Plumbers in Saratoga Springs, Utah

The City of Saratoga Springs says its hardness tests average 142 parts per million, or 8.3 grains per gallon, and it calls the water moderately hard (source). The city's page gives no test date. The water is a mix. The city gets treated water from the Central Utah Water Conservancy District and pumps groundwater from its own deep wells. An average is not your tap, so we test the water at your house before we size a water softener. If you have a softener now, check how it drains. The city recommends an air gap of at least 1.5 inches between the end of the softener's discharge tube and the top of the floor drain. Without that gap, the city says, wastewater that backs up in the drain may be pulled into the softener and contaminate the drinking water in your home.

It depends on where your house sits. The city says it is divided into 5 pressure zones, and that pressure can vary from 40 to 150 psi depending on where you live in a zone. Residents at the bottom of a zone can see more than 120 psi (source). The city says those pressures can damage plumbing inside a home and the pipes and valves of a sprinkler system, unless a pressure reducing valve (PRV) protects them. It says current plumbing codes call for a PRV in all new homes, and that these valves generally last 10 to 15 years. The Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 estimates put the median year built for homes here at 2012 (source), so many first valves are now in that range. High pressure strains pipes, hoses, and valves. We can test yours as part of leak detection.

The water heater is a common cause, the city says. Harmless bacteria that live naturally in groundwater react with the magnesium and aluminum in the heater's anode rod and produce sulfide gases (source). If only the hot water smells, start there. Our water heater repair visit includes a check of the anode rod. Age matters too. The median home in Saratoga Springs was built in 2012, and ENERGY STAR says to consider replacement once a water heater is more than 10 years old (source). Our water heater replacement page explains the signs. The city names drains as the other common source of odors: grease and debris in pipes and traps, or a dry trap that lets sewer odor rise. Its fix for a dry trap is to add water to sink and floor drains that have not been used in a while.

Saratoga Springs has a separate pressurized irrigation system for outdoor use. The city says the water is non-potable and should never be used for drinking, cooking, or playing in (source). The city does not allow a cross connection of any type without a backflow prevention device (source). State rule says backflow assemblies shall be tested at least once a year by a certified tester (source). We do backflow testing for homes and businesses. The season has fixed weeks. The city charges the system the week of April 15 and drains it the week of October 15. In fall it asks residents to leave their own shut-off valve open so the line can drain, and to close it after November 1. Your connection is in a green box marked irrigation, on a property line near the sidewalk.

Most often it is a clog in the building's own pipes. The City of Saratoga Springs says backups in private buildings are generally caused by blockages or other issues within the building's piping. It also says its Public Works Department will inspect the sewer piping in your street to verify (source). If sewage is backing up, keep people and pets away from it and stop running water. Then call the city and call our emergency line. If the street is clear, the problem is in your line. Drain cleaning clears the clog. A sewer camera inspection shows what caused it, and whether the line needs more than cleaning. The city uses the same tools on its own system. It says it inspects its sewers with closed circuit TV and cleans them with water jets.

They can, and the city says storms are the usual cause. Flooding from melting snow is uncommon here, the city says. Cloudburst thunderstorms are far more common (source). After major storms the city inspects the damage. It reports that most homes with damage to basement areas had not completed proper grading away from the house, or had soil that collapsed and left low spots. The city says the ground should slope away from a new house at a 5% grade or more. It also warns against putting sprinkler control valves next to window wells, because a failed valve there almost always floods the basement (source). Where grading alone does not keep water away, we install French drains and drainage. If water is near outlets or appliances, stay out of it. Shut off power at the breaker only if you can reach it from a dry spot.

We come to Saratoga Springs from our shop in Lehi. We do not post an arrival time on this page, because we have not measured one and will not promise a number we cannot keep. When you call, a person tells you when a plumber can be there. For a burst pipe, a sewage backup, or no hot water, call our emergency line. It is answered 24/7. For planned work, such as a pressure test, a new water heater, or a backflow test before the week of April 15, you can book a visit. Estimates are free, and you get the estimate before any work starts. Our work carries a guarantee, and financing is available for larger jobs. We serve homes and businesses across the city, from Beacon Pointe and Northshore to Mt. Saratoga and Cliff Lake. The other cities we serve are on our Utah County page.