Cast-iron pipe corrosion: Are plumbing claims draining you? (Part 1)

Cast-iron pipe corrosion is complex and involves a variety of biological, chemical and physical stress factors on the interior and exterior of cast iron pipe surfaces. However, other environmental factors may result in stoppages that are often not taken into account. (Credit: Donald Dunn)

The emergence of cast iron pipe (CIP) claims on the insurance landscape has placed adjusters, litigation defense and risk advisors in a difficult position because the damage to the pipe is not easily seen and the circumstances that contributed to discharges from pipe failures are not broadly understood.

When occasional backups, blockages, stoppages and overflows among pre-1970s homes with CIPs occur, the cause is often attributed to aging cast-iron drainpipes experiencing changes that diminish efficient waste transport and sometimes render the system unusable. CIP corrosion is complex and involves a variety of biological, chemical and physical stress factors on the interior and exterior of cast iron pipe surfaces. However, other environmental factors may result in stoppages that are often not taken into account.