This pipe is called Orangeburg. It is a laminated pipe; essentially, rolled up tar-paper made into a tube! In the photo, you can see the delaminations, as well as the disintegration of the pipe. The pipe is collapsing under the weight of the soil that has sat above it for so much time. In the second photo, we see a finger pushed into a hole in the pipe. Take our word for it, don’t trust this pipe to carry wastewater away from your home.
Experts and municipal engineers agree that this is one of the worst pipes ever installed in the ground! Fortunately, it was banned for use in new construction in the early 70’s. However, it still serves thousands of older homes in the northwest.
So what if you have Orangeburg in your home? What options are there for you? A common myth about Orangeburg pipe is that it cannot be rehabilitated. This myth is propagated by companies that do not possess the technological skills to rehabilitate this kind of pipe. Sure, there are some situations where Orangeburg pipe must be dug up, but very often it does not need to be. At Pipe Guys, rehabilitating Orangeburg pipe is one of our core competencies. A careful inspection by one of our highly trained technicians could save you thousands when dealing with this kind of pipe.
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