The family ledger
Advice from the family. No charge.
Water heaters, hard water, cast iron, slab leaks, what things really cost. Written by the people who do the work — two new guides every week. Read them before you call anyone, including us.
14 guides.
Drains · 6 min
Kitchen Sink Not Draining in a Miami Condo? Disposal, Trap, or Stack
A kitchen sink that holds water is telling you where the blockage is, if you know how to listen. Here is how to separate a jammed disposal from a clogged branch line from a shared condo stack in Miami-Dade.
Fixtures · 6 min
Replacing a Kitchen Faucet in an Older Broward Home: Why the Shut-Off Valves Decide the Job
In Broward's 1970s and 80s houses the faucet is the easy part. The forty-year-old shut-off valves under the sink are what decide whether this is a half-hour swap or a valve replacement — here is how to tell before you buy the faucet.
Water Heaters · 6 min
Where Can a Water Heater Go in a Jacksonville Home? Garage, Closet, Attic — and What Changes the Quote
The location of a water heater in a Jacksonville house decides more than where the hot water comes from. It decides whether you need a pan and drain line, a raised platform, a gas line or a bigger circuit — and therefore what the installation costs.
Fixtures · 6 min
Toilet Keeps Running in Your Broward Home? Flapper, Fill Valve, or the Water Itself
A running toilet in a Broward home is almost always one of three parts, and Broward's hard, chlorinated water wears out two of them faster than the manual expects. Here is how to find which one in five minutes, and when a new toilet is the honest answer.
Drains · 6 min
Sewer Smell in a Miami Condo? Dry Traps, Empty Units and the Stack Vent
Most sewer smells in Miami condos come from a fixture nobody has used in months: a guest shower, a floor drain, a laundry standpipe. The water in its trap has evaporated and the stack is venting into the room. Here is how to find it, and what it means when refilling does not help.
Sewer & Drains · 6 min
King Tides and Your Drains: Why Miami Plumbing Gurgles in the Fall, and What a Backwater Valve Does
Every fall, king tides push groundwater and the sewer system in low-lying Miami neighborhoods to their limits, and homeowners notice it first at the drains. Here is how to tell a tide problem from a clog, and what a backwater valve actually protects.
Leaks · 8 min
Signs of a Slab Leak in a Jacksonville Home (and What to Do Next)
A water bill that keeps climbing, a warm spot on the tile, the sound of running water with everything off — here is how to tell whether you have a slab leak, what to check yourself, and how each repair option compares.
Fixtures · 7 min
Outdoor Spigots at the Beaches: Why They Corrode and What to Replace Them With
Salt air is hard on outdoor spigots. Here is why hose bibs near the ocean drip, stick, and crust over — and which types and materials hold up best when it is time to repair or replace.
Water Heaters · 8 min
Why Does My Hot Water Smell Like Rotten Eggs?
When only the hot water smells like rotten eggs, the water heater is almost always the source. Here is why it happens, how to confirm it at home, and how a plumber stops the smell from coming back.
Leaks · 8 min
Low Water Pressure in the Whole House? Causes and Fixes
Weak water at every tap usually traces back to a valve, a leak, aging pipes, or the supply itself. Here is how to narrow it down at home and what a plumber checks first.
Water Quality · 5 min
Hard Water in Jacksonville: What the Floridan Aquifer Means for Your Plumbing
Jacksonville's tap water is hard because it rises through the limestone of the Floridan aquifer. Here is what those minerals do to your water heater, faucets, and appliances — and what actually helps.
Water Heaters · 6 min
Tank vs. Tankless Water Heaters in Florida: An Honest Comparison
Neither tank nor tankless is simply better — the right water heater depends on your household, your home, and your appetite for maintenance. Here is the Florida-specific math, including who should skip tankless.
Older Homes · 6 min
Cast Iron Pipes in Older Jacksonville Homes: Repair or Replace?
If your Jacksonville home was built before the mid-1970s, its drain lines are probably original cast iron. Whether to repair or replace comes down to condition — and a camera inspection is how you find out.
Cost Guides · 5 min
How Much Does a Plumber Cost in Jacksonville, FL?
There is no single price for a plumber in Jacksonville — cost depends on the job, the access, the parts, and the timing. Here is how to read a quote and keep your bill reasonable.
Or skip the reading
Leave the leak. Take the cannoli. We’ll handle the rest.
