Magnolia Plumber and Sewer Repair, Based in 98199
Side sewers, clogged drains, sewer camera inspections, water heaters and leaks for Magnolia homes, from a plumbing and sewer company on W Bertona St. We find the cause, show you what we found, and explain which Seattle permits apply.
Magnolia Plumbing & Sewer · 4027 W Bertona St, Seattle, WA 98199
Plumbing and sewer services in Magnolia
Sewer Repair
Broken, sagging, root-filled or backed-up sewer lines, diagnosed on camera before any digging.
Side Sewer Repair & Replacement
Repair or replace the private sewer pipe from your house to the City main, permitted through SPU.
Trenchless Sewer Repair
Replace or reline a sewer pipe with less digging, where the pipe and site allow it.
Sewer Camera Inspection
See inside your side sewer: roots, cracks, sags and offsets, and what the video and findings should show.
Drain Cleaning
Kitchen, bath, laundry and main-line clogs cleared, with a camera when the clog keeps coming back.
Water Heater Repair
No hot water, not enough hot water, leaks, relief-valve drips and pilot problems on gas and electric tanks.
Water Heater Replacement
Replacing a water heater under Seattle’s 2026 permit rule, with gas, electric and heat-pump choices explained.
Leak Repair
Find and fix leaking supply pipes, drain lines, valves and fittings before they damage the house.
Emergency Plumbing
Sewer backups, burst pipes and major leaks: what to do first, and how to reach us fast.
Also: hydro jetting. All services
Recent work
Photos from recent jobs: bathrooms, water heaters and underground pipe work.
Magnolia homes and their plumbing
Magnolia’s housing is older than Seattle’s newer neighborhoods. Census estimates for ZIP 98199 put the median year built at 1960. About half of all housing units (49.8%) were built before 1960, and only 15.7% in 2000 or later. The 1940s alone account for more units than any other decade in the estimates.
| ZIP | Area | Median year built | Built before 1940 | Built before 1960 | Built 2000 or later | Housing units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 98199 | Magnolia / part of Interbay | 1960 | 17.8% | 49.8% | 15.7% | 10,709 |
| 98119 | Queen Anne / part of Interbay | 1969 | 26.1% | 40.6% | 26.4% | 15,869 |
| 98107 | Ballard | 1995 | 17.6% | 26% | 47.2% | 16,938 |
| 98117 | North Ballard / Loyal Heights / Crown Hill | 1950 | 36.3% | 60.3% | 18.8% | 15,725 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates, tables B25034 & B25035.
That age shows up in the pipes. A side sewer laid in the 1940s or ’50s was often concrete or clay. Seattle Public Utilities says older concrete and clay pipe without watertight joints is especially prone to roots, and that exposed aggregate inside concrete pipe is “a common and critical defect” in Seattle (SPU). Inside the house, original galvanized supply lines, cast iron drains and decades of remodel repairs are common places for leaks and recurring clogs.
Your side sewer is yours, all the way to the street
In Seattle, the property owner owns and maintains the side sewer, the pipe from the house to the public main, including the part under the sidewalk or street. Repairs need a permit from SPU (it took over from SDCI in October 2025). SPU lists a private-property sanitary repair permit at generally $280. Work in the right-of-way also needs an SDOT permit, and in a public place only a registered side sewer contractor may do it.
SPU recommends inspecting your side sewer at least every 8–10 years, every 2–3 years if big trees are nearby, and before buying a home. If large trees grow near your line, the shorter interval applies. See side sewer repair and replacement, sewer camera inspection, and our side sewer permit guide.
Sources: Seattle Public Utilities: Your side sewer; SPU: Side sewer permits; SPU: Taking Care of Your Sewer Pipe (PDF).
