Dallas homeowner guide
Orangeburg Pipe in Dallas Homes: What It Is and Why It Fails
Many 1945–1972 Dallas homes have fiber-and-tar Orangeburg sewer pipe. Here is how to identify it and what to do.
What Orangeburg is
Orangeburg is bituminized fiber pipe — wood pulp pressed with coal tar pitch — used widely after World War II. Post-war neighborhoods across Dallas, Mesquite and Garland were built with it.
How it fails
Over decades it absorbs moisture, softens and flattens into an oval, blistering on the inside until flow narrows to a slit. Roots then penetrate the weakened wall.
Repair options
Badly deformed Orangeburg is typically replaced by pipe bursting with HDPE. If the camera shows it still holds its round shape, lining may be possible after careful cleaning.
Because Orangeburg deforms rather than cracks, pipe bursting or lining is usually the cleanest fix.
Questions about your line?
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