Plumbing guides for San Diego houses.
How to shut the water off, why a pilot will not stay lit, and when a drain needs a jet instead of another cable.
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When a water heater pilot will not stay lit
If the pilot stays lit only while you hold the knob, the thermocouple is the usual failure. Here is what is safe to check.
Signs of a slab leak in a San Diego house
A warm floor, a spinning meter, or the sound of water under the slab are the signs worth a leak detection visit.
Drain snake or hydro jet
A cable is right for one stop. A jet is right when the same line clogs again because the pipe wall is still dirty.
When a house needs a repipe
Rusty water, repeating pinholes, and polybutylene are the three histories that justify replacing the supply instead of patching the next leak.
When should you stop and call a professional?
Six signs that the problem is past DIY. Turn the system off and pick up the phone, because running a system with these issues turns cheap repairs into expensive replacements.
- Water is running and the shutoff will not close
A valve that spins without stopping the water will not get better while you wait. Shut the main if it still moves. If the main will not close, leave the address on the line and move what you can off the floor.
- You smell gas near a water heater
Leave the house and call the gas company and 911. Do not hunt for a fitting, and do not relight a pilot.
- The pilot lights only while you hold the knob
That pattern is usually a tired thermocouple. Relighting it over and over does not fix the part. A plumber should test it and write the price before replacing the heater.
- The same drain clogs again within a few weeks
A cable clears a plug. A line that clogs again often still has grease or scale on the wall, or a break in the pipe. That is a jet or a camera, not another bottle of cleaner.
- A warm spot in the floor, or the meter spinning with every tap closed
Those are slab-leak signs. Detection typically runs $250 to $700. Opening the slab without locating the leak first is how a small job becomes a big one.
- Rusty water or a new pinhole after you already patched one
One pinhole can be a spot repair. Repeating pinholes, galvanized pipe, or gray polybutylene are a system problem. A whole-house repipe typically runs $4,500 to $12,000. The plumber writes the price after seeing the house.
Further reading from trusted sources
Look up a contractor license
Check the license number, bond, and workers comp status before anyone starts plumbing work in San Diego County.
City of San DiegoCity of San Diego permits and inspections
Water heater replacements and sewer repairs often need a permit. Confirm the rule for the city the house is in.
Seismic Safety CommissionWater heater seismic strapping
California requires a storage water heater to be strapped. The California Seismic Safety Commission publishes the homeowner guidance.
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