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Water testing for Brooklyn brownstones and row houses

Sequential draw sampling that separates the fixture from the riser from the service line. Departure location at 665 88th Street, Brooklyn.

Brownstone plumbing

Older urban properties can combine long service lines, legacy plumbing and many individual fixtures.

Point-of-use sampling

Testing evaluates the water at the faucets and outlets that occupants, employees or visitors actually use.

Broad testing capabilities

Lead, bacteria, PFAS, VOCs, metals, Legionella and other parameters can be selected according to the property and concern.

New York

(212) 461-3879

New Jersey

(908) 772-8601

Connecticut

(203) 780-2022

NELAP accredited laboratory analysis

Certified Master Inspector

Water Quality Association

AIHA member

Serving NY, NJ and CT since 1991

Questions clients commonly ask

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Olympian Water Testing | Sponsored Listing on BK Brownstone
35Years in operation
5New York City locations
3States served
24/7Water-testing support
BusinessOlympian Water Testing LLC
CategoryWater Testing Service, independent laboratory analysis
Established1991, 35 years in operation
Service areaNew York, New Jersey and Connecticut
LocationsFive departure locations across New York City
Telephone(212) 461-3879 New York  •  (908) 772-8601 New Jersey  •  (203) 780-2022 Connecticut
Websiteolympianwatertesting.com
PanelsLead, copper, bacteria, PFAS, chemicals and full potability
AnalysisNELAP accredited laboratory analysis, accredited results provided
Brooklyn
665 88th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11228
(718) 766-7043
Sunnyside
47-1 Greenpoint Avenue
Sunnyside, NY 11104
(718) 819-1230
Upper West Side
461 Columbus Avenue
New York, NY 10024
(212) 461-3879
Staten Island
1365 North Railroad Avenue
Staten Island, NY 10306
(212) 461-3879
Midtown
350 5th Avenue
New York, NY 10118
(646) 328-2931
Row house water testing

Water Testing for Brooklyn Brownstones and Row Houses

EraCommon supply materialsTesting implication
Pre 1900Lead service connections, galvanized interior linesA draw sequence separates the service line from the branch line or riser
1900 to 1930Galvanized steel with lead tin solder at jointsA full draw sequence, aerators left in place
1930 to 1960Mixed galvanized and early copperTransitions between materials are common finding points
1960 to 1986Copper with lead tin solder throughoutSolder contribution appears in the later draws of the sequence
Post 1986Copper or plastic, lead free solderBrass fixture components remain a contributor

Brooklyn row house stock rarely contains a single generation of plumbing. Supply systems in these buildings have typically been altered in sections across a century, driven by what failed, what a renovation reached and what a budget covered, leaving several eras of material connected in series.

Olympian Water Testing provides professional water testing for row house owners, buyers, boards and managing agents across Brooklyn, working from a departure location at 665 88th Street.

Why Row House Plumbing Requires a Considered Scope

A supply path in these buildings may include an original service connection, branch lines and risers replaced at different times, branches added when a garden level unit was created, and capped stubs left in place from work long since forgotten.

Lead bearing components remain in current use as well, including brass faucet bodies, angle stops, mixing valves, hose bibbs and pipe fittings, so a recently renovated kitchen does not by itself resolve the question.

A single sample from a convenient tap therefore describes that tap. Establishing what the property as a whole is delivering requires a scope designed around its actual configuration.

How a Row House Assessment Is Carried Out

Olympian Water Testing begins with a walkthrough of the cellar, the risers and the point where the service connection enters at the wall, because what is physically present frequently differs from what the deed, the listing and the renovation records describe.

Lead is then collected as an ordered sequence of draws along the supply path. Successive draws reach progressively further upstream through the branch, the riser and toward the water service line, and the pattern across the series indicates which part of the building is contributing.

Where a house has been divided, separate branches serving separate units are treated as separate questions. Where a defined stagnation period is required, preparation instructions are provided before the sampling appointment.

Understanding Your Results

Reporting identifies each sampled location, the measured concentration and the laboratory reporting information needed to compare results across the building.

The distinction between a fixture contribution and one originating further upstream is the finding that determines scope of work, and it is stated plainly rather than left to inference.

Results are presented so they can be taken directly to a plumber, an architect, a buyer or a lender.

Testing Before a Restoration Budget Is Set

Owners undertaking restoration work benefit most from establishing the position before committing, since replacing a fixture, replacing a riser and replacing the water service line are entirely different projects.

Olympian Water Testing has worked across this stock since 1991, with NELAP accredited laboratory analysis and accredited results provided.

Enquiries are answered at any hour of any day, and one of our consultants determines parameter selection before the sampling event is arranged.

How Olympian works

What Olympian does
  • On site sample collection by our highly trained and skilled laboratory technicians
  • Stagnation instructions provided in advance when required by the selected test
  • Chain of custody maintained from collection through analysis
  • NELAP accredited laboratory analysis
  • Our reporting states methods, reporting limits and measured values
Why clients choose Olympian
  • Thirty five years serving New York, New Jersey and Connecticut
  • Parameter selection determined through consultation with our consultants
  • Five departure locations across New York City
  • Reporting limits stated for every parameter selected
  • Support available 24/7 for testing questions and scheduling

Common questions

What water problems are common in older Brooklyn brownstones?
Older properties can contain mixed generations of plumbing, including older service lines, solder, brass fixtures and sections of piping replaced at different times. Testing can target lead, copper, metals, bacteria and other concerns relevant to the building.
Should a brownstone buyer test the water before closing?
Testing can provide property-specific information about the water and plumbing that a utility report cannot provide. The scope can be tailored to the buyer’s concerns and the building’s age and condition.
Can different floors in a brownstone have different water results?
Yes. Floors may be served by different branches, fixtures or plumbing materials, so sampling more than one location can reveal differences within the building.
What should be tested after a brownstone plumbing renovation?
The useful parameters depend on the work performed and the concern. Lead, copper, bacteria, turbidity and other metals are common considerations after significant plumbing changes.

Request New York City Water Testing

Olympian provides professional on-site sampling and accredited laboratory analysis for residential, commercial and institutional properties.

Request New York City Water Testing