Cast iron waste pipe

[cz639]

My insurance company advised me to change this over to a plastic pipe. I'm really clueless with plumbing. But where exactly is this waste pipe located. Is it located underneath my basement floor or is it somewhere visible in the basement?

[jmariechambers]

You have certainly come to the right place to have your questions answered, however be ready there will be many more questions. For now I only have three:

• Did the insurance company say why to change it?
• Is the huse one, two or three stories
• How old is the house?

[cz639]

For now I only have three:

Did the insurance company say why to change it?
The insurance broker said that over time it may rust and cause a leak and that you won't know that there's a leak until you actually see water leaking. I was told that the cast iron pipe contains sewage which would flood my basement and could cause further problems such as the formation of mold. I was told to change the cast iron pipe to plastic PVC to prevent this from happening because if it didn't I would not be covered by the insurance company.

Is the huse one, two or three stories
The house is one and a half stories tall.

How old is the house?
The house was built sometime between 1945 and the early 1950s.

[e-plumber]

My insurance company advised me to change this over to a plastic pipe. I'm really clueless with plumbing. But where exactly is this waste pipe located. Is it located underneath my basement floor or is it somewhere visible in the basement?

Have the insurance company put in writing specifically what they want you to do and why.
At that point, if it's justified you can bid the work out to local licensed plumbers.

[jmariechambers]

First of all let me tell you that to replace what you are talking about will be expensive. Someone else on the bard will be able to give a better cost, but it will involve cutting into walls. A better idea is shop around for a different insurance company that will insure the house. I found it odd that they would only insure you if this was taken care of. Also, check with your neighbors, they should have similar DWV systems, and they may be able to suggest a carrier. I hope this helps.

[jadnashua]

Today, cast iron is considered a premium product - people pay extra for it. The main reason for this is that it is much quieter - you are less likely to hear the water running down the wall from the toilet, tub, or shower since the cast iron muffles it better than pvc. Depending on your local conditions, it can deteriorate, but usually lasts a very long time. PVC goes in quicker and isn't as likely to clog (not that a properly installed cast iron system clogs), mostly because the insides are smoother. If it is sloped properly, that doesn't happen much - the insides get a coating on it like a well-used frying pan. If stuff sits in it, it can be a problem, especially if your water is acidic (usually not a problem with public water supplies).

[LonnythePlumber]

I suspect your insurance agent is projecting an uninformed personal view. We do have to replace some cast iron pipes but not normally like we do galvanized water pipe. I also suspect the statement that the insurance company will not cover cast iron pipes. Insurance Policies are not secrets. Go to the company web site and look at a sample policy is see if there is an exclusion for cast iron. And get a bid from another company.