Plumbing articles for Sacramento homeowners
Plain guides written from real jobs. Edited by Nora Chambliss, our plumbing articles editor, so you can understand a problem before you pay to fix it.
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How Old Is Your Water Heater? Reading the Label
How to find your water heater's age from its label and serial number, what the age means for repair or replacement, and the warning signs to watch.
Read the articlePolybutylene Pipe in Early 1990s Sacramento Homes
How to tell if your Sacramento-area home has polybutylene supply pipe, why it has a history of failures, and how owners plan its replacement.
Read the articleWhy Sacramento Clay Soil Leads to Slab Leaks
How valley clay soil wears copper under concrete slabs, the early warning signs of a slab leak, and when to repair versus reroute.
Read the articleTree Roots in Sewer Lines: A City of Trees Problem
Why roots find their way into older Sacramento sewer laterals, what recurring backups mean, and the repair options that save both the pipe and the tree.
Read the articleADU Sewer Connections: What Sets the Cost
Why the sewer connection is the biggest plumbing variable on a Sacramento-area ADU, how slope and distance decide gravity or pump, and what to check first.
Read the articleTank vs Tankless vs Heat Pump Water Heaters
A plain comparison of tank, tankless and heat pump water heaters for Sacramento-area homes: cost, space, upkeep and how each fits local conditions.
Read the articleBurst Pipe? What to Do in the First 10 Minutes
A step-by-step guide for the first minutes after a pipe bursts: shutting off water, protecting the house, and what to tell the plumber when you call.
Read the articleGalvanized Pipes in Older Sacramento Homes
How to tell if your home has galvanized steel water pipes, what problems they cause as they age, and how to plan a repipe without disrupting your life.
Read the articleSummer Irrigation Leaks and Your Water Bill
How hidden irrigation and service line leaks drive up summer water bills in Sacramento, how to check your meter, and what to fix first.
Read the articleHard Water in Sacramento Suburbs: Softener or Filter?
Why water hardness varies across the Sacramento region, how scale affects heaters and fixtures, and how to pick a softener, conditioner or filter.
Read the articleGot a Backflow Test Notice? What It Means
What a backflow test notice from your water provider means, why yearly testing is required, what happens during the test and what if your device fails.
Read the articleKeeping Kitchen Drains Clear Through the Holidays
The foods that clog kitchen drains and garbage disposals most, simple habits that prevent holiday backups, and what to do if the sink fills anyway.
Read the articleSewer Camera Inspections Before Buying a Home
Why home inspections often skip the sewer lateral, what a camera inspection shows, and how buyers in older Sacramento neighborhoods use the results.
Read the articleHigh Water Pressure and What It Does to Fixtures
How to check your home's water pressure, why pressure above about 80 psi wears out fixtures and heaters, and how a pressure regulator protects the house.
Read the articleWater where it should not be? Call now.
A John's plumber answers (916) 602-0883 day and night, tells you how to stop the damage, and quotes the repair before any work starts.