Should you repipe your home?
Repiping means replacing the water supply pipes in your home rather than patching one failing section at a time. It sounds like a big job, and it can be, but for the right house it is the smarter long-term money. Here is how to tell.
Signs it may be time to repipe
Watch for these: water pressure that has dropped across the whole house, red or rusty water coming from the taps, pipes that are visibly corroded or pinhole-leaking, and a history of repeated leaks in different spots. One leak is a repair. A pattern of leaks in aging pipe is your home telling you the system is wearing out, and patching it again just buys a little time before the next failure.
Repipe or repair?
If a single, accessible section fails and the rest of the system is sound, a repair is the right call. But when the pipe material is at the end of its life and leaks keep popping up, you are usually better off repiping than paying for repair after repair. We will tell you honestly which situation you are in, because there is no point selling you a repipe you do not need, or patching a system that is going to keep failing.
What pipe should you use?
Here is a plain comparison of the common materials:
PEX is the plumber's number one choice for most repipes today: flexible, fast to install, freeze-tolerant, and cost-effective.
Copper (types K, L, M) is durable and proven, but costs more and takes longer to install.
CPVC handles hot water and is affordable, a common choice in many homes.
PVC is used mainly for drain, waste, and cold-water applications, not hot supply.
Galvanized steel is the old material we most often replace; it corrodes from the inside, which is what causes the rusty water and pressure loss.
What about the main line?
If the external water main feeding your house is the problem, we replace that too. A repipe is only as good as the line bringing water to it.
Seeing rusty water or losing pressure in North DFW? Let us inspect it and give you a straight answer. Get a free estimate or call (817) 945-5441.