Maine's housing is old by national standards. US Census Bureau data shows 23.4% of the state's homes were built before 1940, compared with 12% nationally, and MaineHousing puts about 35% of homes as built before 1960. Portland's Victorians, triple-deckers and 18th-century houses are a big part of what makes the city special, and their plumbing has quirks every owner should know. For every service, see our page on plumbing in Portland, ME.
Pipes you may find in an older home
| Material | Where it shows up | Common issues |
|---|---|---|
| Galvanized steel | Older water supply lines | Corrodes from the inside, causing low pressure, rusty water and leaks |
| Cast iron | Drain stacks and drain lines | Rust, cracks and rough interiors that catch debris |
| Clay | Underground sewer lines | Root intrusion and cracked or offset joints |
| Lead | Older service lines, solder and some fixtures | A health concern in drinking water |
What about lead?
Portland Water District completed an inventory in 2024 and reported finding no lead mains or service lines in its system, after reviewing more than 56,000 privately owned service lines. It found and replaced one lead service line and three galvanized ones, since galvanized pipe can be a source of lead if it was ever downstream of lead pipe. The district also notes that lead was used in household plumbing into the 1980s, so an older home can still have lead solder or older fixtures inside. If you're not sure what your pipes are made of, a plumber can tell you.
Common problems in older Portland homes
- Frozen pipes in exterior walls and unheated spaces. See preventing frozen pipes.
- Seized shut-off valves that haven't been turned in years.
- Slow drains and backups from old cast iron and clay lines. See drain cleaning.
- Low water pressure from corroded galvanized supply pipe.
- A patchwork of past repairs using different materials.
Triple-deckers and multi-unit buildings
Greater Portland Landmarks says most of Munjoy Hill's triple-deckers were built between the late 1880s and about 1908, and Parkside is mostly triple-deckers too. With kitchens and bathrooms often stacked, one leak or clog can affect every unit. Owners should know where each unit's shut-off is, and keep heat on in empty units in winter. See Munjoy Hill and Parkside.
Buying or renovating an older home
- Ask for a sewer camera inspection before you buy. It's inexpensive next to replacing a line.
- Find out what the supply pipes are made of and how old the water heater and boiler are.
- Renovations that install new plumbing need a permit from the local plumbing inspector under Maine law.
- Maine's homeowner exemption covers single-family homes only, so work in a duplex or triple-decker needs a licensed plumber.