This page is here to help, not to sell. If you own a home in Hollister or nearby, these are the facts worth knowing before a plumbing problem turns into a mess. Where to shut off your water, who to call for permits, how to check a plumber's license, and how to keep small leaks from getting big. Bookmark it.
Most homes here have a main shut-off valve where the water line enters the house. Check near the front hose bib, in the garage, or along the wall facing the street. Turn the handle clockwise to stop the flow.
Older places around Downtown Hollister and San Juan Bautista sometimes hide the valve in a crawl space or an outdoor box near the sidewalk. Go find yours on a calm afternoon. When a pipe lets go, you don't want to be searching while water spreads across the floor.
There's also a shut-off at the water meter near the curb. You'll need a meter key to turn it. If you can't find or move any valve, that's when to call a plumber.
Big jobs like whole-home repiping, gas line work, water heater swaps, and sewer line replacement usually need a permit. That protects you when you sell the house later.
The City of Hollister handles building and plumbing permits for homes inside city limits. If you're out in Tres Pinos, Paicines, or the county areas, San Benito County covers your permit. A licensed plumber can pull the permit for you and schedule the inspection.
Simple fixes like a leaky faucet or a garbage disposal swap don't need a permit. When in doubt, a quick call to the city saves headaches.
Anyone doing plumbing work in California above a small dollar threshold needs a license from the Contractors State License Board. It takes two minutes to verify one.
Go to the CSLB site, enter the license number or business name, and confirm it's active. You can also see if the contractor carries workers' comp. A real license number should be on the truck, the paperwork, and the website.
This is your best protection against someone who cuts corners. Do it before anyone touches your pipes, whether you call us or someone else.
Planning a project that means digging in the yard? A new sewer line, a gas line, an irrigation trench near your Ridgemark or Aromas property? Call 811 first, free of charge.
They mark underground utilities so you don't hit a gas or water line. It's the law in California, and it keeps you and the neighbors safe. Make the call a few days ahead so crews have time to come out and paint the lines.
Our summers run hot and dry, and that dryness moves soil around. Shifting ground can stress the pipes under a slab, which shows up as a warm spot on the floor, a jump in your water use, or the sound of running water when everything's off. Catch a slab leak early and the repair stays small.
Long dry stretches also mean people lean hard on irrigation and hose bibs. Check outdoor faucets and drip lines for slow leaks in spring before you run them all summer. A dripping bib wastes a lot of water over a dry season.
Hard water is common around here too. Mineral buildup slows drains and shortens the life of a water heater. If your hot water fades fast or your drains gurgle, that scale is often the reason. Flushing the tank and clearing the lines helps.
Call (831) 555-0142 and a Hollister plumber will point you the right way, even if it's not a job for us.