Service area

Norwood, OH Plumbing and Drains

Norwood is its own city, entirely surrounded by Cincinnati, and its houses are mostly the same age as the Cincinnati neighbourhoods around it. The paperwork is different, though, because Norwood is outside the city limit.

Copper pipe elbows and couplings sorted in blue parts bins

Call (513) 986-8088 Send the details

The houses

Most of Norwood was built out in the first half of the twentieth century: closely spaced frame and brick houses, two-family homes and small lots, nearly all with basements. That means the familiar set of problems. Clay building sewers with root-prone joints, galvanized supply pipe that has narrowed inside, basement floor drains that are the lowest opening on the line, and laundry that drains to the floor. On a two-family house, ask whether the two units share one building sewer, because a blockage then affects both and the cleanout is usually in only one basement.

Permits are not Cincinnati's

Because Norwood is outside the City of Cincinnati, its plumbing permits do not go through Cincinnati's Buildings & Inspections department. Hamilton County Public Health's plumbing division issues permits across the county outside Cincinnati, and a contractor pulling one must hold an Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board licence and be registered and bonded with the health department. Check with the City of Norwood if you are unsure which office covers your job; a plumber who works in Norwood regularly will know.

Sewers and backups

MSD runs the public sewers in Norwood as it does across most of Hamilton County, so the Sewer Backup program applies here too: report a rain-related backup to MSD within 48 hours of finding it to stay potentially eligible for cleaning or reimbursement. A backup on a dry day is far more likely to be the private building sewer, which the owner keeps clear all the way out to the public main.

Floor drain backing up, or a line that blocks every year? Call and a local plumbing company that works in Norwood can take it from there.

Call (513) 986-8088 Send the details

Supply pipe in Norwood houses

Weak pressure at one or two taps, or rusty water after the supply has been off, usually points at galvanized pipe. Replacing the basement horizontal runs first is a common and sensible step. Before buying an older Norwood house, it is worth asking what the water service line from the street is made of.

ZIP codes covered 45212

Norwood questions

Does Norwood follow Cincinnati plumbing rules?

No. Norwood is a separate city outside Cincinnati's limits, so Cincinnati's Buildings & Inspections department does not issue its plumbing permits. Hamilton County Public Health covers the county outside Cincinnati; confirm with the City of Norwood which office handles your job.

Is MSD responsible for sewers in Norwood?

MSD runs the public sewers. The building sewer from your house to the public main is the property owner's responsibility to keep clear.

Our two-family house shares one sewer. Who pays when it blocks?

If one owner holds both units, the owner. If the units are separately owned, that is a question for your deed or condominium documents rather than a plumber, but the plumber can show on camera where the blockage is.

Is there a charge for calling about a Norwood job?

No. The call and the request are free. The plumbing company quotes the work and you pay them directly if you hire them.

Services here

Also serving Cincinnati , Cheviot & Green Township, Delhi Township, Anderson Township.

Get a quote in Norwood

Say what is happening and where, and a local plumbing company will call you back. Answered Mon–Sat, 8am–6pm · after hours, the company's on-call rota applies Or call (513) 986-8088. If water is coming in right now, calling is quicker.