Expert Plumbing Services in Seattle, Washington

Galvanized steel was the standard supply pipe in Seattle homes from the early 1900s through the 1960s, and it fails from the inside out. Corrosion narrows the pipe a little more each year until the shower trickles and the washing machine takes forever to fill. Rusty or discolored hot water and crusting at exposed joints are the other classic warnings. We test pressure at several points to separate a failing main from choked branch lines. Then we replace what needs replacing with PEX or copper, opening as little wall as the job allows.

Seattle's mature street trees are beautiful, and their roots are relentless about finding moisture. Clay and early-concrete laterals, common in homes built before about 1970, develop small separations at their joints. Roots slip through those gaps and grow into a mat that catches everything passing by. The first sign is usually a drain that clogs, clears, and clogs again. We run a camera to see exactly where the intrusion starts, then clear it mechanically or with hydro jetting. When the pipe itself is failing, trenchless lining or replacement can solve it without an open trench across the yard.

Seattle basements and garages stay humid much of the year, and that damp air works on water heater tanks from the outside while sediment works on them from the inside. Rumbling or popping sounds during heating, rusty-tinted hot water, and water pooling at the base are signs the unit is near the end. We check the age, the anode rod condition, and the venting before recommending a repair or a replacement. When replacement makes sense, we help you weigh a conventional tank against a tankless unit based on your household size, fuel type, and available space.

Seattle winters are mostly mild, which is exactly why the occasional Arctic outflow catches people off guard. Garden hoses left connected trap water in the bibb, and the first hard freeze splits the pipe inside the wall. Pipes in unheated crawl spaces and exterior walls face the same risk. We replace burst sections and install hose bibbs that shut off deep inside the warm wall. Before winter, disconnect every hose and insulate exposed runs in cold spaces. Learn where your main shutoff is, so a burst line becomes a small story instead of a big one.

A snake clears a path through a clog, but it does not fix the reason the clog formed. Grease hardened along a kitchen line, scale ridging inside cast iron, or a low spot where solids settle will each grab debris again within weeks. Recurring clogs at the same fixture, or several fixtures backing up together, point to a main-line problem rather than a fixture problem. We run a camera to find the actual cause, then clear the line with hydro jetting or repair the damaged section. That way the fix lasts, instead of buying a few quiet weeks.

Seattle's wet season tests every low point in a house. In low-lying areas near the Duwamish, including Georgetown and South Park, groundwater can push moisture through foundation cracks. Elsewhere, an overwhelmed side sewer or a failed sump pump turns a heavy storm into a flooded basement. We find out whether the water is stormwater, groundwater, or a plumbing leak, because each one gets a different fix. If the cause is plumbing-related, like a cracked drain line or a sump pump that quit, we fix it. And we will tell you honestly when the answer is a drainage contractor instead.