Are Your Pipes Too Old? Why You Should Consider Scheduling a Pipe Inspection

Did you recently buy an old home? Have you lived in an older home for many years?There’s no question that older homes boast incredible charm, character, and individuality. On top of these desired qualities, more times than not, older homes are built like a rock. But these homes can truly only stand the test of time when they are properly maintained and cared for – including timely and accurate attention given to its aging plumbing system.

If pipes are too old and continue to deteriorate, inevitably leading to serious, destructive issues for the homeowner, the home’s entire sewer and drain system will need to be replaced. However, sometimes just the pipes within the home need to be replaced. So, what condition are your pipes in, and how old are they? Ultimately, does your older home need your pipes and plumbing system repaired or replaced?

We’re here to help you determine the answers:

• Repiping a House: Important Things to Know Off the Bat
• Repiping a house is not the same thing as replacing the main sewer line.
• The process of repiping is where all the cold and hot water pipes throughout the entire home are removed and replaced.
• The most important thing to know right away is that repiping a house should be done by an experienced, licensed professional.

Benefits of repiping a home include:

• Increasing the value and selling price of the home with new whole-house plumbing
• Reduced water bills
• Increased water pressure
• Solved plumbing issues
• Better quality drinking water

When to Repipe a House: Repiping may be necessary for several reasons, such as:

• The house is over 50 years old.
• The entire house is in need of major repairs and renovations, such as a fixer-upper.
• Your pipes have burst several times.
• You’re experiencing dripping or running water inside the walls of your home.
• You keep having problems with leaks.

If you feel your home’s piping is outdated or damaged, read on to learn more about the benefits and process of replacing plumbing and pipes in an old home:

Replace Plumbing in Old House

As a homeowner, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed if you sense something is wrong with your pipes or you feel they’re on their last leg. Rest assured that sometimes older home only need the pipes within the home replaced – and a whole home sewer and drain system replacement isn’t needed.

Let’s talk more about repiping:

• What is Involved in Repiping a House?
• Depending on your home’s current condition (think fixer upper compared to a standard, maintained old home) the repiping process may slightly vary.
• In general, the process is fairly straightforward and can look a lot like this:

All water lines in the home are shut off and drained. Furniture and floors are covered with protective material (like drop cloths, tarps, or other items) to shield during the pipe installation.

• To locate and expose the old pipes, the drywall is cut where the pipes run.
• New piping is installed and connected to the home’s plumbing system.
• The home’s water is turned back on.
• All lines are tested to ensure proper functionality and no leaks.
• If leaks are detected, they will be corrected.
• Once it is determined that there are no leaks and that the new pipes are working properly, the drywall is replaced.
• The drywall is sealed and painted.
• The job is complete.

How Long Does It Take to Repipe a House?The length of a repiping project depends on:

• The size of the home
• The number of water lines
• The type of materials already installed

On average, a repiping project can take approximately 3 to 7 days. Smaller homes may only take 1 to 2 days. After a thorough in-home assessment, your licensed plumber will be able to give you a more exact timeline.

Replacing the Whole Home’s Sewer and Drain System

Do you suspect your plumbing issue is more than needing to repipe the cold and hot water pipes throughout the home? While denoted as a larger, more intensive plumbing issue, needing to replace the home’s sewer and drain system should not be dreaded, as there are affordable, efficient options.

When to Replace a Sewer and Drain System

There is no definitive time for when a home’s sewer and drain system needs to be replaced. However, there are major signs and red flags that can signal a sewer line repair or replacement is needed, such as:

• Sewage backups and blockages, like clogs or water backflow.
• Sewer odor around your property
• Slow drain(s)
• Soggy spots on your lawn from an undetected leak in your sewer line
• Lush patches of grass from the soil around an underground sewer leakage receiving extra nutrients from the unexpected fertilizer (sewage)
• Septic waste pooling in yard

The most common reasons a sewer line repair or replacement is needed are tree roots obstructing, clogging and destroying sewer lines and age – as, over time, pipes can corrode and foster built up mineral deposits, leading to leaks and blockages in your sewer line and drain.

What is Involved in Replacing a Sewer and Drain System

• There are two main ways to replace a sewer and drain system: traditional and trenchless.
• Traditional methods of replacing a sewer and drain system involve:
  • Conducting a video pipe inspection to identify exact replacement needs and where the pipe can simply be repaired
  • Digging up the yard
  • Creating a trench to reach the pipes
  • Replacing the old, damaged pipes
  • Filling in the trench with dirt (which will create a mound in the yard until it settles over time)

Unfortunately, this method is disruptive to your home and landscaping. Additionally, there cannot be any home sewer service for about three days (or more).

Trenchless methods of replacing a sewer and drain system involve:

• Conducting a video pipe inspection to identify repair or replacement needs
• A thorough examination of the site to establish appropriate conditions for trenchless pipe bursting
• Two small holes – about three feet wide – are dug at either end of the main sewer line being replaced
• A new sewer pipe is inserted in place of the old pipe using pipe-bursting technology. As a bursting head is pulled through the old line (breaking up the old pipe), a new HDPE pipe is pulled behind to fill its place

This method delivers minimal effects on the home and landscaping. Additionally, sewer service is only required to be down for just a few hours.

How Long Does It Take to Replace a Sewer and Drain System?

On average, traditional sewer line replacement can take several days to complete.
Trenchless sewer line replacement can typically be completed in a day.

First Things First: Schedule a Pipe Inspection to Determine Exactly What Your Home’s Plumbing System Needs. Before anything can be determined for certain, a video pipe inspection is vital and – for most plumbing companies and teams – required before they perform any further work.

A sewer line camera inspection can:

• Quickly and correctly identify plumbing and drain problems
• Save you time and money
• Minimize the impact a sewer problem has on your property
• Lead to less invasive cleanings and repairs because it pinpoints the exact area of the system with the problem
• Ensure you won’t have a bigger problem on your hands down the road

Once there is video evidence of the plumbing issue, an efficient and budget-friendly option(s) for replaced can be discussed and used.

Trust Your Home’s Pipes and Systems to Northeast Ohio’s Excavation and Plumbing Experts
If you live in an old home, old pipes and sewer lines are inevitable homeowner issues; but that doesn’t mean you have to endure stress, headaches, and unnecessary costs. To uncover what your home needs – and fast – a trained eye is required to accurately assess your home’s pipes and plumbing system and receive a correct repair solution recommendation.

As expert plumbing and sewer line technicians with deep roots in trenchless
technology, the Invisible Excavation team can help you identify what condition your pipes are in, how old they are, and if your pipes and plumbing system need repaired or replaced. We guarantee straightforward recommendations, top-quality work, and honest, affordable pricing.
Get in touch with us today to schedule a video pipe inspection or to request a
second opinion. Call (216) 749-3478 or fill out our online form:
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