Plumbing in Westminster: What We See Most
Westminster incorporated in 1957, and most of its homes were built in the 1950s and 1960s tract boom. Since the late 1970s the city has also been home to Little Saigon, one of the largest Vietnamese-American communities in the country, with a dense mix of homes, restaurants and small businesses.
The post-war homes have post-war plumbing: galvanized supply lines, cast iron drains under slabs, and clay or fiber sewer laterals that are now 60 to 70 years old. Many homes have been expanded over the years, sometimes adding fixtures to drain lines never sized for them. Kitchens that cook at volume, at home or in a shop, put heavy grease into drain lines.
The most common Westminster plumbing problems:
- Galvanized supply lines and whole-house low pressure
- Clay or fiber sewer laterals with roots, sags or collapse
- Grease buildup in kitchen drain lines
- Cast iron drains cracking under the slab
- Added bathrooms on undersized drain lines
- Old water heaters and gas connectors past their service life
None of this means every home has these problems, and a good plumber will tell you when yours does not. It does mean the diagnosis starts with knowing what is likely in this area, which saves time and keeps you from paying for the wrong repair.