How to Tell If Your Home’s Plumbing Is Ready for an Upgrade
Your home plumbing may be telling you it’s time for an upgrade. Are you listening? Most homes will outlive the plumbing installed during its original construction. From day one, pipes are accumulating wear and tear from internal flow, as well as the effects of mineral deposits, corrosion and the continuous municipal water pressure of over 40 pounds per square inch. Over the years, these factors will take their toll.
If the time for a change is approaching, it’s important to address it now before a major home plumbing issue—and the potential water damage that comes with it—occurs in your house. Here are just a few hints your home plumbing may need an upgrade sooner rather than later: Noisy Pipes
Pipes are securely anchored during construction to prevent motion when water flows through them. Over the years, these mountings may fail. Clanging and banging pipes are subjected to repetitive motion that may degrade joints and trigger leaks and ruptures. The “Yuck” Factor If your tap water is tinted with a brown, rusty color and/or an uninviting odor, this is usually a sign that corrosion is affecting your water supply lines. This is particularly true in homes with OEM galvanized steel pipes installed decades ago.
Mystery Stains
Stains on walls or ceilings that have no known external source may well be caused by slow leaks from the plumbing. Apparently, minor “pinholes” are a red flag for corrosion, which can cause a major rupture at any time, along with expensive water damage. Have a professional plumber check out water stains ASAP.
Chronic Dripping
Small, isolated drips and dribbles aren’t “normal.” Since the overall condition of your home plumbing tends to degrade in a similar time frame, individual signs of disintegration here and there may well signify system-wide aging and deterioration.
At Sobieski Services, Inc., our goal is to help our customers in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey learn more about energy and home comfort issues – especially HVAC and plumbing issues – so that they can save money and live in healthier, more comfortable homes.
Photo Credit: jmrodri via Compfight cc
