Emergency Plumber in Tucker, GA

Tucker homes and utilities

Tucker grew from a farm community into a suburban DeKalb city, and much of its housing is 1960s and 1970s ranch and split-level homes around historic Main Street. About 48% of homes were built before 1980, with a median year built of 1981. In houses that age, galvanized supply piping, cast iron drains, original shutoff valves and aging water heaters are common, and they tend to fail without much warning.

Water and sewer come from DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management, with a 24-hour emergency repair line at 770-270-6243. DeKalb is responsible for the service line from the main to the meter, including the meter, usually in a pit outside the house. From the meter to the home's plumbing, the line belongs to the owner. DeKalb has replaced mains in downtown Tucker with larger pipe and new meters and service connections, but private lines on the house side stay the owner's job. If the leak is in the yard between the meter pit and the house, it is yours to repair even though DeKalb's new pipe is right next to it.

Repair now or schedule later

Signs of a developing emergency

• Rust-colored water and a damp floor near the water heater
• Gurgling drains followed by a sewer smell
• Pinhole leaks or green crust on older pipes
• Water on the floor of a split-level's lower room
• A meter that spins with every fixture off

Timing and seasons

Older ranch houses with crawl spaces are the first to see frozen pipes in a hard cold snap. Grease from holiday cooking clogs older cast iron and clay laterals. Tucker requires a city permit to replace a water heater, water line or sewer line, so a lasting repair after an emergency usually involves the Building and Permitting Division. Ask about after-hours pricing when you are connected, since nights and weekends often cost more. Arrival depends on the hour and the plumber's workload, so no time is promised.