Are you wondering what the life expectancy of cast iron sewer pipe is?
Cast iron sewer pipes are very common in homes built from 1900 to 1974. To this day, many commercial property are still constructed with cast iron pipes, although most manufactures of cast iron piping have turned to ductile iron pipe. Ductile iron pipe is stronger, more resilient, and more resistant to corrosion than its cast iron counterpart. As a result of what runs through cast iron sewer pipes, corrosive actions takes place within the pipe. When the pipe corrodes, scale, calcification, and rust forms inside of the pipe. This scale continues to accumulate slowly over time. When scale builds to a certain level, it will decrease the diameter of the pipe. Consequently, drain clogs and sewer backups occur more frequently.
When it comes to the life expectancy of cast iron sewer pipes, several factors can cause the life expectancy to vary. For example: Cast iron piping in a commercial location will most likely have more use than a single family home. The more use, the higher the chance of decreased life expectancy. A restaurant that it is open breakfast, lunch, and dinner, will increase the chance of their cast iron drain pipes having shortened life spans, due to the high flow of water and amount of grease running through the pipes consistently.
Other factors that can shorten the life expectancy of cast iron sewer pipe:
–Detergents. Such as hand soaps and laundry detergent.
–Chemical drain openers. Especially sulfuric acid. These chemical drain openers may get the drain flowing, but they can also result in weakening your cast iron pipe.
–Soil conditions. Certain soils can be more acidic. Acidic soil can cause corrosive action to take place on the cast iron, therefore decreasing the lifespan of cast iron.
–Grease. Grease has long been a problem for cast iron drain pipes and is the primary reason for channeling. Channeling is when the bottom of the cast iron pipe has rotted away, resulting in a channel on the bottom of the pipe.
In most cases, cast iron sewer pipes should last 75-100 years in a residential application. In commercial applications, the lifespan of cast iron drain pipes is 30-50 years. Why the difference? Typically, commercial applications will have much higher usage. The increased use expeditiously shortens the life span of cast iron.
After being in the plumbing industry for many years and working with cast iron drain and sewer pipes, we have built extensive knowledge about cast iron piping. When you need assistance with your cast iron drain pipes, reach out to us, we will always have an answer. If you feel you need help determining if your cast iron drain pipes should be inspected, cleaned, or looked at, let us know, we are always here to help.