Many homes built in the Los Angeles area are 20 years old or older. This means that they probably have galvanized piping throughout the house. If a house is starting to have, or has had different plumbing problems, then it may be time to consider contacting a repipe specialist.
Signs of corroding water pipes may include foul smelling or tasting water. Low water pressure (especially hot water) can be another sign that a home needs new pipes. If the water temperature changes when someone flushes the toilet or turns on another faucet, these are signs of low water pressure. If you have wet walls or a wet slab under the house, this can be yet another sign of leaking pipes.
Slab Leak Detection
Galvanized pipes are prone to corroding over time. If a home was built on a concrete slab, the building codes at the time called for soft copper water supply tubing under the slab. Hard copper tubing wasn’t allowed because the soldered joints under the slab were against building codes. In either case, the chemicals used in treating water at the water treatment plant lead to corroding pipes over time. This could possibly lead to a slab leak.
The solution to leaking water pipes is to have them replaced. While there are many qualified plumbers in Los Angeles that can do the job, plumbers tend to be very expensive. Their repipe work will include only the plumbing. They will not repair any drywall damage, and do not completely clean up after they’re done.
Copper & PEX
Repipe specialists cost a lot less than plumbing companies. They can offer repiping work using either hard copper tubing or PEX. PEX is a special type of plastic pipe that costs less than copper and needs fewer connections. This reduces the amount of time to install it. A repipe specialist will repair any damage done to the house during the installation, and completely clean up after themselves prior to leaving.
Leaking water pipes can be a costly and destructive problem. The problem will only get worse over time if left unrepaired. Plumbers can be expensive and only do part of the job. A repipe specialist will do the same job at considerably less money. The specialist also has the man power, knowledge, and experience to do the entire job including drywall repair and complete clean-up. If your home is showing any of the signs of water pipe corrosion, it may be time to call in a repipe specialist
