Every home's plumbing tells a different story, and after nearly 20 years of working in Kennewick and across the Tri-Cities, we have heard just about every chapter. Chris Johnson Plumbing has been diagnosing and fixing plumbing problems here since 2006, serving homeowners, landlords, property managers, and local businesses with the same hands-on approach from day one. Whether you have a dripping faucet keeping you up at night or a burst pipe that needs attention right now, our team of licensed plumbers is ready to help. Call us at (509) 619-1595 and we will get someone out to take a look.
We treat your home and its pipes the way we would our own. That means showing up on time, explaining what we find, and giving you a straight quote before any work begins. Same-day appointments are available, and we handle emergency calls when things cannot wait.
Local plumbers. Sound pipes. Honest quotes.
The hardest part of a plumbing problem is knowing when to call, and the answer is almost always sooner than you think. We handle the full range of residential and commercial plumbing work, from the quick fix to the full system overhaul.
A slow drain is easy to ignore until it is not draining at all. We clear clogs in kitchen sinks, shower drains, floor drains, and main lines using proven methods including hydro jetting for the stubborn blockages that a plunger will never touch. Hydro jetting uses pressurized water to scour the inside of the pipe, clearing grease, mineral buildup, and debris without damaging the line. If your drains are backing up or running slow, we can find the cause and clear it the same day in most cases.
A leak inside a wall or under a concrete floor can go unnoticed for weeks while quietly doing real damage. Experienced plumbers who respect your home use careful diagnostics to locate the source before opening anything up unnecessarily. We repair leaking pipes under sinks, in walls, and along supply lines, and we replace sections of water line when a patch is no longer the right call. Reach out and we will get it diagnosed quickly.
No hot water is one of those problems that stops your morning cold. We repair and replace both tank and tankless water heaters, and we can help you decide which type makes sense for your household or building. Tankless units heat water on demand and free up space; traditional tank units are straightforward and familiar. Either way, we handle the installation correctly so you are not dealing with the same problem again in six months.
A running toilet can waste hundreds of gallons a week. A dripping faucet adds up faster than most people expect. We repair and replace toilets, faucets, showerheads, bathtubs, and all the fixtures in between, in bathrooms and kitchens alike. If you are upgrading during a remodel or just replacing something worn out, we handle the installation so the new fixture works right from the start.
A sewer backup is not a problem you can put off. We service sewer and main lines for both residential and commercial properties, clearing blockages, repairing damaged sections, and replacing lines that have reached the end of their life. Video camera inspection lets us see exactly what is happening inside the pipe before we recommend a repair. Where trenchless methods apply, we use them to minimize disruption to your yard and property. We speak only to the line itself, from the house out to the connection point, and we keep it clear and functioning.
Some of the most common service calls we get are for garbage disposal jams, low water pressure, and shutoff valves that no longer close all the way. These are smaller jobs, but they affect how your home functions every day. We install and repair garbage disposals, diagnose water pressure issues at the source, and replace shutoff valves and pressure-reducing valves when they are past their useful life. We keep your home dry and your water flowing.
At some point, repeated repairs stop making financial sense. Older galvanized or polybutylene pipe eventually corrodes, leaks, or restricts flow to the point where the whole-house repipe is the smarter investment. We assess the condition of your existing pipes and give you an honest recommendation. When a full repipe is the right move, we plan the work to minimize disruption and complete it efficiently.
Kennewick sits in a high-desert climate where winters bring hard freezes and significant temperature swings between seasons. Pipes in crawl spaces, exterior walls, and unheated garages are especially vulnerable when temperatures drop fast. Spring snowmelt and heavy rain events can push water against foundations and overwhelm drainage systems. The following services address the seasonal plumbing realities that come with living in this part of Washington.
When temperatures drop below freezing and stay there, water inside exposed pipes can freeze, expand, and split the pipe open. Kennewick's freeze-thaw cycles put pipes in crawl spaces, garages, and exterior walls at real risk. A burst pipe is an emergency, and we respond to these calls with the urgency they deserve. We locate the break, stop the water, and make the repair. If a section of pipe is too compromised to patch, we replace it cleanly and get your water back on.
