Signs That Your Home’s Pipes Need to Be Replaced

Faulty pipes can be the enemy of a happy home, and it’s best to know your enemy. How can you tell when your pipes need to be replaced? The first step is, if available, to consult a home owner’s report you should have received when you bought your home. It should list what type of pipe you have. Most pipe materials last for around 80 years, except for polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which if used for drain lines only lasts about 30-40 years.

Sporadic leaks are a common sign that pipes need to be replaced, especially if you’re finding that needing to fix them is becoming more frequent. However, corrosion is the biggest culprit. If your pipes have discoloration, flaking or dimpling, these could all be signs of a problem you may need to address soon.

Homes built before copper piping became the norm often use galvanized piping. Galvanized piping rusts from the inside, so there are few signs on the outer layer to show how serious a rust problem is developing internally. Rust blocking the piping can lead to dirty water and lower water pressure. If you notice either of these conditions, you may want to check if you have galvanized pipes, and if you do, get them replaced with more modern piping.

Even if you do have copper pipes, nothing lasts forever. Visual signs that copper piping is corroding can include blue or green stains in the plumbing or the basin of sinks. Another sign is if the water gradually becomes more metallic in taste. If you suspect either of these things, it’s cheaper to check the pipes for corrosion than have the water tested for copper levels.

Another thing you can do if you suspect your pipes are corroding — especially if you are wary of calling a plumber based on a vague suspicion — is to buy inexpensive pH strips and measure the pH value of your water. Anything lower than a 7 pH value probably means that your pipes’ corrosion is causing a rise in the acidity of the water.

Know the signs, and be prepared!

Do you need to repipe your Naperville home? Call Jim Wagner Plumbing, Inc. at (630) 577-9241 and schedule a service call immediately!