FAQ
Straight answers. No sales pitch.
Pricing, scheduling, warranty, water heaters, drains, water quality, wells, and the hiring questions people ask before they call a plumber.
- Upfront pricing before work begins
- 24/7 call answering
- NC License #37600
Policies
Pricing, Scheduling & Policies
Do you offer free estimates?
We provide clear, upfront pricing before any work begins. Pricing is discussed and approved prior to starting work.
Do you charge a service call fee?
In many cases, there is no service fee when work is approved.
How quickly can you schedule service?
Most jobs can be scheduled quickly, often same-day or next-day depending on availability.
Do you provide upfront pricing?
Yes. All pricing is discussed and approved before any work begins.
Do you offer financing?
Yes. No-interest financing is available for up to 12 months, subject to approval.
Do you offer emergency plumbing services?
We provide 24/7 call answering. After-hours and urgent service availability varies based on scheduling and technician availability.
Do you offer a warranty?
Yes. MAX Plumbing provides a 1-year warranty on labor and materials supplied and installed by MAX Plumbing, unless otherwise stated. The warranty does not cover misuse, neglect, normal wear, freezing, corrosion, or pre-existing issues.
Are you licensed and insured?
Yes. MAX Plumbing is licensed and insured in North Carolina. NC Plumbing License #37600.
What areas do you serve?
MAX Plumbing serves Clemmons, Winston-Salem, Lewisville, Advance, Bermuda Run, Mocksville, Kernersville, High Point, Lexington, Thomasville, Pfafftown, Rural Hall, Walkertown, Welcome, Midway, Wallburg, Arcadia, Oak Ridge, Jamestown, select areas of Greensboro, and surrounding communities.
Do you install customer-supplied fixtures?
Yes, when compatible and appropriate. Warranty does not apply to customer-supplied materials.
Can I book plumbing service online?
Yes. You can book online through our Housecall Pro booking flow, call 336-814-8844, or submit a request form.
When is payment due?
Payment is due upon completion unless otherwise agreed in writing.
Hiring & trust
Hiring & Trust
How can I tell if a plumber is overcharging?
Watch for missing written pricing before work starts, vague invoices, pressure to replace systems without proof, and surprise fees after the job begins. At MAX Plumbing, pricing is discussed and approved before we start, so you know the number before the tools come out.
What should I ask a plumber before hiring?
Ask for the NC license number, whether they are insured, whether pricing is approved before work begins, what the warranty covers, and whether the recommendation is a repair or a replacement and why. MAX Plumbing is NC License #37600, family-owned in Clemmons, and focused on honest recommendations with upfront pricing.
What should I say when I call a plumber?
Describe the problem clearly: what you are seeing or hearing, where it is happening, when it started, and whether it is getting worse. Mention if water is shut off, if multiple fixtures are affected, and any error codes on a water heater or appliance. That helps us schedule the right help faster.
How do I know if a plumber is a good fit?
Look for clear communication, a real license, written upfront pricing, and long-term solutions instead of temporary patches. Reviews that mention honesty, neat work, and no pressure selling are useful signals. Those are the same themes customers repeatedly leave for MAX Plumbing on Google.
Do you diagnose leaks?
We diagnose and repair visible and plumbing-related leaks as part of normal repair work. We do not market ourselves as a dedicated leak-detection specialist. If specialized acoustic or thermal detection is truly required, we will tell you that honestly.
Water heaters
Water Heaters
How long do water heaters last?
Tank water heaters typically last 8 to 12 years depending on usage, water quality, maintenance, and installation conditions. Tankless systems can last longer with proper maintenance.
Should I choose a tank or tankless water heater?
It depends on your home’s hot-water demand, gas or electrical setup, available space, water quality, and budget. MAX Plumbing can help determine the best option for your home.
Why do I run out of hot water quickly?
This can be caused by an undersized water heater, sediment buildup, a failing component, high demand, or an improperly performing tankless system.
Do you service tankless water heaters?
Yes. MAX Plumbing services tankless water heaters, including maintenance, troubleshooting, and descaling. We also carry Rinnai tankless water heater training.
Do you install hybrid heat-pump water heaters?
Yes. MAX Plumbing installs hybrid heat-pump water heaters when the home and installation location are a good fit.
Why does my water heater pop or rumble?
Popping and rumbling usually mean sediment on the bottom of a tank is trapping steam. It can cut hot-water capacity and stress the tank. A professional flush often helps. Age and leak history decide whether repair still makes sense.
Should I repair or replace my water heater?
Repair is often practical on a younger tank with a failed part. Replacement is the honest call when the tank body leaks, the unit is past expected life, or you keep paying for the same failure. MAX prices both options before you decide.
How often should a water heater be flushed?
Once a year is a solid baseline for most tank heaters. Homes on wells or with measured hardness may need it more often. Tankless units need a descale on a similar cadence so scale does not choke the heat exchanger.
Drains & sewer
Drains & Sewer
Is drain cleaning a permanent fix?