Spring snowmelt and heavy rain events in the Tri-Cities area can send water toward foundations fast. A sump pump is the first line of defense against a flooded basement or crawl space. We install new sump pumps, replace units that have failed, and repair pumps that are running but not keeping up. Installing or servicing a sump pump before the wet season hits is a straightforward investment that can prevent a much larger problem. Call us and the rest is on our team.
Before a hard freeze arrives, the smart move is to protect the pipes that are most exposed. We insulate pipes in crawl spaces, garages, and exterior walls, and we help homeowners shut down and drain outdoor faucets, hose bibs, and irrigation supply lines before winter sets in. Frost-free hose bib installation is a practical upgrade that removes one of the most common freeze points on a home. Winterization is a short visit that can prevent an expensive emergency repair a few weeks later.
Your home deserves pipes that are sound and up to code, and when something goes wrong at an inconvenient hour, you need a plumber who picks up the phone. We handle emergency plumbing calls for burst pipes, sewer backups, overflowing toilets, major leaks, and any situation where water is going somewhere it should not. Same-day and after-hours service is available because plumbing problems do not follow a business-hours schedule.
Quick response. Straight pricing. No surprises under the sink.
Call us at (509) 619-1595 and we will get someone moving toward your address. We give you a clear picture of what is happening and what it will take to fix it before we start the work.
We work with all types of customers across Kennewick and the surrounding area. Homeowners call us for everything from a leaky faucet to a full repipe. Landlords and property managers rely on us to keep rental units in working order and to respond quickly when a tenant reports a problem. Local businesses, office buildings, and commercial properties need plumbing work done correctly and on a schedule that does not shut down operations.
With a local shop, your questions go straight to the people doing the work. We also handle the plumbing side of kitchen and bathroom remodels, installing supply lines, drain connections, and fixtures as part of a larger renovation project. Whatever the property type, we bring the same straightforward approach to every job.
We are a local plumber homeowners rely on, and that reputation has been built one job at a time over the past two decades.
Plumbing costs vary depending on what the job actually involves. A simple faucet repair is a different conversation than a full repipe or a sewer line replacement. We do not give vague ballpark numbers over the phone and then surprise you with something different on the invoice. We diagnose the problem, explain what we found, and give you a clear quote before any work begins.
Work is performed by licensed plumbers who know what they are looking at and can explain it in plain terms. If the scope of a job changes once we are into it, we tell you before we proceed.
Pricing depends on the job. A quote depends on a diagnosis. Call for a quote and we will walk you through it.
We serve customers throughout Benton County and the wider Tri-Cities area. If you are in any of the following communities, we can get a plumber to your door:
Whether you are right in Kennewick or a few miles out, we are familiar with the area and the plumbing challenges that come with homes and buildings in this part of Washington. Reach out and we will confirm service to your address.
A burst pipe, a major leak that is actively putting water into the home, a complete sewer backup, an overflowing toilet that will not shut off, and a sudden total loss of hot water are all situations that warrant an immediate call. These problems get worse the longer they go unaddressed, and water damage accumulates fast. We handle emergency calls every day of the week from 7:30 AM to 10:00 PM, and we respond to these situations with the urgency they deserve.
Shut off the water supply to the affected fixture or, if the problem is widespread, shut off the main water supply to the house. Move valuables, rugs, and electronics away from standing water if it is safe to do so. Do not attempt to open walls or dig into the problem yourself. When you call us, we will walk you through any immediate steps that make sense for your specific situation before we arrive.
We use diagnostic equipment to trace the source of a leak without tearing apart more of your home than necessary. The process typically involves checking water pressure, listening for signs of flow in unexpected places, and using detection tools to narrow down the location before we open anything up. Once we find it, we explain what we found and give you a clear quote for the repair before we start.
