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Common Plumbing Problems in Older Homes

Common Plumbing Problems in Older Homes

When acquiring or updating an older house, there are certain common plumbing issues which old homes have that you should know about. 

In this article, our plumber in London describes a few of them.

1. Look for galvanized pipes in your London home

A lot of older homes have galvanized pipes. These are steel pipes which were covered with zinc for protection.

In time, the zinc erodes from the pipes, generating them to become deteriorated in the inside. This leads to a series of issues, such as inadequate water pressure and blocked toilets and faucets.

Old galvanized pipes generate discolored water and may lead to leaks. In case you have an older home and the toilets and faucets get damaged often, this might be caused by galvanized pipes. Our plumbers in London can offer more details on this matter.

Besides galvanized piping, in some cases, older houses have pipes fabricated from cast iron or concrete, which create issues as well.

Concrete does not deteriorate, however, it can shift and move under the house foundation. Cast iron deteriorates as the time goes by, eventually disappearing.

2. DIY issues in the older London house

Most of the times, when a plumbing job was taken care of by the former owner or by an unlicensed plumber, there will be consequences, which is a common plumbing issue in London older houses.

That is because it is possible that the unlicensed plumber or handyman has left the drains unvented, did not properly secure the pipes or has set up backwards the traps.

When buying an older home, make sure that the plumbing is effectuated by a qualified emergencyplumber in London in the right manner. Also, the faucets and other plumbing appliances should be replaced in case they are too old.

3. Root infiltrations in London, resolved by plumbers near me 

Cast iron, hard plastic or clay piping used to be very popular in the past as sewer line materials. However, they are prone to tree root infiltrations which may cause major damages to the sewer pipes.

Clay pipes can be intruded with ease because they have a softer casting. Cast iron pipes may erode in time, which makes them split. This makes them open to tree roots which are looking for water.

In case you would like to know more about what are the most common plumbing problems in old homes, or for any plumbing services in London you might need, please speak to our local plumbers.