The Inland Empire Homeowner's Plumbing Guides
Practical, no-nonsense plumbing guides written for Southern California homes: slab foundations, hard water, Santa Ana winds and all. Know what to do before the water's running across your kitchen floor.
Five guides. Pick what you need.
Each guide is free to download and print. The four quick guides are also on this page in full, with an overview of the handbook: skim them now, or print the PDFs and keep them handy. Every one is written specifically for Inland Empire homes.
The Homeowner's Plumbing Guide
The full 13-page handbook: how your plumbing works, shut-off valves, emergencies, seasonal maintenance, checklists, prevention, and when to call a pro.
Plumbing Quick Guide: The Essentials
The single best one-page reference: find your valves, the top 5 emergency moves, key prevention tips, and when to call. Print it and stick it on the fridge.
Plumbing Emergency Quick Guide
What to do first, before the plumber arrives: burst pipe, overflowing toilet, sewer backup, leaking water heater, and no water at all.
Shut-Off Valves & When to Call a Pro
Where your shut-off valves are, fast emergency response, and the clear list of problems that need a licensed plumber, not a DIY weekend.
Plumbing Prevention Quick Guide
Simple habits that prevent expensive problems: a monthly check, Inland Empire specifics like hard water and slab leaks, and mistakes to avoid.
Inland Empire Numbers to Save
Program these into your phone before you need them. In a plumbing emergency, having the right number ready limits the damage.
Your Water Provider: Customer Service
For water main shut-offs at the street, billing questions, or to report a leak in the public right-of-way, here are the water providers for 10 of the cities we serve. For after-hours water emergencies, call the number on your water bill.
The full guides, in plain text
Don't want to download a PDF? The four quick guides are here in full, plus an overview of the handbook. Tap any guide to expand it.
Plumbing Quick Guide: The Essentials
Find your shut-off valves now
The single most important thing any homeowner can do. Locate your main water valve: in most Inland Empire homes it's outside on an exterior wall near the front hose bib, in the garage, or at a curb box. Then find your fixture valves under sinks and behind toilets. Label them. You won't have time to learn this during an emergency.
Top 5 emergency moves
- Burst pipe: shut the main valve, open the lowest faucet, turn off the water heater (never touch anything electrical while standing in water), contain water.
- Overflowing toilet: close the valve behind the bowl, then plunge with a flange plunger.
- Sewer backup: stop using all water immediately; every flush makes it worse.
- Water heater leak: shut the cold inlet, kill power or gas.
- Gas smell: get everyone out first and don't touch switches or flames. From outside, call SoCalGas at 1-800-427-2200 and 911. Shut the gas off at the meter only if it's safe, from outside. Once it is safe, call Sweetwater to find and repair the leak.
Prevent the big problems
- Flush your water heater yearly. Inland Empire hard water means fast sediment buildup.
- Watch for slab leaks: warm floor spots, running water with everything off, water-bill spikes.
- Never pour grease down the drain; keep hair screens in showers.
- Clear yard and area drains before winter rains and after Santa Ana winds.
When to call Sweetwater
Slab leaks, sewer backups, water-heater replacement, house-wide low pressure, repiping, or anything behind a wall. Call (909) 312-4516. 24/7 emergency service available.
Plumbing Emergency Quick Guide: What to Do First
Burst pipe
- Shut off the main water valve immediately. Every minute costs gallons.
- Open the lowest faucet (outdoor spigot, garage utility sink, or laundry tub) to drain the lines.
- If you can do it without standing in water, switch off the water heater at the breaker (or turn a gas heater’s control to OFF) and any circuit near the leak. Never touch switches or cords while standing in water.
- Contain water with towels, buckets, or a wet/dry vacuum.
- Call Sweetwater Plumbing at (909) 312-4516.
Overflowing toilet
- Close the shut-off valve behind the toilet (turn clockwise until it stops).
- If the valve is stuck, lift the tank lid, push the flapper down to seal it, and lift the float to stop the tank from refilling.
- Plunge with a flange plunger using firm, steady strokes.
- If it won't clear, stop and try a toilet auger.
Sewer backup
Multiple drains gurgling, toilets bubbling when you run the washer, or sewage coming up in the lowest drain usually means your main sewer line is blocked. Stop using all water immediately: every flush makes it worse. Call Sweetwater Plumbing at (909) 312-4516 to clear the line and run a camera through it.
Water heater leaking
A puddle around the base often means the tank has failed. Shut off the cold-water supply valve at the top of the heater, kill power (breaker for electric; gas control to OFF for gas), and call Sweetwater. A fully ruptured tank can release 40+ gallons fast.
No water at all
Check whether your neighbors have water. If they're out too, it's a water provider issue. If only you're out, make sure the main valve hasn't been closed. Can't find the cause? Call Sweetwater Plumbing at (909) 312-4516.
Shut-Off Valves, Emergencies & When to Call a Pro
Know your shut-off valves
Find these this week and label them. When water is spraying at 2 a.m., you won't have time to learn.
- Main water shut-off: in Inland Empire homes, usually outside on an exterior wall near the front hose bib, in the garage, a utility closet, or a curb box. Ball valve (quarter turn) or gate valve (turn clockwise).
- Fixture valves: under every sink, behind every toilet, at the washer and dishwasher. Isolate one fixture without killing the whole house.
