Plumbing

Improvise, adapt and overcome

We had a customer reach out to us with complaints about issues with not getting hot water. Our technician arrived and was quick to diagnose the issue. The issue was their tankless water heater’s computer board was fried. So, what’s the next step if this is the case?

Our technician found that replacement was the best option. However, the new unit was not going to fit into the original box that was built for the old tankless heater. Our technician had to adapt and mount the new unit over the box to restore the hot water in the home in a timely manner. Our technicians are always willing and able to improvise, adapt and overcome.

Tropical Storm Debby Closing

Due to the onslaught of heavy rain that Tropical Storm Debby is bringing to our area, we are making the preemptive decision to close our office today Thursday August 8, 2024. We plan to do our part and stay off the roads in light of this torrential rain. No reason to place our employees, equipment and others at risk. Flooding and power outages are to be expected.

We will be accepting calls for Emergency Services ONLY. This means if you are unable to use your bathroom facilities, or have an interior uncontained water leak, and the water is unable to be shut off.

  • Clogged kitchen drains, tub drains, washing machines are NOT emergencies.
  • No hot water, is NOT an emergency.

All non-emergent calls will be scheduled for Friday or next week. We do hope that you understand.
We also hope that you and your families remain safe.

Our office will reopen at 8:00 AM on Friday August 9, 2024.

Rerouting back wash? No problem!

A customer wanted his water softener to flow into the woods instead of the septic or the ground next to the house. Why did he decide to make this change? He had discovered that the discharge was killing the grass. Did you know that discharge can also affect your septic system? This water could kill beneficial bacteria that is in your septic tank. Look at the pictures below. As you can see this required a lot of digging for our guys, but of course they are always up for the challenge.

Additions, Additions, Additions…

Sometimes we just want to add space. Maybe it’s because of a young growing family, or because we combined families, or maybe it is time to bring the elderly family members home. Either way, it often times means adding an additional room or two. And perhaps even a bathroom.

In this case, we are helping to add a master bedroom and bathroom, creating Master Suite. This addition, required also installing a lift station, due to the grade of the sewer being higher than the addition. But, we’re here to help make it happen.

This is just the underground rough. But as you can see, once the grass grows back, it will be like it was always here. We even avoided a plant that was ultimately in the way, but the homeowner wanted to save. That’s who we are. This is why folks trust us to do the job. This is what we do. And we leave it better than we found it. <3

Keep watching for more updates on this project. We are partnered with JKL Construction on this one.

It’s a Dirty Job…

…And we’re here to do it.

Water line breaks can create quite a mess.
You are almost always going to get dirty to some extent, if not just flat out muddy. But our guys are up for the challenge and we do appreciate them.

This leak ended up being much more involved than we anticipated. We could have used to have equipment on hand. But our guys got right into it. And one of them even left literally covered in mud, and with a wet seat to boot.

#dirtyhandscleanmoney #dirtyhands #cleanmoney

Water Heater Maintenance

Is having your water heater inspected yearly important? The answer is: yes! It’s important to have your water heater inspected and flushed yearly, especially tankless water heaters. Why is this important? Age and moisture over time can cause corrosion. What issues can moisture corrosion cause? Moisture corrosion can cause several different issues; one being water leaks. Leaks/flooding can cause further damage to your home especially if your water heater is in an attic or in another area of your home. Hot water failure as well as electrical fires can be caused by moisture corrosion. Gas water heaters should also be checked yearly to ensure proper ventilation. Proper ventilation is a must to ensure that you avoid possible carbon monoxide from entering your home. Take a look at the photos below. These are examples of water heaters that have corroded or have started leaking. Call our office at 704-857-1600 to schedule your yearly water heater maintenance.

Old Sewer Lines Create Sewer Backups

Some older homes still have red terra cotta clay tile piping for their sewer drain system. This can create quite a problem as the piping deteriorates with age. Also, with so many joints, it leaves gaps for roots to grow in continuously. This home had just such a case. Just about every joint on this clay sewer line was filled with invading roots. Thankfully, we now have products like PVC piping that has a lifespan of up to 100 years!!

That’s exactly what this customer received. A new PVC sewer line. Problem free for years to come!

Corrosive Water & Your Water Lines

Do the water lines in your home look like the ones in the photos below? If they do, your water has corrosive properties and the PH is probably off. You definitely need to address the problem by installing a filtration system that will neutralize the water. You also need to replace the already corroded piping in your home.

Here at Cain’s Able Plumbing, we can address this issue for you. We can replace all the water lines in the home, and we can install a filtration system to prevent this from being a problem in the future. Give us a call at 704-857-1600 or 336-351-1602, to schedule your evaluation appointment today.

Inspecting Your Water Lines

Do you inspect the water piping in your home?
A lot of folks do not. This ends up costing them hundreds if not thousands of dollars when those pipes choose to burst or spring a leak. Bi-Annual inspection of the water piping in your home is crucial, especially if you have an older home. Or if you have a home that was piped with Polybutylene or PEX piping when it first came on the scene.

Different common water piping:
Galvanized
– Prone to corroding from the inside out. The pipe gets smaller and smaller inside as rust builds up. No longer in use or to current standards.
Copper
– Wears thin over time. Still used today, but very costly.
Poly-B
– Used in the late 80s and early 90s. Turns brittle with age and will crumble apart or crackle. No longer in use. Recalled a long time ago.
PEX
– Q-Pex – Recalled. No longer in use and not up to todays standards.
– Current PEX production meets todays building standards. You may have brass or plastic fittings. Brass fittings have to be inspected routinely for corrosion. Different water conditions can speed up the corrosion process.

Galvanized
Copper
Poly-B
PEX

Here at Cain’s Able Plumbing, we are happy to schedule an inspection of the water lines (and sewer lines) in your home for condition and recommendations. The current cost for that at the time of this post is $190.00. (Plus tax and fees) Please call 704-857-1600 or 336-351-1602 to schedule your plumbing inspection today!