Galvanized to PEX: A Repipe Guide for Older Homes

Galvanized steel rusts from the inside. Over decades it narrows, weakens at threaded joints and starts leaking, often inside walls. Spot repairs stop one leak but leave the rest of the old pipe in place. A repipe replaces all the supply lines at once and ends the cycle.

PEX is a flexible plastic tubing that does not rust, handles Phoenix's hard water well and needs fewer fittings. Copper is durable and traditional but costs more and can develop pinholes in hard water over time. Many plumbers recommend PEX for older homes because it can be snaked through walls with fewer openings.

The plumber plans routes, usually through the attic and down interior walls to each fixture. Small openings are cut in plaster or drywall at fixtures and key points. New lines are run and connected, the old system is cut off and the water is turned back on. Most single-story homes take a few days.

Older homes often have plaster walls. Plaster is harder to cut and patch than drywall, so ask how the plumber minimizes openings and who handles patching. Some plumbers include patching; others leave it to a separate contractor.

Expect the water to be off for parts of each day. Many plumbers restore water overnight. Ask for a schedule.

Check that the plumber is licensed with the Arizona ROC license lookup and ask whether the City of Phoenix requires a permit for your job. Get written quotes that list materials, routes, patching and warranty.

Price depends on the number of fixtures, the size and layout of the home, wall and ceiling materials and whether patching and paint are included. Compare quotes on the same scope.

If an old pipe just leaked, get the water out and drying started first; see old plumbing leak damage. Walls already open for drying can make a repipe easier.

A supply repipe does not change old cast iron or clay drains. Ask a plumber whether a sewer camera inspection makes sense at the same time.

Brown water in the morning, low pressure in the shower, more than one leak in a few years, orange crust at fittings under sinks and a meter that moves with everything off all suggest the pipes are near the end of their life. One sign alone may not mean a repipe; several together usually do.

Most families stay home during a repipe. Expect noise, dust where walls are opened and the water off for a few hours at a time. Clear furniture away from walls where the plumber needs access, protect floors with drop cloths and ask the crew to show you where each opening will be before they start.

After the new lines are in, openings in plaster or drywall are patched, textured and painted. Matching old plaster textures takes skill; ask to see examples of the patcher's work. Plan to repaint the whole wall if the color has faded.

If you are already planning a kitchen or bathroom remodel, doing the repipe at the same time saves money because walls will already be open. The same goes for a sewer line replacement, which may need some of the same access points.

Old pipe leaking right now? Close the main and call (602) 878-3892; drying can start before the repipe is scheduled.

Which material do you recommend and why? How will lines be routed? How many openings, and who patches them? Is a permit needed? What warranty covers the work? How long will the water be off each day?

A planned repipe ends the cycle of leaks and brown water. Do it on your schedule, with written quotes and a licensed plumber.

Ask whether patching is included before comparing quotes.

If your home is from the 1940s, 50s or early 60s and has never been repiped, ask a plumber to look at the system before the next leak decides the timing for you.

Plan it before the pipes plan it for you.

If your pipes are original galvanized steel, plan a repipe on your schedule. It costs far less than drying plaster walls and wood floors after a burst.

Questions about galvanized to pex: a repipe guide for older homes? Call (602) 878-3892 to reach a local North Central Phoenix provider, 24 hours a day.