Depending on the year your house was built, different materials were probably used for the plumbing system. Most modern systems use brass, copper or PVC (polyvinyl chloride) tubes. However, older buildings used cast iron, lead and galvanized steel. Regardless of the material, each of these plumbing products has a lifespan that you should know in order to assess if you need an upgrade.
Brass, cast iron and galvanized steel have a lifespan of 80 to 100 years, copper lasts 70 to 80 years, and PVC pipes only survive 24 to 50 years. In this blog, we'll discover the most common reasons and signs a home uses to tell you that there will be new plumbing pipes in the future. We'll also discuss why it's important to be proactive to avoid major damage, as well as solutions to save you time, money and hassle. Most household plumbing is literally out of sight and, as a result, out of mind.
Unless they call attention to a big leak in a pipe, a giant spike in the water bill, or a clog in the drain, it's easy to ignore it. Keep in mind that as your home ages, so does your plumbing. Roofing materials, HVAC equipment and pipes, for example, have an average lifespan. At some point, homes need new types of plumbing.
Replacing bad water pipes isn't an easy or economical task, but it can't compare to the stress and cost of repairing damage caused by a serious water leak. The sewer line that runs under the front yard is a fundamental part of home plumbing. In the past, sewer pipes were often made of clay or cast iron. Both types are susceptible to gradual infiltration by tree roots.
Roots enter through crumbling pipe material or through joints and joints. Tree roots in plumbing pipes cause blockages and cause damage due to the build-up of wastewater. Sometimes, tree roots wrap themselves around malleable or decaying pipe and tighten it until it collapses. This is a real threat if you have old, mature trees on your property or those with shallow, penetrating root systems.
One solution is to upgrade to seamless PVC pipes. PVC is less vulnerable to tree roots and lasts for decades. It has an average life expectancy of about 50 years. Since it's basically tar paper, it's common to see it fail after just 30 years.
It is also a primary objective for tree roots to infest and clog. Small pinhole leaks in water supply pipes are usually only external evidence of serious corrosion in internal pipes. This internal damage is a ticking bomb. A total pipe rupture can occur at any time and cause major water damage to your home.
The same goes for leaks around pipe joints and other components of the plumbing system. If your home has galvanized steel water supply pipes, which were usually installed as early as the 1970s, give priority to improving the pipes, including installing pipes with copper or PVC. Water from the Bolton plant has an average hardness of 147 milligrams per liter, while water from the Miller plant averages 137 milligrams per liter. Between 120 and 180 milligrams per liter is considered “hard”, while anything over 180 milligrams per liter is considered “very hard”.
Your home's supply pipes withstand large amounts of water pressure every day. Therefore, they are more likely to suffer damage and routine wear and tear. Fortunately, most supply pipes are designed to last for decades. So, if your home isn't very old, you probably won't have to replace the supply pipes anytime soon.
The expected lifespan of copper-based pipes is between 70 and 80 years, while galvanized steel pipes can last 80 to 100 years. If you notice a water leak, low water pressure, rust surrounding the faucet, or any other common problem, a plumbing professional can usually repair it the same day. However, if there always seems to be a decrease in water pressure in your home, it could be your plumbing system's way of telling you that you need to install new plumbing pipes. We can analyze your plumbing system as a whole and see what condition it is in before we recommend the best possible repair or replacement options.
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