Are you concerned about the condition of the pipes in your home? Pipes, unfortunately, don’t last forever and can often develop both minor and major issues as they get older. At some point, the water lines in a home can get so old and have so many problems that the only effective solution is to repipe the house.
That means removing some or all of the existing water lines and then replacing them with new piping. While repiping is a fairly major undertaking, there are a variety of situations where it definitely makes sense or even becomes fully necessary.
How Much Does Repiping Cost on Average?
The cost to fully repipe a house can vary dramatically based on a few different factors. Two factors that always play a role are the size of the house and the number of plumbing fixtures it has. Both of these things obviously impact how much work needs to be done and the amount of materials that are needed.
The type of piping you choose to use also plays a role in cost. The two most common options used nowadays are copper piping and polyurethane PEX piping. Choosing to use PEX piping will bring the cost down compared to using copper.
One reason is that copper piping simply costs quite a bit more to purchase than PEX does. Copper also takes longer to install and is thus more labor intensive, as each pipe needs to be cut to the correct length and the different sections then soldered together using a pipe fitting.
PEX piping is much easier and takes less time to install. One reason is that the piping comes in long rolls, allowing the plumber to cut each pipe to the necessary length to minimize the need for additional pipe fittings. PEX is also flexible, allowing the plumbers to bend it around corners without needing to use an elbow like they would with copper pipes.
You can be almost certain that you’ll have to pay at least a few thousand dollars to have your house professionally repiped. For a large house or a much more complex job, the cost can easily run in excess of $15,000.
What Does Repiping a House Involve?
When repiping a house, it’s always necessary to cut into at least some walls and ceilings to access the water lines. Nonetheless, the repiping process can vary a bit, depending on whether people will still be living there while the work is done.
The work is always a bit easier and goes more quickly if the house is vacant for the duration of the project. In this case, a plumber can just start cutting out and removing all of the old water lines while a second plumber follows behind and starts installing and connecting the new pipes. As soon as the new pipes are in place, a third plumber can then begin patching the holes and refinishing those areas.
If people are home in the evenings, the plumbers will then need to repipe one room at a time. That way, they can turn the water back on at the end of the day to minimize the disruption to the household’s daily life. However, there may still be situations when certain plumbing fixtures or even entire rooms are essentially out of order for a day or two due to how long certain tasks take.
For instance, it’s often necessary to remove the cabinet underneath a kitchen or bathroom sink to access the water lines. In this case, the hole the plumber cuts in the wall will need to be patched before the cabinet can be put back in place. This applies to showers as well. Depending on the type of shower you have, it may also need to be fully removed and then reinstalled once the new pipes are in place.
Signs That Repiping Is Necessary
Repiping is necessary to fix certain issues, such as frequent leaks, rusty-colored water, low water pressure or poor water quality. Although copper pipes never rust, they do experience some corrosion over time. Corrosion makes the copper weaker and thinner, which can eventually result in pinhole leaks forming. If your water pressure is too high and your pipes are fairly corroded, you can also end up with a major leak.
A plumbing leak is something you may occasionally encounter, but experiencing frequent leaks is a sign that you should have your pipes inspected since they could be extremely corroded. In this case, repiping is definitely not something you should put off due to the amount of damage leaks can do to your home.
Rusty colored water can be a sign that there’s a large amount of iron deposits in your pipes. Iron always rusts when exposed to water, and the rust can then leach out into the water. While rusty water generally isn’t harmful to your health, it’s obviously unpleasant and something you don’t want to constantly have to deal with.
If you have an older house and your water is rusty, it could also indicate that your water lines are made of galvanized piping. Galvanized piping has a special metal coating that’s designed to prevent rust and corrosion, but this coating can eventually get eaten away to where the steel is exposed and begins to rust.
The biggest concern with galvanized pipes is that the coating often contains lead. As the pipes corrode, the lead can end up leaching out into the water, posing a significant health risk to everyone in the household. Some older houses still have lead pipes, which pose an even bigger risk and should be replaced immediately.
Low water pressure can occur for a variety of reasons. If your house has hard water and your water pressure is always low, it usually means that your pipes are clogged with mineral deposits. In this case, replacing your pipes is really the only effective option for improving your water pressure.
How Long Do Pipes Typically Last?
Knowing the age of your pipes is also helpful for determining when repiping may be necessary. Copper pipes have an average lifespan of 50-70 years, while PEX piping should typically last for 40-50 years. Galvanized pipe, on the other hand, often only lasts for 20-30 years before it begins corroding or getting clogged with mineral deposits. This issue with corrosion and potentially contaminating the house’s water supply is why galvanized pipe has been almost entirely phased out.
In terms of copper and PEX piping, it’s important to note that the lifespans we mentioned are just an average. Each type can deteriorate faster in certain situations. For instance, more acidic water tends to lead to copper pipes corroding much faster and thus having a higher chance of leaking. Similarly, certain chemical contaminants can cause PEX piping to degrade and become more brittle over time.
As one of the leading home service companies in the Cleveland area, Anderson Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electric has what it takes to handle any of your plumbing needs. We offer professional repiping services and can quickly and accurately determine whether repiping is the right solution for your home.
To schedule an appointment to have your pipes inspected or for any other plumbing service, contact us today.
