No one can tell you when your pipes need to be replaced. It’s not a straightforward question, and it depends on the type of piping, what it is used for, and how many years the pipe has been in service.

Pipes that are older than 75 years may need to be replaced. If the piping is used for water or sewer lines, it might need to be inspected more often due to intense pressure differences (although most inspectors will recommend replacement if there are any structural problems). If you have pipes that run from your house up into the street or near other homes’ plumbing systems, those pipes are more prone to breakage as well.

Cast iron pipes were routinely used in New Jersey at the turn of the 20th century. In some cities, they were installed in areas that have since been demolished. Today, it’s difficult to find a newer, modern house built with cast iron piping.

What about plumbers and the “cast iron rule”? That rule is that the length of time pipes are used (and therefore heated up) increases their strength. As the plumber puts in your new water heater or your new wet or dryer vent pipe, you can feel this principle at work as you watch your old cast iron pipes expand “like a balloon” as they get hotter.

Plain old copper pipe (not copper-covered steel pipe like cast iron) needs to be replaced after ten years. In other words, if your pipes are made from copper, you’ll want to replace them sooner.

It’s just like the muscles. If you keep exercising them, they will grow stronger and stronger. It’s different for our plumbing: when we do that exercise every day, we can’t expect the pipes to improve their strength any more quickly than we can build our own muscles (we’re talking about plumbing here).

If you want to know when a particular pipe needs replacing, it’s best to ask an expert plumber or heating technician.

Plumbing codes: Replacing your pipe

Replacing pipes can be an interesting adventure into your home’s history. With luck, you may find out when the pipes were made and by whom. There are a number of organizations that still make cast iron pipe, but many don’t. Before you start tearing up the floor, look for old markings on the pipes. If they’re very old and unmarked, it may be worth replacing them rather than having them relined and doing some history preservation at the same time.

The next step is to figure out how to get rid of the old pipes. There are a few different ways you can go about this.

One option is to hire an expert plumber or heating technician (anyone who works with pipes and radiators, including technicians at home improvement stores) to remove them for you. This will likely cost a bit more than doing it yourself, but if you don’t know what you’re doing then it’s probably worth the expense —especially if you have hard-to-reach pipes in an awkward place. You could also hire an experienced demolition company to take down walls or tear up flooring and plumbing to get at the pipes.

If you want to get rid of an old radiators, you may be able to cover them with plywood or some other material and throw them away. You can also get old radiators donated to a charity and have someone else take care of disposing of them.

 

For more information, contact Vinny’s Jersey Plumbing, located in Wayne, New Jersey.  We also service other cities in New Jersey, such as West Orange, Paramus and Caldwell.