With over 17 years as a master plumber I will answer the $10,000 question Should I Repipe My House. There are 3 important things that you need to know upfront.

1. Have your pipes been replaced already and what kind of material was used
2. If not when was your home built
3. What kind of material are your pipes made of today

The benefits of Repiping Your Home are huge. But one reason people shy away from doing the work is cost. It is expensive and most people would rather just do the repairs and call it a day.

But perhaps your house was built at a time when unsafe materials were used and your family’s safety is at stake. In this case, your family is more important and you will be saving something more important than money. Watch The Video below.

Then asked yourself Should I Repipe My House

Should I repipe my house? First, you need to know at least these 3 important things about your home.

1. When were the pipes in your home last replaced? •
2. What kind of pipes do you have (e.g., PVC, lead, polybutylene, copper, etc.)?
3. When was your home built

Different piping materials have different life spans, so knowing what kind of pipes you have and when they were installed gives you a starting point. Here are some common materials used for pipes and their average maximum life spans.

• Galvanized steel: 50 years
• Copper: 50 years
• Brass: 70 years
• Iron: 100 years
• PVC: 40 years
• Lead: up to 100 years.

Lead Pipes

Lead pipes are prone to leaching lead into drinking water. While it is uncommon to find them in homes today, homes built in the early 1900s may still have them. If you have lead pipes, replace them immediately.

Polybutylene Pipes

While lead pipes top the list for being the unhealthiest piping material, polybutylene pipes are arguably the most maddening. Oxidants in water deteriorate the pipe and can ruin them within a mere 15 years. While this is bad, the exasperating part is that this deterioration occurs inside the pipe.

On the outside, the pipes appear fine which means visual inspections are futile. One day, the pipes look great. Then the next day, the pipes burst. Polybutylene pipes were installed in homes from 1978 – 1995. If you have them, you should replace them immediately.

Other factors affect the life spans of pipes. How well the pipes are maintained can play a big role in how long they will last. Well-maintained pipes can last longer than the ages noted above. Conversely, poorly-maintained pipes could fail years before they should.

Water with a high mineral content (i.e. hard water) can accelerate deterioration. Once you know what pipes you have and how old they are, the next step is to do a visual inspection of all of your exposed pipes.

Here are a few things to be on the lookout for.

• Leaks
• Discoloration
• Stains
• Flaking
• Dimpling

The more of these signs you see in any combination-including multiple instances of one type of problem-the more likely you are to need to have your pipes replaced. Leaks are especially bright red flags.

Your pipes are made of the same material, were installed at the same time, and have experienced the same wear and tear. If there is a random leak in one spot, then it is only a matter of time until there are more.

If you have done a visual inspection and think you may need to replace your pipes, you have one last step: Call a licensed professional and have them inspect your pipes. Then, call at least one or two more licensed professional plumbers and get a second and third opinion.

How Long Does It Take To Repipe A House

The time it takes to repipe a house depends on the house really. Some factors are: Does it have a basement, are pipes running through the walls, it is a multilevel home?

All these are factors as to how much time it will take to repipe a home. But to answer the question usually, a recipe is broken down into 3 different parts.

1. Getting a permit
2. The Repiping Job Itself
3. Patching the walls that needed to access pipes

Once you get the permit approved then the repiping job can take 2 – 5 days depending on the size of the home. Our experts at Alfa Plumbing Services can provide you with more details at the time of your free inspection.

What Is The Average Cost Of Repiping a Home

Again this depends on the home, how many square feet, are pipes exposed or buried in the walls. But in general, if a plumber can access the pipes the average cost for a 1500 square home is between $2,000 – $6,000 to replace just the exposed pipe. If walls need to be accessed it can be more.

You can check out this article which is a good resource for estimating what it would cost for your particular home.

Tips For Hiring A Plumber

Plumbers have forever in the past had a bad name, this, however, has changed in recent history with the addition of the internet and moreover review websites like Yelp. Now everyone can search and find out what kind of service others have received from companies.

Luckily there are many companies like Alfa Plumbing Services that aim to change the perception of plumbers for the good forever.

With complete honest upfront pricing, arriving on time, keeping the place clean, and giving professional service in all work from boiler repair to boiler installation, blocked drains to septic tank installation, or Re-piping services.

Luckily these days plumbers are more versatile and are carrying out a wider range of services. This not only pleases the wallet of the plumber but it makes the customer happy as they’re now becoming a one-stop-shop almost. This could well lead to better and honest yelp reviews.

I wouldn’t discount the reviews you find on Google either, again look for some well-detailed reviews as these could help lead to your choice of a plumber you choose. Honest plumbers are few and far between so when speaking with a company on the phone you may want to ask them a few questions to gauge their responses.

Any kind of attitude towards you should not be tolerated as you are willing to be a paying customer and need help. Don’t be afraid to ask questions to make sure you are getting the respect and service you deserve as a consumer.

Always use the old method of asking friends and family if they know of a plumber they would recommend too, this may be an old-school tactic but in many cases, it still works.

Luckily if you don’t have too many friends or families that have used plumbing services recently you have your virtual friends at Yelp! Good luck with finding a plumber that will be a good fit for you.

Bio:  Alfa Plumbing Services is a family-owned and operated plumbing company established in 2003. We provide homeowners and businesses throughout Baytown and the Houston surrounding areas with fast and dependable plumbing solutions.