Much of University Park was built in a single wave, starting when the village was still Park Forest South in the late 1960s and continuing through the 1980s. That timing matters for plumbing, because homes built together tend to wear out together. Original copper supply lines, sewer laterals, sump pits and gas piping in many of these houses are now forty to fifty years old, and the trees planted when the subdivisions were new have grown roots big enough to find every weak joint underground. Add heavier storms than the original builders planned for, and the smartest money in an older house usually goes to upgrades made on a schedule rather than repairs made in a hurry.
Deciding which of those upgrades comes first is easier with someone who knows the local housing stock, and Vertical Plumbing is a locally owned team that has made University Park residential plumbing part of its regular work from its base in neighboring Monee. Its technicians train continually on current equipment, and the same crew handles repiping, tankless installs, gas line work, sump systems and sewer camera inspections, so one visit can cover several items on this list. A call to (708) 300-6493 is a simple way to talk through which project your house needs most.
1. Repiping Aging Copper Supply Lines
Why it matters here. Copper installed in the 1970s was joined with solder that could contain lead until the federal ban took effect in 1986. Decades of water flow also thin the pipe walls, and pinhole leaks often appear first at elbows and near the water heater.
What the work involves. Most repipes run new PEX or copper through basements, crawl spaces and interior walls, often in two or three days for a typical ranch or split level. PEX handles freezing better and needs fewer joints, while copper remains a solid choice for exposed runs. Illinois requires a licensed plumber for the work, and a village permit and inspection are normally part of it.
2. A Camera Inspection of the Sewer Lateral
Why it matters here. Sewer laterals from this era are often clay tile or early plastic with joints that loosen as clay soil swells and shrinks. Roots from fifty year old parkway and backyard trees push into those gaps, catching paper and grease until the line slows or backs up into the basement floor drain.
What the work involves. A camera run from a cleanout records the entire line with a footage counter, showing roots, offsets, cracks and low spots where water sits. A few root intrusions can be cleared with hydro jetting, and serious damage can be planned and budgeted before it turns into a weekend emergency.
3. Backup Power for the Sump Pump
Why it matters here. Researchers at the Illinois State Water Survey found that heavy storms in the Chicago area have grown measurably larger, and their updated rainfall standard for extreme storms puts the 100 year, 24 hour rain about an inch higher than the older figure. The worst downpours also tend to knock out power, which is exactly when a primary sump pump stops.
What the work involves. A battery backup pump sits beside the primary in the same pit and takes over automatically. Water powered backups run on household water pressure and need no battery, though they require a proper backflow preventer. Replacing a primary pump that is more than about ten years old at the same time makes sense, and the discharge should send water well away from the foundation and never into the sanitary sewer.
4. Water Filtration Matched to a Test
Why it matters here. University Park homes on the Aqua Illinois system draw treated water from the Kankakee River, and river water changes with the seasons. Heavy spring runoff has pushed nitrate levels high enough to trigger an advisory for infants in recent years, and older interior plumbing remains the main lead concern rather than the utility’s mains.
What the work involves. Start with a water test, then pick equipment for the actual results. A point of use filter certified for lead reduction under NSF/ANSI 53 suits a kitchen tap. Reverse osmosis under the sink also reduces nitrates. A softener only makes sense if hardness readings call for one, since buying a whole house system for a problem the water does not have wastes money and space.
5. Converting to a Tankless Water Heater
Why it matters here. Many original water heaters in these homes have already been swapped once, so the next replacement is a natural moment to rethink the setup. Tankless units free up floor space in tight utility closets and deliver hot water continuously for larger households.
What the work involves. This is more than a swap. A gas tankless heater can need around 199,000 BTU at full fire, which often means a larger gas line from the meter. The venting changes to a dedicated sidewall or roof vent, and condensing models need a condensate drain. Scale is the long term enemy, so plan on periodic descaling and consider pretreatment if the water runs hard.
6. A Safety Review of Gas Piping
Why it matters here. Gas lines added over the decades for dryers, grills, garages and generators are often the least documented plumbing in an older house. Under federal pipeline rules, gas utilities must tell customers they do not maintain the customer’s own buried gas piping downstream of the meter, and that buried metal pipe should be checked periodically for leaks and corrosion.
What the work involves. A licensed plumber can pressure test the system, inspect buried runs to detached garages, and replace old uncoated brass appliance connectors, which safety regulators have long flagged as a failure risk. Homes with yellow corrugated stainless steel tubing should also have it properly bonded to reduce lightning damage. Any new branch line, including one for a tankless heater, needs a permit and a pressure test before the gas goes on.
Planning the Work Around the House
None of these upgrades has to happen at once. The most practical approach is pairing projects that share labor, such as a tankless conversion with the gas line work it requires, or a repipe scheduled while walls are already open for a bathroom remodel. A sewer camera inspection is usually the best first step simply because it costs the least and settles one of the biggest unknowns. Each one finished on your own timetable is one fewer surprise in the next spring storm.
