Your galvanized pipes are old and corroding. Rust blocks off the pipes, lowering your water pressure and even contaminating the water itself. If you’re not careful, corroded pipes can lead to leaks, which means mould, rot and water damage around your home.
If you want to protect against these issues, it is time to consider repiping: replacing your old, rusted pipes with new ones.
Here’s a basic guide to having your home repiped.
Inspection and estimates. Just how extensive is the repiping job? Are you currently having your hot and cold water pipes replaced? What about your faucets and other fixtures, or your water heater?
Corroded plumbing can sometimes cause difficulties with these things as well, so get them checked by a plumber before embarking on the project and find out how much everything will cost.
Preparation. The procedure may leave your house without water for upwards of a week. And it can be messy. Talk with your plumber about making appropriate preparations, such as an alternate source of water, as well as protecting your floor, furniture, and other belongings from debris and water damage.
Installation. This is done one section at a time, over the course of a few days. Understand what type of pipes your plumber is utilizing (aluminum, PEX, etc.) and what the benefits and detriments are compared to other choices.
Testing. When the repiping is finished, you will need another plumbing inspection done, to make certain that the new pipes are installed correctly and functioning well. They’ll also need to check for leaks, just in case.
Drywall. Repiping your home means cutting out large segments of the wall, so once the process is over, you’ll need to replace them. A lot of plumbers can handle this for you as well, or if not, they ought to be able to urge you to someone who can. Either way, make sure that redoing your drywall is part of the initial estimate for the project.