Remodeling a Home

Plumbers did not always have the level of education and training they do now. In fact, indoor plumbing of a hundred years ago was fairly new, and so were plumbers. It was a "fly by the seat of your pants" sort of career, and just about anybody who could use a wrench and screw things together did. When plumbing contractors walk into these historical plumbing nightmares now, it is a wonder that anything can be fixed. If you think you might have a plumbing nightmare in your basement, here is how you can spot it:

You Bang Your Head on Pipes That Are Too Long

When you head into the basement, are there pipes jutting down from the ceiling that just seem way too long? Chances are, the original pipe "expert" installed whatever he had on the truck and made it work, regardless of the awkward length. A modern plumber will not make the same mistake. He or she will replace these pipes with something that is more effective and takes up less head room.

There Is a Literal Maze of Pipes

If you look at all of the pipes and cannot figure out which pipes go where, that is another telltale sign that someone did not know what he was doing. It becomes a bigger problem when you have a pipe that leaks, but it is nearly impossible to see where the pipe goes so that you can turn off the water supply. Thankfully, your plumber can disconnect all of these pipes after deciphering which pipes go where and then install linear pipelines to the water sources and valves.

You Have Extra Pipes That Seem to Go Nowhere

Okay, so after deciphering a maze of pipes, your plumber might discover that you have some pipes that seem to go nowhere. You (and the plumber) have no idea what purpose these extra pipes serve, or if they ever served a purpose. As long as there is no water running to them or through them, your plumber can remove them and make everything a lot less complicated. 

Some pipes, on the other hand, may have served some purpose. Examples include pipes that were meant to be washer hook-ups, or farm showers and washtubs. If you have no intention of continuing to use these pipes for these purposes, your plumber can remove these as well. Then you do not have to worry about these pipes ever bursting or leaking.

Contact a local plumbing contractor for more information and assistance.