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Why Repipe?

Jul 28, 2010

Damaged Pipe

Increased utility expenses, disastrous property damage, depressed property value, mold invasion, cancellation of your homeowner’s insurance and poor water quality are all problems we regularly see associated with water piping systems.

Whole House Re-pipe

Whole home re-piping is performed for various reasons. If your home is newer and built in the 70’s, 80’s or 90’s you my have polybutylene water piping If you have this type potable water system, (gray plastic water piping), you might consider a whole house re-pipe. While scientific evidence is scarce, it is believed that oxidants in the public water supplies, such as chlorine, react with the polybutylene piping and acetyl fittings causing them to scale and flake and become brittle. Micro-fractures result and the basic structural integrity of the systems are reduced. Thus, the system becomes weak and fails without warning causing damage to the building structure and personal property. It is believed that other factors may also contribute to the failure of polybutylene systems, such as improper installation, but it is virtually impossible to detect installation problems throughout an entire system.

If your home is twenty to thirty years old, you might be wise to consider whole house re-piping. One of the first things people notice in an older home is a gradual reduction in water pressure or the lack of volume in water they’re getting from the kitchen or bathroom faucets. Also, drastic changes in water temperature, especially hot water when someone flushes a toilet while another is taking a shower is caused by a deteriorating system. This culprit is a slow buildup of corrosion and debris inside galvanized piping

Another issue causing the necessity of a re-pipe may be slow, yet constant leaks in one of the supply pipes in the wall behind the shower control. This can lead to rotting floorboards or framing under a bathtub. Imagine what could happen if this problem is left unchecked.

Sewer drain lines sometimes need to be replaced. Aging of the waste piping can cause cracks in walls or to 2nd-floor waste lines allowing dangerous sewer gas (methane) to escape into the home which could result in an explosion.

Slab leaks are another reason why a home may need re-piping. Slab leaks are seen in homes built on concrete slabs. The water lines are placed under the cement and due to acidity in the copper or soil conditions the copper can leak. These conditions can lead to foundation problems, high water and electrical bills and structural damage to your home. Most homeowner’s policies cover the cost of repairing slab leaks.

We at Walter Anderson Plumbing offer full-service solutions that include leak detection plus repair or re-piping of your slabs copper system. Our specialists provide a complete and thorough diagnosis to ensure accurate resolution.

Years of wear and tear on your homes plumbing system is difficult to detect by the average homeowner. But the problems caused by leaks, interior, and exterior pipe corrosion or cracks can be financially devastating and far more costly than whole house re-piping. Re-piping your older home will increase your comfort, convenience, and peace of mind as well as the resale value of your home.

Depending on the size of your home and the number of bathrooms whole house re-piping can take as little as 3 days and up to a week or more. Ninety-nine percent of the time you do not have to leave your home while the re-piping is in progress.

Whole home re-piping is a serious project. It’s a job for the plumber who has the manpower, experience, training, and equipment to do it right the first time. It’s a job for the plumber who will guarantee that the project will be finished on time; guarantee the workmanship for period of 20 years, guarantee that the materials used are top quality and all work performed meets governing installation codes; guarantee that you and your home will be treated with the highest respect: and guarantee not to leave your home until you are 100% satisfied. We provide those guarantees and much more to you…in writing. It has been and always will be our way of doing business. And we turn key. We do it all; patching drywall, repainting and cleaning up after ourselves through the whole process. We are so confident in the quality work performed by our technicians we offer a 20-year warranty.

Give us a call today! We’re your San Diego Repipe Experts!

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