In short
This covers the plumbing that sits above the floor and behind a cabinet door: drips, worn valves, loose traps, running tanks and new fixtures you already own. If the pipe is in a wall, under the slab or tied to the sewer, that is a bigger plumbing job with its own free estimate.
Outside what we take on
- Gas piping of any kind past the existing flex connector.
- Roof, foundation and structural repairs.
- Tearing out and rebuilding a whole bathroom or kitchen.
Your photo checklist
- Where the water is showing up, with a towel wiped dry first
- Every fitting under the sink or behind the toilet
- The valve handle, so we know if it is old brass or newer
- Any brand or model printed on the fixture
- A clip of the leak while someone runs the water
Jobs we take
- Burst and pinhole pipes
- Shutoff help, burst or pinhole sections cut out and repaired, washer hoses and hose bibs.
- Shower heads and tub spouts
- Heads, arms and diverter spouts replaced on the existing pipe.
- Pressure regulators and expansion tanks
- House pressure tested; regulators reset or replaced, expansion tanks at the heater.
- P-traps and sink drains
- Leaking traps, slip nuts and strainers under kitchen and bath sinks.
- Shutoff valves
- Seized angle stops swapped for quarter-turn valves.
- Ice maker water lines
- Fridge lines hooked up from an existing valve, saddle valves replaced.
- Water heater flushing
- Sediment drained, anode rod checked, relief valve tested.
- Water softeners
- New softeners set on an existing loop, old ones swapped.
- Dishwashers
- Old unit out, new one on the existing supply, drain and outlet.
- Water heaters
- Pilots, thermocouples, relief valves, flushing, leak checks and matching tank swaps.
- Shower valves
- Cartridges, limit stops, trim kits and new valves for dripping or too-hot showers.
- Toilets
- Flappers, fill valves, handles, seats, and wax rings when the base rocks.
- Faucets
- Cartridges replaced or new faucets put in, in kitchens and baths.
- Garbage disposals
- Jams cleared, or the unit replaced on the existing hookup.
- Under-sink leaks
- Drain traps, supply lines and shutoff valves.
- Shower doors
- Rollers, guides, hinges and sweeps on shower doors.
- Dryer vents
- Lint cleared to the outside wall, foil hose swapped for metal.
- Slow or smelly shower drains
- Hair clogs pulled, strainers and seals redone.
- New faucet installs
- Kitchen and bath faucets set with new lines.
- Toilet replacement
- New toilets set and sealed, old one hauled off.
- Outdoor faucets
- Dripping hose bibs rebuilt or replaced.
Valves that haven’t moved in years
In Rosemead houses from the 1940s and 1950s, the shutoff valves under sinks and toilets may be original and rarely turned. They can stick or start to drip once they are used, so we test them first and swap in a quarter-turn shutoff where one is needed.
How a small plumbing visit usually goes
Most of these jobs start with the shutoff. Before we open anything, we turn the valve under the fixture and watch whether the water actually stops. If it only slows, or the stem starts to weep, we replace that valve first, so the rest of the repair is not done against a slow trickle.
Next we look at what failed and why. A toilet that keeps running might need only a flapper, but if the fill valve is crusted or the overflow tube is cracked, swapping both now saves a second trip. A faucet that drips from the spout points to a cartridge or washer, while water around the base usually means an O-ring or a loose mounting nut underneath.
Under the sink, we check the supply lines, the P-trap joints and the disposal flange together, since a slow drip from one of them often runs down and looks like it is coming from another. We dry everything, run the water, and watch for the first drop before calling it done.
We handle repairs and swaps on the pipes already there, plus new runs with a free estimate. Moving a drain, running new supply lines through walls or clearing a main sewer line are bigger plumbing jobs with their own free estimate. Anything involving gas is outside our scope, and we will tell you that up front instead of guessing.
Before you call: what to check
- Put a few drops of food coloring in the toilet tank. Color in the bowl after 10 minutes means the flapper is leaking.
- Dry the pipes under the sink with a paper towel, run water, and see where the first drop forms.
- For a humming disposal, turn off power and press the reset button on the bottom.
Plumbing: common questions
Which plumbing jobs fit a handyman visit?
Faucets, toilets, disposals, shower heads, traps, supply lines, shutoff valves and leaking pipe. Repiping or moving a line gets its own free estimate.
What should I do before you arrive for a leak?
Close the shutoff valve under the sink or behind the toilet, or the main valve if there is no local one, and put a towel or bucket under the drip. Photos of the leak and the valve help us bring the right parts.
Can you install a faucet or toilet I bought?
Yes. Installing a faucet or toilet you already bought is a common job. Check that the faucet matches the number of holes in your sink, and that the toilet rough-in measurement matches the old one.
Why is my kitchen sink leaking underneath?
Under the basin, the likely suspects are a loose slip nut on the trap, a worn supply line, a dripping valve stem or a failed drain seal. Wipe everything dry, run the tap, and feel for the first wet spot. That spot tells us which part to bring.
What causes a leak around the sink drain?
Water that collects around the drain opening, under the rim of the strainer, means the seal between the strainer and the sink has failed. We remove the strainer, scrape it clean, and reseat it with new plumber’s putty and a fresh gasket.
Jobs that pair with this one
- P-trap and sink drain repairWhen the drip is in the bend under the sink.
- Shutoff valve replacementSwap seized valves before they fail.
- Faucet repairDrips at the spout or handle.
- Under-sink leak repairA dedicated look at the cabinet floor.
Home tips for this job
- Hard water scale on faucets, aerators and shower headsHow hard-water scale clogs aerators, wears faucet cartridges and stains fixtures in Rosemead homes, plus the cleaning you can do and repairs we handle.
- A toilet that runs, hisses or refills on its ownWhy toilets in Rosemead's postwar homes run, hiss or refill on their own, the quick dye test to find the cause, and what a flapper or fill valve repair involves.
- When the garbage disposal hums, leaks or quitsHow to clear a humming or dead garbage disposal, when to replace it, and what to expect when we swap one in a Rosemead kitchen.
- Tracking down a leak under the sinkLeak under your kitchen or bathroom sink? Find out if it’s the supply line, shutoff, faucet or drain, and text a photo for a free estimate in Rosemead.
Get a quote in one text
A few seconds of video showing the drip or the running toilet, plus a photo under the sink or inside the tank. Text it to (310) 628-9399 and we’ll send back a quote.
We’re a handyman in Rosemead, and this is one of the job groups we take on most.
More background: Repair notes for postwar Rosemead homes, the cities we serve, and the handyman FAQ.