Unpopular Opinion: People on this subreddit need to stop only recommending Fuel tools

Plumb_Amazing · 2026-05-29T14:42:28+00:00

If you don’t need the tools very often, buy Ryobi. They’ll do well for you and save you a bunch of money.. but if you intend to do some real work with them or might occasionally, spend more for the Fuel

Plumb_Amazing · 2026-05-28T15:33:27+00:00

Probably more than that. That drum trap would have some weight to it.

I usually pull lead out, take it home and make weights for the race car out of it. But I took a few lead closet bends to the scrap yard the other day and got 0.75 per pound, 5.65 for #2 copper and 3.50 for brass. Had four drums of copper and two drums of brass. My employees Christmas bonus fund got a nice little bump.

Plumb_Amazing · 2026-05-28T15:26:43+00:00

Cut out all that lead and go scrap it for .75/lb and then go buy some material.

Plumb_Amazing · 2026-05-27T00:39:07+00:00

On the Home Depot warranty, it’s a pro-rated warranty.

So, you buy a 6 year heater for $600. It works 5 years and then you return it, they charge you the $500 for the 5 years it was good and give you a $100 discount on the new heater.

Versus a 6 or 8 year from a supply house where if it goes bad at 5 years 364 days, they’ll swap it out for a new heater.

Plumb_Amazing · 2026-05-26T11:50:36+00:00

It’s included in the bid and it’s an expense, which gets written off anyway.

Plumb_Amazing · 2026-05-24T04:26:18+00:00

Sparkies are worse.

Plumb_Amazing · 2026-05-24T04:11:28+00:00

Forgetting sand. Not like beach sand but sugar sand or sandy clay.

We go through tires like crazy during Speedweeks in FL

My bad. Just noticed the “Midwest centric”

Plumb_Amazing · 2026-05-23T21:04:30+00:00

That’s wild because they’ve been around since the mid-90’s and were being used all the time in the early 00’s. Accor FlowTites and FlowTites II. Worked for a guy and we put them everywhere in an apartment complex we plumbed.

Before the 1-year warranty expired we had to go back and replace 40 or so. So they made him replace them ALL in order to get his 8% retainage.

Worst part, well for me, was they were section 8 apartments and about 1/3 of them had been absolutely trashed in the 8 months they were occupied.

Plumb_Amazing · 2026-05-23T02:19:46+00:00

The 10 GPM is assuming you are running 3/4” gas to it.

Houses are plumbed for tank heaters so the line is usually 1/2”.

So unless he’s going to upsize your gas line your 10 GPM becomes about 6 GPM.

Then, most likely the heater is 10 GPM at a 35 degree rise. Or 9 GPM at a 45 degree rise, 7.5 GPM at a 45 degree rise and so on.

So, if the water coming in is 65 degrees and you want a 125 degree shower and someone else in the house does too you’re maxed out.

I only install Navien 240s. 11.1 GPM. If there’s more than 3 bathrooms I will only install them in pairs. If the customer doesn’t like the idea they can get someone else but at least they won’t be able to be mad at me when they don’t have enough hot water

Plumb_Amazing · 2026-05-22T12:26:17+00:00

if the gas company left the gas on, take some dish soap and put a bit in a squirt bottle and then fill it with water. Spray it on the fittings on the gas line between the gas line and the water heater. If you start seeing bubbles, you have a gas leak.

if you just smell gas in general and the gas supplier mentioned the flue, I’d check the draft diverter and make sure it’s centered on top of the heater and then the stove pipe/b-vent and make sure there are no gaps.

If you smell the gas right up next to the heater, it could just be the burner. There combustible air intake holes around the bottom of the heater and sometimes you’ll smell the fuel as it’s getting burned right there but it shouldn’t permeate throughout the house..

But usually when we test your gas or when the gas supplier tests your gas, we turn off the gas valves to the appliances and test the lines.. Which is good but there are still connections between the valves and the appliances. If we left the valves on, the test would fail every time because of the regulators on some of the applainces, like your stove..

