Skip to content
A soldered copper tee and shut-off valve on a newly run water line

Guides & resources

Plumbing & Heating Guides for NJ Homes

Straight answers from a licensed NJ Master Plumber. What to do in an emergency, what things cost, and how to keep an older northern-NJ home running.

Licensed NJ Master Plumber #13345 · 4.9★ (238 Google reviews)

Every guide

Plumbing & heating guides

Practical, NJ-specific how-tos and cost explainers written by the licensed team that answers the phone day or night, Monday through Saturday.

A brass backflow prevention assembly mounted on the exterior wall of a northern New Jersey home

What Is Backflow Testing? NJ Rules Explained

Backflow testing explained for NJ. Who must test, the annual NJDEP mandate, RPZ/DCVA, and the Certificate of Compliance. Call (908) 376-9159.

Read the guide
A whole-house filter housing and water meter on the incoming service line in a northern New Jersey basement

Frozen Pipe? What to Do Right Now

Frozen pipe? Step-by-step on what to do right now to prevent a burst, and when to call a 24hr Mon-Sat NJ plumber. Call (908) 376-9159.

Read the guide
A wall-mounted high-efficiency water heater with its flue and gas shut-off in a northern New Jersey utility room

Should You Repair or Replace Your Water Heater?

When to repair vs replace a water heater in NJ, age, cost and safety rules of thumb from a licensed plumber. Call (908) 376-9159.

Read the guide
A new toilet set out on the bathroom floor part-way through a replacement

Why Sump Pumps Fail During Storms

Why sump pumps fail during NJ storms, power loss, stuck floats, overload, and how backups prevent flooding. Read the full guide.

Read the guide
Copper and PEX water lines running along a basement block wall beside whole-house filter tanks after a repipe

How Does a Sump Pump Work?

How a sump pump keeps NJ basements dry, the parts that fail, and why a battery backup matters during storms. Call (908) 376-9159.

Read the guide
Maccabi Plumbing & Heating branded service van, lettered with NJ Master Plumber license #13345 and 24-hour service

How Long Does a Water Heater Last?

How long water heaters last in NJ, how hard water shortens tank life to 8–10 years, and how to extend it. Call (908) 376-9159.

Read the guide
A wall-mounted condensing combi boiler with copper primaries, green-handled zone valves and gas piping

How to Shut Off Your Water Main

How to find and shut off your home's water main in an emergency, step by step, before the plumber arrives. Call (908) 376-9159.

Read the guide
Rough-in plumbing in an open stud wall: PVC drain stack, PEX supply lines and a shower valve set ready for inspection

How to Tell If Your Sewer Line Is Broken

7 warning signs your sewer line is broken, backups, gurgling, sinkholes and smells, and what to do next in NJ. Call (908) 376-9159.

Read the guide
A bank of wall-mounted tankless water heaters with red and blue manifold piping in a northern New Jersey mechanical room

NJ Clean Energy Rebates for Water Heaters & Boilers

NJ Clean Energy rebates for high-efficiency water heaters, tankless & boilers, who qualifies and how to claim them. Call (908) 376-9159.

Read the guide
A wall-mounted high-efficiency A.O. Smith water heater plumbed in copper in a northern New Jersey basement

Do You Need a Permit to Replace a Water Heater in NJ?

Yes, NJ requires a plumbing permit and inspection to replace a water heater. Here's what that means and costs. Call (908) 376-9159.

Read the guide
A pull-down kitchen sink faucet against a mosaic tile backsplash after installation

Preventing Frozen Pipes in Older NJ Homes

How to prevent frozen pipes in NJ's older homes, insulation, exposed runs and cold-snap habits. Read the licensed-plumber guide.

Read the guide
Two Maccabi Plumbing & Heating branded service vans parked outside a northern New Jersey apartment building

Repiping an Old House in NJ. Galvanized to Copper or PEX

Why old NJ homes need repiping, the trouble with galvanized pipe, and choosing copper vs PEX. Read our licensed-plumber guide.

Read the guide
A multi-stage reverse osmosis drinking water system installed under a kitchen sink

Signs Your Water Heater Is Going Bad

8 signs your water heater is going bad, rusty water, rumbling, leaks, age, and when to replace it in NJ. Call (908) 376-9159.

Read the guide
A Caleffi pressure reducing valve with an inline pressure gauge fitted to a brass water service line

Steam Boiler vs Hydronic Heating. Which Is Better?

Steam boiler vs hydronic heating compared for NJ homes, efficiency, comfort and cost. See which suits an older house and read more.

Read the guide
A wall-hung boiler with a copper zone manifold, circulator pumps and yellow gas piping in a northern New Jersey basement

What Is a Steam Boiler and How Does It Work?

What a steam boiler is, how it heats older NJ homes, and the signs it needs service. Read our plain-English guide from a licensed plumber.

Read the guide
Copper water lines, shut-off valves and an inline treatment cartridge on a finished assembly

What Is Hydronic Heating?

Hydronic heating explained. How hot-water heat works, its NJ home benefits, and how it differs from steam and forced air. Read more.

Read the guide

Have a plumbing or heating problem now?

Skip the reading. Call or text a licensed NJ Master Plumber. We answer live 24 hours a day, Monday through Saturday.