Trying to date this old house.

[Marc]

I had one yesterday that had both lead waste line on the toilet but copper tubing for fresh water lines.

The lead suggests turn of the 19th century for my area (cast iron for rest of DWV, no vitrified clay) but galvanized pipe was used for fresh water distribution at that time, and all of it is actually copper.

Copper fresh water lines is more like post WWII.

The electrical is the first generation of sheathed cable that followed the last generation of K&T. No looms.

Any suggestions? The authorities here didn't keep records until 1980.

Edited July 22, 2023 by Marc

[Bill Kibbel]

Hi marc,

I think you are referring to a lead "closet bend", that was usually installed when caste iron was used for most of the waste & vent system.  Sometimes lead drains from sinks/tubs/showers were also present, but often already replaced.  These lead bends were used mostly from the very end of the 19th century through the 1930s.  Most common during the teens and '20s.  This is the time that many cities passed ordinances prohibiting use of lead for more than 2 feet.  I've encountered some from the early '40s, but these are almost always in government or military buildings. 

Here, during the 1930s, K&T phased out to conduit and BX before non-metallic cable was used.  This is in the towns and cities.  Rural areas often didn't have electric until NM was pretty standard.  Of course, a majority of the rural buildings I inspect had plumbing & electric added long after initial build.

I think structural components, millwork and hardware more reliably reveal more about a building's age than systems.

[Marc]

9 hours ago, Bill Kibbel said:

Hi marc,

I think you are referring to a lead "closet bend", that was usually installed when caste iron was used for most of the waste & vent system.  Sometimes lead drains from sinks/tubs/showers were also present, but often already replaced.  These lead bends were used mostly from the very end of the 19th century through the 1930s.  Most common during the teens and '20s.  This is the time that many cities passed ordinances prohibiting use of lead for more than 2 feet.  I've encountered some from the early '40s, but these are almost always in government or military buildings. 

Here, during the 1930s, K&T phased out to conduit and BX before non-metallic cable was used.  This is in the towns and cities.  Rural areas often didn't have electric until NM was pretty standard.  Of course, a majority of the rural buildings I inspect had plumbing & electric added long after initial build.

I think structural components, millwork and hardware more reliably reveal more about a building's age than systems.

Thanks Bill. That's a better metric. I'm gonna go with '1930's.

[Les]

19 hours ago, Bill Kibbel said:

I think structural components, millwork and hardware more reliably reveal more about a building's age than systems.

That is a really good point to make.  No wonder you are considered an expert! 

[Tom Raymond]

Buy it flowers, pay it compliments, and ask real nice. 

(Insert rim shot here)

 

[John Kogel]

What Tom said, or if she's younger, ask her mother. 

[hausdok]

An establishing photo of the house would help. Some houses never had the electric or plumbing added until long after they were built.