Master Licensed Plumbers Serving Milwaukee and 30+ Suburbs Since 1961
For more than six decades, Burkhardt Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electric has been the plumber Milwaukee families call when something goes wrong with the pipes. From a dripping faucet in Brown Deer to a burst pipe emergency in Brookfield, three generations of Burkhardt master plumbers have shown up — licensed, equipped, and ready to fix it right the first time.
Burkhardt holds Wisconsin Master Plumbing License 230640. That license number is not just a credential — it is a legal guarantee that every plumber who touches your home meets Wisconsin’s most rigorous standard for plumbing knowledge, field experience, and code compliance. When you hire Burkhardt, you are hiring a master-licensed trade team, not a franchise operator dispatching uncredentialed subcontractors.
We cover the full scope of residential plumbing — emergency response, routine repairs, major installations, seasonal winterization, and everything in between. Our service area spans Milwaukee County, Waukesha County, and into Washington and Ozaukee counties — more than 30 communities where Burkhardt has built its reputation one honest job at a time. Call CALLTRACKINGPHONE for emergency plumbing or to schedule routine service.
Complete Residential Plumbing Services in Milwaukee
Burkhardt’s plumbing division handles the full range of residential plumbing work — from small repairs that take an hour to whole-home repiping projects that span several days. The sections below cover each service category. Where Burkhardt has a dedicated pillar page with deeper information, you will find a link. Where a service is summarized here and a dedicated page is coming, it functions as a standalone reference until that page is live.
Age: The Clearest Signal of All
Drain Cleaning
Slow drains, recurring clogs, and gurgling pipes are early warning signs of a buildup that will not clear itself. Burkhardt uses professional hydro-jetting and mechanical snaking equipment to clear kitchen drains packed with grease, bathroom drains full of hair and soap residue, and main sewer lines that have accumulated years of debris. Unlike store-bought chemical drain cleaners — which can corrode older pipes — professional drain cleaning removes the blockage without damaging the line.
Milwaukee’s older housing stock — much of it built pre-1960 — means a significant share of homes in neighborhoods like Riverwest, Bay View, and Shorewood still have original cast-iron or galvanized drain lines. These materials scale differently than PVC and benefit from professional camera inspection before any aggressive clearing technique is applied.
Full drain cleaning information: Drain Cleaning Milwaukee — Burkhardt’s Complete Guide
Repair Costs Are Climbing
When a clog becomes a crack, a collapse, or a root intrusion, cleaning alone is not enough. Sewer line repair and replacement is one of the most disruptive plumbing jobs a homeowner can face, but modern trenchless methods and camera-guided diagnostics have made the process faster and less destructive than it was even ten years ago. Burkhardt performs sewer camera inspections, pipe relining, and open-trench sewer repair depending on what the inspection reveals.
Common Milwaukee-area sewer causes include mature trees along easements whose roots seek pipe joints, original clay tile sewer laterals installed in mid-century homes, and freeze-thaw ground movement that shifts pipe alignment over decades.
Full sewer and drain repair information: Sewer & Drain Repair Milwaukee — Burkhardt
Water Heater Repair and Replacement
Water Heater Repair and Replacement
A failed water heater is among the most common emergency plumbing calls Burkhardt receives, especially during Milwaukee winters when cold incoming water puts maximum strain on an aging tank. Burkhardt services and replaces both tank and tankless water heaters — gas and electric — and carries units on the truck for same-day installation in most cases.
Milwaukee’s moderately hard water — approximately 8 grains per gallon in city-served areas — accelerates sediment buildup in tank water heaters. Annual flushing extends tank life significantly. Burkhardt technicians inspect and flush sediment as part of any water heater service call.
Full water heater information: Water Heater Repair & Replacement Milwaukee — Burkhardt
Additional Plumbing Services Burkhardt Provides
When a plumbing emergency strikes — a burst pipe, a sewer backup, a leaking water heater — Burkhardt’s Wisconsin master-licensed plumbers prioritize emergency calls at the front of the queue during business hours. We’re actively working to expand our after-hours plumbing response in the months ahead. For now, calling Burkhardt first thing in the morning gets you in front of every plumbing emergency our team handles that day.
