Why Re-pipe?

Increased utility expenses, disastrous property damage, depressed property value, mold invasion, cancellation of your homeowners insurance and poor water quality are all problems we regularly see associated with water piping systems.

Whole House Re-pipe

Whole home re-piping is performed for various reasons.  If your home was built in the 70's, 80's or 90's you may have copper piping.  After years of research, Dr. Marc Edwards, professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Virginia Tech has proven that the recent epidemic of pinhole & slab leaks in copper pipes is caused by the water.

In order to comply with the Safe Water Drinking Act of 1991, water treatment plants began disinfecting our drinking water with Chloromines instead of Chlorine. This removed the Natural Organic Matter (NOM) from the water which did make our water safer to drink, but in turn made it very aggressive to the copper pipes.

With NOM in the water, the copper was able to develop a protective film coating. Like when you put a penny in water, it would eventually form a blue-green patina. As the protective film develops it protects the pipe from the water and the corrosion rate decreases. However, the changes made to our water chemistry have interfered with the formation process resulting in accelerated pitting and corrosion.

Homes built in the 1960's & 70's can expect about 30-35 years of life from their copper pipes. Homes built since 1980 will get about 8 - 15 years of life from their copper pipes. Some pipes may fail in as little as 2 years.

If your home is twenty to thirty years old, you might be wise to consider whole house re-piping.  One of the first things people notice in an older home is gradual reduction in water pressure or the lack of volume in water they're getting from the kitchen or bathroom faucets.  Also, drastic changes in water temperature, especially hot water when someone flushes a toilet while another is taking a shower is caused by a deteriorating system.  This culprit is a slow buildup of corrosion and debris inside galvanized piping. 

Another issue causing the necessity of a re-pipe may be slow, yet constant leaks in one of the supply pipes in the wall behind the shower control.  This can lead to rotting floor boards or framing under bathtub.  Imagine what could happen if this problem is left unchecked.

We, at Reliable Rate, offer full service solutions that include leak detection plus repair or repiping of your slabs copper system.  Our specialists provide a complete and thorough diagnosis to insure accurate resolution.

Years of wear and tear on your homes plumbing system is difficult to detect by the average homeowner, but the problems caused by leaks can be financially devastating and far more costly than whole house re-piping.  Re-piping your home will increase your comfort, convenience and peace of mind as well as the resale value of your home.