Reconditioning Old Piping In Place

Volts600

Did my 65 year old gravity conversion last year and the pipes looked like they were brand new inside and at the threads.

Al Roethlisberger

Reconditioning Old Piping In Place


Here's something "off the wall" that I've been wondering about...

Some recent posts on "old pipes" and my nagging worry that one day in the next decade my 80 year old pipes may start to leak, has made me think about what it would take to repipe an old system encased in the walls, ceilings, and floors of a 100 year old house.

Although a large portion of the business is new installations, I have to guess that a whole lot of business is in repair and maintenance of older HW and steam systems.

Especially in parts of the nation where homes and infrastructure that was installed in the early 20th century, some of these systems are approaching or exceeding 100 years old. So they are going to start to wear out.

And of course, not only do the components and mechanical portions of the systems wear out, but the pipes themselves do.

As we've all read about the "old house with leaking pipes" that would cost a fortune to rip out and restore the walls, ceilings, trim, etc... or that large commercial or residential building that similarly would cost a fortune to repipe... wouldn't it be neat if there were a way to reline the pipe in place with an epoxy or liner that "permanently" sealed any leaks and only relied on the old existing pipe for structural support?

I wonder, does this type of service exist today?

I know it does for large commercial and municipal piping solutions. Our city just relined all of our sewer lines in place using http://www.insituform.com/

Check out how they do it, as it is very interesting.

Now of course, we would be dealing with smaller pipe diameters, multiple couplings, and obviously valves, pumps, and radiators/convectors would have to be off limits. But that's already the case that these parts eventually have to be upgraded, repaired, or replaced.

So in theory, a technology like this could just reline the pipes, and then all the mechanical parts could be reconnected after the relining was complete.

I suspect that the economy of scale for the service Insituform works with makes the service economically possible, dealing with large systems, and large sizes.

If someone doesn't do this today for smaller pipe dimensions and residential applications, it may be feasible on a smaller scale if the process is simplified and as these older systems begin to leak and a larger market begins to grow *shrug*

....anyway, I was just thinking and brainstorming.

Maybe it makes sense, maybe it doesn't. I have no idea if there is a product/service available today, but I don't think there is. If not, maybe someone ought to look into it.

Over the next few decades, a lot of old systems will need new pipes. It sure would be nice to have an easier and less destructive method than replacing all the pipe.

Al

Mike T., Swampeast MO

I've worked on a few 100+ year-old gravity conversion systems and have never found a pipe (wrought or black steel) failure for any reason other than freezing. The inside of the pipes will be somewhat pitted and scaled--e.g. "rough"--but appear to have many decades (if not centuries) of life remaining.

Naturally soft, acidic water can be surprisingly corrosive, but as long as the system is not leaking and requiring constant make-up water, it shouldn't be much of a problem.

Al Roethlisberger

Reassuring!


Well, that is honestly very reassuring

I did have one leak(other than one stem packing which I fixed), but it was at a fitting(a huge wye) around the threads. I think this was mostly due to exterior rusting from a leak in the kitchen floor above.

I do know that my system(hot water) has been run for a few seasons here and there by past owners with an active leak around that same aforementioned valve stem, but that's probably just a few seasons out of 80. When I've checked the inside of the pipes, it is as you describe.. scaly and rough, but generally sound.

I guess like all things, time will tell.

Thanks for helping me sleep more soundly

Al