Orangeburg pipes were used for waste water lines out side of the house to go from your house to the sewer line in the street.. In the 1950's your options were clay pipes or orangeburg pipes.
In the 1950s, ductile iron pipe was introduced as an improvement on cast iron. It has higher strength and similar corrosion resistance, making it an attractive material for water and wastewater uses. Similar to cast iron, there were also many types of linings developed to prevent corrosion in line interiors.
Clay pipes started being phased out in the 1960s and 1970s when plastic sewer pipe options such as ABS and PVC were developed.
Understanding Orangeburg Pipes
Orangeburg pipes, also known as bituminous fiber pipes, were widely used as sewer pipes in the United States during and after World War II, especially from the 1940s to the early 1970s. These pipes were made from layers of wood pulp impregnated with coal tar pitch.
Ductile iron was first used in water supply networks in 1955. It replaced cast iron pipe, which dominated water conveyance for decades.
In 1980, cast iron pipes were no longer the pipe of choice. Builders and plumbers replaced cast iron with rigid PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride plastic), which is easier to make, can be made quickly, is harder than other options, and has greater tensile strength. It is essentially a cheaper, faster alternative to cast iron.
A house built in the USA in 1950 would most likely be using galvanized steel water pipes, black steel gas pipes (called lines), and cast iron sewer pipes. But after nearly 75 years I would expect that at least some of the plumbing has been repaired or replaced.
It can typically be found in the basement, crawl space or garage. You will want to search for a pipe that is approximately four inches in diameter with a screw cap on the top that has a notch or square knob at the top.
Orangeburg sewer pipes were intended to last for 50 years but many homeowners started having problems after just 30 years. Orangeburg piping was no longer installed after PVC plastic replaced paper as the preferred material in 1972.
This pipe, which lies buried under the soil of your yard, can last anywhere from 50-100 years or more, depending on the material from which the pipe is made and the conditions under which it is used.
Signs it May Be Time to Replace Your Clay Sewer Pipes
These include, but are not limited to: Foul odor in your yard or home. Inside, the odor could be coming from drains in the bathroom or from air vents. Strange gurgling sounds coming from pipes in bathroom, kitchen or laundry room.
AC pipe accounts for approximately 15% (~600,000 miles) of water main pipe material in North America. The majority of AC water pipe was installed between 1940 and 1980. With a typical life span of 50 years, it is past or nearing the end of its useful life.
Clay sewer pipes remain functional for 50 to 60 years on average, but the quality and efficiency of your home plumbing may deteriorate as time goes on. Most clay pipes were installed decades ago and are likely nearing the end of their lifespan.
For instance, residential sewer line depth ranges from 18 to 30 inches. However, city sewer line depths are different. Your city's sewer lines must always be deeper than the deepest residential pipe to allow waste to flow downhill. As such, these lines can go as deep as needed.
Black fibre pipes, 51 to 200 mm (2 to 8 in.) in diameter, are compressed paper fibre tubes that are vacuum-impregnated with bituminous coal tar pitch to form a pipe composed of approximately 25% fibre stock and 75% bitumen. During World War II, governments mandated limited domestic use of steel to aid the war effort.
Used in many houses built during the 50s, Orangeburg pipe is a brittle, lightweight fiber sewer pipe, essentially made of tar paper. It absorbs moisture, deforms under pressure and eventually disintegrates.
ABS, or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, is a black plastic pipe that is commonly used for drainage, sewage, and vents.
Unlike pipe lining, pipe bursting will not rely as heavily on the condition of the existing Orangeburg as long as there are no bellies in the line.
Sewer Pipes Found With Older Homes
In older properties built before the 1950s, you might find buried clay pipe, cast-iron pipes, or fiber conduit pipes called Orangeburg. Older homes might even have newer PVC or ABS plastic sewer pipes.
You will likely pay around $350 to $650 to have a plumber unclog a main sewer line unless you have complications like serious damage to the line.
Most of the plumbing, both supply and waste, was galvanized pipe, up to a limit. The main waste (and waste vent) plumbing was cast iron — certainly anything over 4″ in diameter. Cast iron bell joints were sealed with a rope-like material called 'oakum', coupled with lead.
The lifespan of a sewer line depends on the pipe's material and the environment to which they are subjected. Cast iron pipes typically last between 75–100 years. Clay and cement pipes can last up to 100 years. Orangeburg pipes, which are quite brittle and which can easily be damaged by tree roots, last around 50 years.
Orangeburg pipe is a type of home sewer pipe used in many properties built from 1945 to 1972. Also known as “no-corrode” pipe, Orangeburg is a type of bituminized fiber pipe made from a mixture of hot pitch and wood pulp.