Fortuna, California is located in Humboldt County and is the largest city in the county. It’s made up of a number of unique areas including Rohnerville, Alton and Newburg. As your friendly local plumber, we are very aware of the unique plumbing challenges that home owners and business owners in Fortuna can face.

leaky pipes and slab leaks

Leaks can happen to any home, in any area, but Fortuna homes can be prone to leaky pipes because of corroded galvanized pipes in homes built before the 1970s, coastal air causing faster pipe corrosion, and shifting foundations from small earthquakes that can stress buried plumbing lines.

Another common cause of water leaks in Fortuna are slab leaks. Slab leaks occur when buried pipes underneath a concrete foundation wear out or become damaged through corrosion, friction, or moving soil. This causes water to begin leaking underneath the concrete and spreading slowly to the rest of the foundation. Slab leaks can be serious, especially because they often go unnoticed for weeks or month.

Slab leaks can cause serious damage as they can lead to foundation damage, floor damage, mold growth, or even hot water leaks. Fortuna’s wetter climate can create excess moisture underneath slabs that lead to faster damage.

Early detection is key for slab leaks. We use the latest technology in leak detection and a variety of repair options in Humboldt County.

water heater failures

Cooler Humboldt temperatures mean you want to keep your water running nice and hot, but the colder air, constant moisture, and often older home stock proves this to be challenging. These issues can present themselves as internal rust in water heater tanks, premature water heater leaks, and loss of heat in your water heater. You may see things like pilot light issues, heating element burnouts on electric water heater units, or pressure valve failures.

Proximity to coastal regions can lead to increased sediment in minerals. Signs include noisy heaters that sound like they’re popping, higher energy bills, and lower heat efficiency. Accelerated corrosion from salty sea air and humid environments can also lead to metallic smells, rust-colored water, and tank leaks. If you notice that your water is not as hot, you’re running out of hot water quickly, popping sounds, rusty water, water pooling around tank, or higher energy bills, it’s important to have your tank inspected by a plumber.

aging plumbing in older homes

Fortuna is home to many Victorian era, Craftsman homes, and Colonial era homes. Older home stock, combined with Fortuna’s heavy annual rainfall, can cause sewer backups and flooded drains. Strong storm water surges can stress sewer systems. During heavy storms, groundwater rises and rainwater can ender old corroded or cracked pipes leading to inflow or infiltration, which can result in slow drains, sewer backups, or gurgling toilets.

Power outages caused by storms can stop your sump pump from working or you may experience crawlspace flooding if your sump system is overloaded during a storm.

Give us a call today if you experience any of these, especially after heavy rain: sewage odors coming from outside, toilet gurgling, sudden water pressure changes, or slower drains.

Tree Root intrusion

Finally Fortuna’s mature, beautiful redwoods, maples, and other coastal trees are supported by the area’s high rainfall. For homeowners, this means that these tree roots may seek out the constant moisture provided by pipes.

Over time these tree roots can intrude into your sewer lines and cause cracked or collapsed sewer pipes or create tree root blockages in your pipes.

As tree roots intrude into your sewer line you may notice: slow drainage, gurgling drains, bubbling toilets, slow draining tubs and sinks, sewage backups, sewer or sewage smells through your home, or sewage overflows.

If you suspect a tree root intrusion, give us a call today for an inspection and repair. We repair sewer lines, assess drainage and backup issues, and know how to expertly deal with tree root intrusions into your sewer lines.