Replacing the pipes in your Niceville, FL home is no small project. When possible, it’s cheaper and easier to repair them. However, not all pipes are fixable. If your pipes are old, corroded, or made from unsafe materials, scheduling repiping service is the best choice. At Benjamin Franklin Plumbing, we’re sharing a few ways to know whether your pipes need repaired or replaced.
Your Pipes Are More Than 40 Years Old
In general, it’s best to replace water supply lines after 40 years of service. Although using lead pipes in new construction was outlawed in 1986, homeowners weren’t required to replace their existing lead pipes. You might have lead water supply lines if you inherited an older home or if you purchased existing construction without a pre-sale inspection.
Certain pipe materials can last 80 to 100 years. For instance, in ideal conditions, cast iron and galvanized steel pipes might provide a full century of reliable and relatively problem-free service. Copper pipes typically last 70 to 80 years. However, factors like high water pressure, soil erosion, mineral buildups, and soil shifting can cause nearly all water supply pipes to fail before their time.
It’s important to have your pipes inspected after four decades and to test your water quality. Water quality testing can detect lead and other contaminants from the general breakdown of pipe materials.
Water Supply Lines Should Be Sterile
Soil erosion and soil shifting can offset water supply pipes. This causes incoming water to leak out. It also lets outside contaminants in. Offset water supply lines introduce biological and chemical contaminants into tap water. This is also true of age-related pinhole leaks.
For water safety, water supply pipes must be sterile in their interior. Although there are rubber clamps and other pipe patching methods for leaky water supply lines, pipe replacement is best if your water lines have significant age-related wear.
Common signs of damaged water lines include:
- Rising water bills
- Dripping sounds behind drywall
- Wet, muddy terrain
- Increased indoor humidity
- Low water pressure
- Discolored and foul-smelling water
If your tap water ever looks or smells off, give Benjamin Franklin Plumbing a call right away.
You’re Frequently Paying to Fix Clogs
In addition to your water lines, it’s important to remain abreast of the age and condition of your wastewater pipes. While cast iron drain lines can last up to 100 years, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes last just 20 to 40. After this time, they’re increasingly prone to developing leaks and clogs.
All cracked pipes require replacement. However, rather than replacing all drain pipes when addressing small, localized issues, we can replace damaged pipe sections to keep your costs to a minimum. This is an effective choice when pipe cracks are the result of excess pressure, heavy clogs, or aggressive cleaning.
When cracking is age-related, replacing a small section of pipe won’t prevent similar problems from occurring in other areas. With age-related pipe damage, replacing all wastewater pipes at once is the best way to avoid property damage. It will also keep your future pipe repair costs to a minimum.
Your Sewer Line Has Been Encroached Upon
All of your drains and plumbing-connected appliances empty into your home’s underground sewer line. Like water lines and wastewater pipes, your sewer pipe should be replaced when it has significant age-related wear.
Sewer pipes typically last 50 to 100 years, but factors like poor maintenance, excessive pressure, encroachment, and soil erosion can shorten their lifespans. When sewer lines are encroached upon by underground tree roots and weeds, replacing or “rebuilding” cracked sections is a must. Although you can flush out aggressive tree roots and weeds with treatments like hydro-jetting and rooter service, they may grow back within just 30 days. The surest way to prevent the problem from recurring is by eliminating potential entry points.
There are several ways to “rebuild” sewer pipes without digging large trenches, including:
- Internal pipe coatings
- Cured-in-place pipe linings
- Pull-in-place pipe linings
Pipe bursting is a minimally invasive sewer pipe replacement technique that requires just two, four-foot access pits. While some digging is required, our team can keep most of your landscape intact. Pipe bursting will pull your existing sewer pipe apart with a hydraulic “bursting head” that automatically installs a new sewer pipe behind it.
We help our clients save cash by making needs-specific recommendations for pipe repairs and replacements. To find the most cost-effective solution for your damaged pipes, give Benjamin Franklin Plumbing a call.