Water on two fronts
Sacramento plumbing issues come from two directions: water inside the pipes and water outside the house. The city sits where the American and Sacramento rivers meet, and much of it depends on levees. Homes in low-lying neighborhoods may have sump pumps, backflow devices or drainage systems that only get tested when a storm arrives. If your house has a sump pump, test it before the rainy season by pouring water into the pit until the float lifts and the pump runs. Check that the discharge line carries water well away from the foundation and isn't buried in debris.
Sewer backups during heavy storms are another concern in older parts of the city, where sewer and storm systems can be overwhelmed. If a floor drain or the lowest toilet in the house backs up during storms, ask a plumber about a backwater valve, which lets sewage flow out but not back in. Installation often requires a permit and should be done by someone who knows local requirements.
Older homes, older pipes
Many Sacramento neighborhoods have houses built over many decades, and their plumbing reflects it: galvanized steel supply lines that corrode from the inside, cast-iron drains that crack or scale, and clay sewer laterals that invite tree roots. Sacramento's mature street trees are beautiful, but their roots find their way into old sewer lines. If drains back up repeatedly, a camera inspection of the sewer lateral is usually the fastest way to find out why.
When pressure drops throughout the house or hot water comes out rusty, ask whether repiping makes more sense than chasing individual leaks in old galvanized pipe.
Heat and water heaters
Summer heat waves in Sacramento can bring more than a week of triple-digit days. Water heaters in garages and attics sit in that heat, and attic installations in particular can cause serious damage if they leak. Make sure any attic water heater has a drain pan piped to the outside, and have the pressure relief valve and its discharge line checked. Irrigation systems also work hardest in summer; a broken sprinkler line or a stuck valve can waste a lot of water before you notice it on the bill.
Winter
Hard freezes are uncommon in Sacramento, but cold, foggy stretches in winter do happen. Outdoor pipes and backflow devices for irrigation systems should still be insulated, and hose bibs should have hoses disconnected on frosty nights.
Before you hire
Ask Sacramento plumbers about their experience with older pipe materials, whether they do camera inspections, and how they handle permits for water heater replacement and sewer work.
Hose bibs and irrigation backflow
Even in a mild climate, outdoor hose bibs and irrigation backflow devices are the plumbing most exposed to the weather. Check them each spring for drips and cracked bodies, and replace worn washers. A slow drip at a hose bib wastes water all summer and can soften the soil next to the foundation.