Plumber in Salt Lake City, UT for Older Homes

A city where most houses predate 1980

US Census Bureau American Community Survey estimates put the median Salt Lake City home in 1972. About 58 percent of the city’s housing was built before 1980, and about 23 percent was built in 1939 or earlier. Roughly four in ten homes date from before 1960.

The city is not only old houses, though. More than one in five homes was built in 2010 or later. So the same block can hold a century-old bungalow and a building finished last year, and the plumbing questions for each are completely different.

Galvanized supply pipe and cast iron drains in pre-1960 homes

Galvanized steel supply pipe and cast iron drains were common in homes from the early and middle 20th century. Galvanized pipe corrodes from the inside, so over decades the opening narrows and flow drops, often first at upstairs fixtures or when two taps run at once.

• Low pressure that has slowly worsened over years
• Brown or rusty water when a tap is first opened
• Leaks at threaded joints, often where old pipe meets newer repairs
• Gray metal pipe with threaded fittings near the water heater or main shutoff

Lead solder, testing and what the build year cannot tell you

The 1986 Safe Drinking Water Act amendments banned lead solder, flux and lead pipe in drinking water plumbing, and a 2014 federal law tightened the definition of lead free further. A house built before 1986 may still have older solder joints, and many Salt Lake City homes fall in that window.

That is a reason to test, not a conclusion. Your utility or a testing lab can tell you what is actually in your water. If testing or a pipe inspection points to the supply system, replacing it removes the question.

Repiping an older Salt Lake City house

When galvanized lines are failing in several places, patching one leak at a time often just moves the next leak down the line. Repiping replaces the supply system with modern material.

1. Identify the existing pipe material at the main entry, water heater and under sinks.
2. Decide between replacing the whole supply system or the worst sections.
3. Plan access through walls and floors to limit patching in plaster or finished rooms.
4. Pressure test the new lines and restore water to each fixture.

Heating, cooling and gas in houses not designed for central air

Many older homes were never designed for central air, and some have rooms that duct runs barely reach. A ductless mini-split can cool or heat a room without new ducts, and it is good at fixing the temperature swings old floor plans are known for. Rocket also works on furnaces, heat pumps and air conditioners.

Older houses often get new gas appliances over time, such as a range or dryer where none was planned. Extending or adding a gas line is work for a pro. If you ever smell gas, leave the building and call the gas utility or 911 from outside.

Booking a visit from Rocket

Rocket is a locally owned father and sons team based in West Jordan, serving homes across the Salt Lake Valley. Schedule online, call or text, and mention the age of the house and any past repairs you know about.