Licensed plumber · Open 24 hours, 7 days a week

Licensed plumber in York, PA, open 24/7

We are a licensed plumbing company in York, PA, serving homes and businesses in the City of York and the townships around it, 24 hours a day. We find and fix leaks, clear drains and sewer lines, repair and replace water heaters, run gas lines, replace old galvanized and lead water lines, and handle commercial plumbing from restroom fixtures to water services. Call (717) 297-8733, tell us what you're seeing, and we'll tell you what we'd check first.

Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Licensed, with 7+ years in business
Residential and commercial plumbing
Price explained and approved before work starts

Water pouring or sewage backing up? Shut the main water valve, then call (717) 297-8733.

Emergency steps

Residential and commercial plumbing services in York, PA

Our work covers eleven kinds of plumbing jobs, from emergencies to planned replacements and commercial projects. Each one has its own page explaining the warning signs, what the job involves, what changes the price, and when it can't wait:

Emergency plumbing
Burst pipes, sewage backups, leaking water heaters and frozen lines: what to do first and when to call.
Leak detection & pipe repair
Finding hidden leaks in walls, ceilings, slabs and underground water lines, then repairing the pipe.
Drain cleaning
Clogged sinks, tubs, showers, toilets and floor drains, cleared by cable machine or hydro jetting.
Sewer line repair & replacement
Main line backups, root intrusion, camera inspection, and lateral repair, lining or replacement.
Water heater repair & replacement
Gas and electric tank heaters, tankless units, and heat pump water heaters, including venting.
Gas line repair & installation
Gas leaks after the meter, new lines for ranges, dryers and generators, and reconnecting relocated meters.
Repiping & water line replacement
Replacing galvanized and lead water lines, including the service line from the curb to the house.
Frozen & burst pipe repair
Thawing frozen lines safely, repairing split pipe, and rerouting or protecting pipes that freeze.
Sump pump installation & repair
New sump pumps, replacement pumps, battery backups, check valves and discharge lines.
Toilet, faucet & fixture repair
Running and leaking toilets, dripping faucets, shutoff valves, garbage disposals and fixture installs.
Commercial plumbing
Restrooms, under-slab drain rough-in, water services and backflow preventers for York-area businesses and buildings.

Common plumbing problems we fix in York homes

Most calls start with one of these. The symptom usually points to the right service.

Hidden water leaks and ceiling stains

A stain spreading across a ceiling under a bathroom, bubbling paint near a tub, a damp spot on a basement wall, or a water meter that keeps moving when nothing is on. The first job is tracing it to the source, which in an older house is often a few feet from where the water shows up. See leak detection and pipe repair.

Clogged drains and main sewer line backups

One slow sink is usually hair, soap or grease in that drain. Several fixtures backing up at once, gurgling when the washer drains, or water rising from a basement floor drain means the main line. Drain cleaning handles the first; sewer line repair explains what happens when the main line itself is cracked, sagging or full of roots.

Low water pressure from old galvanized pipe

Pressure that fades a little more every year, together with rusty water at the first draw, usually means galvanized steel pipe rusting closed from the inside. Patching won't fix it. Repiping and water line replacement explains the options, including the service line from the street.

No hot water or a leaking water heater

A pilot that won't stay lit, an element that's burned out, or rusty hot water can often be repaired. Water leaking from the tank itself can't. See water heater repair and replacement.

Frozen and burst pipes in winter

York winters bring stretches well below freezing, and pipes in outside walls, crawlspaces and unheated rooms are the ones that split. Frozen and burst pipe repair covers what to do in the first hour and how to stop it from happening again.

Wet basements and sump pump failures

A sump pump that's quit, a float that sticks, or a pump that runs constantly. Sump pump installation and repair covers pumps, battery backups and where the water should go.

Gas line installation and meter relocations

Adding a gas range, dryer, generator or tankless water heater means extending the piping on your side of the meter, sized so the other appliances still get enough gas. Columbia Gas has also been moving indoor meters outside, which can mean reconnecting your house line. See gas line repair and installation.

