Plumbing in Brooklyn Prewar pipes, from the street main to the top floor
Nearly two in three Brooklyn homes were built before 1960, while lead service lines were still allowed. We replace the lead, galvanized and cast iron in its rowhouses.
- Based in Staten Island, serving all five boroughs
- English and Russian spoken
- Licensed & insured
- 24/7 emergency service
- Free estimates
- Financing options available
24/7 emergency service
Burst pipe or active leak
Frozen supply lines, failed fittings and corroded risers can dump a lot of water quickly. Shut the main, open a low faucet to drain the lines, and call. We repair the break and check for damage behind the wall.
Local know-how
Plumbing in Brooklyn homes
New York City banned lead water service lines in 1961, and DEP warns that older homes, particularly one- to four-family homes, may still have lead pipes. In Brooklyn, 65.0 percent of homes were built before 1960 and 44.4 percent are in buildings of one to four units.
DEP makes the owner responsible for the whole water service line, and for the sewer line out to the main in the street. Two- to four-family buildings hold 31.8 percent of Brooklyn homes, so one line often serves the owner and the tenants together.
Common problems in Brooklyn
Lead service lines in Borough Park
DEP replaces private lead and galvanized service lines with copper at no cost to eligible homeowners, and announced in September 2026 that the work will expand to Borough Park beginning in 2027. In ZIP 11219, 60.5 percent of homes predate 1940.
Galvanized pipe and cast iron in Park Slope and Sunset Park
In Park Slope’s ZIP 11215, 72.0 percent of homes predate 1940; in Sunset Park’s 11220, 70.2 percent. Galvanized supply pipe that old narrows inside, and a cracked cast-iron stack on one floor shows up on another.
Gas piping in three- and four-family buildings
Three- and four-family buildings hold 16.5 percent of Brooklyn homes. Unlike one- and two-family houses, they fall under Local Law 152: a Licensed Master Plumber must inspect their gas piping at least once every four years.
Private sewer lines in Marine Park and Canarsie
In Marine Park’s ZIP 11234 and Canarsie’s 11236, 86 to 87 percent of homes are in buildings of one to four units. Each house has its own sewer line to the street, and DEP leaves its upkeep to the homeowner.
Where we see it
- Bedford-Stuyvesant and Bushwick Prewar rowhouses and three-families with original cast-iron stacks.
- Borough Park Next in Brooklyn for DEP’s free lead line replacement.
- Park Slope, Carroll Gardens and Red Hook Community District 6, in the 2026 round of gas piping inspections.
- Marine Park, Mill Basin and Canarsie One- and two-family houses, each with its own sewer line.
- Brighton Beach and Sheepshead Bay Mid-century buildings; most homes in ZIP 11235 went up before 1960.
Rules and paperwork
Local Law 152 dates in Brooklyn
Inspections run by community district. In 2026, Brooklyn Community Districts 4, 6, 8, 9 and 16 are due (District 6 is Park Slope, Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, Gowanus and Red Hook); districts 11, 12, 14, 15 and 17 follow in 2027. The owner files the results with DOB within 60 days of the inspection.
How a call works in Brooklyn
Meter and main at the front wall
The service line enters a rowhouse cellar from the street side, so the first visit starts at the meter and the main valve.
Water off for every floor
Shutting the main in a two- to four-family house shuts every apartment, so the shutdown is planned with you and the tenants are told.
Estimates are free, and emergencies are answered 24/7.
What is included
The work itself is the same in every borough. See everything our plumbing service covers.
Plumbing questions from Brooklyn
How do I find out if my Brooklyn house has a lead service line?
Look up the address on DEP’s NYC Service Line Map, or ask 311 for DEP’s free lead test kit. Then have the pipe checked where it enters the cellar; a house built before 1961 is the one to check first.
We live in Borough Park. Should we wait for the free DEP replacement?
If DEP sends you a letter, sign up: eligible owners get the line replaced with copper at no cost. Lead fixtures or solder inside the house are a separate job.
Our three-family building is due for a Local Law 152 inspection. What happens?
A Licensed Master Plumber inspects the gas piping and reports to you. Anything unsafe must be reported at once to you, the gas utility and DOB, then fixed under any permits it needs.
Why is the water weak only on the top floor of our rowhouse?
Usually galvanized supply pipe that has narrowed inside; the top floor of a three- or four-story house feels it first. A new riser brings the flow back.
Free estimate
Get a free estimate in Brooklyn
Whether it is a drip or a flood, one call brings a licensed plumber to your door.