Nationwide Plumbers is a NYC licensed master plumbing contractor, License #2023, in business since 1984 in southern Brooklyn. We dispatch 24/7 to Gravesend for drains, sewer lines, boilers, water heaters, gas piping and Local Law 152 inspections. Call 718-748-2727.
Gravesend is one of the six original towns of Kings County, and traces of its old village layout survive around Gravesend Neck Road. Today it is a residential neighborhood of detached and semi-detached houses, two-family homes and apartment buildings, with Avenue U, Kings Highway and McDonald Avenue as commercial streets and Ocean Parkway along its eastern side. The F train runs above McDonald Avenue, and the N stops at Avenue U and Kings Highway.
Housing here spans most of the 20th century, so plumbing problems vary from block to block. Older frame houses may still have galvanized piping, brick houses from the middle of the century often have clay sewer laterals, and the apartment buildings along Ocean Parkway and the avenues run central boilers and gas risers. The southern part, toward Coney Island Creek, is lower and more prone to basement water.
Services we offer in Gravesend
- Drain cleaning and main line clearing
- Hydro jetting
- Sewer camera inspection and sewer line replacement
- Boiler repair and annual inspections for apartment buildings
- Local Law 152 gas inspections and GPS2 filings
- Gas riser replacement and gas restoration
- Water heaters and galvanized pipe replacement
- Commercial plumbing for Avenue U and Kings Highway businesses
Common plumbing issues in Gravesend
Apartment buildings on Ocean Parkway
The six-story apartment buildings along Ocean Parkway typically share a central boiler, stacked kitchen and bathroom lines, and gas risers to each floor. Typical problems include kitchen stack stoppages, leaks between floors and Local Law 152 findings on old risers. We work with owners and managing agents and provide certificates of insurance when needed.
Restaurant corridors on Avenue U
Avenue U and Kings Highway are lined with restaurants, bakeries and food shops. Grease from those kitchens builds up in the building sewer and can back up into the store and the apartments above. Regular jetting with our van-mounted jetter keeps those lines flowing, and we can inspect the line on camera after cleaning.
Galvanized pipe in older frame houses
Some of Gravesend's older frame houses were plumbed with galvanized steel, which closes up with rust over the decades. Weak water flow, rusty water after the house sits, and leaks at threaded joints are typical. Replacing the worst sections, or repiping the house, solves the problem for good and brings back full water pressure.
Low blocks toward Coney Island Creek
The southern part of Gravesend sits lower, and basements there are more likely to take water in heavy storms. Floor drains that back up, sump pits that overflow and damp walls are common. A clean house trap, a correctly sized sump pump with a check valve, and a backwater valve where the house sewer allows it all reduce the risk.
Why Gravesend residents choose Nationwide Plumbers
- Licensed master plumber, License #2023, since 1984
- Property management accounts and COIs for apartment buildings
- Written estimate before work starts
- English, Spanish and French speaking technicians
Service area in and around Gravesend
We service all of Gravesend, Brooklyn (ZIP 11223), for emergencies 24/7 and for scheduled work.
Nearby neighborhoods we also serve: Bensonhurst, Bath Beach, Homecrest, Coney Island and Midwood. For our full coverage, see our Brooklyn service area page.
Plumbing in Gravesend: FAQ
Our building's kitchen line keeps backing up on the lower floors. What can be done?
The kitchen stack and building drain are likely coated with grease from every apartment above. Snaking punches a hole through, but the buildup stays. Jetting cleans the pipe to its full diameter and carries a 45-day guarantee. We can also camera the line afterward to check it.
Do you handle gas riser replacement for buildings in Gravesend?
Yes. We replace corroded or leaking gas risers in apartment buildings, pressure test, file with the Department of Buildings and coordinate with National Grid to restore service, keeping owners and agents informed. See gas riser replacement.
Do you service businesses on Avenue U?
Yes. We handle commercial drains, grease line jetting, water heaters, fixtures, backflow testing and gas piping for stores and restaurants on Avenue U, Kings Highway and McDonald Avenue, and we provide certificates of insurance to landlords on request.
