Old homes can be charming, with their traditional styles and beautiful, unique features. They tend to have beautiful big rooms, homely kitchens, and fabulous architecture. You can’t be blamed for dreaming of buying an old home, provided you call for a professional plumbing inspection, because that’s one of the main issues you face in an older home.

Here are some of the things you should be aware of before you buy an older home:

1. Old pipes

These steel pipes are covered in a layer of zinc, which eroded over time, causing it to deteriorate. The flakes and particles can lead to slow water pressure and blocked pipes. You may notice discolored water and recurring plumbing repairs. Cast iron can also deteriorate and collapse, while concrete might shift under the foundations of the home. Polybutylene pipe was used in the eighties due to the fact that it was cheap and easy to install. However, exposure to water causes it to break down.

2. Drains

The earth constantly moves, and the ground on which your home is built may be shifting until your home is properly settled. The sewer pipes were the first thing installed while your home was being built, which means that they are underneath the foundation. As your home shifts, it can lead to bellies or dips forming in the pipeworks. The bellies will worsen over time, causing debris and sediment to settle and blockages to form in your drains.

3. Shut-off valves

The toilet’s shut off valve is not used frequently. Located below the tank, near the spot where the rigid pipe exits the wall, minerals from the water can cause it to become stuck in its open position. Of course, trying to close the valve in an emergency, and forcing it shut can cause it to snap right off. Prevent flooding in your home by calling a professional plumber to replace the stuck shut-off valve so that you can turn off the water in the event that your toilet bowl becomes backed up.

4. Mix-and-match plumbing

Over many years, many different plumbers and homeowners work on a home’s plumbing. If your home was built in the 80s or before, your plumbing system probably contains at least one pipe or fixture each in galvanized or copper piping, chrome, polybutylene, lead and so forth along with more modern piping. Some of these materials may interact with one another, causing rust. Joints between unlike materials create trouble spots, as these areas can catch soap scum and hair that end up in clogs. Likewise, homeowners who don’t necessarily have any plumbing training may use duct tape, hose clamps, adhesives and chemical patches to repair their own plumbing.

It is important to always hire a professional plumbing company who uses approved materials and has the required training to make wise repairs. In most cases, it saves money to hire professionals, rather than to apply unsafe and foolhardy temporary repairs. Speak to Anta Plumbing today about your old home plumbing.

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Aah, summer! After the long, cold winter months, we’re all ready for the warmer, longer days of summer. It’s a time of relaxing, entertaining and a bit of travel. Before you set off on your summertime travels, be sure to take care of your plumbing system to avoid returning to a mess. Here’s how!

Prepare your plumbing pre-travel

If you’re traveling for a few weeks this summer, be sure to prepare your home:

• Check all your water-using appliances (dishwasher, ice machine, washer, pool) for leaks, cracked or loose hoses and other malfunctions, and have it repaired ahead of the vacations.
• Empty the washing machine and dishwasher and clean all the filters and traps. Leave the appliances open to air while you are away to avoid returning to unpleasant and musty odors.
• Turn the water heater to it’s vacation setting, or to pilot or low, depending on what’s available. You may as well save heat energy while there’s no need for hot water.
• Shut off all the indoor and outdoor faucets.
• If you have an automatic schedule for your irrigation system, be sure to check the settings to continue the system runs as it should while you’re away.
• If you are going away for more than a week, consider switching off the hot water heater and the main water shut off. If you will be away for more than a month, you may want to drain the tank and pipes.
• Service your sump pump before you go away, and test it. Install a backup battery in case your home loses power while you’re away.
• Ask a trusted neighbor or friend to check in on your house to ensure that all is in order. A small leak can cause a big mess after just a few days.

Keep the outdoors out your doors!

Summertime comes with plenty of outdoor adventures, including lazy days on the beach, traipsing through hiking trails and riding on ATVs. You’re bound to get dirty in the process!

Remember that your drains were not made for sand and grass, but for water. Rinse any sand and dirt off by the outside tap or with the hose where it will run back into the garden, rather than into your household drains.

Keep summer foods out of the garbage disposal

Summer fruits and vegetables are great for your body’s plumbing, but not so much for that of your body. The garbage disposal works hard all year long, but fibrous cobs and corn husks, artichokes, banana peels, celery strings, pits and hard seeds can clog up your disposal.

Be sure to provide a rubbish bin or compost bin in the wash up area and ask guests to avoid disposing of bones in the garbage disposal.

Service your sprinkler system

Summer is busy season for your sprinkler system, so it’s a good idea to have it serviced during spring. Naturally, you will want to be careful while you mow, because you can easily damage the sprinkler heads and or the mower blades by mowing over them.

At the same time, you want to be sure that you keep puppies away from any plastic sprinkler bits.

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Leaking pipes can cause serious damage to the plumbing fixtures in your home, however, since it often costs a lot of money, you may be loathe to call a plumber. Professional plumbers and medical professionals alike will urge you to assess your options, because apart from the further damage it can cause, leaks can cause serious health issues.

It is not the actual leaks that cause ill health, but rather the fact that the moisture-rich environment creates the ideal habitat for mildew, asbestos and mold to thrive, causing a variety of respiratory problems that can put you and your family in harm’s way. Studies have shown that indoor air pollution levels can be up to five times higher than outdoor pollution levels at the best of times. How much more so when you are dealing with a slow leak.

Harmful substances that grow in your home can cause a milieu of respiratory issues, including:

• skin, nose and throat irritation
• red and itchy eyes
• allergy symptoms, such as sneezing and coughing
• sinus congestion
• fatigue
• rashes
• fever
• upper and lower respiratory infection
• difficulty breathing

These symptoms can be especially dangerous in infants, the elderly, and in people with respiratory conditions. Therefore, it is crucial to repair leaks right away and to take the necessary steps to remove mold immediately.

Other Health Issues Caused By Plumbing

Copper: In recent years, scientists have warned against copper pipes in home plumbing systems. Ideally, copper pipes should be replaced with a material that does not leach chemicals into the potable water supply. The problem with copper pipes is that small amounts of the element build up in the human body, which can lead to diabetes, heart disease and Alzheimer’s, because the body is unable to process copper.

Lead: While laws have been in place for more than twenty years to reduce the amount of lead in water, some homes still have metal plumbing fixtures and pipes. Some of the lead can enter the potable water supply, posing health risks. Lead can cause impaired physical and mental development as well as hearing problems in infants, toddlers and pregnant women.

Chrome: Galvanized pipes and exposure to cadmium from older chrome-plated pipes, natural deposits of leaching pipe fittings can lead to kidney damage.

Drink Water, But Protect Your Health!

You can request an annual water quality report from the water company, or you can conduct your own test to determine whether your water is safe to use. The type of contaminant will determine which remedies you should apply. Some of the options include filtration, distillation or reverse osmosis systems. Additionally, you can implement your own safety procedures, namely:

• installing aerators on your faucets
• using cold water to cook or drink, because water can leach more easily
• running the water for a while before drinking it
• run the cold water for a while until it is colder after you have been on vacation for a while.

The best way to prevent contamination of your water, is to consider replacing your old plumbing system with new, healthier options. Speak to Anta Plumbing about the options that best suit your needs.

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