- Gas shut-off: at the meter outside. A quarter turn so the tab sits crosswise to the pipe. If you smell gas, leave first, then call SoCalGas at 1-800-427-2200 and 911 from outside. Shut it off only if you can reach it safely from outside. Don't turn it back on yourself; only SoCalGas should.
Emergency first response
- Burst pipe: shut off the main valve, open the lowest faucet, turn off the water heater (never touch anything electrical while standing in water), contain water, call us.
- Overflowing toilet: close the valve behind the bowl, plunge with a flange plunger, try an auger if needed.
- Sewer backup: stop using all water immediately, then call us to clear the line and camera it.
- Water heater leaking: shut the cold inlet, kill power/gas, call us. Don't delay.
When to call Sweetwater Plumbing
- Anything behind walls, ceilings, or floors
- Sewer backups or recurring slow drains throughout the house
- Suspected slab leaks: warm floor spots, running water with everything off, water-bill spikes
- Water heater replacement
- Low pressure house-wide, or persistent discolored water
Smell gas? Leave the house first, then call SoCalGas at 1-800-427-2200 and 911 from outside. Once it is safe, call Sweetwater Plumbing to find and repair the leak and pressure-test the line. (909) 312-4516.
Plumbing Prevention Quick Guide
Monthly check
- Look under every sink: water stains, mineral crust, soft cabinet bottoms, musty smell.
- Inspect washing-machine hoses for bulges, cracks, or rust at the connections.
- Check the water-heater base for any moisture or rust streaks.
- Listen for running toilets. Phantom flushes waste hundreds of gallons a month.
- Watch your water bill; sudden spikes often mean a hidden leak.
Inland Empire specifics
- Hard water: flush your water heater once a year, because tanks fill with sediment fast here.
- Slab leaks: watch for warm spots on floors, running water when nothing's on, and unexplained bill spikes.
- Santa Ana winds & rains: clear yard and area drains before storms so water doesn't pool at the foundation.
- Replace rubber washer hoses with braided stainless steel. Cheap insurance against a flooded laundry room.
Avoid these common mistakes
- Never pour grease, oil, or fat down the drain; it solidifies and clogs.
- Keep hair-catcher screens in showers and tubs.
- Skip chemical drain cleaners: they damage pipes. Use a plunger or hand snake.
- Fix a running toilet fast. It's usually a worn flapper or fill valve.
The Complete Homeowner's Plumbing Guide (Overview)
The full 13-page handbook covers everything above in depth, plus how your home's supply and drain-waste-vent systems work, seasonal maintenance for the Inland Empire's dry and rainy seasons, monthly and annual maintenance checklists, prevention for the most common problems, and the complete tool-and-supply list every homeowner should keep on hand.
What's inside
- How Your Home Plumbing Works
- Know Your Shut-Off Valves
- Plumbing Emergencies: First Response
- Seasonal Maintenance for the Inland Empire (dry season and rainy season)
- Monthly & Annual Checklists
- Preventing the Most Common Problems
- When to Call Sweetwater Plumbing
- Handy Tools & Supplies
Inland Empire plumbing FAQ
What should I do first when a pipe bursts?
Shut off your main water valve immediately: every minute costs gallons. Then open the lowest faucet (an outdoor spigot, garage utility sink, or laundry tub) to drain the lines, turn off the water heater (breaker for electric, gas control to OFF for gas) if you can do it without standing in water, contain the water, and call Sweetwater Plumbing at (909) 312-4516.
Where is my main water shut-off valve in an Inland Empire home?
In most Inland Empire homes the main shut-off is outside on an exterior wall near the front hose bib, in the garage, in a utility closet, or in a buried box near the curb. It's a ball valve (quarter turn to close) or a gate valve (turn clockwise several rotations). Find it and label it before an emergency.
What are the warning signs of a slab leak?
In SoCal slab-on-grade homes, watch for unexplained warm spots on the floor, a water meter that runs when everything is off, and sudden spikes in your water bill. Slab leaks are common in the Inland Empire. Call Sweetwater Plumbing at (909) 312-4516 the moment you suspect one.
How often should I flush my water heater in the Inland Empire?
Once a year. Inland Empire water is hard, so tanks accumulate calcium and sediment faster here than in most of the country. Annual flushing protects the tank and keeps energy costs down.
When should I call a plumber instead of fixing it myself?
Call Sweetwater Plumbing for anything behind walls, ceilings, or floors; sewer backups or recurring slow drains; suspected slab leaks; water heater replacement; house-wide low pressure; persistent discolored water; or repiping. Call (909) 312-4516. 24/7 emergency service available.
What's my city water department phone number in the Inland Empire?
Your city water provider handles street-side main shut-offs, billing, and leaks in the public right-of-way:
- Ontario (Municipal Utilities Co.): (909) 395-2050
- Chino (City Utility Billing): (909) 334-3264
- Chino Hills (City Utility Billing): (909) 364-2660
- Fontana (Fontana Water Company): (909) 822-2201
- Rancho Cucamonga (Cucamonga Valley Water District): (909) 944-6000
- Upland (City Water Billing): (909) 931-4150
- Montclair (Monte Vista Water District): (909) 624-0035
- Pomona (City Water & Sewer): (909) 620-2241
- Claremont (Golden State Water Co.): 1-800-999-4033
- Riverside (Riverside Public Utilities): (951) 782-0330
For the plumbing in your home (not the city's line at the street), call Sweetwater Plumbing at (909) 312-4516.