Leaks and emergencies
Burst pipes, frozen pipes and water where it should not be. What to do before anything else.
Plumbing tips for Tappan, NY homes
Tappan has a historic center with houses from the 1700s and 1800s and a much larger ring of 1950s and 1960s houses around it. Here is what each means for plumbing, and how to find a licensed plumber.
Tappan is a hamlet in the Town of Orangetown and one of the oldest settlements in the county. Its center has houses from the 1700s and 1800s around the historic district. Almost everything else is post-war: capes, ranches, splits and colonials from the 1950s and 1960s on flat lots, with a few later subdivisions. The two kinds of house have almost nothing in common except the water and sewer they share.
The old houses
- Layers of pipe from a century and a half of repairs: galvanized steel, copper of several ages, sometimes brass. Where pressure fades, the oldest section is usually the cause.
- Drains added long after the house, since these houses predate indoor plumbing. Bathrooms were fitted where they could go, on drains and vents that were improvised. Vent problems are the rule rather than the exception.
- Stone foundations that let water through in a storm and hold damp all year, with the mechanical equipment sitting at the bottom.
- Heat by steam or hot water with boilers that have been replaced several times and radiators that have not.
The post-war houses
Copper supply pipe in good condition, cast iron drains at the age of failure, and galvanized branch drains that corrode shut and make bathroom sinks slow. Water heaters and boilers are on their second or third replacement. Finished basements hide the water heater and the main shut-off; make sure you can reach both.
Basements and the creek
Tappan is low and flat, and the Sparkill Creek runs through it. Basements take on ground water in the spring and after a heavy rain, and the streets nearest the creek see it worst. Sump pumps are standard and a battery backup is worth having.
Drainage
Orangetown runs its own sewer system. The laterals under the older streets are clay, and street trees find them; a recurring backup is a lateral problem until a camera says otherwise.
Water
Public water from the regional utility, moderately hard, at moderate pressure across the flat ground.
When you need a professional
Plumbers in Tappan are licensed by Rockland County. The Find a plumber page opens a search near Tappan and explains the license check. For a historic house, look for a plumber who has worked on old buildings and is patient with them.
Plumbing topics for Tappan
Drains and toilets
Slow sinks, blocked tubs and toilets that run all night. Most of these you can fix yourself.
Water heaters
How long they last, how to look after one, and the warning signs that it is about to fail.
Boilers and radiators
Hot water and steam heating is common in Rockland homes. A little routine care goes a long way.
Faucets and fixtures
Dripping faucets, weak showers and the small jobs that are well within reach of a careful beginner.
Seasonal care and hiring a plumber
A short checklist for each season, and how to choose and check a plumber when the job is beyond you.
Common questions
My house is in the Tappan historic district. Does that affect plumbing work?
Only for changes that show outside, like a new vent through the roof or a wall-mounted flue. Interior plumbing work is handled by an ordinary Orangetown building permit. Working on a very old house is slower than the permit suggests, because nothing is square and every wall hides a surprise.
The basement of my 1960s Tappan house is damp all spring. Is that a plumbing problem?
Usually it is ground water. The land here is flat and low and drains toward the Sparkill Creek, so the water table rises in wet weather. A sump pump with a backup, gutters that discharge well away from the house, and grading that slopes away from the foundation solve most of it. If the dampness is in one spot and does not change with the weather, suspect a pipe.
Need a professional?
Some jobs are not for a weekend. Here is how to find a plumber near you in Rockland County and check the license before work starts.