Plumbing advice needed

[ccote]

I'm having my septic system replaced, the old leach field has become clogged with roots and is not up to code anyway. My question is about the piping from my house that goes out to the septic. I'm attaching a sketch I made of the system, as I understand it. The toilet installation is also not up to code, and I plan on pulling it out anyway. Should I try and replace the cast iron piping? I've been searching around, and found that folks either say "cast iron is the best, it lasts forever" or "get rid of the cast iron, if it hasn't failed yet, it will soon". So, I'm looking for more advice. If I were to replace it, how? Jackhammer the basement floor? Or else???

Thanks!

 

[kweaver]

I'd leave it. Mine has been here for 41 years with no problems. The old farm house I grew up in was probably put in when indoor "outhouses" moved indoors as the house was over 100 years old and it was still good "to go"

 

[lbaker]

I have to agree with Ken. Had a new drain field put in 2 years ago, Only thing that was is good shape was the metal pipe!! Put in when house built back in the 50s.

 

[kweaver]

 

[aschumacher]

Chris, I think yout looking for more trouble than you can imagine. If you have a question as to quality of pipe, look for a company that can run a small video camera thru the line. If you rip it out use plastic back in. Plumbers will charge you a fortune for poured lead, or even lead rope. Like others said, if it works fine, dont mess with it.

 

[ccote]

Hopefully I can inspect the cast iron myself when the contractor excavates for the new system. The cast iron pipe transitions to plastic about 6 feet out from the house, and all the plastic will be replaced. It's the cast iron that I'm concerned about, since it would be such a huge job to replace.

 

[rbedell]

Chris:

I know of an installation where Cast Iron was used. It developed small pin holes from over the years and caused sewage gas to leak into their basement. Needless to say, they yanked that Cast Iron out and put in PVC schedule 40. After seeing what they went through, it seems a no brainer to me.

 

[hcole]

If it ain't broke don't fix it, that cast iron will probably out live you. I can't even begin to imagine how big a can o' worms that would be opening trying to tear that pipe out of that floor and if the concrete has been poured 40 years or more then it is fully cured and fully cured concrete is HARD. Best to leave well enough alone jmho.

 

[ccote]

Just in case anyone wanted to know, here's the end of the story... On Saturday we uncovered the cast iron pipe and cut the end off to connect to the new pipe to the new septic system. The cast iron looked like it was installed yesterday, both inside and out.

 

[hcole]

The only way you can hurt that stuff is beat it with a bfh.