Emergencies
A burst pipe or a flooding basement. The first five minutes decide how bad it gets.
Plumbing tips for Bergenfield, NJ homes
Bergenfield is compact, flat and built out between the 1920s and the 1950s, with capes, colonials and bungalows on small lots. Here is what is wearing out in them, and how to find a licensed plumber.
Bergenfield is one of the county's most compact boroughs: flat, fully built out, and mostly done by the late 1950s. The oldest streets have 1920s bungalows and colonials; the rest is 1930s and 1940s capes and post-war colonials on lots of a quarter acre or less. Basements are nearly universal, and most have been finished at some point.
What the houses have
- Galvanized steel supply in the 1920s and 1930s houses, usually partly replaced. The remaining sections cause the weak flow at the far fixtures. Full replacement ends it.
- Galvanized branch drains and cast iron mains, which are the reason the bathroom sink and tub drain slowly in so many houses of this age. The galvanized branches corrode shut; the cast iron horizontals rust through along the bottom.
- Copper supply in the post-war houses, generally sound.
- Steam or hot water heat with boilers that have been replaced, and radiators or baseboard that have not. Cold spots and banging are the common complaints.
- Finished basements with the water heater, boiler and main shut-off in a closet or behind a wall. Make sure you can reach all three quickly.
- Possible lead service lines in the oldest houses. Ask the utility whether your address is in its inventory.
Basements and storm water
The borough is flat and its west side drains slowly toward the Hackensack River. In a heavy storm the water table rises and the sewers surcharge, and basements see water from both directions. A sump pump with a backup handles ground water; a backwater valve handles the sewer. Many houses need both.
Water and sewer
Public water from the regional utility, moderately hard, and public sewer to the county authority. Laterals are clay or cast iron from the original construction, and street trees on the older blocks find them. A recurring backup is a lateral problem until a camera says otherwise.
When you need a professional
Plumbers in Bergenfield work under a New Jersey master plumber license, which is verifiable online. The Find a plumber page opens a search near Bergenfield and explains the check.
Plumbing topics for Bergenfield
Clogs and drains
Kitchen sinks, tubs, toilets and the old sewer lines under many Bergen County streets.
Hot water
Looking after a water heater, and knowing when it has reached the end.
Steam and hot water heat
Older Bergen County houses often have radiators. They are simple systems once you understand them.
Kitchen and bath fixes
The small repairs that save a service call, with honest notes on how hard each one is.
Upkeep and hiring
Seasonal checks, and how to hire a plumber in New Jersey without regretting it.
Common questions
My 1920s Bergenfield house has a bathroom sink that drains slowly no matter what I do. Why?
The branch drain is probably original galvanized steel, and it has corroded almost shut from the inside. Snaking clears the last inch of opening and it closes again within months. Replacing the branch from the trap to the stack with plastic is a small job and a permanent fix.
Water comes up through the basement floor drain when it rains hard. Is that sewer water?
Sometimes. If the floor drain connects to the sanitary sewer and the street main surcharges in a storm, sewage can back up through it. A backwater valve on the house drain stops it. If the water is clean and rises with the water table, it is ground water and a sump pump is the answer. The smell tells you which.
Need a professional?
When it is more than a quick fix, search for plumbers near your town and verify the New Jersey license in a minute.