World Water Day 2023

Mar 21, 2023

It’s that time of year again, World Water Day!

Wednesday, March 22, 2023 is the United Nations’ designated day to come together and think about water; how it is used, how to make it sustainable and how to insure access to it worldwide. This year’s theme is “Accelerating change to solve the water and sanitation crisis.”

In 2015, the UN adopted, The Agenda for Sustainable Development, which provides a “blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future.”

The 6th sustainable development goal is “Water and Sanitation for all by 2030” and unfortunately, we are very off track to meet this goal. Flaws within the world’s water systems have an effect on the progress we are making and other global issues such as health, hunger, gender equality and education play a huge part in all people being able to access clean water and safe sanitation. Governments on average work 4 times faster to help meet these goal but seeing how water affects everyone, it is up to all of us to make a different by changing the way we consume, manage, and use water.

The story of the Hummingbird and its connection to World Water Day 2023…

“One day in the forest, a fire broke out. All the animals ran for their lives. They stood at the edge of the blaze, looking at the flames in terror and sadness. Up above their heads, a hummingbird was flying back and forth to the fire, over and over again. The bigger animals asked the hummingbird what she was doing. “I am flying to the lake to get water to help put out the fire.” The animals laughed at her and said, “You can’t put out this fire!” The hummingbird replied, “I’m doing what I can.”

– A story from the Quechua people of Peru

Just like the Hummingbird small acts can help us move forward to solve the water and sanitation crisis. Together we can take the small steps forward to make sure that all people have adequate access to the water and sanitation that they need to lead heathy and productive lives. To this end, the UN is holding its first water conference in nearly 50 years!

image source

The UN 2023 Water Conference is being held in New York City, New York from March 22nd -24th this year. The delegates will be working on the Water Action Agenda to help come up with a plan to get us back on track for the 6th sustainable goal and you can help.

By going to www.worldwaterday.org/share-2023 and adding your commitment to the “World’s To-Do List” you can make sure that your voice is heard and we can all commit to making changes that will benefit everyone. And as always, if you want to celebrate World Water Day with us or just have general plumbing concerns, please give us a call at 636-391-1233.

Spring Special 2023

Mar 20, 2023

Happy Spring!

Our special for this season:

$15 off Backflow Tests

*Valid until June 20th, 2023.

In plumbing, the term “backflow” refers to an undesirable flow of water in the opposite direction. This often occurs with a significant change in water pressure. The contaminated water poses a serious threat to one’s health because it may contain hazardous substances like chemicals, pesticides, or human waste.

Backflow testing checks the pressure levels of your backflow preventer device. Untreated or contaminated water can back-siphon into your clean water if backflow is present. As a result, testing ensures that the water you drink and use for showering is safe and clean.

We can help!  Kokesh Plumbing offers testing and backflow prevention and testing in the St. Louis area. Call us at 636-391-1233 to schedule.

World Plumbing Day 2023

Mar 8, 2023

Saturday, March 11, 2023 is World Plumbing Day!

JJ Kokesh and Son is proud to support this day dedicated to promoting the link between good plumbing with sanitation and human, environmental health.

World Plumbing Day is very important for 4 main reasons:

  1. To help remind ourselves to be grateful for the skills of those who work on our plumbing systems.
  2. To concentrate on communities that still need more and better plumbing to have improved living standards and a better life.
  3. To raise awareness about the health related outcomes of plumbing that often get taken for granted.
  4. To reflect on innovative plumbing advancements to protect public health and improve the world.

We are very grateful for all of our plumbers here at Kokesh Plumbing and the skill and wisdom that they bring to each and every job. Our plumbers work tirelessly to solve the problems facing out customer and we appreciate the work that the do every day. We  salute them and all of the other plumbers in Local 562, for the great work that they do consistently.

There are many communities in this world that need help getting adequate plumbing in order to improve their living standards and create a better life for the people in that community. Over 1 billion people gained access to piped supplies between 2000 and 2015, which is an amazing start but there is still much work to be done.

