Plumbers in New York

New York City plumbing permits

Who holds the license on the permit? In New York City that has to be a Licensed Master Plumber. The Department of Buildings gives plumbing permits to no one else, and only licensees, or workers they supervise, may touch the piping.

Swapping a faucet is cosmetic; anything beyond that is plumbing work with a permit. The city Plumbing Code governs waste, water and gas piping, and the Department of Buildings inspects permitted jobs. So before a repair of any size, ask who is pulling the permit.

A new toilet or sink is cosmetic as well. Running a new supply line, relocating a drain or connecting a different heater is not, so describe your plan when you phone.

Old buildings, shared lines

In a prewar building one drain stack or one supply riser can feed several floors. A stain on your ceiling may begin in the bathroom upstairs, and a sluggish tub may be blocked lower down the same stack. Give us your floor and the fixtures involved.

Co-op boards and managing agents often set their own conditions on plumbing work, so find out what yours requires before a plumber comes. If water is heading toward a neighbor, close your own shutoff, then call about emergency plumbing.

Water that comes from upstate

The city's tap water arrives from upstate reservoirs in the Catskill, Delaware and Croton systems. If the cold tap runs rust-brown, though, give us a call so we can look for the cause, and repiping may be worth discussing.

Freezing nights in New York City

The ten years to 2024 brought the city about 70 nights a year at or below 32°F, and a January low near 27°F. A pipe in a cold hallway, a bulkhead or a street-facing ground-floor wall can freeze on the worst nights. The pipe freeze risk checker rates the pipes in your home.