Salinas Home Inspection: Plumbing Terms Explained

California home inspections include plumbing notes that can sound alarming. Here is what common terms mean. Your inspector is the best guide to your report, and a licensed plumber can explain options and costs.

Water heaters

Seismic straps — Straps that keep the tank from tipping in an earthquake. Missing or single straps should be fixed. More: earthquake-ready water heaters.

TPR valve — The temperature and pressure relief valve; it needs a proper discharge pipe.

Flexible connectors — Flexible gas and water lines that allow movement; rigid connections may be flagged.

Supply pipes

Galvanized — Older steel pipe that rusts inside. More: galvanized pipes in older Salinas homes.

Mineral scale — Hard water buildup on fixtures and inside pipes. See water softeners and filters.

Low pressure — Often old pipe or a failing regulator.

Drains and sewer

Sewer lateral — The pipe from the house to the city main, usually the owner's responsibility.

Root intrusion — Roots seen in the lateral during a camera inspection. See sewer line repair.

Offset joint — Pipe sections that have shifted, often from ground movement.

Other notes

Backflow device — A valve on irrigation lines that keeps yard water out of the drinking supply.

Hose bib leak — A dripping outdoor faucet, often a quick repair.

Older neighborhoods in Salinas, Seaside and Castroville are the most likely to show galvanized supply lines and aging laterals, while newer homes in Marina and the edges of town usually have copper or PEX. The age of the house is a good first clue to what the inspector will find.

Want a price before closing? A plumber can check flagged items and give a written estimate. See repiping and leak repair.