Perhaps when looking for a new house to buy, you fall in love with an older home. Or maybe you are set on remodeling a home that has been in your family for generations and you just can’t bring yourself to sell. Living in and maintaining an older home will undoubtedly require a plumbing upgrade to be made from time to time. Read on to find out some of the most common residential plumbing issues in older homes and learn when it is the best option to make a plumbing upgrade. Utilizing the plumbing upgrade services offered by Ohmstead Plumbing may save you time and money in the long term.
What are some common problems in older homes?
Older houses often coincide with areas in need of improvement when it comes to plumbing. If acquiring or renovating an older home in Cleveland, Polk, or Rutherford County near Forest City, NC, watch out for these issues:
Outdated pipes
Many older homes built before the 1960s have galvanized steel pipes. Though when they were installed, they were coated in a thick layer of zinc to protect them from corrosion, years of normal use will wear away at that zinc coating. Galvanized steel is very corrosive itself, and when the zinc wears away and the steel is all that’s left, it can lead to rust leaking into your drinking water. Corrosion can also cause a decrease in water pressure or a total failure of the pipes. Once you notice these things happening, a full or partial replacement of our pipes is in order.
Bellied pipes
The land around your house will shift and settle over time, and this affects your pipes. Sometimes, what we find are pipes that are ‘bellied’. This means that the pipes become bowed or buckled, sagging underground and inevitably leading to sewage and sediment backup or blockages. Bellied pipes can lead to toxic wastewater filtering into your drinking water or other areas of your home and yard. This can be a severe hazard to your health and the pipes need to be replaced as soon as possible.
Root intrusion
The roots of trees will flare out and spread under the ground, soaking up some of the moisture that is in your sewer lines and may even grow into the pipes. This can lead to severe clogs and leaks. Only a highly trained plumber can diagnose this issue and when found, a plumbing upgrade requiring the repair or replacement of your pipes may be recommended.
Old and outdated fixtures
The residential plumbing field has become much more efficient over the years due to learning from past plumbing inefficiencies. In addition to no longer being in style and aesthetically pleasing, older fixtures can cause many more problems. Valves, handles, spigots, and more may simply no longer do the job they were intended for because of age. Also, older valves, etc. may no longer be up to code. Faulty shut-off valves and more can lead to leakage, clogging, and even flooding. Replacing these items with newer, better-functioning fixtures will prevent a lot of stress in the long term.
The plumbers Ohmstead Plumbing are skilled at diagnosing your plumbing issues. We provide services in and around the Forest City, NC area. Call us to schedule a consultation and upgrade your plumbing to maximum efficiency by calling us at 828-245-7302.