Burst pipe repair, sewer backup response, water heater leak service, and emergency plumbing of all kinds are handled with same-day urgency. Call CALLTRACKINGPHONE to reach Burkhardt’s emergency plumbing team.
Full emergency plumbing information: Emergency Plumber Milwaukee — Emergency Response
Rising Energy Bills Without a Usage Change
- Sump Pump Installation Milwaukee
- Frozen Pipe Repair Milwaukee
- Water Softener Installation Milwaukee
- Faucet and Toilet Repair Milwaukee
- Lead Service Line Replacement Milwaukee
- Gas Line Services Milwaukee
- Leak Detection and Repair Milwaukee
- Whole-Home Repipe Milwaukee
- Garbage Disposal Installation Milwaukee
Why Milwaukee Homeowners Hire a Master-Licensed Plumber
- Burkhardt holds Wisconsin Master Plumbing License 230640.
- Permit-required jobs like gas line work, water heater replacement, sewer lateral repair, and major repiping require a properly licensed plumbing contractor.
- Burkhardt has served the Milwaukee market continuously since 1961.
- This page is meant to position Burkhardt as a licensed, accountable, locally established plumbing company rather than a franchise dispatch model.
Plumbing Services Across Milwaukee and Nearby Communities
Milwaukee, Brookfield, Brown Deer, Hartford
Serving Milwaukee and 30+ Surrounding Communities
Burkhardt has been serving the greater Milwaukee metro area since 1961. That's over six decades offurnace installations in every zip code, neighborhood, and housing era across the region. Whether yourhome is a postwar Cape Cod in [Glendale](/service-areas/glendale), a 1980s colonial in[Brookfield](/service-areas/brookfield), or a newer construction home in [Merton](/service-areas/merton),our technicians know the housing stock — because they've been working in it for generations.Our service area covers the following communities. Each link connects to that community's dedicatedservice page:
Milwaukee County, Waukesha County, Ozaukee County, Washington County
Familiar With Your Home's Era
One of the advantages of 65 years of local service is that Burkhardt technicians have replaced furnaces invirtually every era of Milwaukee-area housing construction.Older city neighborhoods — South Milwaukee, Cudahy, parts of West Allis — often have pre-1960 homeswhere ductwork was designed for gravity heat systems and may need assessment before a modernforced-air furnace is installed. The suburban expansion neighborhoods of the 1960s and 1970s — BrownDeer, Greenfield, parts of Brookfield and Glendale — are home to a large population of original 80% AFUEfurnaces that are now well past their design life and are among the most common replacement calls wereceive.The 1990s–2000s growth corridors of Mequon, Cedarburg, and Hartford brought a wave of single-stage80% furnaces that are now entering the 20–30 year range — approaching end of life and frequentlypresenting as repair-or-replace decisions. And in newer developments across Waukesha County and thelake-country communities west of Milwaukee, high-efficiency furnaces from the mid-2000s may stillhave years of life remaining but benefit from proactive maintenance and efficiency assessments.Whether you're in Brookfield or Cedarburg, Brown Deer or Hartford, our technicians arriveknowing the neighborhood, knowing the housing type, and knowing what your home's mechanical systemsare likely to need.
Schedule Your Furnace Replacement Assessment
What plumbing services does Burkhardt offer in Milwaukee?
Burkhardt provides the full range of residential plumbing services in Milwaukee and surrounding communities, including drain cleaning, sewer and drain repair, water heater repair and replacement, emergency plumbing service, sump pump installation and service, leak detection and repair, faucet and toilet repair, garbage disposal installation, gas line services, water softener installation, whole-home repiping, frozen pipe repair, and lead service line replacement. Burkhardt has served Milwaukee and 30+ suburbs since 1961 under Wisconsin Master Plumbing License 230640.
How do I find a licensed plumber in Milwaukee, WI?
Verify that the plumbing contractor holds a current Wisconsin master plumbing license, the highest licensing tier the state issues. Burkhardt holds Wisconsin Master Plumbing License 230640, is BBB Accredited, and has operated continuously in the Milwaukee market since 1961. For any job requiring a city permit, such as gas line work, water heater replacement, sewer lateral repair, or major repiping, a master plumber’s license is legally required to pull the permit and supervise the work.
