The modern age of technology is upon the world, and sometimes it’s hard to keep up. Plumbing has also changed over the years and now, it seems everyone and everything has gone plastic. But one thing is certain, there are metal pipes still out there, and those metal pipes have been doing a service long before plastic became the “new” way.
But, since those cast iron pipes are still around, they’re still going to get worn out, and they’re going to need to be replaced. Cast iron pipe replacement is not a thing of the past, it’s just underused, and here is how you can get those cast iron pipes replaced.
Old pipes rust. That’s just how metal, water and oxygen react when they combine together. When rusting occurs, those cast iron pipes need to be replaced since they become weak and they leak. This corrosion is not useful and careful replacement must happen.
It seems easy to do and it really is. Find the part of the pipe, or more than one part, that needs to be replaced. No “super” technology is needed. Simply run your hand along the pipe and locate the part or parts that are rusty and use a marker to designate that location and the place where removal is needed.
The second thing to do is to remove the useless pipe that is weak and corroded. This means cutting it out. That pipe has been there for a while and cutting is the only way to get it out in a timely fashion so a replacement pipe may be installed. Cutting the pipe can be easy or difficult, relatively expensive or cheap. This is determined by the method you use. Snap-cutters are effective, but if you don’t have one in your possession then you’ll have to spend a few hundred bucks to get one. Many people will use a hacksaw. A hacksaw is relatively inexpensive and you’ll need some good blades to do the cutting, but compared to a snap-cutter you’ll save a lot of money.
Before you do all this, make sure of one thing. Make sure any water supplies to the pipe are off. This seems like a trivial step, but if you start cutting and you haven’t done this you’re going to face a slight problem. So be sure to do this before you begin.
After you cut out the part or parts of the pipe that need to be replaced, make sure you have measured and properly cut out the correct length of pipe needed to be the replacement. Don’t try to “eyeball” the proper length since more often than not you won’t get it done properly.
If you want to use cast iron piping as a replacement, make sure again you have the proper length and use a good epoxy and make sure it is sealed so there won’t be any leaks. If you’re wanting to use PVC as a replacement, then you’ll want to make sure you use the proper couplings to connect the new PVC pipe with the existing cast iron pipe. Any way you choose, make sure there are no leaks before you finish. This means is you’re using PVC pipe you’ll want to use a hand gasket where the PVC pipe and the cast iron pipe meet and tighten it with a one-quarter nut driver. Very important.
For any cast iron pipe replacement, you must be sure to take care of locating the pipe to be removed, cut it out carefully and have the proper replacement. Take care of any potential leaks and you’ll be set.
