Imagine yourself in your new home, enchanted by its lovely personality and the warm memories it conjures. After example, many of the older mansions included intricate features and expensive materials that modern builders would deem ostentatious. The concept of purchasing an older (or “period”) property that may need some remodelling appeals especially to those of us seeking to buy our first home.
However, the oddities of these homes may conceal a multitude of plumbing difficulties. Some difficulties may be small annoyances, while others may unexpectedly arise! Despite the beauty of these traditional structures, homeowners should take care and consider the likelihood of plumbing issues that may emerge in older houses.
Here are the five most common plumbing concerns in older homes, along with remedies to help you out!
Outdated fixtures and connectors
A variety of factors, including worn-out fittings, fixtures, and supply line connections, may contribute to plumbing issues in your home. Corrosion and normal usage may impair the water flow, making water consumption inconvenient and costly. Despite the fact that many people try to go on as usual despite plumbing problems, Murphy’s law will always emerge at the most inconvenient time… We can all agree that the last thing anybody wants to do after a hard day at work, a weekend trip, or a two-week family vacation is return home to a plumbing disaster that has cost hundreds of pounds and wrecked everything in the house.
Approaches to fix the issue:
Exercise caution in this case. The best course of action here would be to take safeguards against regular wear and tear to avoid expensive repairs in the future. We always recommend hiring a professional plumber to inspect your plumbing system once a year. Their knowledge and equipment enable them to identify and resolve difficulties that you may ignore.
Damaged pipe components
Your home was most likely constructed with older plumbing materials (30, 40, 50 years or older). Traditional plumbing pipes were made of three basic materials: lead, galvanised steel, and polybutylene.
Lead plumbing, for example, was forbidden in 1986. Lead was one of the earliest metals used in home plumbing, with sewage and water main lines being the most common applications. Before blast furnaces made iron casting possible, lead’s malleability and durability made it an ideal material for plumbing. Connecting copper pipe fittings was another popular use.
Lead pipes are harmful, although galvanised steel is far more common. Up to the 1960s, this material mostly replaced lead in plumbing. Galvanised steel, distinguished by its thick black zinc coating, was later found to be corrosive, resulting in higher rust levels in the water supply. Completely and absolutely denied.
Approaches to fix the issue:
If you need help with sophisticated pipe repairs or replacements, please see a qualified plumber. Seeking advice from an expert may be a better use of both time and money.
Pipe apexes
Everyone understands that homes, especially older ones, may shift and move with time. But have you ever thought how this may affect the pipes beneath? We plumbers refer to this downward sliding of subsurface pipes as the “belly,” and it is a common issue in houses over 30 years old. Pools of collected debris or silt occur as a consequence of the slope’s limitation on water circulation. If these irritating pipe bellies are not handled, they might create stoppages and leaks in the system.
Methods for Resolving This Issue
A trenchless pipe bursting repair may be the best solution based on the conditions. A qualified plumber can determine the severity of the pipe belly and recommend the best line of action.
Sewage pipes are broken
Sewer line failures are more likely in older homes since they were designed before the sophisticated equipment found in many modern homes, such as dishwashers, washing machines, and even toilets. They are more susceptible to shifting and/or tree root damage, which may result in sewage spilling into the ground and odorous wastewater rising into your home.
Solutions to the problem
In this case, the best option is to reline or completely replace the sewage pipe without excavating. A trained technician may frequently complete trenchless repairs in only one day.
Insufficient upkeep
Everything, including your home’s plumbing system, ultimately breaks down as it ages. Furthermore, when it comes to older structures, it is not a question of whether or not your home has had plumbing repairs, but rather who conducted them.
Rather of employing a professional plumber, homeowners or local handymen frequently performed do-it-yourself modifications on older homes. A slack pipe or a reversed sink trap might result in a variety of issues, ranging from minor to major.
Solutions to the problem
Although you cannot erase the past, you can remedy any plumbing issues and ensure that your property is up to code. When it comes to repairing or surveying pipes, you should always engage a plumbing professional.
Call Purified Plumbing Cherrybrook at 1300 663 667 now for expert advice and help with all of your plumbing requirements, even emergencies.