A sewer camera inspection involves running a small camera through the sewer line from inside the house out toward the connection point. It lets us see exactly what is happening inside the pipe, whether that is a blockage, a crack, a root intrusion, or a section of pipe that has shifted or collapsed. We recommend it when a line is backing up repeatedly, when a repair is being planned, or when a buyer or property manager wants to know the condition of a building's sewer line before making a decision.
A clog that returns quickly usually means the line was not fully cleared, or that there is an underlying buildup of grease, mineral scale, or debris that a standard snake cannot remove completely. Hydro jetting scours the inside of the pipe with pressurized water and is more effective for recurring clogs. In some cases, a recurring backup points to a damaged or partially collapsed section of pipe that needs repair rather than just clearing.
Hydro jetting uses high-pressure water to clean the inside of a drain line rather than just punching through a blockage. It is more thorough than a snake and is the right call for heavy grease buildup, mineral deposits, or clogs that keep coming back. A standard snake is fine for a simple obstruction, but when the line has years of buildup or a recurring problem, hydro jetting gives a cleaner and longer-lasting result.
When a home has galvanized pipe that is corroding throughout the system, repairs become a cycle of patching one section only to have another fail shortly after. If you are seeing low water pressure throughout the house, discolored water, or repeated leaks in different locations, a full repipe is often the more cost-effective path. We assess the condition of the existing system and give you an honest recommendation based on what we actually find.
Low water pressure can come from a partially closed shutoff valve, a failing pressure-reducing valve, mineral buildup inside older pipes, a leak somewhere in the supply line, or a problem at the meter. We start by checking the most accessible points first and work inward from there. Once we identify the source, we explain the cause and quote the fix before doing anything.
A water heater that is leaking from the tank itself, is more than 10 to 12 years old, or is producing rusty or discolored water is usually a replacement candidate. A unit that is not heating consistently, is making unusual noises, or has a faulty thermostat or heating element may be repairable depending on its age and overall condition. We check the unit thoroughly and help you weigh the repair cost against the remaining useful life before recommending a path.
When a pipe freezes, we thaw it safely to avoid adding stress to a line that may already be compromised. If the pipe has burst, we locate the break, stop the water, and repair or replace the damaged section. We also look at where insulation gaps or exposed runs left the pipe vulnerable so you are not dealing with the same problem the next time temperatures drop into the teens.
Sump pump installation involves placing a pump in a pit at the lowest point of a basement or crawl space so that groundwater collecting there is directed away from the foundation. In the Tri-Cities area, spring snowmelt and heavy rain events can push water toward foundations quickly. We install new pumps, replace failed units, and repair pumps that are running but not keeping up with inflow. Getting a pump in place before the wet season is a straightforward way to avoid a much larger problem.
Winterization typically includes insulating exposed pipes in crawl spaces, garages, and exterior walls, draining and shutting off outdoor faucets and hose bibs, and checking shutoff valves to make sure they close fully. We also install frost-free hose bibs as an upgrade that removes one of the most common freeze points on a home. Scheduling this in the fall, before temperatures drop, is far less expensive than responding to a burst pipe in February.
Ready to get the water sorted? Chris Johnson Plumbing has been serving Kennewick homeowners, landlords, and businesses since 2006, and we are ready to help with whatever your plumbing situation looks like today.
Local plumbers. Sound pipes. Honest quotes.
Call us at (509) 619-1595 to schedule service or request a quote. Same-day appointments are available, and we handle emergency calls when the situation cannot wait. We keep your home dry and your water flowing.
We handle the full range of residential and commercial plumbing in Kennewick and the Tri-Cities area, from a dripping faucet to a burst pipe on a January morning. The table below covers what each service includes, who it is best for, and a practical note to help you decide what to do next. Every job comes with an up-front quote before any work begins, and work is performed by licensed plumbers on every call.
