Some Helena plumbing problems announce themselves with a burst pipe. Others hide, as a water bill that creeps up, a lawn that stays soggy, or a drain smell nobody can place. If a pipe has already let go, close the main valve and call the 24/7 line now. If it is the slow kind, keep reading.
Older buildings near the Historic District
Parts of AL-261 and Helena Road, along with sections of 1st to 3rd Avenue and the 200 block of 3rd Street, make up the Helena Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places. If your building sits in or near it, say so when you call. That lets the plumber plan access and think about how much digging a repair really needs.
A leak detection visit suits these properties well, because acoustic listening gear and a moisture check can narrow a leak to a small spot before anyone cuts into finished walls and floors.
Cove, Hillsboro and a call to 811
Helena began as Cove in the mid-1830s, became Hillsboro in 1856, and incorporated as Helena in 1877. Land that has been built and rebuilt since the 1800s can hide old lines, so call 811 before any digging, including a sewer repair. Locators mark what is buried, and the plumber can work around the marks.
If you have a burst pipe or an active leak in Helena
Water behaves differently in a ceiling than in a yard, so these steps follow where it shows up.
Note where the water appears
A stain on a ceiling, a wet patch near the meter box or a pool in the crawlspace each point to a different line. Tell the dispatcher which one you see.
Close the house main
Turn the home's main shutoff fully closed. If you cannot find it, the dispatcher will talk you through the search.
Stay clear of wet outlets and the panel
If standing water reaches outlets, appliances or the panel, keep out and call. Switch off a breaker only from dry footing.
Photograph it, then call in
Take a few photos for your insurer, then give your address and the road you are nearest, such as AL-261 or County Road 58.
The Helena Utilities Board and your own line
The Helena Utilities Board handles drinking water, wastewater and stormwater for the town. If a sewer smell or backup seems to come from the main in the street, the Board is at (205) 663-1670, and its sewer issues line is (205) 663-2894. If it appears to be in your own line, a plumber can confirm that with a camera inspection.
If only your house backs up, the fault is more likely on your side. A camera can show whether the pipe is cracked, offset or choked with roots before you spend money on a sewer line repair.
Rule 720-X-1-.02 of the state plumbing board points residential plumbing to the 2021 International Residential Code (IRC) and commercial plumbing to the 2021 International Plumbing Code (IPC). Check pgfb.alabama.gov for the current edition before a larger job.
Meters are read mid-month and bills go out on the 1st, according to the Helena Utilities Board. If a bill arrives much higher than the last one, close every fixture and watch the meter dial or low-flow indicator. The water meter leak detection page walks through the test and what to do with the result.
Roads to name when you call
Helena lies just west of US-31 and I-65, with State Highway 261 running through town and County Road 58 connecting. Emergency dispatch available around the clock works from Pelham, about eight miles east-northeast. Naming the road you are near helps the dispatcher place you, and it is not a promise about timing.
A burst line at three in the morning is handled through the same 24/7 emergency dispatch as one at noon. A slow, rising bill can wait for a same-day appointment when available. A licensed plumber does either job, and the price is clear before work starts.
Where Helena's ZIP stops and nearby ones begin
Helena's ZIP is 35080. The Alabaster-named 35114 sits next to Helena's south side, and we cover it too, with dispatch itself in Pelham 35124. A hidden leak or a failing sewer line in any of these starts with the same call, so phone the dispatcher and describe what you see.
For a clog or water heater trouble in Alabaster 35007, see the Alabaster page. For a line that has already failed, read about burst pipe repair. For an address in another ZIP, call and ask the dispatcher.
Not sure what is leaking?
Describe what you see and hear on the 24/7 line, and a plumber will tell you what to do next.
Helena questions, answered
Helena's ZIP is 35080, and it is in the area we serve. 35114 is the Alabaster-named ZIP next to Helena's south side that we also cover.
Helena sits just west of US-31 and I-65, with State Highway 261 through town. For an address in a different ZIP, call and ask the dispatcher.
Yes. A burst pipe in Helena gets 24/7 emergency dispatch on nights, weekends and holidays. Call the line, describe the problem, and licensed plumbers are sent.
Slower problems may get a same-day appointment when available, and the price is explained before work starts.
Turn off every fixture and appliance, then look at the meter. If the dial or the low-flow indicator still moves, water is escaping somewhere.
Then check toilets with a dye test and look for wet spots in the yard. A plumber can trace the rest.
The Helena Utilities Board covers wastewater. Its main number is (205) 663-1670. For water or sewer emergencies, Helena's page directs you to the police line, (205) 663-6499.
If it seems to be inside your own property, a plumber can confirm that with a camera inspection.
Say so on the call. Plumbing work in older buildings often needs more care with access and cutting. The Helena Historic District is on the National Register of Historic Places, but registration alone does not tell you what a repair needs.
Ask Helena's city offices before any larger job, since we cannot say what local rules apply to your property.
Often yes, if the main is closed and nothing is spreading. A meter that moves with every fixture off is a leak worth tracing soon, but it is not the same as a burst pipe.
If water is reaching a ceiling, outlets or the panel, do not wait. Call the 24/7 line.