Plumber in Langley, BC: Walnut Grove, Willoughby & the Township

Flowest Plumbing is a family-owned team serving homeowners and businesses across Langley, from the newer builds around Willoughby and Walnut Grove to the established streets of Brookswood, Murrayville and Fort Langley. As a local, Langley-focused plumber, we know the mix of housing here and show up ready to sort out the job right the first time.

We handle the full range of work: plumbing repairs, drain cleaning and drainage, heating, residential construction and renovations, plus commercial and strata projects. Backed by over 30 years of plumbing experience and available 24/7 for emergencies, you can reach us any time a pipe bursts or a drain backs up.

City of Langley or Township of Langley?

Langley is two separate municipalities. The City of Langley is the compact centre, and the Township of Langley surrounds it, taking in Willoughby, Walnut Grove, Murrayville, Brookswood, Fort Langley and Aldergrove, along with a lot of rural land. Plumbing permits, inspections, and water and sewer service are handled by whichever one your address falls in, so it is worth knowing which before you plan a renovation, a basement suite or a new build. We work in both, and we tell you upfront when a job needs a permit.

Walnut Grove, Brookswood and Murrayville: homes from the late 1970s to the 1990s

A lot of Langley's housing, including much of Walnut Grove and plenty of homes in Brookswood and Murrayville, went up between the late 1970s and the 1990s. That was the era of Poly B supply pipe, and many of those houses are now on their second or third water heater and still have their original shut-off valves. If you own one, these are worth checking:

• Grey plastic supply pipe stamped PB2110. That is Poly B, and its condition is worth having looked at, especially if a fitting has ever leaked.
• The age of your water heater. The date is on the label or coded into the serial number, and tanks commonly last around eight to twelve years.
• The main shut-off valve. Older round-handled gate valves often seize, so find yours and make sure it turns before you need it in a hurry.
• Rubber supply hoses on the washing machine and toilets. They perish with age, and braided steel replacements are cheap.
• Slow or gurgling drains. On older properties, tree roots in the sewer line are a common cause, and a camera inspection shows what is going on before anyone digs.

Newer homes in Willoughby

Willoughby has grown quickly, and in newer homes the work is usually about adding or changing things rather than fixing old pipe: plumbing a basement suite, adding a bathroom, moving fixtures in a kitchen renovation, or switching to a tankless water heater. A few things are still worth keeping on top of:

• The pressure-reducing valve (PRV) where the water line enters the house. They wear out over time, and high pressure is hard on fixtures, hoses and appliances.
• The expansion tank on the water heater, which protects the system as heated water expands.
• Tankless water heaters, which need periodic descaling to keep running efficiently.
• Outdoor taps. Disconnect hoses before the first frost, even on frost-free hose bibs.

Acreages, wells and septic

Much of rural Langley is not on municipal water or sewer. If your property runs on a private well and a septic system, the plumbing inside the house works the same way, but some symptoms point somewhere different. Pressure that surges and drops can mean a problem with the pressure tank or switch rather than the pipes. Slow drains and gurgling across the whole house can mean the septic system needs attention. Keeping grease, wipes and harsh chemicals out of the drains protects both.

Wet winters and drainage

Langley gets most of its rain between October and March, and that is when perimeter drains and sump pumps get tested. Water pooling against the foundation, a damp basement, or a sump pump that runs constantly are all worth acting on before the heavy rain arrives. A camera inspection can show whether a perimeter drain is blocked or damaged, and a backwater valve on the main sewer line helps protect a basement from sewer backups.

Helpful reading

• Poly B replacement in Langley
• Poly B pipes: should you replace them?
• How to shut off your water main in an emergency
• Why is my drain gurgling? 5 common causes
• Preparing your plumbing for a Fraser Valley winter
• Hot water tank replacement in Langley
• Drain cleaning in Langley
• Furnace and heating repair in Langley

Our services in Langley

Neighbourhoods we cover

We serve homes and businesses throughout Langley, including Willoughby, Walnut Grove, Brookswood, Fort Langley, Murrayville and the surrounding areas.