| Type of Job | What's Included | Recommended For | Things to Keep in Mind |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drain Cleaning & Clog Removal | sink, tub, and floor drain clearinghydro jetting for heavy buildupkitchen grease and soap scum removal | Slow or completely blocked drains in any fixture | Recurring clogs in the same drain often point to a deeper line issue worth inspecting |
| Garbage Disposal Service | disposal repair and resetfull disposal replacementdrain connection and leak repair | Disposals that hum but do not spin, leak, or have stopped working entirely | Most disposal replacements are completed in under an hour |
| Frozen & Burst Pipe Repair | safe pipe thawingburst section repair and replacementidentifying insulation gaps that leave pipes vulnerable | Homes losing pressure or showing no water flow during or after a hard freeze | Kennewick's January and February temperatures put crawl space and exterior wall pipes at the highest risk |
| Emergency Plumbing | burst pipe responsemajor leak containment and repairsewer backup and overflow service | Any plumbing failure that cannot wait for a scheduled appointment | Same-day availability for urgent calls; we assess and quote before any work begins |
| Pipe Insulation & Winterization | exposed pipe insulation in crawl spaces and garagesoutdoor faucet and hose bib winterizationfrost-free hose bib installation | Homeowners preparing for Benton County winters before the cold arrives | Winterizing in the fall is considerably less expensive than repairing a burst line in February |
| Water Heater Repair & Replacement | tank water heater repair and replacementtankless unit installationsame-day response for no-hot-water calls | Water heaters that are leaking, slow to recover, or past their service life | Most tank water heaters last 8 to 12 years; a unit older than that is often more cost-effective to replace than repair |
| Faucet & Fixture Installation | faucet repair and replacementshower valve and bathtub drain servicebathroom and kitchen fixture upgrades | Dripping faucets, outdated fixtures, or remodel installations | We ensure all fixture connections meet current code before we leave the job |
| Toilet Repair & Installation | running toilet diagnosis and repairwax ring and flapper replacementfull toilet replacement and installation | Toilets that run, rock, leak at the base, or need replacing | A running toilet can waste hundreds of gallons a day, so prompt repair pays for itself quickly |
| Sewer & Main Line Service | main line clog clearingsewer camera inspectiontrenchless sewer repair where site allows | Multiple slow drains, sewage odors, or a confirmed main line backup | Camera inspection shows exactly what is happening in the line before any digging begins |
| Water Pressure & Shutoff Valve Repair | pressure regulator inspection and replacementshutoff valve repair and replacementwhole-house pressure diagnostics | Low or spiking pressure throughout the house, or valves that will not close | A failing pressure regulator can damage fixtures and appliances over time if left unaddressed |
| Sump Pump Installation | new sump pump installationpump repair and replacementejector pump service for below-grade plumbing | Basements and crawl spaces at risk from spring snowmelt and seasonal groundwater rise | A pump that fails during a heavy melt can cause as much damage as a burst pipe |
| Leak Detection & Repair | visible pipe and fitting leakshidden leaks inside walls and under slabswater bill spikes traced to source | Unexplained water damage, high bills, or dripping you cannot locate | Finding a hidden leak early keeps a small repair from becoming a large one |
How do I know if my water heater needs to be repaired or replaced?
Age is the first factor. Most tank water heaters last 8 to 12 years, and a unit past that range is often more cost-effective to replace than to repair. Beyond age, watch for water pooling around the base, rusty or discolored hot water, a rumbling or popping sound during heating cycles, and a noticeable drop in how much hot water the tank produces before it runs cold. If the unit is relatively new and the issue is a failed element, thermostat, or anode rod, a repair often makes sense. We look at the full picture and give you an honest recommendation before quoting any work.
What causes drains to clog and back up?
In kitchen drains, the most common culprits are grease, soap residue, and food particles that build up on pipe walls over time. In bathroom drains, hair and soap scum are the usual cause. When multiple drains in the house are slow or backing up at the same time, the problem is usually further down the line in the main sewer, not in the individual fixture. A single slow drain is almost always a localized clog. A pattern across several fixtures is a signal to have the main line checked.
What should I do if a pipe freezes or bursts?
If you suspect a frozen pipe, shut off the main water supply to the house before anything else. This limits how much water can escape if the pipe has already cracked. Do not use an open flame to thaw a frozen pipe. If you can see the frozen section and it is accessible, a hair dryer on low heat or warm towels applied to the pipe are safer options while you wait for us to arrive. Call us as soon as you realize there is a problem. We thaw frozen pipes safely, repair burst sections, and help identify where insulation gaps are making pipes vulnerable to the next cold snap.