263 million people spend over 30 minutes per round trip to collect safe drinking water.

2.1 billion people worldwide do not have access to safe, readily available water at home.

4.5 billion people do not have toilets in their homes.

While there is much work to do, we can celebrate that the global population who used managed sanitation services increased from 28% in 2000 to 39% in 2015, steady improvement over time is how we help these communities and help with the overall health of the world.

Plumbing is very important to the heath of the world, and making sure that everyone has access to proper plumbing is something that we care deeply about. Poor or no pluming in communities world wide can lead to many health problems – for example, 892 million people in the world still practice open defecation which leads to 361,000 children under the age of 5 dying each year due to water borne diarrhea. The water they use near rivers and toilet areas become comminated leading to a higher risk of diarrhea, typhoid, hepatitis, polio and other diseases.

Poor plumbing is not just limited to homes, schools also lack proper plumbing which poses a problem for students worldwide. 900 million school children have no handwashing facilities in their schools and 1:5 schools do not provide any toilet facilities. This leads to an up swing in deadly diseases and can particularly prevent girls from attending school when they begin menstruation. It is important that these communities get the plumbing that they need to help prevent the spread of disease and help make a more equitable world.

THE WORLD PLUMBING COUNCIL’S MISSION IS TO:

ACHIEVE THE BEST POSSIBLE PLUMBING FOR THE WORLD THROUGH GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE WORLD’S PLUMBING INDUSTRIES.

Plumbing has come a long way in the past few years especially making advancements in tech for example, up to 30 percent of all water is lost because of leaks or burst water pipes. There are water monitoring and leak detection systems that will send alerts to phone to let you know about water usage, a detected a leak, and let you remotely shut off your water in case of emergencies. The Flo by Moen, Grohe Sense and Flo- Logic are all brands that we have installed for customers and would be happy to help you decide what would be best for your home.

We are glad to have this day to celebrate plumbing and the gifts that it has brought to our world. If you need help with your plumbing, or just want to celebrate World Plumbing Day with us, please give us a call at 636-391-1233!

Bathroom Remodel – Lock Project

Feb 13, 2023

Favorite Project of the Year!

Ballwin, MO

We are excited to showcase what we are dubbing our favorite project of the year, The Lock Project!

We started with a typical West County Master Bath from the early 2000’s, a great space but with not a lot of character and hadn’t been updated in those 20 years.

The clients wanted a more custom space that embodied the relaxation and fun they have experienced while traveling through the years.

Our contracting partner on this project was C. Peterson Construction.  Dan the owner is an experienced General Contractor that we have worked with on numerous projects. His level of expertise allowed us to add the custom work, such as creating curves throughout, that the clients desired.

We also had an amazing tile installer, Shannon Bingaman. He wowed everyone with his ability to tile the now curved walls throughout.

Our Plumber (Mike) with our Apprentice (Sean) did some amazing work! From freestanding tubs that needed to be partially installed under the floor and attached in the basement, to faucets with Crystals… nothing seemed to faze them!

Mike outdid himself on the layout of the shower, it had everything you could think of – hand showers, body sprays, and rainshowers.

Over the course of the project, every one worked hard together and our Favorite Project of the year was realized!! Our clients were over the moon in love with their new Master Bathroom and so were we!

And did we mention the heated floors?  The best!

 

Tile: Mercury Mosaics

Faucets, tub faucets, and shower trim: Brizo

Toilet and Washlet: TOTO

Tub: BainUltra

Check out these BEFORE and AFTER photos!

Winter Tub Painting Contest

Jan 19, 2023

Join our JJ Kokesh Winter Tub Painting contest!!! ❄️❄️❄️❄️

HERES HOW TO ENTER:

  1. Come get a tub from our office (408 Kehrs Mill Road Ballwin, MO 63011) or ask for us to send one with a plumber!!
  2. Paint or decorate your tub!
  3. Send a picture of your finished tub back to us through facebook, text, or email by 2/1/23.
  4. Vote on your favorite tub on 2/2/23.
  5. Winner receives everything you need for a great sledding day!

❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️

Lets see how creative you can get!!!

 

Our Winter Contest Prize!!

☃️☃️☃️

Everything you could need for a snow day!!

❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️

*All tubs due February 1st – Voting will be held February 2nd!!

Contact us with any questions! 

Holiday Drive 2022

Dec 1, 2022

Happy Holidays!

JJ Kokesh & Son is proud to be once again working with United Way’s 100 Neediest Cases this year by heloing local St. Louisans to make their Christmas a little brighter!  This year we are adopting a senior and a family to provide them with extra support and cheer this holiday season. We are extremely lucky that each year we receive help from our employees, suppliers, and customers to help!

If you are interested in helping us this year, we will be accepting donations between now and Monday
December 19th , 2022, you can either drop by our office location: 408 Kehrs Mill Rd, Ballwin, MO 63011 or
if you are having a service done, give it to your plumber.

Our first adoptee is a senior, Mr. H who is currently in remission from Lung Cancer. He is homeless because his home has been condemned due to water damage from this summers’ flooding since it is unsafe for him to live in. He has been living with a relative while waiting to save money for repairs to his home. If you would like to help brighten his holiday season, here are some of the things that he is looking for:

  • Clothing- Men’s xl
  • Shoes- 12 Men’s
  • Assistance with rent
  • Assistance with Spire bills
  • Gift cards to buy household items, groceries, and food

Our second adoptee is Ms. B. a grandmother who has recently taken in her 2 granddaughters (7 &12) while their mother battles a drug addiction. The added cost of paying for childcare and transportation has really led to her struggling to keep up with her bills. While do her best to care for the children, she is struggling with food, household items, clothing, utilities, mortgage, childcare expenses, medical bills and she was also one of the victims of the flood last summer that caused her to lose many things in her home. If you would like to help us help Ms. B she is looking for the following:

  • Clothing for her and the 2 granddaughters:
  • Ms. B- Women’s 1x, Shoe size- 10 Women’s
  • Granddaughter 12- Children’s size 12, Shoe size 3 Children’s
  • Granddaughter 7- Children’s 6t, Shoe size 13 Children’s
  • Help with mortgage/utility bills/medical bills
  • Gift cards for food/groceries
  • Toys- educational games, toys and books

Thank you so much for helping us spread holiday joy during this holiday season!

*All of these amazing drawings are by local school children.

New Apprentice – Sean

Nov 17, 2022

The team here at JJ Kokesh are proud to announce that we have a new plumbing apprentice, Sean McVey! We are very excited to have him and you may be seeing him on jobs with our plumbers in the near future.

Being a plumbing apprentice is an important step on the road to becoming a fully licensed plumber. We talked to Sean about his life, his experience as an apprentice and where he sees himself in the future.

Q&A with Sean

Why did you want to become a plumber?
I love helping customers solve their plumbing issues and providing great customer service.

What is your favorite color?
Blue

Where did you go to high school?
St. John Vianney High School, in Kirkwood, Missouri

What is your favorite plumbing job?
Repair work – in basement floor- using the jackhammer is fun!

Why do you love being an apprentice?
I love being an apprentice because I love learning from and helping the guys with their projects.

What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?
Chocolate w/ hot fudge

What is your favorite vacation spot?
Black River Lodge in Lesterville, MO

Where do you see yourself in the future?
I see my still working here at JJ Kokesh, helping to provide the best customer experience to all of our customers.

We are so excited to have Sean as our new plumber apprentice so when you see him with our Plumbers on jobs, please give Sean a hearty congratulations and welcome him!

Remember that we are always here for any plumbing related issues that you might and that you can contact us at (636) 391-1233 or you can stop by: 408 Kehrs Mill Rd, Ballwin, Mo 63011.

