4 Downfalls of Leaving Old Plumbing in Your Apartment Building

Among the many elements in an apartment building, the plumbing system is one of the most important because it is responsible for the health and sanitation of a building's occupants. This system includes pipes, fixtures, tanks, valves, and any component that carries water.  

Depending on the age of your building, the plumbing system may need some serious updates or replacements. Faucets, tanks, and pipes are at risk for failure as they age. Here are four downfalls of leaving old plumbing in your apartment building.

1. Old Lead Pipes Are Dangerous

For many years lead was a popular material for pipes because it was cheaper and stronger than iron but easier to manipulate and form bends. Unfortunately, lead can be harmful when it leaches into drinking water. Cities and homes switched to safer plumbing materials, but lead pipes can still be found carrying water from streets to homes in service lines. In fact, up to 10 million homes in the U.S. are still affected.

If your building was built before 1920, there's a chance it may contain lead pipes. You can tell by checking the pipes where the water supply line enters the building. Lead pipes are a dark gray matte color, and appear shiny when scratched. Don't confuse lead with steel - a magnet will stick to steel but not lead.

Lead pipes within the walls of your apartment building or leading from the street to your building are unacceptable and should be replaced. Even lead solder on copper or steel pipes has the same harmful effects of lead poisoning like fatigue, headache, and abdominal pain.

2. Old Leaky Pipes Are Destructive

When a plumbing system is older, it develops weak or worn spots where chronic leaks occur. Some leaks within walls and under obstacles are not found until extensive damage has already occurred. Harm from pipes can be widespread in a very old system, especially if tenants don't inform you of the problem right away.

Slow drips and spreading puddles soften drywall, wood baseboards, and cabinets and weaken the structure of wall and floor joists. Carpet gets ruined. Gravity forces all leaks downward into neighboring apartments, basements, and crawlspaces. Damp areas are prime breeding grounds for mold and their harmful spores. If your pipes leak, they need to be replaced as soon as possible.

3. Old Plumbing Fixtures Waste Water

Modern plumbing fixtures and toilets are increasingly water efficient. An apartment building that clings to original plumbing fixtures is losing money in wasted water. Whether you pay for water utilities or individual tenants pay for their own water usage, your building has a lot of room for improvement.

You can convert a system to use less water in many ways. Low flow shower and sink faucets are better at creating a feeling of pressure while using significantly less water. You can install a device that lessens the amount of water used with each toilet flush. Better yet, give your tenants an upgrade with a new low flush toilet or dual flush toilet that needs less water per flush.

4. Old Water Heaters Can't Keep Up

Architecture with character and original wood floors are great selling points for your apartment, but a vintage water heater needs to go. Older plumbing systems often contain water heaters with a lot of drawbacks.

Old water heaters are incredibly inefficient because they can't keep large amounts of water uniformly hot for very long. Tenants end up with high utility costs if they want to enjoy hot water. Also, old water heaters simply cannot keep up with modern hot water demands. New dishwashers and washing machines use less water than ever before, but small water heaters quickly run out of water for all appliances and human needs.

Want more options for updating that old plumbing system on your property? Call Mike's Plumbing and ask about plumbing pipes, fixtures, and water heaters designed to be safer and more efficient.