Leaks and emergencies
Burst pipes, frozen pipes and water where it should not be. What to do before anything else.
Plumbing tips for Nyack, NY homes
Nyack's Victorian and early 20th century houses are among the oldest in the county, and their plumbing has been worked on for a hundred years. Here is what to expect, and how to find a licensed plumber.
Nyack is a village on the Hudson with houses from the 1850s onward: Victorians on the hill, rowhouses and two-family houses near the river, and everything since. The plumbing in an old Nyack house is a record of every owner who ever touched it, and it usually contains three or four generations of pipe.
What the houses have
- Galvanized steel supply pipe from the early 20th century is still in service in many houses, often mixed with later copper. Its symptoms are unmistakable: pressure that fades upstairs, rusty water after the taps have been off, and a flow that gets worse every year. Repiping is the fix, and it is a significant job.
- Cast iron and clay drains of the same age. Cast iron stacks can last a century; the horizontal runs and the lateral to the street are where trouble starts.
- Steam heat is common in the older houses, with the radiators, vents and quirks that go with it. Some have been converted to hot water.
- Plaster walls and old floors make every plumbing job slower and every leak harder to find. A ceiling stain can be a long way from its source.
- Hillside lots mean basements that take on water from the uphill side, and sump pumps that work hard in a storm.
Drainage
Nyack is on public sewer, with some of the oldest laterals in the county. Roots from the village's big trees, offset joints in clay pipe, and bellies from a century of settling are all common findings on a camera inspection.
Water
Public water, with pressure that varies considerably with the slope. Houses low on the hill can run high, and benefit from a pressure-reducing valve; houses at the top may run low.
When you need a professional
Plumbers working in Nyack are licensed by Rockland County. The Find a plumber page opens a search near Nyack and explains how to check a license. For an old house, ask whether the plumber works on steam and on galvanized replacement.
Plumbing topics for Nyack
Drains and toilets
Slow sinks, blocked tubs and toilets that run all night. Most of these you can fix yourself.
Water heaters
How long they last, how to look after one, and the warning signs that it is about to fail.
Boilers and radiators
Hot water and steam heating is common in Rockland homes. A little routine care goes a long way.
Faucets and fixtures
Dripping faucets, weak showers and the small jobs that are well within reach of a careful beginner.
Seasonal care and hiring a plumber
A short checklist for each season, and how to choose and check a plumber when the job is beyond you.
Common questions
Is old plumbing in a Nyack house a reason not to buy?
Not by itself. Old copper and even old cast iron can be in fine condition. What matters is whether the galvanized supply pipe has been replaced, the state of the sewer lateral, and how the heating has been maintained. A camera inspection and a plumber's walk-through answer those before you commit.
Are Nyack plumbers licensed differently from the rest of the county?
No. The Village of Nyack issues its own building permits, but plumbers are licensed by Rockland County, and the county's Office of Consumer Protection can confirm a license.
Need a professional?
Some jobs are not for a weekend. Here is how to find a plumber near you in Rockland County and check the license before work starts.