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4 Plumbing Services Ideal for Old Home Purchases

Jim Dhamer Plumbing • Oct 06, 2020
Country House — Lisle, IL – Jim Dhamer Plumbing and Sewer, Inc.

An old home comes with a lot of history, character, and unique architectural designs, but as a homeowner of an old home, you must also deal with some of the older technology that may not serve you as well for modern times. Before you get settled down into your home, learn about plumbing services to help get the house up to date and to provide smooth water operations.

From the kitchen to the bathroom, plumbing services will go a long way in providing you with a functional home. The services will also help prevent some major disasters in the future.

1. Power Rodding

Even if you paint the walls and add new carpets, older homes will have older pipe systems that you never see. Without the visuals, you will also miss the opportunity to see any problems with the pipes. A plumbing company will help inspect and clear out old drainpipes with a process known as power rodding.

Power rodding involves a rotating cleaning tool attached to the end of a metal cable. The cable goes down through the drainage pipes and will reach all the way to pipes in the backyard that lead to the septic tank or lead to a city sewer connection.

The older the pipes are, the greater the chances are that they will have a blockage. Internally, the blockage can include hair buildup, grease buildup, or foreign objects never meant to be flushed like baby wipes or wrappers. Externally, tree roots could have grown and forced their way through pipes, creating a blockage.

The power rodding process can eliminate obstructions and help keep the pipes clear for proper water waste management. The process is especially important if the old house has not been lived in for a while and debris has built up over the years.

Power rodding can include a camera inspection of the pipes to look for any major obstructions or problems that may impact the water flow for your everyday plumbing use. The camera can pinpoint the exact location of a problem.

2. Water Heater Upgrades

Technology is constantly evolving, so if you move into a home with a decades-old water heater, then you may not get the most value for your hot water needs. Older hot water tanks may hold less water, not run as efficiently, and could suffer from issues like cracks or small leaks.

Hire a plumber for a new water heater installation. The efficiency of a new water heater will not only provide your home with a more consistent flow of hot water, but it will help reduce your energy bills in the home.

Another modern option is a tankless water heater, which provides the most energy savings. A tankless water heater does not keep a reserve of hot water but will provide you with hot water as necessary. Contrast this with a traditional water heater where even if you only use hot water a few times a day, you will still need to store 50 gallons of hot water on a constant basis.

3. Shutoff Valve Installation

The valve locations in an old home can stiffen, lock up, and rust through the years. When you have a water emergency, the last thing you want to worry about is being unable to properly shut off the water supply in a home. One way to prepare for the worst is with a new shutoff valve installation.

A quarter turn lever installation offers the easiest way to clearly shut off your water. Instead of turning a handle, the lever goes in one direction to shut off and the opposite direction to turn on. Clear labels make the lever easy to understand.

Along with the main shutoff valve for the home, consider upgrades for toilets and faucets. If major problems occur at a specific water source, you can shut off just the single source so your whole home doesn’t lose water access while you wait to repair a single plumbing issue.

4. Fixture Upgrades

The fixtures in an old home may have a rustic look and antique design but may not provide the best water efficiency or function for your home. A plumber can upgrade fixtures. The upgrades will increase performance, improve the efficiency, and help increase water pressure for sinks and showers.

Older fixtures could be hard to remove due to wear, rust, and stripping. A plumber’s expert knowledge will help remove the fixtures and replace them with the style of your choice. Newer fixtures will still have rustic features that can match the older style of a home. Modern options may include sprayers or more advanced showerheads to provide comfortable showers.

For more information on our plumbing services, call us at  Jim Dhamer Plumbing and Sewer, Inc. Reach one of our professional plumbers at (630) 964-2222. An on site visit is first step to upgrading your old house and ensuring the plumbing functions for years to come.

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