Vortex Technologies, Inc. was founded in 1994 by a structural engineer to provide accurate and reliable plumbing tests on the sanitary piping under Texas residences for the purpose of evaluating foundation damage.
“Foundation repair has always been a very polarizing issue among engineers and home inspectors even before plumbing leaks jumped to the number one blamed cause.”founder Mike Williams, P.E.
In the mid 1990s, plumbing leaks catapulted to the number one blamed cause of foundation damage in Texas, and many large foundation repair contractors opened plumbing divisions and began suggesting to homeowners that their foundation movement was caused by under-slab plumbing leaks. Around this same time, an article appeared in the Wall Street Journal quoting a Dallas engineer in the foundation repair business saying that seventy percent of the money that Texas homeowners spend on foundation repairs is wasted. The same article referred to a civil engineering professor from Texas Tech University who stated that cracks are not always proof of foundation damage, and many repair efforts worsen the damage.
After earning a Bachelor’s Degree in civil engineering, Mike Williams worked six years designing building structures and their foundations while concurrently earning a Master’s Degree focusing on structural engineering. Already experienced in the behavior and performance of structures and their foundations, Mike founded Vortex with the intent of becoming the industry leader in the detection and investigation of under-slab plumbing leaks. No other company sends an experienced structural engineer, a licensed master plumber and the owner of the company to every inspection. Read more about Mike.
If plumbing leaks are indicated by our investigation, we will evaluate different repair options and review them with you. Every leak discovered during a hydrostatic test does not need to be repaired. Many, like a leaking joint between a lead riser and plastic hub, have virtually no potential to leak except under test conditions. If plumbing repairs are deemed necessary, our sister company, Vortex Plumbing, Inc., is available to provide an estimate and perform the repair.
Vortex Technologies, Inc. and Vortex Plumbing, Inc. are licensed and regulated by the following state agencies:
Texas Board of Professional Engineers
1917 IH-35 South
Austin, TX 78741
512-440-7723
Texas Firm Registration F-4551
Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners
P.O. Box 4200
Austin, TX 78765-4200
800-845-6584
Texas Plumbing License M-37244
- Is the sale or purchase of your home being affected by foundation or plumbing issues? Would you like to talk to a professional about the foundation or underslab plumbing beneath your house?
- Find out what our clients already know. We combine uncommon knowledge and experience with a common sense approach to answer your questions. Get a second opinion first.