A.J. Alberts Blog
Honest plumbing and water conditioning guides for Twin Cities homeowners, written by our master plumbers.
★ Featured Post A.J. Alberts Wins Best of Woodbury 2026 for Best Plumbing Services
A.J. Alberts Plumbing has been voted Best of Woodbury 2026 for Best Plumbing Services, back-to-back with our 2025 win. Thank you, Woodbury.
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Water Heater Capacity for Holiday Guests in Minnesota Homes
Plan hot-water demand for holiday guests in your Twin Cities home, check actual capacity, and know when a weak heater needs service. Call 651-738-0580.
Read post →Thanksgiving Plumbing Prep Guide for Twin Cities Homeowners
Prepare your Twin Cities kitchen, bathrooms, drains, and water heater for Thanksgiving guests with this practical, local checklist. Call 651-738-0580.
Read post →A.J. Alberts Wins a 2026 Nextdoor Fave Award in Woodbury
Woodbury neighbors chose A.J. Alberts as a 2026 Nextdoor Fave Award Winner in the Plumber category. Thank you for your votes and trust. Call 651-738-0580.
Read post →Edina Plumbing in 1960s and 1970s Homes: What Owners Should Check
Learn what to inspect in an Edina home built in the 1960s or 1970s, from supply pipes and drains to service lines, permits, and valves. Call 651-738-0580.
Read post →How to Read Your Annual Water Quality Report in Minnesota
Learn how to read a Minnesota water quality report, compare detected levels with limits, and know when household testing adds context. Call 651-738-0580.
Read post →Best Water Softener Companies in Woodbury, Edina, and Minnetonka
Compare water softener companies serving Woodbury, Edina, and Minnetonka by products, pricing, warranties, testing, and service scope.
Read post →Twin Cities Fall Plumbing Checklist Before a Hard Freeze
Use the Twin Cities fall plumbing checklist to protect pipes, outdoor faucets, sump equipment, and hot water before hard-freeze weather. Call 651-738-0580.
Read post →Winterize Outdoor Faucets Before the First Freeze in Minnesota
Winterize outdoor faucets and hose bibs before Twin Cities cold arrives. Follow a Minnesota checklist that helps prevent freeze damage. Call 651-738-0580.
Read post →How to Fix a Leaky Faucet: Cartridge, Compression, Ball and Ceramic Disc Repairs
How to fix a leaky faucet by type: compression washers, cartridges, ball and ceramic disc faucets, what hard water does to them, and when to call.
Read post →How to Fix a Running Toilet: Flapper, Fill Valve, Float, and Flush Valve Seat
How to fix a running toilet: the dye test, flapper and fill valve replacement, float adjustment, the flush valve seat, and when to call a plumber.
Read post →Water Heater Replacement Cost in Minnesota: What Sets the Price
What sets water heater replacement cost in Minnesota: unit type and size, venting, gas or electrical work, code items, permits, hard water and removal.
Read post →Water Softener Cost in Minnesota: What Sets the Price
What sets water softener cost in Minnesota: measured hardness and household use, valve type, iron pretreatment, the plumbing work, permits and salt.
Read post →Summer Storms and Sump Pumps: Why East Metro Basements Flood
Storm-season sump pump guidance for East Metro homeowners: safe troubleshooting, discharge, backup power and when to call for help.
Read post →Summer Water Heater Care for Twin Cities Homes
Plan equipment maintenance and time away using the manufacturer instructions and appropriate water-safety guidance.
Read post →Salt-Based Softeners vs. Salt-Free Conditioners in Minnesota
Compare hardness removal and scale conditioning, including what certification can and cannot establish.
Read post →A.J. Alberts Owner Steve Grohn on the East Side Enterprise Podcast
Hear A.J. Alberts owner Steve Grohn on the East Side Enterprise podcast: a winding career, a culture of care, and what is in Woodbury water.
Read post →Garbage Disposal Dos and Don'ts for East Metro Homeowners
Garbage disposal care and safe jam guidance for Twin Cities homeowners, including septic considerations and when to call a plumber.
Read post →Irrigation Backflow Preventer Problems and Fixes in Minnesota
Learn how Minnesota backflow testing rules apply, what a leak can mean, and how to prepare an irrigation assembly for winter.
Read post →What We Check in a Free In-Home Water Test
The basic measurements included in an AJ Alberts visit, their limits, and how separate PFAS testing works.
Read post →Summer-Ready Plumbing: Outdoor Spigots and Twin Cities Water Use
Get your East Metro outdoor spigots, hoses, and summer water use ready with frost-free faucet and backflow tips from a Woodbury plumber. Call 651-738-0580.
