Whole-House Repiping
Galvanized lines in pre-1960 Burbank houses lose pressure and stain water, and a full repipe through the crawlspace usually solves both.
See the detailsPlumbing service for Burbank homes and apartments (91502)
Burbank mixes 1920s to 1950s houses with apartment blocks near downtown, and both carry aging pipe. If a line leaks or a drain backs up, call us at any hour.
Plumbing in Burbank, in short
The Burbank calls we handle most are galvanized repipes, clogged clay sewer laterals, water heater replacements, gas line work and shared drain stacks in apartments. Our plumber diagnoses the problem, walks you through the options and typical costs, and files with Burbank's building division when a permit is required.
How we cover Burbank
Burbank sits between the Verdugo Mountains and the Los Angeles River, with the 5 and the 134 along its edges. Most of the city filled in between the 1920s and the 1950s, so a large share of houses are small bungalows and ranch homes on raised foundations or early slabs. Downtown and the blocks around Olive Avenue add older apartment buildings.
Burbank Water and Power, not LADWP, supplies the city's water, and Burbank's building division handles permits and inspections. We cross into Burbank from Valley Glen and Sun Valley every day, so the trip is short at most hours.
Homes and pipes
Burbank homes and their plumbing
- Magnolia Park bungalowsThe small houses in Magnolia Park and nearby streets often still have galvanized supply lines and cast iron or clay drains.
- Rancho equestrian districtLarger lots near Griffith Park mean long service runs from the street, plus yard drains and hose bibs for horse properties.
- Foothill homes above GlenoaksHouses climbing toward the Verdugos deal with slope, higher pressure at the bottom of the hill and steep sewer laterals.
- Mid-century walk-upsTwo-story apartment buildings share drain stacks, so a clog on the second floor can show up in a first-floor tub.
What people call about
The plumbing problems Burbank residents call about
Sewer Camera Inspection
Clay laterals under older streets crack and admit roots, so we look at the line on camera before choosing a fix.
See the detailsWater Heater Replacement
Heaters tucked into closets and service porches often need venting and bracing upgrades when they are replaced.
See the detailsApartment Building Plumbing
Older apartment buildings need stack cleaning, shared heater service and shutoff valves that let us isolate one unit.
See the detailsGas Line Installation
Kitchen remodels often add a gas range or move the dryer, which means a new run sized for the load.
See the detailsShutoff Valve Replacement
Original multi-turn valves under sinks and behind toilets seize, and they tend to fail right when you need to close them.
See the detailsRepiping and sewer work in Burbank's older neighborhoods
A lot of Burbank homes reach the point where patching galvanized pipe no longer makes sense. Low pressure at the shower, rust after the water sits, and leaks at threaded joints are the usual signs. In a raised-floor house we run new lines through the crawlspace and up into each wall with small openings, and most households stay home during a whole-house repipe.
Sewer laterals are next on the list. Burbank's parkway trees are mature, and their roots find clay joints. If you have had more than one backup in a year, ask for a camera look rather than another round of snaking. When roots are the problem and the pipe is still sound, jetting the line clean can buy years before a replacement.
Burbank also sits close to the faults that shook the Valley in the 1994 Northridge earthquake. Check that your water heater has two straps and a flexible gas line feeding it. Our seismic shutoff valve guide explains whether an automatic valve makes sense for your house.
Questions we hear
Questions from Burbank
Does Burbank use LADWP for water?
No. Burbank Water and Power supplies the city, and Burbank issues its own plumbing permits. If you live just across the line in Sun Valley or Valley Glen, you are in the City of Los Angeles with LADWP and LADBS. We work on both sides every week.
How do I tell if my Burbank house needs repiping?
Look for weak flow at several fixtures at once, brown or rusty water after a few days away, and repeat leaks at threaded fittings. If your supply pipe is gray steel with threaded joints, it is galvanized. We can open a fixture, check the pipe condition and give you a typical range for a full repipe.
Can you fix plumbing in a Burbank apartment building at night?
Yes. We answer around the clock, and in a building we can shut water to one riser or unit when the valves allow it, so the other tenants keep service. If the valves are seized, we replace them so the next repair causes less disruption for everyone.
Do Burbank water heaters need seismic straps?
Yes. California requires two straps on residential water heaters, one in the upper third and one in the lower third of the tank, and Burbank's inspector checks them on every replacement. If your heater has one strap, plumber's tape or nothing at all, we can add proper bracing on the same visit.
Next door
Nearby areas we also cover
Glendale 91205
Plumbing for Glendale's Spanish revival houses, hillside homes and apartment buildings, including drains, heaters, gas lines and repipes.
Local detailsSun Valley 91352
Sewer, main line and yard drainage work for Sun Valley houses on larger lots, plus shops and yards near the 5 and 170, answered any hour.
Local detailsValley Glen 91401
Water heater, leak and repipe work for Valley Glen's older ranch houses, duplexes and apartments near the Tujunga Wash, answered 24/7.
Local detailsPasadena 91101
Plumbing repair for Pasadena's Craftsman bungalows, period homes and downtown buildings, with sewer, repipe, water heater and gas line work.
Local detailsPlumbing trouble in Burbank?
One phone line, answered around the clock. Tell us the street and what you are seeing.