The Plumbinator Blog

Water heater leaving you out in the cold? The Plumbinator Round Rock installs 40 and 50-gallon electric and natural gas water heaters   Water heater in a closet in the garage? $1,800 includes: Brand new Lochinvar or Bradford-White brand 40-gallon water heater unit (add $125 for 50-gallon) New hot and cold flex lines to bring heater up to code New shut off valve Installation of new heater by our licensed and insured plumber Removal and carrying off of old heater Exceptions and Add-Ons: New expansion tank to protect your fixtures? Add $175 New drip leg for natural gas heaters? Add $125 Permit we secure from your city/county will be added to your bill at actual cost. Need a new pan line to bring your heater up to code? Add $150-$300 Is your heater on the second floor or in the attic? Add $100. Call The Plumbinator today! 512-786-1771 Thinking about a tankless water heater instead? We are Navien tankless experts. Read more

Found out your home has Kitec? Got a huge estimate for a total replacement and now you're freaking out?  We can help!  Schedule a free estimate and we'll see if we can   REPAIR instead of REPLACE your Kitec. Kitec Facts: Kitec plumbing was used to install water piping in new homes during the building boom in Austin, Georgetown, Round Rock, and Pflugerville, starting in 1995.  In 2005 Kitec was recalled because it corrodes and bursts, but that didn't stop some builders from using it in the Austin area as late as 2008.  Builders liked Kitec because it was cheaper than copper and flexible, so it was easy to install.  Kitec water piping can't take high heat or pressure, and it corrodes quickly.  With Kitec plumbing, pipes won’t just leak, they are likely to totally burst, flooding your home!  Kitec plumbing is a ticking time bomb under your house and based on the start date and recall date (1995-2005) it only lasts about 10 years.  We do Kitec repair AND

If you have an older home in Austin, you may have a ticking time bomb under your slab in the form of cast iron sewer pipe.  All cast iron sewer pipe will need to be completely replaced before your house turns 50 years old.  If your house was built 1950-1969,  it's already time to replace before your house is flooded with sewage! Houses built in the 1970s will need complete replacement in the next 10 years.   It's not a question of IF, it's a question of WHEN.  Why?  Cast iron sewer pipes only last 50 years before they deteriorate beyond repair and start leaking raw sewage into your yard or living room. If you have an older house in Austin, call us to come out and do an inspection. We'll let you know if you can wait a few years, or if the pipes are already starting to leak sewage into your yard or house. Why completely replace, not just repair the pipe as needed ?  Each repair causes the cast iron on either side of the break to turn into TWO new

Not all plumbers are alike! Each plumber has different specialties and areas of expertise within plumbing, just like doctors, lawyers and other professions. If you call a Round Rock plumber asking for a certain job to be done, they may refer you to another plumber or water professional, since we all know and refer to one another. It's not a dog eat dog competitive world in the Round Rock plumbing scene like you may imagine - we all want each other to be successful and to do our best work! So who is the best person to call in Round Rock for each type of plumbing or water-related job? Here are our recommendations: *Leak Location and Repair - The Plumbinator Got a slab leak, yard leak, wall leak, or a mystery leak? Got Kitec water pipes that need repair or replacement? The Plumbinator is your one-stop-shop for both expert leak location AND repair. You could call a company with "leak location" in the name, but they will only FIND the leak, not fix it. The Plumbinator

Help! I have a plumbing problem! Should I try to do it myself, hire a handyman or call a licensed plumber?  In Texas, there are only TWO legal options when you have a plumbing issue:  1) As the homeowner, you can fix your own plumbing, OR  2) You can hire a state-licensed, insured plumber who is working under a valid Master Plumber's number.  If you have your plumbing work done illegally, it could be a costly mistake, since damage from illegal work isn't covered by your home insurance. Read more below. Question 1: Should I Try to Fix My Own Plumbing? It depends. If the project involves natural or LP gas, NO you should not. Working with gas and gas piping can be very dangerous and anyone who works on gas must be licensed. As far as non-gas related plumbing, whether you should attempt a fix depends on how large and/or complicated the project is. In Texas, homeowners can legally do certain types of things to their plumbing without a permit, like replacing a to

What kinds of trees do you have in your yard? You need to find out! To protect your plumbing you must know what kind of trees you have and where they are planted in relation to your sewer lines, since some trees are more trouble than others for your plumbing. Tree roots can exploit tiny cracks or holes in your sewer pipes, and use them to invade!  It's a very common problem in Central Texas to have tree roots clog, crack and even completely destroy parts of sewer lines.  Did you know that tree roots can be 2-7 times as long as the tree is tall? These roots will travel long distances seeking water. Roots can actually sense water vapor, and will follow the trail of leaking moisture straight back to small cracks, badly sealed joints, or pinholes in your pipes. Was your home built 1950-1986? Then you very likely have cast iron sewer lines which are very deteriorated and especially vulnerable to root invasion. Read more here. As you can see in the diagram above,  roots will invade