Plumbing questions from Edmonton homeowners.
Short answers about plumbing in Edmonton, by topic, each with its source. For anything urgent, call (587) 410-9956: the line is answered 24/7.
Dispatch, prices and permits
- Q.01
How much does a plumber cost in Edmonton?
Edmonton plumbers generally charge $100–$180 an hour, and service-call fees across Canada run $140–$475, usually including the first hour. A 40-gallon gas water heater costs $1,800–$2,600 installed with local plumbers.
Source: HomeStars Edmonton · HomeStars Canada · The Plumbing Pros Edmonton - Q.02
Do I need a permit to replace a water heater in Edmonton?
Not for a like-for-like swap in a single-family home: Alberta's Permit Regulation exempts replacing a water heater when the piping and venting design does not change. Moving, upsizing or converting the unit needs gas and plumbing permits.
Source: Alberta Permit Regulation AR 204/2007, s. 12(2)(c), 14(2)(c) · City of Edmonton - Q.03
How do I check a plumber's credentials in Alberta?
Plumbing and gasfitting are compulsory certification trades in Alberta. Ask for the journeyperson certificate and confirm it with Alberta's apprenticeship and industry training office (Tradesecrets).
Source: Tradesecrets, Government of Alberta - Q.04
Is there a subsidy for a backwater valve?
Yes. EPCOR pays up to $800 toward a backwater valve installed by a professional plumber with a City permit, mainly for homes built before 1989 or homes that have had sewer backups.
Source: EPCOR Backwater Valve Subsidy, updated Aug 31, 2026 - Q.05
Who receives my request?
One plumbing company that serves your area and does your type of job. Your request is not sold to a list, and you only pay that company, for work you approve.
Source: How dispatch works - Q.06
Why does hard water matter for my water heater?
Edmonton's water averaged 173.9 mg/L (10.2 gpg) in 2025, which the USGS rates hard; December averaged 186.9 mg/L, very hard. Scale builds up in heated tanks and shortens their life.
Source: EPCOR water quality reports · USGS
Emergency plumbing
- Q.07
What should I do first when a pipe bursts?
Shut the main water valve to stop the flow, then call. If no water flows and there is no known main break nearby, EPCOR says the service line is likely frozen; never thaw pipes with an open flame.
Source: EPCOR - Q.08
How much does an emergency plumber cost in Edmonton?
One Canadian estimate puts after-hours dispatch at $180–$350, then $150–$240 an hour plus parts. HomeStars’ Edmonton guide puts plumbers at $100–$180 an hour, with premiums for after-hours, weekend and emergency service.
Source: Cantiko estimate 2026 · HomeStars Edmonton - Q.09
Do emergency repairs need a permit?
Work can start without one in an emergency involving imminent serious danger, but Alberta’s Permit Regulation requires a permit to be applied for as soon as a permit issuer is available.
Source: Alberta Permit Regulation AR 204/2007 - Q.10
Who do I call for a sewer backup?
EPCOR’s 24/7 emergency line is 780-412-4500. EPCOR offers a basic fee-based diagnosis of the main sewer service line, recommends a qualified plumber for internal plumbing problems and does not reimburse plumber’s fees.
Source: EPCOR
Drain cleaning
- Q.11
How much does drain cleaning cost in Edmonton?
An Edmonton plumber lists $150–$300 for basic snaking, $350–$600 for hydro-jetting and $200–$400 for a video inspection. HomeStars’ Edmonton guide puts drain and sewer line clearing at $100–$650, depending on the blockage.
Source: The Plumbing Pros Edmonton · HomeStars Edmonton - Q.12
What causes sewer backups in Edmonton?
EPCOR lists fats, oils and grease, non-flushable wipes and paper towels, tree roots growing into sewer pipes, lines sagging with age, and collapsed or broken pipes. PVC resists roots better than clay tile or concrete.
Source: EPCOR - Q.13
When should a drain line be scoped with a camera?
When a clog keeps coming back: a camera shows whether roots, a sag or a break are the cause before anyone digs. An Edmonton plumber lists $200–$400 for a video inspection.
Source: The Plumbing Pros Edmonton
Water heaters
- Q.14
What size water heater does a family need?
Citing Natural Resources Canada, the City of Edmonton’s guide says a family of four with two bathrooms, a dishwasher and a clothes washer needs a 180-litre (40-gallon) tank; an oversized tank wastes energy.
Source: City of Edmonton home guide - Q.15
Is there a rebate for a new water heater?
The Canada Greener Homes Grant is closed. Edmonton’s Clean Energy Improvement Program finances tankless gas and heat pump water heaters, not storage tanks, at a fixed 6% over up to 20 years; it is near capacity and new applications go on a waitlist.
Source: Natural Resources Canada · City of Edmonton CEIP
Backwater valves
- Q.16
Do I need a permit to install a backwater valve?
