What a Los Altos emergency call looks like
Most calls from Los Altos fall into a few groups. Sewage backing into a tub or floor drain, a water heater leaking in a garage, a supply line that has split inside a wall and a meter that will not stop spinning account for the large majority. Each of them is a case where waiting until morning makes the damage and the bill larger.
- You call and describe it. Tell the dispatcher the address, what you see and what you have already shut off.
- We confirm the window. We tell you when the plumber is expected, based on where the closest one is, and we update you if traffic on El Camino Real or Foothill Expressway changes it.
- The plumber stops the damage. Water is shut off, the line is cleared or the leak is isolated.
- You choose the permanent fix. The price is stated before the repair begins.
Before We Arrive
A few minutes of preparation lets the plumber start working the moment the truck is at the curb. These three cards cover the usual cases.
Water is flowing
- Close the main valve, usually near a hose bib at the front of the house.
- Open the lowest faucet to drain pressure from the pipes.
- Move rugs, boxes and electronics out of the wet area.
Drains are backing up
- Stop all water use, including the washer and dishwasher.
- Keep people and pets away from standing water.
- Photograph the damage before cleanup.
The water heater is leaking
- Close the cold supply valve on top of the heater.
- Switch off the breaker or turn the gas control to pilot or off.
- If you smell gas, leave the house and call from outside.
Los Altos pipe or drain emergency? Call the 24/7 line.
Call (650) 860-1670Who is responsible when a Los Altos sewer line backs up?
The City of Los Altos publishes a rule that differs from the one Mountain View uses, so it is worth knowing which side of the property line the blockage is on. Los Altos says the property owner is responsible for reconstruction of the sewer lateral from the home to the first joint after the property line. The City is responsible from that joint to the main sewer line in the street.
That split is about reconstruction. The Los Altos page also says residents are responsible for maintaining their laterals. If you are not sure which part of a failing pipe is yours, the City's Maintenance Division at 650-947-2785 can answer questions about lateral responsibility. We clear blockages in the house plumbing and lateral, and we tell you when a problem looks like the City's section.
| Mountain View | Los Altos | |
|---|---|---|
| Lateral boundary | Owner responsible for the lateral to the main, with a City courtesy cleaning from a property-line cleanout | Owner reconstructs to the first joint after the property line, City from there to the main |
| City contact | Public Works wastewater section | Maintenance Division, 650-947-2785 |
| Sewage treated at | Palo Alto Regional Water Quality Control Plant | Palo Alto Regional Water Quality Control Plant |
Los Altos water and your fixtures
Water in Los Altos comes from different providers by address. California Water Service's Los Altos Suburban district serves Los Altos and portions of Cupertino, Los Altos Hills, Mountain View and Sunnyvale, drawing on local groundwater and treated imported water bought from the Santa Clara Valley Water District. Some addresses are served by other providers, so check your bill.
Why it matters for plumbing: a water heater, tankless unit or softener sees different water depending on the source, and the provider's annual report is the place to find hardness and quality. We do not quote a figure. For fixtures, see faucet repair and tankless water heater service if scale is the complaint.
Los Altos homes and the pipes inside them
Los Altos was laid out in 1906 by the Altos Land Co. and incorporated on December 1, 1952, as the eleventh city in Santa Clara County. The City's own history says its population exploded after World War II. A town that grew in those decades has a lot of mid-century housing, and plumbing from that period is the usual source of trouble: old supply pipe, aging laterals and water heaters that have been replaced once or twice.
If your home dates from that growth period, the services most often needed are leak detection, repiping and sewer camera inspection. Tell the dispatcher the year the house was built. It helps us bring the right equipment.
| What is happening | Service | Urgency |
|---|---|---|
| Sewage or gray water coming up a drain | Sewer line cleaning | Emergency |
| Water heater leaking from the tank | Water heater replacement | Emergency |
| Pipe split inside a wall | Burst pipe repair | Emergency |
| Meter spinning with all taps off | Leak detection | Urgent |
| Kitchen or bath drain stopped | Drain cleaning | Same day |
ZIP codes in Los Altos
Street delivery in Los Altos uses 94022 and 94024. The code 94023 is a post-office-box ZIP, so it rarely appears on a house address, but it appears on mail and billing. We treat all three as Los Altos. The Mountain View side of the border uses 94040 and 94041, and the full list is on our service area page.
Plumbing work in Los Altos follows the California Plumbing Code, Part 5 of Title 24, and the City of Los Altos decides which jobs need a permit and an inspection.
Los Altos plumber questions
Do you cover every ZIP code in Los Altos?
Yes. We dispatch to 94022 and 94024, the street-delivery codes, and to addresses that use the 94023 post-office-box code. Call (650) 860-1670 with the street address and we confirm the window.
Is emergency service available in Los Altos?
Yes. The emergency line is open 24/7, including nights, weekends and holidays. A licensed plumber is dispatched from Mountain View to your Los Altos address.
Who is responsible for my sewer lateral in Los Altos?
The City of Los Altos says the owner reconstructs the lateral from the home to the first joint after the property line, and the City is responsible from there to the main. Call the City's Maintenance Division at 650-947-2785 with questions about your address.
How quickly can a plumber reach me in Los Altos?
It depends on traffic and on which plumber is closest when you call. We give the dispatch window on the phone and do not promise an exact arrival minute.
Do you do planned work in Los Altos, not only emergencies?
Yes. Water heater installation, repiping, fixture replacement and sewer camera inspections are all available. Call to book a daytime visit.