When you need a plumber, most often, you need him ASAP. A broken pipe, flooded basement, inoperative toilet — all are problems needing immediate attention.

Knowing the plumber will arrive, take care of the situation quickly, correctly, and thoroughly brings peace of mind.

Tindall & Ranson, the plumbing, heating, and cooling company at 880 Alexander Road, has established a first-class reputation for quality service.

“We have highly skilled workers,” notes president and founder Kevin Tindall. “We are available 24/7 for emergencies, and when you call us, you speak to a live person.”

Good Job

“You know,” he adds, “we do such a good job in the industry that people sometimes take plumbers for granted. But when they need us, we will be there. And, it is hard work to become a plumber — 8000 hours in the field, 400 hours in the classroom. It’s skilled people teaching unskilled people.”

As a licensed plumber himself, Mr. Tindall knows all about it. Born and brought up in West Windsor, he worked part-time for a plumbing company when he was 16, and then later apprenticed to a plumber in the area.

“I always enjoyed being out in the field and fixing something, he explains. “This is important, and
today, my employees know that I’ve had the hands-on experience — ‘been there, done that’!”

With a partner and four employees, Mr. Tindall established the firm in 1993. It has now grown into a company with a staff of 20 and a client base of more than 5000 all over the Princeton area.

“The work is mostly residential, with some light commercial,” he points out. “We work with some businesses and also fire departments in Princeton. We do a lot of maintenance fit-out, that is, putting in a new sink, etc. for new tenants in a building, and a lot of renovation.

“With plumbing, there is a lot of repair work, traditionally including water heaters, toilets, drips and leaks, etc. We also get a lot of situations where someone says, ‘I dropped my diamond in the sink!’ And kids throw things in the toilet. Make-up caps can also be a big problem if they fall in the toilet. Hair in the sink and bathtub is another big problem. The water temperature now has to be set at 120 degrees, and this is not hot enough to dissolve soap and other things.”

Enhanced Service

Mr. Tindall points out that one way people can keep disaster at bay is to establish a regular maintenance plan with the company. “We will then look in regularly and can see evidence of a problem, something leaking, etc., before it becomes an emergency. Don’t ignore a leak or drip. If you let it go, there can be more damage, and it could come suddenly at night or on the weekend. We can offer enhanced service for those who have a maintenance plan with us.”

Over the years, he has noticed many changes in the business. “The technology that has come to the business is amazing. Thirty or 35 years ago, there was no GPS in the car or smart phone. Now, you can be in touch anytime, anywhere with anyone.

“Another big change is high efficiency, low flush toilets. In 1992, Congress mandated that toilets with a 3.2 gallon per flush capacity must change to 1.6 gallons per flush. That technology is very good today, and it offers both energy and water conservation. Shower heads have also become more energy efficient, going from 2½ gallons per minute to 1¾ per minute. If you save water, you save electricity.”

Energy conservation is very important to Mr. Tindall, and he belongs to varied organizations furthering energy programs. “My wife and I have been involved in the Plumbing, Heating, Cooling Contractors association. It is the oldest trade association in the country. I am chairman of the Energy Efficiency Committee.

“In addition, the New Jersey Clean Energy Program focuses on sustainable technology and helps develop standards. It was founded through the social development fee from the electric bill. We can save you 25 percent off your heating bill, and you can also get a $5000 grant toward energy efficiency and energy reduction.

“The challenge is to get people to know it is there for them. It is designed to reduce the total use of energy. You can go to NJCleanenergy.com to learn more about it.”

Time and Effort

Mr. Tindall is very much involved both in the heating industry and the community. His friend of long-standing — Princeton resident Mark Freda — who is a former member of Princeton Borough Council and very active in the community, comments on Mr. Tindall’s willingness to spend time and effort to help people in the area.

“I have known Kevin for decades. He is an honest guy, who isn’t in business just to make money. After one of our large storms in recent years, I was involved in trying to help a family that was facing many difficulties, one of which was financial, and another concerning one of the family members who was home-bound with health problems. Due to basement flooding, their furnace was ruined, and we needed to provide a solution to this immediately. I called Kevin, explained the situation, and told him I had no idea how or when he would get paid for this.

“Knowing that, he still agreed to help; he sent two of his crew to go and remove an almost new furnace from another property and get it to this home within a few hours. They worked until they completed the removal of the old furnace, and
installed the replacement furnace, resolving this situation — a very long day for them. But that is the kind of guy Kevin is.”

“I want to give back,” says Mr. Tindall. “I am very active in the heating industry. We work to raise money for scholarships for students to get into the plumbing, heating, and cooling business. This is a great industry to be in, and we have a great staff at Tindall & Ranson. Many have been with us for a long time.

“We are always looking to allowing the younger people at the firm to take more of a part. It’s important to keep up with the times, and change when necessary.”

What won’t change, he adds, is Tindall & Ranson’s emphasis on dedicated, quality, and honest service. “We strive to provide the best service we can for our customers.”

Cool, Calm, Collected

In addition, to helping customers keep as cool, calm,  and collected as possible this summer, Tindall & Ranson offers a series of tips to help conserve energy in hot weather.

• Keep drapes, blinds and shades closed during the day to block out the sun.

• Clear furniture away from air conditioning vents.

• Install an attic fan — it can cool the attic by nearly 30 degrees.

• Install reflective window coatings to reflect heat away from the house.

• Plant shade trees to shade the house from the sun during the summer — it could save up to 8 percent on cooling costs.

• Use ceiling fans to cool the house. They are much cheaper to operate than air conditioners, and moving air feels cooler, so you can keep the thermostat setting higher.

• Open windows on cool summer days and nights. A good rule of thumb is not to open windows when the outside temperature is warmer than the inside of the house.

• Keep the coils of the central or window air conditioner free of dust and dirt.

Tindall & Ranson’s regular hours are Monday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (609) 924-3434. Website: www.tindallranson.com.