How to predict future plumbing problems

Are plumbing problems contagious? It’s an odd question, but it’s also one that we’ve started to ask from years of working in Los Angeles homes. If every house’s plumbing is different, then why does a particular neighborhood often suffer from similar issues? The answer usually has to do with time. Any area where clusters of homes were built at the same time will generally have the same kinds of problems.

Of course, this is all anecdotal, but here are some common issues we’ve found plaguing certain neighborhoods of L.A. Do you live in one of these places?

Beverly Hills – copper pipes

From the Four Seasons Hotel to Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills is one of the swankiest areas of Los Angeles. It boasts clean, perfect exteriors in its commercial districts, but the residential areas tell a different story. Often, we encounter older homes that need copper repiping. Copper is durable and common, but it does tend to ware down over the years. Perhaps not coincidentally, the pipes in clusters of Beverly Hills tend to expire around the same time.

Santa Monica – sewer mains

We don’t know what’s in the water in Santa Monica, but it ain’t pretty. The areas north of Third Street Promenade near Montana Avenue went through a period of sewer line breakdown. Residents experienced strange interior fixture activity, followed by flooded yards. Fortunately, many of them called the best plumber Los Angeles has to offer, and we were able to repair the ruptured lines and avert a full-on plumbing emergency.

Westwood – water mains

Sadly, we weren’t necessarily shocked by the massive water main break near UCLA earlier this summer. The underground mains in West LA seem to be especially old and brittle. When neglected, they can easily rupture and cause huge floods like the one in Westwood. If you live in this area and aren’t sure about the condition of your home’s underground main, call a technician to come inspect it.

Culver City – commercial plumbing

Culver City has undergone a huge commercial transformation over the past few years. The areas around Washington and Venice Boulevards are now chock full of cool restaurants and hip bars. Of course, all of this change meant new construction – and new plumbing problems. Whether it resulted from adding brand new lines, extending old ones, or pipes that were mismatched, the neighborhood went through some growing pains as part of the new development.

Hermosa Beach – clogged drains

Everyone wants to live in Hermosa. It’s fun, laid-back and Pacific Ocean adjacent. However, while the neighborhood has tried to accommodate the crush of growing residents, the drawback of a never-ending population boom is added pressure on the town’s pipes. Sometimes they just can’t handle the intense water usage, and as a result, back up. If the mains get stopped up, that means people’s homes will see backflow out of their faucets. If this is a common problem for your Hermosa house, call a professional.