Plumbing Problems in Old Houses

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Plumbing Problems in Old Houses

Plumbing Problems in Old Houses

Old houses have cherished charm and unique specifications along with faulty plumbing, heating, and electrical systems. Some of the common plumbing problems in old houses are related to old, broken materials, pipes and worn out fixtures. It also includes deformed and clogged pipelines that hardly drains any water.

Plumbing Problems in Old Houses
Plumbing Problems in Old Houses

Plumbing Problems in Old Houses

Here are some common plumbing problems you can find in old homes that can range from missing copper pipes all the way to the formation of a pipe belly.

Missing Copper Pipes

Many old houses have copper pipes installed for plumbing. Some of these copper pipes might be missing or stolen for their attractive resale value. These missing pipes need to be replaced with new pipes.

Rusted and Corroded Pipes

Over a period of time, most of the metal pipes get corroded or rusted. The zinc coating on galvanized pipe erodes away and thereby exposing the iron content in the pipe. The exposed iron gets in contact with moisture and water and becomes susceptible to rust. Water flowing through rusted pipes appears yellow or orange in color and are not safe to use.

Formation of Pipe Belly

Old houses push down the pipes running underneath it under the influence of a constant house setting. This causes the buried pipes to bend down forming pipe bellies. Pipelines with pipe belly restrict the free flow of water. This leads to poor water drainage and clogging at the belly.

Clogged Drain Pipes

Clogged drain pipes are an unavoidable problem even with regular maintenance. Years of sewage and wastewater flowing in drains of the old home have left them to fill with lots of gunk and make them clogged. Hence, most of the drain pipes in the old homes might have been clogged completely with dirt.

Outdated Fixtures

Original fixtures in an old home are outdated and nearing its end of the lifespan. They have been subjected to heavy wear and tear, malfunctioning and conditions beyond repair with years of use. Fixtures like faucets, valves, taps, and spigots in bathrooms and kitchens that need remodeling leak water or do not function well. These might lead to water damage and foul smell in an old home. Hence why these are the first things to go when homeowners create their home renovation checklists

Tree Roots in Sewer Lines

Sewer pipes in old homes likely to crack and broken allowing the roots of trees to penetrate into the pipes. These tree roots clog or restrict the free flow of sewer water. They are hard to detect, and an experienced plumber can easily detect these roots in the sewage pipe.

Polybutylene Pipes

Homes constructed between the late 70’s and early ’90’s are likely to have polybutylene pipes installed. These were once considered safe and excellent for water pipes. But these pipes were found to fail with frequent leakage when exposed to continuous water. You may need to replace all the polybutylene pipes in the old home.

Improper Maintenance

Many old homes have poor maintenance and repair works of pipelines done by the homeowner. This can range from simple fixes to more serious and expensive repairs — and even water damage restoration costs if the leaks and floods get to that point. These repairs need to be fixed immediately to avoid any potential dangers down the line.

Bottom Line

An old home has a unique design and traditional charm. They are also affordable and form good investment potential, but you need to fix all the common plumbing problems in old houses before you move in. You need to hire a professional plumbing contractor to thoroughly inspect the complete plumbing system, suggest the repairs for the leaks you may have and installation of new fixtures and pipes in the old home.


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