Plumbing in Galveston, TX

Tell us your block and the age of the house when you call. Galveston's numbers are unusual for this area: Census ACS estimates show a median build year of 1973, and about 54 percent of homes are occupied by renters.

Salt air, sand and East End houses from before 1940

Plan for corrosion first. Galveston's plumbing problems come from three things stacked on each other:

1. Age. About 20 percent of homes date to 1939 or earlier, and about 32 percent to before 1960. The East End and Silk Stocking historic districts hold many of them.
2. Air. Salt settles on anything exposed, and houses on piers leave their pipes out in it.
3. Ground. The island is sand, per the Handbook of Texas, so buried lines shift differently from those in mainland clay.

History left its mark underground. After the 1900 storm, engineers built the seawall and raised the island's grade by as much as 17 feet at the Gulf shoreline, so old foundations and service lines may not sit where you expect.

Plumbing in Galveston after Ike

Hurricane Ike came ashore on the island on September 13, 2008, and floodwater stood six feet deep inside the county courthouse. Any house that took water deserves a look at its drains, even now. If yours sits on piers, also check the insulation and straps on the lines below the floor.

Exposure changes along the island. The seawall runs about 10 miles at about 17 feet high, and the West End lies past its western end, so homes out there have sand and surge to deal with and no wall in front. The city sits only about 6.6 feet above sea level, so a missing cleanout cap can let storm water into a lateral quickly.

These services fit island houses best:

Getting a plumber across the causeway from Houston

Fifty miles is a serious trip, so a phone call comes first. We pick up from 7 AM every day but Saturday, and we will tell you honestly whether we can reach your address. If we can, we look at the job, explain it in plain language, and provide a clear, upfront quote before we touch anything. We do not promise a time.

Seawall Boulevard, Broadway and the water main

I-45 crosses West Bay on the causeway and turns into Broadway, with Seawall Boulevard along the Gulf. The Strand, UTMB and the East End are the usual points of reference.

Island water is piped in from the mainland. The Gulf Coast Water Authority's plant in Texas City serves the city, so a break on that route can affect everyone at once. Fill a few containers when a storm is coming, and know your main shut-off valve. ZIPs 77550, 77551, 77554 and 77555 cover the island, so give us the cross street as well: a numbered street and a lettered avenue pin down a block faster than anything else here.

Building Division rules on Rosenberg, from $500 up

City Building Division staff handle permits, and an elevation certificate is required for new structures. The office is at 823 Rosenberg, Room 401, open weekdays from 8 to 5.

The $500 test counts labor and materials, and the city gives no discount for donated or used materials, so a small repipe can cross it quickly. Paint, flooring, cabinets and interior trim usually do not need a permit. Backflow forms and irrigation permits come through the same office.