Does Burkhardt offer 24/7 emergency plumbing service in Milwaukee?
Burkhardt is actively expanding its plumbing team to add 24/7 after-hours emergency response. Currently, Wisconsin master-licensed plumbers prioritize emergency calls, including burst pipes, sewer backups, water heater leaks, active water leaks, gas line concerns, and sump pump failures, at the front of the queue during business hours. For 24/7 HVAC emergencies, the heating and cooling team is on call around the clock.
How do frozen pipes happen in Milwaukee, and what should I do?
Milwaukee’s sub-zero winters, amplified by Lake Michigan lake-effect cold, cause pipes in exterior walls, basements, crawl spaces, and older uninsulated homes to freeze during extended cold stretches. If you suspect a frozen pipe, shut off the main water valve immediately to prevent flooding when the ice clears. Do not use open flame to thaw pipes. Call a licensed plumber for same-day frozen pipe repair. Prevent freezing by keeping the thermostat at 55°F or above during any absence.
Do Milwaukee homes need a water softener?
It depends on your water source and suburb. City of Milwaukee water measures approximately 8 grains per gallon (GPG), which is moderately hard, and softening is optional for most households. Waukesha County suburbs on well water commonly measure 22–32 GPG, hard enough to cause visible scale, shorten water heater life, and reduce appliance efficiency. Burkhardt installs and services water softeners throughout the Milwaukee metro and can perform a water hardness test to determine whether a softener is warranted for your specific address.
What is Milwaukee’s lead service line replacement program?
Milwaukee Water Works is replacing approximately 65,000 lead service lines across the city by 2037. The program replaces the city-side segment at no cost to qualifying 1–4 unit property owners. The private-side line from the curb stop to the home is the homeowner’s responsibility and requires a licensed plumber. Burkhardt holds Wisconsin Master Plumbing License 230640 and is licensed to perform private-side lead service line replacements.
Why choose a local Milwaukee plumber over a national chain?
Local plumbers know Milwaukee’s aging housing stock, the seasonal demands of Wisconsin winters, suburb-specific water hardness, and city permit requirements. A national franchise operates from standardized procedures that may not account for the realities of an older Milwaukee home with original galvanized supply lines and clay tile sewer laterals. Burkhardt has served Milwaukee and its suburbs since 1961 — three generations of master plumbers who know your neighborhood’s pipes, common failure points, and building code history.
How long has Burkhardt been serving Milwaukee?
Burkhardt Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electric was founded in 1961, making it one of the longest-operating independent home service contractors in the Milwaukee metro. The company has built its reputation across more than 30 communities in Milwaukee, Waukesha, Washington, and Ozaukee counties. Wisconsin Master Plumbing License 230640 has been held continuously throughout that time.
What should I do to prepare my plumbing for a Milwaukee winter?
Before temperatures drop below freezing, insulate exposed pipes in unheated spaces with foam pipe insulation, disconnect and store garden hoses, locate your main water shutoff valve, set the thermostat no lower than 55°F during any absence, and have your sump pump inspected before spring thaw season. If your home has older galvanized supply lines or uninsulated exterior wall pipe runs, a pre-winter inspection can identify the highest-risk sections.
Does Burkhardt handle both plumbing and HVAC in Milwaukee?
Yes. Burkhardt is a full-service heating, cooling, plumbing, and electrical contractor with all four trades under one roof. This matters when a plumbing problem has a trade crossover, such as a water heater replacement requiring a gas line upgrade, a sump pump installation needing a dedicated electrical circuit, or a frozen pipe situation near the furnace exhaust. One call to Burkhardt covers all of it.
What counts as a plumbing emergency, and how does Burkhardt respond?
A plumbing emergency is any situation where water or sewage is actively threatening the structure of your home or creating a health hazard, such as a burst pipe with active flow, a sewer backup reaching finished floors, a water heater leak flooding a basement, or a gas line concern. When a plumbing emergency strikes, Burkhardt’s Wisconsin master-licensed plumbers prioritize these calls at the front of the queue during business hours. The company is actively working to expand after-hours plumbing response. For 24/7 HVAC emergencies, the heating and cooling team is on call around the clock.