Renting in Lindenwold: who calls the plumber
Only about 30 percent of Lindenwold homes are lived in by their owners, according to Census QuickFacts. That means most plumbing problems here involve a tenant, a landlord or a property manager, and sometimes all three. Before anyone grabs a wrench, settle who is responsible.
In general a landlord covers supply lines, drains and the water heater that came with the building. A tenant covers what they caused, like a grease clog or a flushed toy. Leases and state rules vary, so read yours.
One honest trade-off: calling the landlord first is the right move for a slow drain, but it is the wrong move for a pipe that is spraying. If water is pouring out and nobody answers, shut the water off and call us. A leak in one unit soaks the ones below it.
Landlord or tenant: a quick guide
Use this as a starting point when a problem shows up in a rented Lindenwold unit or a multi-unit building.
| Problem | Usually handled by | Call a plumber when |
|---|---|---|
| No hot water | Landlord, if the heater is building equipment | The tank is leaking or the landlord cannot be reached |
| Slow or clogged drain | Tenant for misuse, landlord for roots or old pipe | A plunger and a hand auger have not cleared it |
| Running or leaking toilet | Landlord for the fixture, tenant for reporting it fast | Water is reaching the floor |
| Burst or leaking supply pipe | Landlord | Right away, after you shut the water off |
| Sewage backing up in tub or floor drain | Landlord or owner, sometimes the borough main | More than one drain backs up at once |
A general guide, not legal advice. Check your lease for who pays.
Before we arrive: a burst pipe or active leak
Four things to do in the first few minutes, while the emergency plumber is on the way.
Shut the main water valve
Turn it clockwise until it stops. In an apartment, look under the sink or in a utility closet for the unit's own valve.
Keep power away from water
Do not step into standing water near outlets or appliances. Switch off the breaker only if you can reach it dry.
Clear the area
Lift rugs, electronics and boxes off the floor. Keep children and pets out of the wet room.
Call and say who owns the unit
Dial (855) 575-2890. Tell us if you rent, so we know who needs the repair details.
If you ever smell gas, leave the building first and call the gas utility or 911 before you call a plumber.
Lindenwold water, sewer and flooded roads
Lindenwold is a franchise customer of New Jersey American Water, and the borough runs its own Sewer Department. A blocked sewer main is a borough matter, while a blocked branch inside your walls is a plumber matter. If you cannot tell where the line changes hands, ask the borough Sewer Department before paying for digging.
The Camden County hazard mitigation plan (draft) lists undersized culverts at Berlin Road, Chews Landing Road and the White Horse Pike that flood repeatedly. It also notes that a borough sewer pump station sits in the 100-year flood zone. If a floor drain gurgles during a storm, the sewer may be overloaded, so stop using water and call.
Source type: Camden County hazard mitigation plan (draft)How urgent is your problem?
A quick way to decide whether to wait, book a visit or phone the 24/7 line.
Dripping faucet or slow single drain
Try a plunger or a new washer. If it comes back, book a visit.
Weak hot water or a damp cabinet
Small leaks and aging tanks get worse. Book a time that suits you.
Sewage, spraying water or no heat and water
Shut the valve, stop using drains and phone the emergency line.
What we see most in Lindenwold homes
Clogs lead the list in busy multi-unit buildings, where one shared stack serves several kitchens. We start with drain cleaning using a cable machine, and move to hydro jetting when grease or scale keeps coming back. A camera shows whether the line is clear or cracked.
Next come water heaters that fail at night and supply leaks behind walls. Our crew handles water heater repair first and replaces the tank only when repair makes no sense. For hidden damp spots we use leak detection before anyone opens a wall.
Low streets and basements that take on water after a storm bring sump pump calls. A pump moves water out but does not fix a drainage problem on the street, and we will say so. For neighbors just north we also cover Somerdale.
Clear it yourself, or send for a plumber
Honest advice on a clogged drain, since a bad DIY try can turn a small job into a flood.
Try it yourself first
For one slow sink or tub with no smell and no other drains affected.
- Plunge with the overflow blocked
- Use a hand auger, not harsh chemicals
- Stop if water rises somewhere else
Call a licensed plumber
For anything that repeats or reaches the floor.
- Sewage in a tub or floor drain
- Two or more drains slow at once
- A clog that returns within weeks
Drain chemicals can burn skin and damage old pipe. They also make a later cable job unsafe for whoever runs it.
Permits, licenses and water heaters
New Jersey requires plumbing work to be done by licensed persons. Replacing a water heater with one of like capacity counts as minor work under the state construction code, which means the enforcing agency must be notified before work starts. Plumbing permits in Lindenwold are handled by the borough, so ask the office that handles construction permits about your specific job.
Landlords sometimes ask tenants to handle a tank swap themselves. Do not. An unlicensed install can void the work and put a gas or electric heater at risk. A planned swap is covered on our water heater replacement page.
Lindenwold at a glance
Borough in Camden County
21,641 in the 2020 Census
About 30 percent
08021, shared with Clementon, Laurel Springs, Pine Hill and Pine Valley
New Jersey American Water
North White Horse Pike
Plumbing trouble in Lindenwold right now?
Our 24/7 emergency line is open overnight and on weekends. Tell us the address and what you see, and we will line up a same-day visit when one is available.
Serving Lindenwold from Voorhees
We work from Voorhees and serve Lindenwold and the towns around it. Landmarks like the PATCO terminus on Berlin Road North, Lindenwold Park and the Laurel Lake and Linden Lake area help our dispatcher confirm an address quickly.
If your home sits closer to the township line, our page for West Berlin covers the sewer lateral rules there. The ZIP list below shows what we treat as nearby.
Sources and references
The points above draw on these public standards, codes and guidelines. Rules change, so confirm current requirements with the agency or utility named before you rely on them.
- New Jersey American Water: published water quality report (Delaware system) and Camden County service territory information
- New Jersey Department of Community Affairs: Construction Code Communicator, Winter 2018
- NJ Division of Consumer Affairs: State Board of Examiners of Master Plumbers FAQ (N.J.S.A. 45:14C-1)
- Camden County Hazard Mitigation Plan: municipal annexes (2021 public-review drafts)
- U.S. Census Bureau: QuickFacts and American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 estimates
Common questions
Lindenwold's main ZIP is 08021, which also covers Clementon, Laurel Springs, Pine Hill and Pine Valley, so the ZIP is wider than the borough. We serve 08021 and the nearby ZIPs 08043 (Voorhees), 08083 (Somerdale) and 08091 (West Berlin). Give us your street address and we will confirm.
Yes. Our 24/7 emergency line takes calls at night, on weekends and on holidays. We offer same-day appointments when available, and we will tell you what to do while you wait.
You can call, but check your lease first, since the landlord may need to approve and pay for the repair. If a tank is leaking or a pipe is spraying, shut off the water and call right away. We explain what we found so you can pass it to the owner.
Start with a plumber if the backup is inside your home, because they can run a camera and find where it sits. If the blockage is in the street main, the borough Sewer Department is the right contact. When you are unsure, call us and we will help you sort it out.
It can. County planning documents note street flooding and a sewer pump station in a flood zone, so heavy rain may overload the system. Stop running water, keep out of the basement if the drain is overflowing and call the 24/7 line.
A like-for-like replacement is minor work under New Jersey's construction code, and the enforcing agency must be notified. Plumbing work must be done by licensed persons. Ask the borough office about your exact job.