Al’s Plumbing, Heating & A/C in Plano, Texas provides maintenance & repairs for all brands of Central A/C, Gas & Electric Furnace, and Heat Pumps. Additionally we sell and install new HVAC Systems from American Standard (same company as Trane), Ameristar (same company as American Standard) and Coleman HVAC (same company as York HVAC).
Al’s also provides full service plumbing maintenance, repairs and replacements for every plumbing component in your home. Al’s sells and installs Rheem Professional Series gas & electric water heaters, and tankless water heaters. Al’s is near your home in Plano, Allen, and Frisco. We service all homes in southern Collin and Denton Counties with no travel charges.
Call Al’s today to discuss any concerns or problems you have with your HVAC System or Plumbing. We will arrange an appointment at your convenience and offer 24/7 Emergency Service.
Photo Source: CanStockPhoto
How Plumbers Are Licensed In Texas
Texas Has Four Levels Of Plumbers:
1) Plumber’s Apprentice: A Plumber’s Apprentice In Texas Requires:
Registered with the State. There is no license for Apprentice, only registration with the State.
Has an employer who sponsors them.
May engage in learning and assisting in plumbing work with direct, on-the job supervision by a licensed plumber.
May work only on plumbing jobs secured by Master Plumbers.
2) Tradesman Plumber: A Tradesman Plumber in Texas Requires:
4,000 hours of documented experience
24 hours of approved classroom training
High School diploma or GED.
3) Journeyman Plumber: A Journeyman Plumber In Texas Requires:
8,000 hours of documented experience
48 hours of approved classroom training
High School diploma or GED.
Serving as a Journeyman Plumber is a key requirement of becoming a Master Plumber.
4) Master Plumber: Only a Master Plumber can own a plumbing business where they supervise others.
Why Texas Plumbers Are Licensed
Plumbing performs a simple task, but plumbing itself is not simple. Repairs and replacements must be done correctly to ensure the plumbing work is both reliable and safe. Nearly all municipalities require Plumbing Permits for many aspects of plumbing work. For Example: All cities will require a permit for a water heater installation. Some require permits for garbage disposer installation.
Each municipality has the right to require Plumbing Permits for any plumbing repair or replacement as they deem appropriate. These permits trigger a city inspection ofthe work once it’s completed. This provides a second set of eyes that inspect the work to ensure it’s done correctly and is in compliance with plumbing codes.
Work done can cause an inconvenience all they way to catastrophic damage. If a water supply pipe is not connected properly, it may eventually come loose sending unlimited amounts of water inside the home. It’s not difficult to image the end-result of what was perhaps a minor error which had major effects.
Doing something wrong often requires it be done again due to failure. Using the wrong part, or installing it incorrectly often requires the work be done again. For Example: Cross-Linked Polyethylene (PEX) flexible water lines are used in most newly built homes and repipes of existing homes. The connectors for the pipes must come from the same company who made the pipe. Using connectors from a different brand that made the pipe is a recipe for premature failure.
While the different brands of PEX pipes look similar in appearance, their connectors are substantially different between brands. The connectors are different because different brands of PEX pipe have different connections needs & specifications.
(Note, you must scroll down about 1 screen to see the comparison photo).
Other errors can leave the home’s occupants in danger. For Example: Every water heater has a pipe coming across the top and down the side. It is there to safelydischarge scalding water near the floor in the event the water heater malfunctions.
SHOWN: Water Discharge Pipe Connects At The Top Of The Water Heater And Goes Downward To The Floor
Water heaters can sometimes fail and continue to heat water hotter & hotter. In this case, there is a safety valve that releases some of the hot water and / or pressure from the water boiling. This water is safely transported down to near the floor. If this pipe were not installed, the scalding water would shoot straight outward to the side at the top of the water heater.
The Risks Of Not Getting Required Permits & Final Inspections
Plumbing Permits are not a source of revenue for cities. They cover the cost for the city inspector to do a follow-up inspection of the completed work to ensure: it’s done correctly, meets all current plumbing codes, and can perform reliably and safely.
When work requires a Plumbing Permit, there is a solid reason for that. Unless you are a licensed plumber, it’s unlikely you know all you should know in order to do your own code-compliant plumbing repairs or replacements. If you do the repairs yourself, it’s very important to obtain a plumbing permit, as it triggers a city inspection of the completed work.
You can go onto your city’s website to determine what plumbing projects require a Plumbing Permit. This is what Plano, Texas says on their website:
Permits are required when building, remodeling or enlarging a building.
Permits are also required for other improvements to your property.
No permit is required for cosmetic projects (such as painting, wallpapering, carpeting, cabinets and trim work, etc.).
When Plumbing Permits Are Required:
Replacing water lines.
Replacing sewer lines.
Water heaters (replacing or adding).
Water softeners (replacing or adding).
No Plumbing Permit Is Required When:
Replacing fixtures onto existing plumbing.
Replacing faucets or the washers inside them.
Use only licensed contractors. Insist on seeing evidence of a current license. Contractors must be registered with the city before doing any work.
The following trades require a license:
Electricians
Plumbers
Heating & Air Conditioning Contractors
Irrigation (lawn watering) Contractors
There Is A Historical Record Of Permits Issued For A Home
A home with something that is not code compliant will likely be discovered by a Home Inspector when you are selling your home. At that point, the buyers can insist the work be upgraded to code complaint with a permit + final inspection, or cancel the purchase.
Additionally, there may always be this nagging question in the minds of buyers “If this work was not done correctly, are there other code violations that can’t be seen (inside walls or under the home)?
When repairs or replacements are made to your home that required a permit, permit information is recorded by the city. So it’s easy to see when permits were not pulled in compliance with city requirements.
Here Is A Sample Result From A Plumbing Permit History Search (on city’s website) For A Home In Richardson, TX:
Many home inspectors and some potential buyers will check the permits history for a home prior to purchase. If a permit was not obtained, or final inspection not completed, the new owner is now on the hook for work performed on their home before they owned it. This can be a painful and expensive experience which may trigger a lawsuit against the previous owner. The moral of this story: Do it right the first time.
Al’s Plumbing, Heating & A/C in Plano, Texas provides maintenance & repairs for all brands of Central A/C, Gas & Electric Furnace, and Heat Pumps. Additionally we sell and install new HVAC Systems from American Standard (same company as Trane), Ameristar (same company as American Standard) and Coleman HVAC (same company as York HVAC).
Al’s also provides full service plumbing maintenance, repairs and replacements for every plumbing component in your home. Al’s sells and installs Rheem Professional Series gas & electric water heaters, and tankless water heaters. Al’s is near your home in northeast Allen, Frisco and McKinney. We service all homes in southern Collin and Denton Counties with no travel charges.
Call Al’s today to discuss any concerns or problems you have with your HVAC System or Plumbing. We will arrange an appointment at your convenience and offer 24/7 Emergency Service.
