5 Common Plumbing Problems in Old Houses

New homes cannot bring the charm or the personality an old home embodies. If your family has been in the same house for generations and continue to find it comfortable, why bother with a downgrade for something new? With a few repairs and maintenance, old houses can become priceless vintage gems.

However, old houses do come hand in hand with some common plumbing challenges that require proper diligence and caution. Contact emergency plumber to employ the expertise and experience to easily sort out your plumbing crisis. Keep reading for the list of five plumbing problems you can expect in older houses.

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  1. Clogged Pipes

An old plumbing system has gone through years of draining dirty water and kitchen residue. With pipes enduring excessive drains, clogging problems become inevitable. Moving into an old home, check the drains and pipes in case of any unwanted clogging. Even toilets succumb to clogging if solid items are flushed down the drain. Unclogging your drainage system is not a tedious job, but complications can build up if not timely solved.

  1. Corrosion and Rust Worries

Galvanized Steel or Zinc Layered pipes were overly used in 1960s to 1970s, and they were properly substituted by new homeowners from 1990s due to their extremely corrosive characteristic. Hence, pipeline materials used over 30 years ago are more susceptible to rust and corrosion.

Old plumbing systems often used corrosive materials for their internal pipe structures, which may lead to alarming levels of rust appearing in tap water. Before you start seeing orange and unsafe water flowing from the sink, get your pipes checked and replaced without delay.

  1. Pipe Bellies

Over time, the structure of your house shifts and settles, which may cause pipe bellies. Pipe Bellies is the term used to describe deformed pipes that eventually start bowing or buckling. Hence, the bends are similar looking to a “belly”, which interrupts water flow and cause blockages.

The weight of blockage around the deformed pipe bellies can result into leakages as well. If pipe bellies appear in drain or sewer lines, toxic wastewater will seep into your underground plumbing structure. Remain alert and contact a professional if you can identify any sign of pipe bellies – like slow drains, unpleasant drain odor, frequent back-ups and greener patches appearing in your yard.

  1. Tree Root Intrusion

Older trees have their roots spreading all over the place. Often at times, a nearby tree may seek the moisture from sewer lines as a natural fertilizer and roots may grow around or even into the lines. Homeowners will find it difficult to notice any root intrusion at first; however, it can cause serious clogs and sewer water leakages. If you are observing common water leakages signs, you can contact an expert plumbing facility to examine any root intrusion through sewer camera inspection.

  1. Bad Repairs

There is no shame in contacting a professional plumbing company to solve your problems with waterworks. However, old homes often fell prey to inexperienced handymen and poorly trained plumbers. Such repairing projects may save you money in short term but can cost more in the longer run as bad repairs can cause severe plumbing issues.

Common aftermath of an inadequately done repair job are unsecured pipes, faulty water heaters and leakages. Hire a reliable professional to conduct a thorough inspection of your home’s plumbing system.

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