Cast Iron Pipe Replacement | APT

Cast Iron Pipe Replacement

Residential Cast Iron Pipe Replacement

If your home was built before 1975, or if you're buying a home built before that year, there is a good chance it will have cast iron pipes. Because cast iron is so durable, it's been used for plumbing in houses and commercial buildings for more than a hundred years.

Cast iron was meant to last between 50-100 years, it can withstand high pressure, and it won't melt or burn. Cast iron was the gold standard for pipes in the early 20th century. However, despite its dependability, structures built in the 1940s or 1950s are reaching the end of their lifespan.

The Downfall of Cast Iron Pipes

Unfortunately, there are certain disadvantages that come with using cast iron for plumbing. When these pipes carry waste from your home, hydrogen sulfide gasses are created. When they oxidize, corrosive sulfuric acid is created and this acid is hard on cast iron. The sulfuric acid will corrode and rust the pipes from the inside out.

The rust within the pipes can gather in one location and restrict water flow and affect water pressure. If there is a change and the result is low water pressure, this is indicative of a plumbing issue. Odds are, you've noticed this and have called a plumber at least once or twice to clean the corrosion from the pipes. This is a temporary fix. The corrosion will also affect the water quality, making it questionable as to whether or not your drinking water is safe.

Find Out Your Next Move!

If your home was built before 1975 we offer a free video inspection, so you can see the current state of your cast iron system.

Cast Iron Pipe Replacement Process

The process of replacing your cast iron plumbing system requires you to follow a few basic steps:

  1. Inspect the lines to see what the issue is
  2. Gain access to the problem areas of plumbing lines
  3. Replace the plumbing line
  4. Repair the damage caused by gaining access to the plumbing lines

    As you can see the process is just a few basic steps. However, the overall solution has facets. It is important when choosing to do a complete pipe replacement that you understand the magnitude of the project in both scope and duration. Accessing all plumbing generally requires direct access to the home's slab or sub-flooring in the kitchen and all bathrooms. Gaining access to these will typically require removing flooring, cabinets, showers, sinks, etc.

    This process can be costly. When you factor in the costs associated with rebuilding all or part of your bathrooms and kitchen, it is easy to see how the costs mount up quickly. Some of this can be mitigated by the use of trenchless pipelining methods such as Cured-In-Place-Piping (CIPP).

    To see how these costs compare check out our trenchless pipe repair cost calculator.

Free Video Inspection

If your home was built before 1975 we offer a free video inspection, so you can see the current state of your cast iron system.

Get Your Free Inspection

Replacing Residential Sewer Lines

Cast iron piping was meant to last fifty years or longer, but they will get old and start to deteriorate. There are so many factors to be considered when talking about the deterioration of cast iron pipes. There is no way to know when they will go bad, but it is certain that they will.

Eventually, all cast iron pipes will need to be replaced. A lot of people choose to only repair what needs the most attention due to the high costs of replacing all the pipes. Repairing the major leaks and cracks will buy you some time, but it'll only fix the issue for now.

It is also important to remember that any time a cast iron pipe that is located under a concrete slab is repaired, only the sections where leaks are located are repaired by some companies. However, this won't address future issues that may occur or address any sections with minor leaks not yet detected.

The cast iron on either side of the new pipe will eventually crack, crumble, corrode, and leak as well. Because of this, it doesn't make a lot of sense to locate and repair just the parts where repair is needed. Either way, repairs or total replacement of pipes in your entire house can cost a significant amount of money, depending upon how your house is currently plumbed. Check out our Cast Iron Pipe Replacement Cost Calculator.

If your existing water line is located under the house and can be accessed from a crawlspace, this can save you money since the plumber will have an easier time getting to the plumbing. If your pipes are located under a slab, cutting through the concrete will be necessary to remove and replace the old pipes.

Why Choose Us?

The team of expert plumbers in our plumbing division, includes multiple plumbing contractors, licensed plumber, master plumbers, journeymen and other expert technicians using the latest equipment. Our team has many years of experience and offers the highest quality of service in the industry.

We are the top choice for customer service and customer satisfaction. Each project is overseen and reviewed by a licensed plumbing contractor and each job is performed to the plumbing code in the state of Florida.

Free Video Inspection

If your home was built before 1975 we offer a free video inspection, so you can see the current state of your cast iron system.

Request a Free Inspection

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