Plumbing inspection in Los Angeles for buyers, sellers and owners of older homes

We start at the water meter and follow the system inward. That means the main shutoff, the pressure regulator, static water pressure, supply pipe material at every visible spot, and each fixture's angle stops. We run every faucet, flush every toilet and fill every tub to see how the drains keep up.

Then we look at the water heater: its age from the serial number, the venting, the relief valve and discharge pipe, the gas connector and the seismic straps. Loose or single straps are one of the most common findings, and proper two-strap bracing is a quick fix. We check the gas meter area, the visible gas piping, appliance connectors and whether a seismic gas shutoff valve is installed. Outside, we look at hose bibs, any backflow device and the sewer cleanout.

• Supply pipe material, condition and water pressure
• Water heater age, venting, relief valve and straps
• Visible gas piping, connectors and shutoffs
• Drain performance at every fixture
• Sewer cleanout access and lateral camera option
• Signs of past or active leaks

A home inspection rarely includes the sewer lateral, yet it is often the most expensive pipe on the property. In older Los Angeles neighborhoods many laterals are clay or cast iron, and mature street trees push roots through clay joints. A cracked or bellied line can cost far more than the water heater and fixtures combined.

We run a camera down the lateral from the cleanout and record the footage. You see the material, root intrusion, cracks, sags and offset joints, along with roughly where they sit. If the house has no usable cleanout, we tell you, since that changes how future clogs get handled. Our article on clay sewer pipe and roots explains what the footage usually shows.

Galvanized steel supply pipe was standard in older homes. It rusts from the inside, shrinking the opening, which shows up as low pressure and brown water after the water sits. Copper replaced it in many houses, and some homes have a mix, with copper repairs grafted onto old galvanized runs.

We note where each material is visible and test pressure with a gauge at a hose bib. Pressure that is too high stresses water heaters, valves and supply lines, and points to a failed regulator. Pressure that is low at fixtures but normal at the hose bib points to restricted pipe inside the house. For the decision that follows, our whole-house repiping page explains the options.

You get a written list of what we found, grouped by urgency: safety items such as gas leaks or missing water heater straps, items likely to fail soon, and items to plan for over the next few years. Each item says where it is and what fixing it involves.

We give typical cost ranges for the major findings so you can weigh them during escrow or budgeting. We do not pad the list. If the system is in good shape, the report says so, and that is a useful answer too when you are deciding how much to offer or how to plan a remodel budget. If you want the work done, call us and we schedule it, but nothing in the report requires that.