SETTLEMENT FUELS FERVER FOR REPIPING DEALTO FIX FAULTY PLUMBING.

Byline: Naush Boghossian Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - Gaping holes exposing the plumbing riddled both the exterior and interior of Daniel Wallace's three-bath house in Stevenson Ranch.

A crew of plumbers worked throughout the two-story house to replace all the corroded galvanized-steel pipes that had sent brown, rusty water through the family's faucets.

The Wallaces are among 5,000 Santa Clarita Valley households sharing a $41 million settlement reached last month in a class-action lawsuit that claimed faulty plumbing was deteriorating in relatively new homes.

``In the Santa Clarita Valley, it's a time bomb for everybody up there. The potential for disaster is always there,'' said Willy Littlefield, manager of Henrik Plumbing Inc. in Los Angeles, repiping specialists who have been busy in Santa Clarita.

For about 20 years, residents of newer housing tracts have complained of premature deterioration of their plumbing. They point to the use of cheaper galvanized pipes. It's not unusual in the region to replumb a 10-year-old house - a minimum $4,000 project.

The Wallaces' pipes haven't sprung leaks, but they took their share of the settlement and replumbed before corroding pipes ruptured and ruined walls, carpeting or furniture. Now they have the security of knowing their new copper pipes won't corrode - and their water quality will improve.

Before he installed a water filter, Wallace said the family's drinking water came out brown.

``The taste was a combination of sour and lightly mineralized,'' Wallace said. ``Even when I filtered the water, I still saw a slight haze in the water, and I would regularly have to clean the residue off the bottom of the water container.''

The lawsuit claimed that developers throughout the valley - including The Newhall Land and Farming Company and American Beauty Homes - and suppliers, plumbing contractors, manufacturers and water softening companies were liable for using the substandard galvanized piping that rusted and easily sprang leaks.

The settlement affected 2,500 homes and seven condominium complexes in at least nine valley communities including the Stevenson Ranch, Northbridge, Mountainview and Shadow Hills developments.

Attorney Ron Hartmann, who worked on the complex lawsuit, cautions those who may not want to spend the settlement money on repiping to think twice.

``The galvanized pipes will continue to develop pinhole leaks until the pipes are replaced,'' Hartmann said.

Since the settlement, residents are clamoring to set up appointments with plumbers who specialize in repiping, some even choosing to front the money to pay for the job before the checks come in to beat the expected rush.

``I'm trying to get ahead of the game because probably a lot of people will be trying to get the work done when the checks start coming in,'' Wallace said.

Hartmann said that he'd heard that some of the plumbers are scheduling replumbing jobs several months in advance because they are so busy.

Littlefield said his business has increased 33 percent since the settlement was announced.

``A lot of people have made appointments for service, but they're waiting until after they receive their checks to start work,'' Littlefield said.

Hartmann, whose firm Quisenberry & Kabateck represented the homeowners, said checks should be arriving in late August or early September.

Homeowners will receive $4,000 to $10,000 depending on the square footage of their houses and number of plumbing fixtures.

Replumbing a two-bathroom house costs about $3,200 and a three-bathroom house about $4,500, Littlefield said. The repairs take two to three days.

Wallace's home was built in 1991, and he moved in three years ago. It will cost $5,000 to repipe his home, which will require about 400 to 500 feet of copper piping. His share of the settlement is $7,600.

``It's unique in Santa Clarita Valley because imported iron pipes - the galvanized steel - rather than the copper became the standard,'' Littlefield said. The inferior piping, he said, helped cut costs.

Some residents have spent thousands of dollars repairing the damage to their homes caused by leaky pipes that stain floors and walls and soak attics before, in some cases, giving way and flooding rooms.

The worst damage Littlefield had seen was in a home built in 1997 where residents returned from vacation to find their house flooded.

``Since hot water leaks first, the homes were like saunas and they had to get rid of all their furniture,'' said Littlefield, who has come across five such cases in the valley. ``I've seen damage in excess of $20,000.''

SMART PICKS

The Contractors State License Board advises consumers to look for plumbers who are licensed and have references, workers'compensation and liability insurance. The board also recommends consumers get three competitors' bids and a building permit before the work begins.

Contact the agency at (800) 321-CSLB or at www.cslb.ca.gov.

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