Grey Oaks and Bent Creek sit on the east side of Pelham. The calls that matter most involve the line leaving the house, such as drains that back up in more than one fixture, a gurgle in the toilet or a wet patch in the yard. If that is happening, call the dispatch line and give your street. A licensed plumber takes the next open visit, and the price is clear before work begins.
A neighborhood the city brought inside its limits
A Shelby County Reporter headline reads "Pelham's Grey Oaks in city limits," and the city's own housing analysis lists Grey Oaks and Bent Creek on the east side. Streets with Pelham, AL 35124 addresses include Grey Oaks Drive, Grey Oaks Valley, Grey Oaks Grove, Grey Oaks Court, Grey Oaks Crescent and Bent Creek Drive.
Utility service areas do not always follow city limits. Call Pelham Water Works at (205) 620-6420 and ask which utility provides water and sewer to your address. Know the answer before you decide who to call about a problem outside the house. See the main Pelham page for the other areas we cover.
Backups and slow drains that hit more than one fixture
One slow sink is often a trap or a short branch line, and drain cleaning clears it. When the tub gurgles as the washer drains, or two fixtures back up together, the blockage is further down, in the main drain or the sewer line toward the street.
At that point a plumber can run a camera down the line to see the pipe, which is the job of a sewer camera inspection. If the picture shows a break, a sagging section or roots, sewer line repair covers the options. Heavy buildup inside a sound pipe may call for hydro jetting.
| Symptom | Often located | Service to ask about |
|---|---|---|
| One sink drains slowly | That fixture's trap or branch | Drain cleaning |
| Toilet gurgles when another fixture drains | Main drain or sewer line | Sewer camera inspection |
| Wet or sunken patch in the yard | Water service line or sewer line | Water line repair or sewer line repair |
| Pressure drops everywhere | Water service line or a leak | Water line repair |
A wet yard or low pressure: the water line
The water service line runs from the meter to the house. Ask Pelham Water Works to confirm where the utility's responsibility ends and yours begins. A plumber can pressure test a line and find the leak, and water line repair fixes the section that failed.
Before you call, check the meter with every fixture off. If the dial still moves, water is escaping somewhere, and the plumber will want to know that. The high water bill leak detection page explains the steps.
Before the plumber arrives
Steps that protect the house
A few steps protect the house while you wait.
- Stop running water into any drain that is backing up.
- Keep children and pets away from standing sewage.
- Close the home's main shutoff valve if water is running where it should not.
- Cannot find the valve? Ask the dispatcher to talk you through it.
- Have your street address and nearest cross street ready.
Permits and the plumbing code
Under Alabama plumbing board rule 720-X-1-.02, the 2021 International Residential Code is the named standard for residential plumbing, and the board can confirm the current edition. Before sewer or water line work, ask the Pelham Building Department at 205.620.6495, because permit rules vary by job.
Backup, gurgle or wet yard?
Call with your street and the symptom, and a plumber is booked for the next open visit.
Grey Oaks and Bent Creek questions
A Shelby County Reporter headline says Pelham's Grey Oaks is in city limits, and the city's housing analysis lists it on the east side. Addresses on Grey Oaks Drive and nearby streets carry Pelham, AL 35124.
The city's housing analysis lists them together as Grey Oaks and Bent Creek, so we describe them together. If you are unsure which name fits, give the street address.
It can be. Gurgling when a different fixture drains suggests the main drain or sewer line is partly blocked. Stop using water where you can and ask about a camera inspection to see where the blockage sits.
Ownership depends on the address. Confirm the boundary with Pelham Water Works at (205) 620-6420. A licensed plumber can work on the private side, from the house to that boundary.
Not as a first step. A plumber can locate a leak with listening gear or a camera first, then scope the repair. Ask what the quote includes, and the clear price is given before work starts.