Plumber in Los Alamitos, CA

Plumbing in Los Alamitos

Los Alamitos is a small city on Cypress' southwest edge, best known for the Joint Forces Training Base and its well-regarded schools. Right next door is Rossmoor, an unincorporated neighborhood that developer Ross Cortese built between the mid-1950s and early 1960s, famous for its wide streets, big lots and brick walls. Between the two, a lot of local homes date from the late 1950s and 1960s, which means their plumbing is now 60 years old or more.

What 60-year-old plumbing looks like

Copper and galvanized supply lines. Homes from this era were typically plumbed with copper, sometimes with galvanized steel sections, much of it running under the slab or through the walls. After six decades, pinhole leaks, slab leaks and narrowed galvanized pipe are common.

Cast iron drains. Original cast iron drain lines under the slab rust from the inside, scale up and eventually crack. Slow drains throughout the house and recurring backups are classic signs.

Clay sewer laterals and big trees. Rossmoor and the older Los Alamitos neighborhoods are known for their mature trees. Roots love older clay and cast iron sewer lines, getting in at the joints and growing into a mat. See drain and sewer service.

Common plumbing calls here

• Slab leak detection and reroutes
• Whole-house PEX repiping for homes with aging copper or galvanized pipe
• Sewer camera inspections and root clearing
• Water heater replacement and tankless upgrades
• Kitchen and bathroom remodel plumbing

Remodels and additions

Many homes in Los Alamitos and Rossmoor have been extensively remodeled or expanded over the years, from new kitchens and bathrooms to second stories and ADUs. That's often the right moment to deal with the plumbing behind the walls: replacing old supply lines with PEX, updating cast iron drains, adding shutoff valves and checking the sewer lateral's condition before adding more fixtures. If you're planning a project, involve a plumber early, especially if you'll be moving drains in a slab floor.

Buying a home here?

Older Los Alamitos and Rossmoor homes sell quickly, but the plumbing is an easy thing to overlook. A sewer camera inspection during escrow can reveal root intrusion, cracked pipe or sagging sections that a standard home inspection won't see. It's also worth asking whether the home has been repiped, how old the water heater is, and whether there's any history of slab leaks.

Hard water

As across west Orange County, the water here is on the hard side. It shortens the life of water heaters, clogs aerators and showerheads, and leaves scale on fixtures. If you're putting in a tankless heater or new fixtures, consider water treatment - see water softeners and filtration.

Signs it's time to call

• A water bill that's suddenly higher than usual
• Warm spots on the floor or the sound of running water
• Several slow drains at once, or gurgling toilets
• Rusty water or falling water pressure
• A water heater over 10 years old or rusting at the base

Big lots, long lines

Rossmoor in particular is known for generous lots and deep front yards. That means long water service lines from the meter to the house, long sewer laterals out to the street and extensive irrigation systems. Longer runs are more likely to be crossed by tree roots, and a leak in a buried service line can go unnoticed under a lawn. If your water bill jumps but nothing in the house is leaking, the line between the meter and the house - or the sprinklers - are good places to look. A plumber can locate buried lines and pinpoint leaks with acoustic equipment before any digging.

When to call

For leaks, clogs, sewer backups or water heater problems, call to reach a local plumber who serves Los Alamitos, Rossmoor, Cypress and the surrounding area.