If you own an older home in the Des Peres, MO area, it may be prone to a variety of plumbing problems. This is because most residential plumbing components have an expected lifespan of about 50 years. Plus, some common plumbing practices from years ago are no longer the norm. If you’re able to catch some issues early, you can save yourself some significant time and money. To help, let’s discuss seven common plumbing problems that affect older homes in this area.
1. Pipes With Lead Solder
Years ago, lead pipes were common both in homes and within the water infrastructure in most cities. However, we eventually learned that lead could cause severe and lasting illness in humans. As a result, the U.S. gradually phased out the use of lead in most plumbing infrastructure. Unfortunately, the use of lead in plumbing wasn’t banned nationwide until 1986. The good news is that very few homes here still have lead pipes. However, older homes may still have copper pipes that use lead solder to seal their joints together. Eventually, those joints may deteriorate and allow lead to leach into your home’s water supply. If you own an older home, you should have your water tested for the presence of lead. Or, you could have one of our expert plumbers inspect your plumbing to identify the lead solder, if present.
2. Deteriorating Galvanized Pipes
After lead pipes fell out of favor, many homebuilders began using galvanized steel pipes in their place. Those pipes featured a coating of zinc meant to shield them from corrosion. Over the years, however, that layer can wear away with regular water flow, allowing those pipes to start rusting. If you own an older home, that very process may be occurring within your walls. Eventually, this can lead to water discoloration as the rust seeps into your water supply. If you don’t notice that problem right away, you could end up with leaky pipes, which can damage your home.
3. Damaged or Failing Sewer Lines
Damaged or failing sewer lines are another common problem that affects older homes. Most sewer lines have an expected lifespan of 50 to 100 years. However, things like ground shifting and tree root intrusions can shorten that considerably. Worse still, damage to your sewer line is impossible to see and won’t always immediately cause problems. For example, a slightly dislocated joint in your sewer line could allow leakage into the surrounding soil. Unless you use a massive amount of water in your home, you might not spot the issue right away. You may only spot it when the soil gets saturated enough to cause a wet spot on your lawn. To avoid sewer line problems, you should schedule an inspection every three to five years. Our plumbers can use a camera system to spot trouble before it worsens.
4. Polybutylene Pipes
If your home dates to the 1980s or 1990s, it may have polybutylene pipes running through it. They were the primary replacement for galvanized pipes during that time. Unfortunately, they don’t fare much better than the pipes they replaced. Polybutylene pipes can degrade over time when exposed to substances like chlorine. The trouble is that chlorine is a common additive used to sanitize municipal drinking water supplies. That all but guarantees that your polybutylene pipes would have been exposed to it. As a result, they can grow brittle, may begin flaking, and will likely fail much sooner than expected.
5. Worn-Out Fixtures
Outdated plumbing fixtures are one of the most common plumbing problems found in older homes. Older faucets, sinks, toilets, and the like can fail with little warning. That can result in something as innocuous as a dripping faucet or as serious as an overflowing toilet. In any case, aging plumbing fixtures in your home are like ticking time bombs. It’s a good idea to plan to replace them with modern fixtures before they fail. You don’t have to do them all at once if your budget or time doesn’t allow, but you shouldn’t put off upgrades for too long. To help, one of our plumbers can evaluate your fixtures to help identify which fixtures need the most urgent attention.
6. Shifting Pipes and Pipe Bellies
As homes age, they tend to shift as their weight settles on the ground below. Those small shifts can have a major impact on your home’s plumbing over time. It’s why older homes are prone to an issue known as pipe bellies. A pipe belly is the result of a shift that creates a negative slope in a pipe. That can alter the flow rate of the pipe and allow for water to pool where it doesn’t belong. Eventually, that can lead to clogs and stoppages in your drains. Or it can create excess wear and tear that can lead to a pipe failure. So, if you’re having repeated problems with slow drains in your old home, this could be the cause. The only permanent solution is to find the pipe with the negative slope and replace it.
7. Cumulative Effects of Faulty Repairs
Finally, owning an older home means you must deal with whatever repairs and modifications its previous owners made. That can mean years of DIY plumbing repairs or poorly installed fixtures. Sometimes, that can result in hidden plumbing issues that previous owners never addressed. It can also result in poorly executed solutions just waiting to fail once again. Previous homeowners may have even hired unqualified or unscrupulous plumbers who left damage in their wake. For that reason, it’s a good idea to have your older home’s plumbing inspected by a qualified plumber. Ideally, you should choose to have this done before you agree to purchase an older home as part of your home inspection process. Anything that needs to be repaired or replaced may be done at the expense of the person selling the home. However, it’s still worth doing even after you’ve bought your home. It can reveal plumbing issues that aren’t causing noticeable problems yet but that soon will. Then, you can methodically deal with those issues to eliminate them one by one.
Plumbing Experts for Your Older Home
If you need help caring for the plumbing in your older Des Peres home, Level 9 Heating, Cooling, and Plumbing is here to help. We’ve proudly served local homeowners for over 62 years, so we’ve seen every plumbing issue old homes have. You can call on us to handle everything from leak detection to drain cleaning and repair. Plus, we offer complete HVAC installation, maintenance, and repair services. We also install geothermal systems, handle commercial HVAC, and offer indoor air quality solutions. One look at our long list of positive customer reviews should demonstrate what it’s like to work with us. We’re Better Business Bureau accredited with an A+ rating. We also offer 24/7 emergency services, so you never need to wait for the help you need. So, if your older Des Peres home needs plumbing upgrades or repairs, call the experts at Level 9 Heating, Cooling, and Plumbing today!
