A broken cast iron pipe can have very adverse effects, especially when it goes unnoticed. The leaking water can provide a breeding ground where mold and other fungi thrive. The leaking water can also threaten the foundation of one’s home or business premises, particularly when it seeps through unnoticed. For these reasons, one should always seek to get a broken pipe fixed as soon as possible and conduct regular maintenance checks to ensure that everything is always in peak condition. Hopefully, this post on cast iron pipe repairs will prove helpful.
How To Prevent The Problem from Occurring
As they say, prevention is better than cure, and if it is possible to prevent the leaks from happening, that should be the priority. Before a cast iron pipe finally gives up, a few signs should appear in advance. One should always take these signs seriously because from then on, the line can break down at any time, causing a flood in the house, which can be catastrophic due to the amount of damage water can cause and the high costs associated with water remediation services. Here are some signs to help one know their cast iron pipes have a problem.
Discoloration
Brown or yellow-colored water from the taps should always be a cause for concern. Unless one lives in a rural area or uses water directly from a well, discolored water indicates damage to the pipes. The discoloration results from corrosion or rust that mostly happens inside cast-iron lines. Clean water then flushes this rust as it passes through the line, causing discolored water to come out of the tap. Rusted pipes should always be replaced before they break entirely.
Backups or Slow-draining
Whenever the sink ceases to drain water as fast as it used to, or toilets take a while to drain after being flushed, there is reason to believe that the pipes need checking. This is either a result of corrosion by cleaning agents or clogging, resulting in the pipes bursting, a disaster one wouldn’t even wish on their worst enemy.
Foul Smell
A quality sewer line should be airtight with only a few vent stacks. Whenever there is a foul smell lingering in the air, it could result from cracks within the pipes, causing the sewer gas to escape. This is unhealthy for anyone, and if not attended to soon, the pipes can burst, which is disastrous.
Visibly Healthy Lawn
A lawn with green patches isn’t a miraculous act of nature. The chances are that the sewer underneath is leaking, which acts as fertilizer for the plants, causing those directly above the leaks to thrive more than the rest. This is one of the most apparent signs of a broken drainage system and needs to be looked into immediately.
All that said, there is no point in crying over spilled milk, and when the disasters mentioned hit home, the only rational course of action is to find a way to fix the pipe and prevent the same thing from happening again. This post on cast iron pipe repairs should help anyone improve their broken drainage system.
Step 1: Turn Off Water Supply
Before doing anything, one should ensure that the pipe’s water supply is turned off. To be safe, it is advisable to turn off the water supply to the whole area for the period the repair is done. This is to avoid disasters if one wrong move breaks the entire pipe.
Step 2: Clean the Repair Area
If there is any corrosion around the area being repaired, one should make sure that they remove the rust and any debris using a wire brush and clean rag. This should prepare the site for the next step.
Step 3: Fill the Void with Paste
Once the area has been identified and properly cleaned, the repair person should get an iron-cast paste from the local hardware and apply it with a putty knife. Make sure that the paste has covered every single part.
Step 4: Let the Area Dry Out
Once the broken part has been filled with paste, leave the area to dry out. Typically, it takes about three to four hours to let the water run through the pipe.
It is always better to consult a professional if faced with any difficulties during the whole process. Unless utterly sure about the entire process, getting a professional such as a plumber to do the work is safer. Here is why.
They Have the Experience
Professional plumbers have extensive experience and can always be counted on to complete the job. They know the dynamics of any plumbing system and how to deal with problems during the process.
They Have the Tools
Since it is their everyday job, professional plumbers will have invested in the latest technology and state-of-the-art equipment to enable them to do a quick and efficient job. This way, one is assured that the repair job is top-notch.
Saves Money
It may seem like an oxymoron because one still has to pay the plumber for their services, but hiring a professional could save money in the long run. This is because while attempting to fix the damage, one could end up causing more damage, which is more costly.
If convinced about hiring a professional plumber, there are certain traits that one must look for to ensure they get the best in the business. One is they have to be reputable. This is important because a plumber has to earn their reputation, and anyone with a good reputation is guaranteed to provide quality services. Another thing is the experience. Like in every industry, people with a lot of experience offer quality services.
