Plumbing questions, straight answers

It depends on where the clog is and what's causing it, so we don't quote prices online or over the phone. A licensed plumber looks at it in person for free and gives you a fixed, written price before any work starts, with no obligation to go ahead.

No. The in-home inspection is free. You only pay for work you approve, at the written price you agreed to before we started.

Same-day service is often available, so call early and we'll book the soonest opening. For emergencies like a burst pipe, active leak or sewage backup, call our emergency line any time and a licensed plumber is dispatched.

Yes. We're open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, weekends and holidays included, and you pay our regular rates with no after-hours surcharge.

We're based in Edgewood and serve Puyallup, Tacoma, Federal Way, Auburn, Sumner, Bonney Lake, Fife, Milton, Kent and the surrounding area, within about 120 miles of our shop.

Yes. Drain Marshal Plumbing Company is a Washington plumbing contractor, license # DRAINMP743PK, which you can verify with the WA Department of Labor & Industries. We carry a Washington contractor bond, general liability insurance ($1M per occurrence, $2M aggregate) and workers' compensation through the WA L&I State Fund.

A tank water heater usually lasts about 8 to 12 years. A tankless unit can last 20 years or more if it's descaled regularly. If your tank is past 10 years and rumbling, rusting or leaking at the base, replacing it is usually safer and cheaper than repairing it, and we'll tell you honestly which makes sense.

Often, yes, if your household runs out of hot water or you plan to stay in the home for years. Tankless units never run out, take up far less space and last longer than tanks. Our cold incoming water in Western Washington means the unit has to be sized properly to keep up with showers running at once, which is why we size every install to your home rather than picking off a chart.

Yes. Replacing a water heater needs a plumbing permit from Pierce County, or from your city if you live in one that issues its own, such as Tacoma, Puyallup or Edgewood. Gas units need a gas piping permit if the gas line changes, and the new heater must be at least as efficient as the old one. Electric tank heaters must also be Demand Response Ready under Washington law. We take care of the permit as part of the installation.

Yes. We run a camera through the sewer line from the house to the street and show you what we find: roots, cracks, sagging sections or old pipe material. It's one of the best things to check before buying an older home, because a sewer line repair is rarely covered by a standard home inspection.

Every repair and installation comes with our 1-year workmanship warranty covering labor and fittings. New water heaters, fixtures and other equipment also carry the manufacturer's warranty.

We wear shoe covers inside, lay down floor protection, and contain the work area when needed. We leave every job site cleaner than we found it.

First, shut off your main water valve, usually in the garage, a crawl space or the meter box near the street, by turning it until the handle is across the pipe. Second, turn off power or gas to your water heater. Third, open the lowest faucet in the house to drain the remaining pressure.