Replacing Old Plumbing

Any plumbing problem can happen with any plumbing pipes in your house. Like all building materials, your plumbing pipes will eventually wear out and have to be replaced. If you find yourself repairing leaky, corroded pipes every few months, it may be time to consider replacing the old system entirely - and soon. A corroded water pipe that bursts while you are away can cost you many thousands of dollars in damage to wall surfaces, framing members, and furnishings.

Identifying the materials used in your plumbing system can also tell you if replacement is advised. If you have galvanized steel pipes, for example, it is a good bet that they will need to be replaced in the near future. Most galvanized steel pipes were installed before 1960, and since steel pipes have a maximum life expectancy of 30 to 35 years, such a system is probably living on borrowed time. On the other hand, if your system includes copper supply pipes and plastic drain pipes, you can relax; these materials were likely installed within the last 40 years, and they are considerably more durable than steel, provided they were installed correctly.

Unless you live in a rambler with an exposed basement ceiling, replacing old plumbing nearly always involves some demolition and carpentry work. Even in the best scenario, you probably will find it necessary to open walls and floors in order to run new pipes. For this reason, replacing old plumbing is often done at the same time as a kitchen or bathroom remodeling project, when wall and floor surfaces have to be removed and replaced.

Partial plumbing replacement involves replacing only those sections of your plumbing system that are currently causing additional plumbing problems. This is a quick, less expensive option than a complete renovation, but it is only a temporary solution. Old plumbing will continue to fail until you replace the entire system.

Complete plumbing replacement of all plumbing lines is an ambitious job, but doing this work yourself can save you thousands of dollars. To minimize the inconvenience, you can do this work in phases, replacing one branch of the plumbing system at a time. If you are inexperienced with plumbing repairs, we suggest calling your local San Diego plumber for more information.

Need more help? Read through our most common plumbing questions with guides on how you can repair any plumbing problem yourself!