Bungalow inspection order
- 1Service and mainpipe material at the wall and whether the valve closes
- 2Supplygalvanized versus copper, especially to the bathroom
- 3Stackcast iron from roof to floor
- 4Building drain and lateralunder the slab and out to the street
- 5Water heatertank age, venting and ownership
01The standard layout
A typical bungalow has one bathroom on the main floor, back to back with the kitchen or close to it, so they could share the stack. The stack drops straight down to a cast-iron building drain under the basement floor. The laundry and a floor drain sit near it. The water service enters through the front wall, and the water heater stands beside the furnace, sharing the chimney.
Knowing this layout lets us find things fast.
| Stack location | Usually central, behind the bathroom wall |
|---|---|
| Kitchen drain | Often a long horizontal run |
| Common add-on | Basement bathroom or full basement suite |
02What fails first
Galvanized supply lines to the bathroom clog with rust, reducing pressure. The cast-iron stack may rust through at the back. The clay lateral fills with roots. The original main valve seizes.
03Basement conversions
Many bungalows now have a basement suite. Adding a bathroom and kitchen downstairs puts more demand on the same old drain. A camera inspection before renovation is a good idea.
04Signs your bungalow needs attention
- Weak shower upstairs
- Brown water after the water has been off
- Gurgling floor drain
- Rust streaks on the stack
05Upgrades worth doing together
If the floor is open for a backwater valve, use the chance to inspect the cast-iron building drain under it. If walls are open for a bathroom renovation, replace any galvanized behind them. Bundling the work saves a second round of demolition.