Plumbing Inspection in Fallbrook, CA

Signs it's time for an inspection

• You're buying a property and want to know what the private plumbing looks like
• The water bill rose without any change in use
• There's a soggy patch between the street and the house
• Drains are slow throughout the home
• The water heater's age is unknown
• You're unsure whether the house is on FPUD sewer or not on municipal sewer

Local conditions in Fallbrook

Fallbrook Public Utility District provides water, wastewater and recycled water to about 35,000 people across a 28,000-acre area. Some outer addresses fall in Rainbow Municipal Water District instead, so the bill is the place to confirm your provider. FPUD's rule on leaks is straightforward: the customer repairs anything on the property's side of the meter, and the district handles the meter, the street and hydrants. The meter usually sits near the front of the lot, so on a large parcel the private run can be long.

FPUD publishes an interactive Lead & Copper Service Line Map showing service line materials in its area, which is worth checking for any home you're buying. On the drain side, FPUD runs a Fats, Oils and Grease program to cut down on sewer overflows. Which Fallbrook parcels are on FPUD sewer and which use a private onsite wastewater system isn't stated in district materials reviewed here, so ask the seller and have the plumber trace the line.

Gas is SDG&E, though some rural homes may use propane. For a gas smell, leave the house, then call 911 and SDG&E at 1-800-611-7343; propane homes call 911 and their propane supplier.

What affects the cost

• Length of the private water line and how much of it can be checked
• Sewer camera inspection, or tracing the line to an onsite system
• House size and outbuildings with plumbing
• Gas or propane line testing
• Travel on rural roads

What happens when you call

A free referral service, not a plumbing company, connects you with an independent plumber who serves Fallbrook. Say whether you're on FPUD or Rainbow and whether the home is on sewer, if you know. Repairs on unincorporated land go through the County of San Diego for permits.