San Diego is an established area that has a combination of both older and
newer homes. In houses that were built over 20 years ago, corroding pipes
due to the chemicals used in the treatment of water can be a common problem.
A leaking pipe can be both destructive and costly over time. If your home
is showing signs of water supply problems, or has leaking pipes, it may
be time to consult a repipe specialist.
Water supply problems can show up in a number of ways. A wet wall or wet
slab under the house can be a sign of a leaking pipe. Bad smelling or
bad tasting water can be another sign. If a house has low water pressure,
this can be caused by sediment build-up partially blocking one or more
pipes. If the water temperature changes when someone either flushes the
toilet or turns on another faucet, this can be due to low water pressure.
Leaking or corroded pipes are typically not because of anything the homeowner
did or did not do. The pipes used in homes older than 20 years old were
usually either galvanized or soft copper tubing. The soft copper tubing
was used under concrete slabs because that was what building codes at
the time required. Hard copper tubing requires soldering, and the solder
joints under the slab were against building code. Both kinds of piping
are prone to corrosion and have to be replaced eventually.
Replacing one pipe at a time could be very costly. Unless a homeowner has
experience and all of the tools and equipment need for the job, replacing
pipes is not usually a do-it-yourself type of job. The question now becomes
who do you call? While there are a large number of plumbers in the San
Diego area, a plumber could cost as much as twice as much as a repipe
specialist, and will only do part of the job.
A repipe specialist will be cheaper than a plumber, and will repair any
damaged walls as well as completely clean up after they are finished.
Repiping can be accomplished using either hard copper piping or PEX. PEX
is a special type of plastic pipe that is often cheaper and easier to
install. Depending on the size of the job, many homes can be repiped in
a single day. If the leaking pipe is under the slab, a repipe specialist
can offer alternatives to cutting into the concrete slab as well. If you
are need of repiping, give Repiping Professionals a call today!