Plumbing

[tiecollector]

I'm planning on renovating a place that was built in 1948. I'm pretty sure it has all the original plumbing and fixtures still in it. I was planning on gutting the entire thing, plaster and all, and putting in new plumbing, electrical and insulation.

Is it absolutely necessary for a house built in the 40s to have the plumbing redone?

 

[1BNY23]

Not at all especially if you have copper. Lead or galvanized pipes would likely need replacing. I have an early 30's home with the original copper plumbing and heating lines. Over the years I have cut in and expanded in several places for additional appliances and in each case the copper was as smooth as the day it was installed. Good luck!

 

[tiecollector]

I'm thinking the piping might be copper, I just worry that there is lead in the solder.

 

[ms244]

All modern plumbing solder I've used was lead solder. 50/50 tin & lead.
You can now buy lead free solder but I think its a pretty recent development.

So I wouldn't worry too much about it.

I know that lead free solder for electronics (if you see something that says RoHS, it would probably cover this) has a tendency to develop micro cracks and fail over time. So lead free might not be ideal.

 

[tiecollector]

I'm going to get a lead kit for both the water and paint to see how much I'm being exposed to. Might as well do asbestos while I'm at it.

 

[johnapril]

Have fun! That sounds like a cool project.

 

[Dakota rube]

Originally Posted by tiecollector

I'm going to get a lead kit for both the water and paint to see how much I'm being exposed to. Might as well do asbestos while I'm at it.
Sometimes it is just better to not know.

 

[Thomas]

Originally Posted by Dakota rube

Sometimes it is just better to not know.

yeah, I keep thinking I'm going to check the paint for lead, but I get home and forget these things. Actually I forget lots of things when I get home. Not sure what's going on there. Maybe I'll check the paint for lead when I get home.

 

[Dakota rube]

^As often as you're getting laid, it is easy to see how other stuff would, um, slip your mind...

 

[tiecollector]

It looks like Home Depot carries the test kits for pretty cheap for paint and water, but doesn't look like they have anything to test for asbestos.

While I have the place gutted, I might as well spend a couple grand to make sure it's all lead free.

 

[Dakota rube]

Originally Posted by tiecollector

It looks like Home Depot carries the test kits for pretty cheap for paint and water, but doesn't look like they have anything to test for asbestos.
Asbestos doesn't hurt you as long as you leave it alone, IIRC.

 

[tiecollector]

Originally Posted by Dakota rube

Asbestos doesn't hurt you as long as you leave it alone, IIRC.

True, but if it's an easy fix, might as well.....

 

[Dakota rube]

^I don't think there's an "easy" within $50,000 of asbestos.

 

[Huntsman]

Whenever moon suits are involved it can't really be cheap....

 

[Thomas]

Maybe you could rent a few NASA suits on the cheap, seeing as how the fed has racked up a bit of debt.