Plumbing Inspection in Bonita, CA

What does a Bonita house from the 1970s need checked?

Bonita's median home was built around 1975. By that age the plumber looks hard at drain lines, original shutoff valves, supply connectors and the water heater's age, venting and relief valve. If the sewer line has never been filmed, a camera run is often worth adding, since roots and settled joints are common in drain lines of that age and a walk-through can't see them. Remodeled kitchens and baths deserve a look too, because new fixtures are sometimes tied into old piping. Raised foundations are common in houses of this era, and a look in the crawl space can turn up slow drips that never show inside.

What's in the water, and what about the service line?

Sweetwater Authority supplies Bonita, blending Sweetwater River water from Sweetwater Reservoir, fresh and brackish groundwater (the brackish water treated by reverse osmosis) and imported water, with chloramine used as a disinfectant. Its report lists hardness from 94 to 300 ppm, averaging 196, so scale in tanks and on fixtures is a routine finding. Sweetwater's lead service line inventory found no lead or galvanized service lines needing replacement, including customer-owned lines. Water problems go to Sweetwater at (619) 420-1413, which is also its after-hours line.

Does the property need backflow testing?

Sweetwater requires backflow devices for, among others, homes with auxiliary water sources, pumps, fire sprinkler systems or gray water systems, plus multi-unit complexes and properties with wells. Devices must be tested at installation and every year after by a tester the Authority has certified and approved, with the customer paying for testing and upkeep. If the house has any of those features, the plumber can locate the device and you can ask the seller for the last report.

A local note

Our research didn't confirm Bonita's permit office or sewer provider, so before any repair work, confirm with the building department for your address and check a recent tax or utility bill for the sewer charge. If you smell gas, leave the house first, then call 911 and SDG&E at 1-800-611-7343 from outside.