World Water Day 2022

Mar 22, 2022

Today, March 22, 2022 is World Water Day! This is a United Nations international observance day started in 1993 that is held every March 22, in order to bring awareness of the importance of fresh water. Currently 2 billion people are living without access to safe water and a core focus of world water day is to try create actions that would result in water and sanitation for all by 2030.

Every year has a theme and this year is: Groundwater- making the Invisible Visible.

Ground water is water that is found underground in aquifers, geological formations of sand, rock and gravel that holds water. Almost all the fresh water in the world is ground water, and it is very important to our way of life. We use ground water for everything from farming and industry to ecosystems, supporting drinking water supplies and sanitation systems. Our relationship with ground water is so diverse that we have areas in the world where we have over-used and pollute our groundwater and other areas that we have no idea how much water is down there. This can be a problem because when we over use the water, it is not as quickly recharged by rain and snow leading to shortages, polluted groundwater takes decades or even centuries to recover from and when we don’t know how much groundwater is in an area, we are falling to harness a potential vital water resource.

Image Credit: https://www.bcwater.org/surface-water-vs-groundwater/

Ground water is critical for adapting to climate change and becoming aware of the issues surrounding the world’s policies and we need to do all we can to help protect this most vital resource.

If you have any questions about world water day or any other plumbing related questions feel free to give us a call at (636) 391-1233.

What’s up with my Water?

Mar 12, 2022

The team here at Kokesh Plumbing knows that people have a lot of questions about water and the quality of water that we have here in Saint Louis. We would like to help ease your mind and answer some frequently asked questions we have had about the water that comes into our homes.

  • How safe is our water?
    • Our water is clean, reliable and without a doubt, safe. Year after year, our drinking water meets or surpasses all state and federal drinking water regulations. In fact, Missouri American Water performs more than 500,000 test on our water annually

 

  • Why is my water not flowing like usual?
    • This could be due to a water main break. In particularly, during the cold winter month, water mains freeze causing them to crack and burst. You can be assured that Kokesh and our partner, Missouri American Water are working hard and around the clock to make emergency repairs to get the mains fixed.

 

  • Why is my water cloudy?
    • Water that looks cloudy can happen when the temperature drops and water entering into your home warms as it comes in. The warm- up creates very small air bubbles that are absolutely harmless. To check to see if this is what is causing the cloudiness, simply place a glass of water on the counter for a couple of minutes and after that check to see if the water has cleared up as the air bubbles dissipate. If this doesn’t seem to be the case, please call us at 636 391-1233 so that we can help you solve this issue!

 

  • Why does my water have a change in taste or has an odor?
    • Our water is sourced from different locations through the state including the Meramec River, Missouri River, Shoal Creek and various wells. There are different factors that could cause the water to smell or taste differently such as seasonal changes and river conditions, but the most important thing to realize is that it is still safe to drink.

Hopefully this helps with any questions that you may have about our water and water supply. As always if you have any questions about this or any other plumbing related issues please give us a call at: 636-391-1233.

 

 

New Year’s Tips for Saving Water and Money

Jan 1, 2022

Happy New Year! We love to make New Year’s resolutions and we think that saving water and money should be a part of your New Year’s goals. Making sure that your house is in tip-top shape at the beginning of the year helps set the tone for how the rest of your year will go. Here are a few tips that get you home in order for a smooth year:

 

  • Insulate water pipes by wrapping them with insulation tubes made from polyethylene of fiberglass in unheated areas of your home. This will help them from freezing during the coldest days of winter.
  • Use low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators that will reduce the water flow without reducing the pressure
  • You should check your pipes, toilets and faucets often for leaks, and if you do find a leak, please give us a call at 636-391-1233 so that we can help you fix that leak.
  • Make sure to drip your faucets when the temperature stays below freezing by letting a small trickle run over night. This should help prevent the pipes from freeing over
  • Check for leaks in and out of your home after the first big thaw
  • Have us come out to walk your property line after the first thaw to inspect waterlines
  • Only run your dish and clothing washers when they are full and use the water-saving cycle if available on your washers