There are quite a few homes in our area that have a tremendous amount of age on them, which is a major factor to consider when it comes to repiping. Galvanized water piping is common in older homes, and it tends to act like arteries when they get clogged. The pipes don’t really rust through or get thin over time, but they do form buildup on the inside that causes issues like low pressure. (Whether due to pipe size or buildup, low pressure is extremely inconvenient.) In these kinds of situations, repiping would restore proper pressure to the home’s plumbing system. There’s nothing better than getting into the shower and having a strong steady flow of water. It’s also nice to do laundry and take a shower at the same time without having to worry about diminished water pressure.
Another issue we often run into in our area is low pH, which is when the water is acidic. Acidic water is corrosive and it will eat through metal pipes, brass, or copper components. If corrosive water has damaged a home’s plumbing system, it will inevitably need to be repiped. We highly recommend that you address the low pH, but the damage that was done also needs to be resolved. If you fix low pH but don’t also repipe the home, the compromised pipes could leak or break and cause a flood. The tremendous amount of water that goes into your home would definitely cause significant damage.
Sometimes we visit homes that have had various patches done to the plumbing system over time. The pipes end up with a mixture of different fitting systems, and everything becomes a big mess. Ultimately, this situation can end up leading to weaker joints and leaks. When you add water quality and the home’s age into the equation, it makes the patchwork of plumbing even worse. This might be a situation where repiping makes the most sense.
What is repiping like for a homeowner? It really depends on the layout of the home. For some homes, all of the repiping will be done in the basement and the living space will remain undisturbed. However, if you have bathrooms on a second floor, there will sometimes be the need to cut out drywall and do some repainting. We’ve done quite a few repipes and we pride ourselves on being able to come up with a solution that minimizes invasiveness as much as possible.
When we think about repiping an old home, we don’t necessarily have to put the pipes back exactly where they were before as long as we’re able to get the water lines to the fixtures. Sometimes it turns out that we didn’t even run anything that resembles the old water piping at all. Whatever is the simplest, cleanest, and least invasive plan possible is what we’ll stick to.
If you have low water pressure, low pH, or an aging home and want to learn more about repiping, reach out to us today by contacting us online or giving us a call at 540-483-9382.
