Old House Plumbing in San Clemente: What to Expect Behind the Walls of a 1920s to 1960s Home
San Clemente's Spanish Village by the Sea homes and mid-century ranch houses have charm and, often, very old pipes. The materials you are likely to find, the problems…
San Clemente has some of the oldest housing in south Orange County. Homes from the 1920s and 1930s near Del Mar and the Pier Bowl, and the mid-century ranch houses that followed, have plaster walls, tile and wood floors worth keeping. They also tend to have plumbing that has been patched many times over the decades.
What you are likely to find
- Galvanized steel supply lines, common in homes built before the 1960s. They rust from the inside, narrowing the pipe.
- Early copper, sometimes added during a remodel and joined to galvanized pipe.
- Mixed repairs, with copper, galvanized and newer plastic sections joined together.
- Old valves at the main and under sinks that no longer close fully.
- Raised foundations with crawl spaces where pipes run under the floor.
Problems old plumbing causes
- Rusty or brown water, especially after the water sits
- Weak pressure that gets worse over time
- Leaks at threaded galvanized joints
- Corrosion where copper and galvanized meet without a proper transition fitting
- Water pressure that drops when two fixtures run
Questions to ask when you buy or own one
- What material are the supply lines, and has any of it been replaced?
- Where does the main come in, and does the shutoff work?
- Are there signs of past leaks in the crawl space or ceilings?
- Has the water heater been moved or replaced, and are its connections sound?
Updating without losing the character
A repipe in an older home does not mean gutting it. PEX-A is flexible, so in houses on raised foundations we can often run new lines through the crawl space and up into walls with small openings near fixtures. We plan access around original tile, plaster and built-ins, and choose closet or utility walls when an opening is needed.
San Clemente homes and old pipes
San Clemente's housing ranges from 1920s and 1930s Spanish Village by the Sea homes near Del Mar and the pier to mid-century ranch houses in Southwest San Clemente, 1980s Forster Ranch tracts and newer homes in Talega. Water service comes from the City of San Clemente. Repipes are permitted and inspected through the City of San Clemente, and homes in historic areas may have extra review for exterior changes.
Related reading
Read about plumbing pressure tests or see how long PEX lasts. Neighbors can visit Dana Point, San Juan Capistrano and Laguna Niguel, or see every city we serve at repipeinc.com.
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Repipe OC, 23821 Hillhurst Drive, Laguna Niguel, CA 92677, (949) 524-2362, CSLB #1087885 C-36.
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Written by Repipe OC · CSLB #1087885 C-36 · 23821 Hillhurst Drive, Laguna Niguel, CA 92677 · (949) 524-2362