pipes in my old house?
Yes. Most of our calls are in houses built before 1980, with galvanized pipe, cast-iron drains and old valves. If something can't be repaired safely, we say so.
Not an emergency?
Tell us what it does
A form is fine for a drip, a stuck valve or a fixture that is acting up. Water running that you can't stop? Shut the main and call.
Phone(316) 555-0101
Hours
- Monday – FridayToday
- 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
- SaturdayToday
- By appointment
- SundayToday
- Closed