Marc Posted July 22, 2023 Report Share Posted July 22, 2023 (edited) 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Kibbel Posted July 22, 2023 Report Share Posted July 22, 2023 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. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted July 23, 2023 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2023 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Posted July 23, 2023 Report Share Posted July 23, 2023 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! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Raymond Posted July 25, 2023 Report Share Posted July 25, 2023 Buy it flowers, pay it compliments, and ask real nice. (Insert rim shot here) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kogel Posted July 26, 2023 Report Share Posted July 26, 2023 What Tom said, or if she's younger, ask her mother. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hausdok Posted August 3, 2023 Report Share Posted August 3, 2023 An establishing photo of the house would help. Some houses never had the electric or plumbing added until long after they were built. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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