Plumbers in Back Cove: the short answer
Back Cove is mostly single-family homes, many of them historic, so the plumbing calls here are about older drain and sewer lines, basement sump pumps, water heaters and winter freeze-ups. Shut off the water for any active leak and call. Call (207) 555-0163 to speak with a local plumber who serves Back Cove, ZIP 04103.
About Back Cove
The Back Cove neighborhood is bounded by Washington Avenue to the north, Baxter Boulevard to the east, Forest Avenue to the south and Canco Road to the west. It's mostly residential, with many historic homes, including the Boulevard Park subdivision of 110 homes laid out in 1912 by landscape architect Carl Rust Parker. Woodfords Corner and Ocean Avenue hold most of the shops. The 3.6-mile Back Cove Trail, one of the city's oldest, loops the water, and 48-acre Payson Park sits inside the neighborhood along with Cheverus High School and Ocean Avenue School.
Common plumbing calls in Back Cove
- sewer line backups and roots in older lines
- sump pumps during snowmelt and spring storms
- water heaters and boilers
- frozen pipes in basements and outside walls
For every service, see our page on plumbers in Portland, ME.
Homes from the 1910s and earlier
A house from Boulevard Park's era may still have original cast iron or clay drain lines running to the street. Those materials can crack, rust through or let roots in at the joints, and the first sign is often a basement floor drain that backs up when the washing machine empties. If that happens more than once, a camera inspection shows whether the line needs cleaning, a spot repair or replacement.
Keeping the basement dry
Back Cove homes with basements face the same spring test as the rest of Portland: about 69 inches of snow a year melting along with spring rain. Test the sump pump before the thaw, keep its outdoor discharge clear of snow and ice, and don't send it into the sewer. Portland has asked owners to disconnect sumps and roof drains from the sewer system so storm runoff doesn't overwhelm it.
Back Cove at a glance
- Area
- Off-peninsula, between Washington Avenue, Baxter Boulevard, Forest Avenue and Canco Road
- ZIP
- 04103
- Landmarks
- Back Cove Trail, Payson Park, Boulevard Park, Woodfords Corner
- Homes
- Mostly single-family, many historic
- Common calls
- Sewer lines, sump pumps, water heaters, boilers
When you call from Back Cove
Mention the age of the house, which drains are affected and whether you have a sump pump. Read sewer backup in the basement if water is coming up a floor drain.