Pipe restoration technology used to fix 300-plus multifamily complex units
Problem: The Los Angeles County Development Authority had more than 300 housing units with aging pipes. These units contained piping systems with multiple leaks and lead leaching. They needed a solution that would meet health and compliance standards, without heavy costs and destructive damage to their residents’ homes.
Solution: LACDA strategically chose ePIPE’s pipe restoration technology due to its cost savings, and 2-hour return-to-service. A traditional repair would take days to weeks before everything is completed. With ePIPE, water is returned to service daily, so no water shutdowns overnight. A traditional repair would also break walls, ceilings and floors. Plus new drywall and repainting would need to be completed. ePIPE can restore pipes with minimal property disruption. A traditional repair would force every resident to vacate their homes to stay in hotels, but ePIPE can restore pipes without vacating residents.
Result: LACDA was extremely satisfied with ePIPE’s process, as it led to a 34% cost savings versus a traditional repair, 50% time savings versus a traditional repair, and no resident displacement. 800-359-6369; www.whyrepipe.com
Turning a liability into a managed solution
Problem: A California homeowner needed a crucial sewer inspection; the goal was to gain a clear understanding of the pipe’s condition. But the property presented a dual challenge: the house side clean-outs had to go through a series of over six consecutive 90-degree bends that no standard push camera could navigate. Going from the roof vents would lead to the same challenge. The stiff spring necks of conventional equipment would bind instantly, making a full inspection impossible and leaving critical defects hidden. The homeowner had no easy way of getting the sewer inspection without major disassembly.
Solution: Chuck Lambert from Orange County Sewer Inspections deployed the “Bend King” plumbing camera — Miniflex from Fiberscope.NET. A camera engineered for extreme piping scenarios, its flexible rubber neck allows the camera head to pivot and articulate smoothly where rigid cameras jam. This system was fed through the side clean-out and guided through the path of sharp turns that had stopped all other equipment.
Result: The Miniflex successfully navigated the challenging pipe run, providing a complete visual assessment. The footage revealed critical issues like root intrusions, misaligned joints and sagging sections. This intelligence empowered the homeowner to make an informed decision and negotiate repairs, transforming a blind risk into a managed situation. The inspection entirely eliminated the need for any destructive methods just for a diagnosis, saving the homeowner from unnecessary dismantling and restoration costs.877-613-2210; www.fiberscope.net
Tool delivers precision and durability for commercial plumbing crew
Problem: A plumbing contractor in San Antonio, Texas, was completing a hospital renovation requiring precise alignment of water and drainlines in tight mechanical chases. Standard levels were difficult to use in confined spaces, often lost calibration, and fragile vials caused costly downtime when damaged. The team needed a compact, durable and accurate level built for daily commercial use.
Solution: The crew switched to the LevTech Plumb Dog 8, a 6-inch level CNC-machined from 6061 T6 billet aluminum with an anodized corrosion-resistant finish. The Ball Bearing Point System provided quick, repeatable angle settings at 0, 15, 22.5, 30, 45, 60, 75 and 90 degrees with a spring-loaded precision ratchet effect. Its UV-protected vials are viewable from three sides, with gradient markings visible from the top and a bullseye vial for X/Y alignment. Three rare earth Xtreme magnets securely attach to any metal surface, while the replaceable vial system and included extra gradient vial allow on-site repairs in minutes. The permanent laser etching ensures lasting readability, and a strap allows quick attachment to any pipe.
Result: The tool reduced alignment time by over 30% while maintaining consistent inspection-level accuracy. Crews praised its precision, compact size and rugged design, making it their preferred level for complex commercial plumbing installations. 210-507-2058; www.levtech.us
Plumber creates ideal shower with preslope base
Problem: For trade professionals, achieving a consistent 1/4-inch-per-foot preslope in shower installations is a persistent challenge. Traditional methods are time-consuming and labor-intensive, often resulting in uneven finishes that delay projects. When Antonio Delacerda, owner of A Team Plumbing in Tulsa, Oklahoma, faced complaints from his tile installer about the difficulty of shower pan installations, he sought a faster, more reliable solution.
Solution: Delacerda turned to the Oatey Perfect Slope, a tile shower preslope base. “I was reading the box of the Perfect Slope, and I was like, well, let’s try this out,” he says. The lightweight, easy-to-trim system allowed him to create the required slope effortlessly. Instead of spending an entire day building a shower pan, he completed the installation, including the drain and liner setup, in under three hours.
Result: The results were immediate. “In that time, I installed the Perfect Slope and set the drain and shower pan before my tile guy arrived,” says Delacerda. The simplified process eliminated mess, reduced material waste, and impressed both his crew and homeowners. “People always ask me if I need any more tools or materials whenever I enter a job site with just the Perfect Slope, plus a knife, level, caulking gun, drain and glue — and I tell them no.” 800-321-9532; www.oatey.com
Electric heat pump water heater supports comfort for U.S. veteran
Problem: In August 2024, a new, specially adapted custom home was built in California for Navy HM3 Redmond Ramos, built and donated by Homes For Our Troops. The 2,800-square-foot, three-bedroom, two-bath home includes a large roll-in shower with multiple showerhead options and a therapeutic soaking tub designed to support Ramos’s recovery and independence.
Solution: To meet these high-demand hot-water needs, a Rinnai REHP80 electric heat pump water heater was installed by PRC Plumbing in partnership with Rinnai. The water heater, paired with the EHPWH Leak Sensor Valve accessory, was installed in a fully accessible mechanical room located in the garage. Selected to align with California’s evolving energy codes, REHP meets the highest level of up to 4.0 UEF and NEEA Tier 4 efficiency standards to deliver efficient, reliable hot-water performance through advanced heat pump technology.
Result: Installation was straightforward, with minimal clearance needed, compact design and flexible connections that made integration into the home’s plumbing system seamless. Ramos’s home is one of 424 built nationwide by Homes For Our Troops, whose mission is to build and donate specially adapted custom homes for severely injured post-9/11 veterans, enabling them to rebuild their lives. 800-621-9419; www.rinnai.us
Macerating pump system enables basement bathroom installation
Problem: Travis Jonasson, a fourth-generation professional plumber running Jonasson Plumbing, had a longtime residential client with a request to add a bathroom in his already fully finished basement. The concept was simple enough, but the installation posed a significant challenge — the home’s sewer line was on the opposite side of the basement, behind finished ceilings and walls. “The homeowner didn’t really have a great situation,” Jonasson says. “There were closets we could have used, but no space that would have worked without a pump system.”
Solution: Being familiar with macerating pump systems, Jonasson selected for this project the Saniplus macerating system from SFA Saniflo. The unit allowed them to pump wastewater both vertically and horizontally from a rear-discharge toilet (shipped with the macerator) and a sink to the sewer connection without damaging the existing finishes.
Result: According to Jonasson, the macerating pump system has delivered excellent performance since its installation. The homeowner, who works from a basement office, finds the bathroom addition extremely convenient. “It’s wonderful for him,” Jonasson says. “It’s clean, it’s neat, it’s not loud at all and the performance is fantastic.”800-571-8191; www.saniflo.com
