King County · Service area
Plumbers in Seattle, WA
Seattle's Craftsman and Tudor houses date largely from 1900 to 1940, and their plumbing shows it: galvanized steel supply lines that have rusted nearly shut and side sewers made of short clay or concrete pipe sections running under mature trees.
Serving Ballard, Capitol Hill, West Seattle, Queen Anne, Wallingford, Beacon Hill, Ravenna and nearby neighborhoods.
- Emergency plumbing help
- Licensed local plumbers
- Price confirmed before work
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Need a plumber in Seattle?
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- Licensed local plumbing companies
- Price confirmed before work starts
Homes and plumbing in Seattle
The city's water is very soft, so scale is not a concern, but long wet winters are. Basements and crawl spaces take on water, and steep lots mean side sewers can be deep and long. Some homes share a side sewer with a neighbor, which complicates repairs. The region's earthquake risk makes water heater strapping a requirement.
Side sewer failures
In Seattle the property owner is responsible for the side sewer all the way to the main, including the part under the street. Root intrusion and offset joints are the common defects.
Galvanized supply pipe
Low pressure and rusty water at the tap point to galvanized lines closing up inside. Repiping in PEX or copper restores flow.
Drainage and groundwater
Months of steady rain test footing drains and sump pumps. A pump that fails in November can mean a wet basement until spring.
Common plumbing calls in Seattle
Sewer Line Repair
Cracked, root-filled or collapsed sewer line? Compare spot repair, pipe lining and replacement, and call to reach a local sewer line plumber..
Learn moreSewer Camera Inspection
A sewer camera inspection shows roots, cracks, sags and blockages before you pay for a repair or buy a house.
Learn moreRepiping
Galvanized, polybutylene or failing copper pipes? See when a whole-house repipe makes sense, what it involves and how to reach a local repiping plumber..
Learn moreSump Pump Repair
Sump pump not turning on, running nonstop or failing in storms? See how plumbers repair and replace sump pumps and add battery backup..
Learn moreDrain Cleaning
Clogged sink, tub, shower or main drain? Learn how plumbers clear drains with cables and jetting, and call to reach a local drain cleaning plumber..
Learn more
Also available in Seattle: emergency plumbing and all plumbing services.
Seattle at a glance
- Area
- Seattle, King County, Washington
- Neighborhoods
- Ballard, Capitol Hill, West Seattle, Queen Anne, Wallingford, Beacon Hill, Ravenna
- Local issues
- Side sewer failures; Galvanized supply pipe; Drainage and groundwater
- Plumber licensing
- Plumbers are certified by the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries.
- Office
- Service-area page. Work is done by independent local plumbing companies.
Seattle plumbing questions
Who is responsible for the side sewer in Seattle?
The property owner, from the house to the connection at the public main. Repairs need a side sewer permit from the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections, and work in the street must be done by a registered side sewer contractor.
Should I get a sewer scope before buying a house in Seattle?
Yes. With so many homes on original clay or concrete side sewers, a camera inspection is a routine part of buying a house here and can reveal a repair that costs many thousands of dollars.
Guides for Seattle homeowners
Sewer line repair vs. replacement: how to decide
Repair the sewer line when a camera inspection shows one or two isolated defects in pipe that is otherwise in good shape.
Read the guideWhy does my drain keep clogging?
A drain that keeps clogging has a cause that the last clearing did not remove.
Read the guideHow to check a plumber's license
Ask the plumber for their license number, then search it on the website of the agency that issued it.
Read the guide
Other service areas
Need a plumber in Seattle?
Call and tell us what's going on. Calling is free, and the plumber confirms the price before any work starts.