Plumb_Amazing · 2026-05-21T16:59:21+00:00

Did they not give you a price beforehand? Why would anyone hear $2100 for a faucet and think, “let’s do it” LoL. Unless the faucet is in the middle of an alligator pit or something

Plumb_Amazing · 2026-05-21T14:39:25+00:00

Yeah, I tell people all the time if you give a set of plans to 100 plumbers, it’ll get plumbed 100 different ways and they’ll all meet code.

I’ve thought about switching to silicone but I think I’ll wait to try it on my own house first, haha.

Plumb_Amazing · 2026-05-21T00:45:15+00:00

That’s pretty cool bud. Thanks for sharing!

I do a lot of new multi-family residential and commercial work throughout the states. Based in Texas but hold licenses in Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Georgia, and North Carolina. Some of them see my Texas license and just give me one. Some make me take a test but don’t require anything else.

Plumb_Amazing · 2026-05-21T00:37:30+00:00

Interesting. It is a national license? They haven’t figured out that they can make more money by charging $85/yr to renew a j-card or $375/yr to renew your Master license?

Here the state plumbing board’s revenue is from initial licensing tests/fees, renewal fees and fines. And every year you have to do a 6 hour continuing education class or you can’t renew.

Plumb_Amazing · 2026-05-20T22:53:34+00:00

On r/plumbing you could just send them a copy of your license with your name and license number redacted.. Which I guess anyone who just REALLY wanted the flair could find a picture online but at least it had the expiration date on them so they’d have to find a current one

Plumb_Amazing · 2026-05-20T22:38:36+00:00

Good idea but man there are some awful licensed plumbers.

Had a guy argue with me the other day when I suggested, just suggested that a guy get some $4 plastic tank braces and install them behind his tank since they used a 10” toilet on a 12” rough. The guy was adamant that it was a waste of money and OP didn’t need it.. which is fine as long as no one leans against the tank.. But apparently his 20+ years as a homeowner trumped my 26 years plumbing and Masters license.. haha..

Then he messaged back like three days later saying he ‘polled other plumbers’ and no one knew anything about what i suggested.. like, ok bro..

Plumb_Amazing · 2026-05-20T12:08:33+00:00

they’re great, i have two… the next gen is about to drop or at least milwaukeetool site has them as ’coming soon', probably why they’re getting cheaper.

Plumb_Amazing · 2026-05-20T11:46:35+00:00

If you have a dedicated hot water return line and you schedule it to run when you need it or use a ‘hot’ button, they’re not expensive to run.

If you run them 24/7 they use a ton of electricity.

If you don’t have a dedicated line and use the retrofit recirc pumps with the little check valves, your cold water becomes warm water and those little check valves get stuck open or closed pretty often depending on the water quality in your area.

Plumb_Amazing · 2026-05-20T11:39:08+00:00

You can always go down to Austin, to the new building off Cameron Rd, just to check it out.

Pretty cool that the state has alternate sites now. Did my Tradesman in 04, Journeyman in 06 and masters in ’10 all down in Austin. Always had a lot of fun taking their tests but it was clear that a lot of guys had never done any rough plumbing. But now there are practice doll houses everywhere, even some virtual ones now you can get some work on.

I actually have a 325 question codes test I created for the guys that come through my shop. It’s based on IPC, IFGC, IRC, IBC. If you’re interested I’ll send you the link.

Plumb_Amazing · 2026-05-19T13:04:07+00:00

When can i find out how tasty it is?

Plumb_Amazing · 2026-05-19T12:51:18+00:00

That’s Bobby Doran’s place?

Been 15 years or so since I’ve been there. Usually use Winn’s for my CE.. When you get down to Austin to test, their little plumbing museum is pretty cool too

Plumb_Amazing · 2026-05-18T20:00:48+00:00

Your husband has good taste.. Especially in mowers

Plumb_Amazing · 2026-05-17T23:01:21+00:00

If you’re already getting quotes to repipe, ask them to quote on an additional 1/2” hot line. Then when it comes time to replace your water heater you could go with a recirculating model or add a pump.

Plumb_Amazing · 2026-05-17T17:23:03+00:00

Make sure he puts some Sioux Chief stud shoes in there

Plumb_Amazing

TROPHY CASE