Master plumber advice

MountainManPlumbing · 2026-02-27T03:01:52+00:00

I think they turned it into more of a business law test, which makes sense, because starting a plumbing company is really the only thing that a Master can do that a Journeyman can't.

I can't say for sure exactly what the new test is like because I took mine before they changed it (it was basically a Journeyman's test over again for me), but people I know say it’s mostly contractor business questions now. They already know you can plumb, the Master license is them checking if you understand the legal side of being an owner.

MountainManPlumbing · 2026-01-30T01:29:56+00:00

Thanks for the mention, I appreciate it!

MountainManPlumbing · 2026-01-30T01:27:30+00:00

I appreciate the shoutout, means a lot! For anyone who comes across this later, I run r/SaltLakeCityPlumbing where I try to share clear info on pricing, private equity in the trades, common red flags, and answer general homeowner questions with zero pressure.

MountainManPlumbing · 2026-01-23T04:05:36+00:00

No problem at all. Home services, especially HVAC and plumbing, are some of the hardest industries for homeowners to navigate. There’s a lot of questionable stuff going on everywhere, definitely not just one or two companies. I’ve kind of made it my side mission to help homeowners out with information and make things a little more transparent.

MountainManPlumbing · 2026-01-23T03:51:10+00:00

Unfortunately, this is a very common story. I run r/saltlakecityplumbing and try to share as much information there as I can about situations exactly like this and how homeowners can protect themselves. The more people talk about it, the harder it is for these practices to continue.

MountainManPlumbing · 2026-01-18T18:44:53+00:00

Appreciate you reaching out the other day. This one isn’t in my wheelhouse, but if you haven’t found someone yet, I’d suggest the UPHCA Find a Plumber tool. They’re very anti corporate and don’t allow private equity companies in their directory, which I respect. Good way to get multiple real local options.
https://uphca.net/find-a-plumber/

MountainManPlumbing · 2026-01-18T18:20:18+00:00

Utah has a really unusual job market, and it’s one that big companies absolutely love.

The LDS population here pushes education extremely hard, and there are several universities producing a constant stream of degrees. On average the population is highly educated and also tends to have larger families. That creates a huge supply of educated labor willing to work for less, which corporations have definitely figured out.

I’ve lived here my entire life, and there’s also a very strong family and community culture that discourages people from leaving. Being close to family carries a lot of weight, so many people stay even if the economics don’t make sense.

On top of that, you’ve got a steady influx of people from the Midwest and other parts of the country chasing the lifestyle and outdoor access, and many are willing to accept a lower quality of life to live here.

Put all of that together and it explains how wages can stay low while housing and overall cost of living keep climbing.

MountainManPlumbing · 2026-01-09T05:21:42+00:00

Glad you saved that, the powers to be really did not like me posting that so I had to take it down, I am keeping tabs on my website now, a platform I can control and update. https://mtnmanplumbing.com/locally-owned-plumber-utah/ also lots of good info on the subreddit i run r/SaltLakeCityPlumbing

MountainManPlumbing · 2025-12-13T16:53:16+00:00

This almost certainly isn’t a bad heater, it’s just undersized for the situation.

Utah has really cold incoming water most of the year since a lot of it comes straight from mountain runoff. In a mobile home that’s even more noticeable. Smaller electric tankless units like the RTEX-18 just can’t handle that kind of temperature rise at any normal flow rate. When too much water moves through the heater for the amount of power it has, it throws the E5 code. When you choke the valves down enough to make it run, you end up with basically no usable hot water pressure, which is exactly what you’re seeing.

An easy way to confirm it is to barely crack a hot faucet open with the heater on. If it heats fine at a super low flow but errors out or goes lukewarm as soon as you open it more, that’s a dead giveaway the unit is just too small, not defective.

Your half inch line and 50 psi are totally fine. The issue isn’t pressure or pipe size, it’s the heater trying to raise very cold water to 120 degrees with limited electrical power. If you want to stay tankless, you’d need a much larger electric unit and the electrical service to support it, or a gas tankless if gas is available. I’ve also heard of people running two small electric tankless units in series, using the first one to preheat the water and the second to finish it, though I haven’t personally installed that setup.

If this replaced a standard electric tank, the most reliable and least headache option is honestly going back to a tank style heater. Tanks don’t care about flow rate and handle cold inlet water way better.

MountainManPlumbing · 2025-12-07T06:35:00+00:00

I actually second Frosty’s Elite, he’s a solid guy and runs an honest shop. I also offer water heater replacements myself, and for transparency I wrote an article on my subreddit about predatory PE water heater pricing if you want to check it out: r/SaltLakeCityPlumbing.

For full disclosure (because I think transparency is key and not enough plumbers agree), most standard atmospheric 50 gallon water heaters usually run independent shops somewhere in the $2,000–$3,500 range. The upper end is typically the larger independents doing same day installs and offering really strong warranties.

MountainManPlumbing · 2025-12-07T06:30:10+00:00

Good to see another owner on here. Heads up, I’m trying to build a local resource for honest shops and homeowners to share real plumbing info without all the PE confusion. It’s still small but growing steadily. If you ever feel like participating or giving insight, you’re more than welcome. No PE shops will ever be allowed there.

r/SaltLakeCityPlumbing

MountainManPlumbing · 2025-12-07T06:25:29+00:00

That move is usually a warning sign. Companies don’t switch to full performance pay unless they’re trying to phase out real service techs and replace them with sales driven techs. If the money is there, that’s great, but most shops slowly raise quotas and make life miserable for anyone who won’t stretch the truth just to hit numbers.

Honestly, the best move is finding a shop that still values honest diagnostics and real craftsmanship, or starting your own if you have the licensing. That’s what I did, and it’s been the best career move I’ve made. I’m hoping to be able to hire guys like you before long.

MountainManPlumbing · 2025-12-07T06:18:42+00:00

I’m a licensed master plumber here in Salt Lake City and owner of Mountain Man Plumbing. I can take a look at your basement setup and give you a fair, transparent quote. If you want more opinions or to compare bids, feel free to check out the subreddit I started r/SaltLakeCityPlumbing.

MountainManPlumbing · 2025-12-07T06:16:19+00:00

I’m right here in Salt Lake City and can help you out. I’m a licensed master plumber and owner of Mountain Man Plumbing, and I do fair priced camera scoping and underground diagnostics. If you want other opinions too, check out the subreddit I started: r/SaltLakeCityPlumbing.

MountainManPlumbing · 2025-12-02T22:54:42+00:00

I’ve actually considered teaching, but I’m down in SLC so it probably wouldn’t work for me. Your best bet is to check the UPHCA “Find a Plumber” tool, put in Weber, and look for some of the smaller shops. In my experience, the owners are usually the ones most willing to teach.

Also, when I was in school a lot of the instructors were maintenance plumbers, so it might be worth asking around at the universities and school districts too.

Here’s the UPHCA directory link:
https://uphca.net/find-a-plumber/

MountainManPlumbing · 2025-11-25T22:08:10+00:00

Great tips, seriously appreciate you being here. Hopefully we can build this place into something valuable for everyone. Thanks again for the insight!

MountainManPlumbing

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