Not always. Drain cleaning clears the blockage, but recurring clogs may be caused by buildup, roots, damaged piping, or improper grading that may require repair.
How do I know if I have a main sewer line problem?
Common signs include multiple drains backing up, slow drainage throughout the home, sewer odors, gurgling drains, or sewage backing up into lower fixtures.
When is a camera inspection recommended?
A camera inspection is helpful for recurring clogs, sewer backups, suspected pipe damage, or when the cause of a drain issue is unclear.
Why does my toilet gurgle?
Gurgling often means air is being pulled through the trap because a clog or a vent problem is starving the drain of airflow. If another fixture gurgles when you flush, the blockage may be farther down the line.
Why does my sink gurgle when the toilet flushes?
That pattern usually means the fixtures share a drain path that is partly blocked, often toward the main line. A camera is how we tell a branch clog from a sewer-lateral problem.
Can I use chemical drain cleaner safely?
We advise against it on a full clog. The chemical often sits in the pipe, damages older lines, and makes the next opening more hazardous. A mechanical clean is the cleaner fix.
Water lines
Water Lines & Pressure
Do you repair or replace main water lines?
Yes. MAX Plumbing repairs and replaces main water lines when there are underground leaks, pressure issues, aging piping, or water-service failures.
Why is my water pressure low?
Low water pressure can be caused by a failing PRV, clogged piping, main water-line problems, well-system issues, fixture restrictions, or municipal supply conditions.
Can you replace polybutylene piping?
Yes. MAX Plumbing provides whole-home repiping and can replace outdated or failure-prone piping materials such as polybutylene.
What pipes do homeowners often want replaced?
Polybutylene and aging galvanized lines are common reasons for whole-home repiping because they can become failure-prone over time. We inspect accessible piping and recommend replacement only when the condition justifies it.
Why is my yard wet when it has not rained?
A wet stripe of lawn, a sudden pressure drop, or a water bill that jumped with no extra use can point to a leaking service line. The homeowner usually owns the line from the meter to the house. MAX verifies before anyone digs.
Water quality
Water Quality
Do you offer free water testing?
Yes. MAX Plumbing offers free water testing to help determine water-quality concerns and whether treatment may be beneficial.
What is the difference between a water softener and a water filtration system?
A water softener addresses hardness minerals that cause scale buildup. A filtration system targets water-quality concerns such as sediment, taste, odor, chlorine, iron-related staining, or other treatable conditions.
Do you install reverse-osmosis drinking-water systems?
Yes. MAX Plumbing installs reverse-osmosis drinking-water systems for treated water at selected fixtures.
Is Winston-Salem tap water hard or soft?
Winston-Salem and Forsyth municipal water is relatively soft. The City of Winston-Salem 2025 water quality report lists hardness of 9 to 28 ppm, averaging about 17.5 ppm. Chlorine taste and odor are more typical city-water complaints than scale. Private wells are a different story and should be tested on their own.
Should I test my water before buying a filter?
Yes. Test first. Treat second. Guessing at a softener or a filter is how people buy equipment they do not need. MAX tests at no charge and sizes treatment to the results.
Why does my tap water taste like chlorine?
Municipal plants use chlorine or chloramine to keep water safe in the pipes. That can show up as a pool-like taste at the tap. Carbon filtration is a common city-water fix. Softening is not the first tool for taste alone.
Why does my well water smell like rotten eggs?
That sulfur smell is common on private wells in Davie and western Forsyth. It can also show up on hot water only, which points at the heater anode. Testing tells you which treatment, if any, actually fits.
Wells
Well Systems
Do you work on well systems?
Yes. MAX Plumbing services well-system plumbing components including pressure tanks, pressure switches, and related pressure-system issues.
Do you replace well pressure tanks?
Yes. MAX Plumbing tests and replaces well pressure tanks when they are waterlogged, leaking, improperly charged, or causing pressure problems.
How often should well water be tested in North Carolina?
At least once a year is a practical baseline, and after floods, a change in taste or smell, or a new property. Forsyth County and Davie County both run private-well sampling programs. MAX also tests at no charge before anyone buys treatment gear.
Protection
Protection, Gas & Compliance
Do you perform backflow testing?
Yes. MAX Plumbing provides certified backflow testing, repair, and replacement.
How often does a backflow preventer need to be tested?
Testing requirements depend on the property and local requirements. Many backflow assemblies require annual testing.
Do you install battery-backup sump pumps?
Yes. MAX Plumbing installs sump pumps and battery-backup systems for additional protection during pump failure or power outages.
Do you install gas lines?
Yes. MAX Plumbing installs, repairs, and modifies gas piping for approved appliances and equipment.
Call
Still have a question?
Call MAX Plumbing and ask. We would rather answer over the phone than have you guess, and we will tell you honestly if it is not something we handle.
Monday to Friday: 6:30 AM to 8:30 PM / 24/7 call answering / NC Plumbing License #37600