What is behind the drywall in University Place matters more than most people expect. Post-war ramblers and split-levels from the 1950s through the 70s make up the heart of UP, with 1920s to 40s cottages near Day Island and Sunset Beach, and 1990s to 2000s homes near Chambers Bay and on infill lots. That era mix means copper reaching the end of its life, original cast iron under slab-on-grade houses, and plenty of 1970s galvanized still in service. We reach University Place in about 40 minutes from Port Orchard, over the Narrows Bridge and south on Bridgeport Way or Jackson Avenue, and the trucks go out stocked for the jobs this community generates most.
Why well house & pressure tank service is a little different in University Place
Waterfront wells around University Place are where we see corroded fittings and tanks that rust out early. The cause is a well and water quality issue, not a plumbing one, but the damage shows up in the well house and we will tell you what we see so you can act on it.
Digging and draining in University Place depend on the soil. A high glacial plateau that drops in steep bluffs to the Narrows and Chambers Bay, cut by Leach Creek and Chambers Creek Canyon. Gravelly outwash on the plateau drains well; the bluff edges and the creek canyons hold water and move.
Local conditions that affect well house & pressure tank service in University Place
In University Place specifically, one issue comes up more than most: Water heaters past their life in garages of 1970s split-levels
Well houses around University Place tend to be small, unheated sheds, and the December 2022 and January 2024 freezes split a lot of them open. We insulate lines, add thermostatic heat tape, set tanks off the slab and will tell you plainly whether your building needs a heater before the next cold snap.
Ask a University Place homeowner what goes wrong with plumbing here and you will usually hear a version of this: Pinhole leaks in 1960s and 70s copper, often in slab-on-grade ramblers
Iron and sediment are common in University Place well water, and both clog the small nipple under the pressure switch so it can no longer read pressure. We clean or replace it with every switch job and recommend a sediment filter after the tank where the water calls for it.
Signs University Place homeowners call us for well house & pressure tank service
Worth a call
- Lines in the well house froze last winter and the building has no heat
- The well house plumbing is a patchwork of old fittings and valves that no longer close
- The pump clicks on and off rapidly whenever a faucet is running
- Water pressure surges and sags in the shower
- The pressure tank sounds dull or heavy when you tap near the top
How we handle well house & pressure tank service in University Place
Here is how it runs when we come to University Place for well house & pressure tank service: tell corinne what the system is doing, diagnose at the well house, flat price on your phone, replace the cluster, not just the part, run it through its cycles, then winter and maintenance advice. Nothing is started until you have approved a flat price.
Read the full step-by-step for well house & pressure tank service →
University Place neighborhoods and areas we serve
From Chambers Bay and Grandview Drive to Cirque Drive and 27th Street, with plenty of stops around Tacoma Narrows Bridge view from the bluff and Chambers Bay golf course and Chambers Creek Regional Park, University Place is well-worn ground for our trucks.
Well House & Pressure Tank Service questions from University Place
My University Place well house froze. Can you fix the plumbing?
Yes. We repair split lines, replace cracked tanks, tees and switches, and insulate and heat the building so it does not happen again next winter.
What pressure tank do you install in University Place?
Well-X-Trol or Amtrol, sized to your pump and your home rather than to whatever was there before. The tank comes with a new tee, switch, gauge, relief valve and isolation valve.
Can you add filtration in my University Place well house?
Yes. Sediment, iron and whole-house filtration go in after the pressure tank, and we size them so flow is not restricted. A recent water test tells us what to install.
Is there a charge to diagnose a well house problem in University Place?
Diagnosis is part of the flat-rate quote, and you approve the price before any repair. If the fix is a breaker or a quick reset, you will not be charged for a tank you did not need, and if it is the pump, you get a referral rather than a bill.
Do you pull or replace well pumps?
No. The pump, the drop pipe, the pitless adapter and the control box are well pump company work, and we will tell you when that is what you need. We handle everything plumbed inside the well house and the line from there to the home, and we are glad to coordinate with the pump company so the whole system is right when they leave.
We bring the same equipment to University Place that we use at home in Kitsap: sectional and drum machines, a push camera with a monitor, our own hydro jetting truck, and a van stocked for the common repairs.