Cast Iron Sewer Pipes
If your home was built prior to 1975, your plumbing system likely consists of cast iron sewer pipes.
What Are Cast Iron Sewer Pipes?
So what is the life expectancy for a cast iron sewer system? In our experience, at most, cast iron sewer pipes can last about 50 years. However, we’ve seen a 50-year-old system that was fine and a 20-year-old system that was falling apart.
Cast iron is a metal alloy made of iron, carbon, and silicone. Because it’s not malleable, it is cast (hence the name) in a mold to create things like pipes and cookware.
Cast iron is incredibly strong and can be long-lasting. But cast iron sewer pipes are a different case altogether. It’s impossible to care for pipes that are buried underground and have waste and water running through them. And everyone’s experienced a slow drain from time to time so if any chemical drain cleaners are used, those contribute greatly to the corroding of your pipes.
The combination of water and pipes almost always results in rust and rust buildup. After decades of use, it’s natural for the materials that run through these pipes to stick to and build up along the inside walls of the pipes. With this buildup then comes slow drains, clogs, and stoppages.
Cast iron pipes were used because they were relatively cheap and easy to install. It’s estimated that there are over 2,000,000 homes in Florida that still have cast iron pipes – as a result these plumbing systems are ultimately destined to fail.
Florida homes are susceptible to cast iron pipe corrosion and leaks because of the salt and moisture rich environment. Residents are finding that their insurance companies are not covering costs related to water damage or leaking sewage.
A sewer backup into the home can be particularly detrimental to your property as well as to your health because you could potentially be exposed to harsh chemical additives, bacteria, and pathogens
Pipe Lawsuit
Williams Law, P.A. , we’ll fight for homeowners against insurance companies.We also show homeowners how they can secure funding to replace their cast iron pipes.
8 Signs Of Cast Iron Sewer Pipe Leaks
Sewer Gas Odor
If you can smell sewer gas in or around your home or building, this is a tell-tale symptom that there is a crack somewhere in your sewer system.
Mold
A cracked or leaky sewer pipe behind a wall can cause the humidity levels to rise, as a result a mold problem will begin.
Rodents
Rats live in sewers and can make their way from your city/main line tie-in to the pipes running behind your walls.
Septic Waste In Yard
An obvious sign that you may have a leaky sewer pipe would be septic waste water pooling in your yard.
Foundation Cracks
More extreme symptoms of sewer pipe corrosion include foundation issues such as cracks in your foundation slab, foundation settlement, and in some cases sinkholes.
Insect Infestation
An insect infestation may also be a symptom of a broken sewer line. Insects such as cockroaches, palmetto bugs, and sewer flies have a much easier time getting through sanitary sewer cracks into your home than rats.
Slow Drainage
A slow drain may be a symptom that a blockage is forming which will eventually lead to a sewage backup and water damage to your home.
Note: Beware of using chemical drain cleaners to solve a slow drain or blockage. As the chemical sit in the pipe they will eat away at the cast iron and/or PVC causing corrosion.
Lush Lawn Patches
Since sewage acts as a fertilizer for vegetation, leakage from your main line into the surrounding soil will give the surrounding grass extra nutrients that will result in a lush and extra green appearance.
Florida Pipe Lawsuits
Misconceptions
One of the most common misconceptions regarding pipe repair is that it can be put off. While many believe that pipe failure only affects a drainage system, few understand that it can actually affect the foundation of a structure. If this is the case, the problem quickly moves from minor issue to major crisis.
Home Value
Home market values can be reduced by 20% or more due to cast iron plumbing systems that fail inspection.
No Clog No Problem
Water that makes its way down a drain does not necessarily mean there is no clog to be dealt with. There are a couple of other suggestions that a clog may be in a drain, including: A drain is producing a bad odor, Water is slow to drain, Bathtub or basement drains are backed up.
What should you do if your insurance company refuses to hold up their end of the bargain?
Florida Cast Iron Pipe Lawsuit
How much is my case worth?
Call us for a free, no-obligation case review. We’ll evaluate the merits of your claim and determine what legal grounds you may have to fight for a better payout. It costs you nothing to feel out the strength of your case and you’ll leave with a better understanding of potential options for resolving your claim.
Don’t leave money on the table.
Do I really need an attorney?
We get it. Litigation can seem intimidating having an experienced insurance attorney on your side may be the best way to get a fair result for your claim. We understand insurance disputes. We won’t hesitate to take your insurance company to court for denying or low-balling your valid claim.
We’ll go head-to-head with the insurance company so you don’t have to.
How much will it cost?
We’ll handle your case on contingency, which means you never owe us any out-of-pocket fees or expenses. We only get paid if we recovery money for you. Think you’re getting jerked around by your insurance company? You may still have options for successfully resolving your claim.
We don’t get paid unless you win.
Period.
Insurance Claims for Cast Iron Pipe Leaks
If your plumbing system is cast iron pipe, your home may be a disaster waiting to happen.