Plumbing company · Allentown, Lehigh County
Plumbing Company in Allentown: Burst Pipes, Backed-Up Drains and Who Owns the Lateral
Allentown is about 6.0 miles from Bethlehem, in Lehigh County.
A pipe that bursts inside a wall, a drain that backs up into the tub and a toilet that will not stop running are the calls Allentown homeowners make first. Each has a first move you can make before anyone arrives, and each runs into a question about which pipe belongs to whom.
Allentown is a city, and Lehigh County Authority runs its water and sewer systems under a lease. The Authority looks after the mains. The owner looks after the pipe between the house and them. Dispatch hands your call to a plumber from our network who covers your address.
Call to confirm immediate dispatch availability in Allentown.
Burst pipes in Allentown: know your shutoff before you need it
A burst pipe puts a lot of water into a house quickly, so the first job is to stop it. On the water side, everything from the house wall to the curb shutoff box belongs to the owner. That makes the valve inside your house the one you reach first.
- Find the main shutoff where the water line enters the house, and test that it turns.
- Open the lowest faucet to drain the line after you shut the valve.
- Photograph the break and the water before you start to clean up.
- Call dispatch and say which floor the water is on.
A pipe that has burst once and shows pinholes elsewhere is wearing out along its length. The pipe repair page explains how a plumber decides between a patch and a longer replacement.
Drain cleaning in Allentown: one fixture or the whole house
One slow sink is usually a clog in that fixture. A tub that gurgles when the washer drains, or a basement drain that rises, points to the main line. Tell the dispatcher which one you have, because the tools differ.
- One fixture slow: a cable in the trap or branch line usually clears it.
- Several fixtures slow or backing up together: the main line needs clearing and a camera look.
- The same clog back within weeks: ask for a camera to see why.
The drain cleaning page covers cable, jetting and camera work. A backup that carries sewage is covered in the sewer section below.
Before the plumber arrives, keep the washing machine and dishwasher off if several drains are slow, since they feed the same line.
Who is responsible for which pipe in Allentown
Ownership decides who you call and who pays, so check it before work starts. Lehigh County Authority operates the sewer and water systems for the City under a lease, and the City monitors it through its compliance office.
| Pipe | Who is responsible | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Sewer lateral, house to street main | The property owner | Hire a plumber; camera the line first |
| Water lateral, house to the curb shutoff box | The property owner | Hire a registered plumber; expect permits |
| Street mains and the systems behind them | Lehigh County Authority | Call the Authority about main problems and billing |
| Water heater permit | Rule not found in the sources we read | Ask the City before assuming either way |
A water service line repair or replacement in Allentown needs two permits, plumbing and excavation, issued through the Bureau of Engineering at 641 South 10th Street, and a registered plumber has to do the work.
Source: City of Allentown Engineering FAQ. Read 2026-10-30.
Toilet and faucet repair in Allentown
Most toilet repairs replace one part: the flapper, the fill valve or the supply line. A faucet that drips usually needs a cartridge. If the shutoff valve behind the fixture will not close, mention it on the call so the plumber brings a replacement.
Tenants should report a fixture problem to the landlord first and keep a copy. Dispatch takes the call from owner or tenant. The faucet and toilet page shows how to tell which part has failed.
Rocking toilets and faucets that spray from the base are different repairs from a drip at the spout. Describe where the water shows, and shut the stop valve under the sink or behind the toilet while you wait.
If the fixture is old and its parts are no longer sold, the plumber may suggest replacing it rather than repairing it. Ask what the replacement involves before agreeing.
Leak detection in Allentown: the meter test first
A damp ceiling, a musty smell or a bill that jumps with no change in use can mean a leak you cannot see. Turn off every tap, read the water meter and read it again after twenty minutes. If the dial moved, water is escaping somewhere.
A plumber then listens at the walls and pipes, tests pressure and narrows down the spot before cutting. See the leak detection page for how a plumber finds the source, and the slab leak detection page for leaks under a floor.
Write the meter reading and the time on a strip of tape beside the meter. Anyone who comes to look can then see how much moved and over what stretch.
Sewer line repair in Allentown: lateral, main and the camera
Sewage rising in a basement drain is an emergency. Stop using water, keep people away from the area and call. The lateral is your pipe, and a camera tells you whether the break sits on your side or the Authority's.
If the camera finds a clear lateral and a blocked main, Lehigh County Authority is the next call. If the lateral is cracked, rooted or collapsed, repair or replacement is the owner's job, and a dig in the street needs 811 and a permit. Details are on the sewer backup guide.
Ask the plumber to record the camera run, with the distance from the cleanout to each fault, so you can show it to Lehigh County Authority or a contractor.
Where we work in Allentown: ZIP codes and landmarks
Allentown spans seven ZIP codes, from the downtown blocks around the arena to the neighborhoods near the colleges and the fairgrounds. These landmarks are verified places inside the city, listed so you can check that your address is in the area we mean.