Bluffs, slopes and sewer work in Magnolia
Magnolia is a hill surrounded by water on three sides, and much of its edge is steep. The City’s Environmentally Critical Areas maps include steep-slope areas and mapped known-slide areas in Magnolia. In our query of those maps, Magnolia had more known-slide features than any other neighborhood we checked. The maps are advisory, but if your lot is on or near a mapped slope, check before planning excavation. Slope and access also shape whether a sewer repair is done by open cut or with trenchless methods.
Water heaters in Magnolia: the 2026 permit rule
Since July 1, 2026, Public Health – Seattle & King County requires a permit for all replacement water heaters in Seattle, including like-for-like swaps. Heat-pump and condensing units often need ducting, condensate drains, or electrical and mechanical permits too. Seattle’s water is low in hardness (1.20–1.48 grains per gallon in SPU’s August 2025 analysis), so tank age and venting matter more than scale. See water heater repair, replacement and our permit guide.
Sources: Public Health – Seattle & King County, April 2026 plumbing newsletter (water heater permits); SPU quarterly surface water analysis, Aug 12, 2025 (PDF).
Where in Magnolia we work
We’re in north Magnolia near Briarcliff, about a mile from Discovery Park and under a mile from Magnolia Village (straight-line). That puts all of Magnolia close by: Magnolia Village and the McGraw Street business district, Lawton Park, Briarcliff, the Discovery Park edge, the bluff neighborhoods on the west and south sides, and southeast Magnolia down toward Smith Cove and Interbay.
How a job works
- Call or send a request. Tell us what’s happening. If water or sewage is coming up, we’ll walk you through stopping it first.
- Find the cause. Clear the line or open the access, then look: a camera for sewers, a test for leaks and water heaters.
- Options in plain English. What we found, where it is, and the repair choices. You decide before work starts.
- Permit, work, inspection. Where Seattle requires a permit (SPU for side sewers, Public Health for plumbing), the work is permitted and inspected.
Why call a Magnolia plumbing and sewer company
- We’re in the neighborhood. Our address is 4027 W Bertona St, in 98199.
- Plumbing and sewer under one name. From a slow drain to a side sewer replacement, the same company can follow the problem from the fixture to the City main.
- Seattle rules, explained. Which permit comes from SPU, which from Public Health, and when SDOT gets involved. It’s on this site, with sources.
- No inflated claims. You won’t see invented reviews, badges or around-the-clock promises here.
Neighborhoods beyond Magnolia
- Queen Anne: about 2.3 miles away
- Interbay: about 1.6 miles away
- Ballard: about 2.1 miles away
- Fremont: about 2.7 miles away
Homeowner guides
- Seattle Side Sewer Permits: What Homeowners Need to Know: Ownership, permits, fees, inspections and contractor rules, all in one place.
- Seattle’s Water Heater Permit Rule (July 2026): Why a like-for-like water heater swap now needs a permit, and what happens if it’s skipped.
Magnolia plumbing and sewer questions
Where is Magnolia Plumbing & Sewer located?
We’re at 4027 W Bertona St, Seattle, WA 98199, in Magnolia. Call 206-593-3737.
Which neighborhoods do you serve?
Magnolia is home: Magnolia Village, Lawton Park, Briarcliff, Discovery Park’s neighbors and southeast Magnolia. We also serve Interbay, Queen Anne, Ballard and Fremont.
Who owns the sewer pipe from my Magnolia house to the street?
You do. Seattle Public Utilities says the property owner owns and maintains the entire side sewer, all the way to the connection with the public sewer main, including the part under the sidewalk or street.
How often should a Magnolia side sewer be inspected?
SPU recommends at least every 8–10 years, every 2–3 years if large trees or shrubs grow near it, and before buying a home.
Do I need a permit to replace my water heater?
Yes. Starting July 1, 2026, Public Health – Seattle & King County requires a permit for all replacement water heaters in Seattle.
Find us
Magnolia Plumbing & Sewer, 4027 W Bertona St, Seattle, WA 98199 · 206-593-3737 · View on Google Maps
Talk to a Magnolia plumber
Call 206-593-3737, or send us a request online and we’ll get back to you.