When do I repipe my home? Everyone has heard the saying, “Don’t throw good money after bad.” That saying holds true for many things, and repiping your home is one of them. One thing we certainly don’t want to do is continually put money into our home’s plumbing system when we know the inevitable is right around the corner. Most of us have experienced dumping money into an automobile, knowing it’s on its last leg. However, very few of us have ever experienced a home that needs its pipes replaced. In both cases, whether it’s our car or our house, it’s usually about the ability to afford it. Even the thought of having a company repipe my home is a scary one. Additionally, Americans aren’t as quick to go into debt as in years past, and rightly so.
What Are The Signs That You Need To Repipe Your Home?
Low water pressure is high on the list of symptoms of failing pipes. While you can contribute low water pressure to a list of things, not just bad pipes, it’s an excellent place to start if your pipes are over 30 years old. This is because mineral deposits can build up in your pipes over many years, causing restricted water flow in our pipes. If you’re a resident of California, you’re well aware of the hard water we have flowing through our faucets. In addition, the remnants of hard water deposits can be seen on our shower doors, countertops, faucets, and showerheads. If you’re experiencing low water pressure, maybe it’s time to have your pipes inspected by your plumbing professional.
Do I Repipe My Home If My Pipe Start To Leak?
In the event, your pipes start leaking, and they have reached the ripe old age of 30 years or older, it may be time to have them inspected. However, copper pipes have a life span of 40 – 60 years or more. Other factors can cause your pipe to fail well beforehand. For example, we’ll never know who installed our plumbing system that long ago because poor installation is one of the main causes of pipe leaks. Therefore, pipe leaks are another major reason for considering a home repipe. Again, a pipe that leaks in an isolated area isn’t enough of a problem to replace your pipes. However, when you begin to see your pipes leaking in several areas, including the joints, it’s time to consider a home repiping inspection.
Our Pipes Wear Down Over Many Years
While there are many causes that lead to the breakdown of your pipes, there is one common denominator—the age of our pipes. Unfortunately, like so many other things in our home, such as water heaters, faucets, toilets, and more, our pipes wear down and stop working correctly over many years of use. We can extend the life expectancy of any plumbing system by installing a whole house water filtration system in our home. The whole house reverse osmosis system will eliminate much of the chemicals in our water while extending the life of our plumbing system and appliances.
If You Still Have Steel Galvanized Pipes, You Need To Replace Them
Suppose your home still has galvanized pipes, then your home is ready for a repiping. The life expectancy of galvanized pipes is 40 to 60 years or longer, but much of that will depend on your area’s water quality. The last homes fitted with galvanized pipes were back in the 1960s. Keep in mind, your pipes may still distribute water to the house, although poorly. Most old homes that still have galvanized pipes have bad water pressure, poor tasting water, and maybe some water discoloration at the very least, but at some point, they will experience a water leak. When do I repipe my home if I have galvanized pipes? NOW!
You Can Rely On Copper Pipes
Copper pipes have become the go-to pipe for plumbing contractors since around 1960. Copper was much easier to install, less to transport, cost less, and had a life span about the same as galvanized steel, along with many more benefits. As mentioned above, copper is known to last 40 to 60 years, and if your home has a water purifier, that will extend the life of your pipes even further. As a result, copper piping was the standard for new home construction, in addition to repiping our older homes since the 1960s.
PEX Is The New Go-To Tubing For Home Repiping
New technologies have moved to the forefront in the form of polyethylene cross-linked pipe (PEX). PEX replaced has become the new piping for the 21st Century. Contractors have used PEX for heating floors since around 1970 but in the early 90s developed PEX for piping in residential homes. The new pipe is no longer a pipe at all but a cross-linked polyethylene tubing. PEX was developed for the same reasons copper made its splash; it was easier to work with, cost less, easier to transport, and had the same life expectancy. The next time you ask, “When do I repipe my home?” Call for a home repiping expert at Big B’s Plumbing.
