Picture this: You're at home in Pasadena, taking in the stillness of the moment as you stare out at the San Gabriel Mountains. Then suddenly, without warning, a sound slices through the air—a mysterious drip, drip, dripping from somewhere within your home. At that precise moment, you would definitely want to know what kind of plumbing your house has and whether it might be on the verge of collapse. In Pasadena, the old and new architecture can be as diverse as the tacos on Fair Oaks Avenue. Some homes are historic treasures full of vintage charm and character. Others are straight-up modern and efficient. The plumbing in all these homes is as diverse as the people who live here, and when it comes to marital discord and surprise plumbing problems, an expert's opinion could be a lifesaver.
Consider, for instance, the vintage bungalow and its unique style. These homes may have older plumbing that comes with its own set of surprises, including what appears to be a half-dozen ways your pipes can leak, as water finds its way out of a faulty joint, an improperly installed fitting, or an aging wall. Meanwhile, modern plumbing is so efficient, it hazards a pun that might make the jester of an old plumbing system cringe: Your pipes are so good, your water can’t help but come out of them, day or night, in any temperature, in any room of the house, as long as you twist a knob or pull a handle.
Water quality is an essential aspect of an unnoticed and taken-for-granted aspect of home life until it negatively affects something as important as morning coffee or the garden's lushness. Pasadena homes are at the mercy of City Hall's choices, and those choices can lead to variations in water pressure and mineral content—a situation that can slowly start to affect your pipes.
That isn't much to look forward to. Still, there's a silver lining when it comes to plumbing: almost everything can be fixed and many problems can be avoided with the right maintenance and the right materials.
Missing on the front end is a sign of something more to come on the back end. And here's a clue for the not-so-smart: plumbing your old pipes with the latest smart technology is more likely to save you time and money.