Emergencies
A burst pipe or a flooding basement. The first five minutes decide how bad it gets.
Plumbing tips for Teaneck, NJ homes
Teaneck's colonials, Tudors and capes from the 1920s to the 1950s are solid houses with aging plumbing. Here is what to look for, and how to find a licensed plumber in the township.
Teaneck was developed largely between the 1920s and the early 1950s, and its neighborhoods are full of well-built colonials, Tudors, Cape Cods and center-hall houses on modest lots. They are solid houses, and their plumbing, where it has not been replaced, is now seventy to a hundred years old.
What the houses have
- Galvanized steel supply pipe in the pre-war houses, often partly replaced with copper over the years. The remaining steel sections are the weak point, and the joints between steel and copper corrode fastest.
- Cast iron stacks and drains that are mostly sound above ground and failing below it.
- Hot water heat with cast iron radiators in many houses, and steam in some. Bleeding radiators in autumn and having the boiler serviced are the yearly routine.
- Tudors and colonials with bathrooms on outside walls, where supply pipes run through unheated wall cavities and freeze in a hard cold snap.
- Finished basements in a township where the water table is not far down. Sump pumps and, in the lower streets, backwater valves.
Trees
Teaneck's streets are known for their trees, and its sewer laterals are known to the plumbers who clear them. A main line that clogs every year or two is roots, and a camera inspection tells you whether cutting, lining or replacement is the right answer.
Water
Public water from the regional utility. Pressure varies with the gentle slope of the township; the lower streets toward the river run higher.
When you need a professional
Plumbing must be done under a New Jersey master plumber, whose license can be verified online in a minute. The Find a plumber page opens a search near Teaneck and explains the check.
Plumbing topics for Teaneck
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 Teaneck house has a mix of copper and old steel pipe. Is that a problem?
It is very common, and it works until the steel sections fail. Where copper is joined directly to galvanized steel, the joint corrodes faster than either pipe. Ask a plumber to check those joints, and plan to replace the remaining steel when the walls are next open.
Is Teaneck on sewer?
Yes, public sewer throughout, with the township responsible for the mains and the homeowner for the lateral from the house to the street.
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.