Let’s face it. You’ll find more plumbing obstacles from an aging home than a new one. Whether we know it or not, our plumbing system is wearing down. If your home is between 30-50 years old, you have already started experiencing plumbing issues. It could be drains that are clogging more often, low water pressure, or pipe leaks that have occurred. Whatever the case, your plumbing system is showing signs of age. There are two main areas in your plumbing system that will start acting up, your sewer line and your water pipes. Staying ahead of our aging plumbing system, appliances, and fixtures are all part of responsible homeownership.
Keeping Up On The Latest Plumbing Technologies
We’re well aware of the latest technologies when it comes to owning a smartphone or laptop, but we couldn’t tell you about the latest plumbing technologies. The fact is, we have significant advances in-home piping, water heaters, sewer lines, toilets, faucets, and more. We change our smartphone every couple of years, but we may only have our old house repiped once in a lifetime. Water heaters get replaced once every 10 -15 years. Keeping up on the latest plumbing technologies isn’t on the top of our list. What’s the answer to those plumbing obstacles for our old home? Educate yourself before making a purchase. Remember you’re making a purchase that will be with you for many years, so don’t make a decision based solely on cost.
Repiping Your Home Is One Plumbing Obstacle To Overcome
One plumbing obstacle you’ll need to overcome is when to repipe your old home. When repiping your home, you’ll have two choices, copper or cross-linked polyethylene (PEX). Most homeowners living in an old home are only familiar with copper piping and are not familiar with PEX. Though it is the go-to piping for most plumbing companies, it may take educating a homeowner on the benefits. For example, PEX has the same life expectancy as copper, it’s easier to work with, has high heat-resistance, and costs less than copper. PEX has a history with heating floors, and in the mid-90s, was further developed for our home’s water supply system. Many homeowners still prefer copper over PEX, and that’s understandable because copper piping has been a reliable pipe for the last 60 years.
If You See The Warning Signs Of A Broken Sewer Line Get A Camera Inspection
The other plumbing obstacle is a worn-out sewer line. Depending on your home’s age, you can expect to have a clay, cast iron, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), or an Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene (ABS) sewer line. ABS is made from thermoplastic resin, and both PVC and ABS are the go-to sewer pipes for today’s plumbing companies. Clay pipes can be seen in homes built up into the 70s. Clay pipes have a life expectancy of 50-60 years.
You see the use of cast iron pipes between the 50s up until the 70s. Quality cast iron pipes can last 75-100 years. PVC was introduced in the 40s but never received heavy use until the 60s and 70s. PVC and ABS can last 100 years. If you have a home built in the 70s or before and see the warning signs of a failing sewer line, you should have a camera inspection completed by your Big B’s Plumbing professional.
Old Homes Need A Little Extra TLC
Plumbing obstacles are part of owning your own home. You can avoid some of those problems by staying in tune with your plumbing and reacting to your plumbing obstacle before it turns into a larger problem.
If you have an older home, these are the things to watch for:
- Low water pressure
- Occasional pipe leaks
- Backed-up sewer line
- Reoccurring clogged drains
If you’re concerned about the plumbing in your home, have an inspection of your pipes and drain. If your sewer line needs to get treated, replaced or your home needs repiping, Big B’s Plumbing provides excellent financing. At Big B’s Plumbing, we have home repiping specialists on staff ready to move quickly. Sewer line causing you problems? We use the latest in plumbing technology.