Running toilets and dripping faucets

Small problems that waste a surprising amount of water, and sometimes hide a worse one, like a toilet rocking on a rotted floor. See toilet, faucet and fixture repair.

How York's older homes, water hardness and limestone affect plumbing

Four local conditions shape a lot of plumbing work around York. They're why the same symptom can mean something different here than in a newer suburb elsewhere.

Older York houses with mixed pipe materials

About half the homes in the City of York were built before 1940, and row houses and other attached homes are the most common housing type in the city. In houses that age, it's normal to find galvanized steel or even lead water lines, cast iron drain stacks, lead closet bends under old toilets, and clay sewer laterals, often mixed with newer copper and PVC from later repairs.

Cast iron drains crack along the bottom of horizontal runs. Clay sewer joints let roots in. Repairs in these homes often come down to deciding whether to fix one failed section or replace the run before the next weak spot goes.

Lead service lines in homes built before 1934

The York Water Company advises customers in homes built before 1934 to check their customer-owned service line for lead. That's the pipe from the curb to your house, and replacing it is the homeowner's responsibility. Repiping and water line replacement explains how to identify a lead line and what replacing it involves.

Moderately hard water from the York Water system

Over the years it still leaves scale in water heaters, tankless units and faucet cartridges. Annual water heater flushing does more here than most add-on equipment. Homes on private wells in the outer townships can have much harder water, plus iron or sulfur, so test before buying treatment equipment.

Limestone bedrock, sinkholes and sewer lines

The York Valley, running through the city and the townships on either side, is underlain by limestone and dolomite that slowly dissolve. The Pennsylvania Geological Survey has mapped sinkholes and other karst features across York County.

Ground that settles unevenly can crack or sag a sewer lateral, and a leaking water or sewer pipe can speed up settlement by washing soil into openings in the rock. A leak that runs into the ground here shouldn't be left for later.

Recent residential and commercial plumbing projects

A few of our recent jobs, residential and commercial: fixture installs, drain lines laid before a floor is poured, and a large water service with its backflow preventer and shutoff valves. Select any photo to see it larger.

What happens when you call our plumbers

You describe the problem. We ask what you're seeing, where, how long it's been happening, and whether water is moving right now.
We sort out how urgent it is. An active leak, a sewage backup or a frozen line is handled differently from a dripping faucet or a quote for a new water heater.
We schedule the visit. You get an arrival window and an idea of what the plumber will check first.
The plumber finds the cause before recommending anything. You hear what failed, why, and the repair or replacement options.
You approve the work and the price before it starts. If opening a wall or floor turns up more damage, the work stops and you get the options before anything changes.
The work is tested and the area cleaned up. Supply lines are pressure tested and drains are run before the plumber leaves, and you get notes on anything to watch.

How much does a plumber cost in York, PA?

The cost of a plumber in York depends on how hard the pipe is to reach, what it's made of, how much has failed, and whether the work needs a permit or happens after hours. You get the price after the problem is diagnosed and before work starts.

Flat prices posted online rarely hold up, because the same repair can be a different job in a 1910 rowhome than in a house built in 2005. These are the factors that move the price:

Access. A pipe behind plaster and lath, under tile, or above a finished basement ceiling takes longer to reach than one in an open basement.
Existing materials. Tying new PEX or copper into galvanized or cast iron takes transition fittings, and sometimes the next section has to be replaced because it won't survive the connection.
How much is failing. One leak is a repair. A run with several leaks, or a sewer lateral broken in more than one place, is a replacement.
Excavation. Sewer and water service work that needs digging depends on depth and on what's on top: lawn, concrete, or a porch.
Code requirements. A water heater replacement may need new venting, an expansion tank or a drain pan. A repipe or service line replacement needs a permit.
Hidden damage. Rotted subfloor under a toilet, a collapsed sewer section, or water damage inside a wall only shows up once the work starts.
Timing. A visit outside normal working hours costs more than scheduled work.

