5 services · San Jose
Leaks, pipes & freezing in San Jose, CA
Pipe problems range from a burst line that needs the water shut off right now to slow pinhole leaks that show up as a high water bill. A licensed plumber finds where the water is escaping, repairs or replaces that section, and tells you whether the rest of the piping is likely to follow.
- Licensed local plumbers
- The problem explained before work starts
- Price agreed before the job begins
Leaks, pipes & freezing services in San Jose
Burst pipe repair
UrgentTurn off the main water shutoff first, then open a faucet on the lowest floor to drain the lines. A plumber cuts out the split section, replaces it, and checks the rest of that pipe run, because one freeze rarely damages only one spot.
Frozen pipe thawing
UrgentIf a faucet gives no water or only a trickle after a hard freeze, a pipe is frozen. Leave that faucet open, warm the area gently, and call a plumber if you can't find the frozen section or if it's inside a wall, because a split pipe will leak as soon as it thaws.
Leak detection in San Jose
Turn off every fixture and watch the water meter's leak indicator. If it moves, water is leaking somewhere. A plumber uses pressure tests, acoustic listening and thermal imaging to find the leak so only a small section of wall or floor has to be opened.
Repiping in San Jose
Repiping replaces a home's water supply lines, usually because old galvanized steel has corroded or polybutylene is at risk of failing. Most repipes today use PEX, take two to five days, and are done through small wall openings rather than gutting the house.
Water line repair
UrgentThe water service line runs from the curb stop near the street to your house, buried below the frost line. A leak shows up as a soggy patch in the yard, low pressure throughout the house, or a meter that never stops. Repair means finding the leak, then fixing that spot or replacing the line.
Local conditions
Leaks, pipes & freezing in San Jose: what's different
San Jose's 1950s–70s tracts in Cambrian, Almaden Valley and Evergreen were plumbed with copper under slab foundations, and that copper is now old enough to develop pinhole leaks. Warm spots on the floor, the sound of running water and a jump in the bill are the usual signs.
Closer to downtown, 1920s–1940s homes in Willow Glen and the Rose Garden often still have galvanized supply that corrodes from the inside and lowers pressure. Water service is split among San Jose Water, San Jose Municipal Water and Great Oaks Water depending on the address, while permits for repiping come from the city's Building Division.
- Water and sewer in San Jose
- Water service is split among San Jose Water (a private utility), San Jose Municipal Water and Great Oaks Water, depending on the address. The city provides sewer service.
- Permits in San Jose
- Plumbing permits are issued by the City of San Jose's Building Division in Planning, Building and Code Enforcement.
San Jose housing and plumbing
Willow Glen and Rose Garden homes often have galvanized supply and cast-iron or clay drains. The 1950s–70s tracts have copper supply now prone to pinhole leaks, often on slab foundations.
Other San Jose conditions that affect plumbing
- Hard water: Hard water builds scale in water heaters and tankless units, shortening their life.
- Slab leaks in copper: Copper lines under 1950s–70s slabs develop pinhole leaks, often found by warm floors or high bills.
- Earthquake readiness: California requires water heaters to be strapped, and flexible gas connectors reduce break risk.
- Older Willow Glen drains: Willow Glen and Rose Garden homes often have clay sewer laterals and cast-iron drains, and mature trees send roots into the joints, causing repeat clogs.
Neighborhoods and ZIP codes
Plumbers on Thawline cover San Jose and Santa Clara County, including Willow Glen, Rose Garden, Almaden Valley, Evergreen, Cambrian, Downtown. ZIP codes: 95101 · 95103 · 95106 · 95108 · 95109 · 95110.
When to call a plumber in San Jose
- Water spraying, dripping from a ceiling or pooling on the floor: shut off the main and call right away
- No water from some faucets on a very cold morning
- A water bill that jumped without a change in use
- The water meter moving when every fixture is off
- Warm spots on a slab floor, or the sound of running water in a wall
- Low pressure throughout the house or rusty water from older pipes
How these problems start and how to choose between repair options is covered in the leaks, pipes & freezing guide.
Leaks, pipes & freezing questions in San Jose
Who supplies water to my San Jose home?
Should I turn off the water if a pipe bursts?
More plumbing in San Jose
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