Repiping and pipe replacement services
Old and failing pipe comes in many forms, and each one has its own fix. Below are the repiping and pipe replacement services we connect homeowners with, grouped so you can find the one that matches your home. Not sure which you need? Call and a local repipe contractor will help you sort it out.
Repiping and pipe replacement, explained
Repiping means replacing the water supply plumbing in a home, the network of pressurized pipe that carries water to every fixture you turn on. It is a separate system from the drain and sewer lines, which carry waste water away by gravity and are planned and priced on their own. When people say their pipes are "bad," they almost always mean the supply side: the lines that rust, lose pressure, and leak.
Supply pipe fails in different ways depending on what it is made of. Galvanized steel rusts shut from the inside. Old copper can develop pinhole leaks. Polybutylene and aging CPVC grow brittle and crack. Lead poses a health risk of its own. Because each material fails on its own terms, each has its own fix, which is why the services below are grouped by the problem they solve. Whole-house and partial repiping are the two scopes of the work; the material pages explain what is coming out and what goes back in; and the main line and slab leak pages cover the pipe outside the walls and under the foundation. If you are not sure which applies to your home, a local contractor can identify what you have and point you to the right one.
Repiping by scope
Repiping by pipe material
Galvanized pipe replacement
Swap corroded galvanized steel for modern pipe.
Learn morePolybutylene replacement
Remove brittle Poly-B before it fails without warning.
Learn moreCPVC pipe replacement
Replace aging, brittle CPVC that cracks at the fittings.
Learn moreLead pipe replacement
Remove lead pipe and lead service lines from your water.
Learn morePEX repiping
Flexible, corrosion-resistant tubing that installs fast.
Learn moreCopper repiping
The long-proven premium repipe material.
Learn moreDrain, waste & sewer
Cast iron pipe replacement
Swap corroded cast iron drain and waste pipe for PVC or ABS.
Learn moreDrain line repiping
Replace the home's drain, waste, and vent lines.
Learn moreSewer line replacement
Replace the buried sewer lateral from the house to the main.
Learn moreTrenchless sewer repair
Repair or reline a sewer line with little or no digging.
Learn moreBuildings & older homes
Multi-family & apartment repiping
Phased water repiping for apartment and condo buildings.
Learn moreMulti-family DWV repipe
Replace the drain stacks in a multi-family building.
Learn moreCommercial repiping
Repipe an office, retail, or other commercial building.
Learn moreRepiping for older homes
Bring a pre-1970 home's plumbing up to date.
Learn moreRepipe for home insurance
Replace pipe that an insurer has flagged, like polybutylene.
Learn moreSigns & troubleshooting
Low water pressure
Trace weak pressure to its cause and fix it for good.
Learn moreRusty or discolored water
Find out why the water is brown and what stops it.
Learn morePinhole leaks
Understand why copper springs pinholes and when to repipe.
Learn moreSigns of pipe corrosion
Learn to spot failing pipe before it bursts.
Learn moreIs my pipe galvanized?
Identify what your water pipe is made of at home.
Learn moreHow to tell which service you need
Start with what you are seeing. The symptom usually points to the pipe, and the pipe points to the fix.
- Rusty or brown water and weak pressure across the house point to corroded galvanized steel, often calling for a whole-house repipe.
- One leaking run with the rest of the system sound suits a partial repipe.
- Gray plastic pipe, sometimes stamped PB2110 is polybutylene, which is replaced because the material itself fails.
- Cream or tan plastic that has yellowed or cracked is aging CPVC.
- A home built before 1986, or a dull gray service line raises the lead question, which is about health as much as plumbing.
- Low pressure at every fixture, or a wet strip in the yard points to the buried main water line.
- A warm spot on the floor, a jumping water bill, or running-water sounds with everything off suggest a slab leak.
- A mix of old materials in an older home is covered under old line plumbing.
The new pipe itself is almost always PEX or copper, and a contractor helps you choose between them based on your home, your water, and your budget.
How a repipe works, and what to expect
However different the materials are, a repipe follows the same orderly path. A contractor walks the home, confirms the pipe and routes, and plans where to open the fewest access points. Floors and belongings are covered, then new PEX or copper is run to each fixture with the water kept on for as much of the work as possible. The new system is pressure-tested and checked against the local plumbing code before anything closes up, and the access is patched. Most single-family homes are finished within a few working days, with the water off only in short stretches, so families usually stay in the home throughout.
In most places a repipe is a permitted, inspected job, which protects you by confirming the work meets code before the walls close and keeps it on record for a future sale. A reputable contractor pulls the permit and installs to code as part of the work. We connect homeowners with independent local repipe contractors, and the contractor who assesses your home is the one who does the work; as with any home project, you confirm their license and insurance before hiring. Whatever service your home needs, the first step is the same: a call to describe what you are seeing.
Why worn pipe is worth replacing
Whatever the material, aging pipe carries the same two costs: a health risk from what can get into your water, and the money lost to leaks and damage.
The health side
Lead and some galvanized lines can put lead in your water, and the EPA and CDC hold that no level of lead is safe. Removing the pipe removes the source.
- Zero is the EPA health goal for lead in drinking water (EPA).
The money side
- Water damage and freezing claims average about $13,954 each (Insurance Information Institute).
- Household leaks waste close to 1 trillion gallons a year nationwide (EPA).
Not sure which service you need?
Tell a local contractor what you are seeing and what pipe you have, and they will point you to the right fix. Call now to get started.
Common questions
Which repiping service do I need?
Start with the pipe you have and the problem you are seeing. If the whole system is old and failing, a whole-house repipe fits. If one run is bad, a partial repipe may do. If you know your material, the galvanized, polybutylene, CPVC, or lead pages go deeper. A contractor can confirm the right one after a look.
How do I know what kind of pipe my home has?
Check an exposed pipe near the water heater or in the basement. Galvanized is dull gray and magnetic, copper is penny colored, lead is soft gray that scratches shiny, polybutylene is flexible plastic often stamped 'PB,' and CPVC is rigid cream plastic. The home's age helps too, and a contractor can identify it quickly.
Do you serve my area?
We connect homeowners with local repipe contractors in cities across the country. Call and tell us where you are, and we will point you to a contractor who works your area.
How much does repiping cost?
It depends on your home, the pipe material, and how the plumbing is routed, so there is no single price to post. Call and a local contractor can give you real numbers for your house.