Signs your home needs repiping
- Repeated leaks in different places over a year or two
- Gray, flexible plastic pipe stamped "PB2110" at the water heater, under sinks or in the crawlspace: polybutylene
- Low pressure throughout the house that has slowly gotten worse, typical of galvanized pipe narrowing with rust
- Brown or rusty water when a tap is first opened
- Green crusting or pinhole leaks on copper pipe
- An insurer or home inspector flagging the pipe material. Some insurers ask about polybutylene and galvanized supply lines.
Which pipe materials need replacing
| Material | How to recognize it | Typical problem |
|---|---|---|
| Polybutylene | Gray (sometimes blue outside) flexible plastic, crimp rings at fittings | Fittings and pipe crack without warning; widely used from the late 1970s to mid 1990s |
| Galvanized steel | Gray metal pipe with threaded joints, a magnet sticks to it | Rusts from inside, losing pressure and causing discolored water; leaks at threads |
| Copper | Orange-brown metal, soldered joints | Usually long-lasting; can develop pinhole leaks with age or aggressive water |
| CPVC | Cream or tan rigid plastic, glued joints | Can become brittle with age and heat; cracks when disturbed |
| PEX | Red, blue or white flexible plastic | Current standard; rarely the reason to repipe |
What your Canton home's age says about its pipes
Canton's housing comes in distinct eras, and the pipe material mostly follows the date. The oldest houses around downtown, including surviving homes from the Canton Cotton Mills village that dates to 1899, are the most likely to still have galvanized steel supply lines unless they have already been updated.
Homes built from the late 1970s to the mid 1990s, before Canton's big growth, fall in the polybutylene window. Homes built from 2000 on, which make up most of the city now that the population has grown from about 7,700 in 2000 to nearly 33,000 in 2020, were generally plumbed in CPVC, copper or PEX.
For homeowners, this means a repipe question usually comes up in an older home or one from the 80s and early 90s. In a 2005 subdivision house, a leak is much more likely to be a single failed fitting or valve that can be repaired on its own. See our Downtown Canton page for more on older homes.
How a repipe is done
Inspection and layout
The plumber traces the existing supply lines, checks the main shutoff, water heater connections and fixtures, and plans new routes. In homes with a basement or crawlspace, most new pipe can run below the floor with short drops up into walls.
Material choice
PEX is the most common choice for repiping: it's flexible, needs fewer fittings and can be fished through walls with smaller openings. Copper remains an option for exposed runs or homeowner preference.
Running new lines
New supply lines are run to each fixture, often from a central manifold so individual fixtures can be shut off. The old pipe is disconnected and either removed where reachable or abandoned in place.
New valves and connections
New shutoff valves at sinks and toilets, new connections at the water heater, and a new main shutoff if the old one is worn.
Testing and inspection
The system is pressure tested before walls are closed. A repipe usually requires a permit and inspection.
Wall openings closed
Access holes are patched. Painting and finish work may be handled separately; ask how drywall repair is handled when you get the price.
Most single-family repipes are done in a few working days. Water is normally restored to the house at the end of each day.
What affects the cost of repiping
- Number of fixtures and bathrooms. Each fixture is another line to run.
- House layout. A one-story home over an open crawlspace is the simplest; multi-story homes with finished basements need more wall openings.
- Material. PEX generally costs less in labor and material than copper.
- Wall and ceiling repair. How many openings are needed and who patches them.
- Extras. A new main shutoff, pressure reducing valve, water heater connections or a new service line from the meter at the same time.
- Permit and inspection fees.
When a pipe problem is an emergency
A repipe is planned work, but the pipe that leads to it can fail suddenly. A burst polybutylene fitting releases water at full pressure.
- A pipe or fitting has burst and water is flowing
- Water is coming through a ceiling or wall
Shut off the main water and call our emergency plumbing line. We'll stop the leak first; the repipe decision can be made afterward with a clear head.
Repair or repipe? How to decide
One leak on otherwise good pipe: repair it, ideally after leak detection confirms there's only one. 2 or more leaks in a short time, polybutylene anywhere in the house, or galvanized pipe with low pressure: get a repiping price and compare it to the cost of continuing repairs and the risk of water damage. Plumbing Guy does both kinds of work as a plumber in Canton, GA, so the advice comes from the condition of the pipe.
Repiping questions
How do I know if I have polybutylene pipe?
Look at the pipe where it connects to the water heater, under sinks, or in the crawlspace or basement. Polybutylene is usually gray, flexible plastic, often stamped "PB2110," with metal or plastic crimp rings at fittings. Note that it may be hidden behind copper stubs at fixtures.
Is PEX better than copper for repiping?
Both are good when installed properly. PEX is flexible, resists freeze splitting better and needs fewer fittings and wall openings.
Copper is rigid, long-lasting and suits exposed runs. PEX is the more common choice for whole-house repipes.
Can I stay in my home during a repipe?
Usually yes. Water is shut off while work is underway and is normally restored each evening.
Do I need to repipe a house built after 2000?
Rarely. Homes from that era were usually plumbed in CPVC, copper or PEX. A leak is more likely a failed fitting, valve or supply hose that can be repaired on its own.