As hurricanes go, it certainly could have been a whole lot worse. 
   Hurricane Ike, the ninth named storm and fifth hurricane of the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season, made landfall in Southeastern Texas between Galveston Island and the Bolivar Peninsula Sept. 13 as a Category 2 hurricane [ Winds ranging between 96- and 110 MPH--Ed.]

   APHCC Texas executive director Nancy Jones said, although the Gulf Coast was hit hard by Hurricane Ike, "our members, as well as all of the licensed plumbers and HVAC contractors in Texas, immediately began reconstruction efforts in the area."

   Patty Frank of Milton Frank Plumbing in Spring, Texas , who is also chair of the PHCC's Quality Service Contractors, said there is a "tremendous" amount of work for contractors in the affected Gulf Coast area, and Texas contractors are "stepping up to the plate to do this work."

   "Even though electricity is still out in some areas, businesses have continued operations using generators," Frank said. "It is imperative that businesses continue functioning with Houston’s huge industrial base and international port. It’s wonderful to see such a positive attitude and determination to reconstruct as soon as possible.”

   Even with the prodigious amount of work available in the area, out-of-state contractors who wish to lend a hand needs to jump through a hoop or two before rolling up their sleeves. Jones said the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners and the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation have issued regulations requiring out-of-state contractors to acquire a Texas plumbing or HVAC contractor license or register as an apprentice with the appropriate agency before engaging in any reconstruction work in the area: "These registrations will enable them to work under the supervision of a licensed plumber or licensed HVAC contractor," she said.

   Earlier, about 50 miles to the northwest of landfall in Houston, calls to Abacus Plumbing were up about 15 percent over normal, according to owner Alan O'Neill. Abacus Plumbing operates 13 service trucks.

   "We were one of the fortunate ones that didn't lose power and we were able to open the Monday after the storm," O'Neill said. "We had about double our normal call volume on that day. It's a lot of small stuff, you know: pilot lights out on water heaters; a lot of gas testing; water lines being uprooted by trees; water heater vents leaking where the wind has upset the rain cap or the storm collar. It's minor stuff but a lot of it."