Plumber in Garden Grove, CA

Plumbing in Garden Grove

Garden Grove is one of Orange County's largest cities, stretching east from Stanton and Westminster toward Santa Ana. Founded in the 1870s and incorporated in 1956, it grew enormously in the post-war years, when orange groves and strawberry fields gave way to tract housing. The city still celebrates that farming past with its annual Strawberry Festival, and it's home to landmarks like Christ Cathedral and a large part of Little Saigon along its western edge.

A big share of Garden Grove's homes were built in the 1950s and 60s, so their plumbing is now 60-plus years old.

Typical plumbing in older Garden Grove homes

• Copper and galvanized supply lines, often under the slab, now prone to pinhole and slab leaks
• Cast iron drains that scale up and crack
• Clay sewer laterals invaded by roots from mature trees
• Older water heaters in garages, often replaced several times, sometimes without updated strapping or venting
• Additions and ADUs tied into original plumbing that wasn't sized for them

Common plumbing calls in Garden Grove

• Slab leak detection and repair
• Drain and sewer line service, including camera inspections
• PEX repiping for homes with repeated leaks
• Water heater replacement and tankless upgrades
• Gas line work for new appliances and outdoor kitchens
• Kitchen and bath plumbing

ADUs and extra households

Garden Grove has embraced accessory dwelling units, and many homeowners have converted garages or built backyard units. Plumbing is a big part of any ADU: a new water supply, sewer connection, water heater and sometimes a gas line. Before building, it's smart to have the existing sewer lateral inspected with a camera and to check that the water service and gas line can handle the extra demand. Adding fixtures to an old, root-damaged sewer line is asking for trouble.

Busy kitchens

Many Garden Grove households cook a lot at home, and kitchen drains take the strain. Grease, oil and food scraps build up in older cast iron kitchen lines, leading to slow drains and backups that come back. Wipe greasy pans, keep oil out of the sink, use strainers and run plenty of water with the disposal. If the kitchen drain keeps clogging, a camera inspection can show whether the line is badly scaled or damaged.

Hard water

Scale on fixtures, spotty dishes and water heaters that wear out early are signs of the hard water common across the area. See water softeners and filtration.

Before you hire

Check any plumber's license with the California Contractors State License Board, and get the scope of work in writing. For bigger jobs like repipes, ADU plumbing and sewer repairs, ask about permits and inspections.

From orchards to slabs

When Garden Grove's orange groves and strawberry fields were turned into neighborhoods in the 1950s, homes went up quickly on concrete slabs over the old farm soil. Soil that swells when wet and shrinks when dry puts stress on pipes running under those slabs, and decades of that movement contribute to the slab leaks and cracked drain lines that are common in older parts of the city today. If you're seeing new cracks in tile, doors that stick, or drains that slow down along with signs of a leak, it's worth having the plumbing under the slab checked.

Water pressure

High water pressure is a quiet cause of leaks, noisy pipes and short-lived fixtures. Many homes have a pressure-reducing valve near the main shutoff; when it wears out, pressure creeps up. A plumber can test the pressure with a simple gauge on a hose bib and replace the valve if it's failed.

When to call

For leaks, clogs, sewer backups or water heater problems, call to reach a local plumber who serves Garden Grove and the neighboring cities.