There are 35,000 licensed plumbers in the state of Texas, but it's not enough to meet the current demand.
After the cold snap that caused pipes to freeze and flood homes all over Texas, plumbers are scrambling to take care of all the leaks left in the storm’s wake. In the war room at One Call Plumbing and Heating in Houston, phones are ringing off the hook.
“We’ve been getting 350 to 500 calls a day,” one employee said.
Inside Edition spent a day with the plumbers as they made their rounds and tried to restore clean water access to the many homes impacted by the storm. At the first stop, they had to crawl underneath the house to find the problem. Their mission was to patch the leak temporarily and move onto the next appointment.
There are 35,000 licensed plumbers in the state of Texas, but right now that’s not enough.
“If there’s anybody watching that you’re a plumber and you have some extra crews, please send them towards Texas,” former Texas Congressman Will Hurd said on “Meet the Press.”
Some homeowners are so desperate, they’re trying to fix the leaks themselves, with disastrous consequences.
Keith Plotner fell 16 feet, head first, through the ceiling when he ventured into the attic to fix a burst pipe. He’s recovering in the hospital with fractured ribs and a dislocated hip.
“Don’t go up and do it yourself. Please don’t go do it yourself,” his wife Frances told Inside Edition.
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