What Is Pipe Descaling and When Do You Need It?

Descaling your pipes is not usually something to worry about unless you live in an older home or have hard water. However, if your pipes show signs of corrosion, hiring a sewer cleaning company to descale your pipes can help avoid drain clogs and keep your plumbing running smoothly for years to come. 

Learn more about how pipe descaling can help you save on the cost of replacing your existing pipes.

What Is Pipe Scale?

Scale in pipes is the buildup of debris or other unwanted materials. This buildup can cause slow water flow, clogs, and corrosion in your plumbing system, often leading to more expensive plumbing and repair costs like burst pipes or water main repairs. 

If you notice your water flow is moving slowly when you turn on a faucet or you see water leaking out of pipes between joints, you may need to get your water pipes descaled to remove any blockages.

What Types of Pipes Benefit from Descaling?

Cast-iron pipe is the most common type of piping that needs descaling because it’s prone to rust, but it can also happen with other materials like copper or concrete pipes. 

While the main types of pipes used in newer homes include rust-free materials like PVC, PEX pipes, copper, and galvanized steel, they can still experience mineral buildup and require descaling or cleaning.

How Does Pipe Descaling Work?

The term “pipe descaling” is often synonymous with general pipe cleaning, although traditional pipe descaling is typically reserved for cast-iron pipes. That’s because cast-iron pipes are more prone to rust, which provides a grippy surface for magnesium salts and iron oxide to attach to—leading to faster buildup.

But, some homeowners and even some professionals use the term to describe the process of removing anything that can cause damage to your pipes overtime. We’ll talk about both in this article. 

Keeping your pipes in working order with descaling or other cleaning methods, like hydro jetting or chemical cleaners, can help prevent future replacements and costly repairs.

Why Does Scale Need to Be Removed From Pipes?

Acidic soil, detergents, drain chemicals, and mineral buildup can decrease your pipes' longevity. Without descaling, these materials can ruin your plumbing and require replacing, and installing a new sewer line is costly.

This is especially true with cast-iron pipes. While cast-iron pipes should last 50 to 75 years, a lack of maintenance and other factors can speed up deterioration. In fact, washing grease down the drain is the number one cause of cast-iron degradation. 

By descaling your sewer line and water pipes, you can improve your plumbing issues while increasing the longevity of your system. 

4 Methods for Descaling Pipes

It’s possible to remove the corrosion deposits within a cast-iron drainpipe with specialized descaling equipment. This type of equipment can scrape the corrosion off the pipe’s inner walls to flush down the sewer. 

Other popular ways to clean your pipes include hydro jetting, chemical descaling, or electronic descaling.

Physical Descaling

If your plumbing issues are caused by rust or corrosion within your cast-iron pipes, you must undergo a physical descaling process. Essentially, cast-iron pipe descaling utilizes high-speed rotating cables that physically remove buildup from the walls of the pipes. 

This process is often combined with hydrojetting, which can easily flush out any loosened debris.

Hydro Jetting

Hydro jetting uses high-pressure water to clean off the buildup and debris from the surface of your pipes. When used with the proper nozzles and a physical cleaning tool (head) on the end of the hose, this equipment can remove scale.

But simply using high-pressure water will often fail to remove the bulk of the deposits (especially if they’re caused by rust buildup). Be sure to talk with the plumber you hire about the different options for getting your problem taken care of properly.

Chemical Descaling

This method of descaling pipes removes rust and mineral deposits with chemicals and is best for pipes that don’t have a lot of blockages. And if you have cast-iron pipes, you should avoid these entirely as prolonged use can actually speed up corrosion.

If in doubt about the safety of chemical descaling, call your local plumber. It’s safest to have a pro do this for you, as handling chemicals is dangerous for the average homeowner and may not be the best solution for your pipes.

Electronic Descaling

An electronic descaler can keep your pipes and appliances working better for longer by generating a magnetic field or low-voltage current that charges the mineral particles through the pipe surface. This keeps them from settling and building up on your pipes.

You can purchase an electronic descaler for about $200 on average at a hardware store, and it’s relatively easy to install yourself. Otherwise, a plumber can help you out with the installation.

DIY vs. Hiring a Pro

The best way to address your pipe issues is to contact a local plumber. They’ll be able to troubleshoot what’s causing the scale buildup, the best way to remove it, and if you’d be better off replacing your pipes completely. 

If you just need a simple cleaning to clear a block, hire a sewer cleaning company near you for about $200 to $300. However, the cost of cleaning your sewer line depends on a few factors—like the severity of the blockage and whether you need a camera line inspection (which costs anywhere from $250 to $1,300).

The worst-case scenario is that you need to replace your entire line. Pipe replacement costs about $150 to $250 per linear foot, or around $1,200 for materials and labor. While expensive, a replacement may be the best bang for your buck to avoid frequent cleanings or repairs if your pipes are older or made from outdated materials.