From the moment you wake up in the morning to take a hot shower, to brushing your teeth before bedtime, your home’s plumbing is crucial to making those daily tasks happen!
It doesn’t stop there, also consider the laundry, cooking, dishwashing, and watering the garden! They say that water is life, so having a sound plumbing system in place is a very important component of your home, you really can’t live without it!
Of course, over time even a great plumbing system can start to have things go wrong with it, age and use inevitably take their toll.
It’s best practice to have your plumbing inspected every few years, just Visit Property Plumbing & Maintenance for a consultation, their expert technicians can help you make sure that everything is flowing nicely, and if it’s not, they know just what to do to make things right!
Despite the fact that you perform the regular care and maintenance that prolongs the life of your plumbing system, things can, and do, still go wrong.
If you suspect that the situation might be getting grim down in your pipes, then here are some things to consider: Old, failing pipes and fixtures are much more than just an inconvenience, if action isn’t taken in time they can cause major property damage to your home and grounds!
It’s helpful to know exactly how old your plumbing system is in order to give you an idea of when it might be time to act! So, the first question is, how long can we expect a residential plumbing system to last?
The answer to that question depends on what it is made from. Here is an outline of the estimated lifespan based on the material used:
- Copper – up to 50 or more years
- Galvanized Steel – from 20 to 50 years
- Brass – from 40 to 70 years
- Cast Iron – from 75 to 100 years
- Polyvinyl chloride – Indefinitely
These materials all have fairly impressive lifespans, but we also have to consider the fittings, pipe joints, and other pieces that connect up your fixtures and plumbing throughout the house. There is the possibility that these are made from less durable materials, and unsound fittings are often the source of clogs and leaks!
It’s not just the pipes we need to be concerned with, the home’s various fixtures also need to be taken into account. Here is what you can expect them to last on average:
- Washing Machine – from 10 to 15 years
- Water Heater – from 12 to 20 years
- Garbage Disposal – around 10-years
- Dishwasher – from 10 to 15 years
- Toilet Flusher – around 5 years
Now that you have some idea of what to expect, you can plan ahead for the eventual replacement of the various components that make up your home plumbing system.
Whenever you make major changes to your plumbing system it’s important to follow the Australian Government’s construction codes. We hope your home’s plumbing system continues to flow well for you!
