Older homes have a charm that new construction cannot match, but they require a lot of maintenance. Outdated materials and building methods can make clearing the drains in an older residence difficult, and some of the most effective cleaning methods cannot be used. Here are some of the problems our professionals encounter when they clean the drains in an older home.

Invading Tree Roots

When a pipe in an older home starts to leak, the added moisture in the soil can attract tree roots. The invading tree roots then damage the pipe and create an even bigger problem. Cutting the tree roots and fixing the leak may not provide a permanent solution as the roots could just grow back. In this situation, the pipe may have to be relocated, which is a difficult and expensive job. The best way to avoid these issues is to have the pipes in an older home inspected regularly by an experienced professional.

Narrow Pipes

Building codes are revised when new materials and techniques are introduced or it becomes clear that the existing rules are insufficient. That’s why the pipes in newer homes are wider than the pipes in houses built decades ago. Toilet drains inside a modern home are 3 to 4 inches wide, and main sewer lines are even wider. Older homes usually have much narrower drainpipes, and that’s a problem because narrow pipes are more likely to become clogged.

Pipe Materials

Modern drainpipes are made out of durable and lightweight plastics like PVC and ABS, but many older homes have cast-iron or galvanized steel pipes that are prone to corrosion. This corrosion narrows cast-iron or galvanized steel pipes over time, and it also weakens them.

Chemical Cleaners

Plumbers use caustic solutions containing alkaline substances like sodium hydroxide to clean PVC pipes because they are effective and work fast, but a different approach is necessary in an older home. Chemical solutions react with blockages and create heat, but they remove the zinc coating inside older pipes and cause a reaction that accelerates corrosion. Gentler cleaners that use enzymes and bacteria to break down clogs must be used to clean older pipes, but they do not work as quickly as the chemical solutions.

We Can Clean the Pipes in Older Homes

We’ve been cleaning residential drains since 1975, so we know all about older pipes. We always put the customer first, and we have an A+ rating from the BBB. Our friendly and experienced technicians use the latest materials and techniques, and we can clear blockages from older pipes without damaging them. If you need professional drain cleaning services in Cedar Rapids, IA, call Benjamin Franklin Plumbing today.