San Gabriel, CA Plumbing Repair and Installation: Homes From the 1950s and Five Water Suppliers

A leaking fitting, a dead thermostat or a pilot that will not hold are repairs. A tank that has failed is a replacement, and the city's plumbing permit handout lists replacing any water-heating fixture, with water heaters named, as permit work. The handout also covers garbage disposals, dishwashers and water softener units. Ask the plumber whether the visit is a repair or a replacement and who pulls the permit if it is the latter.

Hardness depends on the supplier. San Gabriel County Water District reports an average of 97 ppm, while Sunnyslope reports 130 mg/L. Neither report advises on softeners. For symptoms and safe checks, see leaking water heater repair.

The City of San Gabriel's Public Works Department owns and runs more than 72 miles of sewer and about 1,300 manholes, and the sewage goes on to the County Sanitation Districts' trunk lines. The city says homeowners are responsible for the pipe from the house to the main. If sewage comes up at the street or neighbors are backing up, call Public Works at (626) 308-2825 on weekdays, or Police Dispatch at (626) 308-2828 after hours.

The Engineering Division keeps lateral records and will give you a copy, which saves time before a camera inspection. For the methods, see unclogging a drain.

By our reading of the Census tables, about 55 percent of San Gabriel's housing units were built before 1960 and about 75 percent before 1980. Original supply piping is common, and the city documents we read do not list which materials. The city's handout says a plumbing permit applies to altering, repairing or replacing any plumbing system, so a repipe carries one.

A licensed contractor usually pulls it. The city lets an owner pull a permit only for a one- or two-unit home they live in, doing the work themselves, and it does not accept a letter of authorization in place of a proxy form. About half of San Gabriel households rent, so tenants should ask the landlord who calls the plumber. For the decision itself, see copper and PEX repiping.

The city's handout puts plumbing, gas and drainage systems under the same permit family. Gas appliances such as a new range, dryer or tankless heater can call for a larger line, so the plumber sizes it to the total load and pressure tests it. Should you smell gas, get everyone out and call the gas company from the street.

On earthquake shutoff valves, the State Architect certifies which models are acceptable, and we could not read the statute on when installation is required. We found no San Gabriel statement on the subject, so check with the city's Building and Safety Division on (626) 308-2806 before you buy one. See gas line work.

Fixtures in a 1950s house often outlast their replacement parts. A scaled cartridge, a worn flapper or a sticking shutoff valve is a short repair; a pitted faucet body is a replacement. The city's handout names tubs, sinks, toilets and showers among plumbing fixtures covered by a permit, so ask about permits for replacements. For the symptoms, see faucet repair.

The city's water map shows San Gabriel County Water District serving most of the city, with California American Water, Sunnyslope County Water District, Golden State Water and San Gabriel Valley Water Company serving other pockets. A leak before your meter is the supplier's; after it, yours. Check your bill, then call the right one:

• San Gabriel County Water District: (626) 287-0341.
• Sunnyslope County Water District: (626) 287-5238.
• Golden State Water: 1-800-999-4033.
• San Gabriel Valley Water Company: (626) 448-6183.
• California American Water: the number printed on your bill.

For a hidden leak, pinpointing a leak explains the steps.

Sewer lines. A camera shows whether a lateral is cracked or rooted; see sewer line service. Slab leaks. We found no source for soil or foundation types across the city, so the plumber confirms yours; see under-slab leak help. Tankless heaters need gas capacity and descaling; see switching to tankless.

Water heater installation. State bracing rules (Health and Safety Code 19211) apply to a replacement tank, and the city's handout puts replacement under a plumbing permit. See water heater installation and permits. For floods, water damage restoration with mold testing covers drying.

We also dispatch for leaking disposal repair, service line repair and water softener and filter options. Apartment buildings, restaurants and offices are covered under small commercial plumbing. For how emergencies run at any hour, see the how emergencies are handled.