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If you’re in the market for something other than a brand-new home, there might be some issues with updating the plumbing. Chances are if you purchased a home-built before the beginning of the century, you will at some point, need to consider the age of the pipes. Home investors, people who buy homes to “flip” for profit, know that plumbing systems require inspection, first. That’s because in older homes, a cast iron piping clearwater fl company knows the historic norms for installing main drainage systems.
From a purely historical perspective, cast iron pipes were installed based on longevity of use. That’s in perspective, to how long the pipes work, providing free-flowing water and for problem free sewage hydraulics. Cast iron pipes were the top of the line in residential plumbing, until the 70s and 80s. Then more homeowners preferred to switch to PVC piping.
According to the published 2019 plumbing costs estimates, on average it would take around $15,000 for a complete system reinstall. And you’re looking at close to $700 for repairs. Or if the plumbing problems only affect a small area of the pipe, the repair costs would fall somewhere in the neighborhood between $200 to $1000.
Figuring Out Plumbing System Problems
Working with a professional plumber, it’s possible to narrow down known issues with the water and sewer drainage system. As stated before, cast iron drains systems are built to lasts a lifetime. It’s not unusual to see homes with 100-year-old pipes. When a problem does develop, or if there’s a leak or sluggish drains, more than likely there’s corrosion somewhere in the pipes.
During a normal home inspection, that’s the one before closing, the plumbing system isn’t inspected. So, if there’s an issue with the plumbing system, it’s on the homeowner to absorb the repair costs. If you’re an experienced buyer, perhaps this is something that you already know. However, For first-time homeowners, it’s worth the upfront costs to have the plumbing system inspected to prevent problems down the road.
What You Don’t Know, Might Hurt You Later
It’s a known fact that cast iron pipes in older homes could need replacing. This might not be an issue at all, it varies based on the time when the house was built. For some people, reality television programs have piqued their interest in older Victorian homes and other vintage properties. Just bear in mind that PVC wasn’t used in residential homes until 1980.
There are some neat statistics and random facts traced by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). One of the things relating to water line breaks, putting them at 47 years. Meaning that homeowners can expect cast iron or PVC pipes to work without problems for nearly three decades. Always insists on adding an inspection of the plumbing system to your closing costs, to find out about the condition and age of the pipes.
