FAQ's

My statue is broken, is there any way to have it repaired?
Yes!  Many damaged statues can be repaired, depending on the severity of the break and where the break has occurred.  If an arm, head, or chipped piece has come off, we normally can repair the piece.  Sometimes to where the damage is no longer even noticeable.  Because we actually manufacture most of our pieces on the premises, we have the materials and expertise to do most repairs and to match the coloring fairly close. 

There are some pieces that just can't be repaired.  If a large or tall figurine statue is broken at the base, sometimes this repair is just not possible due to the weight of the statue.  Please call us regarding any damaged pieces you may have, or you better yet, bring the piece into our shop.  If it's repairable, we'll give you a quote on the spot!

My fountain isn't working?
Obviously, without actually seeing the fountain, it's difficult to diagnose the exact problem, but, we can give you some tips and tricks to see if it's a minor problem that's easily fixable by the customer. 
1)  If the pump is plugged in, but not running, make sure your fountain is completely full of water.  Your pump is a submersible pump and must be completely underwater to run.  Partially covered in water will not work.  If the pump was running and the fountain bowl ran out of water, the pump may have burned out.  If this is the case, a new pump is needed.
2)  If you know your bowl has remained full of water while running the pump, one possibility that it's not working is it may be clogged or blocked by debris (example:  leaves, dirt, small rocks, etc.).  First, make sure the bowl is full of water.  Next, take your garden hose and blast the hole where the water comes out of your fountain.  This is where the plastic tubing is located and it leads straight down to your pump.  Many times this blast of water will clear any minor debris away.  Now, try plugging your pump in again.  You can even blast with water while the pump is plugged in for a moment to see if it will clear the path.  But don't leave the pump plugged in for too long if this trick doesn't work. 
3)  If you have a pump access door or are able to get to your pump with ease, see if you can see anything that may be jamming or clogging the pump.  Sometimes a small rock is blocking the pump from spinning and can easily be removed.  MAKE SURE TO UNPLUG YOUR PUMP WHILE EXAMINING.  Your pump most likely has a small filter on it, which can be cleaned and sometimes removed.  You can take your garden hose and blast the pump filter to see if this clears the path.    This filter helps keep debris from entering your pump and occasionally needs cleaning. 
4)  If the pump is not the problem, it could be the tubing in your fountain has come lose and is no longer attached to your pump.  If you plug your fountain in and can hear your pump running, then this is a good possibility.  If you have a pump access door, a small fountain or can easily lift off the pieces to get to the pump, you can examine the tubing to make sure it is securely attached to the pump.  If not, simply take the tubing and reapply to the spout on the pump.  If you have a much larger, more complex fountain that was installed by a company, you may have to have a service call to make this repair.  Some larger fountains take 2-3 people to disassemble and get to the pump housing area to make repairs.
If after trying the suggestions above and your fountain is still not working, please call us to arrange a service call to repair your fountain.  Charges apply and are based on your location, number of people required to disassemble and reassemble fountain, pump replacement, etc.   

I have algae in my fountain, how do I clean this out?
Algae is very common in fountains for several reasons.  First, the humidity and heat in our region contributes to this greatly.  Also, if your bowl has been sitting with water for awhile without running, this can occur.  There are a couple of ways to remedy this problem.
1)  You may clean out old water with a small bucket or a hand broom.  Once emptied.  Use a SOFT sponge (not a sponge with an abrasive side) to scrub bowl, then flush with hose till clean.  Now refill with fresh water.
2)  While running, add a small amount of household bleach to the water.  This will kill the algae and clean the water.  The bleach will not harm the pump or the finish.  By small amount we mean approx. a 1/4 cup on small fountains and approximately 1/2 on large fountains.  The bleach will dissipate soon and your water will be clean.  Keep fountain running after adding.  Birds will smell the bleach and avoid drinking the water till after it dissipates.
3)  Many pond stores or the large warehouse hardware stores carry tablets that are environmentally friendly and clean the water.   Call us and we can give you some recommendations of who to call. 

What do I do during a freeze?
During the winter when possible freezes may occur, you should empty your fountain or birdbaths (any pieces that hold water).  Just take a small bucket or hand broom and remove as much water as possible.  The reason for removing the water is should a freeze occur, water expands when frozen and such expansion can cause your fountain bowl to crack. 

Can I run my fountain 24 hours a day?
Sure.  Many people want their fountains running at all times.  But, there are a few things to remember when doing so.  
1)   Pumps have a certain "live expectancy" to them.  So, if you're running it 24 hours a day, obviously, it will wear out sooner than a pump that is run during the day and turned off at night.  This isn't a problem, just a note to remember.  Depending on the size of your fountain, pumps can run anywhere from $30 to $100 and more.  The usual life expectancy of a pump is 2-5 years.  They don't make them like they use to!  
2)  The most important factor to remember if running your fountain 24 hours a day is to MAKE SURE YOUR FOUNTAIN BOWL IS FULL OF WATER AT ALL TIMES.  This will be the biggest challenge.  A pump will burn out completely, if running without ample water levels.  You can tell when a fountains water level is too low, because while running, you can actually hear the pump "gasping" when exposed to air and low levels of water.  Your pump is called a submersible pump, meaning it must run completely UNDERWATER.  If your bowl has a low level of water, most likely the top of your pump will be exposed and not completely under water.  Simply refill the bowl and the "gasping" sound will soon go away.  Just remember, if your fountain is running 24 hours a day, out of sight, out of mind!  Use some kind of reminder to check on your water levels every once in a while.
3)  Many people also use timers for their fountains, which can be purchased at any hardware store.  These are the same timers many people use to turn lights in their homes on and off automatically.  This way, you can set your timer to turn your fountain on when you arrive home from work or turn it on in the mornings on the weekends.
4)  A fourth trick you can use to running a fountain 24 hours a day is a drip hose.  This is a system that you can purchase at most hardware stores.  The drip hose hooks to your water lines and is placed in your fountain.  As the water level in your fountain diminishes, the drip hose will add water.  Please contact your gardener, landscaper or local hardware store for more information on how these systems work.  

How much water should I add to my fountain and how often?
The size of your fountain will determine the amount of water you add and how often.  For example, if you have a small shallow bowl, you most likely will be adding water daily (when the pump is running).  Because of splash and evaporation from the heat.   If you have a large deep bowl for a larger fountain, you may only need to add water every couple of days.  Don't forget, you only need to add water if you are actually running the fountain.  If you go on vacation for a week and unplug your fountain, there's no need to add water.  It's only when the fountain is plugged in and the pump is running that you need to watch the water levels.  As far as how much water to add, you really can't go wrong by just filling it up till it starts to spill over.  This will ensure that you have filled it to maximum capacity.  You can't hurt anything on the fountain by filling it up.  Remember your pump is submersible and needs to be completely under water.  So, fill it up!