Saturday, October 31, 2026
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The Plumbing Brief
Independent plumbing intelligence
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The Plumbing Brief

For Homeowners

Plumbing answers for homeowners: what repairs and installs cost, how to handle emergencies, and how to decide between DIY and calling a plumber.

Bright blue copper sulfate crystals in a small glass dish on a concrete basement floor beside a white PVC sewer cleanout
For Homeowners

Copper Sulfate Root Killer: Does It Work in Sewer Lines?

Copper sulfate root killer kills roots it touches but will not clear a clog. Label dose, 2-a-year cap,…
A white wall-mounted tankless water heater with copper and gas lines below it in a utility room, two showers' worth of s
For Homeowners

What Size Tankless Water Heater Do I Need?

What size tankless water heater do I need? Add peak gpm, find your temperature rise, then read the…
Two flat-plate solar thermal collectors mounted on a sunny residential roof with insulated copper pipes running into the
For Homeowners

Solar Water Heater: Types, Cost and Payback

Solar water heater guide: active vs passive types, $3,706 average cost, sizing per person, freeze protection and 2026…
The back of a pulled-out refrigerator showing a coiled braided water supply line and a small quarter-turn shutoff valve
For Homeowners

Ice Maker Not Getting Water: Supply-Side Causes and Fixes

Ice maker not getting water? Check the valve, supply line, filter and pressure (brand minimums run 20 to…
Close view of a fine hairline crack running across the outside of a white porcelain toilet bowl near its base, a small d
For Homeowners

Cracked Toilet Bowl: Repair or Replace?

Cracked toilet bowl? Where the crack sits decides it. Run a 10 minute dye test, see why epoxy…
A wet residential backyard after rain with a white PVC sewer cleanout cap in the lawn and puddles on the grass, gray ove
For Homeowners

Sewer Smell After Rain: Causes and Fixes

Sewer smell after rain? Find the source by where you smell it, then fix the trap, cleanout cap,…
Close view of the lower jacket of an older white tank water heater in a basement with a little rust at the base and a br
For Homeowners

How to Tell How Old Your Water Heater Is (Serial Number Decoder)

How to tell how old a water heater is: decode Rheem, A.O. Smith, Bradford White and GE serial…
A new matte black pull-down kitchen faucet installed on a white quartz countertop over an undermount sink, the old chrom
For Homeowners

Cost to Replace a Kitchen Faucet

Cost to replace kitchen faucet in 2026: $162 to $364 typical (HomeAdvisor), faucet tiers, plumber labor, stone drilling…
A section of concrete floor slab cut open with a jackhammered hole exposing a corroded copper water line in damp soil be
For Homeowners

Slab Leak Repair Cost: Detection, Tunneling, Reroute and Repipe Prices

Slab leak repair cost averages $2,280 (Angi, 2026). Sourced prices for detection, tunneling, reroutes, lining, repipes, build-back and…
An open access hole in a tiled shower wall revealing a brass shower valve body with copper supply lines, the chrome trim
For Homeowners

Shower Valve Replacement Cost: 2026 Prices for Repair, Replacement and Anti-Scald Upgrades

Shower valve replacement cost runs $200 to $650, per Fixr. Sourced prices for cartridge repairs, valve swaps, anti-scald…