Although the saying “nothing lasts forever” is often applied to other aspects of life, it also applies to plumbing pipes. When your home’s plumbing pipes are in use, they are worn down to the core over time. Consider how many times every day you turn on a faucet or flush the toilet! If you’re not sure when your home’s plumbing should be changed but want to know what to anticipate, keep the following things in mind:

Supply Pipes

There are two different kinds of plumbing pipes in any building. The first is your supply pipes, which deliver water to your home’s numerous fixtures. In addition, these pipelines are under constant pressure. Every waking minute, they must transfer water. It’s one thing to feed water to fixtures, but how about emptying it? It’s time to meet the drain line, ladies and gentlemen!

Drain Lines

Drain lines carry water away from a building, and are responsible for carrying out wastewater. Like your supply pipes, the plumbing drain line is put up to the challenge of transporting water all day and night. As you can imagine, the pipe begins to wear down over time. However, it depends on the material of your drain line that will tell its fate.

Lifespan

The material of your plumbing pipes will affect their lifespan and when you should have them replaced. If you know what type of material they are made of, then here are some estimates to consider:

Supply Pipes: Galvanized steel, which has a maximum lifespan of around 50 years, is one of the most common solutions. However, if they’re made of copper, you’re in luck: the maximum lifespan is expected to exceed 50 years!

Drain Lines: If your home has PVC drain pipes, we have good news for you: they will last a very long time. If the lines are built of cast iron, they will have a maximum lifespan of 100 years.

What are the Types of Piping?

Copper piping: They are still widely used in plumbing systems throughout the United States. Copper pipes typically last 70-80 years, so if your house was built lately, your copper pipes are likely in good condition. If your home is older, though, you should consult with a plumber about the quality of your pipes because if you wait too long to repair copper plumbing, the metal can corrode and infiltrate your water. Nonetheless, they are arguably the most frequent alternative for metal pipes.

Brass piping: They’re less prevalent than copper piping, although they last a little longer. Brass pipes have an average lifespan of 80-100 years. Brass pipes, on the other hand, are used less commonly than they formerly were since they frequently included trace quantities of lead.

Galvanized steel piping: They also have a lifespan of 80-100 years. Pipes with a protective zinc coating to prevent corrosion were typical in American homes prior to the 1960s. Despite being designed to survive, galvanized steel pipes sometimes rust after a few years, making them less durable than originally stated. As a result, they are no longer widely employed in plumbing construction and installation.

Cast iron pipes: They have a lifespan of 80-100 years and are designed to handle high water pressure. However, cast iron pipe, like galvanized steel, has been known to corrode with time.

PVC piping: Typically, they often endure between 25 and 40 years. PVC pipes, on the other hand, may be able to survive 70 years or more thanks to current technical developments. While they are not as sturdy as metal piping and hence do not last as long, they are a suitable alternative for many households since there is little danger that they would corrode and rust, resulting in metal in your drinking water.

Polybutylene pipes: They were popular between the late 1970s and the mid-1990s because the materials used in them were affordable and they were less expensive to install. However, homeowners quickly discovered that these pipes were rather fragile and began to fall apart after around 10-15 years. As a result, it is quite unusual that you have polybutylene pipes in your home, but if you do, you should repair them as soon as possible.

Lead pipes: They may live for up to 100 years. However, if there is even a slight possibility that you have lead pipes in your home, YOU MUST CHANGE THEM ASAP. Despite its durability, we now know that lead is incredibly poisonous and can effectively kill humans if exposed to it for extended periods of time.

If Your Plumbing Pipes Have Issues, Give Us a Call!

If you have any issues with your home’s plumbing, heating, or cooling and prefer not to do it yourself, our professionals are here to assist! To learn more about the services we provide at Caccia Plumbing, please visit our website or call (650) 442-1470 to talk with a representative immediately.