Transparent Upfront Pricing
We give you a clear quote before any work begins. The number you agree to is the number on the invoice, with no charges added after the fact.
How are hidden leaks found without tearing open walls?
We start with the symptoms: a water bill that has gone up without a change in usage, soft spots or staining on walls or ceilings, the sound of running water when nothing is on, or a meter that keeps moving after all fixtures are shut off. From there we use pressure testing and, where the situation calls for it, camera inspection or acoustic detection equipment to locate the source. Our goal is to find the leak with as little disruption to the home as possible before we open anything up.
What are the signs of a sewer or main line problem?
The most common signs are multiple drains backing up or draining slowly at the same time, a sewage odor coming from drains or the yard, gurgling sounds from toilets when other fixtures are used, and wet or unusually green patches in the yard above where the sewer line runs. Any one of these is worth a call. A sewer camera inspection gives us a clear view of what is happening inside the line, whether that is a grease buildup, a root intrusion, or a damaged section of pipe.
What is the difference between a tank and a tankless water heater?
A tank water heater stores a set volume of hot water, typically 40 to 50 gallons for a residential unit, and keeps it heated continuously. A tankless unit heats water on demand as it flows through the unit, so there is no storage tank and no standby heat loss. Tankless units tend to cost more upfront but can deliver better long-term efficiency for households with consistent hot water demand. Tank units are simpler, less expensive to install, and easier to service. We help you think through which makes more sense based on your household size, usage patterns, and budget.
Same-Day and Emergency Availability
When a pipe bursts or a sewer backs up, we work to get a plumber to your door the same day. Urgent calls move to the front of the line.
What causes low water pressure throughout the house?
Low pressure that affects every fixture at once usually points to one of a few sources: a failing pressure regulator, a partially closed main shutoff valve, corrosion buildup inside older galvanized pipes that has reduced the interior diameter over time, or a leak somewhere in the supply system that is bleeding pressure before it reaches the fixtures. We run a pressure diagnostic to identify the source and give you a clear picture of what the fix involves before any work begins.
Do I need to be home when the plumber arrives?
Someone over 18 should be present during the visit. We give you a quote before we start any work, and that conversation needs to happen with the person who is authorizing the job. If your schedule is tight, let us know when you call and we will do our best to find a window that works for you.
Work Performed by Licensed Plumbers
Every job, from a faucet swap to a full repipe, is handled by licensed plumbers who treat your home and its pipes the way we would our own.
How does pricing work, and will the final bill match what I was quoted?
We give you an up-front quote before any work begins. The number on the invoice matches what you agreed to. We do not add charges after the fact for work we did not discuss with you first. Every job is different, so we do not post flat rates here, but we are straightforward about what a job involves and what it will cost before we pick up a wrench.
When should I call a plumber instead of trying to fix it myself?
Simple fixes like a running toilet with a worn flapper or a slow drain that responds to a plunger are reasonable DIY attempts. The line shifts when the problem involves the main water supply, the sewer line, a gas connection to a water heater, or anything inside a wall or under a slab. Mishandled repairs in those areas can turn a modest problem into a costly one. If you are not certain what you are dealing with, a call costs you nothing and gives you a clear picture of whether it is a DIY job or one that needs a licensed plumber on site.
How do sump pumps fail, and what are the signs mine is not working?
Sump pumps most commonly fail because of a stuck float switch, a burned-out motor, or a clogged intake screen. A pump that runs constantly without cycling off, one that makes grinding or rattling sounds, or one that does not turn on at all when water rises in the pit are all signs of trouble. In the Tri-Cities area, spring snowmelt can raise groundwater quickly, so a pump that is questionable heading into that season is worth having checked before it is needed most.
Call (509) 619-1595 and we will walk you through what your situation calls for and get a plumber scheduled.
(509) 619-1595