How Long Do Plumbing Pipes Last In Wichita KS?

There are a number of different plumbing systems in Wichita homes and businesses and therefore there are a number of different pipes used in those systems. One of the main factors that determine when your pipes will need to be replaced and more importantly what types of pipes you have are the age of the house itself. One factor that affects this is if the pipes in your home were constructed at some point after the house was built. Below is a rough estimate of when your pipes MIGHT need to be replaced based on what they are made of. Of course, only a qualified plumber after a thorough inspection will be able to tell you what kind of shape your pipes are in, any problems they see, and when they believe some or all of your pipes may need to be replaced.

plumbing pipe leaking

Piping Material: Different Types & Life Expectancy

Galvanized Steel: This type of piping material usually lasts between 75-100 years. Pipes were advertised as rust-proof because they were submerged in a coating of zinc designed to protect them. However as with most things they out not turn out to be as durable or long-lasting as first thought and can start to rust after a number of years. Commonly used in households before the 1960’s this type of piping is not as common as it used to be.

Cast Iron: The one notable quality of cast iron piping is its ability to withstand substantial amounts of water pressure. As with galvanized piping, it also has a tendency to began to rust. This type can usually last up to one hundred years also.

Copper: This is one type of piping that is still being used in many homes and businesses across the nation. Typically designed to last up to 80 years. Homes and businesses of more recent construction that have this type of piping are probably in good shape. However, homes of earlier years may want to have their plumbing system inspected to make sure that the pipes are functioning properly. If copper piping starts to go bad it can begin to leach into the water system which is not a good thing. As mentioned above with this being one of the more common types of plumbing pipes there is a good chance that this is what is in your home.

Polybutylene: If your home was built in the period between the 1970s-1990s there is a fairly good chance that your plumbing system includes this type of piping. This was a common type of piping used based on the fact that it was cheap and not as expensive to install. However, homeowners soon found that after a few years the pipes began to developed issues due to their flimsy nature. The type of pipes only had a short run of about 15 years so it is unlikely that you have this type of pipes in your home unless it was built during the above-mentioned time frame. If you find that you DO have this pipe composition in your home it is better to get it replaced now than wait. A qualified plumber will be able to access your situation and give you the best advice.

Brass: Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc and will usually last a few years longer than copper. This type of pipe is less common than copper and is not in use as much as it was in the past because these pipes may contain small quantities of lead which is not a good thing.

Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) The greatest benefit to this type of piping is that it does not rust or corrode which means you will not find traces of metal in your drinking water which is never a good thing. When it was first introduced the life expectancy of this piping was between 25-40 years and was not as durable as other types of piping. However, with technological improvements over the years, this type can now last 70+ years. This is the type of piping you should strongly consider if you are constructing a new home.

Lead: We’ve saved the worst for last! Lead is a very durable pipe that can last up to one hundred years. However, if you know you have or your plumber finds this type of piping in your home they should be replaced right away. Lead is very harmful to both humans and pets and can slowly poison over time those who come in contact with it. DO NOT ALLOW this type of piping to remain in your home. Replace lead pipes in the home as soon as possible.

If you are unsure of the type of pipes that make up your plumbing system or just want the peace of mind knowing that your plumbing system is functioning properly give one of our highly trained and qualified plumbers who will come over and inspect your system to let you know it is working properly or offer suggestions on how to fix problem areas.

The Best & Worst Of Common Piping Materials

Pipes have been used in plumbing for thousands of years to bring fresh clean water, carry away waste and perform many other tasks. In Europe, the first public sewer system was used by the Romans and was called an aqueduct and tho crude by today’s comparison basically performed the same function. Bring water into Roman’s homes and other establishments and then carry away waste produced by the citizens to a disposal site. This was all done with the use of pipes. The pipes in today’s homes and businesses are made of vastly different materials each having their good points and their bad points. Some materials work better for certain applications than others and different needs for transferring water and waste will find different materials being used. Four common types of pipe materials, where they are commonly used, and the pros and cons of each are discussed below.

Copper: This is more likely the piping material you will find in the average home. The advantages to this type of material are that it is both very strong, has low proximity to rust, is easy to work with, and is in abundant supply on the planet. This is why it is so popular in Wichita plumbing systems in both homes and businesses. If the plumbing in your home’s system wasn’t built with copper pipes in the walls it is highly likely that when pipes have needed to be replaced due to corrosion or other issues it was replaced with copper. And while copper piping is very popular and with good reasons it does have its drawbacks.

It takes a skilled plumber to work with it and install it correctly. If an inexperienced plumber doesn’t weld or solder the joints together correctly leaks can form causing inconvenience and potentially major water damage for the homeowner. While copper is not as prone to corrosion as other types of piping material it will eventually begin to corrode as more and more water flows through it and will become bad and need to be replaced.

Clay: Manufactured from material that occurs naturally in the earth this type of piping material has been in use for centuries. Pipes from this material are produced by being solidified in an extremely hot oven after it has been formed into the shape desired. The benefit of this type of pipe plumbing is that it is made of natural material that when produced and installed correctly can stand up to many years of use buried underground. It is mostly used in outdoor applications. Over the years manufactures have discovered ways to make clay even more reliable and stronger. That being said clay is very brittle and can easily crack or break apart if subject to heavy pressure. This brings their durability into question. You won’t find many homes with this type of material being used in the plumbing system but many cities, especially older ones still use clay pipes in public water mains.

Plastic: Ah plastic, the invention of the modern world. Plastic has many benefits which make them the choice for many plumbing uses. It is easy to produce, doesn’t weigh much, and is incredibly durable. The three most common types of this chemically engineered material are PEX, ABS, and PVC which is the name most people recognize. Pipes made out of plastic are extremely versatile. Produced in almost any size it is very flexible with the ability to be run around corners. Here is one plumbing material that doesn’t have one of the biggest drawbacks that other piping materials do. Plastic is almost completely immune to the corrosion that water eventually causes in other types of materials. This keeps the water flowing into homes and businesses clean and safe. With all these benefits there are still some drawbacks to the use of this material in plumbing systems.

There are some drawbacks when using plastic in pipes. They can suffer damage which can lead to leaks and they are not necessarily long-lasting when it comes to pipes. If exposed to outdoor elements they can wear out quickly and break easily when temperatures become extremely cold. If used outdoors it needs to be buried underground below the freezing level. This type of piping material is better suited for indoor uses in homes such lines to refrigerators, under sinks, and other household applications.

Cast Iron: Another commonly found metallic element cast iron is used because it is easy to manufacture plumbing lines with. The irony is that because of its nature it tends to corrode fairly rapidly when water is running through it. Lower PH levels which are found in most city and town water supplies tend to cause a robust reaction with the cast iron causing the corrosive effect. All is not lost when it comes to the use of cast iron in plumbing as it works great in lines that are used to remove waste materials. Cast iron can be easily formed into large pipes that are thick and heavy making it difficult for tree roots or other items to bridge the pipe causing clogs and all other sorts of problems. All in all however cast iron is being used less and less in home and business plumbing situations. Most new construction today uses pipes that are composed of plastic materials because of economics, reduced weight, and ease of availability. With that being said any plumber called out to a job will still see plenty of waste and sewer lines containing cast iron. Many cities and towns when replacing lines that have been buried underground for centuries protected from the elements will find the pipes are made of cast iron.