NYC Plumbing Tools
Free tools built from 30+ years of NYC plumbing experience. No email required. No BS. Just useful information.
Project Cost Estimator
Get a ballpark estimate for your NYC plumbing project. Factors in building type, borough, and scope of work.
What type of service do you need?
NYC Pipe Materials Guide
NYC bans PEX and PVC for water supply - here is what you can and cannot use, with costs, lifespans, and real-world pros and cons.
NYC Pipe Materials
Copper
NYC LegalWater supply lines, both hot and cold. The NYC gold standard.
Pros
- NYC code compliant
- Corrosion resistant
- Long lifespan
- Reliable in pre-war buildings
Cons
- Expensive
- Requires skilled soldering
- Can develop pinhole leaks in acidic water
PEX
NYC BannedBANNED in NYC. Used everywhere else for residential water supply.
Pros
- Extremely cheap
- Flexible - easy to route
- Freeze resistant
- Fast installation
Cons
- Banned in NYC
- Rodent damage risk
- UV sensitive
- Potential chemical leaching concerns
Pipe Sizing Reference
Visual reference for pipe sizes used in NYC plumbing. Cross-sections at relative scale with usage, materials, and common issues.
NYC Pipe Sizing Reference
Click a pipe to see details. Cross-sections shown at relative scale.
Know Your Tools
The history, science, and pro tips behind the tools that keep NYC's plumbing running.
Basin Wrench
Est. 1940s - Thomas Maddock
Why the strangest-looking plumbing tool is the only way to reach faucet mounting nuts without tearing out your vanity.
Learn moreChannel Lock Pliers
Est. 1933 - Howard Manning (DeArment family)
How the DeArment family in Meadville, Pennsylvania created the adjustable tongue-and-groove pliers that every plumber calls by the brand name.
Learn moreDrain Snake / Plumber's Auger
Est. 1933 - Samuel Blanc
From hand-crank augers to powered drum machines, how drain snakes work and when to use one vs. calling a plumber.
Learn moreInspection Camera / Borescope
Est. 1990s (for plumbing use) - Various - adapted from industrial endoscopy
How modern borescope cameras let plumbers diagnose problems inside walls and drain lines without demolition. A game-changer for NYC buildings.
Learn morePipe Cutter
Est. 1800s - Various - evolved from industrial tube cutters
Pipe cutters make the precision cuts that keep NYC's copper plumbing leak-free. How they work and why hacksaws are the wrong tool.
Learn morePipe Wrench
Est. 1869 - Daniel C. Stillson
How a steamboat mechanic invented the most iconic plumbing tool in 1869, and why every NYC plumber still carries two of them.
Learn morePlumber's Putty
Est. Modern formulation - early 1900s - Unknown - clay-based sealants used since antiquity
When to use putty, when to use silicone, and why using the wrong one causes leaks. A NYC plumber clears up the confusion.
Learn morePlunger
Est. 1850s - Unknown - rubber suction cups date to the 1850s
There are three types of plungers and they're not interchangeable. A NYC plumber explains which one you actually need.
Learn moreSoldering Torch / Propane Torch
Est. Modern propane torches - 1950s - Various - soldering dates to 3000 BCE
NYC requires copper pipe for water distribution. That means every plumber needs to know how to sweat a joint. Here's what it takes.
Learn moreTeflon Tape (PTFE Thread Seal Tape)
Est. 1938 - Roy Plunkett (discovered PTFE)
PTFE thread seal tape is cheap, essential, and used wrong by almost everyone. Here's how it actually works and when NOT to use it.
Learn more