Commercial Plumbing in Lemon Grove, CA

Problems worth a call

• A cleanout cap lifting or seeping after heavy use or a storm
• Toilets on one side of the building backing up together
• Hot water that gives out partway through the day
• Scale crusting on sensor faucets, sprayers and dish equipment
• A wet patch or sunken spot between the building and the street
• Rising water use without a matching rise in business

Lemon Grove utilities and rules

Helix Water District treats its water with ozone at the R.M. Levy plant and uses chloramines in distribution. Its treated plant water ranges from 155 to 250 mg/L as calcium carbonate, averaging about 12 grains per gallon, which builds scale in water heaters and food-service gear. Chloramine also wears on some rubber seals and gaskets over time. Helix says its distribution system has no lead pipes or service lines and offers an online lookup map. Its customer number is 619-466-0585.

Sewer belongs to the Lemon Grove Sanitation District, run by the City, with about 67 miles of collection pipe feeding the San Diego Metropolitan Wastewater system. The City is clear that the property owner maintains the lateral from the building to the main, which usually sits in the street, and digging in the public right of way needs a City Encroachment Permit. Sanitation takes calls Monday through Thursday at 619-825-3810; after hours and Friday through Sunday, sewer spills go to Heartland Fire and Rescue Dispatch at 619-441-1621.

The Building Division at City Hall, 3232 Main Street, handles permit applications; call (619) 825-3800. Gas is SDG&E. If staff smell gas, everyone leaves first, then someone calls 911 and SDG&E at 1-800-611-7343 from outside.

What drives the cost

• Whether the problem is inside the building or out in the lateral
• Camera inspection and locating the line before digging
• Street or sidewalk work that requires an Encroachment Permit
• After-hours work to keep a shop or restaurant open
• Restoring concrete, asphalt or finished surfaces
• The size and type of water heater or fixture being replaced

When you call

Tell us what kind of business it is, what the symptoms are and whether you can keep operating. You'll be connected with an independent local plumber who takes commercial work in Lemon Grove, from Broadway to Lemon Grove Avenue. Ask what the first visit includes, how pricing is set and whether the job will need a permit.