What You Need to Know About Historic Home Plumbing

Continuing our discussion on maintenance issues in historic homes, good plumbing, especially in Charleston, can make a property stand the test of time. Historic Charleston homes have an aura about them.

The manicured gardens, plaster walls adorned with crafted moldings and grand hardwood flooring all hide what could be a disaster waiting to happen: plumbing. Plumbing and drainage pipes run throughout the walls of your home and in many cases most of the pipes will be unable to be inspected visually.

When looking into purchasing an older home, our advice is to thoroughly inspect, or have a licensed inspector, inspect as much as possible. This will give you and idea of not only what has been replaced but also what kind of piping exists in the more secluded parts of your home.

Literally every home pre-1960’s was constructed with galvanized steel piping. Over time these pipes corrode and clog easily. Homeowners with galvanized pipes are often encouraged to moved forward and completely replace the system with an updated copper or PVC.

However, the truth is that this seldom will happen due to the cost. Keep in mind that all galvanized pipe will go bad, it is an inevitability. Consider this, especially in Charleston, when moving water from your home to the sewer is a necessity. The cost of replacing the plumbing could save you thousands later in repair or personal property.

That brings us to the next area of concern, sewer lines. Commonly, everything from the water meter on the house side belongs to the homeowner, and everything on the street side belongs to the water district.

A simple and quick test to determine a leak in your homes plumbing can be done by simply observing the dial that shows minute water flow. If you turn off all the water inside the house, and the dial still moves, there is a leak in the system somewhere.

Sewer lines can be constructed of cast iron, clay, plastic and even a WWII-era product composed of tarpaper. All of these are prone to failure. Even modern plastic or PVC can become susceptible to problems from being crushed by roots. Be sure to include sewer line concerns with your other plumbing and drainage questions of a property.

Finally, if you decide to purchase a historic home, Charleston SC real estate agents want you to consider low-flow possibilities as a means to water conservation. Refitting pipes them with dams, flow restrictors, and aerator devices can drastically improve your water consumption efficiency.