How to Maintain Your Old Pipes

 

Most homeowners understand the extra care that goes into owning an older home. It requires continual maintenance and upkeep — especially when it comes to plumbing.

If you’re looking to avoid tearing up the walls and floors and re-plumbing the whole house, here are a few steps you can take to extend the lifespan of those decades-old pipes.

Invest in a leak detection system

Individual water monitors are handy for sensing leaks near your washing machine or kitchen sink, but when it comes to full home protection, you’ll want a comprehensive leak detection system like Flo by Moen.

After collecting baseline usage data on your home’s plumbing system, Flo by Moen system is able to detect irregularities and leaks. It’s the smartest way to keep a watchful eye on your old pipes, without having to keep a plumber on speed dial for the first sign of any issues.

Check for warning signs

If your home is more than fifty years old, check on your water pipes regularly. In addition to looking for obvious signs of water damage around your home (discoloration, water stains, warping) you’ll also want to check out any exposed pipes, such as main water lines in your basement or under your kitchen sink. Look for signs of corrosion, dimpling, or flaking.

Low Water Pressure

If your water pressure is weaker than usual (again, Flo by Moen will automatically detect this for you), that’s a sign there could be some nasty buildup inside the pipes or a leak in the system.

Water Discoloration

If your water runs a yellow-orange color after being away from the house for a period of time, or there’s a bad smell coming from your pipes, those are clear indicators that something’s gone awry. Make sure you know where to locate the main shut-off valve and sewer valve. In an old home, these could be in difficult places – it helps to know where these valves are situated in case of a water emergency or if you plan on making a small repair.

Keep tabs on your water heater

Maintaining your water heater prevents leaks and other issues. Drain your heater every couple of months to eliminate sediment and improve efficiency.

If your water heater isn’t working properly, you may have issues with your water temperature, reduced water flow or hear strange popping and banging sounds. Older heaters are more prone to making noise. If you’re having severe problems with your water heater, you may need to replace it with a newer model.

Use safe drain cleaners

Clogged pipes are a frequent problem in older homes, and while unclogging them will help extend their lifespan, there are a variety of ways to do this. Tenants in old buildings are no strangers to chemical drain cleaners like Drano or Liquid-Plumr. However, the high acidity levels can be harsh on old metal pipes and even hasten their deterioration.

For minor clogs, we suggest using a homemade baking soda and vinegar mix or a store-bought enzyme treatment on all your sinks and showers about once a month. Afterward, rinse thoroughly with hot water. This will keep your pipes relatively clean and help prevent buildup.

If you have a serious clog in the house, an experienced plumber is your safest bet. Plenty of people snake their own drains (and in general, it’s never a bad idea to learn how to detach and clean your P-trap yourself), but if your pipes are very old galvanized steel, an improperly sized snake or auger can permanently damage them. Hydro jetting is another option, which sends a powerful stream of water through your pipes, but that too is a job for a professional plumber.

Be mindful of what you put down the drain

We’ve all heard the saying that prevention is the best cure. Here’s how you can apply that to plumbing:

Be careful pouring grease or oils down narrow drains — this goes for cooking grease in the kitchen sink as well as body oils in the shower.

Use filters and screens over your drains to prevent particles from passing through and sticking to the inside of the pipe.

When washing dishes, place any food waste in the trash or your food compost bin. Food particles can easily clog your drains when flushed down the sink plug hole.

Avoid flushing any waste other than toilet tissue down your toilet. Feminine hygiene products or cotton wool swabs can cause clogs in your pipes, restricting water flow and backing up water in your toilet bowl.

Protect old pipes in harsh weather

Frozen pipes are common in winter, especially when your pipes are old and have begun to deteriorate. Freezing can create pressure inside the pipe, resulting in a pipe burst and severe flooding.

The bad news is that you can live in a warm climate and still suffer from frozen pipes when temperatures plummet. The good news? You only need to be concerned about water supply pipes and not your drain pipes (which aren’t pressurized).

Run your hot water regularly. You can defrost frozen pipes by running hot water continuously from the tap to help warm them up.

Keep your heating on. Keeping your indoor temperature above 50F keeps your pipes warm and prevents them from freezing.  You can also open cabinets around hidden pipes to protect them from freezing.

Insulate. Water pipe insulation is an effective precaution, reducing heat loss and additional damage.

Run the faucet. If you think your water pipes may freeze, open the faucet so there is a slight drip. This relieves any pressure, preventing the pipe from bursting.

Seal holes and cracks

Small leaks in your water pipes can be fixed by patching up the drip, giving you extra time to fix your pipe with a new part or replacement.

With Plumber’s Putty

Before you patch your water pipe, turn off the shutoff valve to stop water from coming through. Drain any remaining water by running your faucets.

Wipe the area around the leak with a cloth.

If the leak stems from a joint, use a wrench to tighten the fitting. This may be enough to seal the leak.

If you need to patch the leak, use a file to smooth the surface around it.

Take a piece of plumber’s epoxy (the same size as the crack), and knead it in your hands.

Press the epoxy down over the leak.

Smooth the edges and wait for it to cure as per the packaging instructions.

Replace your old pipes

If your pipes are a nuisance that requires constant patching and repair, don’t prolong their suffering. When in doubt, pipe material is a good indicator of whether they’re due for a replacement.

If they’re made of lead (poisonous, although city water is almost always treated to avoid leaching) or polybutylene (very high rates of failure and degeneration), they should have already been replaced.

In general, galvanized steel pipes last 20-50 years, brass lasts 40-70, copper lasts over 50, cast iron lasts 75-100, and PVC can last over 100 years if it’s not exposed to direct sunlight. Use these numbers as benchmarks when assessing if your pipes need replacement, but as always, get a second opinion from an expert before embarking on a full home re-plumbing.

FLO BY MOEN

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