Repiping isn't a project people plan for — it usually happens right after a leak takes out a ceiling. If you know the warning signs, you can get ahead of it and repipe on your schedule during a remodel, not at 2 a.m. after a burst pipe.
Pipe lifespans by material
| Material | Realistic lifespan | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Galvanized steel | 40–50 years | Rusts from the inside out. If your house was built before ~1970 and hasn't been repiped, it's on borrowed time. |
| Polybutylene (gray plastic) | 10–25 years | Class-action failure history. Repipe on sight. |
| Copper | 50–70+ years | Excellent if not damaged by aggressive water. |
| PEX | 40–50+ years (still being tested — installed since the '90s) | Flexible, freeze-resistant, corrosion-proof. |
| CPVC | 25–40 years | Gets brittle with age and UV exposure. |
Both copper and PEX are rust-free — they don't corrode from the inside like galvanized. That's the main reason we use them on every repipe.
Warning signs it's time to repipe
- Discolored water — especially brown or rust-tinted first thing in the morning. Classic galvanized failure.
- Low water pressure everywhere in the house that gets worse over time. Interior pipe corrosion is choking the flow.
- Recurring leaks — one pinhole leak is bad luck, three is a system.
- Visible corrosion on exposed pipe in the garage, basement, or under sinks.
- You have polybutylene. Don't wait.
- You're already opening walls for a kitchen, bathroom, ADU, or whole-home remodel — this is the cheapest possible time to repipe.
PEX vs. copper — which we recommend
- PEX-A — our default for full repipes. Flexible (fewer fittings, fewer failure points), tolerates freeze cycles better than copper, faster install, lower cost.
- Type L copper — what we run for exposed sections, gas-adjacent runs, and anywhere UV exposure is possible. PEX degrades in sunlight.
What a full repipe actually involves
- Isolating and draining the system
- Opening drywall at strategic access points (not a whole wall removal)
- Running new hot/cold trunk lines from the main to every fixture
- Pressure-testing every line
- Patching drywall, texturing, and painting
Timeline for an average 3-bed/2-bath house: 3–5 working days for the plumbing, plus drywall/paint.
Do it during your remodel
Every kitchen, bathroom, ADU, or whole-home remodel opens the exact walls the pipes run through. Repiping during a remodel adds a fraction of the cost vs. doing it standalone later. If your house is old enough to be on the list, we'll flag it during the estimate.
Not sure what's behind your walls? Get in touch — we'll take a look and give you a straight answer.
