The housing around downtown
The residential blocks surrounding downtown Fullerton include homes from the city's earlier decades, mixed with postwar houses, small multi-unit buildings and newer construction. That variety means two neighbors on the same street can have very different plumbing: one with original pipe from many decades ago, the other with lines replaced during a remodel.
Older homes here are more likely than the city's later tracts to sit on raised foundations with a crawlspace, which makes drain lines under the house easier to reach. Postwar houses are more often on slabs, with drains buried in the concrete. Knowing which you have changes how a clog or repair is approached.
What to expect in older downtown homes
- Foundations
- A mix of raised floors with crawlspaces and slab-on-grade
- Drain lines
- Cast iron is common in original plumbing; plastic where remodeled
- Sewer laterals
- Older clay or cast iron in many original installations
- Trees
- Mature street and yard trees near many lateral paths
Drain issues common in older housing
- Root intrusion at clay lateral joints under front yards and parkways
- Scale and corrosion in original cast-iron drains
- Missing or buried outdoor cleanouts on homes built before they were common
- Shared or unusual drain arrangements in converted or multi-unit properties
- Past partial repairs that join old and new pipe materials
Raised floor vs. slab for drain work
Raised foundation
- Drains often visible and reachable in the crawlspace
- Leaks and damp soil can be spotted directly
- Repairs under the house may avoid cutting floors
Slab-on-grade
- Drains buried in or under the concrete
- Camera inspection is the main way to see them
- Repairs may involve cutting the slab, tunneling or rerouting
Questions for a plumber working on an older downtown home
- Is my house on a raised foundation or slab, and where do the drains run?
- What material is my lateral, and has any of it been replaced?
- Where is the cleanout, or should one be added?
- Do you see root intrusion near the street trees?
Common questions
Is drain service available near downtown Fullerton through this site?
Ask us to confirm your address is in our service area. This is a preview site for Fullerton Drain Cleaning: the phone number is temporary and the request form is not connected to a destination yet.
Do older downtown homes always have clay laterals?
Not always. Many have been replaced over the years. A camera inspection is the reliable way to know.
Who handles a backup in an apartment building?
Tenants should notify the property manager or owner, who usually arranges plumbing for shared lines.
General information for Fullerton, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.