What Is Involved In Whole House Repiping?

Here is a guide on whole-house repiping. In this article, we will be looking at what is involved in repiping a house?

Plumbing systems are designed to serve a certain number of years after which they have to be replaced. This refers to the lifespan of such systems.

A broken-down plumbing system shows several signs that could range from discolored pipes, weak water flow across multiple points, slow drain and flushing; and spiking water bills.

Whole House Repiping Guide

These are only a few of many signs pointing to the need for repiping your home. It means the old plumbing system or pipes need to be removed or excavated to make way for the installation of new lines.

Reputable plumbing companies offer repiping and other related services.

Should I Repiping My House

Sometimes, it’s challenging for some homeowners to figure out whether their plumbing systems need overhauling or not. This is mostly due to their lack of understanding of underlying issues causing malfunction.

• Does Repiping A House Add Value?

Several reasons can be attributed to the need to repipe a home.

These include removal of corrosive pipes, lead pipe removal, and discolored water. Additional reasons for repiping a house include frequent repairs, lower water pressure, and when pipes in an old house have never been replaced.

Multiple pipe leaks also give clues pointing to the need for repiping.

How To Repipe A House

One of the first things you’ll need to do as part of the process is finding competent hands. Here, we’re talking about getting the right plumber. A reputable and licensed plumbing service should be hired for the job.

Anything less would only translate to failure.

Hiring the Right Plumber For House Repiping

Now, hiring the right plumber sounds quite vague. We’ll need to go into specifics to give you an idea of who the right plumber is.

Things to consider when hiring a plumber for a house repiping job include proper licensing, pricing, business experience, warranty, and references.

• Proper Licensing

It’s crucial to ensure your plumber is licensed.

This has a lot to do with the quality of the job performed as well as the level of professionalism exhibited. When a plumbing service sends its technicians over, you’d do well to ask for licensing proof in addition to proof of insurance.

• Pricing

Did you know that pricing is closely related to the quality of plumbing work performed? Never be preoccupied with finding the cheapest cost.

Instead, try to find a reputable plumber that will repipe your home at a reasonable cost.

• Business Experience

How long has the plumber been in business? This is crucial because experience counts a lot. With more experience comes better job execution. The opposite applies to an inexperienced plumber.

Only give out your house repiping job to an experienced plumber.

• Warranty

As a homeowner, you want to have some level of guarantee on the repiping job being performed.

As such, consider asking your plumber what type of warranty is being offered to you. This shouldn’t be a problem for a reputable and experienced plumber.

• References

One of the ways to be sure about a plumbing contractor’s ability to get them done satisfactorily is by asking them for references. They should be able to refer you to previous jobs done or clients served.

The Cost Angle of Things

To repipe a house, you’ll need to consider the cost side of things. When repiping the entire house, multiple factors will come into play. These affect the overall cost of the project.

A typical house repiping job would cost around $1,500 to $15,000.

The wide difference in pricing is influenced by the size of your house, type of piping material to be used, the complexity of the plumbing network as well as applicable permits among other things.

Best Material To Repipe A House

As part of preparations for house repiping, you’ll need to determine the types of pipes to be used.

It’s important to have such a discussion with your plumbing contractor as it saves you the stress of having to figure out everything by yourself.

Now, different scenarios are likely to play out. A homeowner may want a repiping job to be done by replacing the old pipes with the same type.

For example, if the old pipes to be replaced consist of CPVC material, the new pipes should also be of CPVC.

Speaking of pipe types, three major types can be used for a house repiping job. These consist of CPVC, copper pipes, and PEX pipes.

So, what are the differences between these, and which is the most durable for repiping a house? Let’s briefly discuss each of them.

• CPVC Pipes

A good number of house repiping jobs are performed using Chlorinated Polyvinyl Chloride (CPVC) pipes. These pipes are reliable as they can remain functional for over 5 decades.

Most plumbing contractors will recommend these pipes for channeling drinking water.

CPVC pipes are also resistant to chemical reactions such as acidity in water. They’re also cheaper to install than copper pipes. The downside to using such as the likelihood of cracking during earthquakes.

• Copper Pipes

One of the most reliable pipes for house repiping jobs is copper pipes. Plumbers will easily tell you of its numerous advantages that include durability and reliability.

Pipes will easily last a century without giving any problems. However, this comes at a price.

Copper pipes are quite expensive. Nevertheless, entirely worth it as it won’t corrode and is temperature resistant. These will easily withstand shocks as well.

However, the downside of using these for a repiping job is that they could burst when frozen.

• PEX Pipes

Cross-Linked Polyethylene (PEX) pipes, come in handy for house repiping jobs. Although a fairly new trend in plumbing, these pipes are known to be quite versatile and easy to work with.

In other words, these are easier to install. Plus, they don’t crack easily like other types.

One clear disadvantage with using PEX pipes for house repiping jobs is the likelihood of degrading once exposed to sunlight after installation.

Budgeting for House Repiping

You must budget adequately for a house repiping project to avoid surprises. As part of the preparation process, have a plumbing contractor come around to give you an estimate of the project.

This gives you an idea of what to expect. You’ll need to increase your budget a little beyond what’s recommended to avoid any surprises.

House piping projects involve all the steps above.

It’s crucial to work with your plumbing contractor to avoid costly mistakes. Of course, such a contractor must be reputable and reliable, to begin with.