We are purchasing a house that has a septic system with clay pipes that is approximately 25 years old. What is the normal lifetime of clay pipes and should they be replaced soon as the septic company is recommending? Thank you for any help

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Originally Posted by Zac

We are purchasing a house that has a septic system with clay pipes that is approximately 25 years old. What is the normal lifetime of clay pipes and should they be replaced soon as the septic company is recommending? Thank you for any help

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Hey Zac,

The problem with Clay/ Terra Cotta pipes is that they are brittle and can crack and fracture. Most roots enter Terra Cotta pipes through the cement grout at the hubs. In time the cement shrinks and can fall out allowing roots to enter. It woiuld pay you to hire a "Sewer Viewer" camera to check on the condition of the pipes. If they check outI would keep them and save the hassle and expense of replacing the sewer line. Terra Cotta pipes do not wear out so I can't give you a estimate on the lifetime. Good luck, Tom

You may wish to look into "in line technology" or "trenchless technology". Instead of replacing the pipe entirely they only dig one hole where they access the pipe and then line the inside of the pipe with a seamless sleeve that they transform with chemicals into a hard material. Very good with great warranties. Less evasive and in many cases less money.

Clay pipes should last another 25 years or more if not crushed by heavy traffic or disturbed by tree roots. Look over the area. If you see low, wet areas, bare spots where too wet for grass to grow, etc. better have something done. By septic system, you mean a septic tank with a leach field to disperse the water. If the system seems to be working, hang on to it. Quite often a working system is ripped out mainly on the advice of somebody that will profit by it, and then the new system doesn't work. If tree roots are or ever are a problem, They can be cleaned out. At most, you might need to add a cleanout.

You would have belled tile with sealed joints between the house and septic tank. They need to remained sealed. The straight tile, butt joined beyond the septic tank, MUST REMAIN UNSEALED. All the water that goes down the drain, must go somewhere. If you are not on a sewage collection system, it goes out into the leach field and then out into the ground. Sometime in the past, they switched from the clay tile to perforated plastic pipe.

Unfortunately with an older house, the system that worked fine with an older couple, fails when a young, active family moves in. Grease is the enemy of the leach field. If allowed into the septic tank and never pumped out, it goes into the leach field and slowly plugs up the pore in the soil, preventing the water from going out.

My house was built in 1970. In 1991, it was condemned by a leach field contractor. I never did anything, and it still works fine.

We just bought a 1975 year old (39)house and asked the inspector how long is the average life of a septic system/leach field. His reply, "40 years, as long as you take care of it". It is 39 years old and the house had dirty toilets. What does this mean?