Plumbing Inspection in San Diego, CA

Why age matters in San Diego

The median home in the city was built around 1979, and roughly half were built before 1980, based on ACS data compiled by point2homes. Older dense communities around Balboa Park, such as Hillcrest and North Park, can still have galvanized supply lines, cast iron drains and aging sewer laterals. Newer tracts are more often slab-on-grade, where pipes run under the floor out of sight, while many older houses sit over a crawl space that a plumber can actually get into.

Items on a typical inspection

1. Main shutoff and the service line from the meter, including material and condition.
2. Static water pressure and the pressure regulator, if one is installed.
3. Exposed supply lines, angle stops and signs of corrosion or pinhole leaks.
4. Water heater age, venting, relief valve, drain pan and sediment.
5. Drain flow at each fixture, plus gurgling or sewer odor.
6. Toilets, faucets and tub or shower valves.
7. Hose bibs, irrigation and any backflow device outside.

Where the owner's responsibility starts

The City of San Diego says the property owner maintains the water system from the meter onward; the City side is before the meter. For sewer, the owner repairs the lateral between the house and the property line. A camera run down the lateral is the practical way to spot roots, offsets or broken pipe before closing on an older house. On the public side, the City's water quality report states its service line inventory did not identify any lead in the system, though that finding does not cover piping inside a home.

Clues from hard water and salt air

City plant water averages around 14 grains per gallon of hardness, so scale shows up in nearly every San Diego inspection. Crusty aerators, stiff shower valves and a rumbling tank heater say a lot about the hidden plumbing. Near the beach, salt air corrodes hose bibs, exterior valves and outdoor water heaters, which are worth a close look.

Times to book one

• Before buying a home, especially one built before 1980.
• Before a kitchen or bathroom remodel.
• After a water bill that jumps for no clear reason.
• When several drains slow down at once.

Cost factors

Price depends on the size of the home, the number of bathrooms and fixtures, whether a sewer camera is added, and how much piping can be reached from the crawl space, attic or garage.