- Allentown Art Museum of the Lehigh ValleyMuseum in Center City, ZIP 18101
- PPL CenterArena at 701 Hamilton Street, ZIP 18101
- Miller Symphony HallPerforming arts venue at 23 North 6th Street, ZIP 18101
- Muhlenberg CollegeCollege campus, ZIP 18104
- Allentown FairgroundsEvent grounds at 302 N 17th Street, ZIP 18104
- Cedar Crest CollegeCollege at 100 College Drive, ZIP 18104
- Little Lehigh Parkway (Lehigh Parkway)City park with a trail entrance at 2700 Parkway Boulevard
- Cedar Beach (Cedar Creek Parkway)City park; main entrance on Ott Street between Hamilton and Linden Streets
- Trexler Memorial ParkCity park with an entrance on Springhouse Road
- West ParkCity park with a band shell and fountain, between Turner and Linden Streets at 15th Street
Seven ZIP codes serve the city. Use the ZIP on your mail to decide which Allentown page applies. If your address is in Whitehall Township or Catasauqua, those towns have their own pages.
Sources: arena, hall and fairgrounds own sites; Muhlenberg College and Cedar Crest College pages; City of Allentown trail guidebook; Trexler Trust. Read 2026-10-30.
ZIP codes
Not sure your address is inside the City? Tell the dispatcher your street and the nearest cross street, and they will confirm.
Nearby towns we also serve
Catasauqua and Whitehall Township both have their own pages covering local pipe, permit and water details.
Gas line repair in Allentown
The smell of gas means everyone goes outside first. Phone 911 or your gas utility from the sidewalk, and wait for clearance before you call us. A plumber repairs or extends the piping inside the house after the utility has made it safe.
New lines for a range, dryer, fireplace or grill are sized to the total load and pressure tested. The gas piping page explains the order of calls and the pressure test.
If a gas appliance has been moved or replaced recently, say so. Loose connectors and new fittings are among the first places a plumber checks, and a pressure test shows whether the work holds.
A pilot light that keeps going out, or a flame that burns yellow, is a sign the appliance needs attention, even without a smell.
Water heaters, tankless units and slab leaks in Allentown
Water heater repair
A cold shower, a pilot that keeps going out or a tank that rumbles brings most calls. A plumber checks the parts and the age of the tank before recommending a repair. See fixing a water heater.
Replacement and tankless
A replacement involves sizing, venting and permits. We did not find a published Allentown rule for water heater permits, so ask the plumber and the City whether one is needed. A tankless conversion adds gas line and venting work, covered on the tankless water heater page and the replacement page.
Slab leaks
A warm spot on a floor, or running water you hear with every tap closed, can mean a leak under concrete. Whether your house has a slab section at all is something to confirm with the plumber; additions and garages are the usual places.
Other jobs we take in Allentown
Our Allentown calls also include garbage disposals, water damage, buried water line leaks, softeners and filters and plumbing for businesses.
Emergency and same-day plumbing in Allentown
Night and weekend jobs use the dispatch line you already have. For the full list of what counts as an emergency, and what to do before the plumber arrives, start at the [[/|homepage]].
Allentown plumbing questions answered
Where does Allentown's water come from, and does it matter for my pipes?
Lehigh County Authority lists Crystal Spring, Schantz Spring, Little Lehigh Creek and the Lehigh River as the City's sources, about 21 million gallons a day. The source does not tell you what your pipes are made of. The Authority's page quotes a hardness of 13 grains per gallon that carries no date, and the linked report covers 2020, so ask for a current result before you buy treatment equipment.
I live in an older Allentown house. How do I find out what my pipes are made of?
Check the pipe beside the meter. Copper is brownish orange. Galvanized steel is gray and a magnet sticks to it. Lead is soft, dull gray and shows bright metal when scratched. A plumber can identify it quickly. Lehigh County Authority announced a grant in January 2025 to replace up to 1,000 lead or galvanized service lines, so ask the Authority whether your address qualifies.
A sewer backup in Allentown: who is the first call?
Call dispatch for a plumber to clear the line and run a camera. The City Engineering FAQ puts the owner in charge of the sewer lateral that connects the house to the street main. If the camera shows a clear lateral and a blocked main, Lehigh County Authority operates the main and is the next call.
What permits does a water line replacement in Allentown need?
Yes. Replacing or repairing a water service line needs a plumbing permit and an excavation permit from the Bureau of Engineering, and a registered plumber must do the work. We did not find a published rule for water heater replacements, so ask the City before assuming one way or the other.
Plumbing trouble in Allentown?
Call (610) 904-7596. A dispatcher answers, asks where you are and what is happening, and sends the call to a plumber in our network serving your area. Plumbers are independent and responsible for their own work.