Home Design
Out with the old plumbing, in with the new



Dianne Crown
Copley News Service


In an old bathroom, even the seemingly small jobs can become quite an undertaking, especially when you want to keep that vintage look. But you can get the results you’re looking for. The main thing, says plumber Ken Easterday, is choosing where to spend your money.

“Save your vintage look, but get rid of your vintage plumbing,” says Easterday. When something old is leaking, such as a lavatory faucet or bathtub drain, a plumber will usually find rusted threads and a rotted pipe. In that case, says Easterday, “it’s not going back together without leaking.”

Sometimes repair parts are available, but usually the entire faucet will need to be replaced. That’s a good investment, says Easterday, who has been in business long enough to see the effects of time and use on old cast-iron and galvanized-steel plumbing.

“Today, most plumbers use copper in the water lines and plastic in the drain lines,” Easterday says. “Plastic drain lines have been such a blessing to plumbers, mainly because they last longer without ever wearing thin. It’s easier to run plastic pipes underground and in walls, clogged lines are much easier to clear and material doesn’t build up inside like it did in the old cast-iron.



“We’ve seen cast iron pipes 2 to 3 inches thick coated inside with material so thick you couldn’t push a pencil through.”

So, he says, when there’s a problem, take the opportunity to update your old plumbing. Get rid of the steel, and put in copper and plastic. Not only will your plumbing work better and last longer, but you may be eliminating a number of lead-based solders that could be contaminating your drinking water.

To make the most of your plumbing dollar, plan your job carefully.

“The No. 1 problem we see is when people decide they want to add a shower to their old tub, but they purchase and install the tub surround first,” says Easterday. “When their old plumbing leaks, the problem may be inside a wall. In that case, the plumber will have to cut the wall, through the old tile, to replace plumbing. So always replace the plumbing first.”

Easterday has four more recommendations for repairing or renovating an old bathroom:

u Know the quality of the replacement equipment you’re purchasing. Manufacturers sell various lines of plumbing equipment, from least expensive to moderate to top of the line and in plumbing, Easterday says, “you get what you pay for.”

Some of the less-expensive models are available retail, but the top-quality parts are generally only available commercially to plumbers. “They may look the same and the water may come out the same, but some of them are not going to last,” adds Easterday.

u Make sure that the vintage repair or replacement part you purchase meets the local plumbing code and federal regulations and ensure that a licensed plumber installs it for you. For example, 10 to 15 years ago, the federal government banned 3 -gallon flush toilets, explains Easterday.

One way to keep that vintage look but enjoy the convenience of new equipment is to locate merchants who sell old-looking contemporary fixtures. “The older it looks,” however, says Easterday, “the more expensive it will probably be — as much as 30 percent to 150 percent more expensive than buying a new, contemporary looking part.”

When it’s time to fix a problem, Easterday says, most people will pull out the old and put in new. But if you know you want to fix the old, start looking now for replacement parts — you’re going to want them quickly if something gives out, especially if it’s your only bathroom.