At Best Plumbing, we’ve seen it all. In 40 years of serving the greater Seattle area, we’ve handled all kinds of plumbing problems, and we know what to do and how to do it. Persistent plumbing problems plague homeowners, and it can feel like there’s simply no relief. In those cases, it may be best to start anew with a complete replacement of plumbing in your home. Here’s some factors that may necessitate repiping your home.

Age

Depending on the age of your home, a repiping could be in your future. Older copper or brass fittings can be expected to last upwards of 50 years, but time saps strength and effectiveness from your pipes. Some homes have steel fittings, which are more prone to rust and corrosion. Galvanized steel has a working lifespan less than that of copper or brass, so if your home was built with galvanized steel pipes, they may have already been replaced. Old galvanized pipe can corrode and put rust particles into drinking water, or thin out and be prone to breakages under high flow or low temperatures.

Disrepair

Keeping up with normal maintenance can sometimes fall by the wayside. When fixtures are leaking, faucets aren’t running, and drains aren’t draining, it can be a sign that your home is ready to move on from the old plumbing. Starting anew with proper plumbing and quality materials will ensure you don’t have to deal with constant plumbing problems.

Materials

As time goes by and we become more knowledgeable of the effects and byproducts of pipe material, we realize the dangers of certain pipe types. Health and safety precautions associated with pipe materials are typically the most common reason why homeowners need to get their homes repiped.

Lead pipes are a rare issue, but very old homes with lead pipes should be addressed immediately. Seattle banned the use of lead-based plumbing materials in 1980, but some fittings may still have lead soldering. Lead can be present in water due to a variety of factors, and a water test will help diagnose the issue. If your pipes are made from lead, it will be easy to identify: they’ll be a dull metallic gray in color, and can be easily scratched to reveal shiny metal beneath the oxidization.

A more common material is polybutylene piping. These grey plastic-like pipes appear to be sound from the outside, but the inside of the pipes get thin and brittle when in contact with chlorinated water. Weakened polybutylene can burst under pressure, causing flooding or water damage.

What to do next

If you know or suspect that your Seattle home has any of these issues, give us a call. Our licensed plumbers can perform an inspection and let you know whether repiping is necessary or if another service will suffice. If you think your house may need repiping, contact Best Plumbing at (206) 800-7822 today! 

Serving the communities of Seattle, Bellevue, Kirkland, Burien, Everett, Woodinville, Redmond, Federal Way, Kent, Issaquah, Renton, SeaTac, Bothell, and Lynnwood.