Harris County · Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land metro
Plumbing help in Houston, TX
Moderately Hard WaterFreeze Risk
Houston plumbing is shaped by its size and its mix of eras: close-in neighborhoods with older cast iron and clay lines, and large areas built out in the 1970s and 1980s on slab foundations. The city also runs its own version of the Uniform Plumbing Code, which matters for any permitted work.
- Median home built
- 1985
- Built before 1980
- 44%
- Owner-occupied
- 41%
- Water hardness
- Moderately hard
- ≈ 6.4 grains/gal
- Winter
- Occasional hard freezes
- Plumbing code
- UPC
The plumbing calls that come up most in Houston
- Slab Leak Repair
Much of Houston's housing sits on slab foundations with water lines underneath, so leaks under the floor are a recurring call.
- Sewer Camera Inspection
Homes built before 1980 often have cast iron or clay sewer lines. A camera inspection shows their condition before a repair or a home purchase.
- Frozen Pipe Repair
Hard freezes are rare but damaging, as the February 2021 storm showed. Pipes in attics and exterior walls are the usual victims.
Emergency plumbing in Houston
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 Houston homes, based on local conditions.
Plumbing code and permits in Houston
Houston enforces the 2021 Uniform Plumbing Code with Houston amendments, adopted by Ordinance 2023-907 and effective January 1, 2024. Permits and amendments are handled through the Houston Permitting Center. [2]
Houston's water: moderately hard
Houston's main water system is about 86.5% surface water, from the San Jacinto River (Lakes Houston and Conroe) and the Trinity River (Lake Livingston), and the rest is groundwater from deep wells. Hardness in the main system ranged from 43 to 137 ppm and averaged 110 ppm (about 6.4 grains per gallon). [1]
When Houston gets a hard freeze
Occasional hard freezes · median home built 1985
Polybutylene-era homes in Houston
The median home in Houston was built in 1985, and 44% of homes predate 1980. Homes from that era were typically built with copper or CPVC supply, plastic drains, and in some homes gray polybutylene supply pipe.
- Galvanized steel supply (1900–1960)
- Copper supply (1950–2000)
- Polybutylene (some homes) (1978–1996)
- PEX / CPVC (1995–today)
Heavy rain and storms
Plumbing services for Houston homes
Houston plumbing questions
Do I need a permit for plumbing work in Houston?
Most plumbing work beyond simple repairs, such as water heater replacement, repiping, sewer work and new fixtures, requires a permit under Houston's amended 2021 UPC. The licensed plumber normally pulls it through the Houston Permitting Center.
Is Houston water hard?
Moderately. The main system averaged about 110 ppm (roughly 6.4 grains per gallon) in the city's 2024 report, with higher values in some areas served by groundwater. It's enough to leave scale in water heaters over time.
Sources (3)
- U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year (B25035) · checked 2026-10-01
- Houston Public Works, 2024 Drinking Water Quality Report · checked 2026-10-01
- Houston Permitting Center, Houston Amendments to the 2021 UPC · checked 2026-10-01