Excavation, Sewer Line, and Sewage Pump Installation for Bellingham Church

 Summer’s in full swing and so are we! Here’s a few shots of our journeyman plumber excavating before installation of a brand new sewage pump and sewer line for our friends over at Unity of Bellingham. We're proud to have the skills and experience to take on every aspect of service!

Lending a Hand in Bellingham

 Quick customer appreciation post! We had the pleasure of helping Ms. Kim this week, her hands-on approach almost got her a spot on our team. Always feel free to give us your input before, during, and after service we're all ears!

Full-Service For All Repairs, Replacements, and Installations

A key part of what distinguishes Barkley Plumbing amongst other Bellingham plumbers is our team's comprehensive knowledge of all areas related to the services that we provide. Our plumber's have the multi-faceted skillset required to provide complete same-day service!

Water Heater Installation in Small Bellingham Crawlspace

 Below is a great example of the interesting spaces we see in households serviced by the Barkley Plumbers! Bellingham is notorious for its beautiful and well-kept homes that were constructed in the 18 and 1900s, and our plumbers take pride in keeping these homes safe from water damage so that we can admire them for decades to come!

Pipe Damage After Bellingham's "Big Freeze"

After this winter's "Big Freeze", sudden pipe bursts and leaks have been the primary concern for the households serviced by the Barkley Plumbers. Our plumbers know that a fast response and thorough repair are crucial in urgent cases like these. Below are a few highlights of our plumbers in the field this spring doing what they do best!

Before-and-After Faucet Installation

The Barkley plumbers had the pleasure of installing this brand new bathroom sink fixture today. Following the renovation of our client's bathroom, our plumbers secured all bathroom attachments and finished the job off with this matte black faucet.

Barkley Plumbers on Whatcom News

We're proud to say that the Barkley plumbers of Bellingham support our local journalists over at Whatcom News! So proud that we just had to save a screenshot😀 

Washing machine stoppage

 Had a call out to one of those 70 year old houses on Sunset for a washing machine stoppage. My snake couldn't get past the "saxophone trap." The drains are original; Durham and galvanized steel.

I cut out the trap and found this hard rubber tubing stuck in the stand pipe along with decades of built up crud. I replaced the trap, standpipe, and the drain to the closest Durham fitting.

Washing machine stoppage

Never shake hands with a plumber...

I've said that how many times in my long career?

Nothing will change in my work habits because I've always taken care of myself and my customers.

As best I can, at any rate.

Remember that your plumber is a human, too.  We're every bit affected by the local and federal events as our customers. To say we're distracted by recent events, our homes, and our workplace dangers is putting it mildly.

Cut your plumber some slack in the coming months. We're trying the best we can, too.

Tipping my cap to all the home service industries. Cops, too. Can't imagine their worries....

Fall in Bellingham

Not much of a summer, all told. I sincerely hope we have a mild winter...

Some people took advantage of the slightly warmer weather to get those not-so-little plumbing jobs done, though.

Bellingham Wa Barkley Plumbing

Bellingham Wa Barkley Plumbing

Bellingham Wa Barkley Plumbing

Bellingham Wa Barkley Plumbing

Bellingham Wa Barkley Plumbing

Bellingham Wa Barkley Plumbing

What's in your faucet?

The plumber has a low water pressure call, okay? After checking all the usual suspects, he unscrewed the faucet screen and found this:

Bellingham Plumbers

I hope everyone had a relaxing Bellingham Labor Day and many thanks to all who worked through the holiday.

In honor of local Bellingham plumbers and the labor we do, here's a few pictures:

Bellingham plumber apprentice

Hand Dug Pit Bellingham

Bellingham Wildlife

Plumbers encounter some dangerous critters in our travels around Whatcom County. These two are ferocious hunters that were stalking me in Sudden Valley and Fairhaven. Luckily, they gave me a pass.

In memory of Dianna Hanson 

The Plumber

For years, Ball Plumbing has supported NWNPR and we listen daily.

Here's a tribute to plumbers from the Prairie Home Companion. Click the link to access the audio. It's worth the clicking of your mouse.

The Plumber Is The Man
Listen: Ode to the Plumber


When the ice comes and the snow and it's twenty-eight below
And then the temperature begins to fall
And they hear the moan and whine of that frozen water line
Then the plumber is the man who saves them all.

O the plumber is the man, the plumber is the man.
Down into the cellar he must crawl.
He is not sleek and slim but they don't look down on him
For the plumber is the man who saves them all.

When the toilet will not flush and the odor makes you blush
And you cannot use the sink or shower stall,
Then your learning and your art slowly start to fall apart
But the plumber is the man who saves it all.

O the plumber is the man, the plumber is the man.
With his wrenches and his pipes he comes to call.
They can take their sins to Jesus but when their water freezes
Then the plumber is the man who saves them all.

TR: This is Bernie at Murphy's Plumbing. It pays to be polite to your plumber. To invite him to your dinner party and send him a little Christmas gift and a bottle of wine on his birthday. What? You don't know when his birthday is? Time to find out. Because when January rolls around and your pipes freeze and suddenly you find yourself living in the early 19th Century, you want your plumber to know who you are and make time for you in his busy schedule. Get the idea? Good.

Oh, I know that in one's youth that beauty, justice, truth,
Seem to be what life is all about,
But when the facts are faced, you realize that life is based
On water coming in and going out.

They don't let him in their club cause he never dresses up
And he doesn't go for tennis or handball,
Or Mozart or Chopin, but when it hits the fan
Then the plumber is the man who saves them all.

O the plumber is the man, the plumber is the man.
In his vest and rubber boots and overalls.
So don't turn up your nose at the aroma of his clothes
For the plumber is the man who saves us all.

Our plumbing shop in snow

Snow and plumbers do not mix well!

Here's before and after pics of the Great Storm of 2011. Yeah, I did it by hand....

Who is your plumber?

There are a few types of plumbing companies and a few different types of plumbers. The types vary from state to state and since I'm in Washington, let's look at here.

Repair and rooter: This is a specialized field that most people are acquainted with. These are the heroes who get your plumbing system working safely and to code. This is what Ball Plumbing does and we do it well.

To work for Ball Plumbing, the repair plumber has to have a clean record, clean driving license, be a registered Washington State Plumber, and be very knowledgeable about plumbing systems.

Ball Plumbing is privately owned by me and I'm a licensed Journeyman Plumber who started this company, but not all companies are like mine. There are franchises, inherited, bought, married into, and all combos therein. In Washington, anyone can own any kind of company, but you need licensed individuals doing the work or you will get fined and/or jailed.

I've seen companies like mine come and go that were run by non-plumbers who thought it was all profit and no overhead...yeah, right. Just the opposite, bubba-breath. This ain't no disco, this ain't no foolin' around, this is hardcore customer service combined with terrible conditions under great stress surrounded by anxious customers.

And I love it.