Philadelphia County · Philadelphia–Camden–Wilmington metro
Plumbing help in Philadelphia, PA
Older PipesFrozen Pipes
Philadelphia has one of the oldest housing stocks of any big US city, much of it rowhouses with shared walls and long-serving pipe. Its water comes from two rivers and three treatment plants, and hardness depends on which plant serves your block.
- Median home built
- 1949
- Built before 1980
- 82%
- Owner-occupied
- 52%
- Water hardness
- Moderately hard
- ≈ 6 grains/gal
- Winter
- Regular hard freezes
- Plumbing code
- IPC
What Philadelphia homeowners call plumbers about
- Sewer Line Repair
With about four in five homes built before 1980, many sewer laterals are old cast iron or clay, prone to cracks, root entry and collapse.
- Repiping
Galvanized steel and aging copper supply lines in older rowhouses cause low pressure, rusty water and repeated leaks.
- Frozen Pipe Repair
Pipes along exterior rowhouse walls and in unheated rear additions are vulnerable in cold snaps.
What's behind the walls of Philadelphia's older homes
The median home in Philadelphia was built in 1949, and 82% of homes predate 1980. Homes from that era were typically built with galvanized steel supply lines, cast iron drains and clay sewer laterals, often partly replaced over the years.
- Galvanized steel supply (1900–1960)
- Copper supply (1950–2000)
- Polybutylene (some homes) (1978–1996)
- PEX / CPVC (1995–today)
Emergency plumbing in Philadelphia
Call (833) 878-1592Shut off your main water supply if it's safe to do so. The emergencies below are listed most likely first for Philadelphia homes, based on local conditions.
Frozen pipe risk in Philadelphia
Regular hard freezes · 82% of Philadelphia homes were built before 1980
Permits and code in Philadelphia
Plumbing work in Philadelphia follows the Philadelphia Plumbing Code, based on the 2018 International Plumbing Code with local amendments, and is permitted and inspected by the Department of Licenses and Inspections. [2]
Philadelphia's water: moderately hard
Philadelphia Water Department reports average hardness of about 6 grains per gallon at the Baxter plant, 9 at Belmont and 10 at Queen Lane, with individual readings up to about 16 grains per gallon. Water ranges from moderately hard to hard depending on location. [1]
Plumbing services for Philadelphia homes
Philadelphia plumbing questions
Is Philadelphia water hard?
Moderately hard to hard, depending on the treatment plant serving your area. The 2025 report lists averages of about 6, 9 and 10 grains per gallon at the Baxter, Belmont and Queen Lane plants.
Who inspects plumbing work in Philadelphia?
The Department of Licenses and Inspections permits and inspects plumbing work under the Philadelphia Plumbing Code. The licensed plumber normally pulls the permit.
Sources (3)
- U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year (B25035) · checked 2026-10-01
- Philadelphia Water Department, 2025 Drinking Water Quality Report · checked 2026-10-01
- City of Philadelphia, 2018 Philadelphia Plumbing Code amendments · checked 2026-10-01