Read post →Woodbury Drinking Water Reports: How to Read PFAS Results
Distinguish source-well information, treated-water results, and household testing before deciding on filtration.
Read post →Asbestos Pipe Insulation: How to Identify It and What to Do (Minnesota Guide)
Learn how to recognize suspect pipe insulation, avoid disturbing it, and plan a safe professional assessment in Minnesota.
Read post →6 Common Plumbing Mistakes That Cost Homeowners Real Money
Six avoidable plumbing mistakes, from overtightened fittings and flushed wipes to winter hose and shutoff problems.
Read post →Slow Hot Water: What to Check Before Replacing the Heater
Separate a wait at the tap from low flow or reduced hot-water capacity so the right problem gets diagnosed.
Read post →Water Heater Options for Minnesota Homes
Compare storage, tankless, heat pump, venting, and indirect systems using household demand and the actual installation.
Read post →Water Heater Repair or Replacement: What to Compare
Evaluate the fault, condition, warranty, repair cost, and full replacement proposal without relying on generic lifespan rules.
Read post →Summer Plumbing Problems Twin Cities Homeowners Face
Summer is not the off-season for Twin Cities plumbing: sewer backups, sump pump failures in heavy rain, hose bib issues, and the warm-weather repair list.
Read post →Common Water Concerns in East Metro Homes
A practical way to separate hardness, staining, odor, supply changes, and contaminant testing.
Read post →The 10 Most Common Plumbing Problems in Twin Cities Homes
The plumbing issues that show up most often in Twin Cities homes, what causes them, and how to tell whether yours is fixable or a sign of something bigger.
Read post →Clogged Drains in the Twin Cities: Causes, Fixes, and When to Call a Plumber
How to describe a recurring drain problem, distinguish affected fixtures, and discuss an inspection before choosing a clearing method.
Read post →Reverse Osmosis Systems in the Twin Cities: A Homeowner Guide
What an under-sink RO system does, how to check contaminant claims, and what to ask about installation and upkeep.
Read post →Minnesota Boiler Maintenance Before Heating Season
What a pre-heating-season boiler inspection may include, which warning signs need prompt diagnosis, and how to compare repair and replacement.
Read post →Plumbing Maintenance Plan: Is It Worth It for Twin Cities Homeowners?
Compare written plan coverage, current pricing, exclusions, and the actual service needs of your plumbing and water-treatment equipment.
Read post →Best Plumbing Companies in the Twin Cities: How to Pick the Right One
Compare Twin Cities plumbers by licensing, diagnosis, written pricing, experience, and warranty terms.
Read post →Sump Pumps: The Twin Cities Homeowner Guide
How sump pumps work, why every Twin Cities basement homeowner should have a backup, and what fails first when one stops working.
Read post →Who We Are: A.J. Alberts Plumbing in the Twin Cities
A.J. Alberts, the East Metro's plumbing and water conditioning specialist since 1989. Best of Woodbury 2026 and 2025, with licensed and master plumbers.
Read post →Plumbing Inspection for Twin Cities Home Buyers and Sellers
What a real plumbing inspection covers, what general home inspectors miss, and the Minnesota issues that belong on every pre-purchase checklist.
Read post →Twin Cities Water Filtration: Which Problems Need Which Treatment?
How to distinguish hardness, staining, taste, and specific contaminant concerns before choosing home water treatment.
Read post →Tank vs. Tankless Water Heaters in the Twin Cities
Compare hot-water demand, installation requirements, maintenance, and operating costs before choosing.
Read post →Hard Water in Minnesota: A Guide to Choosing a Water Softener
How to measure hardness, evaluate scale concerns, and choose a softener for your own water and household.
Read post →Water Conditioning vs. Water Softening: What Each System Does
Understand hardness reduction, contaminant-specific filtration, and the limits of a basic water test.
Read post →Water Softening in the Twin Cities: What to Check Before Buying
A practical checklist for water testing, softener sizing, installation, maintenance, and repair decisions.
Read post →PFAS in East Metro Drinking Water: Testing and Treatment Decisions
Use current utility information, appropriate laboratory testing, and model-specific filter claims to make a PFAS decision.
Read post →Frozen Pipes in Minnesota: Prevention, Detection, and Emergency Thawing
A Minnesota-specific guide to preventing frozen pipes before they burst, recognizing the early warning signs, and handling a freeze emergency safely.
Read post →Have a plumbing or water conditioning question? Call 651-738-0580.