Plumbing tips for Nanuet, NY homes

Nanuet is a hamlet in the Town of Clarkstown, and its houses tell the story of the county: a few from before the war near the old center, a great many capes, splits and ranches from the 1950s and 1960s, and newer colonials and townhouses filling in since. Each generation has its own plumbing habits.

What the houses have

• 1950s and 1960s houses, the majority, were built with copper supply pipes and cast iron drains. The copper is generally sound; the cast iron drains, especially the horizontal runs under a slab or in a crawl space, are reaching the age where they rust through from the bottom. Slow drains and a persistent smell in a basement often trace back to them.
• Older houses near the center may still have galvanized steel supply pipe, which shows itself as poor pressure upstairs and rusty water first thing in the morning.
• Split levels put a bathroom over a family room, and a ceiling stain there is the classic sign of a failed tub or shower seal above.
• Heat is a mix: hot water baseboard in most of the mid-century houses, steam radiators in the oldest, and forced air in the newer ones.

Water and pressure

Nanuet's public water comes at pressures that vary from street to street, and some lower-lying areas run high. If the pipes bang when the washing machine shuts off, or the water heater's relief valve drips, check the pressure at an outdoor faucet before anything else.

Winter

Nanuet gets the same cold snaps as the rest of the county. The pipes that freeze are the ones in garages, crawl spaces and the walls of additions, and the outdoor faucets that still have a hose attached in December.

When you need a professional

Plumbers in Nanuet are licensed by Rockland County. The Find a plumber page opens a search for plumbers near Nanuet and explains how to check a license with the county before work begins.