How do I know if my home needs to be repiped?

Signs Your Home Needs To Be Repiped

Most people take the pipes in their home for granted. Pipes catch our attention usually when something goes wrong. Slow draining, leaks and drips, clogs are all irritating and inconvenient. They may also indicate a more serious issue with the pipes. [The pipes and piping system in a home do not last forever, at some point they will break down and need to be replaced.]1 Routine maintenance and inspection, however, will prolong the health of the pipes and piping system in a home. All homeowners should also know the symptoms and signs that a home needs to be repiped. Dealing with a pipe problem sooner rather than later is much more cost efficient. It is also the best prevention against a plumbing disaster in your home. In other words, a smart owner should know when to change the pipes in the home.

Low Water Pressure: 

One of the first indicators of a piping problem is low water pressure. If the faucet struggles to emit a full stream of water, even when it is turned all the way up, this may indicate a problem somewhere in the pipes.

Water Color: 

Water flowing from a faucet should always be clear and clean. If the water is brown or rust colored when you first turn on the faucet, this is a major indication that the pipes are beginning to break down and corrode.

Leaky Pipes: 

[One of the most obvious signs that the pipes need to be replacing is a leak.]1 Discovering the source of a leak can be difficult. The temptation is to temporary fix the pipe that is leaking. The problem is that several of the pipes may be leaking, but the water concentrates at one area giving the impression that only one pipe is the source of the leak. Leaking pipes can lead to dire consequences inside the home.

Corrosion: 

The telltale signs of pipe corrosion are stains in the insulation, a rough or dimpled surface, and chipping and flaking. The joints experience the most stress and pressure from the water flowing and changing direction. As a consequence, corrosion tends to first appear around the joints.

Lifespan of Pipes: 

[Knowing what types of pipes you have in the home, and how old they are will provide you with a general formula to determine when the pipes need to be replaced.]1 Brass and galvanized steel should last 20 to 50 years. Cast iron drain lines have a life expectancy of 75 to 100 years. PVC pipes can last forever. The thing to remember is that the lifespan of pipes is directly correlated to the water running through them. Geographical areas with hard water, which is more acidic, causes the pipes to deteriorate faster than areas that have better water quality.

Do you need to repipe your Montgomery home? Call Cole Plumbing at (334) 458-9413 and schedule a service call immediately!