Reasons Why Repiping Is A Worthwhile Investment
If you live in a much older house, you always need to make sure that you take its general upkeep and maintenance very seriously. Certain aspects of its infrastructure could be more susceptible to wear and tear compared to a newer building. One thing that you can’t overlook is the integrity of your building’s piping and plumbing system. As pipes age, you can certainly expect a normal level or wear and tear. However, there are certain things you need to be aware of in terms of the quality of your piping that can help save you from needing costly repairs or plumbing emergencies.
What Are Some Telltale Signs You Need Pipe Replacement?
No two homes are built the same, which means that they’re all going to have variations when it comes to the general plumbing infrastructure. It’s also possible that, depending on the age of the home, certain sections of piping may have already been replaced or repaired. It’s important to know some of the more common traits of piping that is at the end of its rope. Firstly, age is always going to be the biggest indicator. Typically, any buildings that are 50+ years in age are susceptible to worn down piping. Eventually, simply repairing any piping might not be worth the investment compared to full reping. One thing to be on the lookout for is the large accumulation of rust. This means that the physical integrity of the piping is compromised. If rust begins to expand and spread throughout additional areas of connected piping, the overall size of any repiping is going to be larger (and more expensive). Also, if you don’t have access to see piping in your building, water pressure is another indicator of pipe quality. If you begin to notice a consistent decline in your building’s water pressure, whether it’s a sink the shower, or a weaker flush, this can be a sign of poor piping.
What’s The Worst That Could Happen?
Unfortunately, too many people have neglected their building’s piping, and it can prove to be extremely troublesome. While a rusty pipe might initially just mean lower water pressure, it can also compromise the entire infrastructure. Water is constantly running through these pipes, and at any given moment, older piping could spring a leak or break entirely. Depending on where this pipe actually is (your basement, lined in a wall), you’re going to be looking at extensive water damage or flooding, especially if you don’t catch it when it breaks. If you’re not in the building at the time, the water will continue to spill out and cause sometimes irreparable damage.
What Can You Do To Prevent This?
You might not need repiping at this very moment, but you won’t know unless you take the time to have a professional look into it. At least once a year, you should have a certified plumber perform an inspection of your building’s plumbing infrastructure, which will include checking the pipe quality. By catching any problems early, you will need to spend money on repiping, but it’s a much better investment than needing to spend any money on repiping along with extensive damage repair.