Yes. Installing a backwater valve in Edmonton requires a plumbing permit: $120 per address plus a minimum $4.80 safety codes fee in 2026. EPCOR’s subsidy claim needs the City permit sticker and a paid invoice.
Source: City of Edmonton · EPCOR - Q.17
Who maintains the backwater valve?
The homeowner. Edmonton homeowners maintain and repair the sewer lines on their property, including any backwater valve; EPCOR is responsible for the pipe from the property line to the sewer main.
Source: EPCOR - Q.18
Does Strathcona County have its own rebate?
Yes. Strathcona County, which includes Sherwood Park, rebates up to 50% of a backwater valve’s supply and installation cost, to a maximum of $1,200.
Source: Strathcona County
Sewer line repair
- Q.19
How much does sewer line repair cost in Edmonton?
An Edmonton plumber puts trenchless sewer repair at $100–$250 per foot, plus a fixed charge for the crew and equipment. Canadian guides put a sewer line repair at $1,310–$5,250 or $2,000–$6,000, and full replacement at $5,000–$15,000.
Source: Mr. Rooter Edmonton · HomeStars · UrbanTasker 2026 - Q.20
Who is responsible for the sewer line?
Edmonton homeowners maintain and repair the sewer lines on their property, including any backwater valve; EPCOR is responsible for the pipe from the property line to the sewer main in the street or alley.
Source: EPCOR - Q.21
Do I need to call before digging?
Yes. Utility Safety Partners members require at least three full business days’ notice before any planned ground disturbance, such as digging up a sewer service.
Source: Utility Safety Partners
Tankless water heaters
- Q.22
How much does a tankless water heater cost in Edmonton?
An Edmonton plumber lists $3,200–$4,500 installed for a whole-house gas tankless unit, or $3,800–$5,500 for a condensing model; another local company says installation starts around $4,000.
Source: The Plumbing Pros Edmonton · Furnace Family - Q.23
Can I finance a tankless water heater in Edmonton?
Edmonton’s Clean Energy Improvement Program finances $3,000–$50,000 of upgrades at a fixed 6% over up to 20 years, repaid through the property tax bill. A tankless gas unit must have an energy factor of 0.9 or more, or a uniform energy factor of 0.72 or more; new applications go on a waitlist.
Source: City of Edmonton CEIP · Alberta Municipalities CEIP - Q.24
Does hard water affect a tankless unit?
Yes: scale forms when hard water is heated. Edmonton’s water averaged 10.2 gpg in 2025 and some 2026 samples reached 264 mg/L; Noritz’s warranty excludes damage from water harder than 12 gpg (200 mg/L).
Source: EPCOR water quality reports · USGS · Noritz - Q.25
How long does a tankless water heater last?
The U.S. Department of Energy puts most tankless units at more than 20 years, against 10–15 for storage tanks.
Source: U.S. DOE Energy Saver
Leak detection & repair
- Q.26
How much does leak detection cost?
Finding a hidden water leak costs $99–$1,000 in Canada, about $300 for one suspected leak (data mostly from British Columbia). HomeStars puts fixing a leak at $200–$950.
Source: plumbingcosts.ca · HomeStars - Q.27
Who fixes a leak on the water line to my house?
In Edmonton, the property owner is responsible for the water service line from the property line to the water meter in the home.
Source: EPCOR - Q.28
Could my home have a lead service line?
Edmonton homes built before 1960 may. EPCOR has been replacing lead service lines since 2008, and offers free annual water testing and a free certified filter on request if you have, or suspect, one.
Source: EPCOR - Q.29
What about Poly-B piping?
The Government of Alberta estimated, unconfirmed, that about 148,000 Alberta homes have Poly-B water piping, introduced in the mid-1970s; homes built before 1975 will not have it unless re-plumbed. Insurers have taken a harder line on it.
Source: Government of Alberta, 2016 · Alberta Real Estate Association
Frozen pipes & sump pumps
- Q.30
How do I keep pipes from freezing?
EPCOR says even a slow drip of hot or cold water can help keep pipes from freezing, and warns never to thaw pipes with an open flame.
Source: EPCOR - Q.31
Does EPCOR thaw frozen water services?
Under EPCOR’s Water Services Bylaw, the first visit to thaw a frozen water service is free and a second visit is billed at $300 an hour. The customer is responsible for protecting the private service line from freezing.
Source: EPCOR Water Services Bylaw 19626 - Q.32
Where can a sump pump discharge?
Edmonton’s Drainage Bylaw prohibits discharging roof or foundation (sump) drainage directly onto pervious ground within one metre of the building, and the City advises disconnecting the discharge hose in winter so it does not freeze.
Source: City of Edmonton Drainage Bylaw 18093 - Q.33
Does my house have a sump pump?
According to EPCOR, most Edmonton homes built after 1988 have a sump pump, while homes built before 1989 likely have weeping tile only.
Source: EPCOR