It’s safe to say that the past year and a half has been a major boom for the housing market! Particularly here in Kansas City, homes have been getting swooped up left and right. Anyone that’s been trying to sell or buy a home during this time period can attest to that statement. Nonetheless, even though it’s a fast-paced time in the housing market, that doesn’t mean you want to make any rushed decisions capable of resulting in major plumbing headaches. This is particularly true when purchasing older homes!
Having said all of that, you can probably guess that this week’s blog will primarily focus on plumbing issues facing older homes. There’s no doubt older homes can possess a charm that you simply can’t find anywhere else and this uniqueness is something that can attract prospective buyers. In any case, we’ll take an inside look at what questions you may want to ask, as well as a few of the potential plumbing pitfalls that tend to accompany older homes. Before doing that though, we would like to say hello to any first-time visitors to our blog. Stine-Nichols Plumbing is a residential, commercial and new construction plumbing contractor based out of North Kansas City, MO. We provide plumbing services to the entire Kansas City area, as well as the surrounding cities. If you live around Kansas City and are in need of plumbing help, don’t hesitate to give us a call at (816) 348-3481.
Now, let’s get started on the various plumbing problems associated with older homes.
Piping Materials
In the past, we’ve referenced the various types of plumbing piping materials quite often on different blog posts. Long story short, there are plenty of piping materials that were once widely used and now aren’t nearly as common. While PVC, Pex and copper are now the norm, that hasn’t always been the case. And even though we could utilize the entire blog breaking down the pitfalls associated with different materials, I’ll just do a condensed version here.
Over time, we’ve learned that certain materials aren’t the smartest move for plumbing pipes. Lead was once extremely popular, but has since been banned through the 1986 Safe Drinking Water Act. Polybutylene is another example of a material that was once widely used, albeit for a short time period. In the 1980s and even into the 90s, polybutylene was heralded as the perfect replacement for copper. Unfortunately, there were many flaws eventually found associated with this material and it actually became the source of quite a few lawsuits. In the end, these are just two examples of piping materials that we have seen become defunct. Even with common materials like galvanized steel or cast iron, there are still downsides to those as well that you need to be aware of!
Want to learn more about the different types of plumbing pipes used? Earlier this year, we posted a couple of blogs highlighting some of the more common materials. To check those out, feel free to read Part 1 and Part 2.
Old Components Inside
Having personally been involved in the plumbing industry for the past few decades, it’s been remarkable to witness the advancements made on various plumbing components. Whether it be the increased efficiency of water heaters, low-flow fixtures or even faucets that can be controlled from your smartphone, plumbing components are much more advanced now than they were 20-30 years ago. Having said that, if you are looking to buy an older home, one thing that you’ll want to factor into the costs should include whether or not you’ll have to replace any outdated fixtures or appliances. That is obviously a major perk to buying a new home, as everything should be quality and last you for a while.
That being said, evaluate the current state of the various fixtures prior to purchasing an older home to determine whether that’ll be something that you will want to replace shortly after closing on the house.
Tree Roots Wreaking Havoc
If you drive through many of the older neighborhoods around Kansas City, chances are you’ll notice there’s no shortage of huge trees that have likely been there for decades. Without a doubt, they certainly add to the charm of the neighborhood and provide a uniqueness that you simply can’t find in newer developments. Nonetheless, as charming as these trees may be, you can’t ignore the fact that they are also capable of causing some headaches for homeowners. With this, I’m particularly referring to the damage they can do to sewer lines.
The logic behind tree root infiltration into sewer lines is fairly straightforward. Tree roots are constantly looking for nutrients and water to continue growing. Simple enough, right? Well, even when there’s the slightest of cracks or openings in a sewer line, they can find their way in. Once in, it won’t take long for them to continue to grow, thus eventually leading to bigger problems for the homeowner. Plus, when you factor in that most older sewer lines weren’t made of PVC, you’ll notice the connections between the pipes were more prone to loosening as well. In the end, tree root infiltration certainly is a common cause of sewer line failure and something that’s relevant for older homes.
Drain Issues
In a blog post from earlier this month, we discussed the importance of drain cleaning. While drain cleaning is obviously a must any time you’re experiencing slower-than-normal drains, there truly is value in adding drain cleaning to your routine maintenance tasks. This will ensure nothing is brewing inside of your pipes without you knowing it. Whether it be in the kitchen or bathroom, drains in older homes have likely seen their fair share of usage over the years. And unless the previous homeowners have been diligent about their plumbing maintenance, it’s tough to tell what kind of shape they may be in.
While it may be a slightly different topic, I do want to recognize why it helps to be mindful of the different plumbing repairs that may have occurred in a home over the years. A few questions to ask yourself: Does there seem to be any patchwork repairs around the home? With that, I’m talking about repairs capable of sufficing for a short period of time, thus being ones that you’ll probably end up replacing. From these repairs, do you notice cheap products or piping material being used? Even though it would help to have a plumber get eyes on the area, you might be able to get some insight simply from the brand names. A quick Google search could help reveal whether or not they’re quality brands! To sum it up, older homes have simply had more owners and as a result, likely have had more work done to them.
Need Some Plumbing Help?
No matter how old the home may be, your friends at Stine-Nichols Plumbing are always here to help with all of your plumbing needs. Our experienced team of technicians possess the knowledge needed to take care of just about any plumbing issues there is. As evidenced throughout this blog, there are certainly a few different plumbing problems that are more common in older homes. That being said, if you are considering purchasing an older home, this would be a solid checklist to go by before closing. If you’re ever interested in receiving a free estimate on a potential plumbing project or are just seeking some advice, we would be more than happy to help! To get started, simply fill out the form HERE or give us a call at (816) 348-3481. We look forward to hearing from you!