24/7 emergency plumber in York: when to call right away

Call immediately, and say it's urgent at the start of the call, if any of these are happening. Our emergency plumbing page covers what to do in the first few minutes for each one. We answer emergency plumbing calls 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Water is spraying, pouring, or coming through a ceiling. Shut the main valve and switch off the breaker for any wet light fixture.
The main shutoff won't close or breaks. York Water can shut the curb stop at the street if you're on their system.
Sewage is coming up through a floor drain, tub or toilet.
You have no water in freezing weather. A line has probably frozen and is at risk of splitting. Never thaw a pipe with an open flame.
The water heater tank is leaking, or its relief valve keeps discharging hot water.
The sump pump has failed during heavy rain and water is rising in the basement.
You smell gas. Leave the house and call 911 or your gas utility from outside first. Once the utility has made it safe, a leak on your side of the meter needs gas line repair.

Plumbing service areas around York, PA

We work in the City of York and the townships around it. These five have their own pages because their housing and ground conditions change the plumbing work there:

Plumber in Spring Garden Township
Borders the city. Older brick and frame homes near the city line, plus Grantley and Valley View.
Plumber in Springettsbury Township
East York's 1930s and 1940s homes, mid-century Haines Acres, and newer houses farther east.
Plumber in York Township
York's most populous suburb, with post-war and newer subdivisions and rural edges on wells and septic.
Plumber in West Manchester Township
Shiloh and the neighborhoods around West York, on dolomite bedrock where sinkholes have been mapped.
Plumber in Manchester Township
Grew by more than half from 2000 to 2020, so many homes now have original water heaters and fixtures aging out.

We also take calls from West York, North York and other nearby York County communities. Common ZIP codes in our area include 17401, 17402, 17403, 17404, 17406 and 17408. If you're not sure we cover your address, call (717) 297-8733 and ask.

What to check before hiring a plumber in Pennsylvania

You can look up a contractor's registration on the Attorney General's website. Some municipalities have their own requirements, so also ask who pulls the permit when one is needed, and get the scope and price in writing before work starts. You can read more about how we work on our About page.

Plumbing services in York, PA: frequently asked questions

How much does a plumber cost in York, PA?

It depends on the job, the access, and when you need someone. Ask about the service call or diagnostic charge on the phone before the visit is booked, and what it covers.

The price for the actual repair is given after the problem is found and before work starts. The factors that change the price most are listed in the cost section above.

How do I know if a plumbing problem is an emergency?

Moving water you can't stop, sewage coming into the house, no water in freezing weather, a water heater tank that's leaking, and any gas smell are all urgent. A dripping faucet, a slow sink, or a running toilet can wait for a scheduled visit.

If you can stop the water with a shutoff valve, the situation is usually under control until the plumber arrives. See emergency plumbing for what to do first.

Do I need a permit for plumbing work in York?

Some jobs need one and some don't. Pennsylvania uses the Uniform Construction Code, but the City of York and each township administer it themselves, so the rules and fees differ.

Water heater replacement, repiping, service line replacement and sewer lateral work commonly need a permit. Small repairs to existing pipe and fixtures usually don't.

Should I repair a leak or replace the pipe?

One leak in otherwise sound pipe is a repair. Several leaks in a year or two, low pressure through the whole house, or galvanized steel pipe that's rusting at its joints are signs the run needs replacing. See repiping and water line replacement for how that decision is made.

My house was built before 1934. Could I have a lead water line?

It's possible. The York Water Company advises customers in homes built before 1934 to check their customer-owned service line for lead. Look where the pipe comes through the basement wall: lead is dull gray, scratches to shiny silver with a key, and doesn't hold a magnet.

Do you work on homes with wells and septic systems?

Yes, for the plumbing inside the house, the water heater, and the drain line out to the septic tank. Septic tank pumping and drain field work are done by septic contractors. Mention it when you call, because a full septic tank backs up into the house the same way a clogged sewer line does.

What areas around York do you serve?

Our office is at 473 W Market St in York, and we serve the City of York and nearby townships, including Spring Garden, Springettsbury, York Township, West Manchester and Manchester, plus West York and North York. If you're farther out, call and ask about your address.

Plumbing Pros

Need a plumber in York, PA? We answer 24/7

Call (717) 297-8733. Describe the leak, clog or problem, and we'll set up a time to come out and look at it.

Call a York plumber(717) 297-8733

Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week