As specialists in Escondido plumbing repair for over 40 years, we’ve identified a number of conditions that could have an impact on the overall condition of your plumbing system and how long your supply lines, fixtures and other plumbing components last. Understanding how Escondido water affects your plumbing can help you extend the life of your system and avoid costly plumbing repair services down the road.
Where does Escondido water come from?
The City of Escondido imports its water through a number of sources, including the San Diego County Water Authority (SDCWA), which purchases the majority of its water from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD). This water comes from the Colorado River Aqueduct and from Northern California. Water is also sourced from collected watershed and well fields near Lake Henshaw.
All water is processed at the Escondido-VID Water Treatment Plant where its filtered and disinfected to remove harmful bacteria and other materials. The water is then re-filtered and transferred to the Vista Irrigation District and throughout Escondido by a system of pipelines and reservoirs.
How does Escondido water affect plumbing?
Although water has been treated and purified before reaching your home, it still contains a number of chemicals and minerals that tend to corrode, leave deposits and degrade the various parts of your plumbing system. Calcium and magnesium cause the most damage to your plumbing, especially when concentrated higher-than-normal amounts. This is what is known as “hard water.”
If any of your faucets or shower heads have a white, yellow or green crust-like coating, the handles are hard to turn or water flow seems restricted, this is probably due to hard water. Not only is hard water bad for your skin, causing it to be dry, itchy and irritated, but it greatly increases the need for plumbing repair services over time.
Many Escondido homeowners use water softeners to reduce the affects of hard water. However, the excess salts associated with water softening systems have been known to corrode copper pipes and damage septic systems. Therefore softeners may not be the best way to resolve hard water problems.
The best way to avoid problems caused calcium and magnesium deposits is to install a whole-house water filter with a built-in magnetic water conditioner. These systems use activated carbon technology combined with an inline ionizer that helps dissolve and remove scale as well as chlorine and other impurities. The result is a life-time supply of odor-free, bottled-quality drinking water throughout the entire house.
It’s also recommended that you have your faucets and other fixtures serviced by a plumber on a regular basis. Preventative maintenance may include replacing faucet cartridges, flushing your water heater or thoroughly cleaning faucet components with a descaling solution regularly.
Escondido Water Pressure and Plumbing Repair
Another factor that can affect your plumbing is water pressure. Escondido water pressure ranges from about 45 psi up to 150 psi and greater. Since the maximum recommended pressure for residential plumbing is 75 psi, pressure reducing valves (or pressure regulators) are necessary in most homes.
Pressure regulators reduce your home’s incoming water pressure making it safe for supply lines, fixtures and other plumbing components. Higher than normal pressure will cause premature damage to faucets, toilets, water heaters, shutoff valves, irrigation lines and anything subjected to high pressure over a period of time. Ignoring high water pressure will eventually lead to leaks and possible flooding.
Even if you think your water pressure is normal, it’s wise to have experienced plumber check it anyway, replace old or non-working regulators and make all necessary plumbing repairs before you encounter a problem. Most regulators last anywhere from 4 to 7 years, depending on your neighborhood’s water quality and street pressure. If your regulator is within or nearing this range, or you can’t remember when it was last replaced, you should have it checked as soon as possible.
Again, preventive maintenance is the key to managing problems caused by local water conditions. If you’re having plumbing problems of any kind or it’s been years since you’ve had an inspection, you should consult with an experienced plumber in Escondido to avoid further problems and prevent plumbing emergencies.
If you need to to schedule a plumber in Escondido or the surrounding the North County area, call Town & Country Plumbing Repair at (760) 744-8672. We offer free estimates and a quality guarantee with all our work.
