If your Lakewood home was built in the early 1950s and has never been repiped, there is a good chance some galvanized steel water pipe is still in the walls or at the water heater. Galvanized pipe corrodes from the inside over decades, which causes low pressure, rusty water and leaks at threaded joints.
Why so many Lakewood homes have galvanized pipe
The City of Lakewood's history describes how the Lakewood Park Corporation built 17,500 homes in three phases between 1950 and 1953: Lakewood Park east of Lakewood Boulevard, Lakewood Mutual Homes west of it, and Carson Park east of Palo Verde Avenue. Galvanized steel was a standard material for residential water supply lines in that era. Copper became more common later. Today, many of those homes have been partly updated, so you can find copper at a remodeled kitchen and galvanized pipe everywhere else.
How to tell what you have
Check three places: where the water line enters the house (often near the front hose bib), the connections on top of the water heater, and under sinks. Galvanized pipe is dull gray steel with threaded fittings, and a magnet sticks to it. Copper is reddish-brown with soldered joints. PEX is flexible plastic, usually red, blue or white. If you see galvanized pipe in even one spot, there is probably more in the walls.
Not sure what you need? Talk it through by phone.
Call (708) 350-9399Problems galvanized pipe causes
- Low pressure, especially on hot water and at fixtures farthest from the meter, because rust and scale narrow the inside of the pipe.
- Rusty or brown water, especially after the water has sat overnight.
- Leaks at threaded joints, where the pipe wall is thinnest.
- Uneven pressure when two fixtures run at once.
Our water pressure problems page explains how to tell pipe restrictions apart from regulator or utility problems.
Repair one section or repipe?
Fixing a single galvanized leak often just moves the problem to the next weak joint. If pressure is poor throughout the house and leaks have started, a whole-home repipe is usually the more lasting answer. In single-story slab homes like most of Lakewood, new lines are typically run through the attic and down the walls, so the slab doesn't have to be opened. See repiping and pipe repair and the PEX vs copper comparison.
Permits and planning
The City of Lakewood lists plumbing work among projects that often need a permit, per its Building and Safety permits page. A permitted repipe comes with an inspection and a record you can show buyers later. Ask for a written scope that covers which lines are replaced, wall patching, and whether the main shutoff and fixture stops are included. Our repiping cost guide lists published price ranges with their dates and limitations.
What about the service line?
The buried line from the meter to the house may also be galvanized in older homes. If pressure is low even at the hose bib nearest the meter, the service line may be part of the problem. See water line repair. Leaks at or before the meter belong to your water provider: the City of Lakewood west of the San Gabriel River, or Golden State Water east of it.
Related reading
If you're buying, see the 1950s home plumbing checklist. If you're seeing warm spots on the floor, read slab leaks in Lakewood tract homes.
When should you call a plumber about this?
Call when you see active leaks, water damage, sewage, repeated clogs, low pressure across the house, or anything involving gas. Call too when a job needs a permit, or when you're buying a home and want an inspection before you close. Describe what you've noticed, the home's age and your address or cross streets. You'll hear on the call whether your address and job are covered.
How was this guide researched?
This guide was written for Lakewood, California homeowners and checked against the sources below on November 11, 2026. Rules and prices change, so confirm anything important with the agency or provider. See our editorial policy.