When Should You Have Your Home Repiped?

It's important to understand the lifespan of your home's pipes in order to determine when it's time to have them replaced. Brass and galvanized steel supply pipes typically last 80 to 100 years, while copper can last 70 to 80 years. Cast iron drainage pipes typically survive 80 to 100 years, and those made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) typically operate for 25 to 40 years. If your home was built before the 1970s or hasn't been remodeled, it most likely has old plumbing that needs to be replaced.

Lead and polybutylene pipes are hazardous and must be replaced immediately if your home was built in or around the early 1920s. Lead seeps into drinking water and can cause dangerous health problems, while polybutylene pipes are more likely to break and leak. The age of your home is a key factor in determining if you should have it repiped. Houses built before a certain period of time are more likely to contain galvanized steel, which is out of date in the plumbing world due to its sensitivity to rust.

If your home was built before the 1970s, it's highly recommended that you hire a plumbing professional to inspect your home's pipes and check for areas that need refueling. If your house was built decades before that, you'll likely need a large amount of plumbing so that your home's plumbing can work at an optimal rate. The cost of refinishing depends on what exactly is being replaced and in what quantity, as well as what it is being replaced with. Costs may vary between plumbing service providers.

At Do It Right Plumbers, we offer our customers affordable plumbing solutions and flexible, interest-free financing options. We are proud to offer complete transparency and will be happy to analyze the rates before starting any work. It's important to choose wisely when selecting a plumber for the job since repairing a home often costs thousands of dollars, and if done wrong, homeowners and their families can be at risk. If the house is in a place with cold winters, it's best to replace the house's pipes during spring or summer, if possible, as freezing temperatures can interfere with the process and cause it to take longer than it would otherwise. If construction companies built your home before 1970, ask a plumber to investigate the pipes to see if they need to be refilled.

It is likely that the pipes have suffered numerous leaks and other problems, and repeating the whole house is probably the best solution for the future health of the pipes and the house.

Ted Bell
Ted Bell

Ted is a nationally recognized home repiping expert. He's been repiping homes in San Diego since 1993 and has been a frequent Angi's Super Service Award winner.